Clear up my doubt/confusion

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Angliholic  #431221  Tue, 16 Oct 07 02:14 AM
More examples of dig out are needed to clear up my doubt/confusion about the meaning of dig out.


I'm not so sure if the above sound right or not. If not, would you correct it to make it right? Thanks.
  
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Feebs11  #431222  Tue, 16 Oct 07 02:19 AM
 Angliholic wrote:
More examples of dig out are needed to clear up my doubt/confusion about the meaning of dig out.


I'm not so sure if the above sound right or not. If not, would you correct it to make it right? Thanks.


More examples of dig out are needed to clear up my confusion  about its meaning of dig out.
  
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Angliholic  #431225  Tue, 16 Oct 07 02:47 AM
 Feebs11 wrote:
 Angliholic wrote:
More examples of dig out are needed to clear up my doubt/confusion about the meaning of dig out.


I'm not so sure if the above sound right or not. If not, would you correct it to make it right? Thanks.



More examples of dig out are needed to clear up my confusion  about its meaning of dig out.

Thanks, Feebs, for the correction.

As a small aside, why doesn't doubt do the trick in the context?

t

  
Feebs11  #431548  Tue, 16 Oct 07 07:54 PM
It could, but I think more context was needed to be sure which you wanted. I chose confusion.
  
Angliholic  #431653  Wed, 17 Oct 07 03:47 AM

 Feebs11 wrote:
It could, but I think more context was needed to be sure which you wanted. I chose confusion.

Thanks, Feebs, for your reply.

Do you imply that there are a slight diferent value between clear up my doubt and confusion?

  
Clive  #431666  Wed, 17 Oct 07 05:50 AM

Hi,

Do you imply that there are a slight diferent value between clear up my doubt and confusion?

If I may, I'd like to make a comment about 'doubt', because the word is used a lot by learners in the Forum in a way that doesn't seem quite correct.

It's true that 'doubt' can mean a feeling of uncertainty. However, it commonly suggests what my dictionary calls 'an inclination to disbelieve'. In other words, a doubt is not simply a question. In general terms, it refers to a situation where you have an answer available, but you don't feel confident that it is the right answer. Let's consider a couple of simple non-grammar-related examples.

Wrong use - I have a doubt. Is Mary married? This is not a doubt. It's a question.

Right use    - I have a doubt. Everyone tells me that Mary is married, but I think maybe she isn't. Here, you have told me the answer that you are inclined to disbelieve.

Now let's consider a typical post about grammar. Please help me. I have a doubt. Is 'table' a countable noun? This is not a doubt. It's a question.

Please help me. I have a doubt. My friends all tell me that 'table' is a countable noun, but I don't think it is. This correctly describes a doubt.

( In practice, instead of  'I have a doubt', we tend to say things like 'I have some doubt(s) about that' or 'I doubt that'. )

Best wishes, Clive

  
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Angliholic  #431754  Wed, 17 Oct 07 03:33 PM

Thanks, Clive, for the bountiful and helpful explanation.

I get it now.

  
Pakistan123  #431814  Wed, 17 Oct 07 07:41 PM

I can not go on doing nothing.

I thank thee, jew, for teaching me that word.

Is "doing" in the first sentence and "teaching" in the second sentence a gerund or participle?

  
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Clive  #431857  Wed, 17 Oct 07 10:38 PM

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum

I can not go on doing nothing.

I thank thee, jew, for teaching me that word.

Is "doing" in the first sentence and "teaching" in the second sentence a gerund or participle?

Both are gerunds. In #1, it's like you are saying I cannot go on with doing nothing.

#2 is correct grammar but sounds odd and perhaps rather archaic. Today, we don't normally address anyone as 'jew'.

Next time you have a question, please start a new thread. Thanks.

Best wishes, Clive

  
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