Native-like or not no. 30 - brand

Question

Hello Users,Here's a short dialogue. Would you please be so kind and tell me whether it sounds natural or not? Can you emend it?A: Shirts are too pricey in many (of?) department stores here in this city.B: Really, how much can they go up to?A: I've seen some for as much as 800$!B: Are you pulling my leg? They must have been brand shirts though!Thanks!

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Perfect Strangernatural

A: Department store shirts are too pricey in this area.
B: Really? How pricey is that?
A: I've seen some for as much as $800!
B: Are you pulling my leg?
A: No, but the higher priced ones are brand-name shirts.

CJ

Perfect Stranger · Answer

Thaks CJ. Just to confirm one thing... On the one hand, you said that the dialogue sounded natural... on the other hand though, you introduced some corrections. Does it mean that, for example, these two are wrong and non-native like?

A: Shirts are too pricey in many (of?) department stores here in this city.
B: Really, how much can they go up to?

CalifJim · Answer

Perfect Strangeryou said that the dialogue sounded natural.

No. I did not say that. I merely quoted your word 'natural' to make a brief reference to the post I was replying to.

Perfect Strangeryou introduced some corrections.

Don't think of them necessarily as corrections. They are alternate versions of what might be said in a natural conversation.

Perfect StrangerDoes it mean that, for example, these two are wrong and non-native like?
A: Shirts are too pricey in many (of?) department stores here in this city.
B: Really, how much can they go up to?

They are somewhat native-like, but not as native-like as they could be.

Don't use "of" in your A sentence.
Note that "How much can they go up to?" asks how much higher the prices can be raised in the future. I didn't think you meant that.

CJ

Native-like or not no. 30 - brand

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions