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In a TV show, a character said, "How long before that thing is ready?" I want to know: How is that sentence correct? I mean, if I were to say the same thing I would have said, "How long would it take for that thing to get ready?" I dont know if I am compeletely correct or not but still I never would have said the sentence that the character had said.
Also, please tell me: What are some other ways to say the same thing?
Spoken English can have grammar that is not like traditional grammar for written texts or formal spoken texts. Often, in spoken English, their is truncation or shortening:
How long [will it be] before that thing is ready? becomes just leaves out the first verb. It is perfectly acceptable.
Also, "to get ready" is for people: He got ready for work early in the morning. "to be ready" is for people or things. For things, to be ready might apply to having some object repaired: How long [will it be] before that thing [some object] is ready.
