Hello, everybody! I am preparing for my exams, as usual.
I am hesitating over the following test:
I don't want all this money - take ... back.
(a) this
(b) its
(c) it
(d) them
1) "Money" is a non-count noun, that's why (d) is absolutely incorrect.
2) "its" - possessive adjective and is not appropriate here.
3) Answers (a) and (c) are potential versions.
However, which of them is correct here?
Native speakers! Please help me...Hi Foreigner,
I would definitely choose ‘it’ in that context. There is no need whatsoever to use the demonstrative ‘this’ again. The word ‘it’ refers back not just to ‘money in general’, but to ‘all of this (particular) money’.
The only way ‘this’ might be more appropriate would be if the speaker were handing only part of ‘all this money’ back to the other person and telling them to ‘take this part of the money back’ (i.e. not all of ‘this money’). In that case, the word ‘this’ would actually refer to something different from what was first mentioned. But, there is nothing in the given context that justifies such an interpretation. So, to justify that interpretation, you’d need additional context.
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[size=75]“Never spend your money before you have earned it.” ~ Thomas Jefferson[/size]
Hi, Esl_Expert!
Many thanks for detailed information!..