Hi everybody!

This is a very stupid sentence, like those which make us take things for granted. The first time I read this multiple choice exercise, I made my choice, then I looked at the key and changed my mind, and on second thoughts, I kept my original decision:

It's very ___________ in here. I can't hear anything.

a) noisy          b) quiet        c) exciting            d) clean

Now, my doubt lay between a) and b). At first, my obvious choice was a), and big was my surprise when I read the key showing b) as the correct one. Then I thought: "Right, you can't hear anything because there's complete silence, so it must be very quiet in there". Finally, I changed my mind and decided on a) again, for if it were b), shouldn't the sentence read: "It's very quiet in here. I don't hear anything". The modal "can" has to do with ability and possibility, which in this case are impeded by the loud noise. I think "can't here anything" is the clue here. What's your opinion?

Thanks a lot!!

Mara.

Hi Mister Micawber!

Thanks a lot for your reply!! Now, if the sentence continued: "I can't hear anything you're saying", would only in such cases the word "noisy" do?

Thanks again!

Mara.

I think that in the original sentence, "I can't hear anything" means that there's nothing to be heard. If it's "I can't hear anything you're saying", well the other person obviously says something, but his/her words cannot be heard, most probably because of the noise.