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- 26-Aug-2011, 13:13 #1
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how come please make me to know meaing and usage of
1.how come
2.search me
3.i wonder
- 26-Aug-2011, 13:18 #2
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Re: how come 1. Why
Originally Posted by ramaraj 
2. I don't know
3. -- This is a normal phrase with no hidden meaning.
Please remember to use capital letters and punctuation.I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.
- 26-Aug-2011, 13:59 #3
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Teacher Re: how come Please tell me the meaning and usage of ... Originally Posted by ramaraj
Please help me [to] understand the meaning and usage ...
- 26-Aug-2011, 15:14 #4
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Teacher Re: how come I don't think that "How come..." always means "Why..." though that's the most frequent meaning.
How come you didn't go to the cinema last night?
Why didn't you go to the cinema last night?
How come he's so rich?
How did it happen (that he's so rich)?
How did he get so much money?
How come your clothes are all over the floor?
How did your clothes get to be all over the floor?
In the last two examples, I wouldn't say "Why is he so rich?" or "Why are your clothes all over the floor?"
- 26-Aug-2011, 15:24 #5
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Re: how come I would.In the last two examples, I wouldn't say "Why is he so rich?" or "Why are your clothes all over the floor?"
- 26-Aug-2011, 15:25 #6
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Teacher Re: how come Fair enough! Originally Posted by SoothingDave
- 26-Aug-2011, 17:40 #7
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Teacher Re: how come I might say that too. Originally Posted by SoothingDave
- 26-Aug-2011, 17:46 #8
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Teacher Re: how come I've been thinking more about this and there are definitely certain contexts where I wouldn't use it as a replacement for "Why?"
- I have a ticket to the Rolling Stones concert tonight!
- How come?
- Oh, a friend gave it to me.
- I have a ticket to the Rolling Stones concert tonight!
- Why?
- Because I've always wanted to see them live.
To me, those are two different questions, eliciting two different answers.
- 26-Aug-2011, 19:51 #9
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Re: how come I think the usage of "how come" is limited to those cases where there is some (sometimes phony) astonishment or puzzlement involved.
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