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Question

Is this statement or phrase correctly written?Choose the odd one out.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Yes.

Anonymous · Answer

CliveYes.

Thank you so much. Would it be possible to say “choose out the odd man”? I think not, but I am not sure

However, it seems possible here:

Pick out the odd man.
Pick the odd man out.

Point out the odd man.
Point the odd man out.

Do you agree?

Clive · Answer

Would it be possible to say “choose out the odd man”? No I think not, but I am not sure

However, it seems possible here
:
the odd man out is an idiom, meaning the thing or person that is not like the others.
the odd man means 'the strange man'.

Assuming you mean the former, now let's consider your examples below.

Pick out the odd man. No
Pick the odd man out. OK

Point out the odd man. No
Point the odd man out. No

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Clivethe odd man out is an idiom, meaning the thing or person that is not like the others.the odd man means 'the strange man'.

Thanks for the explanation.

ClivePoint out the odd man. NoPoint the odd man out. No

Why is the latter not correct, wince you say it is an idiom. Does the word ‘point’ not work in this example?

Also, I have seen both these sentences on the internet, are they wrong?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

AnonymousWhy is the latter not correct, when you say it is an idiom. Does the word ‘point’ not work in this example?Also, I have seen both these sentences on the internet, are they wrong?

Point out is a phrasal verb.

eg.
Please point out my errors.
Please point out the odd man.

Sometimes a phrasal verb is separable, sometimes not.

Please point my errors out. (Although understandable, this separation is not as natural. )

Please point the odd man out. (This is not understandable because of the idiomatic usage of "odd man out." It confuses the idiom and the phrasal verb.)

Anonymous · Answer

AlpheccaStarsint out is a phrasal verb.eg.Please point out my errors.Please point out the odd man.Sometimes a phrasal verb is separable, sometimes not.Please point my errors out. (Although understandable, this separation is not as natural. )

Thanks for your explanation. That was clear.

AlpheccaStarsPlease point the odd man out. (This is not understandable because of the idiomatic usage of "odd man out." It confuses the idiom and the phrasal verb.)

Got it. But what about “please point out the odd man”. You wrote it in the beginning of your post. Is is correct (Clive said NO)? That is why I am confused, is it because it confuses the idiom ‘odd man out’, maybe?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Anonymous“please point out the odd man”.

It is a grammatical sentence, but I can't think of many circumstances when I would say it.

My friend Joe and I are at a party where there are lots of people. We had previously talked about a man that I had met earlier (before Joe arrived), and I told Joe that this man was quite odd. Joe might ask me, "Can you point out the odd man?"

Anonymous · Answer

AlpheccaStars Anonymous“please point out the odd man”.It is a grammatical sentence, but I can't think of many circumstances when I would say it.My friend Joe and I are at a party where there are lots of people. We had previously talked about a man that I had met earlier (before Joe arrived), and I told Joe that this man was quite odd. Joe might ask me, "Can you point out the odd man?"

Got it. Thanks a lot for your help.

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