ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: climbed under

Pter — Sat, 17 May 2008 02:08:53 GMT

Perhaps and perhaps not. The word crawl is a description of your body motion, not the environmental condition in which such body motion is possible. However, it may be helpful as an example.

It is also possible to crawl in other situations, such as in a trench.

Re: climbed under

New2grammar — Fri, 16 May 2008 17:32:45 GMT

Your explanation totally makes sense. I believe the dictionary definition should be modified to include
the surface condition. Thank you, Pter!

Re: climbed under

Pter — Fri, 16 May 2008 17:21:33 GMT

When you crawl, you stretch out your body along the ground or you're on your hands and knees. This normally happens on a flat or close-to-flat surface. We say "climb on the rocks" instead of "crawl on the rocks". The action they need in such a situation is more like climbing on rocks instead of crawling on a surface. The inside of an air vent is a flat surface.

The muscles you use in climbing are different from that in crawling. For example, you often need to use your fingers to grab on to something when you climb but you don't when you crawl.

Re: climbed under

New2grammar — Fri, 16 May 2008 17:10:15 GMT

I'm not saying the dictionary is wrong but if it's correct about this particular definition, moving
through an air vent should be described using the word climb as opposed to crawl which I think I've heard native speakers use.

Pter, did you introduce the surface flatness condition or is itpart of the dictionary definition?
What do you think?

Re: climbed under

Pter — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:49:49 GMT

The Cambridge Dictionary defines climb as

to move into or out of a small space awkwardly or with difficulty or effort

Since it is not a flat surface under the slab, "crawl" may not be the appropriate word. I think they do need to climb up and down on the rubble within the very narrow space.

I also think you need the "to" after attend in this case.

Re: climbed under

New2grammar — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:15:31 GMT

Yoong Liat, Thanks.

Re: climbed under

Yoong Liat — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:07:05 GMT

Hi New2grammar

A medic climbed under a concrete slab to reach a 5-year-old kid... (Should be hyphenated.)

Re: climbed under

New2grammar — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:02:16 GMT

Thanks Delmobile. Great explanation!

Re: climbed under

Delmobile — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:21:13 GMT

If the concrete slab were near the top of a large pile of rubble, the rescuer might very well have had to climb to get to it. To me this phrasing doesn't imply stairs or a ladder, no. "Crawled under a slab" sounds to me as though the slab were very near the ground. Maybe "climbed a pile of rubble and crawled under a concrete slab" would be crystal-clear, but your sentence works for me.

I'd say "attended to her injuries," but "treated her injuries" is more direct and a better choice.

climbed under

New2grammar — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:54:56 GMT

A medic climbed under a concrete slab to reach a 5 year old kid who had been trapped under the rubble for 50 hours.
She attended?? her injuries before helping her out of the collapsed apartment building.

Can I use climb in this context? Does it imply there were stairs/a ladder under the concrete slab?

Also, what would be a good verb to use before injuries? Attended/treated?

Thanks!