Three things to be corrected please!!

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Hi,I need your help, please check and correct where necessary."Her rival in love calls him many times and often it happens that she and her mother take turns \alernate calling him in order to control him"I mean that person A (rival in love?? possible to say?) calls person B and sometimes she and her mother call him one after the second (take turn???) to control him (to know what person B is doing)The words I am not sure of are: "rival in love", "to take turn" or "alternate" and "to control"Thanks in advancePamela

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

How many people are involved here, for goodness sake!

I count three females and one male (B). Both A and C are interested in B in a romantic way.

A calls B a lot, and C and D (C's mother) call B to check up on B.

Is that right?

Why are C and D so interested in who A calls? I'm a bit lost on the story, particularly the motivations of the various people involved. Is this from an Italian opera?

CJ

By the way, controllare is not always 'control'. It's 'check up on' in this case.

Pamela81 · Answer

Dear CJ,

I´ve just finished smiling after reading your comments :-) yes, it seems to be an Italian opera :-))

I´ll try to explain this better:

My friend Amy told me that her ex husband (B) when visits her, always receives unexpected calls from his new woman (A) and that also A´s mother (C) call him and this timely happen one after the second (they alternate) so if A calls at 12:00 a.m, C calls at 12:01 a.m.

Is it a bit clearer now ? :-)))

Now, "to check up" is maybe the correct word, it would be like "to investigate" in the case of detectives ?

"Controllore" in italian translates many things which in english need different verbs therefore I was confused. While you use different verbs to express more things, we use controllare in the sense of "to check up", "to examine" "to investigate" "to look after someone" and so on.....

Please can you say if "rival in love" is possible? I also would need an answer if "to take turn" or "to alternate" in this context is possible. In italian is "fare i turni" nebo "alternarsi" so quite similar and therefore I wonder if possible..........

Thank you so much!

P.S

sorry for the confusion but it was a real conversation!! :-)

Pamela81 · Answer

Can someone please delete the last post, by mistake it appears two times...

I also realized some "S" missing here: " also A´s mother (C) callS him and this timely it happenS one after the second (they alternate)"

Sorry and thanks!

PAMELA

CalifJim · Answer

Pamela81My friend Amy told me that her ex husband (B) when visits her, always receives unexpected calls from his new woman (A) and that also A´s mother (C) call him and this timely happen one after the second (they alternate) so if A calls at 12:00 a.m, C calls at 12:01 a.m.

You may be trying to say too much in one sentence. Try this:

When Amy's ex-husband visits her, he gets unexpected calls from the woman he is currently involved with and from her mother! The two of them take turns calling to check up on him while he's at Amy's.

Pamela81Now, "to check up" is maybe the correct word, it would be like "to investigate" in the case of detectives ?

Yes. check up on him is what you want. We would use investigate only when it is a more formal and thorough search, as when a police detective does it, or when a scientist investigates some natural phenomenon.

Pamela81Please can you say if "rival in love" is possible?

It's understandable, but not idiomatic. In English we would not consider the case of Amy and the other woman a case of rivals because of the divorce.

Pamela81I also would need an answer if "to take turn" or "to alternate" in this context is possible.

It's possible, yes. They alternate their calls. They alternate calling him. However, I think it's too formal a word for the situation, and most people who tell this story are going to use take turns.

CJ

Pamela81 · Answer

Dear CJ,

I must say that you were of big help!! It is perfectly clear now!! wish to write so well

Thanks

Pamela

Three things to be corrected please!!

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