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11-Sep-2008, 00:13
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Country: China
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| |  to get the car started
Dear teachers,
Could you please explain if "to get the car to start this morning" correct or not?
The title should be: to get the car to start
Jiang |
11-Sep-2008, 00:48
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Country: USA
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| | Re: to get the car started
How To Get The Car To Start
Getting The Car To Start
What I Do To Get The Car To Start  | | The Following User Says Thank You to susiedqq For This Useful Post: | |
11-Sep-2008, 10:55
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| | Re: to get the car started
Either, in Br English at least. The focus of the user changes:
It took ages getting the car to start this morning. I had to clean the plugs, and even then I had to get my flatmates to bump-start it [focus on the process]
but
We finally got it started [focus on the result]
b | | The Following User Says Thank You to BobK For This Useful Post: | |
11-Sep-2008, 12:43
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| | Re: to get the car started
Dear BobK,
Thank you very much for your explanation. The sentence in my dictionary is:
I couldn't get the car to start this morning.
Should I understand this way:
After the whole process I wasn't able to make the car start?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.
Jiang Quote:
Originally Posted by BobK  Either, in Br English at least. The focus of the user changes:
It took ages getting the car to start this morning. I had to clean the plugs, and even then I had to get my flatmates to bump-start it [focus on the process]
but
We finally got it started [focus on the result]
b |
Last edited by jiang; 11-Sep-2008 at 12:52.
|
11-Sep-2008, 12:52
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| | Re: to get the car started
Yes, "I couldn't get the car to start" means that the car did not start, but that the person who said this made a real effort to get it to do so.
If you went out, turned the key once, and it didn't start, so you gave up and went inside, this phrase (I couldn't get the car to start) wouldn't be appropriate. You didn't go through much of a process to try.
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11-Sep-2008, 13:15
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| | Re: to get the car started
 If you wanted to emphasize the trouble you went to, you could say "I had trouble getting the car to start, so in the end I gave up and caught the bus".
b | | The Following User Says Thank You to BobK For This Useful Post: | |
11-Sep-2008, 14:15
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| | Re: to get the car started
Sorry to bother you again. I am afraid I have to ask a further question.
"If you went out, turned the key once, and it didn't start, so you gave up and went inside, this phrase (I couldn't get the car to start) wouldn't be appropriate. You didn't go through much of a process to try". In this case can I say "I couldn't get the car started" or "I couldn't get the car going"?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.
Jiang Quote:
Originally Posted by Barb_D Yes, "I couldn't get the car to start" means that the car did not start, but that the person who said this made a real effort to get it to do so.
If you went out, turned the key once, and it didn't start, so you gave up and went inside, this phrase (I couldn't get the car to start) wouldn't be appropriate. You didn't go through much of a process to try.
{not a teacher} | |
12-Sep-2008, 14:03
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| | Re: to get the car started
In that case, you simply say "The car didn't start." | | The Following User Says Thank You to Barb_D For This Useful Post: | |
12-Sep-2008, 23:29
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Country: China
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| | Re: to get the car started
Dear Barb_D,
Thank you very much for your explanation. I get a little bit confused. Could you please kindly explain when we should use "I couldn't get the car started'' and "I couldn't get the car going"?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.
Jiang Quote:
Originally Posted by Barb_D In that case, you simply say "The car didn't start." | |
13-Sep-2008, 00:48
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| | Re: to get the car started
Quote:
Originally Posted by jiang Dear Barb_D,
Thank you very much for your explanation. I get a little bit confused. Could you please kindly explain when we should use "I couldn't get the car started'' and "I couldn't get the car going"?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.
Jiang | They mean the same thing.
But, if you really want to get technical, starting a car is not the same as getting it going. If someone had stolen all your tires overnight, you'd be able to start it, but not get it going (moving). | | The Following User Says Thank You to Raymott For This Useful Post: | | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
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