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Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here?


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Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here? #1 (permalink) Sat Apr 22, 2006 11:24 am   Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here?
 

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #87 "Common English Errors (3)", question 8

Our friends — who we haven't seen in a long time — ......... last night.

(a) appeared in our home
(b) came in our home
(c) came to our home
(d) came by

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #87 "Common English Errors (3)", answer 8

Our friends — who we haven't seen in a long time — came by last night.

Correct answer: (d) came by

Your answer was: incorrect
Our friends — who we haven't seen in a long time — appeared in our home last night.
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Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here?

Thanks a lot

Enlearnercn
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Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here? #2 (permalink) Sun Apr 23, 2006 4:32 am   Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here?
 

.
Appeared in our home suggests a sudden unexpected manifestation, but the friends could not or would not have simply entered the house without notice. Appeared at our door would be possible, meaning that they arrived unexpectedly.
.
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Appeared in our home #3 (permalink) Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:16 am   Appeared in our home
 

Thank you M M for answering the question on my behalf (I am the author of this test).

To reiterate what M M is saying, appear would indicate that the person / people have suddenly become visible without being noticed by anyone. This would normally not happen. Therefore came by would be the correct answer in this case.

Mark
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Appeared in our home #4 (permalink) Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:34 am   Appeared in our home
 

Hi Mark,
Thank you both for answering this question - good responses - but Mark I think you're mistaken. I wrote this test. Just wanted to let you know that you must be thinking of another exam.
Take care,
Linda

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Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here? #5 (permalink) Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:08 am   Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here?
 

.
Huh? I thought I wrote this test! Isn't this the ETS website?...
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Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here? #6 (permalink) Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:28 pm   Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here?
 

I am sorry I can't get this mental image out of my head of these unwelcome guests who have suddenly materialized out of thin air at my house. Smile

Ghostbusters, anyone?
Outofbreath
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Breathlessly appeared #7 (permalink) Mon Apr 24, 2006 13:39 pm   Breathlessly appeared
 

outofbreath wrote:
I am sorry I can't get this mental image out of my head of these unwelcome guests who have suddenly materialized out of thin air at my house. Smile

Ghostbusters, anyone?


Welcome aboard, outofbreath!

No wonder you are panting: ten posts in fourty odd minutes. Wow! Hope you like it here!

Regarding the term 'appear', maybe it was just translated from its use in another language. In Spanish, at least, it can have the sense of drop in/by/over, (i.e. without an appointment) or materialize, arrive suddenly at your doorstep.
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Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here? #8 (permalink) Sun Jun 24, 2007 2:18 am   Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here?
 

Hi,

Can I use "came to our home" instead? Why?
Seanmen
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Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here? #9 (permalink) Tue Jun 26, 2007 3:40 am   Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here?
 

Came to our home would have been OK even though it doesn't quite sound natural...With came by as a choice, I'd pick came by. I think the test could have been written a little better to eliminate uncertainty. Yeah, "appeared in our home" would suggest a ghostly manifestation Smile.
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Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here? #10 (permalink) Tue Jun 26, 2007 7:49 am   Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here?
 

I understand "came to the house" like I approached the house, but havent come into the house (I am somewhere near the threshold)

Does it make sence?
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Came to our home #11 (permalink) Tue Jun 26, 2007 7:55 am   Came to our home
 

Hi Seanmen,
I'd have to agree that the term 'came to our home' doesn't sound natural. That's why the test question was created. A lot of students who are learning English make that same mistake. The idea is to choose the best possible answer and in this case 'came by' is the obvious choice.
Grammatically, you can say 'came to our home' but I haven't heard any native speakers ever say it like that.
I hope this helps. Very Happy
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Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here? #12 (permalink) Tue Jun 26, 2007 7:58 am   Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here?
 

So, who posted this test Smile
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Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here? #13 (permalink) Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:29 am   Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here?
 

thank you guys.
Seanmen
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Came by sounds incomplete #14 (permalink) Sat Aug 18, 2007 18:07 pm   Came by sounds incomplete
 

How about if the speaker is far away from his house? Can he still say came by?

Does the statement suggest that the speaker is in the house?

please help thanks.
TheLearner
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Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here? #15 (permalink) Sun Aug 19, 2007 12:12 pm   Why can't I use "appeared in our home" here?
 

.
Quote:
Our friends — who we haven't seen in a long time — came by last night.


Yes he can still say it-- in this sentence, there is no indication of where the speaker is.
.
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