Three slightly tricky grammar questions

Question

I understand that 'both' after a noun can mean one or the other, not both at the same time. But if they precede the nouns then it means both at the same time. Correct?

The tyres are suitable for the road, both wet and dry.

This means roads which are either wet or dry are suited to the tyres, correct?

It's an odd adjective phrase.

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What type of phrase it, and what does it modify?

The principal of a high school in Massachusetts recently banned the word meep in his school, threatening any student who used it, spoken or written, with expulsion.

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Drinking habits are costing us dearly-somewhere between $1 billion and $4 billion a year.

Is the prepositional phrase in bold sort of like an adverb appositive-even though such a name doesn't exist?

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Thanks very much for your time

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I understand that 'both' after a noun can mean one or the other, not both at the same time. But if they precede the nouns then it means both at the same time. Correct? That doesn't sound correct to me.

I like Coke.

I like Pepsi.

I like both Coke and Pepsi. (ie I like two things.)

The tyres are suitable for the road, both wet and dry.

This means roads which are either wet or dry are suited to the tyres, correct? Yes. But I'd say 'roads'.

The tyres are suitable for roads both wet and dry.

The tyres are suitable for both wet and dry roads.

You might also like to think about the way 'both' works if placed in front of a verb.

eg Tom both loves and hates Mary. He's very confused.,

It's an odd adjective phrase.

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What type of phrase it, and what does it modify?

The principal of a high school in Massachusetts recently banned the word meep in his school, threatening any student who used it, spoken or written, with expulsion.

It's an adjectival phrase, describing 'it' (ie the word 'meep').

What does 'meep' mean?

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Drinking habits are costing us dearly-somewhere between $1 billion and $4 billion a year.

Is the prepositional phrase in bold sort of like an adverb appositive-even though such a name doesn't exist? I'd call it a noun phrase which is the object of 'are costing'.

Consider "The candy costs somewhere between $1 and $2".

Best wishes, Clive

English 1b3 · Answer

I'm trying to find the discussion I read on the word both. I'm sure it made out that it was one or the other if it followed the noun

Unsure what meep means, sorry. It's a true story though. I think it is used by kids in Schools to annoy Teachers, meaning virutally nothing.

Interesting point about the prepositional phrase in the final sentence; I now realise you are right, because it isn't saying how it is costing us. My mistake.

Cheers

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Some possibilities for 'meeps'.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=meeps

Clive

Three slightly tricky grammar questions

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