live or alive electric or electrical

[dutahi]

One should never throw water on an alive electrical fire.
A B C D
Which one is incorrect? I think C or D. But i don't understand the meanings of live and alive, also electric and electrical. Can you explain it to me? thanks very much

 

[emsr2d2]

I think Rover might have pressed "Submit" too soon!

You are right that A and B are correct, although "One" could be changed to "You" and it would still be correct. We refer to electrics as being "live", not "alive".

Be careful, there's a live electric cable there.
I found out it was live when I stuck my finger on it and ended up in hospital.

"Electrical" is being used as an adjective to describe the type of fire, so the adjective "electrical" is correct.

I have an issue with the sentence as a whole. Quite simply, "one should never throw water on an electrical fire". If I found an electric heater or fan on fire, I wouldn't waste time finding out if it was plugged in or not, I would assume that it was "live" and I would not put water anywhere near it.

 

[tzfujimino]

Quite simply, "one should never throw water on an electrical fire".

:-D

 

[emsr2d2]

 

[Rover_KE]

Ems and I live in different parts of England. Where I live we all say 'electrical appliances' but call the individual articles 'electric fires', 'electric heaters', 'electric blankets', 'electric kettles' etc.

 

[MikeNewYork]

In AmE we say things the same as Rover except we would say "electrical fires". To me an "electric fire" sounds like one of the fake fires put in a fireplace to simulate burning wood.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm with Mike on this one. An electric fire is an appliance you put in the fireplace if you don't want to have a real fire. An electrical fire is an emergency situation where something which runs on electricity has caught fire.

 

[Jaskin]

Hi,
Please note I'm not a teacher nor a native speaker;

One shouldn't throw water on neither electric fires nor electrical fires.

Cheers.

 

[Raymott]

One shouldn't throw water on neither electric fires nor electrical fires.

No.
One should throw water on neither electric fires nor electrical fires.
One shouldn't throw water on either electric fires or electrical fires.