Feb 24, 2007 15:32
17 yrs ago
English term
"How much" or "how long" - what is a difference?
English
Medical
Psychology
Just after you lied down how much time passed till you fell asleep?
Right after you go to bed, how long has it been taking you to fall asleep?
"How much" or "how long" - what is a difference between these 2 phrases in this context?
Right after you go to bed, how long has it been taking you to fall asleep?
"How much" or "how long" - what is a difference between these 2 phrases in this context?
Responses
+1
7 mins
Selected
how much asks about quantity / how long asks about length or time
If you ask how long, there's 2 possibilities, a measure (literally the length) or time.
a) how long is the table? 3 metres
b) how long did you stay? 3 hours
If you ask how much + time, it's also about quantity of time.
Just after you LAY down how much time passed UNTIL you fell asleep?
Right after you go to bed, how long DOES IT TAKE you to fall asleep?
The answer will be identical, e.g. 30 minutes.
a) how long is the table? 3 metres
b) how long did you stay? 3 hours
If you ask how much + time, it's also about quantity of time.
Just after you LAY down how much time passed UNTIL you fell asleep?
Right after you go to bed, how long DOES IT TAKE you to fall asleep?
The answer will be identical, e.g. 30 minutes.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
cmwilliams (X)
: different ways of saying the same thing
2 mins
|
| neutral |
Edith Kelly
: Sorry for the neutral, but I cannot really see how "how much time" asks for quantity, time is measured in length. I already posted that these are different ways of saying the same thing.
9 mins
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks everybody!"
+4
1 min
Edith Kelly
Switzerland
Switzerland
Native in English
&
English
Switzerland
Professional conference interpreter
Native in: German 
, English
Works in: German to English, English to German, Dutch to German, and 4 more.
It would be splitting hairs to see a difference here
same same, simply different terminology
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
juvera
9 mins
|
| agree |
Siegfried Armbruster
4 hrs
|
| agree |
Sophia Finos (X)
7 hrs
|
| agree |
MMUlr
: Post-grading: I cannot understand why this (first!) correct answer had not been chosen.
23 hrs
|
+2
2 mins
Luisa Moura Almeida
Punctual, good quality
Native in: Portuguese , Dutch
Works in: Dutch to Portuguese, Portuguese to Dutch, Dutch to French, and 4 more.
Discussion