Wordwizard

Can one use a. I will take the good books and you take the bad. instead of 1. I will take the good books and you take the bad ones . and 2. I will take the good books and you take the bad one . ? Can one use b. I will take the good book and you take the bad. instead of 3. I will take the good book a...

a. I accidentally kicked the police officer entering the store. Can't this sentence have three meanings? 1. I accidentally kicked the police officer as I was entering the store. 2. I accidentally kicked the police officer as he was entering the store. 3. I accidentally kicked the police officer who...

Can one say
a. I don't want to see work like we saw last month.
b. I don't want to see work like what we saw last month.
?


Many thanks.

Can one say
a. I responded to their letter as an official document, similar to the ones sent to me by the Ministry of Education.
b. I reacted to his behavior as a narcissistic outburst, similar to his ravings against his father.
?

Are they grammatical?

Many thanks.

Thank you so much,

How about
e) He saved someone on four occasions.
?
Is that ambiguous as well?

And how about
f) He saved two people on two occasions.
?

Can one tell if he saved one person per occasion or two people per occasion?

Many thanks.

a. He saved a woman on four occasions. b. On four occasions, he saved a woman. c. He saved a woman four times. d. He has saved a woman four times. In which case 1. The same woman was saved four times in which case 2. Four different women were saved on four different occasions and in which case 3. W...

Can one say a. I am sending you this song hoping it won't offend you, because it is a bit racy. b. I am sending you this song and I hope it won't offend you, because it is a bit racy. ? The last part is supposed to mean "I am saying this because it is a bit racy". I am saying I hope it won't offend ...

a. I can't get over you with your New England accent.

What does 'with' mean in this sentence?

Many thanks and Happy New Year.

Can one use a. She doesn't like a lot of them. instead of b. There are a lot of them she doesn't like. (She dislikes a lot of them.) ? Can one use c. She wouldn't like to be in the same room with a lot of us. instead of d. There are a lot of us she wouldn't like to be with in the same room. ? (c) co...

Can one say a. Fifty percent of homeless men have suffered brain damage. Not fifty percent of the male population at large have suffered brain damage. b. Fifty percent of homeless men have suffered brain damage. But not fifty percent of the male population at large have suffered brain damage. c. Fif...

Can one say a. You can not do it now and do it later. b. You may not do it now and do it later. (Meaning: You can do it later. You don't have to do it now.) ? Can one say c. It could happen and it could not happen. (Meaning: It might happen and it might not happen.) ? My feeling is that (a) works an...

Can one use a. We were on our own. instead of b. We were each on our own. ? Does this work c. When it came to doing our homework, we were on our own. The supervisor did not help us. He just made sure that none of us helped anyone else. ? Let us say, the kids are in a dormitory. They have a special t...

Can one say
a. No one knows something is wrong here.
b. No one knows anything is wrong here.

c. No one thinks something is wrong here.
d. No one thinks anything is wrong here.

e. Does anyone know that something is wrong here?
f. Does anyone know that anything is wrong here?
?

Many thanks.

I am listening to a song. My friend walks into to room and asks me: -Is that George Benson? Can I say: a. Yes. In my opinion this is his best. instead of b. Yes. In my opinion this is his best song . ? I am not sure that 'the best' can replace a singular noun (his best song). My feeling is that 'the...

Can one say a. Whoever has not registered, go to line B. b. Those of you who have not registered, go to line B. c. Whichever of you has not registered, go to line B. ? The sentences are being addressed to 'those who have not registered'. They are orders. 'Go to line B' is the order given to those wh...