What a lovely meal ...

English translation: what a lovely meal that was!

02:41 Nov 8, 2020
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / elementary grammar: word order
English term or phrase: What a lovely meal ...
Which one is correct and why? Please provide a reference
What a lovely meal that was!
What a lovely meal was that!
Yassine El Bouknify
Morocco
Local time: 13:27
Selected answer:what a lovely meal that was!
Explanation:
This is the normal EN word order; the reversal of 'was that' would not be used in normal speech, though such construction might be found in e.g. a poetic context.
If you think of the original expression as being 'That was a lovely meal', then to make the exclamation using 'what...!', we simply split the sentence in two and invert the elements.
No reference needed: this is just basic EN grammar.
Note that your inverted version might be found in some regional usages, or use by 'uneducated' people — but it could not be cnsidered correct 'standard' EN usage.
'We had a great time' > 'What a great time we had!'
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 14:27
Grading comment
Thank you
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +9what a lovely meal that was!
Tony M


  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +9
what a lovely meal that was
what a lovely meal that was!


Explanation:
This is the normal EN word order; the reversal of 'was that' would not be used in normal speech, though such construction might be found in e.g. a poetic context.
If you think of the original expression as being 'That was a lovely meal', then to make the exclamation using 'what...!', we simply split the sentence in two and invert the elements.
No reference needed: this is just basic EN grammar.
Note that your inverted version might be found in some regional usages, or use by 'uneducated' people — but it could not be cnsidered correct 'standard' EN usage.
'We had a great time' > 'What a great time we had!'

Tony M
France
Local time: 14:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 309
Grading comment
Thank you

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alice Yang (X)
1 min
  -> Thanks, Alice!

agree  David Hollywood
22 mins
  -> Thanks, David!

agree  Edith Kelly
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Edith!

agree  Anastasia Andriani
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Anastasia!

agree  Mark Robertson
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Mark!

agree  Bashiqa
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Chris!

agree  Yvonne Gallagher
10 hrs
  -> Thanks, Yvonne!

agree  AllegroTrans
11 hrs
  -> Thanks, C!

agree  Seamus O Donnell: Ultach
2 days 12 hrs
  -> Thanks, Seamus!
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