Feb. 1, 2022
Grammar and vocabulary questions
1. By the time we reached Prague I had already been very tired of driving.
2. By the time we reached Prague I already was very tired of driving.
Are both of those sentences correct according to British grammar? If not, why?
1. I gave up on painting.
2. I gave up painting.
3. I quit painting.
Do all of those 3 sentences mean the same?
Grammar and vocabulary questions
1. By the time we reached Prague I had already been very tired of driving.
To see which sentence is best, take out the extras and compare them:
1. When we reached Prague, I had been tired of driving.
2. When we reached Prague, I was tired of driving.
Number 2 makes the most sense: When we got there, I was tired (in that moment, at my destination, I was tired from all the driving).
Number 1 means: When we got there, I had been tired throughout the drive. Like I had been tired throughout the drive, and then we got there.
2. By the time we reached Prague I was already was very tired of driving.
Are both of those sentences correct according to British grammar?
If not, why?
1. I gave up on painting.
This sounds like you gave up on painting as a whole. Gave up "on" really gives the sense of finality.
I used to enjoy painting as a hobby. Then I realized painting made me unhappy. So I stopped painting entirely; I gave up on painting.
2. I gave up painting.
This sounds like you gave up during an instance of painting.
This afternoon I couldn't focus, so I gave up painting.
This could be used the same as #1 and it would still be correct. But if you want to convey that it was just one time they gave up, instead of stopping forever, I'd go with this one.
3. I quit painting.
Same as #2. Could be used either way. Context will determine whether it was a one time thing or a forever thing.
My art class ended at 4pm, so I quit painting. (i.e., quit just for now)
My love of art has been destroyed, and I totally hate it now, so I quit painting. (i.e., quit forever)
Feb. 21, 2022
Thank you for your lovely correction🙂
Grammar and vocabulary questions
1. By the time we reached Prague I had already been very tired of driving.
I think this is grammatical, but I'm having a really hard time figuring out how you might use it. I think there's a suggestion of some kind of change in state; you had already been tired of driving when you reached Prague, and fifty kilometres later you were completely exhausted. Without a wider context it sounds strange.
2. By the time we reached Prague I was already was very tired of driving.
Very natural and neutral sentence, works fine on its own, just unnatural position for "already".
Are both of those sentences correct according to British grammar?
If not, why?
1. I gave up on painting.
2. I gave up painting.
3. I quit painting.
Do all 3 of those 3 sentences mean the same?
Slightly more natural.
Feedback
"I gave up on painting" sounds more like you maybe tried it for a week but decided you didn't like it. It's more like "surrender", it was a challenge that you undertook but were unable to beat.
"I gave up painting" sounds much more like it was a regular hobby of yours and you stopped for some reason. You had to give up painting, because you got arthritis in your hand.
"I quit painting" sounds similar to "I gave up painting", but I think suggests more that you just decided, rather than that you had a reason. I gave up painting to spend more time with my family; I quit painting because I was never any good and I wanted to try something else.
But these are subtle differences, and I don't think it would sound strange to use them in other situations.
Feb. 3, 2022
Very good, in-depth feedback.
Feb. 21, 2022
Thank you Secretpostman🙂
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Grammar and vocabulary questions This sentence has been marked as perfect! This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
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1. By the time we reached Prague I had already been very tired of driving. 1. By the time we reached Prague I had already been very tired of driving. I think this is grammatical, but I'm having a really hard time figuring out how you might use it. I think there's a suggestion of some kind of change in state; you had already been tired of driving when you reached Prague, and fifty kilometres later you were completely exhausted. Without a wider context it sounds strange. 1. By the time we reached Prague I had already been very tired of driving. To see which sentence is best, take out the extras and compare them: 1. When we reached Prague, I had been tired of driving. 2. When we reached Prague, I was tired of driving. Number 2 makes the most sense: When we got there, I was tired (in that moment, at my destination, I was tired from all the driving). Number 1 means: When we got there, I had been tired throughout the drive. Like I had been tired throughout the drive, and then we got there. |
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2. By the time we reached Prague I already was very tired of driving. 2. By the time we reached Prague I was already Very natural and neutral sentence, works fine on its own, just unnatural position for "already". 2. By the time we reached Prague I was already |
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Are both of those sentences correct according to British grammar? This sentence has been marked as perfect! This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
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If not, why? This sentence has been marked as perfect! This sentence has been marked as perfect! |
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1. I gave up on painting. This sentence has been marked as perfect! 1. I gave up on painting. This sounds like you gave up on painting as a whole. Gave up "on" really gives the sense of finality. I used to enjoy painting as a hobby. Then I realized painting made me unhappy. So I stopped painting entirely; I gave up on painting. |
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2. I gave up painting. This sentence has been marked as perfect! 2. I gave up painting. This sounds like you gave up during an instance of painting. This afternoon I couldn't focus, so I gave up painting. This could be used the same as #1 and it would still be correct. But if you want to convey that it was just one time they gave up, instead of stopping forever, I'd go with this one. |
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3. I quit painting. This sentence has been marked as perfect! 3. I quit painting. Same as #2. Could be used either way. Context will determine whether it was a one time thing or a forever thing. My art class ended at 4pm, so I quit painting. (i.e., quit just for now) My love of art has been destroyed, and I totally hate it now, so I quit painting. (i.e., quit forever) |
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Do all of those 3 sentences mean the same? Do all 3 of those Slightly more natural. |
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