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This question is Not Answered
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V
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62569
Mon, 20 Dec 04 11:32 PM
can someone please correct this sentence & explain why the word "dozens" can not be used..
I helped bake 20 dozens of the sugar cookies last night.
Joined on
Mon, Dec 20 2004
New Member
03
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MrPedantic
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62582
Tue, 21 Dec 04 12:43 AM
Hello V
Nice screen name. What's the abbreviated form, I wonder.
You normally use 'dozen' for the plural in the context of 'sets of twelve':
'I helped bake three dozen pizzas last night.'
You use 'dozens of' when you're using 'dozens' to mean 'a lot of':
'I baked dozens of pizzas last night.'
'Dozens of the pizzas I baked were missing the mozzarella.'
'How often have you baked pizza?' 'Dozens of times.'
MrP
Joined on
Tue, Oct 12 2004
Veteran Member
12,592
...opella forensis / adducit febris...
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V
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Tue, 21 Dec 04 05:58 PM
MrP
Thank you very much for clarifying that for me. DARN! now I have to apologize to someone for doubting them.
Oh well.. guess I'll just have to get in the habbit of saying it the correct way.
V
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MrPedantic
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Tue, 21 Dec 04 10:30 PM
There's almost a get-out:
Scene: baker enters bakery after 2 weeks' holiday and addresses the eager baker's apprentices, who have been helping the Asst Baker in the baker's absence:
'OK. Now what have you guys been doing these last two weeks. Sam?'
'I helped bake a dozen of the egg custards and 3 dozen of the caramel cookies, Mr Baker.'
'Fine. And you, Tarquin?'
'Well, I helped bake three dozen of the egg custards and six dozen of the caramel cookies and 2 trays of olive foccaccia.
'Not bad. And what about you, V?'
'Well, I helped bake 6 dozen of the egg custards, 12 dozen of the caramel cookies, and 25 trays of olive foccaccia...'
(At this point it could very easily turn into a math question (with pie charts) so we'd better leave it there.)
I admit the context is pretty remote. Unless you've put money on it, I'd accept defeat gracefully, V.
MrP
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V
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Wed, 22 Dec 04 12:51 AM
LOL
defeat accepted.. I knew I should have paid more attention in my English class.
by the way, great story..you had me going there, but you were smart to advise that '..we'd better leave it there.' I painfully admit that I happened to pay more attention in my Engish class than my Math class.
V
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