Had gone too far away / They had gone away

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Vincent Teo

#560442 Sat, 30 Aug 08 02:28 PM

Can I say,

A man who ride a motorcycle snatched Susan's handbag all of a sudden. The man ran away after he snatched the handbag quickly.

When she shouted, the men in the shop went out to stop the thief, but they were too late. They had gone too far away / They had gone away.

Vincent Teo

Joined on Sat, Mar 31 2007

Senior Member (4,067)

MrPedantic

#560444 Sat, 30 Aug 08 02:34 PM

Hello Vincent,

"All of a sudden" might be better at the beginning of the sentence.

"A man who ride" should be e.g. "A man riding a motorcycle".

"Quickly" doesn't quite work; "snatching" implies quickness.

Probably the man would not "run away": he would use the motorbike to escape.

For the last line, it is the thief, not the men in the shop, who is "far away". Thus not "they".

Best wishes,

MrP

MrPedantic

Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004

Veteran Member (12,168)

...opella forensis / adducit febris...

Vincent Teo

#560451 Sat, 30 Aug 08 02:47 PM

Thanks. I try:

All of a sudden, a man who was riding a motorcycle snatched Susan's handbag . The man ran away after he snatched the handbag.

When she shouted, the men in the shop went out to stop the thief, but they were too late. The thief had gone too far away / The thief had gone away.

P/s: I'm not sure, why don't we say "ran away"? Although the thief was riding the motorcycle, but I thought "ran away" = escaped", right?

Vincent Teo

MrPedantic

#560452 Sat, 30 Aug 08 02:54 PM

Hello Vincent,

For the last line, simply "The thief was too far away" would be better.

"To run away" is only "to escape" where literal running is involved. But after committing a crime, you can "make your getaway" on a bike, in a car, etc.

Best wishes,

MrP

MrPedantic