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Moon7296 Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary

Finish it at all, finish it somehow

1. They will finish it somehow.

2. They will not finish it at all.

(not) at all (at all) :


in any way; to any degree

That's a definition of 'at all' from my dictionary.

Then, is 'They will finish it at all' the same(or similar) as #1?
  

Top answer

The short answer is that you cannot use 'at all' in a simple affirmative declarative sentence. You can use these: They will not finish it at all. Will they finish it at all?

— Mister Micawber

  • The short answer is that you cannot use 'at all' in a simple affirmative declarative sentence.
  • You can use these: They will not finish it at all.
  • Will they finish it at all?
  • If they finish it at all, it will be a miracle.
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4 Answers
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The short answer is that you cannot use 'at all' in a simple affirmative declarative sentence. You can use these:

They will not finish it at all.

Will they finish it at all?

If they finish it at all, it will be a miracle.
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Your example 'if they finish it at all, it will be a miracle' can be similar to 'if they finish it somehow, it will be a miracle'?

But as you said, at all cannot be used in a affirmative declarative sentence like my example 'they will finish it at all.'
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moon7296Your example 'if they finish it at all, it will be a miracle' can be similar to 'if they finish it somehow, it will be a miracle'?
But as you said, at all cannot be used in a affirmative declarative sentence like my example 'they will finish it at all.'
Because you left out, "...it will be a miracle" it reads rather odd.

I honestly ha
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moon7296if they finish it at all, it will be a miracle
~ If they succeed in finishing it, which seems highly unlikely, it will be a miracle.

moon7296if they finish it somehow, it will be a miracle'
~ If they find a way to finish it, and thereby finish it, it will be a miracle.

CJ
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