Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[sleeper]

Hi, there.

Today I'd like to ask you about the difference between soon and suddenly (or abruptly).

Look at the following sentences.
#1. The bus cannot stop soon.
#2. The bus cannot stop suddenly.
#3. The bus cannot stop abruptly.

Is the sentence #1 possible?
Does the setence #1 sound funny?
What is the difference among #1, #2 and #3?
Is there any difference between #2 and #3?

I'm looking forward to your answers.

Thanks.

[Mister Micawber]

.
Soon has to do with place in time; suddenly/abruptly have to do with rate:

I had to leave soon = within a few minutes; before a time in the near future.
I had to leave suddenly = in a rapid manner.

#1 is odd but possible, I suppose. The bus cannot stop soon; the driver never stops until the fuel tank is almost empty.

#2 and #3 mean the same. Abrupt is a more highly coloured word: it carries the suggestion of unexpectedness and roughness.
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"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
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Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's