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This is this scenario I read in a book teaching English:

A) Actually I've been working around the clock in my new business.
B) Oh your after the big bucks, how? I never thought you'd be so dedicated to money.

But it really seems difficult to me.

My second concern I would be grateful if you further clarify why the writer wrote "you would be" instead of simply saying "you are" .

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  • Please double check the exact wording in your English book and the exact question asked. As written, it contains grammatical mistakes, which would be inappropriate to "simplify" but perhaps appropriate to "correct the grammar". (My guess is the exercise is to correct the grammar and punctuation.) Mar 29, 2014 at 23:00

2 Answers 2

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A. Around the clock is an expression that means "all (of) the time".

B. This should actually be "you're after the big bucks", because it is a contraction of "you are after the big bucks". One buck is slang for one dollar, and "the big bucks" refers to large amounts of money, usually in the context of a salary, or possibly payout from gambling. Being dedicated to money means that the person highly values obtaining money, and works hard only because of the monetary reward at the end.

When the person in the conversation says "I never thought you would be so dedicated to money", the situation being described is:

1) Two people have known each other for some time.

2) In the past the second person knew that the first was not dedicated to money at that time.

3) The second person is now surprised to hear that the first has become dedicated to money since then.

If the author had instead written "I never thought you were so dedicated to money" [note that it should be "were" instead of "are", because "I (never) thought" is past tense], the meaning would have been changed to describe this situation:

1) Two people have known each other for some time.

2) For that whole time, the first person has always been dedicated to money.

3) The second person was unaware of that fact until recently.

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I don't understand why did you bold the words. Are those the only ones you want to understand? Anyway, I'll give an overall answer.

Actually I've been working a(round) the clock in my new business - a(round) the clock means working all time, without stopping. It also means working 24/7.

Oh your after the big bucks, how? - I see a problem there. It should be "Oh, you are after the big bucks, how?" - Okay, you are after the big bucks means he's running after money, to get/earn great amount of money.

I never thought you'd be so dedicated to money - if you say here you are, it talks about the assurance. Introducing 'would' with 'never thought' would make it assumption that you actually thought he is not after money (Compare - I never thought you'd be here, right in front of me (you had no idea and surprisingly, he is just right there in front of you OVER I never thought you are here, right in front of me (lacks surprise element and shock in this context).

Dedicated to money - that's simple. Some are dedicated to work, others to money.

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