Dr Z. takes some time out with Orangutan English to answer your grammar related questions. If you have any, please mail them to the email address featured in the contact us page
Dear Dr Z.
Please help me! When should I say 'long', and when 'long time' in English? I keep getting confused.
Takeshi, Tokyo
Despair not Takeshi.
We often use long after how in the question form and also after too and so. We often use long time together with a verb + for + article. Compare;
How long did you wait? / I didn't play for too long / The speech was so long
I waited for a long time / I didn't play for a long time / The speech lasted for such a long time
Dear Dr Z.
I always get confused with when to use 'which' and when to use 'that'. For example, 'The Williams Boot Company, WHICH / THAT is located in Cumbernauld, is the oldest shoe company in the country' - why which and not that?
Confused Student, Gifu
Dear Confused Student,
Good question. Many human speakers, and some apes, can get confused as to when to use that and when to use which.Stop scratching and read carefully.
With the sentence, 'The Williams Boot Company, which is located in Cumbernauld, is the oldest shoe company in the country', the information – which is located in Gifu – is not essential for the general meaning of the sentence. It’s just additional information. The real meaning is that The Williams Boot Company is the oldest shoe company in the county, and it just so happens to be based in Cumbernauld. The clause, which is located in Cumbernauld, is separated by comas, and as such, is shown to be not vital for the overall meaning of the sentence. We call this clause a non-restrictive clause.
However, if there are several Williams Boot companies across the world and the Cumbernauld branch is the oldest, then we would use that. I.e., 'The Williams Boot Company that is located in Cumbernauld is the oldest shoe company in the country.
There are now no commas in the sentence, and using that with no commas show us that the information;'that is located in Cumbernauld', is vital for a true understanding of the sentence. As such, we call this clause a restrictive clause.
The basic rule: Use “which” plus commas to set off nonrestrictive clauses; use “that” to introduce a restrictive clause
What? Even more confused? Pah!
Dear Dr Z.
I'm not too sure when I should use 'by' and when I should use 'until'. An example I didn't really understand was the following:
'This job must be finished by next Tuesday.' Why not, 'This job must be finished until next Tuesday?'
Thanks, Fuminobu
Gifu, Japan
Fuminobu,
Until is used when we talk about an action or situation that will go on up to a certain moment. This is a period of time, which starts at one point, and finishes at another. Examples:
Can I stay until the weekend?. (Can I stay every day up to the weekend?)
You must drink until you are drunk. (Drinking must continue to the point of being drunk.)
Work until your hands bleed. (Work continually and only stop when your hands bleed.)
We use by when we talk about an action or situation that will happen on or before a certain moment.Observe:
You have to leave by Monday at 6 O'clock. (You have to leave before or at 6 O'clock on Monday.)
Finish by next Tuesday. (Before or on next Tuesday, you must be finished.)
Could you tell me by Tuesday if you want to do the deed. (Any time before, or on Tuesday, tell me if you want to do the deed.)
Dr. Z.
Dear Dr Z.
Now, It's very difficult to understand some sentences.
One is:
I’m going to New York for two years.
I think this sentence means I’m going to go to New York for two years from now (Since I was admitted to New York College).
Is it right? I think right.
But some teachers tell me that this means I have been going to N--- for two years
I am confused.
Mmmm...I worry indeed about these human 'teachers'. The sentence means I am going to go to New York for 2 years. This means I am going to go to New York and I will stay there (in New York) for 2 years.
The other one is:
A : He is no more young than her.
B : He is no younger than her.
I cannot understand the difference in meaning.
Eisuke, Japan
Okay, there isn't a difference in meaning, but one is grammatically correct and the other isn't. We do not say 'more young', we say 'younger'.In the same way, we do not say more big (we say bigger), and we do not say beautifuller (we say more beautiful).'He is no younger than her' means 'He isn't younger than her'.
So when do we use more + (adjective) and when do we use adjective + er ? Generally, with short adjectives and adjectives ending in y we add 'er'. Longer adjectives usually need 'more +' . Irregular comparitives are:
Good - Better / Bad - Worse / Far - Farther(Further) / old - older (elder
A state of confusion is normal for humans. I hope it has temporarily been erased. Dr Z.
