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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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 Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:00 pm Post subject: Re: I need some backup, English majors and grammar nazis |
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| SuperFly wrote: |
Ii]This is the way she wanted to use it:
Sandra not only was exasperated but also mad when she found out Troy was pretending to work but goofing off instead. |
Her way is for when the verb varies:
Sandra not only was exasperated but also had a fit when she found out Troy was pretending to work but goofing off instead.
But you notice her example lacks the parallelism of good English: "not only VERB but also ADJECTIVE". That is the stylistic flaw. Your example preserves a parallel construction: "VERB not only ADJECTIVE but also ADJECTIVE". |
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happeningthang
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Both are correct, and common native speaker constructions. |
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Moldy Rutabaga
Joined: 01 Jul 2003
Location: Ansan, Korea
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| Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Sandra not only was exasperated but also mad when she found out Troy was pretending to work but goofing off instead. |
Only my 2c. If I were speaking in casual conversation, I think the difference would be irrelevant, and I would probably use a simpler construction anyway: Sandra was exasperated but also mad when she found out Troy was pretending to work and only goofing off.
If I were worried about the word order, I would not use such slang speech as mad and goofing off. Sandra was not only exasperated but also angry when she discovered that Troy was only pretending to work.
Ken:> |
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Grimalkin
Joined: 22 May 2005
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 1:31 am Post subject: |
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I also think both are correct.
Native speakers will often change the usual order of words (along with intonation) to give a particular emphasis, or shade of meaning to what they say.
Your wife's constuction could be used in a case where the speaker wanted to emphasise that the verb 'was' is positive not negative because the speaker senses a certain doubt on the part of the listener. |
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SuperFly
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Location: In the doghouse
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 3:23 am Post subject: |
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This whole thing was forgotten when I accidentally washed (IN HOT WATER) 3 100 percent wool and one Rabbit Hair sweaters that all cost over 100 bucks each...all her sweaters...
Yes, my body is sore from the beating I recieved last nite. |
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