How can it be?
Dear Dr English
I found the two sentences below while reading a textbook which is in its eighth edition (international edition).
1. ÒJust as you might need to refine youÕre main idea, you may also need to refine your major support points so that you have a smaller number with high impact.Ó
2. ÒIn most cases, youÕre audience will be prepared to comply, as long as youÕre not being unreasonable or asking someone to do something they would expect you to do yourself.Ó
In the first sentence, should it be rewritten as ÒJust as you might need to refine YOUR main idea...Ó? Likewise, in the second sentence, shouldnÕt it be ÒIn most cases, YOUR audience...Ó?
I wonder why in both sentences, ÒyouÕreÓ is used instead of ÒyourÓ.
I donÕt think itÕs a typo because this book has been revised up to the eight edition or would it be due to my weak grammar? Would you please clarify my doubts?
Thank you so very much and Happy Healthy New Year.
Chainarong Kongchoke
No, your grammar is wonderful, judging from your letter and the mistakes you spot. I know it is hard to believe simple mistakes still occur in the eighth edition of a text book. I presume this mistake is right from the first edition and the revision must have been on some chapters only and not the entire book, resulting in the mistakes being overlooked. Good on you, then!
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Which pill?
Dear Dr English,
I see the phrase Òjust like a pillÓ in a book but I couldnÕt find its meaning in a dictionary. Can you please help explain this phrase. Is it an idiom and what does it mean and when do we use it? Thank you.
Regards
Jariya Chuajinda
Literally, a pill is medicine in tablet form but the word is used metaphorically to refer to a few other things such as Òa tiresome and disagreeable personÓ.
Frank is such a pill that nobody wants to work with him anymore.
Another meaning of Òa pillÓ is the small balls of thread on the surface of fabric or yarn.
Grandma spent the whole afternoon picking the pills off her grandsonÕs quilt.
And, as we all know a pill or medicine is something unpleasant to take but necessary, so the word is also used in the meaning of Òsomething that is unpleasant but has to be endured or acceptedÓ; the full phrase for this meaning is Òa bitter pill to swallowÓ.
For many students, failing the university entrance exam is a bitter pill to swallow.
Since I do not know which situation the phrase in your question explains, I will have to leave it to you to decide which meaning is most appropriate for that context. If you are still not sure, you may send me the whole sentence in which the phrase appears so I can give a clearer explanation.
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