Grammar Quiz - Other Topics Forum - Discuss Pop Culture, Arts and Entertainment

Two Plus Two Forums 2+2 Communities Other Other Topics

Grammar Quiz

View Poll Results: _______ had we sold out our stock when the markets crashed.

If only

24 15.38%

Just

5 3.21%

Seldom

13 8.33%

Hardly

25 16.03%

No sooner

89 57.05%

Post Reply Subscribe

...

Page 1 of 2

1 2

Page 1 of 2

1 2

06-14-2008 , 05:33 PM

grando

witty comic

Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 10,680

What's the right answer?

Quote

06-14-2008 , 06:26 PM

The Drizzle

centurion

Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 173

"No sooner" uses "than" not "when"

Quote

06-14-2008 , 06:39 PM

Tweety

adept

Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 738

None of these is correct.

Quote

06-14-2008 , 06:43 PM

gimmetheloot

banned

Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 15,371

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tweety

None of these are correct.

+1 so i went with the lastr option

Quote

06-14-2008 , 06:46 PM

The Drizzle

centurion

Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 173

What's wrong with "hardly"?

Quote

06-14-2008 , 06:47 PM

maryfield48

veteran

Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2,199

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tweety

None of these is correct.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gimmetheloot

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tweety

None of these are correct.

+1 so i went with the lastr option

Ninja edit?

Quote

06-14-2008 , 06:48 PM

Claunchy

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 10,757

What's wrong with seldom?

Quote

06-14-2008 , 07:04 PM

Tortuous

grinder

Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 437

Quote:

Originally Posted by grando

What's the right answer?

Start again.

Quote

06-14-2008 , 07:07 PM

ZeTurd

Fabricati diem, pvnc

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 12,538

"Hardly" works I suppose, but the sentence should have been phrased "We had hardly..."

But maybe not. I'm playing the "English isn't my first language" card if I'm wrong.

Quote

06-14-2008 , 07:14 PM

#10

General Tsao

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 30,575

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZeTurd

"Hardly" works I suppose, but the sentence should have been phrased "We had hardly..."

But maybe not. I'm playing the "English isn't my first language" card if I'm wrong.

No, you're right. But..as you're right, "hardly" doesn't work.

Quote

06-14-2008 , 07:15 PM

#11

eviljeff

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 8,485

this is going to be one of those threads that makes everyone dumber

Quote

06-14-2008 , 07:29 PM

#12

bobman0330

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 24,234

just, hardly, and seldom are all grammatically correct, but they are all awkward, and "seldom" doesn't make much sense. "Hardly" is the right answer though.

Quote

06-14-2008 , 07:43 PM

#13

Victor

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 77,432

stilted imo

Quote

06-14-2008 , 07:52 PM

#14

gimmetheloot

banned

Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 15,371

Quote:

Originally Posted by maryfield48

Ninja edit?

yassir

Quote

06-14-2008 , 07:56 PM

#15

grando

witty comic

Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 10,680

the answer given was "hardly", and I have no clue how that works

I answered "seldom"

Quote

06-14-2008 , 07:58 PM

#16

Mayo

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 50,960

Awkwardly had we constructed sentences when had learned we our grammar rules.

None of the choices make a sentence that makes much sense. Grammar is a secondary consideration to effective communication

Last edited by Mayo; 06-14-2008 at 07:59 PM. Reason: I understand that that's not the point.

Quote

06-14-2008 , 08:03 PM

#17

Tortuous

grinder

Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 437

Quote:

Originally Posted by grando

the answer given was "hardly", and I have no clue how that works

I answered "seldom"

Online IQ test?

Quote

06-14-2008 , 08:06 PM

#18

ZeTurd

Fabricati diem, pvnc

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 12,538

Quote:

Originally Posted by grando

the answer given was "hardly", and I have no clue how that works

I answered "seldom"

Seldom doesn't work since the sentence is referring to a one-time event.

Eg. "Seldom do I think twice when I ran over that cat yesterday."

As oppsoed to: "Seldom do I think twice when I run over cats."

(PS! I don't condone running over cats...)

Quote

06-14-2008 , 08:56 PM

#19

GeraldGiraffe

adept

Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,139

I'm pretty sure seldom is acceptable here, and that's what I would have said. But actually Hardly is the most likely of all the answers to be correct.

Quote

06-14-2008 , 09:18 PM

#20

jontsef

veteran

Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 2,065

lol@seldom

Quote

06-14-2008 , 09:31 PM

#21

ImRich

grinder

Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 511

Quote:

Originally Posted by jontsef

lol@seldom

Quote

06-14-2008 , 10:16 PM

#22

kevin017

old hand

Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,299

i don't think seldom works here nearly as well as hardly. hardly is easily the best answer, though this sentence sucks in the first place and hardly is still really awkward and unclear.

Quote

06-14-2008 , 10:21 PM

#23

grando

witty comic

Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 10,680

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImRich

neither of you 2 clowns even answered

Quote

06-14-2008 , 10:26 PM

#24

otnemem

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 8,295

Dummies who don't think seldom makes sense:

If the markets crashed multiple times (as in, say, once this year, once five years ago and once eight years ago), and you were only able to sell out your stock in one of those instances, you could logically say, "Seldom had we sold out our stock when the markets crashed." The only argument against this is that it would make more sense to say, "Seldom did we sell out or stock when the markets crashed."

Quote

06-14-2008 , 10:29 PM

#25

grando

witty comic

Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 10,680

that's the exact rationale that I used

Quote

Page 1 of 2

First

1 2

Last

Post Reply Subscribe

...

Page 1 of 2

First

1 2

Last