A few weeks after John started dating Bea

Status
Not open for further replies.

Bassim

VIP Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Bosnian
Home Country
Bosnia Herzegovina
Current Location
Sweden
Have I made any mistakes?

A few weeks after John started dating Bea, he noticed she was using him. Her blue eyes shone at him, her eyelashes batted, and she would ask in her in mellifluous voice if John could lend her some money. He was infatuated with her and couldn't say no. He invited her to expensive dinners, and she never offered to share the bill. He even saw her going out with other men, but didn't dare to say her she should remain fateful for fear of losing her. When he confessed to Ivan, his best friend, about his problems, Ivan said, "Don't you have self-respect, man? That woman doesn't love you and never will. Why do you blank everything out? Do you want to kill yourself in the end?"
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Have I made any mistakes?

A few weeks after John started dating Bea, he noticed she was using him. Her blue eyes shone at him, her eyelashes batted, and she would ask in her mellifluous voice if John would lend her some money. He was infatuated with her and couldn't say no. He invited her to expensive dinners, and she never offered to share the bill. He even saw her going out with other men, but he didn't dare to tell her she should remain faithful for fear of losing her. When he confessed to Ivan, his best friend, about his problems, Ivan said, "Don't you have any self-respect, man? That woman doesn't love you and never will. Why do you blank everything out? Do you want to kill yourself in the end?"

I don't like the last line. Perhaps:

You've been letting her walk all over you. You should dump her and find somebody who will really appreciate you.

Or something like that.
 

Matthew Wai

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2013
Member Type
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
I may say something like:

Don't be silly. She has been playing you and taking advantage of you! She doesn't deserve you. Just forget her and move on.
 

tedmc

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Malaysia
Current Location
Malaysia
I may say something like:

Don't be silly. She has been playing you and taking advantage of you! She doesn't deserve you. Just forget her and move on.

I think you need "with" after playing, or "playing with your emotions". Such a person is also called a manipulator.
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I might say something like:

Don't be silly! She has been playing you and taking advantage of you! She doesn't deserve you. Just forget her and move on.

That's not bad except for "Don't be silly!", which doesn't work there.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
I think you need "with" after playing, or "playing with your emotions". Such a person is also called a manipulator.

No, it doesn't. You can play someone.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
I may say something like:

Don't be silly. She has been playing you and taking advantage of you! She doesn't deserve you. Just forget her and move on.

It's changing the tone. The tone of the original fits the style for me. It is not written in a particularly colloquial style.
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Tdol, I wish you wouldn't quote people I have on "Ignore".
:-|
 

Matthew Wai

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2013
Member Type
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
Is it possible to put quote boxes on "Ignore"?
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
This thread is descending into a mess, like the one yesterday. Could we try to avoid this, please?

PS
1 I don't know people's ignore selections.
2 I don't know a way to put quote boxes on ignore.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top