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d-rail
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: Gangnam
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 Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:23 pm Post subject: grammar question |
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a student asked me this question about a test. he wrote this sentence: Usain Bolt is fast enough to almost run ahead of the faster runner.
What is the mistake here? it sounds awkward, but where is the mistake?
thanks
Last edited by d-rail on Sun Oct 05, 2008 10:24 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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| Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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| He needs a comma between the two 'runs', and "run ahead of" is an awkwardly worded (but probably correct) phrasal. Also, "fastest" runner. |
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The Cosmic Hum
Joined: 09 May 2003
Location: Sonic Space
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| Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:24 pm Post subject: hmmm |
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| Quote: |
Usain Bolt is fast enough to almost run ahead of the faster runner.
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Usain Bolt is almost fast enough to run ahead of the faster runner. |
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ernie
Joined: 05 Aug 2006
Location: asdfghjk
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| Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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| i think the awkwardness comes from using 'run ahead of' instead of 'pass'. |
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jadarite
Joined: 01 Sep 2007
Location: Andong, Yeongyang, Seoul, now Pyeongtaek
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| Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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I would make it a negative sentence.
"Usain Bolt is fast enough to almost run ahead of the faster runner. "
"Usain Bolt is not fast enough to run ahead of the faster runner. "
To indicate the aspect of "almost":
"Usain Bolt is almost fast enough to run ahead of the faster runner."
The word "almost" which is like 90% conflicts with "is __ enough" which is 100%. (My glass is almost full enough to drink?  ) Either there's enough or there isn't. |
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