“From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success.” - is this grammatically acceptable?
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I am grappling with a sentence here, which is rather poetic in nature and is way beyond my intuitive knowledge of English. Please help!
"From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success."
The contextual meaning is that there were three attempts made and only one of them was successful. It was successful because the chance was affirmed.
Is the sentence in question grammatically correct? Or can it be rephrased for compactness: "A single of three attempts affirmed the chance for success."
Thank you!
grammar
asked Jul 14 at 0:43
Misha
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bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 3 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
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I am grappling with a sentence here, which is rather poetic in nature and is way beyond my intuitive knowledge of English. Please help!
"From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success."
The contextual meaning is that there were three attempts made and only one of them was successful. It was successful because the chance was affirmed.
Is the sentence in question grammatically correct? Or can it be rephrased for compactness: "A single of three attempts affirmed the chance for success."
Thank you!
grammar
asked Jul 14 at 0:43
Misha
41
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 3 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
1
The clearest formulation I can think of is "One of three attempts succeeded." To me, "affirmed the chance" sounds unnatural and doesn't add to the meaning.
– Andreas Blass
Jul 14 at 1:43
Sorry, Misha; you’re missing all that matters. Far from “poetic” your “From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success" is simply unacceptable. “… of success" might work. “… for success" shows the author is not an educated native speaker. To discuss three attempts of which only one was successful you need a site dealing with literature, not language. To discuss what was successful because a chance was affirmed you need a site dealing with philosophy. Here the phrase is not correct, nor could it be rephrased as you hoped.
– Robbie Goodwin
Aug 1 at 21:39
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
I am grappling with a sentence here, which is rather poetic in nature and is way beyond my intuitive knowledge of English. Please help!
"From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success."
The contextual meaning is that there were three attempts made and only one of them was successful. It was successful because the chance was affirmed.
Is the sentence in question grammatically correct? Or can it be rephrased for compactness: "A single of three attempts affirmed the chance for success."
Thank you!
grammar
asked Jul 14 at 0:43
Misha
41
I am grappling with a sentence here, which is rather poetic in nature and is way beyond my intuitive knowledge of English. Please help!
"From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success."
The contextual meaning is that there were three attempts made and only one of them was successful. It was successful because the chance was affirmed.
Is the sentence in question grammatically correct? Or can it be rephrased for compactness: "A single of three attempts affirmed the chance for success."
Thank you!
grammar
grammar
asked Jul 14 at 0:43
Misha
41
asked Jul 14 at 0:43
Misha
41
asked Jul 14 at 0:43
Misha
41
asked Jul 14 at 0:43
Misha
41
asked Jul 14 at 0:43
Misha
41
41
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 3 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 3 hours ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
1
The clearest formulation I can think of is "One of three attempts succeeded." To me, "affirmed the chance" sounds unnatural and doesn't add to the meaning.
– Andreas Blass
Jul 14 at 1:43
Sorry, Misha; you’re missing all that matters. Far from “poetic” your “From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success" is simply unacceptable. “… of success" might work. “… for success" shows the author is not an educated native speaker. To discuss three attempts of which only one was successful you need a site dealing with literature, not language. To discuss what was successful because a chance was affirmed you need a site dealing with philosophy. Here the phrase is not correct, nor could it be rephrased as you hoped.
– Robbie Goodwin
Aug 1 at 21:39
add a comment |
1
The clearest formulation I can think of is "One of three attempts succeeded." To me, "affirmed the chance" sounds unnatural and doesn't add to the meaning.
– Andreas Blass
Jul 14 at 1:43
Sorry, Misha; you’re missing all that matters. Far from “poetic” your “From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success" is simply unacceptable. “… of success" might work. “… for success" shows the author is not an educated native speaker. To discuss three attempts of which only one was successful you need a site dealing with literature, not language. To discuss what was successful because a chance was affirmed you need a site dealing with philosophy. Here the phrase is not correct, nor could it be rephrased as you hoped.
– Robbie Goodwin
Aug 1 at 21:39
1
1
The clearest formulation I can think of is "One of three attempts succeeded." To me, "affirmed the chance" sounds unnatural and doesn't add to the meaning.
– Andreas Blass
Jul 14 at 1:43
The clearest formulation I can think of is "One of three attempts succeeded." To me, "affirmed the chance" sounds unnatural and doesn't add to the meaning.
– Andreas Blass
Jul 14 at 1:43
Sorry, Misha; you’re missing all that matters. Far from “poetic” your “From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success" is simply unacceptable. “… of success" might work. “… for success" shows the author is not an educated native speaker. To discuss three attempts of which only one was successful you need a site dealing with literature, not language. To discuss what was successful because a chance was affirmed you need a site dealing with philosophy. Here the phrase is not correct, nor could it be rephrased as you hoped.
– Robbie Goodwin
Aug 1 at 21:39
Sorry, Misha; you’re missing all that matters. Far from “poetic” your “From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success" is simply unacceptable. “… of success" might work. “… for success" shows the author is not an educated native speaker. To discuss three attempts of which only one was successful you need a site dealing with literature, not language. To discuss what was successful because a chance was affirmed you need a site dealing with philosophy. Here the phrase is not correct, nor could it be rephrased as you hoped.
– Robbie Goodwin
Aug 1 at 21:39
add a comment |
2 Answers
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"From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success."
The sentence is grammatically sound, but semantically a little confusing.
I wouldn't use single here, as a single one suggests a rare outlier amongst many, not just one of three. Also, it is not success that is affirmed, but rather the chance of success. My interpretation and rephrasing of the sentence would be:
"One of three attempts proved success was possible."
answered Jul 14 at 6:41
pablopaul
1,238211
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'affirmed' is more of a declaration, but the declarer is an abstract noun: 'attempt', so isn't logical. A better word would be 'guaranteed' if the chance of success is definite, or 'offered' if it is not. 'chance of' is redundant.
answered Aug 13 at 10:06
cloudsafe
1013
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
"From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success."
The sentence is grammatically sound, but semantically a little confusing.
I wouldn't use single here, as a single one suggests a rare outlier amongst many, not just one of three. Also, it is not success that is affirmed, but rather the chance of success. My interpretation and rephrasing of the sentence would be:
"One of three attempts proved success was possible."
answered Jul 14 at 6:41
pablopaul
1,238211
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
"From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success."
The sentence is grammatically sound, but semantically a little confusing.
I wouldn't use single here, as a single one suggests a rare outlier amongst many, not just one of three. Also, it is not success that is affirmed, but rather the chance of success. My interpretation and rephrasing of the sentence would be:
"One of three attempts proved success was possible."
answered Jul 14 at 6:41
pablopaul
1,238211
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
"From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success."
The sentence is grammatically sound, but semantically a little confusing.
I wouldn't use single here, as a single one suggests a rare outlier amongst many, not just one of three. Also, it is not success that is affirmed, but rather the chance of success. My interpretation and rephrasing of the sentence would be:
"One of three attempts proved success was possible."
answered Jul 14 at 6:41
pablopaul
1,238211
"From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success."
The sentence is grammatically sound, but semantically a little confusing.
I wouldn't use single here, as a single one suggests a rare outlier amongst many, not just one of three. Also, it is not success that is affirmed, but rather the chance of success. My interpretation and rephrasing of the sentence would be:
"One of three attempts proved success was possible."
answered Jul 14 at 6:41
pablopaul
1,238211
edited Jul 14 at 6:55
answered Jul 14 at 6:41
pablopaul
1,238211
answered Jul 14 at 6:41
pablopaul
1,238211
answered Jul 14 at 6:41
pablopaul
1,238211
1,238211
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
'affirmed' is more of a declaration, but the declarer is an abstract noun: 'attempt', so isn't logical. A better word would be 'guaranteed' if the chance of success is definite, or 'offered' if it is not. 'chance of' is redundant.
answered Aug 13 at 10:06
cloudsafe
1013
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
'affirmed' is more of a declaration, but the declarer is an abstract noun: 'attempt', so isn't logical. A better word would be 'guaranteed' if the chance of success is definite, or 'offered' if it is not. 'chance of' is redundant.
answered Aug 13 at 10:06
cloudsafe
1013
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
'affirmed' is more of a declaration, but the declarer is an abstract noun: 'attempt', so isn't logical. A better word would be 'guaranteed' if the chance of success is definite, or 'offered' if it is not. 'chance of' is redundant.
answered Aug 13 at 10:06
cloudsafe
1013
'affirmed' is more of a declaration, but the declarer is an abstract noun: 'attempt', so isn't logical. A better word would be 'guaranteed' if the chance of success is definite, or 'offered' if it is not. 'chance of' is redundant.
answered Aug 13 at 10:06
cloudsafe
1013
edited Aug 13 at 10:20
answered Aug 13 at 10:06
cloudsafe
1013
answered Aug 13 at 10:06
cloudsafe
1013
answered Aug 13 at 10:06
cloudsafe
1013
1013
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
The clearest formulation I can think of is "One of three attempts succeeded." To me, "affirmed the chance" sounds unnatural and doesn't add to the meaning.
– Andreas Blass
Jul 14 at 1:43
Sorry, Misha; you’re missing all that matters. Far from “poetic” your “From three attempts a single one affirmed the chance for success" is simply unacceptable. “… of success" might work. “… for success" shows the author is not an educated native speaker. To discuss three attempts of which only one was successful you need a site dealing with literature, not language. To discuss what was successful because a chance was affirmed you need a site dealing with philosophy. Here the phrase is not correct, nor could it be rephrased as you hoped.
– Robbie Goodwin
Aug 1 at 21:39