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Paco2004 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

I found

0 Hello teachers. 02br
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00Recently I've read an article in my grammar book, which is saying that there are some semantic differences among the three: 02br
00 [1] I found that the chair was comfortable. 02br
00 [2] I found the chair to be comfortable. 02br
00 [3] I found the chair comfortable. 02br
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00Do you really feel they are different in the meaning? 02br
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00paco 0-
  

Top answer

0I don't. I'm curious as to what your GB says about it, though. 0-

— Mister Micawber

  • 0I don't.
  • I'm curious as to what your GB says about it, though.
  • 0-
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9 Answers
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0I don't. I'm curious as to what your GB says about it, though. 0-
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0 For example, [url=""]this article[/url] says: 02br
00[1] I found that the chair was comfortable. 02br
00[2] I found the chair comfortable. 02br
00The second sentence indicates that I found out that the chair was comfortable by direct experience-01del00by sitting in it. The first sentence leaves open the possibility that I found it out indirectl
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0Oh yes, I suppose so. But in your samples, there is no difference because no one goes around asking about chairs-- they just sit in them themselves and find out. If you have a particular facet of language to explore, there is no point in choosing examples where an effect is muffled or masked. Set up some examples that might really reveal a difference: 02br
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00I found
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0 Thanks. So [1a] is better than [1b] and [2b] is better than [2a]. Right? 02br
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00[1a] Looking at his portrait, I found Hitler charming. 02br
00[1b] Looking at his portrait, I found that Hitler was charming. 02br
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00[2a] Reading his biography, I found Hitler charming. 02br
00[2b] Reading his biography, I found that Hitler w
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0No-- they are both similar, semi-direct experiences by the speaker of the dictator; therefore the difference you are looking for is not in evidence in these contexts. We need to look at clear uses: 02br
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00Meeting him in person in his bunker, I found Hitler charming. 02br
00After interviewing a number of the Schutzstaffel, I found that Hitler was charming. 
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0 Hello MM 02br
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00I think I've got the difference. I'm surprised to know "Schutzstaffel" is an English word entried in OED. Thanks. 02br
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00paco 0-
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0 Hello MM and Paco 02br
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00I find it quite difficult to find a difference between the two. 'I found' always seems 'direct experience' to me. In your examples, I would be more inclined to say: 02br
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001. ...I found MrQ charming. 02br
002. ...I found out that MrQ was 'charming'. 02br
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00If I heard: 02br
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0 'I find it quite difficult to find..." 0-
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0 Oops...I accidentally hit 'post' before I'd taken my tongue out of my cheek. Sorry. 02br
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00I meant to go on to say, just for the fun of hearing it said: I find it quite difficult to find how difficult it is to find the difference between 'I find it quite difficult to find', 'I found it quite difficult to find,' and 'I found that it was quite difficult to find.'? 0
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