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SteveJobsRevived

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Post by SteveJobsRevived » Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:41 pm

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Last edited by SteveJobsRevived on Sun Oct 05, 2014 2:25 am, edited 2 times in total.

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WaltGrace83

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Re: Usually, Typically, Often.

Post by WaltGrace83 » Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:44 pm

Someone PLEASE correct me if I am wrong but doesn't usually/typically = most of the time while often = some of the time

What LR questions does it matter on? I'm curious.

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swampman

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Re: Usually, Typically, Often.

Post by swampman » Thu Mar 27, 2014 8:18 pm

WaltGrace83 wrote:Someone PLEASE correct me if I am wrong but doesn't usually/typically = most of the time while often = some of the time

What LR questions does it matter on? I'm curious.
I'm with you on the first two but the dictionary definition of "often" is "frequently." People win the lottery some of the time, but you probably wouldn't say that people win the lottery often.

I have that same question though, I don't remember any use of these terms where a common-sense understanding wouldn't be enough to get you through.

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SteveJobsRevived

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Post by SteveJobsRevived » Thu Mar 27, 2014 8:22 pm

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Last edited by SteveJobsRevived on Sun Oct 05, 2014 2:25 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Jeffort

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Re: Usually, Typically, Often.

Post by Jeffort » Thu Mar 27, 2014 8:47 pm

usually/typically = most of the time = more often true than not true

often = frequently, but does NOT by itself establish that something happens more often than it doesn't. In this way often/frequently is vague because it leaves it up in the air and does not tell you anything about how often the thing doesn't happen, meaning that 'often' isn't enough to guarantee usually/typically/most of the time. Contrast with the statement 'more often than not'. It nails down the extra information that establishes usually/typically whereas the word 'often' by itself simply doesn't guarantee 'usually'. This is the reason why some prep guides/advice tell you to treat often as only establishing for sure that the thing happens some of the time, the word just isn't enough to prove/guarantee most of the time even though that could be true.

Make sense?

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