Extraneous word

[jack]

Are these correct?

1. Do you people have any ideas what to get him? (Is this correct? If so, how come it sounds kind of awkward without the word 'about' in here?)
2. Do you people have any ideas about what to get him?

 

[Francois]

Do you guys have any idea what to buy him?
You don't have to use 'about', but I'm not sure you can use 'people' here nor that you can say 'what to get him'.

FRC

 

[jack]

Are these correct? Is there any difference in meaning between them?

1. Can you give me an exmple how to use them? (this doesn't sound right?)
2. Can you give me an exmple, how to use them? (It this correct with the comma? if not, why?)
3. Can you give me an exmple on how to use them?
4. Can you give me an exmple about how to use them?

 

[jack]

Are these correct?

1. All you have to do next time is to reinstall the program.
2. All you have to do next time is reinstall the program.

 

[Casiopea]

1. Can you give me an example how to use them?
(This doesn't sound right?)

2. Can you give me an example, how to use them?
(It this correct with the comma? If not, why?)
The error is called a comma-splice: Two sentences joined by a comma.

3. Can you give me an example on how to use them?

4. Can you give me an example about how to use them?

Spelling: example with an "a". :wink:

 

[Casiopea]

1. All you have to do next time is to reinstall the program.
2. All you have to do next time is reinstall the program.

All you have to do is to re-install the program.
Notice the linking verb "is". It joins to like items,

to do = to do
to do = to re-install

Since 'to' is on both sides of the equation, the second 'to' is often deleted because it's semantically redundant: It's not needed. :wink:

to do = to do
to do = do

to do = to re-install
to do = re-install

All the best,

 

[jack]

Thanks.

I don't understand why this is wrong?

1. Can you give me an example about how to use them (Isn't this like 'Tell me about yourself.'? How come I can't use about in that sentence?)

 

[Casiopea]

Thanks.

I don't understand why this is wrong?

Can you give me an example about how to use them.

Isn't that like 'Tell me about yourself'? How come I can't use about in that sentence?

Examples demonstrate things,

Could you give me an example on how to use it?
Could you give me an example demonstrating how to use it?

Could you give me an example about how to use it?
Could you give me an example relating to how to use it?
Could you give me an example on the subject of how to use it?

 

[jack]

Is this correct too?

1. Could you give me an example of how to use it.

 

[Casiopea]

Is this correct too?

1. Could you give me an example of how to use it.

:up:

an example of how it is used.
an example on how it is used.

All the best,