E-prime challenge - e-prime

Inch · 12-22-2005, 07:50 AM

I thought of a game I believe will help me and everyone else improve their e-prime.

Each poster leaves an e-standard sentence that the next poster can translate into e-prime before leaving a message of their own. I'll start with something simple:

"E-prime is fun"

SpacemanAfrica · 12-22-2005, 07:43 PM

"E-Prime entertains me."

"This...is CNN!"

Inch · 12-22-2005, 08:58 PM

"Thank you for joining us at ... CNN"

"What was that?"

SpacemanAfrica · 01-02-2006, 10:37 PM

"What caused the disturbance that caught my attention?"

"Is this your son?" (I found this one on another site)

ncannino · 01-04-2006, 02:17 AM

"Does this young man belong to you?" (not sure what surrounds the question)

"I'm going to the market now."

Inch · 01-04-2006, 06:37 AM

"I plan on going to the market now."

"Pluto is the nineth planet."

Square · 01-13-2006, 08:38 PM

Americans describe Pluto as the ninth planet (mainly because Pluto remains the only so-called "planet" discovered by Americans; thus, they naturally insist on its great role as a planet).

:P

"That was necessary."

Wildway · 05-11-2006, 05:49 AM

"That required attention/I had to do that/I needed to take care of that/etc."

"What's your name?"

[Alternate to "What was that?": "Did you hear/see/notice/recognize that?"]
[Alternate to "Is this your son": "Did you raise this young man?"]
[Alternate to "This is...CNN": "Welcome to....CNN!"]
[Alternate to "I'm going to the market now": "I'll see you when I return from the market."]
[whew..I feel better now....this game has addicted me!]

Michael · 01-17-2007, 06:35 PM

What do you call yourself?

"To be is to be perceived"

Oranger · 02-16-2007, 02:28 PM

"Perception forms the basis of existence"
"you can only exist when others see you"

"Why am I here?"

Wildway · 02-28-2007, 06:16 AM

"Why have I come here?" "How did I get here?" "Why did I end up here?"

"How old are you?"

ZeroCapacity · 11-27-2007, 09:17 PM

"You have lived how long?"

"My name is Shawn"

basilwhite · 11-27-2007, 11:47 PM

"They call me Shawn."

"Aren't you precious?"

ZeroCapacity · 11-28-2007, 12:18 AM

"What a precious little boy" "What a precious little girl"

"Where is the Washington monument?"

DadaKampol · 11-28-2007, 09:36 PM

Where can I find the Washington Monument?

"Who does she think she is?"

ZeroCapacity · 11-29-2007, 12:03 AM

"What person does she remind you of?"

"Could you be more precise?"

0lgi · 11-29-2007, 01:08 PM

"Would you mind being more accurate ?"

"The Roof is on fire"

suspect · 11-29-2007, 04:53 PM

The Roof caught on fire
This is exactly what I was looking for.

basilwhite · 11-30-2007, 02:35 PM

I looked for this until I found it; then I stopped.

is this your spouse?

Karen · 12-01-2007, 04:09 AM

Would you introduce to me your significant other?
Allow me to introduce________as my significant other.

Did the two of you marry recently?

When did the two of you get married?

ZeroCapacity · 12-02-2007, 04:53 AM

Karen forgot to add a non e-prime.

"This is one though"

Marcio_Osorio · 12-02-2007, 07:08 AM

Getting it done will require some patience and persistence.

Someone is keeping an eye on you.

Karen · 12-03-2007, 11:19 PM

I feel excited about going for Hajj.

This is only one Allah.

Karen · 12-04-2007, 12:31 PM

Oops, my non e-prime statement should have read, There is only one Allah......

ZeroCapacity · 12-05-2007, 06:03 AM

"no other like Allah"

"What is wrong with you?"

Karen · 12-06-2007, 12:06 AM

Sorry ZeroCapacity, sounds to me like a silent 'is' has come before your 'no other like Allah', not only that, you have written a fragmented sentence.

What does work includes:

I believe only one Allah exists.
I believe in one Allah.

On your post, 'What is wrong with you?'

Today you look flushed, do you feel well? (In regards to health)

Marcio_Osorio · 12-06-2007, 03:05 PM

Karen, hello! Your non EP example please.

been there, done that!

Karen · 12-07-2007, 12:28 AM

In response to your been there done that

I visited New York and climed the Statue of Liberty.

be it as it may, you are not going.

Marcio_Osorio · 12-09-2007, 01:42 PM

Whatever you do/You can shout all you want but you will not go. [Open to corrections]

The hut looked as if it had been knocked together in a great hurry.

Karen · 12-09-2007, 10:50 PM

No matter how much cribbing and grief you plan to dish out, I stand my ground, the answer remains NO, you will not go!

This make shift hut looks like a couple of beach bums put it together to get out of the rain.

is this all there is?

ZeroCapacity · 12-10-2007, 12:04 AM

"how many cookies remain?"

"What is the difference when someone shoots someone else is it still murder?"

Karen · 12-10-2007, 12:27 PM

What differentiates one persons murder from another persons murder?

Why are we being tested?

ZeroCapacity · 12-11-2007, 12:50 AM

"why do we have to take this test?"

"what is the main reason for doing this?"

Marcio_Osorio · 12-11-2007, 01:13 PM

Can you tell us the main reason for doing this?

How much is two times two?

ZeroCapacity · 12-12-2007, 05:15 AM

"what does two times two equal?"

"what is the difference between cats and dogs?"

Marcio_Osorio · 12-15-2007, 12:55 AM

a) Can you tell the difference between cats and dogs?
b) How do cats differ from dogs?
c) In what do cats differ from dogs?
d) What particular elements differentiate cats from dogs?
e) Characteristically, how would you differentiate cats and/from dogs?

English is easy!

ksaupe · 12-15-2007, 07:03 PM

English presents no difficulties!

How are we doing?

Marcio_Osorio · 12-17-2007, 03:25 PM

How (well) has the new interplanetary spaceship project we have worked on so far come along? (I can't wait to see the finished product!)

"Here is the message that has just been posted..."

Weetabix · 12-26-2007, 09:16 PM

Someone just posted this message.

It is hard to come up with examples that I have difficulty translating unless they involve a progressive verb tense.

Marcio_Osorio · 12-28-2007, 12:22 PM

a) I cannot easily come up with examples...
b) I often have a hard time trying to produce examples...

Please correct me accordingly.

"Obviously you are going to have a hard time trying to find a script like this."

Karen · 12-28-2007, 01:13 PM

Because of your inability to discern a good script from a bad script, you will have a hard time trying to find a script like this....

These vague words such as good and bad are driving me batty!

Marcio_Osorio · 12-29-2007, 09:30 PM

These vague words such as good and bad drive me batty.

Just about every American knows that one of the requirements to run for US president is that you are required to have been born in the United States.

Karen · 12-30-2007, 01:35 PM

I find it difficult to create examples of___________ unless they involve a progressive verb tense.

What it is is what it is!

Vollcharra · 12-30-2007, 09:37 PM

US is a leading supplier of air compressor products for the industrial, professional and consumer markets. sitemap air compressor parts air compressor parts air compressor parts

Karen · 12-31-2007, 04:30 AM

I have given the below examples of converting standard English into E-Prime as starters to many of my students:
STANDARD ENGLISH VS E-PRIME

1. are you happy with the discussion in the meeting?

2. is there any important call/message for me?

3. How was your weekend?

4. Where is my medicine?

5. Do you have any plans for tonight?

6. Why are you late?

7. What happen?

8. Why are you asking too many questions?

9. Where are the children?

10. Meeting is/has been arranged with president.

11. He is crying.

12. Karen is a good teacher.

13. Sir, lets have a cup of tea I am feeling sleepy.

14. I am coming.

15. What is happening?

16. I am getting late.

17. What are your plans?

18. What would you like to do tonight?

19. We are having fun.

20. We are going together.

21. How is market today?
22. are there any chances for getting big deposits today?

23. How was your meeting?

24. You are looking great.

25. are you coming tomorrow?

26. How was your paper?

27. Why are you not sleeping?

28. Why are you watching movies instead of informative channels?

29. What is wrong with you?

Marcio_Osorio · 01-01-2008, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karen

[...] What it is is what it is!

What exists exists!

I've tried both routes and it's six of one and half a dozen of the other

Marcio_Osorio · 01-01-2008, 05:25 PM

Thought I'd have a go at it.

1. Did the discussion in the meeting turn out as well as you had anticipated?

2. Did someone call me up/leave a message for me?

3. How did your weekend turn out?

4. Where did my stress tabs go?

5. Do you have any plans for tonight? (= What are you going to do tonight?)?

6. Why did you arrive late?

7. What happen? (= I cannot seem to solve this one!)

8. Why do you ask so many questions?

9. Where did the children go? - Did you perchance see the children (somewhere)?

10. Some of my work colleagues and I all arranged a meeting with the president.

11. Severino caught Zé crying/weeping.

12. Karen teaches (very) well.

13. Sir, let's have a cup of tea; I feel sleepy - Sir, I think a cup of tea should keep us awake long enough to get this difficult job done (in a single sitting).

14. I'll talk/get to you in a minute.

15. What happens?

16. I feel I won't deliver this batch of rapadura in time.

17. What do you plan to do tonight/today?

18. What would you like to do tonight? (= I cannot seem to solve this one!)

19. Omigosh! I never thought I'd have so much fun on this 20-light-year long interplanetary trip!

20. We will go together.

21. How is market today? (= I cannot think of an alternate EP for this one)

22. Do you think we can make big deposits today?

23. How did the meeting with the guys uptown come along?

24. You look great!

25. Will you come tomorrow?

26. How did your paper turn out?

27. What keeps you up this time of night/keeps you from going to bed?

28. You would rather watch movies than informative channels?

29. What troubles you?/Did someone kill your wife as planned?

Karen · 01-03-2008, 11:47 AM

Very funny answers especially #29 made me chuckle.....lol Well done my friend, would you like to move into writing work related memos in e-prime? I have many clients who have standardized their office memos with e-prime. I will give you a formula for memo writing if you express an interest to further your learnings in e-prime.

Karen · 01-04-2008, 03:53 AM

By the way, #21 should have read, How is the market today? Give it a go.......

Marcio_Osorio · 01-05-2008, 03:53 AM

On your "How is the market today?"

How did the 800,000-dollar transaction on the stock market go today? You sold the shares at a higher price?!

Where are the other forum members?