[Grammar] I turned on the water faucet so that the water flowed smoothly.

[beachboy]

https://www.chegg.com/homework-help...ectional-area-water-stream-decreases-q9102089


1 - I turned on the water faucet so that the water flowed smoothly.
2 - I turned on the water faucet so that the water would flow smoothly.
3 - I turned on the water faucet so that the water could flow smoothly.

I guess the three sentences above are grammatical with a slight difference. Could you explain the difference between them?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

https://www.chegg.com/homework-help...ectional-area-water-stream-decreases-q9102089


1 - I turned on the water faucet so that the water flowed smoothly. Good. It means that after your turned it on, it flowed smoothly.

2 - I turned on the water faucet so that the water would flow smoothly. Good, it means you turned it on to allow it to flow smoothy. Which, of course, it did.

3 - I turned on the water faucet so that the water could flow smoothly. Not as good. This one might make a little bit of sense, but not as much as the others.

I guess the three sentences above are grammatical with a slight difference. Could you explain the difference between them?

Yes, they're grammatical.

Using smoothly doesn't help any of them. We turn on faucets so that the water flows, period. I'd delete smoothly. But it's your choice.

 

[GoesStation]

I open faucets, but turn on is okay.

 

[emsr2d2]

BrE uses only "turn on the tap" and "turn off the tap". Plumbers might use "open" and "close" but non-technical people don't.

 

[GoesStation]

I've been thinking about this. I think I also turn on the tap and maybe turn on the water. I might even turn on the faucet from time to time. I used to call the thing the water comes out of the spigot, but I think I've mostly given up the habit.

 

[emsr2d2]

I've heard before that AmE speakers use both "faucet" and "tap". BrE speakers never use "faucet".

 

[GoesStation]

I've heard before that AmE speakers use both "faucet" and "tap". BrE speakers never use "faucet".

How about "spigot"?

 

[Tarheel]

I've heard before that AmE speakers use both "faucet" and "tap". BrE speakers never use "faucet".

1. Yes.
2. I didn't know that.

Ever since I joined this forum I've been learning about British English and the differences between the two varieties (British and American English). The learning never stops.

 

[emsr2d2]

How about "spigot"?

No. I was under the impression that a spigot was part of a tap, but then I looked it up and it says "American - a tap".

 

[Rover_KE]

You remember my plumber, Lee King-Fawcett, don't you? He's taken on two apprentices – Rod Draynes and Lou Flushing.

They all say 'Turn the tap on/off'.

 

[Rover_KE]

Ever since I joined this forum I've been learning about British English and the differences between the two varieties (British and American English). The learning never stops.

Damn straight. Tarheel! Same here. There's even a few Americanisms I like and use often—'Damn straight!' for one.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

How about "spigot"?

You might be accused of spigotry.

 

[jutfrank]

Going back to the question in the OP ...

Forget number 1.

2 and 3 both suggest that the water was not flowing smoothly before turning on the tap. (Makes sense, right?!)

2 suggests that turning on the tap allowed the water to flow smoothly. 3 does that but also suggests that it was not possible for the water to flow smoothly otherwise.

If that explanation is not very clear. I wouldn't worry about it.

Please don't make up sentences and then ask us to tell you what they mean. You can either ask us what a sentence you heard means, or tell us what you mean and ask us how to say it in the best way.



Edit: I've only just noticed that Charlie Bernstein had already answered back in post #2. I got distracted by all the talk of whether we 'open' or 'turn on' 'taps' or 'faucets' or 'spigots'!

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . Please don't make up sentences and then ask us to tell you what they mean. You can either ask us what a sentence you heard means, or tell us what you mean and ask us how to say it in the best way.

Amen!

Edit: I've only just noticed that Charlie Bernstein had already answered back in post #2.

Yours was better.

I got distracted by all the talk of whether we 'open' or 'turn on' 'taps' or 'faucets' or 'spigots'!

Sidetracked by tapestry, faucetiousness, and spigotry!

 

[beachboy]

"Don't make up sentences"? Did you see the link I posted in post #1? Anyway, I don't understand why I can't make up my own sentences. My questions don't arise only when I read something, or watch something. I try to think in English, and sometimes I'm not sure if it's right or it there are other ways to convey the same idea. Many things may happen. I really don't understand.

 

[jutfrank]

You remember my plumber, Lee King-Fawcett, don't you? He's taken on two apprentices – Rod Draynes and Lou Flushing.

They all say 'Turn the tap on/off'.

My own plumber, Ivor Fawlty-Ballcock, says much the same.

 

[jutfrank]

"Don't make up sentences"? Did you see the link I posted in post #1?

Yes, but that link didn't include any of the sentences in your OP. Why did you change it to make three different ones?

Anyway, I don't understand why I can't make up my own sentences. My questions don't arise only when I read something, or watch something. I try to think in English, and sometimes I'm not sure if it's right or it there are other ways to convey the same idea. Many things may happen. I really don't understand.

I didn't mean you can't make up your own sentences. What I meant is that you should tell us what you want to say, and why. Only then can we tell you if your sentence is right. The problem here is that you've made up sentences without knowing what they mean. That's what I'm asking you not to do.

In this case, you could simply have given us the link and asked what the sentence in question means, without having made up anything at all.

Do you get what I'm saying?

 

[beachboy]

I get what you're saying, but I don't agree. I changed the sentence a little because I wanted to know, as I said in post #1, the slight difference between using simple past, would and could following so that. Does it mean I didn't know what they meant? Really? You said the use of simple past was wrong without telling me why. I've found many examples on google where it was possible, and Charles said in post #2 it was possible too. I'm not that crazy to make up sentences without knowing what they mean. I wonder if anybody has done that.

 

[jutfrank]

I get what you're saying, but I don't agree.

You don't agree with what?

Does it mean I didn't know what they meant? Really?

Yes, it means exactly that. That's exactly what you were asking.

You said the use of simple past was wrong without telling me why. I've found many examples on google where it was possible

I advised you to forget about it, that's all. I had a good reason to say that. No, you have not found examples of those sentences on Google. It sounds like you're challenging me by claiming that Google knows better. Is that right?

I'm not that crazy to make up sentences without knowing what they mean. I wonder if anybody has done that.

You'd be surprised how many people do that. I don't think you're crazy and I'm sorry you've taken my advice the wrong way.

It wasn't clear to me that you were asking a general grammar question about the use of modal verbs after so that. I'd normally be happy to answer a question like this, but I'll leave it up to someone else this time.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I get what you're saying, but I don't agree. I changed the sentence a little because I wanted to know, as I said in post #1, the slight difference between using simple past, would and could following so that. Does it mean I didn't know what they meant? Really? You said the use of simple past was wrong without telling me why. I've found many examples on google where it was possible, and Charles said in post #2 it was possible too. I'm not that crazy to make up sentences without knowing what they mean. I wonder if anybody has done that.

Many online grammar sites are wrong. Be careful of which sources to trust.

I'm not a teacher. Jutfrank is. That means that Jutfrank is more qualified than I am to give grammar advice. I advise on common usage, but common usage isn't always grammatical. Hey, this is English!

Jutfrank wasn't calling you crazy. It was just a request to use sentences that seem correct to you, not to invent sentences you're not sure of. That seems like good advice.

That doesn't mean you should never ask whether it's alright to use a certain phrasing or conjugation. Just be clear that that's what you're asking, and ask one question at a time.