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Which one is the best sentence?



 
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ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Sentence: The company has branches/facilities throughout the country and holds... | which one is correct? - Omitting it does harm the meaning of the sentence?
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Which one is the best sentence? #1 (permalink) Sat Jul 12, 2008 18:12 pm   Which one is the best sentence?
 


Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going/coming to your class today?

Did your assistant tell you that I couldn't go/come to your class today?

Have your assistant told you that I wasn't going/coming to your class today?

Have your assistant told you that I couldn't go/come to your class today?


Hi,
I am unable to go to my English class. Then I leave a message with the teacher’s assistant. A few hours later I run across the teacher on the street and I want to ask her if she'd got my message.
Which sentence above is the best one, please?
Thanks.
Jctgf
You can meet me at english-test.net


Joined: 03 Jul 2008
Posts: 76

Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going... #2 (permalink) Sat Jul 12, 2008 21:48 pm   Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going...
 

#4 is the best, I think.
Haihao
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Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 2471
Location: Japan

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Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going... #3 (permalink) Sat Jul 12, 2008 22:18 pm   Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going...
 

Hi jctgf

First of all, just a small grammar note: your last two sentences need 'has' rather than 'have'.

Sentences 1 and 2 both work.
.
.
I would not use sentences 3 or 4 -- I wouldn't combine the simple past tense with the present perfect that way.

I might use the present perfect this way, however:

- Has your assistant told you that I am not going/coming to your class today?
- Has your assistant told you that I can't go/come to your class today?
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln
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Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going... #4 (permalink) Sat Jul 12, 2008 22:25 pm   Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going...
 

Has your assistant told you that I can't go/come to your class today? -> I would like to reconfirm with you that I can't go/come to your class today.
Has your assistant told you that I couldn't go/come to your class today? -> I told your assistant I couldn't go/come to your class today but I have changed my mind.

IMO & M2C.
Haihao
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 2471
Location: Japan

Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going... #5 (permalink) Sat Jul 12, 2008 22:49 pm   Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going...
 

.
Where did you read about the person changing his/her mind, Haihao? :wink:
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8316
Location: USA

Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going... #6 (permalink) Sat Jul 12, 2008 22:59 pm   Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going...
 

Hi Amy,

I just suggested a possibility: If the speaker say it with 'couldn't' then he/she's likely changed his/her mind and can go now. If with 'can't' then the situation or his/her mind hasn't changed and he/she still can't go now. e.g.

Over the phone.

Student: Has your assistant told you that I couldn't go/come to your class today?
Teacher: Oh, yes, she told me that. What's the story?
Student: I was a kind of dizzy then but I am alright now. Actually I am calling to tell you I can come, sir.
Teacher: Good! Then hit the road!

Haihao
Haihao
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 2471
Location: Japan

Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going... #7 (permalink) Sun Jul 13, 2008 0:00 am   Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going...
 

thanks a lot.
of course it's ''has'' instead of ''have''. my fault.
at to the verb, would you choose ''come'', ''go'' or any?
thanks again.
Jctgf
You can meet me at english-test.net


Joined: 03 Jul 2008
Posts: 76

Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going... #8 (permalink) Sun Jul 13, 2008 0:21 am   Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going...
 

Either would do. come = close on listener's side; go = on speaker's side.
Haihao
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 2471
Location: Japan

Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going... #9 (permalink) Sun Jul 13, 2008 0:36 am   Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going...
 

Hi Haihao

Are you still discriminating against sentences 1 and 2?
If so, why?
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln
Yankee
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Joined: 16 Apr 2006
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Location: USA

Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going... #10 (permalink) Sun Jul 13, 2008 0:55 am   Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going...
 

Hi Amy,

Really a kick in the slats! :) I love it! :) No, Amy, I am not. I just felt I could only get a kick out of 3 and 4 and left 1 and 2 to stay where they were 'cause there would be no kick coming from them at all. :)

Haihao
Haihao
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 2471
Location: Japan

Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going... #11 (permalink) Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:08 am   Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going...
 

Sorry, Haihao, but I'm afraid I'm having difficulty understanding what you're getting at.

I mean, it sounds as if you're saying that you intentionally told jctgf that sentence 4 was the best although you actually thought it was the worst. :?
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8316
Location: USA

Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going... #12 (permalink) Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:36 am   Wich one is the best sentence? Did your assistant tell you that I wasn't going...
 

Sorry from me too, Amy, but let me sort it out like this:

a. 1 and 2 would work perfectly without question as long as they stand alone without any context.

b. Observing the original 4 sentences are supposed to be involved in some coversation such as I suggested above, I found #4 would be the best of all. Of course #1 and #2 would do their good jobs as well doubtlessly but #4 has more or less a better sense to lay emphasis on the student's conduct that she once reported to the assistant that she couldn't come whereas #2 is more or less emphasized on the assistant's conduct that she told the teacher or not. Once again, I would say 1 & 2 are perfect but 4 isn't the worst (at least as good as #2) to me under the above condition (conversation).

Haihao

PS. I also have to say my opinion is very personal and the difference between 2 and 4 is ambiguous even to myself.
Haihao
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 2471
Location: Japan

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