Wordwizard

Are these correct: 1) Anyone who saw and recognized him should have reported him to the police, but no one did. I am sure many people saw him and knew who he was, but no one dared report him to the police. 2) Anyone who went up this sidewalk before me should have picked up that banana skin. This is ...

Thank you all very much, I had misspelt 'venues'. That was a tough one to spot. Tony has a sharp eye! It is true that I am probably capable of coming up with unambiguous sentences. But I believe that ambiguous sentences are quite common. Context in general disambiguates them. One doesn't even notice...

1) I haven't had so much pain since I left the army. 2) Since I left the army, I haven't had so much pain. I think both sentences are ambiguous. I see two possibilities: a) The last time I had so much pain was when I left the army b) The last time I had so much pain was before I left the army Would...

1) Jack stole Tom's guitar to play in small venus. Is this sentence correct? Is it ambiguous? One possible meaning: Jack stole the guitar that belongs to Tom and Tom uses to play in small venues. Second possible meaning: Jack stole Tom's guitar in order to play it in small venues. 2) Jack stole Tom...

Which are correct:
1) She was so charmed by him that she forgot how late it was.
2) She was so much charmed by him that she forgot how late it was.
3) She was charmed so much by him that she forgot how late it was.



Happy New Year!

Gratefully,
Navi

1) I might beat this cancer yet. 2) I might still beat this cancer. Is there any difference between the meanings of '1' and '2'? 3) Our team might win yet. 4) Our team might still win. Is there any difference between the meaning of '3' and '4'? Which should be used if there is a limited amount of t...

1) They have two men injured behind enemy lines. 2) They have two men injured, behind enemy lines. 3) They have two men injured who are behind enemy lines. Do these mean that the two men got injured when they were behind enemy lines or all we can say is that they are injured now and they are behind...

1) He gave them all together one hundred dollars. 2) He gave them all one hundred dollars. 3) He gave them one hundred dollars. 4) He gave them one hundred dollars altogether. 5) He gave them one hundred dollars jointly. Is '5' correct? In which of the sentences is it possible that he has given dif...

1) My father thinks that I don't get on Jane's nerves, but I must, because I am her husband after all! Is this sentence ambiguous? Does 'must' mean 'very probably' or does it mean 'it is imperative that'? a) He thinks that I must go ahead and get on her nerves. b) He is wrong. I most probably am ge...

1) Let the show begin!

What does 'let' mean in this sentence?
How is that sentence different from:
2) May the show begin!
3) Would that the show began!

Gratefully,
Navi

Thank you very much, Trolley, The more I think about '1' and '2' the more I tend to think that they can only mean what you say they mean. They can't really have the other meaning. I now think that the sentences actually mean that a particular style or a particular way of doing something has been for...

Are these both correct: 1) He is like a boxer who has forgotten how he used to fight. He has to learn everything all over again . 2) I better not go on that stage. I might have forgotten how I used to play the drums. 3) He wants to partner up with his brother again. I think he has forgotten how they...

Which are correct: 1) There is water under the floor. When you press your foot down water comes out between the floorboards. 2) There is water under the floor. When you press your foot down water comes out from between the floorboards. 3) There is water under the floor. When you press your foot down...

Jane says: There is a lot to do. The rooms have to be cleaned. The bedsheets have to be changed. The dishes have to be washed. The laundry has to be done. The windows have to be cleaned. Tom says: 1) I can do everything. 2) I can do anything. I think there's a difference between '1' and '2' in this ...

Are both these sentences correct:

1) Three over-thirty women ran the shop.
2) Three women over thirty ran the shop.

Is the hyphen in '1' necessary?

Gratefully,
Navi