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Gene93 Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary

unfold

Hello,
Can we use:(develop/play out/happen) instead of unfold here: "We stood and watched the drama unfold."? Only develop sounds okay to me.

Thank you
  

Top answer

Only 'happen' sounds wrong to me, and only 'unfold' sound like the mot juste.

— Mister Micawber

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5 Answers
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Only 'happen' sounds wrong to me, and only 'unfold' sound like the mot juste.
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Happen sounds odd to me too and I don't know why, to be honest.
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Gene93appen sounds odd to me too and I don't know why, to be honest.
It does not collocate well, that is all; that is why many vocabulary choices are wrong.
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I am just angry with myself because I often don't know why something is right/wrong. Could it get any worse? Take place sounds odd to me too. I am surprised that "play out" works here. I have never seen it in such contexts.
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Gene93I am just angry with myself because I often don't know why something is right/wrong.
No need to do that; it is just a part of the process of becoming fluent.
Gene93I am surprised that "play out" works here. I have never seen it in such contexts.
I have not necessarily done so, either, but it sounds right.
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