Search found 330 matches
- Mon Feb 12, 2018 7:19 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: talked to him first
- Replies: 3
- Views: 1758
talked to him first
a. When I first talked to him, I thought he was a nice guy. Can't this sentence have two meanings? 1. When I was talking to him, at first I thought he was a nice guy. (Presumably, after some time passed, my opinion changed during that very same conversation.) 2. The first time I talked to him, I th...
- Sat Feb 10, 2018 7:53 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: first learning of their mistake
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1579
first learning of their mistake
a. First learning of their mistake, I smiled. I think this means a1. When I learned of their mistake for the first time, I smiled. b. Learning of their mistake, I first smiled. I think this means b1. I first smiled when I learned of their mistake. Is that correct? Could (a) mean c. I smiled at firs...
- Fri Feb 09, 2018 2:05 pm
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: in any event
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1635
in any event
Can one say a. We can stay here and fight a hopeless battle, run away and die of hunger or commit suicide. In any event, we will die. It is just a matter of sooner or later. b. We can stay here and fight a hopeless battle, run away and die of hunger or commit suicide. In any case, we will die. It is...
- Tue Feb 06, 2018 10:20 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: anyone who likes him
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2985
Re: anyone who likes him
Thank you all so much!!
No matter how much I thank you, it won't be enough!
No matter how much I thank you, it won't be enough!
- Sun Feb 04, 2018 10:31 pm
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: anyone who likes him
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2985
Re: anyone who likes him
Thank you so much. How about d. Anywhere I go isn't safe. e. Anyone I know doesn't like me. f. Anyone I know doesn't know him. g. Anyone won't like me. h. Anyone won't say this club is bad, ? It seems to me that "anyone" and "anything"and "anywhere" have to be qualified. I'd say the last two don't w...
- Sun Feb 04, 2018 10:09 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: anyone who likes him
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2985
anyone who likes him
Can one say
a. Anything you see here is not real.
b. Anyone who likes him will not like me.
c. Anybody who goes to this club will not say it is bad.
?
Many thanks.
a. Anything you see here is not real.
b. Anyone who likes him will not like me.
c. Anybody who goes to this club will not say it is bad.
?
Many thanks.
- Wed Jan 31, 2018 5:28 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: really dangerous
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1327
really dangerous
a. He really is dangerous. b. He is really dangerous. Which means 1. He is very dangerous. and which means 2. The truth is that he is dangerous. and which could be used in this context 3. You might think he is X but he in reality he is not X, he is dangerous. (You might think he is a nice guy, but ...
- Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:37 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: until
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1571
until
Can one say
a. Walk up this street until the second intersection and then turn left.
b. I went until the third door and stopped.
c. He traveled until Boston, but couldn't go further.
?
Many thanks.
a. Walk up this street until the second intersection and then turn left.
b. I went until the third door and stopped.
c. He traveled until Boston, but couldn't go further.
?
Many thanks.
- Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:24 pm
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: midway
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1530
midway
Can one say
a. He crossed the street halfway between two intersections.
b. He crossed the street midway between two intersections.
c. He crossed the street right between two intersections.
?
Do they all mean the same?
Is (c) synonymous with the other two?
Many thanks.
a. He crossed the street halfway between two intersections.
b. He crossed the street midway between two intersections.
c. He crossed the street right between two intersections.
?
Do they all mean the same?
Is (c) synonymous with the other two?
Many thanks.
- Sun Dec 31, 2017 7:57 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: if he has any
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1672
if he has any
Can one say
a. I'm sure he will willingly share his interesting ideas if he has any.
b. I'm sure he will willingly share his interesting ideas if he has some.
c. I'm sure he will willingly share his interesting ideas if he has them.
?
Many thanks.
Happy New Year to everybody!
a. I'm sure he will willingly share his interesting ideas if he has any.
b. I'm sure he will willingly share his interesting ideas if he has some.
c. I'm sure he will willingly share his interesting ideas if he has them.
?
Many thanks.
Happy New Year to everybody!
- Mon Dec 18, 2017 10:52 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: a new method to travel
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1468
a new method to travel
Can one use the following sentences with the assumptions that have been provided? a. Doctor Jones is trying to find new ways to live with mental illness. The assumption is that he doesn't have a mental illness. He is trying to find new ways for people with mental illness to live with their illness. ...
- Thu Nov 30, 2017 7:08 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: asked that he should
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1498
asked that he should
Can one say a. I asked for him to be appointed vice-president. b. I asked the committee for him to be appointed vice-president. c. I asked that he should be appointed vice-president. d. I asked the committee that he should be appointed vice-president. if the intended meaning is: I asked the committe...
- Mon Nov 27, 2017 1:12 pm
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: be happy
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1890
be happy
Could one say a. Be happy! and b. Be lucky! instead of, respectively, 1. May you be happy. and 2. May you be lucky. ? (a) and (b) do not make much sense as imperative statements, One cannot decide to be lucky, And it is difficult to decide to be happy, although some might argue that is possible. It ...
- Thu Nov 23, 2017 11:08 pm
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: a student was not
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1254
a student was not
a. A student was not in the class.
b. A single student was not in the class.
Can't these mean two things
1. There was a specific student missing from the class. All the others who were supposed to be there, were there.
2. There weren't any students in the class.
Many thanks.
b. A single student was not in the class.
Can't these mean two things
1. There was a specific student missing from the class. All the others who were supposed to be there, were there.
2. There weren't any students in the class.
Many thanks.
- Wed Nov 15, 2017 7:48 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: isn't smart to
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1479
isn't smart to
Can one say a. He isn't foolish to believe what they say. b. He isn't an idiot to believe what they say. c. He isn't smart to have made this discovery. d. He isn't a genius to have made this discovery. e. He isn't smart to write such songs. f. He isn't a genius to write such song. ? The idea is basi...