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TeacherJapan Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

I'd really appreciate your insight.

In the previous thread, I was advised to rewrite the following sentence and I did. Is this sentence easy to understand?

I think that we have all experienced that we couldn't find the book we had wanted, but a book we happened to find has greatly influenced us.
  

Top answer

No. It's not clear. I suggest this.

— Clive

  • No.
  • It's not clear.
  • I suggest this.
  • eg I think that we have all experienced not being able to find the book we want but instead happening to find a book that greatly influences us.
  • Clive
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10 Answers
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No. It's not clear. I suggest this.
eg I think that we have all experienced not being able to find the book we want but instead happening to find a book that greatly influences us.

Clive
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I think that we have all experienced a time when we couldn't find the book we wanted, but the book we happened to find greatly influenced us.
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I see. I guess it's better to stick to sound more like a "general statement." thank you very much! Emotion: embarrassed
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Yeah, as you said, "a time when" makes a sentence flow more naturally. Thank you. Also, "the." I see. In this
case, I should have used the particle.
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Hi Emotion: smile I'd like to express my big "thanks" to your help!!
I'd really appreciate it if you could help me make another sample answer
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OK, but it is more natural to say 'the experience' because you are talking about a specific one.

Clive
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teacherJapanI think we all have had an experience of being unable to find the book we were looking for, butinstead happening to find a book which greatly influenced us.
It sounds all right to me except I'd say "the experience of". The reason is that you are telling us which experience you are talking about (being unable to find ...). Once we kn
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Thank you very much for bearing with me with all these questions.
Should I also use "the book" instead of "a book" that greatly influenced us?
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teacherJapanShould I also use "the book" instead of "a book" that greatly influenced us?
Ah! Tricky business, these articles.

It's a book that greatly influenced us. Yes, it influenced us, but we are not told exactly which book it is. That would be impossible because it would be a different book for each person who has h
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Yeah, these "articles" are really pain in the neck for non-native speaker, myself included!!!
But I think I now know how it works in this particular case! Thank you!!
I am really glad that you guys are always kind enough to give us very useful advice!!
I love this site and people who answer our questions voluntarily!!!
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