Yusuke
Is the sentence pattern "That's a man who ~(verb)" used with a specific nuance? If so, in what situations can it be used? The following is the actual sentence I heard, since there are many other examples of that's a man who ~. I would be very grateful if you could explain in detail. That's a man who knows he's got full insurance coverage! (I saw this comment while watching a car accident video)
Nov 18, 2023 3:40 PM
Answers · 7
2
"That's a man/woman/boy/girl/person who..." can be used to describe a wide variety of characteristics or habitual actions. In the example you cite, the speaker was joking. "A man who knows he's got full insurance coverage" might drive differently because he's not concerned about having to pay for damage after an accident.
November 18, 2023
1
I don’t think I use it or that it’s common. It would most often be used when trying to be funny by making a comment on a stereotype. It can also be used to emphasize a trait. The example given (about answering a question) is grammatically correct but doesn’t sound too natural in my opinion. I’d say: Now there’s a guy who knows how to answer a question! (His answer was exceptional) That’s a woman who looks good in tights! (Most women don’t. She stands out) A variant of the expression starts with a verb: A: I’m leaving work early today. B: Spoken like someone who has given his notice!
November 20, 2023
Hi David, thank you for adding more information. As you mentioned, I haven't heard it many times.
November 24, 2023
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