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Hly2004

#211910 Sun, 02 Apr 06 12:41 PM

(1)He's well 40.
(2)He's well past 40.

What's the difference between (1) and (2)?

What's the meaning of "well" in both sentences?

Thank you in advance!! Smile [:)] Stick out tongue [:P]

Hly2004

Joined on Sun, Nov 20 2005

Regular Member (717)

Difference between

nona the brit

#211921 Sun, 02 Apr 06 02:21 PM

1 is not a correct sentence.

Well in used in this sort of sentence to mean 'very much' or 'extremely' or 'considerably' (as in 'well good!' used by teenagers).

If he is 'well past' 40 it means he is a lot older than forty. He has gone considerably past, that is beyond, the age of forty.

You can see that you can't describe someone as very much or extremely or considerably 40.

nona the brit

Joined on Wed, Sep 22 2004

England

Veteran Member (11,340)

The name says it all.

Xess

#211935 Sun, 02 Apr 06 03:39 PM

(1) can be correct if you do it like this, "He's well...40."

So perhaps you heard it that way. 'Well' can be used as an interjection; generally, meaningless words which you insert into a sentence while you're thinking.

Xess

Joined on Sat, Feb 25 2006

Junior Member (59)

pieanne

#211940 Sun, 02 Apr 06 03:47 PM

Then you'd need commas: "He's, well..., 40..."

pieanne

Joined on Thu, Jan 20 2005

South of France ...But I'm Belgian!

Veteran Member (7,512)

I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos...

Commas

Hly2004

#211964 Sun, 02 Apr 06 05:00 PM

Thank you all!

Hly2004