I was wondering if this question is grammatically correct. “ How different is people's belief about magic...
I wanted to combine these two questions into one, and I came up with the question above.
1) What do people think of magic today?
2) What did people think of magic in the past?
grammar questions
asked 12 hours ago
Joe SimpsonJoe Simpson
62
New contributor
Joe Simpson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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add a comment |
I wanted to combine these two questions into one, and I came up with the question above.
1) What do people think of magic today?
2) What did people think of magic in the past?
grammar questions
asked 12 hours ago
Joe SimpsonJoe Simpson
62
New contributor
Joe Simpson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Yes, that's correct, but it's not an improvement over the original two questions. It's more complex and harder to understand and if you're trying to get answers, you'll do better just asking the two questions together.
– John Lawler
12 hours ago
1
I would prefer “How different are people's beliefs about magic today from those of people in the past?”
– Michael Harvey
10 hours ago
A hair awkward, but it appears to be "correct'.
– Hot Licks
7 hours ago
add a comment |
I wanted to combine these two questions into one, and I came up with the question above.
1) What do people think of magic today?
2) What did people think of magic in the past?
grammar questions
asked 12 hours ago
Joe SimpsonJoe Simpson
62
New contributor
Joe Simpson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I wanted to combine these two questions into one, and I came up with the question above.
1) What do people think of magic today?
2) What did people think of magic in the past?
grammar questions
grammar questions
asked 12 hours ago
Joe SimpsonJoe Simpson
62
New contributor
Joe Simpson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 12 hours ago
Joe SimpsonJoe Simpson
62
New contributor
Joe Simpson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 12 hours ago
Joe SimpsonJoe Simpson
62
New contributor
Joe Simpson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 12 hours ago
Joe SimpsonJoe Simpson
62
asked 12 hours ago
Joe SimpsonJoe Simpson
62
62
New contributor
Joe Simpson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Joe Simpson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Joe Simpson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Yes, that's correct, but it's not an improvement over the original two questions. It's more complex and harder to understand and if you're trying to get answers, you'll do better just asking the two questions together.
– John Lawler
12 hours ago
1
I would prefer “How different are people's beliefs about magic today from those of people in the past?”
– Michael Harvey
10 hours ago
A hair awkward, but it appears to be "correct'.
– Hot Licks
7 hours ago
add a comment |
Yes, that's correct, but it's not an improvement over the original two questions. It's more complex and harder to understand and if you're trying to get answers, you'll do better just asking the two questions together.
– John Lawler
12 hours ago
1
I would prefer “How different are people's beliefs about magic today from those of people in the past?”
– Michael Harvey
10 hours ago
A hair awkward, but it appears to be "correct'.
– Hot Licks
7 hours ago
Yes, that's correct, but it's not an improvement over the original two questions. It's more complex and harder to understand and if you're trying to get answers, you'll do better just asking the two questions together.
– John Lawler
12 hours ago
Yes, that's correct, but it's not an improvement over the original two questions. It's more complex and harder to understand and if you're trying to get answers, you'll do better just asking the two questions together.
– John Lawler
12 hours ago
1
1
I would prefer “How different are people's beliefs about magic today from those of people in the past?”
– Michael Harvey
10 hours ago
I would prefer “How different are people's beliefs about magic today from those of people in the past?”
– Michael Harvey
10 hours ago
A hair awkward, but it appears to be "correct'.
– Hot Licks
7 hours ago
A hair awkward, but it appears to be "correct'.
– Hot Licks
7 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
Except in rare cases, people, being plural and not indicating any kind of commonality, possess plural things. So the question is better phrased
How different are people's beliefs about magic today from those of people in the past?
That is still somewhat awkward, though, so for style, I would change it to
How have people's beliefs about magic changed from 20 years ago to today?
If the question is only about whether people believe in magic or not, then you can use the singular
How have people's belief in magic changed over time?
answered 7 hours ago
Old ProOld Pro
2,3801917
add a comment |
Since humans are the only sentient beings (on earth), one can permissibly dismiss the word 'people' all together and pose the question:
How has the belief in magic changed over time?
or
“ How different is the belief about magic today from that in the past?”
answered 7 hours ago
lbflbf
20.7k22573
1
That's where I was headed also. "How is today's belief about magic different from that of the past?”
– Phil Sweet
3 hours ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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Except in rare cases, people, being plural and not indicating any kind of commonality, possess plural things. So the question is better phrased
How different are people's beliefs about magic today from those of people in the past?
That is still somewhat awkward, though, so for style, I would change it to
How have people's beliefs about magic changed from 20 years ago to today?
If the question is only about whether people believe in magic or not, then you can use the singular
How have people's belief in magic changed over time?
answered 7 hours ago
Old ProOld Pro
2,3801917
add a comment |
Except in rare cases, people, being plural and not indicating any kind of commonality, possess plural things. So the question is better phrased
How different are people's beliefs about magic today from those of people in the past?
That is still somewhat awkward, though, so for style, I would change it to
How have people's beliefs about magic changed from 20 years ago to today?
If the question is only about whether people believe in magic or not, then you can use the singular
How have people's belief in magic changed over time?
answered 7 hours ago
Old ProOld Pro
2,3801917
add a comment |
Except in rare cases, people, being plural and not indicating any kind of commonality, possess plural things. So the question is better phrased
How different are people's beliefs about magic today from those of people in the past?
That is still somewhat awkward, though, so for style, I would change it to
How have people's beliefs about magic changed from 20 years ago to today?
If the question is only about whether people believe in magic or not, then you can use the singular
How have people's belief in magic changed over time?
answered 7 hours ago
Old ProOld Pro
2,3801917
Except in rare cases, people, being plural and not indicating any kind of commonality, possess plural things. So the question is better phrased
How different are people's beliefs about magic today from those of people in the past?
That is still somewhat awkward, though, so for style, I would change it to
How have people's beliefs about magic changed from 20 years ago to today?
If the question is only about whether people believe in magic or not, then you can use the singular
How have people's belief in magic changed over time?
answered 7 hours ago
Old ProOld Pro
2,3801917
answered 7 hours ago
Old ProOld Pro
2,3801917
answered 7 hours ago
Old ProOld Pro
2,3801917
answered 7 hours ago
Old ProOld Pro
2,3801917
2,3801917
add a comment |
add a comment |
Since humans are the only sentient beings (on earth), one can permissibly dismiss the word 'people' all together and pose the question:
How has the belief in magic changed over time?
or
“ How different is the belief about magic today from that in the past?”
answered 7 hours ago
lbflbf
20.7k22573
1
That's where I was headed also. "How is today's belief about magic different from that of the past?”
– Phil Sweet
3 hours ago
add a comment |
Since humans are the only sentient beings (on earth), one can permissibly dismiss the word 'people' all together and pose the question:
How has the belief in magic changed over time?
or
“ How different is the belief about magic today from that in the past?”
answered 7 hours ago
lbflbf
20.7k22573
1
That's where I was headed also. "How is today's belief about magic different from that of the past?”
– Phil Sweet
3 hours ago
add a comment |
Since humans are the only sentient beings (on earth), one can permissibly dismiss the word 'people' all together and pose the question:
How has the belief in magic changed over time?
or
“ How different is the belief about magic today from that in the past?”
answered 7 hours ago
lbflbf
20.7k22573
Since humans are the only sentient beings (on earth), one can permissibly dismiss the word 'people' all together and pose the question:
How has the belief in magic changed over time?
or
“ How different is the belief about magic today from that in the past?”
answered 7 hours ago
lbflbf
20.7k22573
answered 7 hours ago
lbflbf
20.7k22573
answered 7 hours ago
lbflbf
20.7k22573
answered 7 hours ago
lbflbf
20.7k22573
20.7k22573
1
That's where I was headed also. "How is today's belief about magic different from that of the past?”
– Phil Sweet
3 hours ago
add a comment |
1
That's where I was headed also. "How is today's belief about magic different from that of the past?”
– Phil Sweet
3 hours ago
1
1
That's where I was headed also. "How is today's belief about magic different from that of the past?”
– Phil Sweet
3 hours ago
That's where I was headed also. "How is today's belief about magic different from that of the past?”
– Phil Sweet
3 hours ago
add a comment |
Joe Simpson is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Joe Simpson is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Joe Simpson is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Joe Simpson is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Yes, that's correct, but it's not an improvement over the original two questions. It's more complex and harder to understand and if you're trying to get answers, you'll do better just asking the two questions together.
– John Lawler
12 hours ago
1
I would prefer “How different are people's beliefs about magic today from those of people in the past?”
– Michael Harvey
10 hours ago
A hair awkward, but it appears to be "correct'.
– Hot Licks
7 hours ago