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Taka Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

When

I realized how important she was for the first time when I had to live alone in this country.

Is it OK to omit 'when' in bold as:

I realized how important she was for the first time I had to live alone in this country.
  

Top answer

No. Look at it this way: I realised how important she was ( for the first time ) when I had to live alone in this country, or: I realised for the first time how important she was when I had to live alone in this country.

— Fivejedjon

  • No.
  • Look at it this way: I realised how important she was ( for the first time ) when I had to live alone in this country, or: I realised for the first time how important she was when I had to live alone in this country.
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5 Answers
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No. Look at it this way: I realised how important she was (for the first time) when I had to live alone in this country,

or: I realised for the first time how important she was when I had to live alone in this country.
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Isn't it grammatically possible to see the 'when' as a relative adverb that modifies 'the first time'?
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TakaIsn't it grammatically possible to see the 'when' as a relative adverb that modifies 'the first time'?
Not in that sentence. It's not 'the first time', it's 'for the first time'.
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TakaIsn't it grammatically possible to see the 'when' as a relative adverb that modifies 'the first time'?
I realized how important she was for the first time [when I had to live alone in this country]

In a way, you're on the right lines when you ask if "when" is a relative adverb (see [1] below), but it's not
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