Some children write: 'They ran at the speed of light.'
Firstly, I would like to confirm whether the phrase 'the speed of light' is appropriate. To me, it is not suitable because nobody can run as fast as light.
Secondly, would it be grammatically wrong if I remove the inverted commas from the sentence?
Firstly, I would like to confirm whether the phrase 'the speed of light' is appropriate. To me, it is not suitable because nobody can run as fast as light.
Secondly, would it be grammatically wrong if I remove the inverted commas from the sentence?
Comments
No, nobody can really run at the speed of light, can they? But I personally don't have any problem with expressing the idea of running at extremely high speed that way. There is a well-known expression that creates a similar picture: like greased lightning.
1. So I'm correct that 'at the speed of light' cannot be used in that way.
2. Could you elaborate on 'like greased lightning'?
3. Some children write: 'They ran at the speed of light.' (Are the inverted commas obligatory?)
1. I think it would be OK to say it that way because nobody would think the sentence is meant literally.
2. The way I might describe like greased lightning is: at a speed that is even faster than the speed of light.
The idea is that when you grease something, you reduce friction and therefore the greased thing can move more easily or faster.
3. I would use them.
Now I know it is all right to say "We ran at the speed of light."
I would use the quote marks, but I would not use a colon - Some children write, "They ran at the speed of light." Perhaps this is an American thing, but we don't use the colon before quotes.