Wordwizard

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...

a. You were wrong to go there. b. What you said was wrong. c. What you did was wrong. 'Wrong' is a an ambiguous word. It could mean 'morally wrong' or simply 'incorrect'. My feeling is that in (a) and (b) it has the 'incorrect' meaning. It means you made a mistake. It doesn't mean you did something...

Can one say
a. My English and his are equally bad.
b. Our English is equally bad.
?

Many thanks.

Can one say a. She offered me a dollar to use my phone. b. She offered me a dollar to let him use my phone. c. She offered me twenty dollars to drive him to the airport. d. She offered me twenty dollars to be driven to the airport. e. She offered twenty dollars to be driven to the airport. e. She of...

Can one say a. I was talking to the brother of John's who is a doctor, not to the one who is an actor. b. I was talking to the brother of his who is a doctor, not to the one who is an actor. c. I was talking to the brother of John who is a doctor, not to the one who is an actor. d. I was talking to ...

Can one say
a. In this workshop, work is done sitting on tall stools.
b. In our office, technical drawings are done standing behind drafting tables.
?

Many thanks.

Can one say

a. When he said he loved me he made me happier than at any other time in my entire life.
?

Does it mean
1. that he made me happier than I'd ever been.
or
2. that he made me happier than he'd ever made me.
?

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Can one say
a. What he said made me happier than at any other time in my entire life.
?

Does it mean
1. What he said made me happier than I'd ever been.
or
2. What he said made me happier than anything he'd ever said.
?

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a. I bought two beers for them.
b. I bought two beers for five of them.
c. I bought two beers for the boys.
d. I bought two beers for all of them.
e. I bought two beers for them all.

Which could I use if I bought two beers for each of them?

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a. I poured a cup of tea for her, before everybody else. Could that sentence mean a1. I poured a cup of tea for her, before I poured a cup of tea for everybody else. ? b. I bought a sandwich for her, before everybody else. Could that sentence mean b1. I bought a sandwich for her, before I bought a ...

Can one say a. Unlike you, I didn't shout at him so that he'd be scared. I talked softly to him. b. Unlike you, I didn't shout at him to scare him. I talked softly to him. c. I didn't shout at him so that he'd be scared. I shouted at him because I know he's hard of hearing. d. I didn't shout at him ...

Can one say
a. I sent my son to the conservatory to be taught music.
b. Our country produces fruit to be exported.
c. Our country produces fruit for export.
?

In (b) and (c) is all the fruit we produce exported or only some of it?

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Can one say
a. I don't know what I will be doing next week, other than that I will meet John.
b. I have no idea what I will be doing next week, other than that I will meet John.
?

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Can one say
a. I am ready if he starts a fight. I hope he won't.
b. I will be ready if he starts a fight. I hope he won't.
c. I am ready for him to start a fight. I hope he won't.

d. Be ready if he starts a fight.
e. Be ready for him to start a fight.
?

Many thanks.

Can one say a. This instrument is used to measure radiation. b. This instrument is used for measuring radiation. c. I need the Geiger counter to measure radiation. d. I need the Geiger counter for measuring. e. I need the Geiger counter to measure radiation in my office. f. I need the Geiger counter...