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"Question to anyone who speaks English !"

Yesterday was my English exam, and there was a question that I disagreed on with all the English teachers in the school, so in order to know the exact correct answer, the best thing to do is to ask British people (I am Egyptian by the way). This is the question:

Begin the following phrase with the word "Books", so that it would give the same meaning:
-People still read books.

My answer: Books are still being read by people.
The teachers' answer: Books are still read by people.

There are only 2 students in the school that wrote my answer: Me and my friend, and we're both the best English students in the school. And I mean the BEST, there is no one else in the school that can be compared to us. While on the other hand, all 3 English teachers in the school say that the correct answer is the other one, so ?

Ready wrote:
> Homosh, you can't be the "best" English student in your
> school if you're Egyptian and have a limited English vocabulary
> anyway!

He lives in Egypt you foo'.

I went scuba diving in egypt, and it was fun hehe...but i nearly sat on one of them spiney black thingys (anyone know wot they r called...cos i dont...) and that wuld have hurtt like hell

Ready wrote:
> Homosh, you can't be the "best" English student in your
> school if you're Egyptian and have a limited English vocabulary
> anyway!


What the hell?

Homosh, you can't be the "best" English student in your school if you're Egyptian and have a limited English vocabulary anyway!

homosh wrote:

> There are only 2 students in the school that wrote my answer: Me and
> my friend, and we're both the best English students in the school.
> And I mean the BEST, there is no one else in the school that can be
> compared to us.

WHATEVER! 'we're both the best in the school' as if you say that! and 'there is no on else in the school who can be compared to us' in your dreams you moron!

Homosh, what he's getting at is... If English is your first language, then you've been speaking it all your life and therefore should be as fluent as us and shouldn't be needing to ask questions like you have been, yet that's not the case. Basically, we're wondering what the language of Egypt is and if it isn't English, then why have you been raised with English as your first language?

there is so many different types of english. here in scotland i agree with you but "books are still BEING read" means that the person reading has not finished it.
So i myself would give a half mark, but i aint no english teacher.

I think if there's any difference at all, the former answer indicates that individual books are being read right now by various people, whereas the latter indicates that in general the book is a form of media that is still in use. Although you can read both to mean exactly the same thing, so colloquially it would make no odds. You shouldn't be marked down for putting either one of them.

He lies

homosh wrote:
> -People still read books.
> My answer: Books are still being read by people.
> The teachers' answer: Books are still read by people.
---------

They are both correct, it's merely a question of grammar.
Your answer indicates that people are still reading books, despite the many other distractions/attractions.
Your teacher indicates that people still read in book form, as opposed to reading online or printing off onto A4 paper.

Your reply applies directly to the notion of books still remaining popular, whilst your teacher's reply applies to the actual *thing* being read is in book form, not electronic nor papyrus.

Does that make sense?