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Riglos Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Lay off
Hi everybody!
This phrasal means "to stop employing someone, usually because there is no work for them to do". Now, does it usually refer to a situation in which a great number of employees are dismissed or can it refer to only one person? Thus, could we use it as a synonym of "give the sack, fire, dismiss" or not?
If it can't be used when referring to only one person, how can it be used in the passive?
E.g.,
"I was laid off yesterday." (If this person was laid off with thousands of other workers, but he/ she spoke only about his/ her situation, would it be correct to put it this way? The reason I ask this is that "I" is referring to only one person and, presumably, "lay off" to more than one, so I see a contradiction here.
What do you think?
Thanks a lot!
Mara.
This phrasal means "to stop employing someone, usually because there is no work for them to do". Now, does it usually refer to a situation in which a great number of employees are dismissed or can it refer to only one person? Thus, could we use it as a synonym of "give the sack, fire, dismiss" or not?
If it can't be used when referring to only one person, how can it be used in the passive?
E.g.,
"I was laid off yesterday." (If this person was laid off with thousands of other workers, but he/ she spoke only about his/ her situation, would it be correct to put it this way? The reason I ask this is that "I" is referring to only one person and, presumably, "lay off" to more than one, so I see a contradiction here.
What do you think?
Thanks a lot!
Mara.
Top answer
Hi Mara, This phrasal means "to stop employing someone, usually because there is no work for them to do". Yes. The implication is that you may be called back when there is more work, but that does not always happen.
- Hi Mara, This phrasal means "to stop employing someone, usually because there is no work for them to do".
- Yes.
- The implication is that you may be called back when there is more work, but that does not always happen.
- Now, does it usually refer to a situation in which a great number of employees are dismissed or can it refer to only one person?
- It can be for both.
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1 Answers
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Hi Mara,
This phrasal means "to stop employing someone, usually because there is no work for them to do". Yes. The implication is that you may be called back when there is more work, but that does not always happen. Now, does it usually refer to a situation in which a great number of employees are dismissed or can it refer to only one person? It can be for both. Thus
This phrasal means "to stop employing someone, usually because there is no work for them to do". Yes. The implication is that you may be called back when there is more work, but that does not always happen. Now, does it usually refer to a situation in which a great number of employees are dismissed or can it refer to only one person? It can be for both. Thus
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