Even though I have always been compliant, they would not strain away from yelling at me...

[ronjarabea]

Hello everyone,

does this expression exist? My English teacher marked it as a mistake.

"Even though I have always been compliant, they would not strain away from yelling at me..."

 

[emsr2d2]

Hello everyone, Unnecessary. Just go ahead and ask your question.

Does this expression exist? My English teacher marked it as a mistake.

"Even though I have always been compliant, they would not strain away from yelling at me."

Your teacher was correct to mark it as a mistake. I don't know exactly which part of that sentence you think is an "expression" but if you're talking about "would not strain away", I can certainly tell you that's wrong. If we strain something away, it means something like pouring liquid down a drain to remove it from a solid food (such as in a can/tin). Can you explain what you were trying to say in a different way?

Note that I have changed your thread title. Titles should include some/all of the words/phrases/sentences you are asking us to look at.

 

[ronjarabea]

Your teacher was correct to mark it as a mistake. I don't know exactly which part of that sentence you think is an "expression" but if you're talking about "would not strain away", I can certainly tell you that's wrong. If we strain something away, it means something like pouring liquid down a drain to remove it from a solid food (such as in a can/tin). Can you explain what you were trying to say in a different way?

Note that I have changed your thread title. Titles should include some/all of the words/phrases/sentences you are asking us to look at.

Okay, got it! Thanks for your quick reply.

What I was actually trying to say was that "they" would go out of their way to harass the girl, in this case.

Or maybe you could also say that they wouldn’t even feel bad about their behavior (again harassing the girl) even when she would comply and act according to their will.

 

[emsr2d2]

I have a feeling you mean something like "Even though I always do as I'm told, they never shy away from yelling at me".

 

[ronjarabea]

I have a feeling you mean something like "Even though I always do as I'm told, they never shy away from yelling at me".

Yep, that’s pretty much it. I probably got it mixed up with something else and then ended up with "strain away".

Thanks again!