Don't really understand this passage

Question

"Nancy had ever 'worked out' before, but ever since a sick mother suddenly widowed and left with three younger children besides Nancy herself, she felt compelled to do something toward their support"

Why is it that instead of using the possessive case, it's an "a" ?

Shouldn't a possessive case be much better? I know that a conjunction of "a" in such cases are common, but in this particular sentence shouldn't a possessive case be better? Thanks:)

GPY · Accepted Answer

Something has gone wrong with that sentence. I suppose the first "ever" should be "never", and then later on some words seem to have been omitted. Please check again that you have copied it exactly correctly.

I'm also not clear what "possessive case" you are referring to. Are you possibly asking whether it should say "her sick mother"?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

diAAnaP'worked out'

Work out is a phrasal verb meaning to exercise (usually as part of a training program.)

He works out three or four times a week at the gym.

DiAAnaP · Answer

GPYSomething has gone wrong with that sentence. I suppose the first "ever" should be "never", and then later on some words seem to have been omitted. Please check again that you have copied it exactly correctly.I'm also not clear what "possessive case" you are referring to. Are you possibly asking whether it should say "her sick mother"?

Yes the "ever" there was a typo, sorry about that, a "danky" computer here.
Other than that? What seem to be wrong?
And yes, the possessive case refers to the article "her" in this case. What else do you call it?

Thanks:)

GPY · Answer

AlpheccaStarsWork out is a phrasal verb meaning to exercise (usually as part of a training program.)

I don't think it can mean that here, can it? Doesn't it refer to her going out to earn money?

DiAAnaP · Answer

AlpheccaStars diAAnaP'worked out'Work out is a phrasal verb meaning to exercise (usually as part of a training program.)He works out three or four times a week at the gym.

Actually that was not my initial question but it is one of them now.
The following content did not imply Nancy doing any extra "labor" work, nor did it imply that Nancy was exhausting herself or anything.

Check this out here:

"She was wondering if ever in any way
she could please this woman. Nancy had never "worked out" before; but
a sick mother suddenly widowed and left with three younger children
besides Nancy herself, had forced the girl into doing something toward
their support, and she had been so pleased when she found a place in
the kitchen of the great house on the hill--Nancy had come from "The
Corners," six miles away, and she knew Miss Polly Harrington only as
the mistress of the old Harrington homestead, and one of the wealthiest
residents of the town.
"

Thanks!

GPY · Answer

diAAnaPOther than that? What seem to be wrong?

The sentence structure just doesn't make sense. "widowed" would have to be active, which is not right, and it would also mean that the mother left the home to go somewhere else, taking the three children with her, which surely is not what is intended.

The simplest fix is to insert "was" before suddenly. However, the whole thing may be a kind of garbled paraphrase of the original text, which I found at the link below (at least, I suppose it is the original). It is also clearer in this "correct" version why "a mother" is used.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=WyjmBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT1&lpg=PT1

diAAnaPAnd yes, the possessive case refers to the article "her" in this case. What else do you call it?

Yes, but it is the possessive case of "she". Since the word "she" was not used or mentioned, it was not clear that this is what you were referring to.

DiAAnaP · Answer

GPY AlpheccaStarsWork out is a phrasal verb meaning to exercise (usually as part of a training program.)I don't think it can mean that here, can it? Doesn't it refer to her going out to earn money?

I can't help but agree.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

diAAnaP GPY AlpheccaStarsWork out is a phrasal verb meaning to exercise (usually as part of a training program.)I don't think it can mean that here, can it? Doesn't it refer to her going out to earn money?I can't help but agree.

Pollyanna is a best-selling 1913 novel by Eleanor H. Porter that is now considered a classic of children's literature.

The reason for confusion is that this quote is from a book written more than 100 years ago. At that time, society did not have gyms and work out routines, and women did not usually have jobs. They stayed at home and took care of the children. The English language has changed a lot in the past 100 years. Many new words and expressions have come into the language, and other words fallen into disuse.

I do not recommend using 100+ year old books to learn the English we speak today. Use these books after you learn what modern English is. Then you can compare modern English with Victorian English (1800-1900), and earlier versions of the language, such as Shakespearean English (ca. 1600).

DiAAnaP · Answer

AlpheccaStarsdiAAnaP GPY AlpheccaStarsWork out is a phrasal verb meaning to exercise (usually as part of a training program.)I don't think it can mean that here, can it? Doesn't it refer to her going out to earn money?I can't help but agree. Pollyanna is a best-selling 1913 novel by Eleanor H. Porter that is now considered a classic of children's literature. The reason for confusion is that this quote is from a book written more than 100 years ago. At that time, society did not have gyms and work out routines, and women did not usually have jobs. They stayed at home and took care of the children. The English language has changed a lot in the past 100 years. Many new words and expressions have come into the language, and other words fallen into disuse.I do not recommend using 100+ year old books to learn the English we speak today. Use these books after you learn what modern English is. Then you can compare modern English with Victorian English (1800-1900), and earlier versions of the language, such as Shakespearean English (ca. 1600).

Yes I know, this is a required material I must read though, I'm well aware that the language used is far outdated and sometimes beyond comprehension. But I'm still interested anyways;)
Also, the later context reads "....Nancy colored hotly..."(after her mistress kind of sort of gave her a little piece of her mind in disagreement). What could that possibly mean?

GPY · Answer

diAAnaP I'm well aware that the language used is far outdated and sometimes beyond comprehension.

I read a few paragraphs of this, and "far outdated" and "sometimes beyond comprehension" seems way too stong to me. I came across a few old-fashioned spellings and phrasings, and there is some dialect speech too, but most of it reads naturally and normally to a modern reader.

diAAnaPNancy colored hotly

Her face went red, probably through embarrassment

Don't really understand this passage

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