has been changed many times

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paa19437@anet.net.tw - 20 May 2005 03:05 GMT

"the teacher has been changed" means that the old teacher left, and a new
teacher comes.

But what does "the teacher has been changed many times" actually mean?

Sentence like "the plan has been changed many times" is easy to understand.
It means that the PLAN has been modified over and over again.

But when the Subject becomes "human", what does it mean when
a "teacher" has been CHANGED many times??

Does it mean that, for example, a person constantly changes his teacher ?
So it is equivalent to saying that (his teacher has been changed many
times?)
Or it is a wrong way to say it.

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Owain - 20 May 2005 13:02 GMT

> "the teacher has been changed" means that the old teacher left, and a new
> teacher comes.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> times?)
> Or it is a wrong way to say it.

Yes, it means that one teacher has been changed for another teacher.

Change can mean:

1. To modify or alter something
2. To swap one thing for another

"I am going to change this coat" could mean:

1. I am going to take off this coat and put on another coat
2. I am going to take this coat back to the shop and get another one
3. I am going to make the coat shorter and embroider flowers on it

"The teacher has been changed" can also have the "modified" meaning -
the teacher can be affected by an experience.

Owain

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Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / May 2005

has been changed many times