Question
Updated on
26 Sep 2022
- Spanish (Mexico)
-
English (US)
Question about English (US)
What is the difference between "he'll go to prison for a long time." and "he'll go to prison long." ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.
What is the difference between "he'll go to prison for a long time." and "he'll go to prison long." ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.
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- English (UK)
- English (US)
"he'll go to prison long." is incorrect
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- English (US)
I agree with @Gejemica.
But, it would be natural to say..
he won't be in prison for long.
(which means he won't be in prison for a long time)
Or, he will be in prison, but not for long. (also natural; means not for a long time)
The negative usage is natural.
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- English (UK)
- English (US)
- English (US)
@Gejemica I blurred two issues.
One is that "long" (long=noun) and "a long time" (long=adjective) can be interchangeable, such as in the usages "for long" and "for a long time".
The other is that the negative can be natural (when the direct, non-negative usage is unnatural).
He will not be in prison long. (natural)
He will be in prison long. (not very natural)
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