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kerstin
Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 241
Location: Taiwan
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 Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:08 am Post subject: 5 questions |
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1.
to cut the carrot into small pieces
Can this be shortened to "cut the carrot small"?
2.
A fizzy drink has a lot of* bubbles of gas* in it.
Can it be "gas bubbles"?
3.
He will be taken to the US to* stand trial*.
In this case,is he the person be accused of,or he could be a witness or anyone else?
4.
She stepped* into* the road.
Why used *into* rather than "onto"?which makes more sense to you?
5.
I'll* be out of it *all morning if I don't drink some coffee.
=be distracted?
Is this a common expression?
Thank you;> |
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Bob S.
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 1767
Location: So. Cal
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| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:01 am Post subject: Re: 5 questions |
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| kerstin wrote: |
1.
to cut the carrot into small pieces
Can this be shortened to "cut the carrot small"? |
No, but you can say:
Dice the carrots.
Slice the carrots.
Shred the carrots.
Julienne the carrots.
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2.
A fizzy drink has a lot of* bubbles of gas* in it.
Can it be "gas bubbles"? |
Yes, that's fine.
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3.
He will be taken to the US to* stand trial*.
In this case,is he the person be accused of,or he could be a witness or anyone else? |
He is the accused.
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4.
She stepped *into* the road.
Why used *into* rather than "onto"?which makes more sense to you? |
For lack of a better simple explanation, the reason is "by common usage".
More specifically, you are moving from outside the road system (because the road system is normally where you don't belong) and moving into it. Mothers yell at their kids "Don't play in the street!" Cars drive on the road because that is where they belong.
Weird English, eh?
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5.
I'll *be out of it* all morning if I don't drink some coffee.
=be distracted?
Is this a common expression? |
Not necessarily "distracted", but more about not being able to concentrate because your brain is fuzzy from lack of sleep or too much alcohol. And, yes, it is a common expression. You can say, "I was up all night writing a term paper, so today I am totally out of it."
_______________________
Never confuse movement with action
- Ernest Hemingway |
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kerstin
Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 241
Location: Taiwan
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| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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"Never confuse movement with action "
- Ernest Hemingway
Could you tell me the meaning of his words?
Is it used in a certain context?
Thank you;> |
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CP
Joined: 12 Jun 2006
Posts: 2875
Location: California
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| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:54 pm Post subject: |
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I think he meant that there's a difference between running around looking busy (movement) and actually getting something important done (action).
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb |
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