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Park sang joon Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
At all -- in affirmative sentences
I'm Korean, and I have never been to nations spoken English; Please, keep in mind this.
Below, several sentences are the ones I found in a college student's report and other documents, and in these sentences, 'at all' was used as 'Negative Polarity Item'.
1. Khun questioned whether the concept of objective truth actually makes sense at all. (in Indirect question ??)
2. The only reason I get out of bed at all on weekend is because ....
3. Use one statement at all. / You have one at all.
4. He was surprised she came at all.
5. You can come whenever you like - any time at all.
6. Most Catholics who went to mass at all voted for Kennedy.
7. If a thing is worth doing at all, it is worth doing well.
This is the account of 'at all' in affirmative sentences of a supervisor in a online dictionary site.
8. This cell phone can be used anywhere at all. (=absolutely anywhere)
http://www.learnersdictionary.com/qa/how-to-use-at-all --- a source of this sentence
It is certain that In above sentences, 'at all' have quite different meaning in each sentence.
How do I have to understand each sentence.
In advance, Thank you for help.
Below, several sentences are the ones I found in a college student's report and other documents, and in these sentences, 'at all' was used as 'Negative Polarity Item'.
1. Khun questioned whether the concept of objective truth actually makes sense at all. (in Indirect question ??)
2. The only reason I get out of bed at all on weekend is because ....
3. Use one statement at all. / You have one at all.
4. He was surprised she came at all.
5. You can come whenever you like - any time at all.
6. Most Catholics who went to mass at all voted for Kennedy.
7. If a thing is worth doing at all, it is worth doing well.
This is the account of 'at all' in affirmative sentences of a supervisor in a online dictionary site.
8. This cell phone can be used anywhere at all. (=absolutely anywhere)
http://www.learnersdictionary.com/qa/how-to-use-at-all --- a source of this sentence
It is certain that In above sentences, 'at all' have quite different meaning in each sentence.
How do I have to understand each sentence.
In advance, Thank you for help.
Top answer
1. if it actually made sense 2. if ever 3.
- 1.
- if it actually made sense 2.
- if ever 3.
- ) 4.
- I hadn't really expected her.
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8 Answers
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1. if it actually made sense
2. if ever
3. (This doesn't make sense to me.)
4. I hadn't really expected her.
5. whenever
6. if even only rarely
7. in the first place
2. if ever
3. (This doesn't make sense to me.)
4. I hadn't really expected her.
5. whenever
6. if even only rarely
7. in the first place
00
Your answer of the 6th sentence is quite different my understanding the 6th sentence.
My thought is like the following.
'Almost all'
Please, would you give ma a specific account.
Thank you for your help.
My thought is like the following.
'Almost all'
Please, would you give ma a specific account.
Thank you for your help.
00
6. Most Catholics who went to mass at all voted for Kennedy.
If a Catholic attended mass as little as once a year (or even less frequently), he was likely to vote for Kennedy since most people like him did.
It also implies:
If a Catholic never attended mass, he was less likely to have voted for Kennedy.
If a Catholic attended mass as little as once a year (or even less frequently), he was likely to vote for Kennedy since most people like him did.
It also implies:
If a Catholic never attended mass, he was less likely to have voted for Kennedy.
00
Thank you AlpheccaStars.
Does 'at all' modify 'went', not 'most'?
Is 'At all' related to quantifier?
Do I have the wrong information?
Does 'at all' modify 'went', not 'most'?
Is 'At all' related to quantifier?
Do I have the wrong information?
00
I can see why you're confused about sentence 6. This is a rather slick use of "at all." You're thinking it has something to do with the number (the word "all" suggests this, but the adverb "at all" is not used like this) of Catholics who voted for Kennedy, but this refers, rather, to verb "went."
If the sentence were "Most Catholics voted for Kennedy.", this would be similar to saying "
If the sentence were "Most Catholics voted for Kennedy.", this would be similar to saying "
00
Thank you no name.
Your account is helpful to me, but I don't have complete understanding of 'at all' in affirmative sentences.
It is difficult for me to understand every meaning of 'at all' in various sentences.
Many people in Korea regard meanings of 'at all' in various affirmative sentences as a 'anyway'.
One more, thank you everyone that have posted this thread.
Your account is helpful to me, but I don't have complete understanding of 'at all' in affirmative sentences.
It is difficult for me to understand every meaning of 'at all' in various sentences.
Many people in Korea regard meanings of 'at all' in various affirmative sentences as a 'anyway'.
One more, thank you everyone that have posted this thread.
00
See the entry #36
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/at+all?r=66
36. at all (adverb)
a. in the slightest degree: I wasn't surprised at all. The people who attended mass at all would have voted for Kennedy.
b. for any reason: Why bother at all?
c. in any way: You
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/at+all?r=66
36. at all (adverb)
a. in the slightest degree: I wasn't surprised at all. The people who attended mass at all would have voted for Kennedy.
b. for any reason: Why bother at all?
c. in any way: You
00
I have just read all the content about 'at all' including the 'Idioms & Phrases' part in the dictionary you introduced to me.
I will once more read this contents with fresh mind tomorrow.
It looks like the good-content-filled and very helpful dictionary. Thank you so much for your repeatedly reporting.
I will once more read this contents with fresh mind tomorrow.
It looks like the good-content-filled and very helpful dictionary. Thank you so much for your repeatedly reporting.
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