Numbers

1 2    Share on Facebook

	Liveinjapan  #543834  Sun, 20 Jul 08 06:06 AM Britain announced last year it planned to cut troop numbers to two thousand and five hundred but the government delayed the move.   Can "troop numbers" be replaced by "the number of troops"? Thanks.    Liveinjapan Joined on Sun, Feb 4 2007 Osaka, Japan Contributing Member (1,593) Please feel free to correct any words I wrote.LiJ
Select Tags... SaveCancel Numbers

	26TMNTJG2PG  #543852  Sun, 20 Jul 08 07:59 AM Yes.    26TMNTJG2PG Joined on Wed, Apr 23 2008 Full Member (266)

	New2grammar  #543857  Sun, 20 Jul 08 08:12 AM It is also correct to say "cut troops"?    New2grammar Joined on Tue, Nov 21 2006 Veteran Member (7,670) Who wants to go sailing around the world with me?

	26TMNTJG2PG  #543860  Sun, 20 Jul 08 08:34 AM New2grammar It is also correct to say "cut troops"? Say "cut down troops".    26TMNTJG2PG
Grammar

	New2grammar  #543865  Sun, 20 Jul 08 08:42 AM I have no problem with your version but my question was whether cut troops is OK.    New2grammar

	26TMNTJG2PG  #543871  Sun, 20 Jul 08 09:09 AM New2grammar I have no problem with your version but my question was whether cut troops is OK. Actually, for 'cut' to mean 'reduce', it needs to be followed by the preposition 'down'. To cut numbers (without the 'down') is still understandable but not to cut troops.    26TMNTJG2PG
Grammar, Prepositions, Numbers

	Liveinjapan  #543941  Sun, 20 Jul 08 11:39 AM Thanks, 26. Got it. I think 'troop cuts' also possible.   New2, do you mean why the transitive cut needs the preposition down? I think down could be an adverb and cut down is a commonly used phrazal verb. Anyways I can't answer it properly.    Liveinjapan
Verbs, Prepositions, Adverbs

	New2grammar  #543950  Sun, 20 Jul 08 11:48 AM Thanks for trying LiJ. I'm quite sure I've heard it from native speakers. We need another expert to confirm. I'm 100% sure I've heard cut staff.    New2grammar

	26TMNTJG2PG  #544290  Mon, 21 Jul 08 07:02 AM Liveinjapan I think 'troop cuts' also possible. Then, your sentence will have to be revised as "Britain announced last year it planned to cut troop numbers a troop cut to two thousand and five hundred but the government delayed the move." In "troop cuts", 'troop' is used as an attributive (adjective) distinguishing 'cuts' like "power cuts", "pay cuts", "staff cuts", etc. I list below two dictionary entries for clarification:- Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - To cut down--To lessen; to retrench; to curtail; as, to cut down expenses.     Dictionary.com Unabridged cut down,   Also, cut down on. to lessen; decrease: to cut down on between-meal snacks.    26TMNTJG2PG
Numbers