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#2 (permalink) Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:16 am American or British slangs/idoms? |
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Hi Tortoise
My comments are in blue in the quote:
| Quote: | 1. It is believed that the thief escaped in a stolen car. = b) The thief is believed to have escaped in a stolen car.
It is believed that Einstein invented E = mc^2. (The verb 'invent' is not a perticularly good word to use here. 'Create' or 'develop' would be better, in my opinion.)
So the sentence which has same meaning is: Einstein is believed to invent E = mc^2 ? No. Einstein is believed to have invented E = mc^2.
2. If you see John tomorrow, _____ you mind ______ him to get in touch with me? b) would..... reminding
This does not follow the usual "rules" for if sentences. "Would" is used in order to make a polite request.
3. Words as pull an all-nighter, cram, flunk, goof off, ace a test, hit the books, sluff class, be a whiz at, flying colors, hang in there are American or British slangs/idoms? I've heard all of them except 'sluff a class' in American English. |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
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#3 (permalink) Wed Mar 21, 2007 14:43 pm American or British slangs/idoms? |
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Thank you for your help, Yankee. But I can not make out the tense of the sentence.
1. If "The thief is believed to escape in a stolen car". = "The thief is believed to have escaped in a stolen car", does it refer The thief has escaped in a stolen car. Also, if "Einstein is believed to invent E=mc^2" = "Einstein is believed to have invented E=mc^2", does it alsom refer that Einstein has invented E=mc^2?
2. I want to know that: People say that John is a mad man = It is said that John is a mad man = John is said to be a mad man or John is said to have been a mad man?
Tortoise. |
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Tortoise I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 105 Location: Vietnam
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#4 (permalink) Wed Mar 21, 2007 16:01 pm American or British slangs/idoms? |
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Hi Tortoise
My comments are in blue inside the quote:
| tortoise wrote: | Thank you for your help, Yankee. But I can not make out the tense of the sentence.
1. If "The thief is believed to escape in a stolen car". = "The thief is believed to have escaped in a stolen car", does it refer The thief has escaped in a stolen car. The first sentence does not mean the same thing as your second sentence(s).
"The thief is believed to have escaped in a stolen car" means "People believe that the thief escaped in a stolen car." In other words, this is what people believe now about what the thief did once in the past.
"The thief is believed to escape in a stolen car" means "People believe that the thief always escapes in a stolen car every time he commits one of his crimes." The sentence talks about many escapes -- not just one. 'To escape' has a present tense meaning.
Also, if "Einstein is believed to invent E=mc^2" = "Einstein is believed to have invented E=mc^2",These two sentences are NOT the same! does it alsom refer that Einstein has invented E=mc^2?
"Einstein is believed to invent E=mc2" is not correct because it means "Einstein regularly invents E=mc2" (simple present tense!). And that isn't true.
The correct sentence is "Einstein is believed to have invented E=mc2." This means "People believe that Einstein invented E=mc2" (i.e. one finished activity in the past!)
2. I want to know that: People say that John is a mad man (simple present tense) = It is said that John is a mad man (simple present tense)
= John is said to be a mad man (Yes, this also talks about the present) or John is said to have been a mad man? (No, this sentence refers to what John was in the past, therefore it means that John is either dead or is not a mad man now.)
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
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#5 (permalink) Fri Mar 23, 2007 13:47 pm American or British slangs/idoms? |
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Thank you very much, Yankee. I realise that my grammar is not very good 
Tortoise |
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Tortoise I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 105 Location: Vietnam
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