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What do you charge for 36 exp film?

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victorycountry  #478618  Mon, 18 Feb 08 10:46 PM

Hi,

I had a customer asking the price of developing a film the other day.

She said, 'What do you charge for 36 exp?'

I thought ... well ... this probably is the difference between the native and non-native, however, when you are asking for the price of a thing, I thought it's always starting with 'how much'.

But now I guess it's not.

Is that right?

 

Thanks in advance.

  
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Clive  #478636  Mon, 18 Feb 08 11:17 PM

Hi,

Yes, there are almost always different ways to say things. Is that not also true in your native language?

Clive

  
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CalifJim  #478643  Mon, 18 Feb 08 11:53 PM
victorycountry

I thought ...  when you are asking for the price of a thing, I thought it's always starting with 'how much'.

But now I guess it's not.

You guessed correctly.  what (a substitute for 'what price' or 'what amount of money') can be used when talking about amounts of money, using verbs like cost, buy, sell, and pay.

[What / How much] did you pay for that car? 

[What / How much] will it cost you to have the house painted? 

[What / How much] did you sell it for?

CJ 

  
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Clive  #478646  Tue, 19 Feb 08 12:28 AM

Hi,

Yes, you can say lots of things.

eg What's the price of/for 36 exposures?

Clive

  
victorycountry  #478653  Tue, 19 Feb 08 01:28 AM

Thanks again, Clive and Jim!!

Well, as far as I can remember now, in my language (korean), we only use 'how much'.

So it's good to know that english has different ways to say things.

 

Thanks very much, as I always say, you two are great teachers!!

 

  
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