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Nsfs2 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

At all

Hi,

A sentence in a school syllabus reads as follows:'... .It is this person's job to administer the drugs that allow the patient to undergo surgery at all.Because surgery would be ...'

I couldn't understand the meaning of 'at all'.I know it is used in the negative but this is the first time I see it used like this.

Thanks.
  

Top answer

I see no reason for the phrase there.

— Mister Micawber

  • I see no reason for the phrase there.
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7 Answers
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I see no reason for the phrase there.
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Mister MicawberI see no reason for the phrase there.
Can it be used in positive statements?

Thanks.
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Sure: If you have any ideas at all, please let us know.
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A sentence in a school syllabus reads as follows:'... .It is this person's job to administer the drugs that allow the patient to undergo surgery at all.Because surgery would be ...'

A student asked me what 'at all 'adds to the meaning here and I said it was the first time I saw it in a positive sentence. Now ,I know it can be used, but I have to re-explain and add why I see no reas
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nsfs2A sentence in a school syllabus reads as follows:'... .It is this person's job to administer the drugs that allow the patient to undergo surgery at all.Because surgery would be ...'A student asked me what 'at all 'adds to the meaning here and I said it was the first time I saw it in a positive sentence. Now ,I know it can be used, but I have to re-explain and add why
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nsfs2It is this person's job to administer the drugs that allow the patient to undergo surgery at all.
It's clumsy, but the general idea is this:

The job is to administer the drugs without which the patient would not be able to undergo surgery at all.

In other words, without those drugs, surgery would be impossible.

CJ
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