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Chan-Seung Lee



Joined: 03 Dec 2005
Posts: 1032

PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 8:43 pm    Post subject: how Reply with quote

Quote:
I didn't get the assignment done because I didn't know how your directions mixed me up.


1.Does it make sense?
2.If so, what does 'how' in the above mean?
3.What words can 'how' in the above be replaced with?

Thanks.
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dragn



Joined: 17 Feb 2009
Posts: 450

PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I didn't get the assignment done because I didn't know how your directions mixed me up.


1. No.
2. See 1.
3. See 1.

Here's the basic problem. OK, the directions mixed up the speaker. They confused him. They confused him so much he couldn't complete the assignment. Fine. However, the speaker claims he doesn't know how the directions mixed him up. Well, how could he? He's all mixed up! If he understood precisely how the directions mixed him up, he wouldn't be mixed up anymore. Or so it would seem to me.

I'm not trying to be cute, I just want you to see that there's absolutely no need for the phrase I didn't know how. Most people would normally just say

I didn't get the assignment done because your directions mixed me up/confused me/were confusing.

If you really want to use how, you could say

I didn't get the assignment done because I didn't know how to do it.

Or maybe...

I didn't get the assignment done because I didn't know how to follow your directions.

Hope this helps.

dragn
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