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  • Unfortunately, there currently is not a way to make it default to a lower resolution.
  • Unfortunately, there is currently not a way to make it default to a lower resolution.
  • Unfortunately, there is not currently a way to make it default to a lower resolution.
  • Unfortunately, there currently is no way to make it default to a lower resolution.
  • Unfortunately, there is currently no way to make it default to a lower resolution.
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Unfortunately, I could not understand any of the alternatives without a second reading. – Kris Apr 19 '12 at 17:20
If you provide what you actually want to say, we can try to suggest a suitable sentence. Use several sentences to explain. Also tell us about the context. – Kris Apr 19 '12 at 17:25
How about: "Unfortunately, it cannot default to a lower resolution." (You've presented several alternatives, but, as others have suggested, grammatical correctness doesn't necessarily imply quality writing.) – J.R. Apr 19 '12 at 17:43
I am not sure why you think that any/all of these is not grammatical. Can you explain your confusion? – KitFox♦ Apr 19 '12 at 17:44
I am responding to a customer's question regarding some features in the software my company created. I want to let them know that there is currently no way to make the software default to a lower resolution, specifically 640x480. Depending on the camera they are using with the software, the default resolution is normally 1280x1024. If the user wants to use 640x480, they have to lower the resolution every time they open up the software. – Ryan Apr 19 '12 at 17:47
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4 Answers

up vote 7 down vote accepted

They're all grammatical, with the possible exception of the first. Whether any of them is an effective way to express the thought is another matter.

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+1 That saves me from adding one more comment. – Kris Apr 19 '12 at 17:32
+1 - It seems that "Unfortunately, there is currently no way to make it default to a lower resolution." does not leave any possible solution to the problem (i.e. the sentence closes the discussion on the problem). Am I right? – Xavier Vidal Hernández Apr 19 '12 at 18:24
@AngloSaxon: Don't they all? – Barrie England Apr 19 '12 at 18:46
I do not know. The sentences above seem indistinguishable to non native English speaker. My question was an invitation to you to explain the second part of your answer. – Xavier Vidal Hernández Apr 19 '12 at 19:02
I try to limit myself to answering the question asked. – Barrie England Apr 19 '12 at 19:04
up vote 2 down vote

All are grammatically correct and all express the same meaning, as far as I can see.

They all made perfect sense to me. Maybe those saying these sentences are cryptic are not used to working with screen or image resolutions and so have no background to understand what you're talking about. (I'm a professional computer geek so I say things like this all the time.)

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You should not be saying things like this, except when speaking to another professional geek. – Kris Apr 19 '12 at 18:19
up vote 0 down vote

Per OP's comment:

Sorry but there's no way to set the default resolution to another value. You will need to change from the default setting to your preferred value each time you start the program.

[Use the words 'lower value' instead, if you must].

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up vote 0 down vote

To not native English speaker and not professional computer geek seems that "Unfortunately, there is currently no way to make it default to a lower resolution." does not leave any possible solution to the problem, while "Unfortunately, there is currently not a way to make it default to a lower resolution." could generate the following answer: "What can we do to resolve this problem? Are there solutions?"

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