Back to square one
Dear Dr English,
In one of our meetings, my boss said something like, ÒThese findings have put us back to square one.Ó What exactly did he mean? Thanks.
Somporn Kanokwittaya
The expression Òto go back to square oneÓ means you start to consider or deal with a situation from the beginning again, because one idea or action has failed. Of course, this is an informal expression. The example below might help you understand the expression better.
ÒThese newly released statistics are very different from what we had expected. They put us back to square one.Ó
Another phrasal verb with a similar meaning that you might hear is Òdo something overÓ. When a person does something over, he or she does the task again from the beginning.
ÒThe cashier said we should have fifty thousand three hundred and eighty seven baht left but I have counted the cash; there is only fifty thousand two hundred baht.Ó
ÒJust do it over again; you might have made a mistake.Ó
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Double negatives
Dear Dr English,
When are double negatives used in English? If I want to use a double negative in my writing, what rules should I follow?
Sommai Chaipunnee
I would not recommend you use double negatives, especially in writing. In the past, double negatives were common in literature. ChaucerÕs ÒCanterbury TalesÓ
is a good example. In todayÕs standard English, double negatives are not used, though they still appear in various American English dialects, East London Cockney, colloquial English and songs. But on some occasions, mostly while speaking, the use of double negatives is accepted. English is rich in vocabulary. One can always write perfect sentences in English without having to resort to double negatives. Good luck!
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