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Using は in order to emphasize contrast

MaryG

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30 Jun 2016
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I need to know if in this sentence I used は in the right way to emphasize the contrast in two different situation:

五月は海に人が少ないいます。 八月多いいます。
Many thanks!
 
I think you have two problems:
1. You haven't used は to contrast anything. It is just used as a typical topic marker in the two sentences, with the topic changing from May to August.
2. Your adjectives need to be conjugated, or you need to use different verbs.
Does that give you a hint or two?

Edit: Actually, I'm trying to come up with a sentence that uses は as a contrastive marker for the example you gave, and I think any example will end up being a bit complicated.
 
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And if I say this:

五月は海に人が少ないです 。 八月少なくないです。
 
On the right track with the verbs/adjectives.
The use of は is still just used as a topic marker (In May.... In August...). This is OK, unless the exercise you are doing specifically asks you to use は to emphasize the contrast. (I also think the use of が is putting emphasis on the people, instead of the months so it is a further complication. It also sounds a bit too simplified... "people in the sea").
 
Maybe I should use de and not ni:
五月は海人が少ないです 。 八月少なくないです。

I do not understand when I have to user to emphasize the contrast...
 
You can't use で there since 海 is the location of existence, not action/movement.
I would say 五月は海に人があまりいません/少ないですが、八月はたくさんいます/多いです。
 
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