Trouvez des professeurs en Anglais
Liu.
Is it correct to say "They don't know how to be strong and brave"?
Or should we correct the "and" into "or" in the negative sentences?
20 nov. 2024 03:04
Réponses · 11
2
They don't know how to be strong AND brave - these qualities are combined into one overall thing
They don't know how to be strong OR brave - these are two distinct qualities. They don't know how to be strong. They also don't know how to be brave.
For example, I don't like chocolate and orange means that I don't like chocolate and orange together in combination. I don't like chocolate or orange means that I don't like chocolate and I also don't like orange.
20 novembre 2024
1
Both ways are perfectly fine.
20 novembre 2024
1
Filip and Claire are correct. "And" and "or" have precise logical meanings.
"And" means both are true.
"Or" means at least one is true.
If you want to specify that exactly one is true, you have to change the wording:
"They are strong or brave, but not both."
20 novembre 2024
1
Both "and" and "or" can be correct in this sentence, depending on what you want to express:
1. "They don't know how to be strong and brave."
- This means they don't know how to be both strong and brave at the same time. It implies they lack knowledge or ability to embody both qualities together.
2. "They don't know how to be strong or brave."
- This means they don't know how to be either strong or brave individually. It implies they lack the ability to embody either of these qualities.
Key Difference:
- Use "and" if you mean both together.
- Use "or" if you mean either one or the other.
In negative sentences, "or" is more common when listing alternatives, but both are grammatically correct depending on the intended meaning 😉
20 novembre 2024
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Liu.
Compétences linguistiques
Chinois (mandarin), Anglais
Langue étudiée
Anglais
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