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Stevenukd  #457191  Wed, 26 Dec 07 03:05 PM

Dear Teachers,

1. Who do they think they are that they dare threaten to send you out of the house, huh?

- Is this natural to say?

Thanks very much to Teachers,

 Stevenukd.

  
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Mkyol  #457290  Wed, 26 Dec 07 07:28 PM

I'm not a teacher, per se, but because your question hasn't been answered yet I thought I might give you a suggestion.

I think it's a bit unnatural because of 'that they' part.. you can replace it with 'to'

Who do they think they are to dare threaten to send you out of the house, huh?

  
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Clive  #457294  Wed, 26 Dec 07 07:37 PM

Hi,

1. Who do they think they are that they dare threaten to send you out of the house, huh?

- Is this natural to say?

It's a bit stilted.

'Who do they think they are' already seems to convey the idea of 'daring', so the latter seems redundant. 

The slight formality of 'that' contrasts oddly with the informality of 'huh'.

'Throw . . . out' seems more idiomatic here than 'send .  . out'.

For a question like this, I hear 'eh?' more than 'huh?' But it would normally be omitted in other than very colloquial writing.

I suggest Who do they think they are, threatening to throw you out of the house?

Best wishes, Clive

  
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El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo
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