Site Search:
 
Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Which one sounds better?

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Help Center
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
someday



Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 43

PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 6:05 pm    Post subject: Which one sounds better? Reply with quote

Dear Grammarians,

Which one do you think is the best way to express the idea. If none of them sounds natural, please suggest an alternative. Thanks.

1. There are too many words that I don't know the meanings of
2. There are too many words which I don't know the meanings of
3. There are too many words of which I don't know the meanings.

P.S. Could I use "the meaning" instead of "the meanings"?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
buddhaheart



Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 195
Location: Vancouver, BC Canada

PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 6:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How about �I don�t know the meanings of many words in English?� Idea
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
someday



Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 43

PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

buddhaheart wrote:
How about �I don�t know the meanings of many words in English?� Idea


Thank you, buddhaheart. But that is not what I really tried to mean. I'm not saying about a general fact that "I don't know the meanings of many words in English." I want to describe about a certain page in a book, where I have too many unknown words.

I really appreciate if you or any other could explain whether each example sentence that I mentioned is grammatically correct and also sounds okay to be used. Thanks.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Lorikeet



Joined: 08 Oct 2005
Posts: 1877
Location: San Francisco

PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How about "There are too many words I don't understand in this text."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
buddhaheart



Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 195
Location: Vancouver, BC Canada

PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 8:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry. I�ll give it one more shot.

�That� and �which� can be used interchangeably in your sentence. Keeping the words �of which� together instead of leaving the �of� at the end is more formal.

You may want to rework your sentence to include the possessive �whose�, as:

There�s this page in the book which (that) contains too many words whose meanings I don't know (I know nothing of).

Or you may turn the complex structure into a simple one, as:

I don't know the meanings of many words on this page of the book.

Here's another example:

There�s this page in the book which (that) contains too many words I don't understand.

Use the plural of �meaning� as even one word could have numerous meanings.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
someday



Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 43

PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

buddhaheart wrote:
Sorry. I�ll give it one more shot.

�That� and �which� can be used interchangeably in your sentence. Keeping the words �of which� together instead of leaving the �of� at the end is more formal.

You may want to rework your sentence to include the possessive �whose�, as:

There�s this page in the book which (that) contains too many words whose meanings I don't know (I know nothing of).

Or you may turn the complex structure into a simple one, as:

I don't know the meanings of many words on this page of the book.

Here's another example:

There�s this page in the book which (that) contains too many words I don't understand.

Use the plural of �meaning� as even one word could have numerous meanings.


Thank you Lorikeet and buddhaheart. So the three examples that I made are grammatically okay, but they don't seem to be one of the most common ways to deliver the idea. Did I understand right? Again, thanks a lot. _()_
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Help Center All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Dave's ESL Cafe is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Banner Advertising | Bookstore / Alta Books | FAQs | Articles | Interview with Dave
Copyright © 2018 Dave's ESL Cafe | All Rights Reserved | Contact Dave's ESL Cafe | Site Map

Teachers College, Columbia University: Train to Teach English Here or Abroad
SIT
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group