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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Vocabulary
I would like to know the usage of this word.
I saw this sentence from the text book.
"When I intercact with my personal computer, its intellegence seems limited and brittle, if it appears intellegent at all."
I wonder the usage of "If ~~~ at all."
Actually I have known that "at all" can be used only in the negative sentence.
So I don't understand why "at all" is used in this positive sentence.
Plz let me know about the exact meaning and usuage of "If ~ at all".
"When I intercact with my personal computer, its intellegence seems limited and brittle, if it appears intellegent at all."
I wonder the usage of "If ~~~ at all."
Actually I have known that "at all" can be used only in the negative sentence.
So I don't understand why "at all" is used in this positive sentence.
Plz let me know about the exact meaning and usuage of "If ~ at all".
Top answer
'At all' = even the smallest amount. The sentence is OK using this idiom in the 'if' clause, so you should change your understanding about 'at all' to: 'in negative statements, questions and conditional sentences'.
- 'At all' = even the smallest amount.
- The sentence is OK using this idiom in the 'if' clause, so you should change your understanding about 'at all' to: 'in negative statements, questions and conditional sentences'.
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1 Answers
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'At all' = even the smallest amount. The sentence is OK using this idiom in the 'if' clause, so you should change your understanding about 'at all' to: 'in negative statements, questions and conditional sentences'.
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