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Taka Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
ellipsis
He seldom, if ever, goes to the movies by himself.
If you had to make the ellipsis 'if ever' the complete form, which would it be?
(1)if he ever goes to the movies
(2)if he ever goes to the movies by himself
If you had to make the ellipsis 'if ever' the complete form, which would it be?
(1)if he ever goes to the movies
(2)if he ever goes to the movies by himself
Top answer
Hi Taka, #2. (2) if indeed he ever goes to the movies by himself, such an event seldom happens. He sees five movies a week, yet he seldom, if ever, goes to the movies by himself.
- Hi Taka, #2.
- (2) if indeed he ever goes to the movies by himself, such an event seldom happens.
- He sees five movies a week, yet he seldom, if ever, goes to the movies by himself.
- Best wishes, Clive
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17 Answers
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Hi Taka,
#2.
(2)if indeed he ever goes to the movies by himself, such an event seldom happens.
He sees five movies a week, yet he seldom, if ever, goes to the movies by himself.
Best wishes, Clive
#2.
(2)if indeed he ever goes to the movies by himself, such an event seldom happens.
He sees five movies a week, yet he seldom, if ever, goes to the movies by himself.
Best wishes, Clive
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CliveHi Taka,
#2.
(2)if indeed he ever goes to the movies by himself, such an event seldom happens.
He sees five movies a week, yet he seldom, if ever, goes to the movies by himself.
Best wishes, Clive
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Hi,
But if there is a sentence like:
My son studies with his friends, if he (ever) does.
you will take it as:
My son studies with his friends, if he (ever) studies.
excluding the with-phrase from the if-clause, won't yo
But if there is a sentence like:
My son studies with his friends, if he (ever) does.
you will take it as:
My son studies with his friends, if he (ever) studies.
excluding the with-phrase from the if-clause, won't yo
00
OK.
Then, what if the sentence 'He seldom, if ever, goes to the movies by himself' was from this context?
I don't know whether he is a real movie lover or not. He seldom, if ever, goes to the movies by himself. It seems that he is just trying to go out with the girl he loves under the pretext that there is a good m
Then, what if the sentence 'He seldom, if ever, goes to the movies by himself' was from this context?
I don't know whether he is a real movie lover or not. He seldom, if ever, goes to the movies by himself. It seems that he is just trying to go out with the girl he loves under the pretext that there is a good m
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Hello Taka
Is it possible, in the wider context, that the "by himself" means "of his own volition", rather than "on his own"?
MrP
Is it possible, in the wider context, that the "by himself" means "of his own volition", rather than "on his own"?
MrP
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Hi,
I don't know whether he is a real movie lover or not. He seldom, if ever, goes to the movies by himself. It seems that he is just trying to go out with the girl he loves under the pretext that there is a good movie that everybody should see. I don't think he is intereted in movies themselves. Without that girl, he wouldn
I don't know whether he is a real movie lover or not. He seldom, if ever, goes to the movies by himself. It seems that he is just trying to go out with the girl he loves under the pretext that there is a good movie that everybody should see. I don't think he is intereted in movies themselves. Without that girl, he wouldn
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Clive The sentence is a comment on his movie-going habits. The rest of the context just explains and comments on these habits.Don't you think that the rest of the context explains that because he doesn't really like it basically he doesn't go to the movies, and that if he does, it's a rare case and he goes with someone else, not alone?
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Hi,
No, I don't.
He goes to the movies because of his girl-friend. We are not told he goes rarely. Maybe he goes with her 7 times a week.
If he never or rarely went, we'd know he doesn't like movies. We wouldn't have to say I don't know whether he is a real movie lover or not. The fact that we say this implies to me that he goes a lot, (with his girl-friend).
No, I don't.
He goes to the movies because of his girl-friend. We are not told he goes rarely. Maybe he goes with her 7 times a week.
If he never or rarely went, we'd know he doesn't like movies. We wouldn't have to say I don't know whether he is a real movie lover or not. The fact that we say this implies to me that he goes a lot, (with his girl-friend).
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CliveHe goes to the movies because of his girl-friend. We are not told he goes rarely. Maybe he goes with her 7 times a week.Yes, but only with the girlfriend.
And the context says 'I don't think he is intereted in movies themselves. Without that girl, he wouldn't go to the movies', which would mean that bacisaclly he doesn
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