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Mon Jun 19, 2006 9:06 am How to use IN and BY in this context? |
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| The waiter insisted that I paid the bill in cash although I wanted to pay by cheque. correct |
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Pamela I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1232 Location: RF
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Mon Jun 19, 2006 9:48 am In/by |
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Hi,
If you pay in cash, that means you actually use real money -notes and coins. In the same way you say make something in wood meaning wood is the material you use.
If you pay by cheque/credit card, you are referring to the method of payment.
Alan _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Are you a Persuader? |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 7363 Location: UK
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Fri Mar 14, 2008 8:50 am How to use IN and BY in this context? |
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| How about "insisted" and "paid"? I think the word "paid" here should be "pay" because it is in subjunctive mood (insisted) |
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nessie I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 1031
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Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:46 am How to use IN and BY in this context? |
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. Yes, I agree, Nessie-- in careful English. Nevertheless, many native speakers no longer use the subjunctive here. . _________________ Canadian-American native speaker who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber |
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Mister Micawber Language Coach

Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 4254 Location: Yokohama, Japan
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Fri Mar 14, 2008 21:05 pm How to use IN and BY in this context? |
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. In this context, the use of 'pay' would be pretty typical in AmE. 'Paid' actually sounds a little strange to my American ear in this sentence. . _________________ Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 7781 Location: USA
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| difference between 'fortell' and 'forcast' | What does the phrasal verb 'get along' mean? |