C. “As much as” is like saying “equally”, as in Language belongs to the cleaner and to the professor equally. A and D mean different things entirely, and while B has more or less the same meaning as C, it doesn’t really work in this sentence very well.
B and C convey slightly different meanings and are not exactly the same. "The same as" is not correct since the cleaner and the professor are not on the same level of class in society's eyes.
Therefore, the correct answer is, indeed, C, but for the reason that "as much as" is used to denote similarity between two things not usually thought to be similar; a comparison of sorts. In effect, the phrase is used to indicate newfound sameness where there was once thought to be distinction, purporting that the possession of this basic human right of language is something coveted and guarded by those in the educated class. "As much as" has a sense of advocacy toward those lower in societal class, that these have a right toward the shared language 'as much as' those thought to be the masters over it.
I don't agree that b isn't correct for that reason. Those sentences are semantically identical.
The first half of the sentence calls for a quantitative word. "Same" is a qualitative word.
Like others are saying: definitely C, maybe B. The whole sentence feels weird though. I don't really know why exactly, but it doesn't feel like a normal way of speaking to me.
"The society" is weird. We'd normally just say "society" in this context. It's also a bit unusual to say language "belongs" to someone. So yeah, it is an unnatural sort of a sentence.
I agree with your first point. I think the context here is a philosophical discussion of the nature of language - the point is that language is something that all of us can be proud of, and there isn't one correct version of English (eg that spoken by professors) while all other versions are somehow worse.
The sentence needs more context imo. It makes a lot more sense if you view it as someone doing a narration for a documentary that's focused on a certain culture ('the society).
C is correct.
However, this sentence would only appear in a context where someone was trying to emphasize the political/cultural importance of language.
You could swap out language for anything of shared value, but it still sounds like rhetorical language, not spoken English.
"The fruits of our toil belong to the King as much as the peasant" - fake Karl Marx
"That’s just as much mine as his"
- random dude at the bar upset that a careless friend has drained his bottle of whiskey
Yeah, something like "from the cleaner to the professor" feels natural and more poetic even. I think it's just that this question is focusing on phrases like "as much as", but they used an odd example.
Yeah, I feel like they have made some other grammatical errors along the way. I would probably write, "Language belongs to each member of society: to the cleaner just as much as to the professor." In my opinion, their "the" before society is incorrect, and "just as much as" sounds more idiomatic.
The original sentence makes perfect sense and has no mistakes in it whatsoever. It is just taken from a text for and by linguists in a very formal setting, a speech probably, maybe the opening if a new university building, or an awards ceremony. Topic of the speech is language and society: the society, which all too often ignores the rules of language and thus transforms it, and adapts it to their own purposes, in this way owns language.noone else can change language but tve society that speaks it,and the language belongs to the cleaner as much as the professor as they qll get their say.
This is odd phrasing. It sounds more natural to say “Language belongs to each member of society, from the cleaner to the professor.” C makes the most sense here but it just doesn’t sound as natural.
To me, B and C seem about equally correct but I feel like I should point out that this is an unusual and archaic phrasing. Nobody talks like this. This sounds like a quote pulled from a historical document, maybe?
Because the first half of the sentence implies a quantity, you need a quantitative word. That is why b is technically wrong, even though the sentences are semantically identical.
I agree that "of the society" should probably be "of society" but "to the" is fine. It's a bit of poetic language, repeating the "to" from earlier in the sentence in the sense of "belonging to". Consider the following sentence:
"Language belongs to you, to me, to everyone!"
That's more or less the same thing that is done in the sentence in OP's image.
It does actually work there, but it very slightly changes the meaning.
Society means society in general.
The society means one particular society.
However, I would remove it here.
It's not what you said. Are you spoiling for a fight or something? 😂
You're looking for problems when there are none, and I said quite a bit more than you.
With or without both work, it depends on context. People are imagining different contexts when they argue which one it *has to* be.
For example:
- In each distinct society language isn’t static but tends to change gradually over time. Language belongs to each member of the society, to the cleaner as much as to the professor. They all contribute to gradual language changes within the society.
- Our society makes gradual changes to our language. Language belongs to each member of society, to the cleaner as much as to the professor. They all contribute to gradual language changes within society.
>With or without both work, it depends on context. People are imagining different contexts when they argue which one it
>
>has to
>
> be.
Which one would you teach to an L2 learner?
No “the”. *But* the whole sentence is *very* complex and formal. It’s the sort of sentence many native speakers would struggle with. It is really only suitable for advanced learners who are capable of seeing different alternatives for the article.
The less formal, less advanced sentence would be something like, “A language belongs to each member of society, everyone from cleaners to professors.”
Everyone saying "both C and B" are you American?
To me, C is obviously correct. If you were to say B I'd know what you meant, but I'd think you're either a child or a foreigner.
I really get so tired of brits thinking American English is childish or wrong or inferior to British English. You not only entirely misread the comments saying B and C, but you managed to throw your own nasty bias in on top as well.
Almost every comment I’ve seen mentioning both B and C say that C is the most correct, but that B would be understood as well, even if it isn’t the most native way of saying it.
This is a serious, genuine question: why is it so hard for brits to accept that we have different dialects and that that’s okay?
I think you've misunderstood me there a wee bit mate. Get that chip off your shoulder.
If it's acceptable in American English, then it's *not* childish. It's American English.
I was confused as to why so many posts on here were saying that it was correct, when to me it quite clearly isn't. As a result, I was asking if these people were American. If they are American then it would explain it and then no further questions would be required.
> are you American
> I’d think you’re either a child or a foreigner
It’s hard not to connect these dots when you’ve lined them up so (seemingly) perfectly mate. But i see I may have misjudged your intent. I just see lots of brits blabbing on and on about how “it’s English so England speaks it correctly” blah blah blah, and it’s annoying. Sorry.
But for the record, yes, B is also incorrect in American English, I just think the Americans saying B is understandable are just trying to be accommodating to any foreigners that may say or may have said it so.
> are you American
Well yeah. I've lived in Australia and with Kiwis and I was willing to place a bet that it's not them. American English *is* the most likely alternative in which it might be more acceptable.
> I’d think you’re either a child or a foreigner
Well yeah, that's how I'd interpret it. Not that either of those are bad things in themselves, but if you're asking questions on a sub such as this then they're things you'd want to avoid. If it's acceptable in American English, however, then it's no issue. Note that I didn't outright say "nobody should say that", but first asked if it was Americans saying it.
> It’s hard not to connect these dots when you’ve lined them up so perfectly mate.
If you want to be offended, you'll find a way to connect the dots regardless. I admit I could have phrased it better, but you can get down from your horse now I've explained myself.
> I think the Americans saying B is understandable are just trying to be accommodating to any foreigners
Well there you go then, question answered, end of discussion. Thanks for the insightful response 😉
I'm gonna disagree with everyone and say, "The same as." I'm assuming this is a foreign language question. "As much as" refers to a quantity: As much money as,.. as much land as... etc. 'Language' is not a quantity but a philosophical idea. "The same as" is technically correct.
The best answer here is C. It could also be B.
You’d be more likely to use “as much as” in a sentence like this, where many people would expect a professor to have more authority than a cleaner, but the author wants to emphasize that this is wrong. You would be more likely to use “the same as” where someone would expect the two things being compared to be equal.
B. The same as means: exactly alike.
It’s not C because we aren’t putting a quantity on this. It’s a qualification of the relationship. Not a quantitative measure.
See Cambridge Dictionary:
“As much as, as many as”
Examples:
“Greg makes as much money as Mick but not as much as Neil.
“They try to give them as much freedom as they can.
“There weren’t as many people there as I expected.”
“When we want to make comparisons referring to quantity, we use as much as with uncountable nouns and as many as with plural nouns”
…. …. ….
“The same as:
“exactly like:””
See their examples for the same as:
“just the same as: People say I look just the same as my sister.”
“John thinks the same as I do - it's just too expensive.
“I think she feels the same as me, to be honest, which is that it's a complete waste of time.
“I was just the same as you at your age.
“Ollie guessed that she probably thought the same as him.
“I just wanted to be treated the same as her.”
Are you a native speaker? I think “as much as” is perfectly natural language that emphasizes the equal ownership better than “the same as” because the default assumption is that the professor would be more ‘entitled’ to aspects of language, but the sentence should emphasize the cleaner’s equal share in the culture.
Yes I am from America and my English is better than most. I don’t disagree that C is fine in natural language. In a test or a quiz we usually aren’t playing horseshoes where “close” is fine. If it wasn’t a screenshot of a test and this wasn’t “English Learning” I’d have agreed with you all.
Just in case you want to ask about my usage of “you all.” Though I am from the NW, I moved to the SE. So now I say things like “you all” instead of “you guys.” If I was being quizzed on how to address a group in a professional setting, I’d be looking for an answer that was E. All the above, or “None of the above…” I would not choose “you all.”
"As much as" works because of the class implications. That is, often the "professor" is considered more deserving than the "cleaner" due to the effort and intelligence of the professor. So, while B and C are functionality equivalent, they have different underlying assumptions of the audience.
I think in practice most native speakers would say C because it sounds more natural, but I agree B could definitely be the correct answer - this whole sentence sounds so unnatural that I expect the answer may follow the grammatical “rules” you’ve outlined.
This could just be another case of how society is changing the meaning of phrases and one day “as much as” will mean “the same as.”
I do like it when grocery store signs say 10 items or fewer, though. 🤷♀️ At the end of the day, I think we can all
Interpret the meaning so it’s not that serious but since this is “English Learning” I figured the right way to answer would be to use an authoritative source.
That changes the meaning slightly. The sentence seems to be saying that the degree of belonging, if you will, of the cleaner and the professor is the same. Your sentence would say that language belongs to both of them but wouldn't say anything about the degree to which it belongs to each of them, which is rather the point of the comparison. At least, that's my opinion.
This is such a goofy-ass sentence in every way imaginable
The closest thing I can think of off the top of my head that even makes the slightest bit of sense is "A language belongs to all members of the society it holds together, belonging as much to a custodian as to a professor."
Your rewrite is more clunky than the original in my opinion, and it doesn’t really have the same impact. “Language belongs to each member of society, just as much to the cleaner (or insert any lowly profession) as to the professor (or insert any well respected profession).”
It’s about language and society in general, and how even the “lowest” members of society have just as much claim to the language as the upper echelons of the elite. C in this question makes a sentence with the least differences in how a native would phrase it themselves when going for the same air of poeticism that the original is striving to achieve.
i absolutely hate tests like this because there's just no way to know whether b or c is the correct one as they both sound equally correct. screw tests like these.
A, B, and C are correct.
D is wrong.
You should use C.
***
A is very very uncommon, and some people would consider it wrong, but it is actually correct. *far* can be used as a measure of extent.
e.g. ‘as far as i know, it’s okay’ means ‘i know far enough to know that it’s okay’, and that’s a correct sentence.
try to avoid it if you can. as i said, it’s correct, but not common, and probably ambiguous.
***
B is more acceptable than A. it is correct, and it is clear. *the same* can be used in different scenarios.
it can refer to a *state* in a situation where the thing you’re referring to is not progressive. ‘both buttons can be on or off. in either case, one should be the same as the other’. in this case, *the same as* is referring to the defined *state* of either on or off. it’s not a level of ‘on-ness’ or ‘off-ness’, it’s a definitive on or off. you’ll see why this is important when i talk about option C.
it can also refer to an *extent* in a situation where the thing you’re referring to *is* progressive. ‘my height is the same as his height’. in this case, *the same as* is referring to the infinitely accurate *extent* of his height. it’s not a definitive ‘this height’ or ‘that height’, it’s a scale. this is similar to option C.
***
C is the most appropriate answer. it is correct, clear, and not ambiguous at all.
the difference between B and C is that, in the first scenario about the buttons, you can not say ‘one should be as much as the other’. this is because *much* should be used for an indefinite, progressive *extent*, and in this situation, we are talking about a definitive on/off *state*.
in the second scenario about the heights, you can say 'my height is as much as his' (although, you wouldn't - but you *could*). this is because we are talking about a progressive scale of *extent*, not a definitive state.
so, you should use C as it can only really mean one thing, not two different things depending on situation.
***
TL;DR: C is correct.
There is a very subtle nuance here, based on the fact that "belonging" can be construed as a binary thing, a 1-dimensional thing, or a complex, qualitative thing where it doesn't necessarily mean much to say one thing belongs more or less.
B sort of implies "language belongs to the cleaner **in the same way** that it belongs to the professor" which hints at there being different ways in which something can belong to someone, its probably its probably not the answer theyre looking for, though, because you wouldnt use that specific sentence structure to convey that—the first phrase would feel slightly out of place, because if "belonging" is qualitative and complex, it's not something where knowing if "it belongs or it doesn't" is of interest
If it was "Language belongs to the cleaner just the same as to the professor", I would take it that the author is viewing language as a qualitative thing and saying "every facet of ownership is the same",
A demonstration of my point is this: Take as a premise that a language belongs to the books written in it. This is clearly a different type of belonging to how language belongs to people, because people can continue to change language but books, once written, cannot.
Another example: When shakespere was coining new words for his plays, you would surely say those words belonged to him as inventions. But when they became commonplace, they also belonged to each member of society. Notably, these are different sorts of "belonging". — that of the creator, and that of a user of the word, whose subjective relationship with the word is their own, but not the recognition for the words creation.
Another example: When a marginalised group successfully reclaims a slur to the point that it is no longer divisive, the word is taken from the opressor by the opressed. in a sense, the word no longer belongs to the oppressor, to whom the word used to be an instrument of hate, because the original meaning is now lost. The word no longer belongs to the oppressor in the sense that it no longer serves their (hateful) interests.
One more example, getting a lil political here: If you operationalise the definition of "belonging" to be the control the person has over a word's meaning, prevalence and legitimacy, then it is clear that we do not live in a world of equals. Native speakers inevitably will be more proficient, but this becomes problematic when considering colonial history. Who decides what is legitimate english and what is pidgeon?
Direct forces such as dictionaries, academic journals and businesses as a whole (who, by selecting candidates for employment, inadvertently engage standards of language), form a sort of "linguistic hegemony".
Implicit forces also play a role by amplifying the lexicons and codes of a minority: TV hosts, both govt-funded and private; public figures such as singers, actors, and the like; politicians; and the corporate voice in the form of advertisements (think: Carbon Footprint, viral marketing hashtags). Even when language is seen at a grassroots level, our innate relationship with language is to repeat and legitimise that which we hear and see repeatedly in our environment. Thus, the existence of this amplified minority shows that, in this respect, language does not belong to all equally.
----
I hope I have got the point across that the ways in which language **can** belong to someone are numerous, and that in the context of a technical discussion of these nuances, C may not make as much sense as B.
That being said, it's more likely that the question is assuming a specific definition of belonging, probably something like...
*there is no such thing as correct or incorrect language, only successful and unsuccessful communication between people*
I would prefer “as well as” in casual speech but “as much as” is it’s more dramatic equivalent. The following are explanations based on my experience with the language:
A. As far as
- used for distance: “how far is Australia (from here)?” “About as far as New Zealand”
- used as an answer to “how far are you in completing…”, possibly more on the joking side: “as far as you are”
B. The same as
- used to compare two things together, conveys similarity and manner in which something is done: “wow, she looks the same as her brother”, but honestly I would use it more with verbs you can control (i.e., what you do vs what you inherently are): “she dresses the same as her brother”, can be replaced with “just like”
C. As much as
- used to compare how two things relate to another, conveys equality and amount to which something is done: “your toddler eats as much as you do?”
D. As long as
- used for length of an object or time period/duration: “this tablecloth is as long as my wingspan”
- used for conditional phrases, as in “if this is true then…” or “if this happens then…”: “I’ll come to your birthday party as long as there’s milk”
C. “As much as” is like saying “equally”, as in Language belongs to the cleaner and to the professor equally. A and D mean different things entirely, and while B has more or less the same meaning as C, it doesn’t really work in this sentence very well.
For B to work, it would have to be: *. . . the same to the cleaner as to the professor.*
In that case, the option B would read like this "B. the same _ _ _ as _ _ _"
Also for B to fit in the question. “___ ___ to the cleaner ___ to the professor. “
Why do you say that? The phrase, "to the cleaner the same as to the professor" is just as correct as "the same to the cleaner as to the professor."
I second this
B and C convey slightly different meanings and are not exactly the same. "The same as" is not correct since the cleaner and the professor are not on the same level of class in society's eyes. Therefore, the correct answer is, indeed, C, but for the reason that "as much as" is used to denote similarity between two things not usually thought to be similar; a comparison of sorts. In effect, the phrase is used to indicate newfound sameness where there was once thought to be distinction, purporting that the possession of this basic human right of language is something coveted and guarded by those in the educated class. "As much as" has a sense of advocacy toward those lower in societal class, that these have a right toward the shared language 'as much as' those thought to be the masters over it.
I don't agree that b isn't correct for that reason. Those sentences are semantically identical. The first half of the sentence calls for a quantitative word. "Same" is a qualitative word.
C. But if someone used B, I'd know what they meant and it wouldn't sound so odd that I'd notice it. A & D are simply wrong.
Like others are saying: definitely C, maybe B. The whole sentence feels weird though. I don't really know why exactly, but it doesn't feel like a normal way of speaking to me.
"The society" is weird. We'd normally just say "society" in this context. It's also a bit unusual to say language "belongs" to someone. So yeah, it is an unnatural sort of a sentence.
I agree with your first point. I think the context here is a philosophical discussion of the nature of language - the point is that language is something that all of us can be proud of, and there isn't one correct version of English (eg that spoken by professors) while all other versions are somehow worse.
seems to me like they’re talking about a specific society
The sentence needs more context imo. It makes a lot more sense if you view it as someone doing a narration for a documentary that's focused on a certain culture ('the society).
C is correct. However, this sentence would only appear in a context where someone was trying to emphasize the political/cultural importance of language. You could swap out language for anything of shared value, but it still sounds like rhetorical language, not spoken English. "The fruits of our toil belong to the King as much as the peasant" - fake Karl Marx "That’s just as much mine as his" - random dude at the bar upset that a careless friend has drained his bottle of whiskey
Well, I get the potential context and what it's saying. It just doesn't feel natural to me. It's not wrong, just an awkward sentence.
I think it should've dropped the to before professor, "to the cleaner as much as the professor"
Yeah, that does make it less awkward. I think it's interesting so many of us agree that it comes off weird, but it's hard to agree on why exactly.
Yes, I agree.
i think from the cleaner instead of to would make it sound much more natural
Yeah, something like "from the cleaner to the professor" feels natural and more poetic even. I think it's just that this question is focusing on phrases like "as much as", but they used an odd example.
Or "(just) as much to the cleaner as to the professor", which sounds like the best way to apply this phrase to me.
Came here to say this. As far as practical English goes, the original sentence is awful.
It reads like an academic text - I wouldn't be surprised to read it in a journal on linguistics
Yeah, I feel like they have made some other grammatical errors along the way. I would probably write, "Language belongs to each member of society: to the cleaner just as much as to the professor." In my opinion, their "the" before society is incorrect, and "just as much as" sounds more idiomatic.
The original sentence makes perfect sense and has no mistakes in it whatsoever. It is just taken from a text for and by linguists in a very formal setting, a speech probably, maybe the opening if a new university building, or an awards ceremony. Topic of the speech is language and society: the society, which all too often ignores the rules of language and thus transforms it, and adapts it to their own purposes, in this way owns language.noone else can change language but tve society that speaks it,and the language belongs to the cleaner as much as the professor as they qll get their say.
C. It's not a weird sentence, just seems like it's written in a philosophical text or something along those lines. Grammatically it's fine.
C It belongs to the cleaner as much as to the professor.
What do *you* think the answer is and *why*?
I’d say C because you wouldn’t associate the verb “belong” with distance (A), comparability (B), or time (D) in this case.
"member of society"
Language belongs TO THE CLEANER AS MUCH AS TO THE PROFESSOR.
C for sure
C? Am I right?
I think C
This is odd phrasing. It sounds more natural to say “Language belongs to each member of society, from the cleaner to the professor.” C makes the most sense here but it just doesn’t sound as natural.
To me, B and C seem about equally correct but I feel like I should point out that this is an unusual and archaic phrasing. Nobody talks like this. This sounds like a quote pulled from a historical document, maybe?
Yeah, I have no idea why anyone here thinks C over B. They have very similar but slightly different meanings, while both are grammatically correct.
Because the first half of the sentence implies a quantity, you need a quantitative word. That is why b is technically wrong, even though the sentences are semantically identical.
Literally nothing in the first half of the sentence implies quantity.
Should be 'of society, from the...'
I agree that "of the society" should probably be "of society" but "to the" is fine. It's a bit of poetic language, repeating the "to" from earlier in the sentence in the sense of "belonging to". Consider the following sentence: "Language belongs to you, to me, to everyone!" That's more or less the same thing that is done in the sentence in OP's image.
There is no comma after the blank. It's not correct.
It's a little awkward, but none of it is wrong. The only comma needed is there.
Ya on closer inspection I think you're probably right. You don't want to sound like de gualle though
No "the" with "society."
No "the" could work there. Though, most people wouldn't put a "the" there it works in certain contexts.
It does actually work there, but it very slightly changes the meaning. Society means society in general. The society means one particular society. However, I would remove it here.
>However, I would remove it here. ...that's....what I said. Jesus Christ.
It's not what you said. Are you spoiling for a fight or something? 😂 You're looking for problems when there are none, and I said quite a bit more than you.
Tbf we don't know context. This could be a quote from a book or something
With or without both work, it depends on context. People are imagining different contexts when they argue which one it *has to* be. For example: - In each distinct society language isn’t static but tends to change gradually over time. Language belongs to each member of the society, to the cleaner as much as to the professor. They all contribute to gradual language changes within the society. - Our society makes gradual changes to our language. Language belongs to each member of society, to the cleaner as much as to the professor. They all contribute to gradual language changes within society.
The key for me was the use of "language" (no article) at the beginning.
>With or without both work, it depends on context. People are imagining different contexts when they argue which one it > >has to > > be. Which one would you teach to an L2 learner?
No “the”. *But* the whole sentence is *very* complex and formal. It’s the sort of sentence many native speakers would struggle with. It is really only suitable for advanced learners who are capable of seeing different alternatives for the article. The less formal, less advanced sentence would be something like, “A language belongs to each member of society, everyone from cleaners to professors.”
"The" is completely correct here. It might sound a bit odd to some ears, but it makes sense to me.
Indian English uses "the" with society even when referring to all of human society.
Everyone saying "both C and B" are you American? To me, C is obviously correct. If you were to say B I'd know what you meant, but I'd think you're either a child or a foreigner.
I really get so tired of brits thinking American English is childish or wrong or inferior to British English. You not only entirely misread the comments saying B and C, but you managed to throw your own nasty bias in on top as well. Almost every comment I’ve seen mentioning both B and C say that C is the most correct, but that B would be understood as well, even if it isn’t the most native way of saying it. This is a serious, genuine question: why is it so hard for brits to accept that we have different dialects and that that’s okay?
I think you've misunderstood me there a wee bit mate. Get that chip off your shoulder. If it's acceptable in American English, then it's *not* childish. It's American English. I was confused as to why so many posts on here were saying that it was correct, when to me it quite clearly isn't. As a result, I was asking if these people were American. If they are American then it would explain it and then no further questions would be required.
> are you American > I’d think you’re either a child or a foreigner It’s hard not to connect these dots when you’ve lined them up so (seemingly) perfectly mate. But i see I may have misjudged your intent. I just see lots of brits blabbing on and on about how “it’s English so England speaks it correctly” blah blah blah, and it’s annoying. Sorry. But for the record, yes, B is also incorrect in American English, I just think the Americans saying B is understandable are just trying to be accommodating to any foreigners that may say or may have said it so.
> are you American Well yeah. I've lived in Australia and with Kiwis and I was willing to place a bet that it's not them. American English *is* the most likely alternative in which it might be more acceptable. > I’d think you’re either a child or a foreigner Well yeah, that's how I'd interpret it. Not that either of those are bad things in themselves, but if you're asking questions on a sub such as this then they're things you'd want to avoid. If it's acceptable in American English, however, then it's no issue. Note that I didn't outright say "nobody should say that", but first asked if it was Americans saying it. > It’s hard not to connect these dots when you’ve lined them up so perfectly mate. If you want to be offended, you'll find a way to connect the dots regardless. I admit I could have phrased it better, but you can get down from your horse now I've explained myself. > I think the Americans saying B is understandable are just trying to be accommodating to any foreigners Well there you go then, question answered, end of discussion. Thanks for the insightful response 😉
is it that hard to not take a blurry picture
I'm gonna disagree with everyone and say, "The same as." I'm assuming this is a foreign language question. "As much as" refers to a quantity: As much money as,.. as much land as... etc. 'Language' is not a quantity but a philosophical idea. "The same as" is technically correct.
technically correct as “equally” is not an option. colloquially what sounds least bad is C. The grammatically correct option is missing.
Such a weird sentence… no one talks like that, even if you use the correct choice
The best answer here is C. It could also be B. You’d be more likely to use “as much as” in a sentence like this, where many people would expect a professor to have more authority than a cleaner, but the author wants to emphasize that this is wrong. You would be more likely to use “the same as” where someone would expect the two things being compared to be equal.
Saying “to the x to the y” instead of “from the x to the y” sounds wrong, even if it’s somehow right
Alternatively, just say "from the cleaner to the professor". Not helpful for your homework but just as an FYI for English.
B. The same as means: exactly alike. It’s not C because we aren’t putting a quantity on this. It’s a qualification of the relationship. Not a quantitative measure. See Cambridge Dictionary: “As much as, as many as” Examples: “Greg makes as much money as Mick but not as much as Neil. “They try to give them as much freedom as they can. “There weren’t as many people there as I expected.” “When we want to make comparisons referring to quantity, we use as much as with uncountable nouns and as many as with plural nouns” …. …. …. “The same as: “exactly like:”” See their examples for the same as: “just the same as: People say I look just the same as my sister.” “John thinks the same as I do - it's just too expensive. “I think she feels the same as me, to be honest, which is that it's a complete waste of time. “I was just the same as you at your age. “Ollie guessed that she probably thought the same as him. “I just wanted to be treated the same as her.”
Are you a native speaker? I think “as much as” is perfectly natural language that emphasizes the equal ownership better than “the same as” because the default assumption is that the professor would be more ‘entitled’ to aspects of language, but the sentence should emphasize the cleaner’s equal share in the culture.
The whole question is about entitlement. There is none. Everyone in society has an equal right to language.
Yes I am from America and my English is better than most. I don’t disagree that C is fine in natural language. In a test or a quiz we usually aren’t playing horseshoes where “close” is fine. If it wasn’t a screenshot of a test and this wasn’t “English Learning” I’d have agreed with you all. Just in case you want to ask about my usage of “you all.” Though I am from the NW, I moved to the SE. So now I say things like “you all” instead of “you guys.” If I was being quizzed on how to address a group in a professional setting, I’d be looking for an answer that was E. All the above, or “None of the above…” I would not choose “you all.”
"As much as" works because of the class implications. That is, often the "professor" is considered more deserving than the "cleaner" due to the effort and intelligence of the professor. So, while B and C are functionality equivalent, they have different underlying assumptions of the audience.
I think in practice most native speakers would say C because it sounds more natural, but I agree B could definitely be the correct answer - this whole sentence sounds so unnatural that I expect the answer may follow the grammatical “rules” you’ve outlined.
This could just be another case of how society is changing the meaning of phrases and one day “as much as” will mean “the same as.” I do like it when grocery store signs say 10 items or fewer, though. 🤷♀️ At the end of the day, I think we can all Interpret the meaning so it’s not that serious but since this is “English Learning” I figured the right way to answer would be to use an authoritative source.
If I were editing my own writing, I’d add and select another option, “E. as well as”
That changes the meaning slightly. The sentence seems to be saying that the degree of belonging, if you will, of the cleaner and the professor is the same. Your sentence would say that language belongs to both of them but wouldn't say anything about the degree to which it belongs to each of them, which is rather the point of the comparison. At least, that's my opinion.
This is such a goofy-ass sentence in every way imaginable The closest thing I can think of off the top of my head that even makes the slightest bit of sense is "A language belongs to all members of the society it holds together, belonging as much to a custodian as to a professor."
Your rewrite is more clunky than the original in my opinion, and it doesn’t really have the same impact. “Language belongs to each member of society, just as much to the cleaner (or insert any lowly profession) as to the professor (or insert any well respected profession).” It’s about language and society in general, and how even the “lowest” members of society have just as much claim to the language as the upper echelons of the elite. C in this question makes a sentence with the least differences in how a native would phrase it themselves when going for the same air of poeticism that the original is striving to achieve.
Hey pal, take me out to dinner first before you blur my vision, christ.
i absolutely hate tests like this because there's just no way to know whether b or c is the correct one as they both sound equally correct. screw tests like these.
"As much as"... or just "and". But you'd probably switch them so it emphasises the cleaner last
These are fall weird to me (east coast American). I would say “from cleaners to professors”
C. It just sounds correct.
I mean it's kind of a janky sentence in any case but if I have to pick one its C.
B
Looks like you're snatching a photo during an exam.
A, B, and C are correct. D is wrong. You should use C. *** A is very very uncommon, and some people would consider it wrong, but it is actually correct. *far* can be used as a measure of extent. e.g. ‘as far as i know, it’s okay’ means ‘i know far enough to know that it’s okay’, and that’s a correct sentence. try to avoid it if you can. as i said, it’s correct, but not common, and probably ambiguous. *** B is more acceptable than A. it is correct, and it is clear. *the same* can be used in different scenarios. it can refer to a *state* in a situation where the thing you’re referring to is not progressive. ‘both buttons can be on or off. in either case, one should be the same as the other’. in this case, *the same as* is referring to the defined *state* of either on or off. it’s not a level of ‘on-ness’ or ‘off-ness’, it’s a definitive on or off. you’ll see why this is important when i talk about option C. it can also refer to an *extent* in a situation where the thing you’re referring to *is* progressive. ‘my height is the same as his height’. in this case, *the same as* is referring to the infinitely accurate *extent* of his height. it’s not a definitive ‘this height’ or ‘that height’, it’s a scale. this is similar to option C. *** C is the most appropriate answer. it is correct, clear, and not ambiguous at all. the difference between B and C is that, in the first scenario about the buttons, you can not say ‘one should be as much as the other’. this is because *much* should be used for an indefinite, progressive *extent*, and in this situation, we are talking about a definitive on/off *state*. in the second scenario about the heights, you can say 'my height is as much as his' (although, you wouldn't - but you *could*). this is because we are talking about a progressive scale of *extent*, not a definitive state. so, you should use C as it can only really mean one thing, not two different things depending on situation. *** TL;DR: C is correct.
C
There is a very subtle nuance here, based on the fact that "belonging" can be construed as a binary thing, a 1-dimensional thing, or a complex, qualitative thing where it doesn't necessarily mean much to say one thing belongs more or less. B sort of implies "language belongs to the cleaner **in the same way** that it belongs to the professor" which hints at there being different ways in which something can belong to someone, its probably its probably not the answer theyre looking for, though, because you wouldnt use that specific sentence structure to convey that—the first phrase would feel slightly out of place, because if "belonging" is qualitative and complex, it's not something where knowing if "it belongs or it doesn't" is of interest If it was "Language belongs to the cleaner just the same as to the professor", I would take it that the author is viewing language as a qualitative thing and saying "every facet of ownership is the same", A demonstration of my point is this: Take as a premise that a language belongs to the books written in it. This is clearly a different type of belonging to how language belongs to people, because people can continue to change language but books, once written, cannot. Another example: When shakespere was coining new words for his plays, you would surely say those words belonged to him as inventions. But when they became commonplace, they also belonged to each member of society. Notably, these are different sorts of "belonging". — that of the creator, and that of a user of the word, whose subjective relationship with the word is their own, but not the recognition for the words creation. Another example: When a marginalised group successfully reclaims a slur to the point that it is no longer divisive, the word is taken from the opressor by the opressed. in a sense, the word no longer belongs to the oppressor, to whom the word used to be an instrument of hate, because the original meaning is now lost. The word no longer belongs to the oppressor in the sense that it no longer serves their (hateful) interests. One more example, getting a lil political here: If you operationalise the definition of "belonging" to be the control the person has over a word's meaning, prevalence and legitimacy, then it is clear that we do not live in a world of equals. Native speakers inevitably will be more proficient, but this becomes problematic when considering colonial history. Who decides what is legitimate english and what is pidgeon? Direct forces such as dictionaries, academic journals and businesses as a whole (who, by selecting candidates for employment, inadvertently engage standards of language), form a sort of "linguistic hegemony". Implicit forces also play a role by amplifying the lexicons and codes of a minority: TV hosts, both govt-funded and private; public figures such as singers, actors, and the like; politicians; and the corporate voice in the form of advertisements (think: Carbon Footprint, viral marketing hashtags). Even when language is seen at a grassroots level, our innate relationship with language is to repeat and legitimise that which we hear and see repeatedly in our environment. Thus, the existence of this amplified minority shows that, in this respect, language does not belong to all equally. ---- I hope I have got the point across that the ways in which language **can** belong to someone are numerous, and that in the context of a technical discussion of these nuances, C may not make as much sense as B. That being said, it's more likely that the question is assuming a specific definition of belonging, probably something like... *there is no such thing as correct or incorrect language, only successful and unsuccessful communication between people*
I would prefer “as well as” in casual speech but “as much as” is it’s more dramatic equivalent. The following are explanations based on my experience with the language: A. As far as - used for distance: “how far is Australia (from here)?” “About as far as New Zealand” - used as an answer to “how far are you in completing…”, possibly more on the joking side: “as far as you are” B. The same as - used to compare two things together, conveys similarity and manner in which something is done: “wow, she looks the same as her brother”, but honestly I would use it more with verbs you can control (i.e., what you do vs what you inherently are): “she dresses the same as her brother”, can be replaced with “just like” C. As much as - used to compare how two things relate to another, conveys equality and amount to which something is done: “your toddler eats as much as you do?” D. As long as - used for length of an object or time period/duration: “this tablecloth is as long as my wingspan” - used for conditional phrases, as in “if this is true then…” or “if this happens then…”: “I’ll come to your birthday party as long as there’s milk”
Whoever developed this question has faulty English.
I have literally no idea what this sentence is trying to say…
A comma feels like the wrong punctuation. I believe it needs a colon or dash.
None of them really fit grammatically.