What do the sentence mean?

[Wint Wint Thet]

In a billion galaxies, the Milky Way is but one and a million stars.
This sentence is from a secondary 2 challenging essays book.
I find it too difficult to understand this sentence.
Please help.

 

[bhaisahab]

It doesn't make much sense to me. Are you sure you copied it correctly?

 

[Wint Wint Thet]

Yes, I did.
The title of the essay is " Our Earth"
It is the first sentence of the first paragraph.
I also think that something wrong with the sentence. But .. I have no idea how to correct it.

 

[bhaisahab]

Where did you find the essay?

 

[Wint Wint Thet]

" Secondary Challenging English Essays " , sir. I know there are lots of books on Secondary Essays. I don't want to mention the publisher or the writer.
Let it be!
Thank you so much for your kindness.
I now know what I should do .

 

[bhaisahab]

That is not a good series of books.

 

[Wint Wint Thet]

I want to be able to write excellent excellent essays. I am taking the IELTS. test at the end of August. But I am not ready yet. Could you please kindly guide me how to write an appealing essays. Which books should I rely on? It is better if I can get free e books on IELTS. I have already bought Cambridge Series 1 to 9. But I know i need much more books, especially on writing and speaking, the two skills I am having difficulty to produce well. THANK YOU SO MUCH , SIR.

 

[teechar]

Why don't you read through some of the essays and corrections posted in the Editing and Writing Topics sub-forum on this site, or even post your own essay there?

If you have specific questions, or if you're unsure about some aspect of essay writing, you're always welcome to ask.

 

[TheParser]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Wint Wint Thet:


I am replying only because you are taking an important test in August.

You probably accidentally did it, but you wrote (in the title of this thread): "What do the sentence mean?"

If you did that on the test, I am afraid that you might lose points.

May I respectfully remind you of something?

When you analyze a question, put it into regular order (subject + verb).

Thus: "The sentence ____ mean what?"

You know that the noun "sentence" is singular.

You know that a singular noun (in the present tense) needs an "s."

Thus: "The sentence does mean what?" / "What does the sentence mean?"


Good luck on your test!

 

[Matthew Wai]

an appealing essays ...
much more books ...

I think you will lose fewer points if you pay more attention to plurality.

 

[tedmc]

I think you will lose fewer points if you pay more attention to plurality.

I would say: He will stand to lose points if he is not careful with singular/plural nouns.

 

[Skrej]

Tedmc, Matthew's version is perfectly acceptable as written, as is your suggestion. I wouldn't deem either one superior or preferable to the other, they are just two equally valid, yet different ways of expressing the same sentiment.

A sentiment which, by the way, I concur with whole-hardheartedly, however it is said.

 

[mawes12]

In a billion galaxies, the Milky Way is but one and a million stars.
This sentence is from a secondary 2 challenging essays book.
I find it too difficult to understand this sentence.
Please help.

I think if you add 'nothing' before 'but' and after 'is' , It will say the milky way is nothing but one and a million stars so to me, it just mean the Milky Way is one and a million stars and 'but' means 'except'.

Not a Teacher.

 

[tedmc]

Skrej, Matthew's version seems to imply that the OP would lose points (or marks) no matter how hard he tried.

Mawes
I do not agree with your interpretation.
"Milky Way is one and a million stars" doesn't make sense.
Milky Way is one out of (same as "one but") a billion galaxies(in the universe), and has a million stars.

 

[mawes12]

Mawes
I do not agree with your interpretation.
"Milky Way is one and a million stars" doesn't make sense.
Milky Way is one out of (same as "one but") a billion galaxies(in the universe), and has a million stars.

Maybe you are right but it doesn't say 'one out of (same as "one but") a billion galaxies(in the universe), and has a million stars.' so I might not know what the text was trying to say.

 

[Matthew Wai]

In a billion galaxies, the Milky Way is but one and a million stars.

I take it to mean 'the Milky Way is only one of them and composed of a million stars'.

Matthew's version seems to imply that the OP would lose points (or marks) no matter how hard he tried.

You seem to be implying that the OP would lose no points if he tried hard.

 

[tedmc]

You seem to be implying that the OP would lose no points if he tried hard.

That is possible as far as singular/plural nouns are concerned, don't you think?

 

[Matthew Wai]

I think the implication should refer to the whole test unless the following is mentioned.

as far as singular/plural nouns are concerned

 

[tedmc]

I think the implication should refer to the whole test unless the following is mentioned.

You sentence was specifically referring to "plurality". ("I think you will lose fewer points if you pay more attention to plurality.")

 

[Matthew Wai]

But the context is specifically referring to the IELTS test.