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Shana
Hi! I know there are many fixed usages in English, and they are quite conventional. Eg "someone has trouble doing something"; however, if added a preposition "with" before "doing something" in that structure, the original meaning will be changed totallyđ± I made the wrong choice "B" (the correct one is C), I can't help questioning if B an absolutely wrong word in that sentence. Why/How can it differ so much between adding "with" and non-withđšđš
Sep 23, 2024 9:16 AM
Answers · 13
1
Shana, once again the testers have misled you. There is only one wrong answer: D. I would say that B and C are both excellent, and that A is merely acceptable. The only objection I can find to B is that the word "with" is unnecessary, but it is definitely not wrong.
I have a theory why testers make so many mistakes like this. They let their personal biases over how the language should be spoken to interfere with their judgement. However, just because they like to say something in a certain way should not give them the right to force other people to speak the same way.
September 23, 2024
A agree with Jonathan. C may be the most direct/common, but B is not wrong, and many native speakers would say that.
September 24, 2024
C is correct. I guess you can quibble about exactly how wrong B is, since sloppy native speakers might say it.
Adding the âwithâ changes the meaning:
I have trouble doing something. (The problem is me)
Iâm having trouble with my car. (The problem is the car)
And even more fun:
The trouble with treating prepositions as if they donât count is that the resulting speech is awkward and ambiguous. (Here âtroubleâ just means âproblemâ!)
Does the fact that there are three similar constructions with different meanings make English confusing? Not to me, it doesnât! Theyâre a feature of language in general. Itâs just that people donât notice these things in their own language because they are absorbed through exposure.
September 24, 2024
Hi Shana! They are two distinct expressions:
'the trouble with something/someone' = the problem this thing/person generates/causes/poses
"The trouble with Simon is that he never arrives on time"
'to have trouble + verbING' = to experience difficulty doing something
"I'm having trouble finishing my essay"
September 23, 2024
Still havenât found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Shana
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), Chinese (Cantonese), English, Japanese
Learning Language
English, Japanese
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