ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: "Mary was as noble and kind as her brother was selfish and cruel."

Peaceblinkfriend — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:00:31 GMT

Thanks all for replying.
I am not at all surprised to learn that people wouldn't talk like this. After all, this was an invented material I read about in an English workbook. I guess this just shows all the more why English learners should not treat examples like this one as models to follow.

PBF

Re: "Mary was as noble and kind as her brother was selfish and cruel."

Vorpar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:35:18 GMT

I wouldn't use a comparison for opposites, though it isn't wrong.

I'd probably say something like: "Mary is extremely noble and kind, while her brother is the exact opposite."

I also sometimes use phrases like: "Diametrically opposed" or "180 degrees".

Re: "Mary was as noble and kind as her brother was selfish and cruel."

Philip — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:33:30 GMT

I hear it from time to time among educated speakers. I can't think of a better way of expressing it.

Re: "Mary was as noble and kind as her brother was selfish and cruel."

New2grammar — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:47:37 GMT

Vorpar, how would you say it in casual conversation?

Re: "Mary was as noble and kind as her brother was selfish and cruel."

Vorpar — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:33:40 GMT

No, people don't talk like that. It's kind of a dramatic way to write a sentence that you would generally see in overwritten novels.

Yes, the degree is the same, they are opposites to the same degree.

"Mary was as noble and kind as her brother was selfish and cruel."

Peaceblinkfriend — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:12:21 GMT

Mary was as noble and kind as her brother was selfish and cruel.

This is an sentence that I got from a workbook that I am working on. Since I don't recall seeing a sentence with exactly this type of construction, I was wondering if you could tell me if it is natural and commonly used. Also, I am thinking that it really is saying the degree of Mary's nobility and kindness is the same as that of her brother's selfishness and cruelness. Am I correct? How would you understand this sentence?

Thank you

PBF