correct choice

My parents understand a little English, ___ they cannot speak it very well.

A) so
B) nor
C) or
D) and
E) but

My parents understand a little English, ___ they cannot speak it very well.

A) so
B) nor
C) or
D) and
E) but

I think (A) is the correct answer. Am I wrong?

Many thanks.

"So" and "but" in this kind of a context, imply that the second part of the sentence is in some sense a consequence of the first part of the sentence. If you can consider sentences as having a positive or negative connotation, "so" would be used when both halves were positive or both negative, and "but" would be used when the two parts had different signs. To an English speaker, "My parents understand a little English" reads as kind of a mild positive, and "so" then would imply a mild positive in its turn, something like "so they can speak it a little". "But" on the other hand, implies that the consequence is going to be not a mild positive but rather a negative, and "they can't speak it very well" has a negative denotation, so it would take the "but". If you said something like "My parents only understand a little English", which emphasizes a lack rather than some fluency, you'd be more likely to say "so they can't speak it very well."

username wrote:

"So" and "but" in this kind of a context, imply that the second part of the sentence is in some sense a consequence of the first part of the sentence. If you can consider sentences as having a positive or negative connotation, "so" would be used when both halves were positive or both negative, and "but" would be used when the two parts had different signs. To an English speaker, "My parents understand a little English" reads as kind of a mild positive, and "so" then would imply a mild positive in its turn, something like "so they can speak it a little". "But" on the other hand, implies that the consequence is going to be not a mild positive but rather a negative, and "they can't speak it very well" has a negative denotation, so it would take the "but". If you said something like "My parents only understand a little English", which emphasizes a lack rather than some fluency, you'd be more likely to say "so they can't speak it very well."

Now there's a sensible and a half description of language.

JTT wrote:

username wrote:

"So" and "but" in this kind of a context, imply that the second part of the sentence is in some sense a consequence of the first part of the sentence. If you can consider sentences as having a positive or negative connotation, "so" would be used when both halves were positive or both negative, and "but" would be used when the two parts had different signs. To an English speaker, "My parents understand a little English" reads as kind of a mild positive, and "so" then would imply a mild positive in its turn, something like "so they can speak it a little". "But" on the other hand, implies that the consequence is going to be not a mild positive but rather a negative, and "they can't speak it very well" has a negative denotation, so it would take the "but". If you said something like "My parents only understand a little English", which emphasizes a lack rather than some fluency, you'd be more likely to say "so they can't speak it very well."

Now there's a sensible and a half description of language.

Except "...only understand a little.." is wrong.

Hi guys

I've a feeling my choice of 'so' is not wrong because of the discussion going on.

My parents understand a little English, so they cannot speak it very well.

I hope to hear from other members.

Many thanks.

McTag wrote:

JTT wrote:

username wrote:

"So" and "but" in this kind of a context, imply that the second part of the sentence is in some sense a consequence of the first part of the sentence. If you can consider sentences as having a positive or negative connotation, "so" would be used when both halves were positive or both negative, and "but" would be used when the two parts had different signs. To an English speaker, "My parents understand a little English" reads as kind of a mild positive, and "so" then would imply a mild positive in its turn, something like "so they can speak it a little". "But" on the other hand, implies that the consequence is going to be not a mild positive but rather a negative, and "they can't speak it very well" has a negative denotation, so it would take the "but". If you said something like "My parents only understand a little English", which emphasizes a lack rather than some fluency, you'd be more likely to say "so they can't speak it very well."

Now there's a sensible and a half description of language.

Except "...only understand a little.." is wrong.

"My parents only understand a little English".

I don't see what's wrong with it, McTag.

Hi guys

I've a feeling my choice of 'so' is not wrong because of the discussion going on.

My parents understand a little English, so they cannot speak it very well.

I hope to hear from other members.

Many thanks.

"My parents only understand a little English".

Quote:

JTT wrote: I don't see what's wrong with it, McTag.

McTag wrote:

I'm splitting hairs, but since we are trying to be exact and correct....

"only" modifies "a little" and not "understands", and so the purist (that's me) would prefer it placed elsewhere. Word order, that's all.

1. John only goes to the ice rink (he doesn't go inside it)

2. John goes only to the ice rink (he doesn't like the cinema)

In your exampes, aren't you asking an awful lot of a simple little word, McTag? Granted, since it's McTag that's speaking, only McTag's meaning gets to hold sway. But without the additions, as a stand alone sentence, would anyone really think that "John walks to ice rink but stands outside"?

Being exact has to allow that we can't simply provide one meaning for all language situations.

In the original sentence,

"My parents only understand a little English",

we could drop the 'only' without any change in meaning save for some degree of emphasis. Why can't that emphasis be placed upon the verb, as in,

"My parents only understand English"?

Cheers, Sire.

Maybe these examples

John only lusts after Claire. (he doesn't confront her with his desires)

A: Does John have the hots for a lot of girls?

B: Nope, John only lusts after Claire.

OR

B: Nope, John lusts after Claire only.

OR

B: Nope, John lusts only after Claire.


John lusts after only Claire. (she's the only girl for him)

OR

John lusts after Claire only.

will illustrate the point better.