I'm not sure what it is trying to say, but your re-write is plausible.
[...]
Mr Osakawa is a notorious Japanese businessman with not much private life not love. He was extremely ambituous when he was young and let work dominate his life. He hand no time for his private life and his marriage was as good as arranged. Although he now has wife and children, he hardly spends any time with them and is not sure if he really loves his wife.
[...]
(Sample script from a CPE practice paper)
(Examiner comments: minimal error.)
Does the sentence make any sense to you? It doesn't make sense to me. I would have written, '. . . . without much private life and love."
What do you think?
Thank you in advance.
Last edited by Chicken Sandwich; 17-Oct-2012 at 17:31. Reason: added more context
I'm not sure what it is trying to say, but your re-write is plausible.
Maybe the second "not" is supposed to be a "nor"?
So you're saying that ". . . . . with not much private life nor love" is acceptable? So if we compare,
1. ". . . . . with not much private life nor love"
2. ". . . . . without much private life and love."
which one do you prefer?
1.