the sound/sounds of

Forums: English, Esl, Grammar, The Sounds Of Silence
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What's the difference between:

-In room 202, you would hear the sound of the microwave, which would beep upon finishing heating the food.

-In room 202, you would hear the sounds of the microwave, which would beep upon finishing heating the food.

If my sentence is wrong or unnatura, please correct it.

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@WBYeats,

WBYeats wrote:

What's the difference between:

-In room 202, you would hear the sound of the microwave, which would beep upon finishing heating the food.

-In room 202, you would hear the sounds of the microwave, which would beep upon finishing heating the food.

If my sentence is wrong or unnatura, please correct it.

Both are fine. The latter just implies that there was more than one sound that the microwave made.

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You could just say

In room 202, you would hear the microwave oven, which would beep upon finishing heating the food.

The "sound of" is implied (because you would hear it; you only hear sounds).

The appliance is an oven; the microwaves are the invisible, inaudible short-wavelength radio waves which heat the food.

To avoid the awkward repetition of '-ing' (finishing heating), you could write:

In room 202, you would hear the microwave oven, which would beep when it had finished heating some food.

'some food' is better; 'something' is better still (it could be heating water).

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@contrex,

Thank you; if the oven is outside the room (which idea I had in mind when I wrote the sentence), located in the pantry, which contains a fridge, an electronic ring, etc. what preposition should I use?

-In room 202, you would hear the microwave oven at/in the pantry, which would beep when it had finished heating some food.

Are at/in just the same?

1 Reply

@WBYeats,

I would use 'in the pantry'.

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@contrex,

Quote:

I would use 'in the pantry'.

You appear to have your pantries in a twist dear.

A pantry is a small room or cupboard in which food, crockery, and cutlery are kept.

The OP stated:

"... the oven is outside the room ... located in the pantry, which contains a fridge, an electronic ring, etc. ..."

-From room 202 you could hear the beep, beep beep of the microwave in the kitchen.

[ Edited to beep beep beep to avoid gratuitous ribaldry.]

1 Reply

@usery,

usery wrote:

You appear to have your pantries in a twist dear.

A pantry is a small room or cupboard in which food, crockery, and cutlery are kept.

pantry

1. A small room or closet, usually off a kitchen, where food, tableware, linens, and similar items are stored.

2. A small room used for the preparation of cold foods.

You can put a microwave oven in a small room (mainly) used for the preparation of cold foods. It is a common practice in workplaces, hostels, etc.

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@WBYeats,

Quote:

...which would beep upon finishing heating the food.

...which would beep when it had finished heating the food.

...which would beep upon having heated the food.

Either of these two ways would be better .

1 Reply

@contrex,

You have changed the meaning from THE to SOME without knowing what went before .

Quote:

To avoid the awkward repetition of '-ing' (finishing heating)

Finishing is usually an adjective whilst heating is usually an adverb . It sounds strange because the adjective doesnt apply to a noun and the adverb doesnt apply to a verb . It needs another phrase .

Perhaps you should take time off from your busy sex life to learn English .

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@Ionus,

What's your first language?

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@WBYeats,

Quote:

What's your first language?

Ionus is a writer: his tongue is long.

Some say you are more poetic.

1 Reply

@WBYeats,

Sorry for the late reply, I just noticed this...

My first language was baby . Then I learned English at home . Then Latin and French at school . I have since gone on to learn other languages to a fluent level .

0 Replies

@usery,

Quote:

Ionus is a writer: his tongue is long.

I have written many, many words, very few ideas, and I hope at least one inspiration . Wink

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the sound/sounds of

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