I didn't want to study medicine but my parents pushed me.

Question

Hello.Does the sentence below mean that parents were only urging her to study medicine (and we don't know if she started studying it) or that they actually forced her to do so (and she started studying it because of their pressure)?1) I didn't want to study medicine but my parents pushed me.What would be the difference if I used the past continuous?2) I didn't want to study medicine but my parents were pushing me.

GPY · Accepted Answer

(1) would be understood to mean that she did study medicine (or at least start to study it). In (2) this implication is less strong.

Reegis · Answer

GPY(1) would be understood to mean that she did study medicine (or at least start to study it).

Hmmm, is this interpretation certain or might it depend on the context? Let me create some sample context for this sentence:

In high school I liked science and wanted to become a scientist when I grow up. I didn't want to study medicine but my parents pushed me. Fortunately, I managed to convince them that physics is more interesting, and finally they allowed me to follow my judgement.

Does this statement make sense (in the meaning that this 'pushing' activity was not enough to force her to study medicine) or is it self-contradictory?

GPY · Answer

In high school I liked science and wanted to become a scientist when I grew up. I didn't want to study medicine but my parents pushed me. Fortunately, I managed to convince them that physics is more interesting, and finally they allowed me to follow my judgement.

This is acceptable. However, if you stop at "pushed me", the implication is that you did study medicine.

Reegis · Answer

GPYa scientist when I grew up

Thanks for the correction

So, if this the intended meaning, I understand that it is better to use the second form which you commented as less strong.

In high school I liked science and wanted to become a scientist when I grew up. I didn't want to study medicine but my parents were pushing me. Fortunately, I managed to convince them that physics is more interesting, and finally they allowed me to follow my judgement.

GPY · Answer

Perhaps, yes, but when you explicitly go on to say whether you did or didn't study medicine it does not matter so much. My first reply was based on the sentences in isolation, with no other information.

Reegis · Answer

OK, now crystal clear. Thanks for your help GPY

I didn't want to study medicine but my parents pushed me.

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