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OP I was talking about the sentence itself. Let me put it another way. The chances of my letting you buy me a drink are at least one in 50 million. Actually the chances are much closer to 50 million in 50 million.
The headline could have been made technically correct in one of two ways:
The odds of catching such a lobster are at least 50 million to one.
OR
The chances of catching such a lobster are one in at least 50 million.
As written, the sentence says the chances are at least one in 50 million, implying that they may well be greater than one in 50 million, perhaps even 10 in 50 million or 1000 in 50 million, but the at least modifies the one and not the 50 million.
TEd
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted Speaking of antecedents: TEd Remington 07/16/06 11:17 AM Re: Speaking of antecedents: Myridon 07/17/06 02:37 PM Re: Speaking of antecedents: belMarduk 07/17/06 03:08 PM Re: Speaking of antecedents: TEd Remington 07/17/06 03:30 PM Re: Speaking of antecedents: AnnaStrophic 07/17/06 03:38 PM subject verb agreement TEd Remington 07/18/06 01:25 AM
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