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Maple Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
"not a"
I can't read a sentence you were chatting with.
I can't read one sentence you were chatting with.
I can't read one of the sentences you were chatting with.
** Do they all mean I can read all the sentences except one??
** How about "I can't read a word!" ??? Does it equal to "I can't read any word (there)" ?
**I can't read all the sentences you were chatting with.= I can read part of the sentences you were chatting with. ----Right??
**If I mean I can't read any sentences, Must I say: "I could read none of the sentences" ?
(Thanks for your patience to read these infantile questions, English negatives are very different from Chinese)
I can't read one sentence you were chatting with.
I can't read one of the sentences you were chatting with.
** Do they all mean I can read all the sentences except one??
** How about "I can't read a word!" ??? Does it equal to "I can't read any word (there)" ?
**I can't read all the sentences you were chatting with.= I can read part of the sentences you were chatting with. ----Right??
**If I mean I can't read any sentences, Must I say: "I could read none of the sentences" ?
(Thanks for your patience to read these infantile questions, English negatives are very different from Chinese)
Top answer
> I can't read one of the sentences you were chatting with. --- >Do they all mean I can read all the sentences except one?? Only the above sentence is clearly expressing that.
- > I can't read one of the sentences you were chatting with.
- --- >Do they all mean I can read all the sentences except one??
- Only the above sentence is clearly expressing that.
- The other two are a bit confusing, they usually mean you can't read even a single sentence, IF you place the accent on A/ONE.
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12 Answers
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>I can't read one of the sentences you were chatting with.
---
>Do they all mean I can read all the sentences except one??
Only the above sentence is clearly expressing that. The other two are a bit confusing, they usually mean you can't read even a single sentence, IF you place the accent on A/ONE.
---
>Do they all mean I can read all the sentences except one??
Only the above sentence is clearly expressing that. The other two are a bit confusing, they usually mean you can't read even a single sentence, IF you place the accent on A/ONE.
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Thank you for your prompt response.
Are there other ways to say "I can read all the sentences except one"? ?
Are there other ways to say "I can read all the sentences except one"? ?
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An interesting episode: I used "I can't read one of the sentences you were chatting with. ....." in a forum, and the chatter replied with explanations of all the sentences. So I sensed there must be sth wrong with the comprehension of negatives.
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>>How about "I can't read a word!" ??? Does it mean "I can't read any word (there)" ?
Yes, but not necessarily. It might mean you can't read just one of the words, depending on your intonation.
This is why is important to accentuate/clarify:
"I can't read a
Yes, but not necessarily. It might mean you can't read just one of the words, depending on your intonation.
This is why is important to accentuate/clarify:
"I can't read a
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Maple An interesting episode: I used "I can't read one of the sentences you were chatting with. ....." in a forum, and the chatter replied with explanations of all the sentences.Should have said:
I can't read understand/read this (specific) sentence: .....blah blah ...
**I can't read all the senten
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I can't read a sentence you were chatting with.
I can't read one sentence you were chatting with.
I can't read one of the sentences you were chatting with.
** Do they all mean I can read all the sentences except one??
None of them implies that. It does not say that you can read any other.
** How about "I can't read a word
I can't read one sentence you were chatting with.
I can't read one of the sentences you were chatting with.
** Do they all mean I can read all the sentences except one??
None of them implies that. It does not say that you can read any other.
** How about "I can't read a word
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Aperisic:
I guess you were using more precise logic to interprete the first three sentences.
I also concern about people's common direct responses to those sentences.
I can always learn a lot from your posts. [Y]
Thank you very much!
Maple
I guess you were using more precise logic to interprete the first three sentences.
I also concern about people's common direct responses to those sentences.
I can always learn a lot from your posts. [Y]
Thank you very much!
Maple
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MapleI can't read a sentence you were chatting with.
I can't read one sentence you were chatting with.
I can't read one of the sentences you were chatting with.
** Do they all mean I can read all the sentences except one??I think all three could mean "just one sentence", but the first two could also mean "all of the sentence
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AlienvoordI think all three could mean "just one sentence", but the first two could also mean "all of the sentences".Unfortunately I can't read a/one/one of the... says nothing about the illegibility of other sentences. It is simply so because can't does not imply that we have even tried to read more than one sentence at a
...
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MapleAperisic:Maple,
I guess you were using more precise logic to interprete the first three sentences.
I also concern about people's common direct responses to those sentences.
I can always learn a lot from your posts. [Y]
Thank you very much!
Precise logic not only is needed for reading so we und
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