Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[learner1]

Hello,

1.He forgave me after I did a lot of apologizing.


2.'He forgave me after I apologized a lot/often.'

Do the two sentences mean the same and interchangeable?

Thank you very much.

[MauraS]

Yes, they both mean the same thing. You are right!

[learner1]

Hello MauraS,

Thank you very much for your answer.

Can I still use sentence #2 if I do lots of apologizing for a short period of time, for example, for ten minutes?

[Lorikeet]

If you apologized for ten minutes, that would certainly be a lot! Just think of how many ways you could say "I'm sorry" in that time. I would prefer "apologized a lot" for that meaning. "Apologized often" is a different thing--it sounds like you are always making him upset, so you have to apologize often, after each different time.

[learner1]

Hello Lorikeet,

Thank you very much for helping me clear it up.
However, according to the dictionary, 'a lot' can also mean 'often'. I wonder if 'someone apologizes a lot' can sometimes mean 'he apologizes often'?

Thank you very much.

[Lorikeet]

Yes, it can also mean that.

[learner1]

Hello Lorikeet,

Thank you very much!

[lotus]

Hi Learner1,

You might want to use this more common phrase:

He forgave me after I apologized profusely.


Like Lorikeet, I would not use "I apologized often."


--lotus
_________________
War does not make one great --Yoda

[learner1]

Hello lotus,

Thank you very much for teaching me the word 'profusely'.