Redundancy question

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a - 31 Oct 2006 09:15 GMT

For the following sentence, is "by saying things like" necessary? Besides
using abbreviations like "don't and had I studied...", is there any possible
way to make the sentence concise?

If you do not want to blame yourself by saying things like, ¡°If I had
studied harder, then I would not have suffered so much now!¡±, you had
better study English now!

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Don Phillipson - 31 Oct 2006 12:59 GMT

> For the following sentence, is "by saying things like" necessary? Besides
> using abbreviations like "don't and had I studied...", is there any possible
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> studied harder, then I would not have suffered so much now!¡±, you had
> better study English now!

This is direct speech, i.e. is exactly what someone
said: its logic (sense) could be presented more
economically, but it would then become indirect
rather than direct speech. E.g.
"You do not want X" means "I recommend against X"
"You had better Y" means "I recommend Y,"
but the words in the example are what people actually say.

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Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

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CDB - 31 Oct 2006 14:16 GMT

> For the following sentence, is "by saying things like" necessary?
> Besides using abbreviations like "don't and had I studied...", is
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> had studied harder, then I would not have suffered so much now!¡±,
> you had better study English now!

Study today or repent tomorrow!

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saiah@saiah.net - 01 Nov 2006 13:35 GMT

I would suggest use of subjunctive with conditinal for a better
sentence. This can be executed in the affirmative or negative, and in
any tense.
Example:
Were I to study more, I would make better grades.

Optional construction to "by saying things like":
In regard to . . .
In the construction . .
In the example . .
Is it necessary to . . .

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the Omrud - 01 Nov 2006 13:45 GMT

saiah@saiah.net <saiah@saiah.net> had it:

> I would suggest use of subjunctive with conditinal for a better
> sentence. This can be executed in the affirmative or negative, and in
> any tense.
> Example:
> Were I to study more, I would make better grades.

You seem to be experienced in English linguistics and I'm sure the
posters appreciate your detailed replies, but there are features of
your English which mark you out as a non-native speaker. I'm not
seeking to criticise, but I wondered if you would like these pointed
out.

For example: "I would suggest the use of the subjunctive with a
conditional", or at a push "I would suggest use of the subjunctive
with a conditional". The articles, or at least two of them, are
necessary.

We don't "make" better grades. We might obtain, earn, gain, be
awarded, achieve or get better grades.

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David
=====

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / November 2006

Redundancy question