Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[juliete]

Are the following sentences correct?

S1: I have seen a whale a few times.
S2: I have seen a whale few times.

[CP]

You would say, "I have seen whales a few times."

If you have seen one whale in your lifetime, you would say, "I saw a whale once / I have seen a whale."
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[juliete]

Hello CP

Thanks a lot for your quick reply.

Question 1
Do you mean S1 and S2 are incorrect?

Question 2
Is the following sentence correct?
S3: I have seen whales few times.
S4: I saw whales few times.

[CP]

Do you mean S1 and S2 are incorrect?
--You would say S1 only if you are referring to a specific whale and you have seen that whale a few times--maybe 3 or 4 times.
--For S2, if you mean that you haven't seen a whale many times, you could say, "I have seen whales only a few times / few times," but more likely you would say, "I haven't seen whales very many times" to avoid confusion.

Question 2
Is the following sentence correct?
S3: I have seen whales few times.
--It means you have only rarely seen whales, and it's fine if that is what you mean.

S4: I saw whales few times.
--Not as good a sentence as S3, but would mean the same.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[juliete]

Hello, CP

Thank you very much for your detailed reply.
I'm so happy to find your reply becasue I've almost given up receiving a reply from you.

I'm also so happy to know a subtle world of the sentences and the clear difference between them.

Thank you.

[Lorikeet]

[juliete]

Hello, Lorikeet

I think you're right.

I should've said 'I'd almost given up ....' but my English is so poor and I know I always make more than ten mistakes to ask only one question. I'd be so happy if I could beg your torelance.

I'm always waiting for the teacher's reply and visiting the forum ten times a day after posting. Five hours after posting I usually get a little discouraged and twenty-four hours after, dissapointed, and think the teacher has deserted me.

So when I found CP's reply, it was shining like my favorite songs or a lovely diamond.

To tell the truth, he always helps me with his clear and creative reply, which cuts the Gordian knot. So when I got his first reply I anticipate his second one and he has never failed.

I thank you very much, Lorikeet, and CP.
Thank you.