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  1. #1
    Hanka is offline Senior Member
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    Default definitely, particular

    Hi,

    could you please tell me whether the words "definitely" and "particular" are the right ones in the following sentence:

    If you are able to definitely determine the particular person responsible for the fault, I will enforce the compensation by legal action.

    Definitely = meaning that they are absolutely sure that that particular person is responsible and noone else.
    Particular = meaning a concrete person

    Thank you very much.

    Hanka

  2. #2
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    Thumbs up Re: definitely, particular

    The usage is perfect.

    also

    Paticular, meaning a specific person.

    Regards,
    Jesse

  3. #3
    BobK's Avatar
    BobK is online now Harmless drudge
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    Default Re: definitely, particular

    Quote Originally Posted by Hanka View Post
    Hi,
    could you please tell me whether the words "definitely" and "particular" are the right ones in the following sentence:
    If you are able to definitely determine the particular person responsible for the fault, I will enforce the compensation by legal action.
    Definitely = meaning that they are absolutely sure that that particular person is responsible and noone else.
    Particular = meaning a concrete person
    Thank you very much.
    Hanka
    I agree with Jesse that your usage is perfect. There's a range of possible alternatives for definitely (unarguably, irrefutably...) but I can think of only one for particular: specific (and I think, in this context, 'particular' is better).

    Alternatively, you could replace 'to definitely determine the particular person' by 'to specify just who' (which is shorter, and won't provoke the few dinosaurs left who dislike split infinitves). But the original is fine.

    b

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