Ing/to

Question

I would like to know the difference between "1" and "2".1. You have a nerve telling me what to do.2. You have the nerve to tell me what to do.

Askshameer · Accepted Answer

1. You have a nerve telling me what to do. - You have an audacity in reminding me what I have to do. (General)
2. You have the nerve to tell me what to do. - You are courageous to tell me what to do. (Fact)

/Sameer

Yankee · Answer

Hi Wowenglish

First of all, I would not use the word "a" in sentence 1. I would either omit it or use the word "some" or "a lot of":
- You have nerve telling me what to do.
- You have some nerve telling me what to do.
- You have a lot of nerve telling me what to do.

The three sentences above would be used after the other person has already told you what to do and you are commenting negatively about the fact that they were willing to do it. It is a negative comment about the other person's character. You think that the fact that the other person was willing to tell you what to do indicates that the person is rude or impudent. Look at the definition here: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=98176&dict=CALD

Wowenglish2. You have the nerve to tell me what to do.

Sentence 2 is different. As Sameer mentioned, it suggests that the other person has the confidence or courage to tell you what to do, and it suggests that telling you what to do is not an easy or pleasant thing to do. It can be used to state a general fact about the courage to do this. It does not refer specifically to the past. It is general, and it is not necessarily a negative comment about the other person's character. Look at the definition here: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=53398&dict=CALD

Ing/to

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions