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Joseph A Posted 7 years ago
Grammar

I Could Not Tell

Hello everyone,

A. Could you please tell me what "I could not tell" means in the following sentence?

Something had jumped with great speed behind a tree. It could have been a bear, or a man, or a monkey: I could not tell.

B. Could you please tell me if the indefinite article "a" is needed before the phrase "great speed"?

Source: Treasure Island, Chapter; The man of the island

Regards,

JA

  

Top answer

It means that they could not identify what creature it was. "

— Cobra panda 120

  • It means that they could not identify what creature it was.
  • "
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2 Answers
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It means that they could not identify what creature it was. It is a short version of saying, "I could not tell you which creature it was, because I did not see it."
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No, an "a" is not required.
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