English Exam Next Tuesday! It Is Urgent!

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Phrasebase Archive

pableras28 Monday 24th of October 2005 02:32:36 AM
Exam next Tuesday! - Well, I've got an exam of English this Tuesday and I need you to explain a little doubt I have, it's not too much, but the book doesn't explain it. :S

The matter is: where would you put the word nearly in this phrase:

I didn't make it on time.

I haven't found a site through the Net that used "nearly" in a negative sentence so I'm beginning to think that it could be "I nearly make it on time", but I'm not sure. Could you tell me, please???? Thanks in advance!

lorelai Monday 24th of October 2005 03:25:42 AM
- Well, don't take my word for it but I'd say that [i]"I [b]nearly[/b] didn't make it on time."[/i] is a safe bet. It would be similar in meaning to: "I almost didn't make it on time" or "I came close to missing it".
Maybe one of the native-English-speakers can confirm (hopefully :D) or correct this.

The best of luck with your exam! :)

nowingstospeakof Monday 24th of October 2005 03:27:41 AM
- It depends what you want to say... if you're trying to say that you almost did not make it, then yes "i nearly didn't make it on time" would be best. I guess one could also be trying to say "I was not even close to making it", in which case I suppose you could say "I didn't nearly make it on time" but I'm not sure about that.

Valar Monday 24th of October 2005 03:51:45 AM
- Although I can see the second phrase would be correct, I would take the first phrase, as it is more commonly used. "I nearly didn't make it on time" is exactly as it has been said, "I almost didn't make it on time".

jmann Monday 24th of October 2005 05:44:31 AM
- [quote][i]Originally posted by pableras28[/i]

Well, I've got an exam of English this Tuesday and I need you to explain a little doubt I have, it's not too much, but the book doesn't explain it. :S

The matter is: where would you put the word nearly in this phrase:

I didn't make it on time.

I haven't found a site through the Net that used "nearly" in a negative sentence so I'm beginning to think that it could be "I nearly make it on time", but I'm not sure. Could you tell me, please???? Thanks in advance![/quote]

jmann Monday 24th of October 2005 05:47:59 AM
- It would be, "I nearly didn't make it on time". This is a terrible example for the use of this word, so I can understand how hard and confussing this may be.

pableras28 Monday 24th of October 2005 05:51:01 AM
- Thank you very much to everybody, now I know I can rely on you when I have a more urgent doubt like Monday 00:00 when my exam is Tuesday morning, lol, I know you'll answer me too. Thank you very much, you also helped me to understand how much it changed. The matter was to know where I should put "nearly" in that phrase, but I guess it is after the pronoun and before the "did not / didn't".

You can stop posting unless what I've said here is wrong. :p

Phrasebase Archive
	pableras28	Monday 24th of October 2005 02:32:36 AM
	Exam next Tuesday! - Well, I've got an exam of English this Tuesday and I need you to explain a little doubt I have, it's not too much, but the book doesn't explain it. :S The matter is: where would you put the word nearly in this phrase: I didn't make it on time. I haven't found a site through the Net that used "nearly" in a negative sentence so I'm beginning to think that it could be "I nearly make it on time", but I'm not sure. Could you tell me, please???? Thanks in advance!
	lorelai	Monday 24th of October 2005 03:25:42 AM
	- Well, don't take my word for it but I'd say that [i]"I [b]nearly[/b] didn't make it on time."[/i] is a safe bet. It would be similar in meaning to: "I almost didn't make it on time" or "I came close to missing it". Maybe one of the native-English-speakers can confirm (hopefully :D) or correct this. The best of luck with your exam! :)
	nowingstospeakof	Monday 24th of October 2005 03:27:41 AM
	- It depends what you want to say... if you're trying to say that you almost did not make it, then yes "i nearly didn't make it on time" would be best. I guess one could also be trying to say "I was not even close to making it", in which case I suppose you could say "I didn't nearly make it on time" but I'm not sure about that.
	Valar	Monday 24th of October 2005 03:51:45 AM
	- Although I can see the second phrase would be correct, I would take the first phrase, as it is more commonly used. "I nearly didn't make it on time" is exactly as it has been said, "I almost didn't make it on time".
	jmann	Monday 24th of October 2005 05:44:31 AM
	- [quote][i]Originally posted by pableras28[/i] Well, I've got an exam of English this Tuesday and I need you to explain a little doubt I have, it's not too much, but the book doesn't explain it. :S The matter is: where would you put the word nearly in this phrase: I didn't make it on time. I haven't found a site through the Net that used "nearly" in a negative sentence so I'm beginning to think that it could be "I nearly make it on time", but I'm not sure. Could you tell me, please???? Thanks in advance![/quote]
	jmann	Monday 24th of October 2005 05:47:59 AM
	- It would be, "I nearly didn't make it on time". This is a terrible example for the use of this word, so I can understand how hard and confussing this may be.
	pableras28	Monday 24th of October 2005 05:51:01 AM
	- Thank you very much to everybody, now I know I can rely on you when I have a more urgent doubt like Monday 00:00 when my exam is Tuesday morning, lol, I know you'll answer me too. Thank you very much, you also helped me to understand how much it changed. The matter was to know where I should put "nearly" in that phrase, but I guess it is after the pronoun and before the "did not / didn't". You can stop posting unless what I've said here is wrong. :p