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Asady
Joined: 27 Oct 2006
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 8:21 pm Post subject: Anything or nothing? |
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I am a student, and this is from a TOEIC test book.
Which is a grammartically correct sentence? Why?
Thank you for your attention.
1. Anything quite like it has never been written before.
2. Nothing quite like it has ever been written before. |
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Joseph@Shiga
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:50 pm Post subject: Anything or nothing |
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Hi Asady-san
>>>1. Anything quite like it has never been written before.
>>>2. Nothing quite like it has ever been written before.
I believe Sentence 1 has two meanings:
1-A. The same meaning as that of Sentence 2
1-B. Somethings quite like it have ever been written before.
(partial negation)
So, if you would like to write a total-negation sentence,
you'd better employ Sentence 2.
Joseph@Shiga |
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CP
Joined: 12 Jun 2006
Posts: 2875
Location: California
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| Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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A native speaker would not say sentence 1, but would say sentence 2.
Sorry, but sentence 1B is not grammatical, and no native speaker would say it.
Sentence 2 means that there is not a thing ever written that is quite like this thing.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb |
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Asady
Joined: 27 Oct 2006
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Thank you all, I got a hint to solve it. |
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