Test: If only I had had the courage to do this...

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi, please have a look at these and check if my choices are correct - thank you in advance :slight_smile:

1/ That’s the … of my worries, it’ll never happen.
A. fewer
B. less
C. last
D. least
=> I choose D - “least”, but I’m not sure why +.+

2/ If only I had had the courage to do this …
A. years back.
B. for years.
C. since years.
D. in years.
=> same as #1, I choose A.

3/ “We’ll never be able to do it” said the man to
nobody …
A. especially.
B. specially.
C. in particular.
D. himself.
=> For this, I choose C. However I’m not sure if A and B are also acceptable. By the way, what’s the difference between “specially” and “especially”?

Thank you very much.
Nessie :slight_smile:

2

Hi, Nessie

I find your answers correct.

3

Hi Nessie,

As Alex said, your answers are fine.

Not much really. For the most part they’re interchangeable. But here’s a clever note:

4

[color=violet]Thanks a lot, Ralf and Alex! :P:)

[color=violet]Wow! what an interesting example, Ralf - that’s our Alan :wink: :D:P

I still have some more query:

1/ That’s the … of my worries, it’ll never happen.
A. fewer
B. less
C. last
D. least
=> I choose D - “least”, but I’m not sure why +.+

[color=violet]=> What does the sentence (That’s the least of my worries, it’ll never happen) mean, Ralf?

3/ “We’ll never be able to do it” said the man to
nobody …
A. especially.
B. specially.
C. in particular.
D. himself.
=> For this, I choose C. However I’m not sure if A and B are also acceptable. By the way, what’s the difference between “specially” and “especially”?
[color=violet]=> So A and B are completely unacceptable in this case?

Many thanks once again.
Nessie :slight_smile:

5

That’s the least of my worries = Of all the things I could spend time worrying about, that is last on the list. It does not trouble me very much.

6

Hi Nessie

If you use the search function on this site, you will sometimes find interesting threads, which might also be helpful:
english-test.net/forum/ftopi … html#78210
:wink:
.

7

Thanks for the tip, Amy - I’ll do it. :slight_smile:

8

Hi Amy,

I’ve gone over the thread and I’ve got the answer for question 1, but I still want to know your idea about this:

“We’ll never be able to do it” said the man to
nobody …
A. especially.
B. specially.
C. in particular.
D. himself.
=> A and B are completely unacceptable in this case? why?

9

Hi Nessie

No, A and B are not idiomatic at all. To me, using either of those two adverbs would mean ‘for a particular purpose/reason’.
You might sometimes hear people use the adjective ‘special’ rather than ‘in particular’ in such a phrase. What you need in the sentence is something that basically means ‘specific’.

I’d say all of these are common collocations:

  • nobody in particular [color=white]… [size=84](i.e. no specific person)[/size]
  • no one in particular [color=white]… [size=84](i.e. no specific person)[/size]
  • nothing in particular [color=white]… [size=84](i.e. no specific thing)[/size]
  • nowhere in particular [color=white]… [size=84](i.e. no specific place)[/size]
  • anybody in particular [color=white]… [size=84](i.e. any specific person)[/size]
  • anyone in particular [color=white]… [size=84](i.e. any specific person)[/size]
  • anything in particular [color=white]… [size=84](i.e. any specific thing)[/size]
  • anywhere in particular [color=white]… [size=84](i.e. any specific place)[/size]
    .