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Latest post Wed, Jan 26 2005 7:22 AM by Guest. 4 replies.
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Guest  +  70083 Wed, 26 Jan 05 07:22 AM
Teachers, could you look at the sentence: How long have you lived here? I have lived here for three years.
I wonder if there should be a "for" at the front of the sentence. "For how long have you lived here? " because "three years" follows "for" as its complement. Therefore "how long" corresponds to "three years" in content and in sentence structure. I would like to hear your explations. Thank you. Also could you look at this sentence, "Where are you moving? Or "Where are you moving to?"
Guest
Mister Micawber  +  70088 Wed, 26 Jan 05 08:19 AM

How long have you lived here?
How long have you lived here for?
For how long have you lived here?

Where are you moving?
Where are you moving to?
To where are you moving?

All of these are acceptable and in use. The third form, with the preposition at the beginning, is the most formal, and is often considered overly so. More usual is the form with the deferred preposition (at the end). Perhaps under the misapprehension that the deferred preposition is incorrect, the preposition may be omitted entirely. Whatever the reason, omission of the preposition is another very common and acceptable form.

Mister Micawber
Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004
Yokohama
Veteran Member 30,802
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'
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Guest, 4 yr 302 days ago
Thank you Mr. Micawber for your explanation. Now I understand it is omission of preposition. I believe this also applies to " (At) what time do you usually have lunch."?
I have one more question about "Where are you moving (to)?" I have heard that "where" is an adverb, and an adverb can act as a prepositional phrase. In the above sentence, can "where" be used as "to what city"? If this is correct, will "to" become unnecessary? Thank you.
just the truth  +  70118 Wed, 26 Jan 05 12:48 PM
In the above sentence, can "where" be used as "to what city"? If this is correct, will "to" become unnecessary? Thank you.


JT: Yes, given enough context, "where" can be used to mean "to what city". But the 'to' cannot be dropped without a dramatic shift in meaning.

What city are you moving? ,

means exactly what it says, the question asks which city is being moved. After the Mississippi floods of 1994 [??] some cities WERE actually moved to higher ground.

You need the 'to', as in,

What city are you moving to?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Didn't work here either, Casi. :s

just the truth
Joined on Mon, Dec 27 2004
Regular Member 849
CalifJim  +  70278 Thu, 27 Jan 05 05:42 AM
I fixed it for you.
You had
at the beginning and
at the end.
You needed
at the beginning and /quote> at the end.
CalifJim
Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member 22,399
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
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