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Thread: an use of "to"

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    for learning is offline Newbie
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    Default an use of "to"

    Hello!

    I would like to understand better the use of "to" in the second part of the next sentence:

    "I will go to the supermarket" (whether they want me to or not).


    I canīt imagine any examples of this kind right now, as I donīt understand its grammatical reason. Could you, please, provide me with some examples or cases where I could use "to" in a similar way?. I think "to", here, is substituting the verb "to go". Is it that we can say either "want me to..." or "want me to go..." interchangeably, being the first case just a way to shorten the phrase, to simplify it?.

    Thank you so much in advance.

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    Default Re: an use of "to"

    Yes, it's just a way of making the sentence more concise without sacrificing the meaning.
    I will go to the supermarket whether they want me to [go there] or not.

    I think no one would ever say: 'I will go to the supermarket whether they want me to go to the supermarket or not.'

    Another examples:
    It was hard, but I kept on; I had to.[I had to keep on going]
    He made the problem worse, but I don't think he meant to. [I don't think he meant to make the problem worse]

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    Default Re: an use of "to"

    Quote Originally Posted by IHIVG View Post
    Yes, it's just a way of making the sentence more concise without sacrificing the meaning.
    I will go to the supermarket whether they want me to [go there] or not.

    I think no one would ever say: 'I will go to the supermarket whether they want me to go to the supermarket or not.'

    Another examples:
    It was hard, but I kept on; I had to.[I had to keep on going]
    He made the problem worse, but I don't think he meant to. [I don't think he meant to make the problem worse]
    Thank you very much Ihivg!. I hope Iī ll see every example as clearly as these ones.

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    Default Re: an use of "to"

    "a use" not "an use".

    /a yoos/
    Nightmare85 likes this.

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    Default Re: an use of "to"

    Quote Originally Posted by Raymott View Post
    "a use" not "an use".

    /a yoos/
    Hello!

    Thank you for your note Raymott. I thought we should say "an" when the following word started with a vowel. Could you tell, please, me why is not so in this case?.
    Regards.

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    Default Re: an use of "to"

    Quote Originally Posted by for learning View Post
    Hello!

    I thought we should say "an" when the following word started with a vowel.
    It's about how it is said not how it is written.

    An hour not a hour (hour = ˈaʊə)
    A university not an university (university = juːnɪˈvɜːsɪti)

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    Default Re: an use of "to"

    Quote Originally Posted by euncu View Post
    It's about how it is said not how it is written.

    An hour not a hour (hour = ˈaʊə)
    A university not an university (university = juːnɪˈvɜːsɪti)
    Yes, but it doesn't answer the original question.

    The rule is that the 'an' is used before the words starting with vowel.
    So the person who would want to follow the rule will write "an use".
    I know it's all about euphony and you don't usually think before choosing an article; you just know what sounds write or wrong. But how would you explain that it's "a university", "a use" but it's "an umpire" "an umbrella"?
    Maybe there's a certain explanation to it which someone will come up with.

    P.S. I just realized that every word that I can think of starting with the[ju:] sound as opposite to the [^] like in 'umbrella' always takes 'a' as an article. Maybe this explains it. Exception.
    Last edited by IHIVG; 01-Apr-2010 at 21:47.

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    Default Re: an use of "to"

    Quote Originally Posted by euncu View Post
    It's about how it is said not how it is written.

    An hour not a hour (hour = ˈaʊə)
    A university not an university (university = juːnɪˈvɜːsɪti)
    Excuse me, I donīt understand it yet. All I have done in this thread has been writing.

    Do you mean , I have to write: "a use" and " a university"?

    Thank you anyway.

    EDIT: I have just read your thread Ihivg. Thank you, too. I understand what you say about the sound when speaking. But, I stilll think I have to write " an university" and " an use". Am I wrong?.
    Thanks.
    Last edited by for learning; 01-Apr-2010 at 21:04.

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    Default Re: an use of "to"

    Quote Originally Posted by IHIVG View Post
    But how would you explain that it's "a university", "a use" but it's "an umpire" "an umbrella"?
    umpire ---> ˈʌmpaɪə
    umbrella ---> ʌmˈbrelə

    This is how I explain.

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    Default Re: an use of "to"

    Quote Originally Posted by for learning View Post
    But, I stilll think I have to write " an university" and " an use". Am I wrong?.
    No, you don't have to, and, yes, you are wrong.

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