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PASTEL Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
After/later
Hi,
I went there two days ago. Everything seemed to be fine, but
(1) two days later, things changed dramatically.
(2) two days after, things changed dramatically.
(3) things changed dramatically after two days.
(4) things changed dramatically two days later.
I'm confused with the order of the "time adverb" in a sentence.
Are they interchangeable?
before two days/ two days before
after two days/ two days after/ two days later
I went there two days ago. Everything seemed to be fine, but
(1) two days later, things changed dramatically.
(2) two days after, things changed dramatically.
(3) things changed dramatically after two days.
(4) things changed dramatically two days later.
I'm confused with the order of the "time adverb" in a sentence.
Are they interchangeable?
before two days/ two days before
after two days/ two days after/ two days later
Top answer
To me all of those sentences sound good except for #2. English's rules for the placement of "time adverbs" aren't as strict as they are in most other languages. It's very flexible in that way, which also translates to confusion!
- To me all of those sentences sound good except for #2.
- English's rules for the placement of "time adverbs" aren't as strict as they are in most other languages.
- It's very flexible in that way, which also translates to confusion!
- Don't feel bad if you have trouble with it.
- It's similar to what I've gone through in learning other languages; their rules are more strict, but because my brain is wired for English's lack of rules on the subject, I have a hard time remembering where they go in whichever language I'm trying in vain to learn.
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26 Answers
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To me all of those sentences sound good except for #2. English's rules for the placement of "time adverbs" aren't as strict as they are in most other languages. It's very flexible in that way, which also translates to confusion! Don't feel bad if you have trouble with it. It's similar to what I've gone through in learning other languages; their rules are more strict, but because my brain is w
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Hi there, how are things?
Something happened after 2 days.
Something happened before 2 days.
The second one sounds incorrect. Could you tell me why?
Pastel
Something happened after 2 days.
Something happened before 2 days.
The second one sounds incorrect. Could you tell me why?
Pastel
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The second one sounds weird because when you use before with "2 days" it usually needs something after "2 days". I can't really explain why, though. I can give you examples, though.
It should be more like, "Something happened before 2 days had passed."
"Something happened within 2 days." Within is one of those words that makes it so you don't have to have something after "2
It should be more like, "Something happened before 2 days had passed."
"Something happened within 2 days." Within is one of those words that makes it so you don't have to have something after "2
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I went out before he had finished his job.
>This is the sequence of event. I went out before the moment that he had finished his job. This makes sense to me.
> This doesn't make sence though because I would think the conjunction 'before' clashed with the verb 'passed'.
>This is the sequence of event. I went out before the moment that he had finished his job. This makes sense to me.
Something happened before 2 days had passed.
> This doesn't make sence though because I would think the conjunction 'before' clashed with the verb 'passed'. 00
It's hard to explain because I'm not an English teacher...sorry!
But, the two don't clash. You're describing what happened between the original event and 2 days after that event, but it was in the past that all of this happened, so you would have to use "passed" to describe the changing of time.
I hope that makes more sense...sorry it's such a crummy explanation!
But, the two don't clash. You're describing what happened between the original event and 2 days after that event, but it was in the past that all of this happened, so you would have to use "passed" to describe the changing of time.
I hope that makes more sense...sorry it's such a crummy explanation!
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hehe, that's not a crummy explanation. It helps a lot though.
Can't a native speaker be a English teacher at the same time? There are a bunch of foreigners here teaching English, and I don't really think they are TRUE teachers although students keep calling them 'Teacher Stephan' or 'Teacher Jone'. I would say they 'talk about' English naturally. If you ever ask me any rules in my lang
Can't a native speaker be a English teacher at the same time? There are a bunch of foreigners here teaching English, and I don't really think they are TRUE teachers although students keep calling them 'Teacher Stephan' or 'Teacher Jone'. I would say they 'talk about' English naturally. If you ever ask me any rules in my lang
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Nope, you're not wrong at all! You nailed that one! Good job, Pastel!
Yeah, a native speaker can be an English teacher, but I didn't go to school to teach English. As a result, I can't always give great explanations of rules or why things are the way they are from a technical or rule standpoint. All I can do is tell ya why I think something sounds funny or why it sounds good. So I
Yeah, a native speaker can be an English teacher, but I didn't go to school to teach English. As a result, I can't always give great explanations of rules or why things are the way they are from a technical or rule standpoint. All I can do is tell ya why I think something sounds funny or why it sounds good. So I
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Thanks for the help, haoqide. [F]
Another question come to mind.
1-a What are you doing later on this morning? (OK)
1-b What are you doing later this morning? (OK)
2-a Talk to you later.
2-b Talk to you later on. (sounds weird.)
2-c Few days later, he kissed me.
2-d Few days later on, he kissed me.
Another question come to mind.
later/ later on
1-a What are you doing later on this morning? (OK)
1-b What are you doing later this morning? (OK)
2-a Talk to you later.
2-b Talk to you later on. (sounds weird.)
2-c Few days later, he kissed me.
2-d Few days later on, he kissed me.
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Hello,
Can someone give me a hand of this? If you don't tell me I'll kill myself.
Can someone give me a hand of this? If you don't tell me I'll kill myself.
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Hi, Pastel 
I've been online forever and I need to go now.
Hold on to your "cuddle and kiss" fantasies and try to stay aliv
I've been online forever and I need to go now.
Hold on to your "cuddle and kiss" fantasies and try to stay aliv
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