Maria
Hi! Please These two sentences can be said in the following ways? A *maybe the fates played a joke on me *now they’re laughing at your life and mine B Maybe the fate played a joke on me Now it’s laughing at your life and mine Thanks! Is something wrong with the grammar?
2021년 5월 31일 오후 11:19
답변 · 11
2
Will is correct that "fate" can be used as a singular noun, with no article. However, it's also perfectly common to say "the fates." The plural form is a reference to ancient Greek mythology. In Greek mythology, there are three "Fates" (three goddesses who control human destiny). So you can say either "Maybe the Fates played a joke on me" or "Maybe fate played a joke on me." Technically, if you're referring to the goddesses, the word "Fates" should be capitalized. References to the Fates are common in English literature, so the plural form is perfectly normal. Maybe it's a little bit literary. (It sounds perfectly normal to me, but then, I'm a literature teacher.) To me, the sentence "Now it's laughing at your life and mine" sounds a little strange, because "fate" in the singular usually isn't really regarded as an intelligent being. Fate is just a force; it doesn't really have emotions. The sentence is grammatically not incorrect, and you can certainly use it if you want to. But to me, the plural version makes more sense, since "the Fates" are goddesses, and it doesn't seem strange for them to laugh at someone.
2021년 6월 1일
1
In life, there is one entity called fate (one abstract power that some people believe controls all events). Therefore, you don't need to pluralise the noun "fate", and you don't need to use the definite article before it. You'd simply say: "Maybe fate played a joke on me."
2021년 5월 31일
1
It is equally important that a sentence is grammatically accurate AND sounds natural and idiomatic so one of these 2 versions would work well : 1 Maybe Fate has played a joke/a trick on me/us and is now laughing at me /us 2 Maybe the gods have played ....
2021년 6월 1일
Or Maybe fate's played a joke on me Now its laughing at your life and mine Fate has
2021년 6월 1일
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