"I am interested in English so much. And one sentence has been bewildered me for a long time: "My grandmother was spared the humiliation of those high, grey walls by eight or ten years." And I really can't figure out the use and meaning of 'spare' in this context."
Mountain Kuang
Sometimes words are used in ways we don't expect.
This week Mountain Kuang is puzzled by the use of the word 'spared' in this sentence:
My grandmother was spared the humiliation of those high, grey walls by eight or ten years.
Here's another example of the word 'spared' used in a similar way:
Thanks for reminding me about Judy's birthday. You spared me the embarrassment of arriving without a present.
Listen to the programme to understand the use of 'spare' and 'spared' in different contexts, with examples.
If you have a question you'd like us to answer, you can write to us or email: questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk
