Job Discussion Forums

[aodtohan]

Greetings Everyone,

In the STEP-EIKEN reviewer, I came across this rather convoluted sentence:

"The basic difference between these implements and typewriters is that (the new ones don't operate on the principle of a key with a letter on it) striking the paper through and inked ribbon."

This statement really doesn't make sense, does it?
The portion in the parentheses is supposedly the 'correct' arrangement of words to make a coherent sentence. Nonetheless, this sentence has a lot of ambiguous portions already!

like:

(a) what does 'implements' refer to?
(b) the phrase in the parentheses is unclear as to what exactly it refers to [either the 'implements' or 'typewriters']
(c) The phrase 'striking the paper through and inked ribbon' doesn't make sense at all! ['striking through' is clearly an intransitive verb but it doesn't seem to be the appropriate verb in this context]


How would you re-phrase this sentence to make it not just grammatically correct, but also sensible?

[fluffyhamster]

I suspect that the second 'and' should read 'an' - the sentence would then be acceptable IMHO.

'These implements' most likely refers to word processors or computers coupled with inkjet printers. 'The new ones' can only really mean 'the(se) new implements' because the operating principle is describing typewriters.

[aodtohan]

Thank you! I think that's i precisely the error of the sentence too: 'and' should be 'an'

I made a mistake, i meant PHRASAL verb. On the phrase 'striking through' ... is the meaning literally 'passing and/or piercing through'?

Also, since the noun ' the paper' could also appear after the phrase 'striking through' (and it would retain the same meaning), would it be right to infer that the phrasal verb 'striking through' can function as both a separable transitive and inseparable intransitive verb?

[fluffyhamster]

'Strike through' isn't listed as a phrasal verb in the online learner dictionaries (LDCE, OALD) that I've consulted, except in the OALD as a synonym of 'cross or strike sthg out/cross or strike out sthg' (=to draw a line through something written on a piece of paper; to remove sth by drawing a line through it); but more to the point, the function of the prepositional phrase 'through an inked ribbon' is that of adverbial (specifically, an adverbial of 'instrument' I guess), and the form and function of 'striking the paper' itself thus comparatively clear (versus '"striking through" the paper + ???').

[seklarwia]

[Apsara]

Forming letters by striking paper through an inked ribbon is exactly what old typewriters did, and I am old enough to remember when people still used them, although there were electric ones around when I was little! It just occurred to me that there are adults now who have probably never seen/used an old-style typewriter and wouldn't know how they worked- makes me feel old

[G Cthulhu]

[aodtohan]

Hello G Cthulhu. Yes to all 3 of your questions.