ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: test

Taka — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:58:52 GMT

I don't really know why you agree with GG's paraphrase whereas you don't with mine.

It's just mean to be almost the same.

Re: test

Marius Hancu — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:52:03 GMT

Grammar Geek
Here's a paraphrase: This can't be real life! Surely not! In real life, you get instructions about what do to with your life don't you? So this must be a test. If it had been real life, I would have gotten better guidance about what it is that I should be doing.

I fully agree with the above, but not with Taka's final conclusion:

A-ha! A test surely isn't something during which we are instructed, so it gives us some pressure. When we take our life as such, we surely feel stressed every day. We should realize what life really is. It's something during which we will be guided, so it's OK for us to make some mistakes sometimes. We shouldn't try to be perfect every time. Just relax.

----

which IMO does not reflect the original, which says:

What we live now is just a test. [So the writer sees life jokingly as just a test, just for making the point which follows and to use the humoristic parallel with broadcasting which GG mentioned:

Had this been a real life ...[In what serious/stiff people (and he's moking such people, because they don't understand the real essence of life) would define as a real life, we would be given instructions. Stiff people (people lacking imagination or initiative) can't operate without instructions. IMO, the author means that on the contrary, true life does not come with instructions (as a scenario/script would), we must react as our wisdom and experience guides us.

The author says IMO that true life is so unpredictible that no one in their right mind (not a fool/crazy person) could think that it can come with instructions. We're not born with instructions to read.

Re: test

Taka — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:02:16 GMT

Good! Everything is clear now. Thanks, GG!

GG, could you please do me a favor? (Done - GG)

Re: test

Grammar Geek — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:46:02 GMT

That works for me.

Just to be sure, you realize it's a "test" as in "a trial run" or "a test of the system" not "an examination."

So it's like saying "This is just a practice run. It's not the real thing."

Re: test

Taka — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:16:03 GMT

Grammar Geek

Maybe the message means "Don't worry so much about making sure you're doing what you THINK you're supposed to be doing." (Or, your shortened version, "Just relax" works well too.)

That is the message. Right, GG?

Re: test

Grammar Geek — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:56:27 GMT

Maybe the message means "Don't worry so much about making sure you're doing what you THINK you're supposed to be doing." (Or, your shortened version, "Just relax" works well too.)

Re: test

Taka — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:45:14 GMT

It's MH, right. Sorry.

I think the source of my confusion was this message from him/her.

Marius Hancu
Enjoy the life without knowing or without being instructed or programmed what to do in each situation.Â Enjoy the element of surprise in life and react to it. This is what humans, but not robots, do.Â

After reading the comment, I thought the real life implied in the passage in question, MH thought, was the one without instruction. But you think the real life is something WITH instruction; if we lead the real life, we will get some help or instruction when we are in trouble, so just relax. That's the message, right?

Re: test

Grammar Geek — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:50:56 GMT

You mean MH, not MM, right?

Looking at his last post, I don't think we disagree, do you?

Here's a paraphrase: This can't be rea life! Surely not! In real life, you get instructions about what do to with your life don't you? So this must be a test. If it had been real life, I would have gotten better guidance about what it is that I should be doing.

Re: test

Marius Hancu — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:43:40 GMT

Re the subjunctive mood use

Had this been a real life you would have been instructed where to go and what to do.'" placed in the past time

If this had been a real life you would have been instructed where to go and what to do.'

"Were this a real life you would be instructed where to go and what to do.'" placed in present time

If this were a real life you would be instructed where to go and what to do.'"

Means that in a real life you (would) get such instructions, but not in this test.

Re: test

Taka — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:16:57 GMT

Grammar Geek
It's just supposed to be a joke, suggesting that what we're doing here is not "real life."Â
Â

Then it follows that the real life we're not doing and should do is the one with instruction, which seems to contradict with MM's interpretation...Â

Re: test

Grammar Geek — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:40:47 GMT

It's just supposed to be a joke, suggesting that what we're doing here is not "real life." I suppose it's even possible the person who first came up with it was thinking about the "afterlife" (in heaven) as what's real, and this one doesn't count, but I doubt it. It's just at attempt at humor. Obviously we are living a real life, but if we were NOT, and this really is some sort of test run for our real life which is to folow, then the subjunctive would be perfectly correct.

Re: test

Anonymous — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:02:51 GMT

Taka, I'm on you side! It never crossed my mind. Good point. New2Grammar.( I'm facing some problem with my computer so I'll won't be logging in until I find a solution.)

Re: test

Anonymous — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:58:36 GMT

I do not understand the subjunctive too. The subjunctive "Had this been a real life you would have been instructed where to go and what to do.' suggests you will be given instructions on where to go and what to do in real life and that's not true!, is it?

Re: test

Taka — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:53:28 GMT

GG, that test is understandable. ' This is a test. This is a test. If this had been about a real state of emergency, you would have been instructed what to do.'

But about the sentence in question, why isn't it 'Life couldÂ be a test. In a real life, however, you will be instructed what to do'?

I think the reason I'm confused is the subjunctive used in the sentence in question.Â

Or is it just the author's play on words? He/She just replaced the word in the original test with 'life'?

Re: test

Grammar Geek — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:29:05 GMT

If the source was American, it's from the test of our emergency broadcast system.

Periodically, the television stations will stop what they are broadcasting and play this warning tone. Then the message will be "This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test. In the event of a real emergency..." and so on. Then there are three short beeps and you return to your program.

I think it was created back in the 50s when we were sure the Russians were going to drop a bomb on us [8-)], but not it's more for things like tornedos or flood warnings.