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Inchoateknowledge Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
before
We have to raise the necessary capital = correct sentence
We have an adverb phrase we want to integrate into the above sentence:
before the end of the month = when
Before means at or during a time earlier than (the the end of this month)
So, our problem now has been narrowed down to whether we can insert the phrase in the sentence, in the above place.
We have to raise the necessary capital (before the end of the month) = at a time before the end of the month = correct sentence
We have (before the end of the month) to raise the necessary capital = by the same token, I think it is correct.
Question: what is wrong with my reasoning?
We have an adverb phrase we want to integrate into the above sentence:
before the end of the month = when
Before means at or during a time earlier than (the the end of this month)
So, our problem now has been narrowed down to whether we can insert the phrase in the sentence, in the above place.
We have to raise the necessary capital (before the end of the month) = at a time before the end of the month = correct sentence
We have (before the end of the month) to raise the necessary capital = by the same token, I think it is correct.
Question: what is wrong with my reasoning?
Top answer
In the second sentence you lose the urgency. " Int he second sentence, you're just doing X, whereas in the first, you HAVE to do it. It's a slight difference.
- In the second sentence you lose the urgency.
- " Int he second sentence, you're just doing X, whereas in the first, you HAVE to do it.
- It's a slight difference.
- I think it's the only difference.
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23 Answers
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In the second sentence you lose the urgency. It's correct, but instead of saying "We have to do X before Y," you're saying "We have before Y to do X." Int he second sentence, you're just doing X, whereas in the first, you HAVE to do it.
It's a slight difference. I think it's the only difference.
It's a slight difference. I think it's the only difference.
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AnonymousIn the second sentence you lose the urgency. It's correct, but instead of saying "We have to do X before Y," you're saying "We have before Y to do X." Int he second sentence, you're just doing X, whereas in the first, you HAVE to do it.thanks
It's a slight difference. I think it's the only difference.
According to CJ I am wr
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Hi,
We have to raise the necessary capital (before the end of the month) = at a time before the end of the month = correct sentence Yes
We have (before the end of the month) to raise the necessary capital = by the same token, I think it is correct.
We have to raise the necessary capital (before the end of the month) = at a time before the end of the month = correct sentence Yes
We have (before the end of the month) to raise the necessary capital = by the same token, I think it is correct.
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We have to raise the necessary capital before the end of the month. OK (We have to=We must ... )
We have until/by the end of the month to raise the necessary capital. Another possibility. (But: We
We have until/by the end of the month to raise the necessary capital. Another possibility. (But: We
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According to CJ I am wrong.
Aarrgghh!!!
I thought you understood this from a previous post!
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I have no other option but to give inyour powerful argument.
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(th
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CliveHi Clive,
Tom has before 6pm to call Mary. Incorrect. The syntax calls for 'Tom has 4 hours to call Mary'.
[ You could also say '(from now) until 6pm', which is just another way of specifying a period of time ].
Your reasoning is coherent; however, th
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InchoateknowledgeI have no other option but to give inyour powerful argument.
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Inco.
<'I have until 6pm to call Marry'
is acceptable; but it is unacceptable to me. However,
'I have from now until 6pm to call Mary' sounds fine.>
The meaning of "until" is from now to a later point in time. The "from now" is redundant there.
<'I have until 6pm to call Marry'
is acceptable; but it is unacceptable to me. However,
'I have from now until 6pm to call Mary' sounds fine.>
The meaning of "until" is from now to a later point in time. The "from now" is redundant there.
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MilkyHi,
I have from now until 6pm to call Mary
The meaning of "until" is from now (or not now) to a later point in time. The "from now" is redundant there.
Why the sentence with 'until' is acceptable, and with 'before' it is not?
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