MarvinTheMartian Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
than ever before in all of my life
Hi,
I think the following sentence could use a little work:
"I'm so embarrassed - I've made more faux pas in the last two months than ever before in all of my life put together."
The first 2/3 of the sentence work, but I'm not so sure about the last third (i.e. "(...) than ever before in all of my life put together.") I don't think I've ever seen or heard this particular phrase before, yet, in the context, it seems to be the only one that fits... Do you have a better suggestion?
I think the following sentence could use a little work:
"I'm so embarrassed - I've made more faux pas in the last two months than ever before in all of my life put together."
The first 2/3 of the sentence work, but I'm not so sure about the last third (i.e. "(...) than ever before in all of my life put together.") I don't think I've ever seen or heard this particular phrase before, yet, in the context, it seems to be the only one that fits... Do you have a better suggestion?
Top answer
It sounds too emphatic for me, I would just spare a half, whichever one... Just as a suggestion: a)than ever before put together b)than in all of my life (my whole life) put together. a) or b), up to you.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
0
It sounds too emphatic for me, I would just spare a half, whichever one...
Just as a suggestion:
a)than ever before put together
b)than in all of my life (my whole life) put together.
a) or b), up to you.
Cheers
Just as a suggestion:
a)than ever before put together
b)than in all of my life (my whole life) put together.
a) or b), up to you.
Cheers
00
As a native-speaker of English, I'd be more likely to say:
"I'm so embarrassed - I've made more faux pas in the last two months than in the rest of my life put together."
I think 'than ever before in all of my life put together' is unnatural, too wordy, and I don't think a native-speaker would ever say it.
"I'm so embarrassed - I've made more faux pas in the last two months than in the rest of my life put together."
I think 'than ever before in all of my life put together' is unnatural, too wordy, and I don't think a native-speaker would ever say it.
00
AnonymousI think 'than ever before in all of my life put together' is unnatural, too wordy, and I don't think a native-speaker would ever say it.The irony is I am a native speaker. Perhaps if you were subjected to broken English day in and day out as I am, you would end up saying
00
"I'm so embarrassed - I've made more faux pas in the last two months than I had ever made before (in my life)." (in my life) or (in my whole life) is not necessary but adds more drama.
00
AlpheccaStarsI've made more faux pas in the last two months than I had ever made before (in my life).Thanks. Grammatically speaking, would the sentence still work if I used the present perfect instead of the past perfect? (i.e. "I've made more faux pas in the last two months than I've ever made before in my life.")
00
Hi guys,
A small comment about 'put together'.
This phrase suggests you are talking about two ( or more ) things.
eg . . . . more faux pas than I made in my high school days and my university days put together.
eg I make more money than Tom and Mary put together.
' . . . than in my whole life put together' sounds odd because your whole life is one thing. In o
A small comment about 'put together'.
This phrase suggests you are talking about two ( or more ) things.
eg . . . . more faux pas than I made in my high school days and my university days put together.
eg I make more money than Tom and Mary put together.
' . . . than in my whole life put together' sounds odd because your whole life is one thing. In o
00
Technically, past perfect is correct, since the ending point of the time period is in the past. (actually 2 months ago).
Present perfect means that the ending point is present time. I think you want to exclude the past 2 months from that interval.
Present perfect means that the ending point is present time. I think you want to exclude the past 2 months from that interval.
00