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Conchita Language Coach
Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2702 Location: Madrid, Spain
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Sun Oct 22, 2006 12:54 pm Why fit but not suit? |
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| Quote: | | These trousers are my size, they perfectly ......... me. |
Don't you think a semi colon would look better here?
Tom |
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Tom I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 1976
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Sun Oct 22, 2006 13:25 pm Punctuation |
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| As far as I've been able to notice, colons and semicolons are not so popular in English as in some other languages -- dashes and commas are favoured instead. My personal choice in your quoted sentence would have been a colon or a double dash (also called 'em dash' and which, according to some, should not be surrounded by spaces). |
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Conchita Language Coach
Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2702 Location: Madrid, Spain
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Sun Oct 22, 2006 17:33 pm Why fit but not suit? |
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Thank you, Conchita
I only mentioned that because Mister Micawber advises against comma splices sentences.
Tom |
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Tom I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 1976
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Sun Oct 22, 2006 18:05 pm Why fit but not suit? |
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. Good point, Tom. How would you prefer to repair that splice? 
Amy _________________ Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 7247 Location: New England
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Sun Oct 22, 2006 18:07 pm Why fit but not suit? |
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...by putting either a semi colon or a period.
Do we agree, Amy?
Tom |
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Tom I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 1976
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 7247 Location: New England
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Mon Oct 23, 2006 0:27 am Semicolon |
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1...I believe that semicolon should be one word. 2...The sentence in question is a good example of one of the classic uses of a semicolon, to separate independent clauses in a compound sentence. Using a comma there is wrong. Using a semicolon rather having two sentences at least offers the advantage of not having to strike and then release the Caps lock. I prefer a semicolon. 3..."The trousers are my size; they fit me perfectly." sounds much more natural to me, althought the sentence as written is not incorrect. |
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canadian45 I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Posts: 184 Location: canada
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| Expression on your face... | Meaning of penchant |