What is the difference between these two sentences?
Hi,
Is there any difference between these two sentences or do they have the same meaning?
"I can't get the window open."
"I can't open the window."
Thanks!
Top answer
" You have tried to open it, and you can't. " It is not possible for you to open it for whatever reason. Maybe your hands are in casts.
- " You have tried to open it, and you can't.
- " It is not possible for you to open it for whatever reason.
- Maybe your hands are in casts.
- Maybe you are too short to reach it.
- Maybe it is nailed shut.
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gillyflower"I can't get the window open."
You have tried to open it, and you can't.
gillyflower"I can't open the window."
It is not possible for you to open it for whatever reason. Maybe your hands are in casts. Maybe you are too short to reach it. Maybe it is nailed shut.
0"I can't get the window open" is used only when the window is physically stuck.
"I can't open the window" can (and often will) also refer to the "physically stuck" case, but could also be used if you are unable to open it for some other reason, e.g. someone has told you not to.
0
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