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New2grammar Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

wait

1i00If convicted, she can be sentenced to 6 to 8 years in prison02i02br
02br
00Does 'to' here indicate a range, anywhere between 6 and 8 years?02br
02br
00If so, I wonder if I can say the following:02br
02br
00I01i00 think we waited two to three hours for James. None of us had a watch but it felt like years.02i02br
02br
00I'm always confused whether to use 'to', 'between','or', or 'about' in this context.02br
02br
01i00We waited between two and three hours02i00 (I think it means within the range of 2 and 3 hours)02br
02br
01i00We waited two or three hours 02i00(I think it means we waited exactly either two or three hours)02br
02br
01i00We waited about two or three hours. (same as 'or' except the duration is not precise)02i02br
02br
00Please point out the differences for me and what you think is natural, in decending order of being natural.02br
02br
00Thanks!0-
  

Top answer

02br 00___ 02br 00between two and three hours. 02br 00___02br 00The ones with 01i 00to02i 00 seem more like "official language" to me -- more formal. None of them (above) are so exact as you think when you write 02br 00"I think it means we waited exactly either two or three hours" 02br 02br 00CJ 0-

— CalifJim

  • 02br 00___ 02br 00between two and three hours.
  • 02br 00___02br 00The ones with 01i 00to02i 00 seem more like "official language" to me -- more formal.
  • None of them (above) are so exact as you think when you write 02br 00"I think it means we waited exactly either two or three hours" 02br 02br 00CJ 0-
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2 Answers
0
0 We waited02br
00two or three hours.02br
00about two hours.02br
00about three hours.02br
00about two or three hours.02br
00___ 02br
00between two and three hours. 02br
00___02br
00two to three hours.02br
00about two to three hours.02br
00___02br
00The ones with 0
0
0
0I'm glad that either of them works for you. Thanks!0-
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