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Nerdikarp Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

"My friend likes swimming and going to the movies" ambiguous sentence

"My friend likes swimming and going to the movies."

Is there another way to say this without the ambiguity?

Thanks!
  

Top answer

What ambiguity do you see here?

— Khoff

  • What ambiguity do you see here?
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8 Answers
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What ambiguity do you see here?
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1-

My friend likes swimming to the movies.

My friend likes going to the movies.

2-

My friend likes swimming.

My friend likes going to the movies.

It seems silly, but it happens.
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nerdikarpIs there another way to say this without the ambiguity?
What about switching the order?

My friend likes going to the movies and swimming.

CJ
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Ah yes -- Those old swim-in movie theaters. I think it only counts as ambiguity if both interpretations are plausible.
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Hi,

"My friend likes swimming and going to the movies."

By offering 'going' as a separate activity, the writer clearly seems not to consider 'swimming' as a form of going.

So, true ambiguity would lie in a sentence like

"My
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khoffThose old swim-in movie theaters.
It might be amusing to list similar cases.

I like to ride my bike and swim in the ocean.

He brushed his teeth and cleaned the sink with Liquid Plumber.

She likes to cook gourmet meals and bathe in her expensive new bathtub.

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Years ago I used to go to a health-food restaurant that had a sign on each table saying "We have no ashtrays or sugar in our lemonade." Really.
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