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David.healed Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

How to rephrase this sentence?

How to rephrase the following sentence to make it looks better?

"Then the crowd was going out to him, but now it is no longer going out."

Is it correct to say, "Then the crowd was going out to him, but now no longer it is."?

Thank you!
  

Top answer

Hi, I could comment better if I knew the context. It sounds like the crowd was inside, and he was outside. Is that right?

— Clive

  • Hi, I could comment better if I knew the context.
  • It sounds like the crowd was inside, and he was outside.
  • Is that right?
  • It it some kind of public meeting?
  • Can you explain a little about what is happening?
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8 Answers
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Hi,

I could comment better if I knew the context.

It sounds like the crowd was inside, and he was outside. Is that right?

It it some kind of public meeting?


Can you explain a little abo
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Hi Clive,

I am in fact translating a Greek setence to English.

"Then the crowd was going out to him, but now it is no longer going out." is the direct translation.

We can assume that the crowd was inside and he was outside, and the meeting is public.

Instead of what I have suggested earlier - "Then the crowd was going out to him, but now no longer it is.", can
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Hi David,

I'm still trying to understand.

It's the continuous tense that makes me hesitate. What is the tense in the original text trying to convey?

That the crowd began to go out to him, but did not complete the action?
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Hi Clive,

Thanks for your patience.

"was going out" is imperfect active indicative.

"it is no longer going out" is present active indicate.

David
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Hi Clive,

It shows a contrast, at that time it was going out, but now it is no longer going out.

May be the original sentence should read "The crowd was going out to him then, but it is no longer going out (to him) now."

Thank you.

David
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Hi,

_____________________________________

How to rephrase the following sentence to make it looks better?

"Then the crowd was going out to him, but now it is no longer going out." This doesn't sound bad, except that the Coontinuous tenses make me wonder why the writer used them. Perhaps the context will make that clear. It doesn't seem
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Hi Clive,

Thank you for the explanation. Since this is a translation based on a single setence only, I believe we can only do a direct translation.

I wondered why the writer chose those tenses. I still don't know.
May be it is just for the sack of practising the translation.

David
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