If I had not watched him, he would have gone without food himself in order

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Masa  #385665  Fri, 29 Jun 07 10:34 AM
Hi. Got some questions to ask.

vi. If I had not watched him, he would have gone without food himself in order to feed the refugees.
what is the meaning of it?

vii. The best thing to do is to have an honest study of words and memorize those given in the previous examinations.
change to studying and memorizing?

viii. So far in our teaching of languages, we have given enought emphasis to some common errors, but we have not stressed the complicated problems.

shouldn't it be emphasis on?

ix.  At that time, all I knew that he was wrong.
that=> was?

x. As the examination is drawig near, all the students, in my class are busy preparing their lessons.
can I use 'busy to prepare'?

xi. Once, malaria was a deadly disease. This is especially true of some developing countries.
of => in?


thanks in advance.Smile [:)]
  
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whl626  #385739  Fri, 29 Jun 07 01:44 PM

vi. It sounds like because you did watch him go without food. You gave some to him. But the phrase in order to is weird in this sentence.

vii. studying and memorizing are acceptable.

viii. ... have given .... ( to ), the use of to shows a direction.

ix. At that time, all I knew was that he was wrong.

x. preparing and to prepare are interchangeable but to prepare shows an urgency.

xi. in is more appropriate.

  
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Masa  #387566  Tue, 03 Jul 07 05:18 PM
thanks whl626 Smile [:)]
  
nona the brit  #387569  Tue, 03 Jul 07 05:29 PM

vi. If I had not watched him, he would have gone without food himself in order to feed the refugees.
what is the meaning of it?
He wanted to give his food to the refugees. However, I watched him and would not let him. If I hadn't been watching him, he wouldn't have eaten and the refugees would have had his food. The use of 'himself' shows that the refugees went without food.


vii. The best thing to do is to have an honest study of words and memorize those given in the previous examinations.
change to studying and memorizing?
Not unless you change other parts of the sentence too. Simply substituting the 'ing' form is ungrammatical.


viii. So far in our teaching of languages, we have given enought emphasis to some common errors, but we have not stressed the complicated problems.

shouldn't it be emphasis on? No, emphasis to is fine. We have had an emphasis on, but we give an emphasis to.

ix.  At that time, all I knew that he was wrong.
that=> was?  ...was that he was wrong

x. As the examination is drawig near, all the students, in my class are busy preparing their lessons.
can I use 'busy to prepare'? No. No comma after students either.

xi. Once, malaria was a deadly disease. This is especially true of some developing countries.
of => in?  Either is ok.

  
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Peaceblinkfriend  #387572  Tue, 03 Jul 07 05:41 PM
 Nona The Brit wrote:

xi. Once, malaria was a deadly disease. This is especially true of some developing countries.
of => in?  Either is ok.



Hi all,

I think people don't usually say '...true of some developing countries' nowadays, right? They just say '...true in some developing countries.' Is it old-fashioned?


Thank you.



Best wishes,


PBF
  
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Marius Hancu  #387589  Tue, 03 Jul 07 06:37 PM
of: (the story)  about those countries is true
in: that (it happens) in those countries is true

Different meanings, both valid.

  
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Peaceblinkfriend  #387780  Wed, 04 Jul 07 07:28 AM
Ah, I think I know what you mean. Thank you for explaining it to me, Clive. ; )

. Once, malaria was a deadly disease. This is especially true of some developing countries.


Am I right that 'once' in here implies that malaria used to be a deadly disease but it is not anymore?

Thank you again.


Best wishes,


PBF
  
nona the brit  #387790  Wed, 04 Jul 07 08:01 AM
Yes, that's true, which is odd as it conflicts with the use of 'is' instead of 'was'. Well spotted.
  
Peaceblinkfriend  #387794  Wed, 04 Jul 07 08:11 AM
I though so. Smile [:)] Thanks Nona.

I was wondering when you said 'odd', did you mean that it is a wrong sentence?


Thank you again. Wink [;)]


Best wishes,


PBF
  
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