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Cho7712 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
over
As to the use of 'over' and 'during' in each of their time expressions, there seems not to be any big difference except the fact that 'over' can't be used to express a short event within a given period of time.
e.g. The town was rebuilt during the early 16th century.
And here, the sentence above is brought from the excercise in my grammar book. It says it is incorrect to replace 'during' with 'over'.
Discouragingly no additional explanation is given in my book.
So I am wondering it is just not correct to use 'over' instead of 'during' in that position.
What do you think about it?
e.g. The town was rebuilt during the early 16th century.
And here, the sentence above is brought from the excercise in my grammar book. It says it is incorrect to replace 'during' with 'over'.
Discouragingly no additional explanation is given in my book.
So I am wondering it is just not correct to use 'over' instead of 'during' in that position.
What do you think about it?
Top answer
The town was rebuilt during the early 16th century -- This normally means (as you say) that it could have required only a fraction of the entire time period; there is no indication of how long it took. The town was rebuilt over the early 16th century. -- This normally means that the entire time period was required to rebuild it.
- The town was rebuilt during the early 16th century -- This normally means (as you say) that it could have required only a fraction of the entire time period; there is no indication of how long it took.
- The town was rebuilt over the early 16th century.
- -- This normally means that the entire time period was required to rebuild it.
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2 Answers
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The town was rebuilt during the early 16th century -- This normally means (as you say) that it could have required only a fraction of the entire time period; there is no indication of how long it took.
The town was rebuilt over the early 16th century. -- This normally means that the entire time period was required to rebuild it.
The town was rebuilt over the early 16th century. -- This normally means that the entire time period was required to rebuild it.
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Thank you for the answer,
So I see that the answer sheet presumed that the town only needs to be some time rather than a long time enough to be called the early 16th century to be built.
So I see that the answer sheet presumed that the town only needs to be some time rather than a long time enough to be called the early 16th century to be built.
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