Choosing the most idiomatic sentence
Which one is more idiomatic?
My greatest achievement is the first prize in a modeling competition.
OR
My greatest achievement is winning the first prize in a modeling competition.
word-usage idioms
asked yesterday
李新潍李新潍
13
New contributor
李新潍 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
Which one is more idiomatic?
My greatest achievement is the first prize in a modeling competition.
OR
My greatest achievement is winning the first prize in a modeling competition.
word-usage idioms
asked yesterday
李新潍李新潍
13
New contributor
李新潍 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
When you ask which is more popular, you're asking which is more likely to be used?
– KillingTime
yesterday
I wouldn't say that either is popular. Perhaps my achievement was first prize, but even that sounds a little strange. Far more likely is simply I won first prize or I came in first (depending on the competition).
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
@KillingTime Yes I am.
– 李新潍
12 hours ago
@JasonBassford Thank you. I have modified the sentence a bit. Does it look less strange now?
– 李新潍
12 hours ago
'achievement' and 'winning' are both activities. 'prize' is more likely a physical object.
– AmI
12 hours ago
add a comment |
Which one is more idiomatic?
My greatest achievement is the first prize in a modeling competition.
OR
My greatest achievement is winning the first prize in a modeling competition.
word-usage idioms
asked yesterday
李新潍李新潍
13
New contributor
李新潍 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Which one is more idiomatic?
My greatest achievement is the first prize in a modeling competition.
OR
My greatest achievement is winning the first prize in a modeling competition.
word-usage idioms
word-usage idioms
asked yesterday
李新潍李新潍
13
New contributor
李新潍 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked yesterday
李新潍李新潍
13
New contributor
李新潍 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 12 hours ago
李新潍
asked yesterday
李新潍李新潍
13
New contributor
李新潍 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked yesterday
李新潍李新潍
13
asked yesterday
李新潍李新潍
13
13
New contributor
李新潍 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
李新潍 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
李新潍 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
When you ask which is more popular, you're asking which is more likely to be used?
– KillingTime
yesterday
I wouldn't say that either is popular. Perhaps my achievement was first prize, but even that sounds a little strange. Far more likely is simply I won first prize or I came in first (depending on the competition).
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
@KillingTime Yes I am.
– 李新潍
12 hours ago
@JasonBassford Thank you. I have modified the sentence a bit. Does it look less strange now?
– 李新潍
12 hours ago
'achievement' and 'winning' are both activities. 'prize' is more likely a physical object.
– AmI
12 hours ago
add a comment |
When you ask which is more popular, you're asking which is more likely to be used?
– KillingTime
yesterday
I wouldn't say that either is popular. Perhaps my achievement was first prize, but even that sounds a little strange. Far more likely is simply I won first prize or I came in first (depending on the competition).
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
@KillingTime Yes I am.
– 李新潍
12 hours ago
@JasonBassford Thank you. I have modified the sentence a bit. Does it look less strange now?
– 李新潍
12 hours ago
'achievement' and 'winning' are both activities. 'prize' is more likely a physical object.
– AmI
12 hours ago
When you ask which is more popular, you're asking which is more likely to be used?
– KillingTime
yesterday
When you ask which is more popular, you're asking which is more likely to be used?
– KillingTime
yesterday
I wouldn't say that either is popular. Perhaps my achievement was first prize, but even that sounds a little strange. Far more likely is simply I won first prize or I came in first (depending on the competition).
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
I wouldn't say that either is popular. Perhaps my achievement was first prize, but even that sounds a little strange. Far more likely is simply I won first prize or I came in first (depending on the competition).
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
@KillingTime Yes I am.
– 李新潍
12 hours ago
@KillingTime Yes I am.
– 李新潍
12 hours ago
@JasonBassford Thank you. I have modified the sentence a bit. Does it look less strange now?
– 李新潍
12 hours ago
@JasonBassford Thank you. I have modified the sentence a bit. Does it look less strange now?
– 李新潍
12 hours ago
'achievement' and 'winning' are both activities. 'prize' is more likely a physical object.
– AmI
12 hours ago
'achievement' and 'winning' are both activities. 'prize' is more likely a physical object.
– AmI
12 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
It's not a question of popularity or idiomaticity; they're just different ways of saying the same thing.
No-one is going to frown upon
My greatest achievement is the first prize in a modelling competition.
Nor will they frown upon
My greatest achievement is winning the first prize in a modelling competition.
It is quite clear that the first sentence means 'I won first prize'. Personally, I would remove the word 'the' in both sentences if you want to be completely idiomatic.
The verb 'winning' is superfluous; it neither adds nor takes from the meaning.
My sentence of choice would be
My greatest achievement is first prize in a modelling competition.
answered 5 hours ago
LordologyLordology
1,297117
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "97"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
李新潍 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f489936%2fchoosing-the-most-idiomatic-sentence%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
It's not a question of popularity or idiomaticity; they're just different ways of saying the same thing.
No-one is going to frown upon
My greatest achievement is the first prize in a modelling competition.
Nor will they frown upon
My greatest achievement is winning the first prize in a modelling competition.
It is quite clear that the first sentence means 'I won first prize'. Personally, I would remove the word 'the' in both sentences if you want to be completely idiomatic.
The verb 'winning' is superfluous; it neither adds nor takes from the meaning.
My sentence of choice would be
My greatest achievement is first prize in a modelling competition.
answered 5 hours ago
LordologyLordology
1,297117
add a comment |
It's not a question of popularity or idiomaticity; they're just different ways of saying the same thing.
No-one is going to frown upon
My greatest achievement is the first prize in a modelling competition.
Nor will they frown upon
My greatest achievement is winning the first prize in a modelling competition.
It is quite clear that the first sentence means 'I won first prize'. Personally, I would remove the word 'the' in both sentences if you want to be completely idiomatic.
The verb 'winning' is superfluous; it neither adds nor takes from the meaning.
My sentence of choice would be
My greatest achievement is first prize in a modelling competition.
answered 5 hours ago
LordologyLordology
1,297117
add a comment |
It's not a question of popularity or idiomaticity; they're just different ways of saying the same thing.
No-one is going to frown upon
My greatest achievement is the first prize in a modelling competition.
Nor will they frown upon
My greatest achievement is winning the first prize in a modelling competition.
It is quite clear that the first sentence means 'I won first prize'. Personally, I would remove the word 'the' in both sentences if you want to be completely idiomatic.
The verb 'winning' is superfluous; it neither adds nor takes from the meaning.
My sentence of choice would be
My greatest achievement is first prize in a modelling competition.
answered 5 hours ago
LordologyLordology
1,297117
It's not a question of popularity or idiomaticity; they're just different ways of saying the same thing.
No-one is going to frown upon
My greatest achievement is the first prize in a modelling competition.
Nor will they frown upon
My greatest achievement is winning the first prize in a modelling competition.
It is quite clear that the first sentence means 'I won first prize'. Personally, I would remove the word 'the' in both sentences if you want to be completely idiomatic.
The verb 'winning' is superfluous; it neither adds nor takes from the meaning.
My sentence of choice would be
My greatest achievement is first prize in a modelling competition.
answered 5 hours ago
LordologyLordology
1,297117
answered 5 hours ago
LordologyLordology
1,297117
answered 5 hours ago
LordologyLordology
1,297117
answered 5 hours ago
LordologyLordology
1,297117
1,297117
add a comment |
add a comment |
李新潍 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
李新潍 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
李新潍 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
李新潍 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f489936%2fchoosing-the-most-idiomatic-sentence%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
When you ask which is more popular, you're asking which is more likely to be used?
– KillingTime
yesterday
I wouldn't say that either is popular. Perhaps my achievement was first prize, but even that sounds a little strange. Far more likely is simply I won first prize or I came in first (depending on the competition).
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
@KillingTime Yes I am.
– 李新潍
12 hours ago
@JasonBassford Thank you. I have modified the sentence a bit. Does it look less strange now?
– 李新潍
12 hours ago
'achievement' and 'winning' are both activities. 'prize' is more likely a physical object.
– AmI
12 hours ago