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Antonija Posted 20 years ago
Vocabulary
smaller amounts
Is 'smaller amounts' fine here?
When the oil arrives in refinery, it contains water and smaller amounts of mechanical impurities in the form of ooze/sludge/silt.
When the oil arrives in refinery, it contains water and smaller amounts of mechanical impurities in the form of ooze/sludge/silt.
Top answer
I think I'd say 'fractions of impurities' in this context. One of the reason I have a problem with 'smaller amounts' is that this makes it look like a comparison : the reader might try to look for this other thing in the sentence that you would compare to... In other words, maybe the reader would expect them to be smaller THAN something ?
- I think I'd say 'fractions of impurities' in this context.
- One of the reason I have a problem with 'smaller amounts' is that this makes it look like a comparison : the reader might try to look for this other thing in the sentence that you would compare to...
- In other words, maybe the reader would expect them to be smaller THAN something ?
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6 Answers
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I think I'd say 'fractions of impurities' in this context.
One of the reason I have a problem with 'smaller amounts' is that this makes it look like a comparison : the reader might try to look for this other thing in the sentence that you would compare to... In other words, maybe the reader would expect them to be smaller THAN something ?
One of the reason I have a problem with 'smaller amounts' is that this makes it look like a comparison : the reader might try to look for this other thing in the sentence that you would compare to... In other words, maybe the reader would expect them to be smaller THAN something ?
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When the oil arrives at (not in) a/the refinery, it contains minute/smaller amounts of mechanical impurities in the form of ooze, sludge, silt.
'Smaller' in the text does not necessarily mean the writer(Antonija) draws a comparison, in my opinion.
'Smaller' in the text does not necessarily mean the writer(Antonija) draws a comparison, in my opinion.
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The original is OK for me.
In fact the 'smaller' only indicates less in quantity than the water. The amounts involved will not be small in weight or volume and will need regular daily lorry loads to carry them away to a disposal point.
In fact the 'smaller' only indicates less in quantity than the water. The amounts involved will not be small in weight or volume and will need regular daily lorry loads to carry them away to a disposal point.
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ooze/sludge/silt...
I have had much experience in purifying fuel and lubricating oils with my career and because crude oil is a fluid the word you need in this example is 'solids'.
When crude oil is pumped out of the ground it is contaminated with sand, small rocks, water, wax and traces of different chemicals.
The 'solids' are removed in the first stages of the refining
I have had much experience in purifying fuel and lubricating oils with my career and because crude oil is a fluid the word you need in this example is 'solids'.
When crude oil is pumped out of the ground it is contaminated with sand, small rocks, water, wax and traces of different chemicals.
The 'solids' are removed in the first stages of the refining
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