NEED HELP WITH THESE 2 SENTENCES PLEASE

Question

Could you please tell me how to properly say these 2 sentences and if the word in the bracket is correct if left in. (is the bold grammatical?, can you use 2 ifs like that?)

1 I realize now how that statement could have come off badly./how badly that statement could have come off.
2 The report is usually either the same number of pages (long) or shorter.

Thank you

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

alc24if the word in the bracket is correct if left in.

Yes, you can have two ifs. It's OK as is. Americans say "the word in parentheses", not "the word in the bracket".

1 I realize now how that statement could have come off badly. OK. - a.

/how badly that statement could have come off. OK. Different meaning. - b.
2 The report is usually either the same number of pages (long) or shorter. OK with or without long.

1a. Here you realize in which way the statement might have made a bad impression. Or you realize simply that the statment might have made a bad impression.

1b. Here you realize what a very great degree of "badness" (embarrassing awkwardness) might have been associated with the statement.

CJ

Alc24 · Answer

Hello CJ,

Thank you for your explanation, I'm having trouble with "the degree of something" as opposed to "the number of time"

What is the difference. Does OFTEN emphasize the amount of times one has either been there for you or made you smile as opposed to the degree to which one has been there or made you smile.

1 She's been there for me more (often) than you. OFTEN optional
2 She makes me smile more/more often than you. OFTEN optional

How would you say the bold sentence please? How would you make it grammatical and can you use "emphasize" in the sentence?

Thank you so much

CalifJim · Answer

alc24I'm having trouble with "the degree of something" as opposed to "the number of times"

alc24Does OFTEN emphasize the ~~amount~~ number of times one has either been there for you or made you smile as opposed to the degree to which one has been there or made you smile. ...

How would you say the bold sentence please? How would you make it grammatical and can you use "emphasize" in the sentence?

You can use "emphasize". It is grammatical as corrected in red. If I were going to say that sentence, I would probably say it the same as you did. However, I would not say that sentence because it doesn't make sense to me.

The reason it doesn't make sense to me is that you've included the first sentence in the mix. You certainly can't have "degrees of being there" unless, maybe, you sometimes seem as ephemeral as a ghost when you're there, and solid as steel at other times when you're there. But that's just a humorous way of putting it. No one is seriously going to believe you can have degrees of being at a place. If you are concentrating on the total amount of time she's been there for you, then you'll have to say it. more often only takes care of the number of times, and more will be taken to mean the same as more often.

She's been there for me a greater amount of time than you have.

So I see no difference between more and more often in the first sentence, but I see your problem with the ambiguity in the second one. There more can mean (smile) more often or (smile) more vigorously/enthusiastically. Your best bet is to add often if that's your intent and some other adverb like enthusiastically or brightly if that's your intent.

CJ

NEED HELP WITH THESE 2 SENTENCES PLEASE

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