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Lucas21c Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Natural conversation

Could you check whether the following conversation sounds natural?
Thank you.

A: Who is that standing by the door?
B: He is Mr. Baker.
A: Who is that across him?
B: She is Ms. Smith.
A: Is there any relation between them?
B: They're a married couple.
A: Really? I didn't know that she doesn't take her husband's surname. That's why they look so close.
  

Top answer

lucas21c check whether the following conversation sounds natural? Not really. Try this: A: Who's that by the door?

— CalifJim

  • lucas21c check whether the following conversation sounds natural?
  • Not really.
  • Try this: A: Who's that by the door?
  • B: Mr.
  • Baker.
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7 Answers
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lucas21ccheck whether the following conversation sounds natural?
Not really. Try this:

A: Who's that by the door?
B: Mr. Baker.
A: Who's that with him?
B: Ms. Smith.
A: Are they related?
B: They're married.

You can't set up your conversation so that the couple are standing across
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How about "A: Really? I didn't know that she doesn't take her husband's surname. That's why they looked so close"?
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lucas21cHow about "A: Really? I didn't know that she doesn't take her husband's surname. That's why they looked so close"?
I didn't even try to include that because it doesn't sound like anything you'd hear in that particular conversation.

Of course A didn't know that she didn't take her husband's name. A didn't even know who she was un
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Now I realized that I had made a serious mistake. You're right. The flow of conversation can't be right and natural. Depending on your answer, I correct it again. Could you check whether it sounds okay?

A: Is that Mr. Baker, right? The guy by the door, smiling and talking to Ms. Smith?
B: Yes.
A: Are they realated?
B: Yup. He is her husband.
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lucas21cThat's why they have looked so close.
I think I know what you're trying to say, but this isn't how it's said in English. Take a look at how I phrased it below.
lucas21cCould you check whether it sounds okay?
Here's my version:

A: That's Mr. Baker, isn't it? The guy by the door, smiling and talking to Ms.
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Thank you very much for your help, CJ. It's very helpful to me. By the way, if there is any, could you tell me how I can express the idea including that I saw them talking and seemingly familiar to each other several times before? "That's why they look like they're a couple" is slightly different from the thought that I originally tried to convey.
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You could substitute this:

I didn't know that she was married, but now it makes sense to me because I've seen them acting in a familiar way with each other several times before.

Or
... because I've noticed (several times) that they have a familiar way with each other.


CJ
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