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srinuraju

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Why we are not supposed to use about after discussed?
 

English Freak

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Why are we supposed not to use about after discuss?
Because "discuss" doesn't take preposition. Probably you use a preposition in your language after "discuss" and when you want to translate that phrase / sentence into English, you expect a preposition to appear. No, it doesn't take preposition as:
We had discussed everything before the manager arrived.
But we say discuss something with somebody.
I discussed that matter with my close friend.
 

emsr2d2

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Why we are not supposed to use about after discussed?

The reason is that "discussed" means "to talk about". If you added "about" after it, you would effectively have:

We are going to talk about about it.
 

5jj

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Because "discuss" doesn't take a preposition. Probably you use a preposition in your language after "discuss" and when you want to translate that phrase / sentence into English, you expect a preposition to appear. No, it doesn't take a preposition, as:
"We had discussed everything before the manager arrived."
But we say "discuss something with somebody".
"I discussed that matter with my close friend."
5
 
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English Freak

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I didn't know the fact that we have to put examples in quotation marks.
Many thanks.
 

5jj

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I didn't know the fact that we have to put examples in quotation marks.
We don't necessarily have to put them in quotation marks - we could italicise them. What we do need to do is make them stand out in some way from the rest of out message.
 

English Freak

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We don't necessarily have to put them in quotation marks - we could italicise them. What we do need to do is make them stand out in some way from the rest of out message? :-?.
But I think those visiting such websites can distinguish between examples and the rest of the message.
 

5jj

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But I think those visiting such websites can distinguish between examples and the rest of the message.
We try to set a good example in this forum.

Ooops - sorry about my [STRIKE]out[/STRIKE]/our typo :oops:.
 

emsr2d2

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But I think those visiting such websites can distinguish between examples and the rest of the message.

Remember that a lot of the learners have a basic level and it may be their first time using a forum like this.

If I were a new visitor and I read, for example ...

I don't know how to use these because it looks a lot like this and I also have a problem knowing when to use them

... I would have trouble knowing what it meant. Equally, if a learner posted that, the native speakers and teachers would have a problem knowing exactly what the question is. It's much easier for everyone if it reads:

I don't know how to use "these" because it sounds a lot like "this", and I also have a problem knowing when to use "them".
 
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