This is a major part of people in our society

[Anna232]

Are the parts marked by asterisks correct and do they sound natural? These sentences are used to describe modern people.

1.This is *a major part* of people in our society.(I mean the kind of people who are happy if they have basic things. They are a majority)
2.We have *simple needs* such as food, job, and accommodation .
3.*Very seldom* people have *a high expectation from career* or they want to become a well-known person. Or from *their career*?
4.Most of these ordinary people aren't concerned about *global world* problems such as environmenral pollution, or games on *the* political arena*and so forth.
5.This is happening because people don't have enough money to satisfy *their* basic needs.

 

[teechar]

Are the parts marked by asterisks correct and do they sound natural? These sentences are used to describe modern people.

1.This is *a major part* of people in our society.(I mean the kind of people who are happy if they have basic things. They are a majority)

No. Try something like "This is the majority in my country". Otherwise, change the sentence completely and use "most people" in it, for example.

2.We have *simple needs* such as food, job, and accommodation .

Try "People have basic needs, such as food, work, and accommodation".

3.*Very seldom* people have *a high expectation from career* or they want to become a well-known person. Or from *their career*?

I'm not sure what you mean by that. Try perhaps: "Some people have high aspirations".

4.Most of these ordinary people aren't concerned about *global world* problems such as environmenral pollution, or games on *the* political arena*and so forth.

- Use either "global" or "world".
- You have a typo in "environmental". Install an English spell-checker in your text editor.

5.This is happening because people don't have enough money to satisfy *their* basic needs.

OK.

 

[Anna232]

No. Try something like "This is the majority in my country". Otherwise, change the sentence completely and use "most people" in it, for example.

This is what most people are like in my country. Or "Most people are like that in my country." Right?

Try "People have basic needs, such as food, work, and accommodation".

I'm not sure what you mean by that. Try perhaps: "Some people have high aspirations".

But it woudn't work with "career" and with "becoming a well-known person", "would it? Isn't it unnatural to start my sentence with "very seldom?"

- Use either "global" or "world".
- You have a typo in "environmental". Install an English spell-checker in your text editor.

OK.

 

[teechar]

This is what most people are like in my country. Or "Most people are like that in my country." Right?

Yes. You can use either.

But it wouldn't work with "career" and with "becoming a well-known person", "would it? Isn't it unnatural to start my sentence with "very seldom?"

I don't understand what you mean. Post the sentence you have in mind below.

 

[Anna232]

Yes. You can use either.

I don't understand what you mean. Post the sentence you have in mind below.

For example, "Very seldom people have aspirations for career or to become a well-known person." But I think it is still wrong, isn't it?

 

[teechar]

For example, "Very seldom people have aspirations for career or to become a well-known person." But I think it is still wrong, isn't it?

I think you mean "a few people" instead of "very seldom", right?

 

[Anna232]

I think you mean "a few people" instead of "very seldom", right?

Yes. Should it be started with "a few people?"

 

[teechar]

Try: "A few people in my country have high aspirations when it comes to career or fame".
By the way, do you know the difference between "a few people" and "few people"?

 

[Anna232]

Try: "A few people in my country have high aspirations when it comes to career or fame".
By the way, do you know the difference between "a few people" and "few people"?

Yes. Few has a negative meaning. Like little vs a little. Thanks

 

[Anna232]

I think you mean "a few people" instead of "very seldom", right?

Is it always unnatural to start a sentence with "very seldom?" For example, "Very seldom people find good jobs here." In my original sentence it was still wrong.

 

[emsr2d2]

Very seldom do people find good jobs here.

You need a verb after "Very seldom".

Very seldom have I seen such a thing.
Very seldom does he stay out late.
Very seldom was it profitable.

 

[teechar]

Very seldom, people find good jobs here.

That's possible. However, if you want the sentence to have a negative connotation, then you can say:
(Very) seldom do people find good jobs here.

 

[Anna232]

That's possible. However, if you want the sentence to have a negative connotation, then you can say:
(Very) seldom do people find good jobs here.

So in the original sentence with a negative connotation it could be "Very seldom do people in my country have high aspirations when it comes to career or fame." Meaning that people should have them more often. Right?

 

[emsr2d2]

So in the original sentence with a negative connotation it could be "Very seldom do people in my country have high aspirations when it comes to career or fame", meaning that people should have them more often. Right?

No. Just because something happens very seldom, you can't say that it should happen more often.

 

[Anna232]

No. Just because something happens very seldom, you can't say that it should happen more often.

So this sentence doesn"t work? "Very seldom do people in my country have high aspirations when it comes to career or fame
."

 

[5jj]

That is fine.

 

[emsr2d2]

So doesn't this sentence doesn"t work?

"Very seldom do people in my country have high aspirations when it comes to career or fame."

The sentence is grammatically correct. Your earlier extrapolation that it also means that people should have high aspirations to those things more often was incorrect. The sentence neither says nor means that. It's a simple statement of fact, without any connotation.

 

[teechar]

Very seldom, people in my country have high aspirations when it comes to career or fame.

Very seldom do people in my country have high aspirations when it comes to career or fame.

Do you see the difference?