Timeline for What's the correct way of expressing the action of opening a bridge?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
7 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 23, 2019 at 19:39 | vote | accept | brilliant | ||
| Jun 23, 2019 at 19:37 | comment | added | brilliant | @JasonBassford - Very interesting. Thank you. | |
| Jun 23, 2019 at 19:23 | comment | added | Jason Bassford | @brilliant By the time he is gone would not make any sense if by saying it you want to get there while he's still present. By the time he leaves would only make sense if it takes him some time to actually leave and you're talking about the process itself. Generally, if that's the case, you would say by the time he's leaving, a process that you can show up to while it's still in progress. (Although it still wouldn't sound completely natural.) But I think your thinking around the fact that the movie is still present, even after it's started, is a good one. | |
| Jun 23, 2019 at 15:53 | comment | added | brilliant | "I can't really get my head around Can we make it by the time he leaves?" - Could it be because if the movie starts it is still there (in the movie theater), while if he leaves, he is not that anymore? Would "by the time he is gone" work fine? | |
| Jun 23, 2019 at 15:17 | comment | added | Peter Jennings | @FumbleFingers Then there is also the possibility of Can we make it in time for the movie | |
| Jun 23, 2019 at 15:09 | comment | added | FumbleFingers | I find it interesting that Can we make it by the time the movie starts? and Can we make it before the movie starts? both seem to be okay, but whereas Can we make it before he leaves? also seems fine, I can't really get my head around Can we make it by the time he leaves? I think learners would do better to stick with before wherever that seems capable of conveying the intended sense. | |
| Jun 23, 2019 at 15:01 | history | answered | Peter Jennings | CC BY-SA 4.0 |