Teacher Discussion Forums

Make them convoluted but correct.

My nominations: "If that bridge hadn't been being worked on so much last week, it might have still been being built"

And a farmer asked what he does with his carrots: "We eat what we can and what we can't eat we can. "

Sorry to spoil your fun, but I made them less convoluted (and correct):

They worked hard on that bridge last week, so it's finally (been) finished, at last! (And obviously, if they hadn't, it [still] wouldn't be finished now).

We eat some and throw away the rest.

Hey all!

One from Spanish:

"¿Cómo como? Como como como."

(How do I eat? I eat the way I eat.)

And how's this one:

That's the one he had had, had he had it.

And, finally, any quote from shunxui, when he manages to write a correct sentence....(forgive me, couldn't resist....)

peace,
revel.

JuanTwoThree wrote:"We eat what we can and what we can't eat we can. "

Duncan, sorry to spoil your fun, but I think the final can means "to put in cans" (i.e., tins), not "to throw away".

Oh, I see. Now that you point it out, I am sure I have heard that joke somewhere before, but at the time I wrote my reply, I had read the "eat what we can" as meaning the carrot crop was of low quality ("Yuck! I can't eat most of these horrible-looking carrots!") rather than being so bountiful (and yummy) that there was more than could possibly ever be eaten even by carrot-loving farmers who regretfully have to tin the majority of their lovely orange "babies"!

Did I overlook anything in the first sentence?

I hate the first sentence and steadfastly refuse even to look at it.

More a simple tongue-twister than anything clever, but try saying it fast (don't read it!) straight away and you may get a not totally "pleasant" surprise:

I'm not a pheasant plucker
I'm a pheasant plucker's son
I'll keep on plucking pheasants
'til the pheasant plucking's done.

Taught to me by a Singaporean. I "surprised" myself first time (as he'd hoped I would).

In the exam, where James had had "had", Pete had had "had had". "Had had" had had the approval of most of the examiners.

Where did you put that book we used to read out of from back to?

Both oldies but goodies.

My day always starts with a *beep*, shower, shampoo, shave, shoeshine and a short session with a sheila.

NB sheila is Oz slang (dated) for girl

Harzer

I did not write *beep* - work it out for yourselves.

Harzer

Why do you shine your shoes before you shag the sheila. Do you do it with your shoes on? Is she that kinky?

It's in order of how long each activity takes. The last is a matter of seconds.

The sixth sheikh's sixth sheep's sick

Because I can look up her dress in the reflection!

Harzer

Also from Spanish:

¿Como quieres que te quiera si el que quiero que me quiera no me quiere como quiero que me quiera?