affair, busines, matter, thing

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to explain to me the difference in the usage of the “affair”, “business”, “matter” and “thing”?

1. It was a sorry affair.
2. It was a terrible affair.
3. The Elderson affair had been bad, but somehow not pitiful like this.
But
4. It was a horrible business.
5. It was a shady business.
6. But the Chicago business! I knew it would come up.
But
7. Here has a strange thing happened.
8. The shipwreck was a tragic thing.
9. This thing worries me greatly.
10. We’ve got to end this thing before it gets of hand.
But
11. You are mad, I tell you- mad to imagine that I would raise a finger to help you…I will have nothing to do with this matter, whatever it is.
12. The difference between himself and his wife had now become a matter of cmmon knowledge….
13. However he decided to deal with this matter…he would donothing that might injute Fleur.
or
14. The mechanism of a clock is a complicated affair.
15. They were flimsy affirs, these cars.
16. And these Tubes were convenient things.

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

[konungursvia]

Affair, business and matter are all the same, except that affair sometimes has an additional romantic connotation, business a financial connotation, matter a more general meaning, and thing a less formal style.

[Anglika]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to explain to me the difference in the usage of the “affair”, “business”, “matter” and “thing”?

1. It was a sorry affair.
2. It was a terrible affair.
3. The Elderson affair had been bad, but somehow not pitiful like this.
But
4. It was a horrible business.
5. It was a shady business.
6. But the Chicago business! I knew it would come up.
But
7. Here has a strange thing a strange thing has happened.
8. The shipwreck was a tragic thing.
9. This thing worries me greatly.
10. We’ve got to end this thing before it gets out of hand.
But
11. You are mad, I tell you- mad to imagine that I would raise a finger to help you…I will have nothing to do with this matter, whatever it is.
12. The difference between himself and his wife had now become a matter of cmmon knowledge….
13. However he decided to deal with this matter…he would donothing that might injute Fleur.
or
14. The mechanism of a clock is a complicated affair.
15. They were flimsy affirs, these cars.
16. And these Tubes were convenient things.

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

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