Happen vs go

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david11

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When we make some general enquirers like How is your school going? How is your football practice going?, we use the verb go.If I want to ask about a particular events, can we use the word happen? like how did the marriage happen?


And what word do we use for exams?
happen or go.
 

Barb_D

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No, that would mean that you want to know why something came to exist or take place.

If you say "How did this happen?" you are looking for an explanation, not a description.

How did your exams go? How did you do on your exams?
 

david11

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No, that would mean that you want to know why something came to exist or take place.

If you say "How did this happen?" you are looking for an explanation, not a description.

How did your exams go? How did you do on your exams?

Then how should I ask if I want to make enquiry about marriage?
 

Barb_D

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Do you want to know if the wedding was nice? Do you want to know if they are enjoying married life? Or do you want to know how they came to meet and fall in love, especially if you find it unlikely that they should have gotten married?

How was the wedding?
How is married life treating you?
How did you come to be married?
 

Raymott

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Then how should I ask if I want to make enquiry about marriage?
What do you want to know?
"How is your marriage going?"; "How did your wedding go?"
'Wedding' is a better word for the event. 'Marriage' is generally used for the ongoing state, like 'jail term', not a single event (though 'marriage' can be used this way - "Saturday saw the marriage of John Smyth with Lydia Longlegs").
 

david11

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What do you want to know?
"How is your marriage going?"; "How did your wedding go?"
'Wedding' is a better word for the event. 'Marriage' is generally used for the ongoing state, like 'jail term', not a single event (though 'marriage' can be used this way - "Saturday saw the marriage of John Smyth with Lydia Longlegs").

I am sorry.I should have used the word wedding.People here mostly use marriage instead of wedding like I go to marriage.

Can I say I hope the wedding went well. I think the correct form would be I hope the wedding was good.

 

david11

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How was the wedding?

This one is nearly answering my doubt but I want to emphasize that there is no problem occurred in wedding.(i.e everything went smooth)
 

Barb_D

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"I hope the wedding went smoothly" is fine - so are your two in blue above.

Colloquially, you can use other expressions too, of course.
I assume the wedding went off without a hitch? (That's an expression that means "very smoothly.")
The wedding was smooth sailiing all the way, I trust?
 

david11

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Barb_D

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It could be, but it doesn't have to be. In my sentence "two" was acting as a pronoun. It's a common use.

Yes, "Did the wedding go smoothly" is fine.
 

Rover_KE

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'Marriage' is generally used for the ongoing state, like 'jail term', not a single event.

Is there a particular reason why you chose that analogy, Raymott? :lol:

A jail term is preferable to marriage — when you've done your time you're a free man again.

(Just kidding, ladies.);-)

Rover
 

david11

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A jail term is preferable to marriage — when you've done your time you're a free man again.

(Just kidding, ladies.);-)

Rover


I guess your wife is not a member of this forum.:lol:(I am kidding too)
 

Rover_KE

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