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 #2 (permalink) Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:58 am past perfect or past simple |
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Neither. I told him twice I didn't know him.
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| #3 (permalink) Thu Apr 02, 2009 14:51 pm past perfect or past simple |
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In British English for matter of flow we would add the that ...
I told him twice that I didn't know him. |
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| #4 (permalink) Thu Apr 02, 2009 22:56 pm past perfect or past simple |
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How does 'that' improve 'flow' here, HE?
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| #5 (permalink) Fri Apr 03, 2009 6:01 am past perfect or past simple |
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Hi MM
It depends on "how" you speak. In my native tongue, I find my mind without thinking puts the "that" in. For me, reading it without feels a little like going to get married without the bride.
smile... |
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| #6 (permalink) Fri Apr 03, 2009 6:08 am past perfect or past simple |
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That sounds a bit extreme. I am curious as to whether Alan would go that far.
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| #7 (permalink) Fri Apr 03, 2009 6:39 am past perfect or past simple |
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It depends on whether he just says it without thinking, or thinks about it. When one thinks about things, they can never say the other is wrong and quite often go against what they would actually do. But in a situation of unknowing, what would be that native reaction? This is something that nobody could tell you because to do so, one would have to first think about it!
The world is a circle without a beginning and nobody knows where it really ends ... la la la |
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| #8 (permalink) Fri Apr 03, 2009 6:40 am past perfect or past simple |
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That sounds a bit extreme. I am curious at to whether Alan would go that far.
By the way is that "AT" a typo, or American English ??
rob |
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| #9 (permalink) Fri Apr 03, 2009 6:50 am past perfect or past simple |
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What 'at'?
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| #10 (permalink) Fri Apr 03, 2009 6:51 am past perfect or past simple |
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| What At? |
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| #11 (permalink) Fri Apr 03, 2009 6:52 am past perfect or past simple |
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| LOL OK I see (smile) "edited" ... |
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| #12 (permalink) Fri Apr 03, 2009 9:23 am past perfect or past simple |
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Hi,
For me 'that' when introducing another clause (in reported speech) can generally be left out without any loss of rhythm. Sometimes 'that' would be needed to avoid confusion in a 'that' clause where the the subject of the following clause could be mistaken for the object as in: He believed that you had been mistaken.
At any rate 'that' is going to be pronounced weak in a reported statement and from my experience it is only African English that puts stress on 'that' and tends to include it in a sentence.
Alan
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| #13 (permalink) Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:17 am past perfect or past simple |
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Thanks, Alan; I didn't know that about African English.
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| #14 (permalink) Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:37 am past perfect or past simple |
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Smirk! (looking in mirror) LOL ...
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| Thanks, Alan; I didn't know that about African English. |
wrong wrong wrong ... Sorry but I am not going to recite the over 1 billion references to this sentence construction everywhere you look. Get real here, there are thousands of people reading this forum trusting THAT what we say is so !!!
There is NO WAY that "that" is ONLY for African English. The construction is used by every native speaker of English all over the world, Even Americans "MM" and "British" Alan. To say that it is African English is a great illusion"
So OK Alan may not use that ... (I refer him respectfully to some of his internet publications ...tongue in cheek) But where I come from we do..
Sheeeesh! You guys are so unbelievable sometimes....
but ....
I told him that I did not want to nurse my baby in a room that smelled like baby poop. (British)
I told him that it was a TV game. (British)
I Told Him That My Dog Wouldn't Run. (British)
I told him that under the circumstances, I would resign. (British)
My husband laughed when I told him that I felt I was entitled ... (British)
I told him that the Human Rights Council in Geneva is (British)
I told him that I do like him but that doesn't mean anything is ... (British)
I told him that my profession was about bringing lives into the world ... (British)
Even if he had paid, I told him twice that what (British)
I told him twice that I lived in a new property but, (British)
even though I told him twice that I do not speak Spanish (British)
couldn't understand - even though I told him twice, that in a (British)
I told him twice that we did not want to book his overpriced (British)
Did I say British ???
... und so weiter ... |
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| #15 (permalink) Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:47 am past perfect or past simple |
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Hi,
Calm down, please! And do get your information right. I didn't say 'that' wasn't ever used. I said:
| Quote: |
| For me 'that' when introducing another clause ( in reported speech) can generally be left out without any loss of rhythm. |
As for my comment about African English - that referred to stress.
I really don't know what bothers you so.
Alan
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