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New2grammar Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

ran into

0The other day, I was at the oriental store. To my surprise, I [ran into/saw] Mr. X. It had been 6 years since we'd talked to each other after we graduated from college.02br
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001. Are there any mistakes?02br
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002. Are both choices synonymous? Does saw suggest Mr.X didn't see me at first wherease ran into means we saw each other at the same time?02br
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00Thanks in advance!0-
  

Top answer

0 I ran into = I bumped into, I met02br 00 I saw - as you say, you saw him, but he may not have seen you. 02br 00It had been six years since we'd talked to each other after graduating from college. I prefer this because I think it makes it clear that 6 years ago you graduated from college, and that that was the last time you spoke.

— Optilang

  • 0 I ran into = I bumped into, I met02br 00 I saw - as you say, you saw him, but he may not have seen you.
  • 02br 00It had been six years since we'd talked to each other after graduating from college.
  • I prefer this because I think it makes it clear that 6 years ago you graduated from college, and that that was the last time you spoke.
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9 Answers
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0 I ran into = I bumped into, I met02br
00 I saw - as you say, you saw him, but he may not have seen you. However, as there was then a conversation, it is clear that he did see you.02br
00'ran into' conveys the idea of meeting by chance.02br
00It had been six years since we'd talked to each other after graduating from college. I prefer this because I think it
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0Doesn't meet imply a prescheduled activity which isn't what this is?0-
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1blockquote
01cite10optilang12cite10It 11u10had 12u10been six years since we'd talked to each other after graduating from college12blockquote
10It 01del00had02del00 has been six years since we'd talked to each other after graduating from college.02br
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00I think it
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0I think both are OK. But I prefer to stick to the same tense.0-
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0 I think it 01b00had02b00 been six years02br
00It was 6 years prior to the moment of talking NOT 6 years before NOW 0-
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0 meet doesn't necessarily imply a prescheduled or planned event.02br
00I was walking in the park when I met a man wearing a funny T-shirt - no planning02br
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00I'm meeting some friends this afternoon - planned02br
00Quite often we can use met with by chance02br
00I met him by chance - this shows it was unplanned 0-
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0Loosely speeking, it's possible since the event happened several days ago. Do you agree? Also, could you answer my previous question about meeting0-
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0 You are recounting a past event (although only a few days ago so quite recent). Your account is rightly in the past tense.02br
00As I said, the period of not talking ceased when you ran into him.02br
00 So from NOW/TODAY it has been a few days since you talked to each other NOT 6 years.02br
00As for meeting - please see above post 0-
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0So, meet itself is ambiguous and the context will tell whether the event is planned or unplanned.02br
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00Thanks, Optilang!!!0-
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