while

[jasonlulu_2000]

Canada is a large country, ______ the population is very small.
A. while B. however

The answer is A.

I think both of the answers are wrong. "but" may be more suitable.

Am I right?

Jason

 

[emsr2d2]

Canada is a large country, ______ the population is very small.
A. while B. however

The answer is A.

I think both of the answers are wrong. "but" may be more suitable.

Am I right?

Jason

"While" here has the sense of "but at the same time". You could use "but" if there were no comma in the original.

 

[charliedeut]

Canada is a large country, ______ the population is very small.
A. while B. however

The answer is A.

I think both of the answers are wrong. "but" may be more suitable.

Am I right?

Jason

Hi Jason,

A is correct, as you said. Have a look here (#3) for this use of "while". But (#1) would also be correct, IMO, if maybe somewhat less formal.

charliedeut

 

[jasonlulu_2000]

Thanks!

I thought "While" is used to emphasize the difference between two things. In this case, the population is a part of Canada, I cannot figure out how it could be used.

I will accept the following sentence:

Britain is quite small while America is large.

Anyway, just confirm whether this sentence is acceptable to a native. If yes, I will keep it in mind.

Thanks

 

[charliedeut]

Britain is quite small while America is large.

A crass literalist :roll: here: I don't think it's fair to compare the size of a country against that of a whole continent. Of course, unless you are comparing Australia to Oceania! ;-)

 

[5jj]

Anyway, just confirm whether this sentence is acceptable to a native.

emsr2d2 was a native speaker the last time I looked.

 

[SoothingDave]

A crass literalist :roll: here: I don't think it's fair to compare the size of a country against that of a whole continent. Of course, unless you are comparing Australia to Oceania! ;-)

If you want to be pedantic, "America" is two continents. ;-)

 

[charliedeut]

If you want to be pedantic, "America" is two continents. ;-)

Excuse me. I stand corrected. The way I was taught iit is America is one continent made up of two subcontinents. Sorry that my updates are not as quick as those for your iPad! ;-)

charliedeut

PS: However, my point still stands: whether America is one or two continents, it's still unfair to compare "Little Britain" to such a formidable land mass! :roll:

 

[Barb_D]

I think you have an impossible task if you wish to convince the world that the first meaning for "America" that should pop into people's heads is the continent(s) and not the USA. You'll have better luck convincing them that "whom" is a word that should be used more often.

 

[SoothingDave]

Interesting. We are taught (or were back when I was in school) that there are 7 continents.

Seven Continents - 7 Continents

And, of course, Britain is small in land mass whether compared to the country of the USA or the North American continent.