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Phương Thảo Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Hi everybody!

Hello! Today I am having trouble with one English sentence because I don't know why they used that. Hope everybody will help me solve this problem.
She shook dry one foot and then the other glanced over her shoulder.
I've known that structure "shake something + adjective" . Why did they use "shook dry one foot".
Thank you in advance
  

Top answer

"to shake dry" means to shake something until it is dry. The object (the thing shaken dry) in this case is "one foot". The object can go in two places: you can say either "shook one foot dry" or "shook dry one foot".

— GPY

  • "to shake dry" means to shake something until it is dry.
  • The object (the thing shaken dry) in this case is "one foot".
  • The object can go in two places: you can say either "shook one foot dry" or "shook dry one foot".
  • This is the author's choice.
  • Arguably the latter feels slightly more formal or literary.
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9 Answers
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"to shake dry" means to shake something until it is dry. The object (the thing shaken dry) in this case is "one foot". The object can go in two places: you can say either "shook one foot dry" or "shook dry one foot". This is the author's choice. Arguably the latter feels slightly more formal or literary.

The sentence as a whole is humorously wrong. It reads as if one of her feet glanced o
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Phuong Th?oShe shook dry one foot and then the other glanced over her shoulder.
I don't know anyone whose foot could glance over their shoulder.

... unless this is about a dog, and its foot just glanced its shoulder (as it was trying to scratch itself).

CJ
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CalifJimunless this is about a dog, and its foot just glanced its shoulder (as it was trying to scratch itself).
I was pondering and trying to form an image in my mind but could figure out what the context was all about. Also the "glanced over the shoulder " part....

I would have never imagined the subject being a DOG! If someone has to make his foo
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CalifJim... unless this is about a dog, and its foot just glanced its shoulder (as it was trying to scratch itself).
But would you say its foot glanced over its shoulder? I can't see that.
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GPYBut would you say its foot glanced over its shoulder? I can't see that.
You added "and". I removed "over". Either way it's a judgment that one word was wrong in that sentence.
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CalifJimYou added "and". I removed "over". Either way it's a judgment that one word was wrong in that sentence.
I see.
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Of course, if I'd bothered to do the simple Google search, I would have found this:

http://www.catherinemann.com/tycoon-take-a-wife/

She shook dry one foot, then the other and glanced over her shoulder.
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GPY if I'd bothered
Well, don't feel like the Lone Ranger!

You get points for accuracy; I get points for creativity!

CJ
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I'm terribly sorry for typing this sentence carelessly. The true sentence is that "She shook dry one foot then the other, and glanced over her shoulder" .
I don't think the mistake I had made is ridiculous like that....
And Really thank you for your clear explanation! Thank everybody for taking notice of my question and pointing my mistake!
Have a good day, guys!
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