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I wish I could speak English as fast as I speak Japanese.
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Liveinjapan  #477615  Sat, 16 Feb 08 05:30 PM

I wish I could speak English as fast as I speak Japanese.

I wish I could speak English as fast as I can speak Japanese.

Are they correct?

Can can be omitted?

Is there any other word can be omitted?

Thanks
LiJ
  
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Please feel free to correct any words I wrote.LiJ
Philip  #477642  Sat, 16 Feb 08 07:00 PM

Liveinjapan

I wish I could speak English as fast as I speak Japanese.

I wish I could speak English as fast as I can speak Japanese.

Are they correct?

Can can be omitted?

Is there any other word can be omitted?

Thanks
LiJ

"Can" may be omitted.  You could also say "as fast as Japanese", and you would be fully understood.  It isn't very good form, however.
  
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Clive  #477648  Sat, 16 Feb 08 07:08 PM

Hi,

I wish I could speak English as fast as I speak Japanese.

I wish I could speak English as fast as I can speak Japanese.

Are they correct? Yes.

Can can be omitted? Yes.

Is there any other word can be omitted? You could say it this way.

I wish I could speak English as fast as I can Japanese. Some people might put a comma before 'Japanese'.

I wish I could speak English as fast as Japanese. However, as you start to leave a lot of words out, you have to be careful that other interpretations are not possible. The context will normally makes the meaning clear.

Best wishes, Clive
  
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Liveinjapan  #477781  Sun, 17 Feb 08 03:46 AM

Thanks, Philip and Clive.

Got it!
  
Peaceblinkfriend  #477785  Sun, 17 Feb 08 03:56 AM
You could also say 'I wish I could speak English fluently' and 'I 'd like to speak English fluently'. I suppose they both express the same sort of idea as your sentences do without sounding too wordy. 

 

PBF 
  
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Liveinjapan  #477816  Sun, 17 Feb 08 05:11 AM

Thanks, Peace. Smile

I think I could also say: I'd like to speak English more fluently.
  
Anonymous  #503073  Sun, 20 Apr 08 08:52 PM
Clive I think you have made a grammatical error in your answer. You've said

"The context will normally makes the meaning clear."

in stead of

"The context will normally make the meaning clear."

Am I right? English is not my native language, therefore I'm just asking.

Regards, Chris
  
,
Clive  #503079  Sun, 20 Apr 08 09:12 PM

Hi,

Yes, I mistyped. Sorry.

Clive
  
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