1

In my EFL class, I wanted to ask one of the students who was farthest from the fan if they could feel the blow/wind of the fan, or if I had to place the fan somewhere else in the class.

a picture to better understand the situation

Imagine I wanted to ask the two students in the back if it was hot/cold, so that I knew whether to move the fan. The following sentences came to my mind at that moment, but I was not sure:

  • Do you feel/sense the blow/wind of the fan?
  • Does its blow/wind hit you?

What's the most natural way to convey such a meaning? Is there an expression that serves this purpose? Thanks

Improve this question
8
  • Is the fan effective enough for you guys?
    – alwayslearning
    Aug 18, 2016 at 7:24
  • 1
    A fan blows air, but a blow is a physical strike, as in a punch.
    – deadrat
    Aug 18, 2016 at 7:26
  • @deadrat - Why blow doesn't mean puff of air?
    – user66974
    Aug 18, 2016 at 7:33
  • 1
    @Josh61 The OED lists the noun as the action of the wind with the verb get, but marks it as a mod[ern] colloq[uialism], for the value of modern equal to 1887. Even if we accept this meaning for a blow from a fan, it's probably best to avoid the expression as conjuring up the image of throwing the appliance at the students.
    – deadrat
    Aug 18, 2016 at 7:47
  • 2
    "Do you feel the breeze from the fan?" is idiomatic. If you want to ask if the fan bothers them, "is the fan bothering you?" works well.
    – JEL
    Aug 18, 2016 at 8:03

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
2

Informally we would ask, "Can you feel the fan back there?"

Improve this answer
1

Asking people if they can feel the wind from the fan is liable to cause confusion. What if they just say "Yes"? What you really want to know is if you need to adjust the fan, so your question should address that. I would say something like

"Is anyone still too hot, or getting bothered by the fan? I can move it if you like."

This more directly addresses the issue.

Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.