Discussion:
that was a gun
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navi
2024-10-09 12:09:05 UTC
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The wife says: Why did you give him your car keys?

The husband replies:
1) Didn't you see? That was a gun that was in his belt.
2) Didn't you see? It was a gun that was in his belt.
3) Didn't you see? That was a gun in his belt.
4) Didn't you see? It was a gun in his belt.

So someone walks up to them in a parking lot (car park) and asks the man
to hand over the car keys. The man sees the gun in the other person's
belt and hands over the keys.

Which of the sentences 1-4 work in this context?


I don't like 4.

--
Gratefully,
Navi


Lost in the Twilight Zone of the English language
Obsessed with ambiguity
Interested in strange structures
LionelEdwards
2024-10-09 14:33:40 UTC
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Post by navi
The wife says: Why did you give him your car keys?
1) Didn't you see? That was a gun that was in his belt.
2) Didn't you see? It was a gun that was in his belt.
3) Didn't you see? That was a gun in his belt.
4) Didn't you see? It was a gun in his belt.
So someone walks up to them in a parking lot (car park) and asks the man
to hand over the car keys. The man sees the gun in the other person's
belt and hands over the keys.
Which of the sentences 1-4 work in this context?
I don't like 4.
2 and 4 are inferior to 1 and 3. I think you need
that emphatic "That..."
Kerr-Mudd, John
2024-10-09 18:45:13 UTC
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On Wed, 9 Oct 2024 14:33:40 +0000
Post by LionelEdwards
Post by navi
The wife says: Why did you give him your car keys?
1) Didn't you see? That was a gun that was in his belt.
2) Didn't you see? It was a gun that was in his belt.
3) Didn't you see? That was a gun in his belt.
4) Didn't you see? It was a gun in his belt.
So someone walks up to them in a parking lot (car park) and asks the man
to hand over the car keys. The man sees the gun in the other person's
belt and hands over the keys.
Which of the sentences 1-4 work in this context?
I don't like 4.
2 and 4 are inferior to 1 and 3. I think you need
that emphatic "That..."
Speak^texting for myself, I'd much rather not have that discussion.

Guns don't kill people, maniacs in the US do.
--
Bah, and indeed Humbug.
kazu
2024-10-12 07:16:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by navi
The wife says: Why did you give him your car keys?
1) Didn't you see? That was a gun that was in his belt.
2) Didn't you see? It was a gun that was in his belt.
3) Didn't you see? That was a gun in his belt.
4) Didn't you see? It was a gun in his belt.
So someone walks up to them in a parking lot (car park) and asks the man
to hand over the car keys. The man sees the gun in the other
person's
belt and hands over the keys.
Which of the sentences 1-4 work in this context?
I don't like 4.
i would say 5) Didn't you see the gun in his belt?

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