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Tach Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
The exact way how?
I have a problem regarding "the way + how". I had wrote this content as a reply to another thread, but didn't get an answer, so let me ask here once again.
A Japanese college entrance exam asked the following question:
[ 1)Exactly how / 2)The exact way / 3)The exact way how ] the ancient Romans dressed in everyday life has long been a topic of discussion for historians.
Which one of these three is the most appropriate?
According to discussions here in this site, "the exact way how" seems unnatural in terms of redundancy (the way + how), but I can find on the Web more than one hundred thousand uses of it as if it's a set phrase.
Could someone give me any suggestion? Thank you.
A Japanese college entrance exam asked the following question:
[ 1)Exactly how / 2)The exact way / 3)The exact way how ] the ancient Romans dressed in everyday life has long been a topic of discussion for historians.
Which one of these three is the most appropriate?
According to discussions here in this site, "the exact way how" seems unnatural in terms of redundancy (the way + how), but I can find on the Web more than one hundred thousand uses of it as if it's a set phrase.
Could someone give me any suggestion? Thank you.
Top answer
'Exactly how' is the best choice for me, though 'the exact way' has nothing against it except that it might refer to the method (they put on their togas before they put on their sandals). 'The exact way how' is indeed poor style, but it is common English in casual conversation, and that is what much of the internet is. Though googling is a reasonable (though sometimes incautious) method for determing basic use, it is not a source of good style.
- 'Exactly how' is the best choice for me, though 'the exact way' has nothing against it except that it might refer to the method (they put on their togas before they put on their sandals).
- 'The exact way how' is indeed poor style, but it is common English in casual conversation, and that is what much of the internet is.
- Though googling is a reasonable (though sometimes incautious) method for determing basic use, it is not a source of good style.
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2 Answers
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'Exactly how' is the best choice for me, though 'the exact way' has nothing against it except that it might refer to the method (they put on their togas before they put on their sandals).
'The exact way how' is indeed poor style, but it is common English in casual conversation, and that is what much of the internet is. Though googling is a reasonable (though sometimes incautious) method
'The exact way how' is indeed poor style, but it is common English in casual conversation, and that is what much of the internet is. Though googling is a reasonable (though sometimes incautious) method
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Thank you so much for your insightful comment, Mister Micawber!
Now I understand that the sentence in question has more to do with "appearance" than with "method".
You've also made me think the multitude doesn't always prescribe what to follow.
Now I understand that the sentence in question has more to do with "appearance" than with "method".
You've also made me think the multitude doesn't always prescribe what to follow.
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