How do we know whether winter is there or not?

[Guest]

Test No. incompl/advan-6 "Phrasal Verbs", question 8

It's easy to see from the way the garden is looking that winter has ..........

(a) set out
(b) set in
(c) set up
(d) set off

Test No. incompl/advan-6 "Phrasal Verbs", answer 8

It's easy to see from the way the garden is looking that winter has set in.

Correct answer: (b) set in
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How do we know whether winter is there or not?

[Alan]

Signs of frost/snow/cold temperature and no leaves on the trees.
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story French or English?

[sophie]

Where does Alan see the signs he mentions? the sentence is ambiguous and does NOT show enough evidence!The only way to guess which season is coming would be intonation, but we have to guess from what we read,don't we?

[Guest]

HI Sophie,
I've done this test earlier today and I remember very clearly it is mentioned in one of the questions. Do not forget that each test has a logic and tells a little story
Nelly

[Mister Micawber]

The sentence itself says that it is winter, though no signs of the season are mentioned-- and none are necessary.

Your task is to choose the correct phrasal verb to indicate what winter may do in context. Only set in works with winter as a subject. Set out, set up and set off do not collocate with the season.

The wagon train set out/off for California.
The campers set up their tent in two minutes flat.
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Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber

[jaro]

Do you think taht is is corrct when you uses will after when in a sentence from the test????

[Mister Micawber]

.
I am unclear as to which sentence you are speaking of, Jaro. Could you give us the sentence?
.
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Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber