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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Incongruent sentence
Hi there !
I heard an ad on the radio today that suggested you call your doctor if "you have difficulty or painful swallowing". I started thinking about the parts of the sentence and wondered if the word 'swallowing' can be used as both a noun and a verb in the same sentence. Is that in fact the case in the example? It appears to me that the word difficulty is used as an adverb to describe the act of swallowing while the word painful is used as an adjective to describe the same word used as a noun. Does this question make sense to you, or am I way out in left field? Thanks !
I heard an ad on the radio today that suggested you call your doctor if "you have difficulty or painful swallowing". I started thinking about the parts of the sentence and wondered if the word 'swallowing' can be used as both a noun and a verb in the same sentence. Is that in fact the case in the example? It appears to me that the word difficulty is used as an adverb to describe the act of swallowing while the word painful is used as an adjective to describe the same word used as a noun. Does this question make sense to you, or am I way out in left field? Thanks !
Top answer
In no way "difficulty" is used as an adverb. Have + difficulty/problem + gerrund is an idiomatic construction which exists a lot more often than we would bother to think about. It's not wrong.
- In no way "difficulty" is used as an adverb.
- Have + difficulty/problem + gerrund is an idiomatic construction which exists a lot more often than we would bother to think about.
- It's not wrong.
- I think the sentence may have been: "If you have difficulty or pain swallowing, consult your...
- ".
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4 Answers
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In no way "difficulty" is used as an adverb. Have + difficulty/problem + gerrund is an idiomatic construction which exists a lot more often than we would bother to think about. It's not wrong.
I think the sentence may have been:
"If you have difficulty or pain swallowing, consult your...".
These are quite normal expressions.
I have
I think the sentence may have been:
"If you have difficulty or pain swallowing, consult your...".
These are quite normal expressions.
I have
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I'd agree that the sentence isn't written very well, but I guess people probably wouldn't have too much trouble understanding it.
The word "difficulty" is a noun, not an adverb.
The way I see it, the phrase "have difficulty swallowing" could be interpreted two different ways:
- have difficulty with swallowing ("swallowing" = gerund/noun)
- have difficulty
The word "difficulty" is a noun, not an adverb.
The way I see it, the phrase "have difficulty swallowing" could be interpreted two different ways:
- have difficulty with swallowing ("swallowing" = gerund/noun)
- have difficulty
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AnonymousHi there !Curious. I thought I had heard that ad. It seems to me it said, "if you have difficult or painful swallowing". But it could have been "if you have difficulty or pain in swallowing". I'll have to li
I heard an ad on the radio today that suggested you call your doctor if "you have difficulty or painful swallowing".
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CalifJim It seems to me it said, "if you have difficult or painful swallowing".It wouldn't surprise me in the least if that is what the ad actually does say.
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