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Taka Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Increase
Does this sentence work fine to mean 'Many people have begun to think that computers are not that dependable'? I'm especially curious to know if 'the opinion is increasing' sounds OK or not.
The opinion that computers are not that dependable is increasing.
The opinion that computers are not that dependable is increasing.
Top answer
The grammar is fine, but the structure is weak; that is why it does not sound the best. 'Growing', however, is the usual collocation: The opinion that computers are not that dependable is growing. The opinion is growing that computers are not that dependable.
- The grammar is fine, but the structure is weak; that is why it does not sound the best.
- 'Growing', however, is the usual collocation: The opinion that computers are not that dependable is growing.
- The opinion is growing that computers are not that dependable.
- These do not mean quite the same as 'have begun to think', however.
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11 Answers
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The grammar is fine, but the structure is weak; that is why it does not sound the best. 'Growing', however, is the usual collocation:
The opinion that computers are not that dependable is growing.
The opinion is growing that computers are not that dependable.
These do not mean quite the same as 'have begun to think', however.
The opinion that computers are not that dependable is growing.
The opinion is growing that computers are not that dependable.
These do not mean quite the same as 'have begun to think', however.
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Sorry, it should have been 'begun'. (If you fixed it for me, I would be glad).
Mister MicawberThese do not mean quite the same as 'have begun to think', however.Not exactly the same. OK. Then what do you think the difference is?
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Many people are beginning to think that computers are not that dependable.
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Mister MicawberGrowth comes after inception.So the 'many people have begun to think...' example doesn't have the sense of growth.
If it were this instead, what do you think?
More and more people have begun to think that computers are not that dependable.
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I see.
I thought 'many people' with the present perfect 'have begun to think' implied some sort of growth; some time ago few people thought so, but recently many have started to think that way, which I thought was a kind of growth.
I thought 'many people' with the present perfect 'have begun to think' implied some sort of growth; some time ago few people thought so, but recently many have started to think that way, which I thought was a kind of growth.
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The conceptual emphasis is on 'begin', not 'grow', that is all. Obviously, it is a continuum.
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You mean 'many people have begun to think..' certainly has a sense of continuum, but the emphasis is more on 'begin', compared to 'more and more people have begun to think...'?
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