Multiple Choice II

Question

____ the end of martial law in 1987, people were allowed to form new political parties.A) WithB) AtPlease advise.LCChang

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Your choice?

Lcchang · Answer

Mister MicawberYour choice?

Oh! Sorry. I chose "at".

Mister Micawber · Answer

With is the expected choice. At, I suppose, works, but not as well.

Lcchang · Answer

Mister MicawberWith is the expected choice. At, I suppose, works, but not as well.

It's really hard to understand why "with" is the best choice for a non-native speaker like me. To my limited understanding, I only know "at the end of" or "by the end of" before the time. Still need your help, would you please?

LCChang

Mister Micawber · Answer

In this use, with means roughly as a result and at the time of.

This definition in the on-line dictionary: 17.(used as a function word to specify an additional circumstance or condition): We climbed the hill, with Jeff following behind.

CalifJim · Answer

With the end of martial law in 1987, people were allowed to form new political parties.
You might also think of with in this sentence as just an extension of other meanings of with.

Henry entered the room with Sally. (They entered together; they entered at the same time.)
Henry cut the bread with a knife. (He cut it by means of a knife.)

At the same time as the ending of martial law and by means of the ending of martial law (in 1987), people were allowed to form new political parties.

This usage of with is very idiomatic and very common when writing about historical developments. Such a phrase often begins a sentence, and the sentence itself explains the result of the historical development mentioned in the with phrase.

With the abolition of slavery in the U.S., ...
With the development of transistors, ...
With the onset of famine in Bangladesh, ...
With the invention of the cotton gin, ...
With the retreat of the army from Odessa, ...

CJ

Multiple Choice II

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