to and fro etc.

[jiang]

Dear teachers,
I have six questions to ask:

No.1
It has been found that if they are sitting down at the time, they tend, to move _________ in their chair more than usual.
a. about b. to and fro
'a' is the key. No problem. I found the example in my dictionary:
She was gazing out the window, rocking rhythmically to and fro.
So can I choose 'b' ?

No.2
I have just heard _______ story you can imagine.
a. the most fantastic b. a more fantastic
The key is 'a'. No problem. I feel uneasy with 'b'. But it seems grammatically correct. Could you please explain what's wrong with this one?

No.3
The girl who had been at school with her said she was reserved, hard to make friends with and inclined to be ________.
a. mean b. unfeeling
The key is 'a'. Could you please explain what's wrong with 'b'?

No.4
No one____ finds life worth living-he has to make it worth living.
a. alwyas b. ever
The key is 'b'. As 'b' can mean 'always' could you please kindly explain why 'a' isn't correct?

No.5
She must go ____ her tasks unconcernedly, as usual.
a. go about b. go to
The key is 'a'. 'b' can mean 'to start to do something, or to start to be in a particular state' and 'to make a lot of effort to do something for someone ' . Could you please explain why 'b' isn't correct?

No.6
I have asked a question about this sentence. But this is a different question:
First-year physics courses are supposed to teach students_____ a lab report.
a. the ways of writing b. to write c. how to write

The key is 'c'. My question is 'Can I choose 'b'?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[Anglika]

Dear teachers,
I have six questions to ask:

No.1
It has been found that if they are sitting down at the time, they tend to move _________ in their chair more than usual.
a. about b. to and fro
'a' is the key. No problem. I found the example in my dictionary:
She was gazing out the window, rocking rhythmically to and fro.
So can I choose 'b' ? No - "to and fro" implies a rhythmical rocking movement backwards and forwards.

No.2
I have just heard _______ story you can imagine.
a. the most fantastic b. a more fantastic
The key is 'a'. No problem. I feel uneasy with 'b'. But it seems grammatically correct. Could you please explain what's wrong with this one? If you insert "than" after "story", then "a more fantastic story" would make sense.

No.3
The girl who had been at school with her said she was reserved, hard to make friends with and inclined to be ________.
a. mean b. unfeeling
The key is 'a'. Could you please explain what's wrong with 'b'? Semantically, nothing.

No.4
No one____ finds life worth living - he has to make it worth living.
a. always b. ever
The key is 'b'. As 'b' can mean 'always' could you please kindly explain why 'a' isn't correct? Actually, on thinking about it, the sentence "No-one ever finds life worth living" is an odd one. It makes it seem as though everyone ought to commit suicide. And "he" does not relate to the first part at all. I think this is a really bad query.

No.5
She must go ____ her tasks unconcernedly, as usual.
a. go about b. go to
The key is 'a'. 'b' can mean 'to start to do something, or to start to be in a particular state' and 'to make a lot of effort to do something for someone ' . Could you please explain why 'b' isn't correct? [[Is the "go" in the example a typo?]] If you have looked "go to" up on the OED site, you will see that this meaning is extended > "go to sleep". If you use "go to" here, then "she" will be moving from a to b to do her tasks.

No.6
I have asked a question about this sentence. But this is a different question:
First-year physics courses are supposed to teach students_____ a lab report.
a. the ways of writing b. to write c. how to write

The key is 'c'. My question is 'Can I choose 'b'? No - the sentence would then say that all the students learn on 1st year physics courses is to write a lab report.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

..

[jiang]

Dear Anglika,
Thank you very muc for your explanation. Now I understand No.1-No.4.
No.5
'go' is a typo. The following is from Cambridge Dictionary:
to start to do something, or to start to be in a particular state
The United Nations has intervened to try to stop the two countries from going to war.
Does anyone want to finish the potatoes? I don't want them going to waste.

to make a lot of effort to do something for someone
Please don't go to a lot of trouble to cook for us.
He went to great pains to check every fact in the book. [often + to do sth]
Her parents went to great expense (= spent a lot of money) to send her to boarding school.
So could you please kindly explain my question again?

No.6

I am afraid I can't see the difference between 'how to write a report' and 'to write' a report. I think the former means ' the skill to write' while the latter means 'purpose'. Is that right?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

..

[Anglika]

Dear Anglika,
Thank you very muc for your explanation. Now I understand No.1-No.4.
No.5
'go' is a typo. The following is from Cambridge Dictionary:
to start to do something, or to start to be in a particular state
The United Nations has intervened to try to stop the two countries from going to war.
Does anyone want to finish the potatoes? I don't want them going to waste.

to make a lot of effort to do something for someone
Please don't go to a lot of trouble to cook for us.
He went to great pains to check every fact in the book. [often + to do sth]
Her parents went to great expense (= spent a lot of money) to send her to boarding school.
So could you please kindly explain my question again? "to" is one of the wonderfully complex simple words. In the example where you are asking about "go to", you have to decide if the "to" is an expression of movement towards or indicating an infinitive with an understood verb - "go to [do]" "go to [perform]" "go to [complete]". Since I judge the question is not the second of these, it has to be the first, and in the context of the sentence, it will not make sense.

No.6

I am afraid I can't see the difference between 'how to write a report' and 'to write' a report. I think the former means ' the skill to write' while the latter means 'purpose'. Is that right? I agree. Therefore the sentence containing simply "to write" is incorrect as it would tell you that all the student is learning is that he/she must write a report.

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

..

[jiang]

&
Dear Anglika,
Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I understand 'to write ' isn't correct.

Since 'go to ' means 'start to do something' can I say 'go to tasks' means 'start to work'?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

..

[Anglika]

Since 'go to ' means 'start to do something' can I say 'go to tasks' means 'start to work'?

No - sorry. Just won't do in the context. "go to do/perform/complete your/his/her tasks" will all do.

[jiang]

Dear Anglika,

Thank you very much for your patience. I'll memorize the rule. But it is odd that 'work about' in this sentence works but 'go to' doesn't. I think only you native speakers can know when to use which.

Jiang

Since 'go to ' means 'start to do something' can I say 'go to tasks' means 'start to work'?

No - sorry. Just won't do in the context. "go to do/perform/complete your/his/her tasks" will all do.