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Politics4687 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

What do you mean

why sometime we only say "what do you mean you can't" while sometimes we say"what do you mean by it / doing sth?"

what's the dfference between?
  

Top answer

Here's what the Cambridge Learners has to say about the first structure: What do you mean? -- used to show that you are annoyed or that you disagree: What do you mean, it was my fault? The other structure ( What do you mean by saying it was my fault?

— Mister Micawber

  • Here's what the Cambridge Learners has to say about the first structure: What do you mean?
  • -- used to show that you are annoyed or that you disagree: What do you mean, it was my fault?
  • The other structure ( What do you mean by saying it was my fault?
  • ) also often expresses annoyance or disagreement, but can also be a simple request for further explanation.
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1 Answers
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Here's what the Cambridge Learners has to say about the first structure:

What do you mean? -- used to show that you are annoyed or that you disagree: What do you mean, it was my fault?

The other structure (What do you mean by saying it was my fault?) also often expresses annoyance or disagreement, but can also be a simple request for further explanation.
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