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Chenyincheng Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Or else

Hi all,

Am I using "or else" correctly?

When you said it did not work, did you mean it was completely unresponsive (broken), or did not achieve the desired outcome, or else?

Thank you in advance.
  

Top answer

chenyincheng Am I using "or else" correctly? No. 'Or else', if it is to mean 'or another thing', must be followed by words defining that thing.

— Mister Micawber

  • chenyincheng Am I using "or else" correctly?
  • No.
  • 'Or else', if it is to mean 'or another thing', must be followed by words defining that thing.
  • Otherwise, the phrase is a threatened action.
  • When you said it did not work, did you mean it was completely unresponsive (broken), or it did not achieve the desired outcome, o r else the inner ****** on the gizmo is loose ?
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6 Answers
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chenyinchengAm I using "or else" correctly?
No. 'Or else', if it is to mean 'or another thing', must be followed by words defining that thing. Otherwise, the phrase is a threatened action.

When you said it did not work, did you mean it was completely unresponsive (broken), or it did not achieve the desired outcome, or else the inner ***
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I guess I can also say:

When you said it did not work, did you mean it was completely unresponsive (broken), or it did not achieve the desired outcome, or something else?
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chenyinchengI guess I can also say:When you said it did not work, did you mean it was completely unresponsive (broken), or it did not achieve the desired outcome, or something else?
Yes, right.
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Hi dear teacher, isn't the tense (the present tense 'is loose') inconsistent with the preceding parts, which are in 'past tenses', of the the sentence? Shouldn't it be 'was loose'? Or does it make no difference, please?

Thank you.
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