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Seagull Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

If only I had another chance

I wrote a couple of sentences on the assumption that someone failed in an examination and he/she wishes to have another chance badly. Please evaluate each of the following four sentences in terms of whether it is natural or not.

(a) If only I had another chance to take the test.
(b) If only I had a chance to take the test again.
(c) If only I had a chance to take the test once more.
(d) If only I had the chance to take a test again.
  

Top answer

(a) and (b) are OK. "once more" doesn't fit the context as well as "again". (d) feels unusual -- it suggests that you would like the chance to take any test, and you are not concerned which test it is, which is an odd wish.

— GPY

  • (a) and (b) are OK.
  • "once more" doesn't fit the context as well as "again".
  • (d) feels unusual -- it suggests that you would like the chance to take any test, and you are not concerned which test it is, which is an odd wish.
  • Edit: However, it is not impossible for (d) to be used in reference to a specific test identified by the context.
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2 Answers
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(a) and (b) are OK. "once more" doesn't fit the context as well as "again".

(d) feels unusual -- it suggests that you would like the chance to take any test, and you are not concerned which test it is, which is an odd wish.

Edit: However, it is not impossible for (d) to be used in reference to a specific test identified by the context.
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Thank you very much, GPY, for your clear and informative explanation.
I'm paticualary grateful for your reference to the connotation the sentence (d) has. I've learned a lot.
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