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New2grammar Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

construction difference.

0As I walked down the alley, a dog ran up to me and started attacking me.02br
02br
00I was walking down the alley when a dog ran up to me and started attacking me.02br
02br
00Are they equal? Do you interprete them differently?02br
02br
00Thanks in advance!0-
  

Top answer

12br 12br 10Are they equal? 02br 02br 00I would rephrase the first sentence as shown above. 0-

  • 12br 12br 10Are they equal?
  • 02br 02br 00I would rephrase the first sentence as shown above.
  • 0-
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6 Answers
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1blockquote
01cite10New2grammar12cite12br
10As I walked down the alley, a dog ran up to me and started attacking me.12br
12br
10I was walking down the alley when a dog ran up to me and started attacking me.12br
12br
10Are they equal? Do you interprete them differently?12br
12br
10Thanks in
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0Sorry, but "starting attacking me" doesn't work. An attack is sudden, without a preparatory warm-up in which you "start" your attack. The dog attacked you.02br
02br
00A dog ran over and attacked me.02br
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00(A dog 01i00ran up to me 02i00doesn't sound dangerous.)02br
02br
00I was walking down the alley when a d
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0Thanks GG and YL. GG, you made a very interesting point about starting an attack. Thanks for the tip0-
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0I'll confess that I was thinking about that thing that fencers do with their swords before their match begins.0-
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2br
00Hi Barbara02br
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00I seldom disagree with your comments. But this sentence, according to a BrE native speaker, is correct. Is it a case of BrE vs AmE?02br
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00As 01b00I was walking02b00 down the alley, a dog ran up to me and started 01b00attacking02b00 me.02br
02br
02br
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0I don't disagree with the 01i00grammar 02i00- I disagree with the logic in terms of the nature of the word attack. It's sudden, immediate. How does a dog "start" to attack someone? It jumps at you, snaps at you, bites at you... all of which are actually attacking you, not "starting to attack" you.02br
02br
00Like "I started jumping off the cliff" - no

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