Thread: Could you, please..

Could you help me with understanding the following phrase:
"Variant that specifies the arguments to use when displaying the document" ???
Can I paraphase that phrase like this: "It's a variant by means of which you can specify the arguments which are used when the document is displayed"???

Thanks in advance for any help!!

i think you got the point, i can't think of any other meaning...
why can't people speak properly?!

Is this a technical phrase? I could probably phrase it better in English with a little background information.

Originally Posted by Chuvak

Could you help me with understanding the following phrase:
"Variant that specifies the arguments to use when displaying the document" ???
Can I paraphase that phrase like this: "It's a variant by means of which you can specify the arguments which are used when the document is displayed"???

Thanks in advance for any help!!

This looks computernerdie, but I will give it a try:

When you display a document, it uses a set of arguments to display.
These arguments are specified by a certain variant.

I don't know what variant means in this context, but the argument could be like:
Display [Document A] [-in green]

where [-in green] would be the argument.

looks like the word should be "variable".

"variant" means "alternative" or "alternate".

A variable and an argument can be practically synonymous in some cases, anyway. I suspect this may be one such instance.

Thanks for help!!!

Could you also check some sentences:

1.He laughted and raised his hands up as a sign of giving in
2.It is necessary that you should take a part in discussing of this question
3.There are many advantages and disadvantages of having a car
4.The disadvantage of his driving a car was that he don't have a driving licence
5. The children were running about at the bank of the river
6. Do you know who I run into at the library?
7. He ran into debt because he had bought a house.

Thanks in advance

My attempt:

1. He laughed and raised his hands as a sign of giving in
2. It is necessary that you take part in discussing this question
3. There are many advantages and disadvantages of having a car
4. The disadvantage of his when driving a car was that he doesn't/does not have a driving licence
5. The children were running about at the bank of the river
6. Do you know who I run(ran?) into at the library?
7. He ran into debt because he had bought a house.

I'm not sure about number 4 though. It could be changed around more to something like:

'When driving a car, the disadvantage of his was that he doesn't/does not have a driving licence'.

If there is only 1 disadvantage then the above is fine but if there are many:

'When driving a car, a disadvantage of his was that he doesn't/does not have a driving licence'.


For number 6, you say: 'do you know who I run into at the library?' when you run into them regularly.

Maybe it's better to say: 'do you know who I usually run into at the library?'.

And you say: 'do you know who I ran into at the library?' if it only happened once at a previous time.

Originally Posted by волк

My attempt:

1. He laughed and raised his hands as a sign of giving in
2. It is necessary that you take part in discussing this question
3. There are many advantages and disadvantages of having a car
4. The disadvantage of his when driving a car was that he doesn't/does not have a driving licence
5. The children were running about at the bank of the river
6. Do you know who I run(ran?) into at the library?
7. He ran into debt because he had bought a house.

I'm not sure about number 4 though. It could be changed around more to something like:

'When driving a car, the disadvantage of his was that he doesn't/does not have a driving licence'.

If there is only 1 disadvantage then the above is fine but if there are many:

'When driving a car, a disadvantage of his was that he doesn't/does not have a driving licence'.


For number 6, you say: 'do you know who I run into at the library?' when you run into them regularly.

Maybe it's better to say: 'do you know who I usually run into at the library?'.

And you say: 'do you know who I ran into at the library?' if it only happened once at a previous time.

IMHO, I think this sounds better:
2. It is necessary that you take part in the discussion of this question
4: His disadvantage in driving a car is that he doesn't have a license [driving license implied].
5. The children were running about on/near(?) the bank of the river
6. Do you know who I ran into at the library?

Originally Posted by Chuvak

4.The disadvantage of his driving a car was that he didn't have a driver's licence

It's supposed to be in the past tense.

Originally Posted by Chuvak

1.He laughted and raised his hands up as a sign of giving in
2.It is necessary that you should take a part in discussing of this question
3.There are many advantages and disadvantages of having a car
4.The disadvantage of his driving a car was that he don't have a driving licence
5. The children were running about at the bank of the river
6. Do you know who I run into at the library?
7. He ran into debt because he had bought a house.

1. He laughed and raised his hands as a sign of giving up.
2. It is necessary that you take part in the dicussion of this question.
3. good
4. His disadvantage of driving a car was that he didn't have a driving license.
5. good, you can also say "by the bank of the river"
6. Do you know who I ran into at the library?
7. He got into debt because he bought a house.

Originally Posted by kwatts59

laughed

You know, with all the different suggestions people make, is it not hard for non-native speakers to decide which are gramatically correct?

Does this look more like a collective answer of correct attempts:

1. He laughed and raised his hands as a sign of giving up.
2. It is necessary that you take part in the dicussion of this question.
3. There are many advantages and disadvantages of having a car.
4. His disadvantage of driving a car was that he didn't have a driving license.
5. The children were running about on/by the bank of the river.
6. Do you know who I ran into at the library?
7. He got into debt because he bought a house.

(What about: 'He had gotten into debt because he had bought a house'? )

Thanks you, guys!

Originally Posted by basurero

Originally Posted by Chuvak

4.The disadvantage of his driving a car was that he didn't have a driver's licence

It's supposed to be in the past tense.

So, you think that the variant "The disadvantage of his driving a car was that he didn't have a driver's licence" sounds grammatically correct?
I suppose that it implies the same meaning as "When driving a car, the disadvantage of his was that he didn't have a driving licence", doesn't it?

Originally Posted by Chuvak

Thanks you, guys!

Originally Posted by basurero

Originally Posted by Chuvak

4.The disadvantage of his driving a car was that he didn't have a driver's licence

It's supposed to be in the past tense.

So, you think that the variant "The disadvantage of his driving a car was that he didn't have a driver's licence" sounds grammatically correct?
I suppose that it implies the same meaning as "When driving a car, the disadvantage of his was that he didn't have a driving licence", doesn't it?

"the disadvantage of his" is grammatically correct, but it sounds strange.
"his disadvantage" sounds better

When driving a car, his disadvantage was that he didn't have a driving license.

or

His disadvantage when driving a car was that he didn't have a driving license.

"the disadvantage of his" is grammatically correct, but it sounds strange.
"his disadvantage" sounds better

Really? I think "the disadvantage" sounds better...

So, you think that the variant "The disadvantage of his driving a car was that he didn't have a driver's licence" sounds grammatically correct?
I suppose that it implies the same meaning as "When driving a car, the disadvantage of his was that he didn't have a driving licence", doesn't it? Confused

Yeh I think it sounds ok.

To me it is like saying "the car of Bob's" versus "Bob's car".

Originally Posted by basurero

"the disadvantage of his" is grammatically correct, but it sounds strange.
"his disadvantage" sounds better

Really? I think "the disadvantage" sounds better...

Me too.

None of it makes any sense, really, as I can't see that lacking a drivers licence is "a disadvantage of his driving a car". It's just illegal.

Thanks, I seem to clear up the matter.
But while reading my exercise book I came upon an exercise which quite embarrased me. They ask me to find the odd word in the chain of the verbs. I couldn't do it, and to say the truth I haven't any idea what to be a sign of oddity in each case... Here is the chains and my guesses (in parentheses). Would you check and correct my surmises. I also would appreciate it if you explained me the basis which you was guided by.

1. deny, practise, afford, suggest (afford ?)
2. offer, mention, risk, mind (mind ?)
3. put off, prove, learn, aim (?)
4. expect, happen, give up, tend (tend)
5. enjoy, endure, imagine, appear (?)
6. can't help, adore, refuse, carry on (?)
7. fancy, avoid, agree, postpone (?)
8. be busy, neglect, threaten, plan (be busy)

I wouldn't be embarassed. I have no idea from a quick read. It's more of a logic thing than a language thing.