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Tenacious Learner Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Could both be explanations to the previous sentence?

Hi teachers,
Coke quickly stepped back into the shadows of the front room.
Could both be explanations to the previous sentence?
a) Coke rapidly went back to the obscure area of the front room.
b) Coke rapidly returned to the obscure area of the front room.

Thanks in advance.
  

Top answer

I think he actually walked backwards. Coke took a few quick steps backwards into an unlit area of the front room.

— Enoon

  • I think he actually walked backwards.
  • Coke took a few quick steps backwards into an unlit area of the front room.
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13 Answers
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I think he actually walked backwards. Coke took a few quick steps backwards into an unlit area of the front room.
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enoonI think he actually walked backwards. Coke took a few quick steps backwards into an unlit area of the front room.
Hi ennon,
Thank you for your reply. Doesn't yours have a similar meaning to mine? Don't they all mean the same?
I'm just trying to find a couple of sentences for the students to understand its meaning.

TS
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went back ~ returned ~ turned (his body) around and went to where he had previously been.
stepped back ~ moved (somewhere) without turning (his body) around. He may have moved directly backwards or taken steps sideways. This is the probably meaning in the case you gave us.

They're different.

CJ
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CalifJimstepped back ~ moved (somewhere) without turning (his body) around. He may have moved directly backwards or taken steps sideways. (That one is too complicated to be understood by the students. Could I use 'to' instead of 'sideways'?)
This is the probably meaning in the case you gave us.
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Thinking Spain(That one is too complicated to be understood by the students. Could I use 'to' instead of 'sideways'?)
Say "to the side" if you want.

CJ
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CalifJimSay "to the side" if you want.
Hi Jim,
Thanks a lot. This one sound much easier for them.
Could it be this one then? 'He walked to the side of the obscure area of the front room'.

TS
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Thinking SpainHe walked to the side of the obscure area of the front room
No. I can see that that is not going to work.

He didn't walk to a part of that area (the part that was at the side of it), so you can't say this. Anyway, the whole idea of "side" is not the main point of "back". I shouldn't even have mentioned it. It's just causing confusion
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CalifJimHe stepped back. ~ He took a step or two backwards into the obscure area of the front room.
Hi Jim,
Thank you for your reply and definition.
Is 'back' an adverb there?
'Step back' is not a phrasal verb there, is it?

TS
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Thinking Spain1 Is 'back' an adverb there? 2'Step back' is not a phrasal verb there, is it?
1 Yes.
2 No.

CJ
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Hi Jim,
Thank you for all your replies. Emotion: smile
I guess they are similar then.
a) He took a step or two backwards into the obsc
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