Gift

Looks fine to me

AnonymousCan I say "he has a musical gift" instead of the sentence above"?

Yes, but it also sounds (in another interpretation) like he has a music box to give someone as a gift.

CJ

Hi,
Thanks both for your replies.
However, the word 'gift' mean "a natural ability like talent". In that case, does the sentence "he has a musical gift" sound correct?

Thanks.

Anon:
When we mean "gift" as a talent, we say a pattern similar to the following: 

He has the gift of gab.
She has a gift for oration.
She has a gift for logical thinking. 

When we mean a gift as a present, then the pattern is:

He received an expensive gift. 
She has a birthday gift.

Your sentence follows the second pattern, so native speakers w

.
Yes, I suppose so, but it is not quite the same, since you have changed from the noun to the adjective. Your form suggests that it is one aspect of music that he is gifted with (perhaps he can play the nose flute), where the original suggests that it is music as a whole.
.

.
Rats. This thread was listed as 'unanswered'.
.

Mister Micawber.

Your form suggests that it is one aspect of music that he is gifted with (perhaps he can play the nose flute), where the original suggests that it is music as a whole.

.


Hi MM,

Thanks for your reply.

Could you explain what you meant by the quote above?

When 'gift' means 'talent', do the two se

.

He has a gift/talent for music.
He has a music/talent gif.

The first is accepted; the second is not. I suppose that 'a gift/talent for + noun' is classified as a fixed expression.

My sentence tried to mean that when you use the adjective, 'musical', it just describes the gift/talent, but the gift/talent does not incorporate music generally, as is implied when o

Hi MM,

Thanks very much again for your help. Could you help me get these clear:

1.Do you mean I can use 'gift/talent' in this way as in
"He has a musical gift/talent."
("gift" means "talent" here)

2.Do you mean the two sentences are not quite the same in meaning?

"He has a gift/talent for music."
(as you said, this suggests that it is music a

.
1.Do you mean I can use 'gift/talent' in this way as in
"He has a musical gift/talent."
("gift" means "talent" here)-- Yes

2.Do you mean the two sentences are not quite the same in meaning?-- No

"He has a gift/talent for music."
(as you said, this suggests that it is music as a whole, right?-- Generally, yes)

Does 'as a whol