| Author |
Message |
rpaeps
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 8:37 pm
Post subject: homework |
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Hello,
Because I'm retired , I follow the course of English ( my native language is
Dutch).
For homework, we must to correct a lot of sentences. For example:
wrong
correction ?
1 What you want drink?
What do you want to drink?
2 I have a Coke, please.
Can I have a Coke, please?
3 1 can't to help you.
I can't help you.
4 It's starting rain.
It's starting to rain.
5 I'm looking forward to see you again soon. I
look forward to see you again soon.
6 I think to change my job soon.
I'm thinking to change my job soon.
7 Phone me tonight. I give you my phone number. Phone me
tonight. I'll give you my phone number.
8 I see the doctor tomorrow about my back. I'm
seeing the doctor tomorrow about my back. Or: I'm going to see the doctor
tomorrow about my back.
Thank you veru much. Ropa, Belgium.
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rpaeps
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 10:03 pm
Post subject: Re: homework |
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I thank you very much, Ropa.
"the Omrud" <usenet.omrud@gmail.com> schreef in bericht
news:MPG.1c27ce654771be0f98ab29@news.individual.net...
| Quote: | audrey typed thus:
"rpaeps" <rpaeps@scarlet.be> a écrit dans le message de news:
TvKdnfk6GLWPBiDcRVnytA@scarlet.biz...
1 What you want drink?
What do you want to drink?
OK
2 I have a Coke, please.
Can I have a Coke, please?
Nothing wrong with this in colloquial English, although you should
perhaps know that strictly, "can" is used to enquire about whether
something is possible. You should really say "May I have a Coke,
please?"
I'll have a Coke, please.
This is OK, but only as a reply to the previous question, or "What
would you like?" Otherwise, on its own it is a little abrupt.
3 1 can't to help you.
I can't help you.
OK
4 It's starting rain.
It's starting to rain.
OK
5 I'm looking forward to see you again soon.
I look forward to see you again soon.
No - you need "seeing".
I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon.
This is OK.
6 I think to change my job soon.
I'm thinking to change my job soon.
This one doesn't fit with the rest - it should be:
I'm thinking of changing my job soon.
7 Phone me tonight. I give you my phone number.
Phone me tonight. I'll give you my phone number.
OK
I am giving you my phone number. (I'm not completely sure but you can't
use
"will" there)
Yes, you can use "will". This version is wrong - it says that I am
giving you my number *now*.
8 I see the doctor tomorrow about my back.
I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow about my back. Or: I'm going to see the
doctor tomorrow about my back.
Both OK.
--
David
=====
replace the first component of address
with the definite article. |
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the Omrud
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 10:03 pm
Post subject: Re: homework |
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rpaeps typed thus:
| Quote: | I thank you very much, Ropa.
|
I forgot: Your introduction is wrong.
| Quote: | Hello,
Because I'm retired , I follow the course of English ( my native language is
Dutch).
|
I am following an English course.
| Quote: | For homework, we must to correct a lot of sentences. For example:
|
We must correct a lot of sentences
or
We have to correct a lot of sentences.
--
David
=====
replace the first component of address
with the definite article.
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John Hall
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 10:03 pm
Post subject: Re: homework |
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In article <TvKdnfk6GLWPBiDcRVnytA@scarlet.biz>,
rpaeps <rpaeps@scarlet.be> writes:
| Quote: | Because I'm retired , I follow the course of English ( my native language is
Dutch).
For homework, we must to correct a lot of sentences. For example:
wrong
correction ?
1 What you want drink?
What do you want to drink?
|
Yes.
| Quote: |
2 I have a Coke, please.
Can I have a Coke, please?
|
That's fine, but "I'll have a Coke, please" would also be correct and
would be closer to the original.
| Quote: |
3 1 can't to help you.
I can't help you.
|
Yes.
| Quote: |
4 It's starting rain.
It's starting to rain.
|
Yes.
| Quote: |
5 I'm looking forward to see you again soon. I
look forward to see you again soon.
|
No. Either version would be correct if "see" was replaced by "seeing".
| Quote: |
6 I think to change my job soon.
I'm thinking to change my job soon.
|
"I'm thinking of changing my job soon."
| Quote: |
7 Phone me tonight. I give you my phone number. Phone me
tonight. I'll give you my phone number.
|
Yes.
| Quote: |
8 I see the doctor tomorrow about my back. I'm
seeing the doctor tomorrow about my back. Or: I'm going to see the doctor
tomorrow about my back.
|
Yes, both of your suggested corrections are fine.
--
John Hall
Johnson: "Well, we had a good talk."
Boswell: "Yes, Sir, you tossed and gored several persons."
Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-84); James Boswell (1740-95) |
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John Hall
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 10:03 pm
Post subject: Re: homework |
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In article <Ovi+rACH+dvBFwUm@jhall.demon.co.uk>,
John Hall <nospam_nov03@jhall.co.uk> writes:
| Quote: | In article <TvKdnfk6GLWPBiDcRVnytA@scarlet.biz>,
rpaeps <rpaeps@scarlet.be> writes:
Because I'm retired , I follow the course of English ( my native language is
Dutch).
For homework, we must to correct a lot of sentences. For example:
wrong
correction ?
1 What you want drink?
What do you want to drink?
Yes.
snip |
I realise that that is open to misinterpretation. By "yes", I meant
"yes, it's correct".
--
John Hall
Johnson: "Well, we had a good talk."
Boswell: "Yes, Sir, you tossed and gored several persons."
Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-84); James Boswell (1740-95) |
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Molly Mockford
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 10:03 pm
Post subject: Re: homework |
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At 18:48:48 on Mon, 13 Dec 2004, rpaeps <rpaeps@scarlet.be> wrote in
<h8adncYcA9mYSyDcRVnyjQ@scarlet.biz>:
| Quote: | I thank you very much, Ropa.
|
If you want to show your gratitude (and, by the way, thank you for
posting your suggested answers to the questions, rather than just asking
what they should be), may I ask you in future to put your reply *after*
the quoted text, and snip out what isn't relevant in the quote, the way
I have done in this post? It's the way it's usually done in uk.*
newsgroups, and is generally considered more polite.
--
Molly Mockford
I think I've been too long on my own, but the little green goblin that
lives under the sink says I'm OK - and he's never wrong, so I must be!
(My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.) |
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the Omrud
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 10:03 pm
Post subject: Re: homework |
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Molly Mockford typed thus:
| Quote: | At 18:48:48 on Mon, 13 Dec 2004, rpaeps <rpaeps@scarlet.be> wrote in
h8adncYcA9mYSyDcRVnyjQ@scarlet.biz>:
I thank you very much, Ropa.
If you want to show your gratitude (and, by the way, thank you for
posting your suggested answers to the questions, rather than just asking
what they should be
|
I will add that it was the attempt to answer the questions before
asking for help which prompted me to assist.
--
David
=====
replace the first component of address
with the definite article. |
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the Omrud
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 10:03 pm
Post subject: Re: homework |
|
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audrey typed thus:
OK
| Quote: | 2 I have a Coke, please.
Can I have a Coke, please?
|
Nothing wrong with this in colloquial English, although you should
perhaps know that strictly, "can" is used to enquire about whether
something is possible. You should really say "May I have a Coke,
please?"
| Quote: | I'll have a Coke, please.
|
This is OK, but only as a reply to the previous question, or "What
would you like?" Otherwise, on its own it is a little abrupt.
| Quote: | 3 1 can't to help you.
I can't help you.
|
OK
| Quote: | 4 It's starting rain.
It's starting to rain.
|
OK
| Quote: | 5 I'm looking forward to see you again soon.
I look forward to see you again soon.
|
No - you need "seeing".
| Quote: | I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon.
|
This is OK.
| Quote: | 6 I think to change my job soon.
I'm thinking to change my job soon.
|
This one doesn't fit with the rest - it should be:
I'm thinking of changing my job soon.
| Quote: | 7 Phone me tonight. I give you my phone number.
Phone me tonight. I'll give you my phone number.
|
OK
| Quote: | I am giving you my phone number. (I'm not completely sure but you can't use
"will" there)
|
Yes, you can use "will". This version is wrong - it says that I am
giving you my number *now*.
| Quote: | 8 I see the doctor tomorrow about my back.
I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow about my back. Or: I'm going to see the doctor tomorrow about my back.
|
Both OK.
--
David
=====
replace the first component of address
with the definite article. |
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| Back to top |
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audrey
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 10:03 pm
Post subject: Re: homework |
|
|
"rpaeps" <rpaeps@scarlet.be> a écrit dans le message de news:
TvKdnfk6GLWPBiDcRVnytA@scarlet.biz...
| Quote: | Hello,
Because I'm retired , I follow the course of English ( my native language
is
Dutch).
For homework, we must to correct a lot of sentences. For example:
we must correct
wrong
correction ?
1 What you want drink?
What do you want to drink?
2 I have a Coke, please.
Can I have a Coke, please?
I'll have a Coke, please.
3 1 can't to help you.
I can't help you.
4 It's starting rain.
It's starting to rain.
5 I'm looking forward to see you again soon. I
look forward to see you again soon.
I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon.
6 I think to change my job soon.
I'm thinking to change my job soon.
7 Phone me tonight. I give you my phone number. Phone me
tonight. I'll give you my phone number.
I am giving you my phone number. (I'm not completely sure but you can't use |
"will" there)
| Quote: |
8 I see the doctor tomorrow about my back. I'm
seeing the doctor tomorrow about my back. Or: I'm going to see the doctor
tomorrow about my back.
Thank you veru much. Ropa, Belgium.
English is not my mother tongue so I might have made mistakes. |
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the Omrud
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 1:54 am
Post subject: Re: homework |
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|
Matthew Huntbach typed thus:
| Quote: | On Mon, 13 Dec 2004, the Omrud wrote:
"rpaeps" <rpaeps@scarlet.be> a écrit:
2 I have a Coke, please.
Can I have a Coke, please?
Nothing wrong with this in colloquial English, although you should
perhaps know that strictly, "can" is used to enquire about whether
something is possible. You should really say "May I have a Coke,
please?"
Except that this would sound stilted and old-fashioned in almost all
circumstances now. The phrase "Can I have a Coke, please?" would
always be interpreted as a request for a drink, only a linguist or
logician making a joke would think of replying "yes" but not serving one.
You could even say "Is it possible to have a Coke, please?" which
would come across as extra polite but would be interpreted as a request
for the drink. The difficult thing is how you would ask about the
possibility of having a Coke without it coming across as a request for
one, to make yourself clear I think you'd have to say something like
"I don't actually want one, but do you have Coke available?". It
wouldn't work to say "I don't actually want one, but can I have a Coke?".
|
I agree with all of that except for the suggestion that "May I have a
Coke?" sounds old-fashioned. Sounds perfectly normal to me.
--
David
=====
replace the first component of address
with the definite article. |
|
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John Briggs
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 6:16 pm
Post subject: Re: homework |
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|
the Omrud wrote:
| Quote: | Matthew Huntbach typed thus:
On Mon, 13 Dec 2004, the Omrud wrote:
"rpaeps" <rpaeps@scarlet.be> a écrit:
2 I have a Coke, please.
Can I have a Coke, please?
Nothing wrong with this in colloquial English, although you should
perhaps know that strictly, "can" is used to enquire about whether
something is possible. You should really say "May I have a Coke,
please?"
Except that this would sound stilted and old-fashioned in almost all
circumstances now. The phrase "Can I have a Coke, please?" would
always be interpreted as a request for a drink, only a linguist or
logician making a joke would think of replying "yes" but not serving
one. You could even say "Is it possible to have a Coke, please?"
which
would come across as extra polite but would be interpreted as a
request for the drink. The difficult thing is how you would ask
about the possibility of having a Coke without it coming across as a
request for one, to make yourself clear I think you'd have to say
something like "I don't actually want one, but do you have Coke
available?". It wouldn't work to say "I don't actually want one, but
can I have a Coke?".
I agree with all of that except for the suggestion that "May I have a
Coke?" sounds old-fashioned. Sounds perfectly normal to me.
|
I would tend to say "Might I have a Coke?", but that's probably even worse
--
John Briggs |
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Molly Mockford
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 12:57 am
Post subject: Re: homework |
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At 14:54:22 on Wed, 15 Dec 2004, John Briggs <john.briggs4@ntlworld.com>
wrote in <yeYvd.218$i95.93@newsfe3-win.ntli.net>:
| Quote: | the Omrud wrote:
Matthew Huntbach typed thus:
On Mon, 13 Dec 2004, the Omrud wrote:
"rpaeps" <rpaeps@scarlet.be> a écrit:
2 I have a Coke, please.
Can I have a Coke, please?
....
"May I have a Coke,
please?"
....
"Is it possible to have a Coke, please?"
....
"I don't actually want one, but do you have Coke
available?"
....
"I don't actually want one, but
can I have a Coke?".
I agree with all of that except for the suggestion that "May I have a
Coke?" sounds old-fashioned. Sounds perfectly normal to me.
I would tend to say "Might I have a Coke?", but that's probably even worse
|
Just for the sake of completeness, could I have a Coke, please?
--
Molly Mockford
I think I've been too long on my own, but the little green goblin that
lives under the sink says I'm OK - and he's never wrong, so I must be!
(My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.) |
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Tom
Guest
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 1:09 am
Post subject: Re: homework |
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Molly Mockford wrote...
| Quote: | At 14:54:22 on Wed, 15 Dec 2004, John Briggs <john.briggs4@ntlworld.com
wrote in <yeYvd.218$i95.93@newsfe3-win.ntli.net>:
the Omrud wrote:
Matthew Huntbach typed thus:
On Mon, 13 Dec 2004, the Omrud wrote:
"rpaeps" <rpaeps@scarlet.be> a écrit:
2 I have a Coke, please.
Can I have a Coke, please?
I agree with all of that except for the suggestion that "May I have a
Coke?" sounds old-fashioned. Sounds perfectly normal to me.
I would tend to say "Might I have a Coke?", but that's probably even
worse
:-)
Just for the sake of completeness, could I have a Coke, please?
|
I'll have a Coke too, please. |
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Voicer
Guest
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 4:55 am
Post subject: Re: homework |
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|
"Tom" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:32bcu5F3jop4sU2@individual.net...
| Quote: | Molly Mockford wrote...
At 14:54:22 on Wed, 15 Dec 2004, John Briggs <john.briggs4@ntlworld.com
wrote in <yeYvd.218$i95.93@newsfe3-win.ntli.net>:
the Omrud wrote:
Matthew Huntbach typed thus:
On Mon, 13 Dec 2004, the Omrud wrote:
"rpaeps" <rpaeps@scarlet.be> a écrit:
2 I have a Coke, please.
Can I have a Coke, please?
I agree with all of that except for the suggestion that "May I have a
Coke?" sounds old-fashioned. Sounds perfectly normal to me.
I would tend to say "Might I have a Coke?", but that's probably even
worse
:-)
Just for the sake of completeness, could I have a Coke, please?
I'll have a Coke too, please.
In common North American usage now, especially among the younger set is: |
"Can I get a Coke?"
The GET meaning may I have a Coke, not am I capable of obtaining one. |
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moi
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 8:11 am
Post subject: Re: homework |
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| Quote: | I would tend to say "Might I have a Coke?", but that's probably even worse
|
I honestly doubt that - this was meant as an answer to "What do you want to
drink" - I've asked the question thousands of times (that and the truncate
version "what do you want...?"). I don't think that anyone has ever said
'May I have a ...." or "Might I have a ...". "Can I have a ...." has been
used when the other person wanted a particularly expensive drink (whiskey or
other short). Generally the answer has been to just say the name of the
drink "a pint of larger" or "I'll have a ...".
As regards "Is it possible to have a Coke, please?" which would come across
as extra polite but would be interpreted as a request for the drink." I
don't think that it is a request for a drink - you've merely asked if it is
possible to have a Coke - it may be possible and the barman/barmaid's answer
would be "Do you want a Coke?" at which point you could say "NO" I just
wanted to see if one could get one here. |
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