Which one is more natural?

[Freeguy]

Which one is more natural?

1. You can set down a bomb from a very low height without detonating it.
2. You can set down a bomb from a very low height without detonation.
3. You can set down a bomb from a very low height without its detonation.
4. You can set down a bomb from a very low height without its detonating.

 

[Rover_KE]

None of the above.

'To set down a bomb' is an unnatural collocation.

What do you mean? Drop a bomb? Put down a bomb?

Not all bombs explode by simple contact with the ground.

 

[Freeguy]

I meant drop. However, I have doubt about the last words. Detonating or detonation or what?

 

[Rover_KE]

4 works best for me. Having dropped a bomb from a plane, the pilot has no further control over its detonation.

Why would you drop a bomb without wanting it to explode?

 

[emsr2d2]

"To set down", for me, means "to put down carefully". To be honest, if I were carrying a live bomb, I would be very careful when putting it down!

 

[justlearning]

4 works best for me. Having dropped a bomb from a plane, the pilot has no further control over its detonation.

Why would you drop a bomb without wanting it to explode?

I suspect he's not talking of dropping it from a plane but from really short distances (like throwing a key on the table). It could be an instruction to soldiers who are recruited to a military base. "You should be cautious while handling the bomb. It shouldn't be carelessly thrown here and there (like they could probably do with the guns and other supplies) but dropping it gently once it's only one feet above the ground should be fine" (Sounds a bit comical but is possible, I think).

Neither a teacher nor a native speaker.

 

[Freeguy]

What about:

You can set down a bomb from a very low height without it detonating.

 

[Tdol]

It's OK, but I would make the change to drop.

 

[emsr2d2]

For the sake of safety, I think they'd need to specify what "a very low height" is. I'm still not in favour of dropping bombs, from any height.

 

[Rover_KE]

What about:

You can set down a bomb from a very low height without it detonating.

In post #3 you said you meant 'drop a bomb'. Why are persisting with the totally unnatural 'set down a bomb'?

 

[SoothingDave]

You can set down a bomb from a very high height without it detonating, if you do it carefully.

 

[Freeguy]

Rover, I'm not persisting with anything. I'm seeking that which structure would be more natural. That's all. This test came from a famous Video Game. In that, set down a bomb was said.

 

[emsr2d2]

Then I suggest you contact the makers of the video game and ask them why they chose to use it.

 

[Freeguy]

Those makers are not eligible to answer our English questions. They are not an English teacher. I'm sure you agree with me.

 

[bhaisahab]

Don't expect to find good English in video games.

 

[Tdol]

All your base are belong to us. :up: