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Chan-Seung Lee
Joined: 03 Dec 2005
Posts: 1032
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 Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:02 am Post subject: afraid |
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1.The road to the airport was very busy and we were afraid to miss the plane.
2.The road to the airport was very busy and we were afraid of missing the plane. |
As far as I know, both of them are the same meaning. But someone said that #1 is wrong and #2 is correct.
If it's true, can you tell the reason?
Thanks. |
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lotus
Joined: 25 Jan 2004
Posts: 862
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:10 am Post subject: |
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Hi Chan-Seung Lee,
1.The road to the airport was very busy and we were afraid to miss the plane.
2.The road to the airport was very busy and we were afraid of missing the plane.
Number 2 sounds more natural.
We are usually afraid to do something and afraid of processes or things external to us.
He was afraid to make that commitment.
(Here, he's afraid of the actual act of making the commitment.)
He was afraid of making that commitment.
(Here, he's afraid of the process or prospect of making the commitment, along with its possible consequences.)
The difference can be rather subtle.
In your example, they were afraid of the prospect of missing the plane.
--lotus
_________________
War does not make one great --Yoda |
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