really the same?

[Taka]

A friend of mine says (a): "He forgot to turn off the heater, and went out" is the same as (b):"He went out with the heater on". But to me, they are not the same, and (b) sounds weird; it sounds like the guy went out carrying the heater and the heater was on, which is practically impossible unless he was wacko.

What do you think, teachers?

[Casiopea]

A friend of mine says (a): "He forgot to turn off the heater, and went out" is the same as (b):"He went out with the heater on". But to me, they are not the same, and (b) sounds weird; it sounds like the guy went out carrying the heater and the heater was on, which is practically impossible unless he was wacko.

What do you think, teachers?

He went out with the heater on is ambiguous. It could mean (a), sans the 'forgot' part, and it could mean your interpretation.

Try,

He, leaving the heater on, went out.
Leaving the heater on, he went out.
He went out, leaving the heater on.

None of the above, however, expresses that he 'forgot' to turn the heater off. They all mean he left it on. Whether it was his intention to leave the heater on or not, we don't know.


All the best,

[Taka]

He went out with the heater on is ambiguous. It could mean (a), sans the 'forgot' part, and it could mean your interpretation.
All the best,

What is "sans"??

[Casiopea]

He went out with the heater on is ambiguous. It could mean (a), sans the 'forgot' part, and it could mean your interpretation.
All the best,

What is "sans"??

It's a word borrowed (ahem, dragged screaming) into English from French. It means, without.

EX: I am going to the movie sans friends. (without friends)

All the best,

[Tdol]

Maybe it was a portable heater.

[Taka]

Maybe it was a portable heater.

tdol, when you read the sentence "He went out with the heater on.", which is close to your default reading; "He went out, leaving the heater on" or "He went out, carring the (portable) heater, and the heater was on"?

[Taka]

Maybe it was a portable heater.

tdol, when you read the sentence "He went out with the heater on.", which is close to your default reading; "He went out, leaving the heater on" or "He went out, carring the (portable) heater, and the heater was on"?

tdol?

[Casiopea]

Maybe it was a portable heater.

tdol, when you read the sentence "He went out with the heater on.", which is close to your default reading; "He went out, leaving the heater on" or "He went out, carring the (portable) heater, and the heater was on"?

tdol?

Maybe he's trying to act out the sentence before he gives his response.

[Tdol]

It's hard work wearing a radiator on a hot day.

[Taka]

It's hard work wearing a radiator on a hot day.

So, the default reading for you is ""He went out, carring the (portable) heater, and the heater was on", right?