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Hanuman_2000 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Either
Hello,
1. I saw two pictures on the wall. I did not like either of them.
2. I saw two pictures on the wall. I did not like both of them.
Which one is correct?
People say that (1) is correct, but I want to know what the problem with (2) is.
Why can't we say that (2) is correct? Is there any diffrence in meaning?
Could anybody explain it to me?
Thanks.
1. I saw two pictures on the wall. I did not like either of them.
2. I saw two pictures on the wall. I did not like both of them.
Which one is correct?
People say that (1) is correct, but I want to know what the problem with (2) is.
Why can't we say that (2) is correct? Is there any diffrence in meaning?
Could anybody explain it to me?
Thanks.
Top answer
They're both correct, but they do mean slightly different things. Example #2 (both of them) implies that it was the fact the two pictures are together that makes you not like them. Perhaps each picture separately was fine, but the combination was not.
- They're both correct, but they do mean slightly different things.
- Example #2 (both of them) implies that it was the fact the two pictures are together that makes you not like them.
- Perhaps each picture separately was fine, but the combination was not.
- It reads as "I did like two of them together" without saying anything about your opinion of each picture.
- Example #1 implies that each picture separately was not liked.
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4 Answers
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They're both correct, but they do mean slightly different things.
Example #2 (both of them) implies that it was the fact the two pictures are together that makes you not like them. Perhaps each picture separately was fine, but the combination was not. It reads as "I did like two of them together" without saying anything about your opinion of each picture.
Example #1 implies th
Example #2 (both of them) implies that it was the fact the two pictures are together that makes you not like them. Perhaps each picture separately was fine, but the combination was not. It reads as "I did like two of them together" without saying anything about your opinion of each picture.
Example #1 implies th
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There is nothing 'wrong' with #2, but it is ambiguous and hence avoided. It could mean that you liked one of the pictures only.
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There is nothing 'wrong' with #2, but it is ambiguous and hence avoided. It could mean that you liked one of the pictures only.
.
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Sorry. Example in 2nd paragraph should read as "I did not like two of them together"
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Hi Hanuman
For your sentence 2 to have the same meaning as sentence 1, you should use 'both' without negating the verb. For example:
- I disliked both of them. = I did not like either of them.
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"I did not like both of them." could be used in a conversation suc
For your sentence 2 to have the same meaning as sentence 1, you should use 'both' without negating the verb. For example:
- I disliked both of them. = I did not like either of them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I did not like both of them." could be used in a conversation suc
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