Still others?_其他_趣味英语-查字典英语网

Still others?

When I answer a reader question over English, I try not to say much. Instead I choose to trust the reader to find out the answers by themselves. This attitude of non-interference, thank you very much, often works.

Here, for example, is a little to-and-fro with Shirlie (who always seems to have another question ready for me the minute I have answered the last one):

Xin: Thanks for writing. Please hit this link (omitted) for reply in detail.

Shirlie: Thank you very much…. But I'm sorry I have to bother you again. This time I'm really confused by some explanation about a 20-minute walk and a 20 minutes' walk. I think they are both right. But some said they are not. Here I copied the original question for you:

3. Every morning Mr. Smith takes a ______ to his office.

A．20 minutes' walk 　B．20 minute's walk

C．20-minutes walk 　　D．20-minute walk

The answer is A. But others say the answer is D. I think both are right. Some said they chose D because A needn't an article. Is that right? I don't think they are right. What's your opinion?

Xin: Never mind my opinion (it's not a matter of opinion, is it?), the answer is D. Have a good day.

Shirlie: Thanks, but I'm still wondering why A is not right? Even some books say "a 20 minutes' walk" is right.

Xin: May I challenge you to produce the book?

Shirlie: Thank you for your patience. I'm the last one who wants you to be bothered by silly grammatical questions, which drive me crazy sometimes and I'm trying to escape from them. I'm sorry I can not present you the book because the book is not available now, but the website is available. You would say it's stupid to believe in the websites, yap, sometimes it is true. The book won't be available until next week when I go home. So I will make everything clear at that time. The website is here (omitted).