23) The idiot man

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Atchan

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23) The idiot man​
A man had been steering ahead him ten donkeys. So when he rides one of them and recounts them he got them nine donkeys. And when he got down one of them he got them ten, because he didn’t count the one that he was riding. The man said, “I will not ride any of them anymore, because my donkeys decrease one when I ride one of them and increase one when I got down of them.” So when he had told the people about this they had laughed at him and he was know what they were laughing about.
 

euncu

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Some of our members would be happy to answer your question if you had one. You, as a "Key Member", definitely know this much better than me.

I hope you won't take my post as an offensive one because it is not. I just felt obliged to interrupt on behalf of the members who, either not following your posts or have forgotten the way you ask on your previous threads.
 

Atchan

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Some of our members would be happy to answer your question if you had one. You, as a "Key Member", definitely know this much better than me.

I hope you won't take my post as an offensive one because it is not. I just felt obliged to interrupt on behalf of the members who, either not following your posts or have forgotten the way you ask on your previous threads.
I didn’t clarify my question because my teachers know what I need. I would clarify it right now.

What I need is proofreading and I would be grateful for the member who helps me in my studying.

Thank you for the reminding.
 

Atchan

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Please help. Just proofreading
 
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Atchan

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birdeen's call

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23) The idiot man​

A man had been steering ahead him ten donkeys. So when he rides one of them and recounts them he got them nine donkeys. And when he got down one of them he got them ten, because he didn’t count the one that he was riding. The man said, “I will not ride any of them anymore, because my donkeys decrease one when I ride one of them and increase one when I got down of them.” So when he had told the people about this they had laughed at him and he was know what they were laughing about.
OK, I'll answer since nobody else seems to be interested. As you know very well, I'm a non-native speaker of English which makes my help less valuable.

Before any attempt at proofreading, I'd like you to put some more effort into this. I'll ask you some questions. Please, try answering them and correcting your anecdote according to your answers.

1. Do you want to tell it as if it was happening at the time of telling ("now")? Or do you want to tell it as if it was happening in the past?

2. What tenses are appropriate for your choice?

3. Which tenses should you use in your sentences and why?
 

Atchan

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OK, I'll answer since nobody else seems to be interested. As you know very well, I'm a non-native speaker of English which makes my help less valuable.

Before any attempt at proofreading, I'd like you to put some more effort into this. I'll ask you some questions. Please, try answering them and correcting your anecdote according to your answers.

1. Do you want to tell it as if it was happening at the time of telling ("now")? Or do you want to tell it as if it was happening in the past?
I am only translated something written in my old book, so depending on the story it happened in the past.

2. What tenses are appropriate for your choice?
It is something happened in the past, so I think simple past, past continuous and Past Continuous Perfect Tense are the appropriate tenses for this happened story.

3. Which tenses should you use in your sentences and why?
Simple past, past continuous and Past Continuous Perfect Tenses because it is story that happened in the past.
Thank you birdeen for your help.
 
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jerry081958

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Hi, Atchan,

Let me try to translate your story best I can understand your story and your English.

The Foolish Man​

One day, there was a foolish man walking down the road with ten donkeys out ahead of him. After a while, he became tired and started to ride one of them. He looked and counted the donkeys and noticed that there were only nine donkeys. He wondered to himself, where did that other donkey go? One is missing. That is strange. After a while later, he got down from riding and started walking again. Once again, he counted all the donkeys and noticed that there were ten again! He exclaimed, "This is amazing! I have 10 again. How can this be?" In his frustration the man said, “That is it! I will not ride any of them anymore. When I ride one of the donkeys, one of them goes away. And when I start walking again, a donkey appears!"

Later the foolish man arrived to his destination. So when he had told the people about his journey and how the donkeys would disappear and reappear, they all laughed him to scorn. The poor foolish man looked so sad; he never understood what they were laughing about.

Did I understand your story correctly?
 

Rover_KE

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Good work, Jerry - I like it.

Atchan, study that and learn.

Rover
 

birdeen's call

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Atchan, I don't think there's a way for you to improve your story yourself now that it's been improved by someone else. Jerry did a tremendous job and as Rover says you should learn from it.

But I think it would be very bad if you hadn't an idea what your biggest problems were. Since native speakers have joined the thread, I hope they will tell you (and me).
 

Atchan

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Thank you all for the valuable help. I usually need for your help in order to improve my English skills. And actually got some of them, but I have a long way to know well and thoroughly this interesting language so I hope all of you to be with me as much as you can.
 

jerry081958

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I would encourage all students of English to learn by doing more writing and speaking in English. For example, take your book of stories and then think as hard as you can as to how an English speaker might communicate the story. :roll:

Translation is not going word for word, but thought for thought. The way an idea is expressed in your language and in English are often different, of course.

I give you credit for trying. I was able to get enough of the story to get the essential elements of the story. :up:

Try reading stories or fables in English for examples. For example, read Aesop's fables or English translations of the Brothers Grimm. Here is a link for Aesop's fables: Aesop's Fables - Online Collection - 656+ fables - You can read them and also listen to them. Keep on learning and you'll improve!
:)
 
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