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Philip Rhoades P Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

"The exact same thing"

I am Australian and mostly use UK English spellings and usages - although I have succumbed to some Yankeeisms. Using "math" instead of "maths" is just annoying however I find the use of: "The exact same thing" instead of: "Exactly the same thing" extremely grating - what is the grammatically correct usage?

Thanks,
Phil.
  

Top answer

Philip Rhoades P "The exact same thing" It is rather annoying, but people (at least we Americans) use the expression informally all the time. Its grammatical correctness depends on if you are a proponent of descriptive grammar or prescriptive grammar.

— AlpheccaStars

  • Philip Rhoades P "The exact same thing" It is rather annoying, but people (at least we Americans) use the expression informally all the time.
  • Its grammatical correctness depends on if you are a proponent of descriptive grammar or prescriptive grammar.
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4 Answers
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Philip Rhoades P"The exact same thing"
It is rather annoying, but people (at least we Americans) use the expression informally all the time.
Its grammatical correctness depends on if you are a proponent of descriptive grammar or prescriptive grammar.
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AlpheccaStars,

Thanks for the response but I don't know what the differences between those grammars are - is it explained on this site somewhere?

Regards,
Phil.
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AS summed it up neatly once:

Descriptive grammar is based on evidence - how contemporary native speakers use the language.
Prescriptive grammar attempts to set a single unchanging standard defining exact rights and wrongs of usage.

Educators and professional have largely discarded prescriptive grammar. Languages change and evolve; so does the grammar.
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fivejedjon,

Thanks for that!

Phil.
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