Gray area

[Rachel Adams]

Can I use "gray area" in the sentence below?

"She is terrible at computers. It's gray area for her."

 

[emsr2d2]

Can I use "gray area" in the sentence below?

"She is terrible at computers. It's gray area for her."

1. We don't say someone is terrible "at computers". You can be terrible with computers, at computing, at using computers etc, but not "at computers".
2. Even if "grey area" (BrE spelling) were correct, you've omitted the relevant article.

 

[Rachel Adams]

1. We don't say someone is terrible "at computers". You can be terrible with computers, at computing, at using computers etc, but not "at computers".
2. Even if "grey area" (BrE spelling) were correct, you've omitted the relevant article.

Is using "bad" and "good" also wrong? "She is bad/good at computers?"

 

[Rover_KE]

Yes. You have just replaced 'terrible' with different adjectives.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Yes. You have just replaced 'terrible' with different adjectives.

But isn't it correct with other words? For example, "She is good/bad at tennis"?

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes, but "computers" isn't an activity/sport. It's simply a plural noun. We don't "do/play computers".

 

[Rachel Adams]

Yes, but "computers" isn't an activity/sport. It's simply a plural noun. We don't "do/play computers".

So if I use "good" or "bad" I should use a singular noun or gerund.

1. "She is good/bad at teaching."

2. "He is good at learning languages".

3. "He is good with languages" but not "He is good/bad at languages".

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Can I use "gray area" in the sentence below?

"She is terrible at computers. It's gray area for her."

That's not how we use GRAY AREA.

Have you looked it up yet?

 

[Skrej]

Personally, I don't have a problem with 'good/bad at computers'. It's not unheard of in my area.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Personally, I don't have a problem with 'good/bad at computers'. It's not unheard of in my area.

That's interesting. Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Personally, I don't have a problem with 'good/bad at computers'. It's not unheard of in my area.

It's fine with me, too.

It's gray area that I'd change.

 

[Yankee]

Can I use "gray area" in the sentence below?

"She is terrible at ( or 'with') using computers. It's a gray area for her."

Y.

 

[emsr2d2]

"grey area" simply does not work in that context.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

"grey area" simply does not work in that context.

Exactly.

Rachel, have you looked up gray area? Do you see why it doesnt fit? Can you try to reword it?

 

[Rachel Adams]

Exactly.

Rachel, Have you looked up gray area? Do you see why it doesnt fit? Can you try to reword it?

I did before asking my question. I was not sure if you use it to describe something we are not good at. Would "au fait" work?

 

[GoesStation]

Would "au fait" work?

No. That's French.

 

[Rachel Adams]

No. That's French.

Yes, but you use it in English, don't you? https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/au-fait

 

[GoesStation]

Yes, but you use it in English, don't you? https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/au-fait

I use it in French, never in English.

 

[Yankee]

I use it in French, never in English.

From Longman: "used to talk about a situation in which something is not clearly a particular thing, so that people are not sure how to deal with it"

 

[Rover_KE]

NOTE : AE gray = BE grey