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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Is English the hardest language of them all?
This is an actual question I'd like answering.
English confuses me greatly. For example, the word 'any' in this sentence:
Do I need any help = Do I need help?
And, in my title, I wrote 'of them all' when actually it isn't needed at all? Even in the previous sentence 'at all' isn't needed, right?
So what is the purpose of these words?
English confuses me greatly. For example, the word 'any' in this sentence:
Do I need any help = Do I need help?
And, in my title, I wrote 'of them all' when actually it isn't needed at all? Even in the previous sentence 'at all' isn't needed, right?
So what is the purpose of these words?
Top answer
Anonymous Do I need any help = Do I need help? We usually don't ask ourselves questions like this. " There are three levels here.
- Anonymous Do I need any help = Do I need help?
- We usually don't ask ourselves questions like this.
- " There are three levels here.
- They do not differ in the general meaning of the message.
- They differ in the how we perceive the attitude of the speaker.
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3 Answers
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AnonymousDo I need any help = Do I need help?We usually don't ask ourselves questions like this. How about "Do you need (any) help (at all)?"
There are three levels here. They do not differ in the general meaning of the message. They differ in the how we perceive the attitude of the speaker.
... need help ...
... need any help
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AnonymousAnd, in my title, I wrote 'of them all' when actually it isn't needed at all?"of them all" is assumed if you give no other standard of comparison, so you don't need it. It's optional, as are a great many other things you could say. Is English the hardest language of all the Germanic languages? Is it the hardest language in terms of grammar? Is
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Sometimes the word "any" is used as a kind of intensifier to add emphasis only and can be omitted with no change in meaning, for example:
Do you need any help? = Do you need help?
Is there any dessert left? = Is there dessert left?
However, sometimes the word "any" cannot be omitted, for example:
You can choose any one. (Any cannot be omitted.)
Any kin
Do you need any help? = Do you need help?
Is there any dessert left? = Is there dessert left?
However, sometimes the word "any" cannot be omitted, for example:
You can choose any one. (Any cannot be omitted.)
Any kin
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