Diary - My teacher asked me about a special meal I‘d ever had

[Maybo]

This is an entry from my diary. Please check it and correct any mistakes.

My teacher asked me about a special meal I‘d ever had, and I said it was the McDonald's meal in my primary school classmate's birthday party. The classmate threw a birthday party in McDonald's every year as a child, and she would invite me to the party. There were some games and lucky draws, and my favourite was lucky draws because everyone would get a prize. My mother once asked me if I wanted a McDonald's birthday party but at that time I had grown up.

 

[tedmc]

This is an entry from my diary. Please check it and correct any mistakes.

My teacher asked me about a special meal I‘d ever 've had (or "the most special mean I've ever had) , and I said it was the McDonald's meal in my primary school classmate's birthday party. The My classmate threw a birthday party in at McDonald's every year as when she was a child, and she would invite me to the party. There were We had some games and lucky draws, and my favourite was lucky draws because everyone would get a prize. My mother once asked me if I wanted a McDonald's birthday party but at that time I had grown up (was no longer a child).

 

[Tarheel]

It's a good story. I wouldn't make as many suggestions for changes as Ted did. What are those? The ones that involve a lot of typing, of course! Also, "The classmate" is not terrible, but "My classmate" is probably a little more natural.

Those parties must have been a lot of fun.

 

[Maybo]

When do we use "as a child" and "when someone was a child"? I have seen "as a child" a lot but I don't know when to use it.

 

[Tarheel]

I would say use it when you need to clarify (make clear) that those involved are children. Here we're talking about primary grades, so you probably don't need it. Here we would assume that all the partiers are children.

(I shouldn't have been surprised that McDonald's is in Hong Kong. They're everywhere.)

 

[tedmc]

1. My classmate threw a party as a child.
2. My classmate threw a party when she was a child.

1 sounds odd to me; that's why I changed it.

 

[Maybo]

1 sounds odd to me; that's why I changed it.

Could you give an example that sounds natural when using "as a child"?

 

[Maybo]

I would say use it when you need to clarify (make clear) that those involved are children. Here we're talking about primary grades, so you probably don't need it. Here we would assume that all the partiers are children.

(I shouldn't have been surprised that McDonald's is in Hong Kong. They're everywhere.)

Then, "when I was a child" are also not needed because it's clear that all of them are children. Some adults still have birthday parties at McDonald's, though very rare. Therefore, I emphasised that the parties only happened when she was a child.

 

[Tarheel]

I was talking about them being in primary grades -- no adults there.

 

[Maybo]

I was talking about them being in primary grades -- no adults there.

Are you talking about this sentence “The classmate threw a birthday party in McDonald's every year as a child, and she would invite me to the party”?

If I said “The classmate threw a birthday party in McDonald's every year, and she would invite me to the party”, would readers think that I still got invitations when we were in secondary school?

 

[Tarheel]

No, this one: "I said it was the McDonald's meal at my primary classmate's birthday party." Your classmates at that time would be children.

 

[Maybo]

No, this one: "I said it was the McDonald's meal at my primary classmate's birthday party." Your classmates at that time would be children.

But I was talking about “as a child” and “when she was a child”. Neither of them is in that sentence.

 

[Tarheel]

But I was talking about “as a child” and “when she was a child”. NEITHER of them IS in that sentence.

I know. The point is that you don't need them because with the previous sentence you have already established that you are talking about children.

 

[Maybo]

I know. The point is that you don't need them because with the previous sentence you have already established that you are talking about children.

Yes but if I don’t mention “when she was child” would readers think that “she invited me since a child and kept inviting me during secondary school” because I said “The classmate threw a birthday party in McDonald's every year”?

 

[Tarheel]

Yes but if I don’t mention “when she was child” would readers think that “she invited me WHEN SHE WAS a child and kept inviting me during secondary school” because I said “The classmate threw a birthday party AT McDonald's every year”?

No, I don't think so. However, if you have doubts about that a sentence or two should clear that up.

Note that if you use "since" as in your original post it leaves open the possibility that it kept going indefinitely.

I agree with your original. That is, you said, "Mom, I'm grown up now." Especially if that's what you said.

 

[tedmc]

When do we use "as a child" and "when someone was a child"? I have seen "as a child" a lot but I don't know when to use it.

1. My classmate threw a party as a child."
2. My classmate threw a party when she was a child.

"As a child" means "in the capacity of a child" rather than referring to the time one is a child. For example, "As a child in a Chinese family, I was taught to obey my parents and elders". If you meant the time you when a child, "when I was a child" is more appropriate. "As" could also mean the time or moment of doing something in other sentence constructions.

 

[Maybo]

"As a child" means "in the capacity of a child" rather than referring to the time one is a child. For example, "As a child in a Chinese family, I was taught to obey my parents and elders". If you meant the time you when a child, "when I was a child" is more appropriate. "As" could also mean the time or moment of doing something in other sentence constructions.

But the examples in the following links, some of which mean “when somebody was a child”.

https://context.reverso.net/翻译/英语-中文/as+a+child

Definition of AS A CHILD

when one was a child… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

 

[Tarheel]

@Maybo You are right. They mean more or less the same thing. However, I preferTed's phrase in that instance. (Explaining why would take lots and lots of typing.)

 

[Maybo]

@Maybo You are right. They mean more or less the same thing. However, I preferTed's phrase in that instance. (Explaining why it would take lots and lots of typing.)

You don't know hot to explain.

 

[Tarheel]

You don't know HOW to explain.

Maybe you're right.