1 cat in 3 boxes vs 3 cats in 3 boxes

[bubeepbu]

Dear all,

I am confused about how to write a correct sentence for the situation below.

1) Andy puts a cat in three boxes - A, B and C.
One cat only and the same cat. First, he puts the cat in Box A then Box B then Box C.
Can I say, Andy puts a cat in three boxes, A, B and C, individually?

2) Andy puts a cat in three boxes - A, B and C.
So, there is a total of 3 cats.
Can I say, Andy puts a cat in three respective boxes, A, B and C?

Plz advice. Thank you.

 

[a little edgy]

For the first meaning, I suggest "sequentially," rather than "individually" ("... three boxes, A, B and C, sequentially"), to make it clear that he was putting the same cat in a series of three boxes, one after the other.

For the second, you could add "each of" before "boxes" - "... puts a cat in each of three boxes ..." - which makes clear that there are three cats, one in each box.

 

[morzh]

1) No, sounds clumsy.
"One box at a time" or "in sequence" could be used here.

2)Andy puts a cat in each of the boxes A, B and C.

 

[Copyright]

I would also use "the" cat in the first example as a clue to the reader that it's the same cat.

 

[bubeepbu]

thank you guys for ur help.
The information is helpful. Thx

 

[a little edgy]

I agree, Copyright, but that would require a previous reference to the cat, wouldn't it?

Andy had a dog and a cat. He put the cat in ...

 

[Copyright]

I agree, Copyright, but that would require a previous reference to the cat, wouldn't it?

Andy had a dog and a cat. He put the cat in ...

Perhaps not on a test question where you're expected to imagine the situation.

 

[heypresto]

thank you guys for ur help.
The information is helpful. Thx

As an aside, in English we spell 'plz', 'ur', and 'thx' respectively as 'please', 'your', and 'thanks'.