There will have been over three typhoons by the end of the month.

[Alice Chu]

Hello.
Could you please tell me if the following sentences are correct?

1) We are worried because there has been no rain for months.
2) They were worried because there had been no water in the river for weeks.
3) There will have been over three typhoons by the end of the month.

 

[Dutch Van der]

All are grammatically correct.

The third is a little strange. Why not say 'four' (or 'five') rather than the vague 'over three'?

What if the speaker is uncertain of the exact number?

 

[emsr2d2]

With low numbers, we're usually more precise. If it said "over a hundred typhoons", it would be natural.

 

[Tdol]

I live in typhoon territory and the sentence doesn't jar so much with me- three could be the norm and people in the know are confident that we're about to be hit with more than that.

 

[Dutch Van der]

I live in typhoon territory and the sentence doesn't jar so much with me- three could be the norm and people in the know are confident that we're about to be hit with more than that.

Where you from Tdol?

 

[Rover_KE]

Where are you from, Tdol?

Click on Tdol's Member Info on the left.

 

[Rover_KE]

Dutch Van der, please read this extract from the forum's Posting Guidelines:

You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly in your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice provide the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion.

 

[Dutch Van der]

Dutch Van der, please read this extract from the forum's Posting Guidelines:

You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly in your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice provide the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion.

Are you implying that my comment was incorrect? I hardly think so.

 

[Rover_KE]

Besides, it's not like a forum is a place where formal English is the order of the day. In this forum, standard English is insisted on.

Are you implying that my comment was incorrect? Your comment did not answer the original question: "Could you please tell me if the following sentences are correct?" and you did not state that you are not a teacher.

We generally find that new members spend some time—months rather than days—in acquainting themselves with the way the forum operates before telling us how they think it ought be run.

Those who don't like it usually decide to post elsewhere and give other forums the benefit of their opinions.

 

[Dutch Van der]

We generally find that new members spend some time—months rather than days—in acquainting themselves with the way the forum operates before telling us how they think it ought be run.

Those who don't like it usually decide to post elsewhere and give other forums the benefit of their opinions.

You're putting words in my mouth. When did I say I don't like this forum? I haven't been here long, but I've gotten excellent feedback on my passages. That reason alone is enough for me to like this forum. I just find it unusual that formal English is mandatory here, and that you frown upon colloquialisms that are used everywhere in the US.

 

[Dutch Van der]

As I said elsewhere, we do respond to questions about colloquialisms Our language is actually moderately informal, but this forum as it is is not the place for chatlish. That's it. There are plenty of other forums where very informal language is acceptable and common. We are not one of them.

Fair enough, I guess.

 

[GoesStation]

Besides, it's not like a forum is a place where formal English is the order of the day.

It is here. We aim to provide learners a place to see and practice formal English.

 

[Glizdka]

Not a teacher
------

I just find it unusual that formal English is mandatory here, and that you frown upon colloquialisms that are used everywhere in the US.

Hello, Dutch Van der!

This isn't really about you. This forum is very popular, and one of the first results in Google Search. Many beginners come here to learn, or are redirected here by search engines. They can sometimes mistakenly take your post for an answer from a professional English teacher who is a native speaker.

These rules are simply to help learners distinguish between quality information from professional teachers and posts from someone like you and me. Please conform to them, especially when you're replying to someone else's post.

---

Where are you from Tdol?

Are you implying that my comment was incorrect? I hardly think so.

Rover_KE's correction added a main verb to your sentence. It's mandatory according to conventional rules. Learners should replicate this.

Replicating your sentence could be penalized, Dutch Van der.

We like to present sound models for those who are preparing for examinations, where informality may be penalised.

This forum was invaluably helpful when I was preparing for my exam. I'm sure reading it contributed to my score.

 

[Dutch Van der]

I'll write exclusively in formal English from now on, but keep in mind that I'm not perfect. Although I consider myself an advanced learner, mistakes slip from time to time. Rover seems to nitpick everything I write as if I were deliberately trying to upset him.

I wasn't referring to that question, rather the post Rover deleted.
I said that the first sentence would sound more natural, to me at least, if it was worded as ''...it hasn't rained in months."