0
Park sang joon Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

You can't eat and have a cake.

1. You can't have a cake and eat it too.
<Source: a saying>

We can interpret #1 to the following.
2. You can't eat a cake and you can't have a cake at the same time.

But, I know to negate both of two verbs belong to different clause we should use the coordinate clause "or", not "and."; so can we use such a sentence as #1?

Thank you in advance for your help.
  

Top answer

The usual saying is "... ". In negative sentences "and" may be used to refer to two things being done (or not done) at the same time, often reinforced by "too", "also", "at the same time", etc.

— GPY

  • The usual saying is "...
  • ".
  • In negative sentences "and" may be used to refer to two things being done (or not done) at the same time, often reinforced by "too", "also", "at the same time", etc.
  • For example, "I can't talk and eat at the same time".
  • As another example, note the difference between "He doesn't drink and drive" (at the same time) and "He doesn't drink or drive" (independently)..
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

5 Answers
0
The usual saying is "... have your cake ...".

In negative sentences "and" may be used to refer to two things being done (or not done) at the same time, often reinforced by "too", "also", "at the same time", etc. For example, "I can't talk and eat at the same time". As another example, note the difference between "He doesn't drink and drive" (at the same time) and "He doesn't drink
0
0
Thank you GPY, for your very very helpful answer. Emotion: smile

1. You can't have a cake and it too.
3. You can't do such a thing th
0
0
#3 and #5 seem pretty unnatural and tortuous.
0
0
I'm sorry but I couldn't help but do that to display my understanding. Emotion: sad
By any chance can you understand what #3 and #5, clumsy an
0
0
park sang joonBy any chance can you understand what #3 and #5, clumsy and diffuse, mean?
3. You can't do such a thing that you have a cake and you eat a cake at the same time.
5. He doesn't do such a thing that he drinks and he drives at the same time.

They are hard to understand, especially the "such a thing that ..." pattern. It is
0

Related Questions