Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

Marlen · Joined: 22 Oct 2005 Posts: 62

Hi,

Could you help me with the words in bold print?

(talking about life in 50 years' time - in both sentences)
You will have to train your body for months before they let you travel by rocket. At this time you can choose between five destitinations.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.
Marlen

KazAV · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:10 pm Post subject:

It would be helpful if you provide the context for this sentence. Is it something that will definitely happen or is it a probability or possibility? To me it seems a possibility if you are talking about how life might be in fifty years` time and therefore I would start by saying "you would" instead of "you will".

As for the words in bold, I would say, "After this time" and continue, "you would be allowed to choose" or, "you would be able to choose".

So I would rewrite your sentence, "You would have to train your body for months before they would allow you to travel by rocket. After this time you would be allowed to choose between five destitinations."

Please let me know the context in case I have advised you wrongly. Thanks.

Marlen · Joined: 22 Oct 2005 Posts: 62

Thanks a lot for your answer. You're right, the whole text has to be rewritten into a form that expresses possibility and doesn't make it look as though you knew what will happen in the future.
But what I'm really not sure about is, how to refer to this specific time in the future.

Like for the past , I say: In those days
Present: Nowadays, these days etc.

In 50 years: At this point in time???(And I'm not talking about the time after training the body but about the time in general)

Do you have any suggestions for that? I'd really be grateful.
Thanks,
Marlen

KazAV · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 8:39 am Post subject:

That would be okay to use, yes.