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What's wrong with this sentence?

 
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happeningthang



Joined: 26 Apr 2003

PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:19 am    Post subject: What's wrong with this sentence? Reply with quote

The doctor thinks the baby can walk in about three weeks.


I'm assured there's some grevious and apparent error, but I can't see it.

Anyone?
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drunkenfud



Joined: 08 Mar 2007

PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can't see it either. Maybe the sentence is a little clumsy sounding, but no glaring grammatical errors.
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schwa



Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap

PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:56 am    Post subject: Re: What's wrong with this sentence? Reply with quote

happeningthang wrote:
The doctor thinks the baby can walk in about three weeks.


I'm assured there's some grevious and apparent error, but I can't see it.

Anyone?

The doctor thinks the baby could walk in about three weeks.
The doctor thinks the baby will be able to walk in about three weeks.
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hauwande



Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: gongju

PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:38 am    Post subject: Re: What's wrong with this sentence? Reply with quote

happeningthang wrote:
The doctor thinks the baby can walk in about three weeks.


I'm assured there's some grevious and apparent error, but I can't see it.

Anyone?


the doctor thinks THAT the baby WILL BE ABLE TO walk within about three weeks.

or

the doctor thinks THAT the baby WILL BE ABLE TO WALK AFTER three weeks.
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happeningthang



Joined: 26 Apr 2003

PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah. Of course. Thanks Schwa.
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willraber



Joined: 27 May 2008
Location: USA

PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 2:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It appears to be a "Brit" thing. Grammatically speaking, the sentence implies that the doctor will cause the baby to walk. Another example that had me stumped (but also helped me to remember) when I first got started studying was "Look at the clouds. It will rain." Personally, I grew up with phrases like this, so I just didn't get it. Unfortunately, it implies that the person speaking will cause it to rain. To correct this error, one would say, "Look at the clouds. It is going to rain." We can get away with this because, eventually, it will rain, regardless.

Reference: English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy, chapter 23.
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