# Cecil's sentence

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecils-sentence/316742>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [August 12, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecils-sentence/316742 "2005-08-12T15:56:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecils-sentence/316742/1 "2005-08-12T15:56:41Z")

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From the [Natural born killers column.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/050812.html)

> [@](#):
>
> How lucky the country where the worst that happens to most disaster victims is they lose the house.

Is this a correct sentence?

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**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecils-sentence/316742/2 "2005-08-12T16:10:23Z")

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Phew, I thought this was going to be about all those parking tickets finally catching up to him.

The sentence might feel more confortable with an “is” inserted, as:

\*How lucky **is** the country where the worst that happens to most disaster victims is they lose the house. \*

…but I can imagine leaving it out as poetic license, as in general rhetoric: “How bold the man that faces his enemy”, and “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth, a woman’s derisive laughter before the Viagra kicks in.” In these cases, the use of “how” is not being used to ask an actual question, but just to say _how_ (i.e. very) lucky, bold or sharp the object being described is.

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**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecils-sentence/316742/3 "2005-08-12T16:30:16Z")

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> [@Bryan Ekers](#):
>
> “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth, a woman’s derisive laughter before the Viagra kicks in.”

Dude. You sound like you need a hug.

😉

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**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecils-sentence/316742/4 "2005-08-12T17:59:57Z")

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> [@The Controvert](#):
>
> Is this a correct sentence?

Yes, but it could be edited better.

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**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecils-sentence/316742/5 "2005-08-14T21:56:24Z")

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HEY! Don’t you mess with no Cecil!