texts: over/during - interchangeability and difference

texts:
I'm considering going to France over the christmas holidays.

I'm considering going to France during the christmas holidays.

Or

I went to my friend's place over the weekend.

I went to my friend's place during the weekend.

What's the difference between the first two and the second two sentences?
Are over and during interchangeable in some scenarios?


texts: zero article vs indefinite article vs plural

texts:
1- I like working in classroom

  2- I like working in classrooms.

  3- I like working in a classroom

What are the differences here ?

My guess is that 1 and 2 are synonyms and the speakers are talking about any classroom in general. if so what is the subtle difference ?

In the third one the speaker talks about one classroom from a specific group (as his school or something like that).
Still unsure, could anybody help in that ?


texts:
Then science happened, and shit got cray-cray.

I searched the reliable online dictionaries but I can not find any definition. Though I found meaning of cray:

  a short form of "crazy" used by some young people

but I still can not understand the meaning of the phrase excactly.

So, could you please explain it to me?

The fuller text:

  Everything revolved around the Church (or synagogue or temple or
  mosque or whatever). Priests and holy men were the arbiters of social
  life because they were the arbiters of hope. They were the only ones
  who could tell you what God wanted, and God was the only one who could
  promise any salvation or a better future. Therefore, these holy men
  dictated everything that was of value in society. Then science
  happened, and shit got cray-cray. Microscopes and printing presses
  and internal combustion engines and cotton gins and thermometers and,
  finally, some goddamn medicine that actually worked. Suddenly, life
  got better. More important, you could see life getting better. People
  used better tools, had access to more food, were healthier, and made
  more money. Finally, you could look back ten years and say, “Whoa! Can
  you believe we used to live like that?”


texts: "Get perks from your job", "get perks in your job" or "get perks at your jobs"?

texts:
Could you tell me which preposition is the most natural in the following sentence: from, in or at?

I get some perks from my job.
I get some perks in my job.
I get some perks at my job.


texts:
"You can't be tweeting silly pictures of your grandfather like this. He is a respectable man."
Please note that I made this sentence up so there might be mistakes. My question is about 'you can't be doing something.' What does it actually mean and when do you exactly say it?
Do you say this to tell someone not to do something they've already been doing?
I don't think it's possible to say it before someone does something, is it?


texts: What is the difference between "bicyclist" and "cyclist"?

texts: For example, if I was hit by a bicycle, should I tell the police a "cyclist" or "bicyclist" hit me. If either one, which one is more common in AmE?


texts: What should be used: "you got it" or "you get it"?

texts: When I sent a mail to a person and he's on chat right there. What should I ask, "You got it?" or "You get it?"


texts: which sentence is correct? "any simpler product than mugs" or "any product simpler than mugs"

texts:
which one is correct?

you can't create and sell any simpler product than mugs

you can't create and sell any product simpler than mugs


texts:
Should the conjunction in a complex-compound sentence be repeated? For example, in the examples below, which of the two sentences is correct?

  Because she loves flowers and because orchids are flowers, she loves orchids.
  Because she loves flowers and orchids are flowers, she loves orchids.


texts: "Julie has cooked dinner Let's go and eat!" (PrPerf vs PrPerfCont)

texts: Is it OK to use Present Perfect Continuous here, just like with "have you been crying? Your eyes are wet!" (crying-result-tears) ===>"Julie has been cooking, Let's go and eat!"(cooking-result-baked food).


texts:
I read short-story Andrina. I saw these sentences.

  A young woman up at your house? A home help, is she?.

Could anybody explain me why the author wrote "is she". I suppose it's the repeated question, but I am not sure and I do not understand why the author used "is". Also I do not understand the meaning of the "up" in the first sentence. Thanks for help!


texts: We wanted to “personally” let you know - is it correct?

texts:
Got a bit of an argument about this sentence here (this is the beginning of the email).

  "We wanted to personally let you know that..."

Is it OK to use "personally" here?

It seems grammatically correct, but the very structure seems so alien to me.


texts:
Is there any difference in meaning between:

  She has been continuously harassed by a cop.

And

  She has continuously been harassed by a cop.


texts: Is "who did the shooting?" a natural thing to say in this context?

texts:
Man 1 - They were shooting at me.
Man 2 - How can you be sure that it wasn't your friend who did the shooting?
Is "who did the shooting" perfectly natural in this context or are there a much more natural things to say instead?


texts: "Had they not intervened" OR "If they had not intervened"

texts:
Could someone please explain the grammar used in the text below?

  Officers are convinced the bloodshed at the Christian school would
  have been worse had Meis and the others not intervened.

  Source: CNN

According to what I have learned so far it should be :

  Officers are convinced the bloodshed at the Christian school would
  have been worse if Meis and the others had not intervened.


texts:
Half the Muggles killings back when You-Know-Who was in power were done for fun.

I figure that the word 'back' here is used as an adverb meaning "in the past". The sentence can be rephrased as: In the past when You-Know-Who was in power, half the Muggles killings were done for fun.

But I'm not quite sure if my understanding correct?


texts: "try and be more assertive" VS "try to be more assertive"

texts:
I am not a native English speaker but I am very used to using try to be more + (Adjective) form.

But very often do I get to see native English speakers use try and be more (Adjective) form.

I'd like to know if there is any difference between the two structures.
For example, is there any difference between the sentence 1 and the sentence 2 below?

  Sentence 1: You should try and be more assertive.

  Sentence 2: You should try to be more assertive.

Thank you for your help as always.


texts: Should there be an article in front of "onset"?

texts:
Many sentences have "the" in front of the "onset",

  the onset of the winter, of the war, ... etc

but in the medical literature (an easy search from scholar.google.com), many sentences are stated as below

  (1) In some countries, however, the time from onset of the condition to a diagnosis can be years
  - helen branswell, STAT, "A stubborn medical mystery: Was pandemic flu vaccine tied to an increase in narcolepsy cases?," 5 July 2018

  (2) We report the youngest known molecularly identified patient suffering
  of severe desminopathy characterized by infantile onset of cardiac
  arrhythmia - G Piñol-Ripoll et al. 2009

Are these expressions (without an article) correct or incorrect ? Shouldn't they be

  (1) ... the time from the/an onset of the condition ...

  (2) ... characterized by the/an infantile onset of cardiac ...


texts:
https://youtu.be/htmkbIboG9Q?t=481 claims that "that" has a schwa sound.

https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/that
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/that
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/that_1?q=that

all show it with [ae] instead of the schwa.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/that?s=t

does have a schwa version that is listed as "unstressed" but I don't know what that means.


texts:
I am writing an statement of purpose. There I would like to say the following thing.

"In my M.Sc., I worked with Professor X who I later joined as a PhD student."

Is it correct grammatically?


texts:
Which is correct?

  He is good enough on English.

  He is good enough in English.

Intuitively I will use on, but second thought make me feel both the same, or is it bizarre to use "good enough" in this way in the first place?


texts:
What phrases are for "noun + anonymous"?

I've already found

smokers anonymous
alcoholics anonymous

Are they always used for places where people go to quit using something, or have other meanings?


texts:
Do I understand the next right?

I caught a fish
It will mean I just caught some fish in quantity of one.

I caugh two fish
Means I caught two fish that are of the same species

I caught two fishes
I caught some indefinite amount of fish of two different species.


texts: Where do I place the year of an event in a sentence?

texts:
Is it more accurate to start a sentence with an year or to end it with an year?

So which out of the given sentences is more accurate:-

  In 1965 the 'Snurfer' was developed as a child's toy.

Or

  The 'Snurfer' was developed as a child's toy in 1965.

Thank you


texts: "mind-numbing" can be meant "extremely shocking"?

texts:
In "Inherit the Stars" there is a expression like this:

  The mind-numbing impact of Caldwell's revelations had by this time abated sufficiently for him to begin putting together in his mind something of a picture of what it all meant.

The definition of "mind-numbing" in the dictionary is only "extremely boring". But in this sentence the meaning is opposite.

I can understand that when we get shocked the mind become kind of numb.
Is it common usage that "mind-numbing" as a "extremely shocking"?


texts: Is “Turn the flow down a little” an appropriate expression when my son is playing with tap water?

texts: I am learning English and trying to teach my son to speak English in daily life. We live in China. My son likes to play with tap water and observe the water running out. I always wanted to tell him “Turn the flow down a little.” Would this language be natural or comprehensible to a native English speaker?


texts: English word for a room in a company office that handles letters

texts:
I am looking for a word to identify a room which exists in every institute or office, that receives/sends/distribute the letters that go through the office.
Usually they stamp and number the received and sent letters.
Google translator suggests the word SECRETARIAT.

Does that make sense?
Also, I want to find the English name of this room for an army headquarters.

Should I say, secretariat of headquarters or Command secretariat ?


texts:
With apologies to the CBC radio program This is That, which was likely
  planning a segment of its own on this important topic, reader comments
  on the idea of having Britain become part of Canada are welcome
  below.

A modest proposal for the U.K. as it eyes NAFTA

What does 'welcome below' mean here?


texts: I brought my pen, (my) keys, (my) bag etc

texts:
Do I need to repeat a personal pronoun every time I use some noun with it?

I brought my pen and pencil

or

I brought my pen and my pencil

What if we have more nouns?

I took my glasses, my phone, my picture, my knife and my wallet.

or

I took my glasses, phone, picture, knife and wallet.

or

I took my glasses, phone, picture, knife and my wallet.

?


texts: A strange phrase in YouTube video, could you please explain it?

texts:
I'm watching CMU Database Systems course. In this video:

https://youtu.be/QKNISiRJF-4?t=1841

... at 30:58 speakers says something like "These are numbers that should be (mind for low???)". I've never heard an expression like this before. Could you tell me please, what the sentence actually is and what does it mean?


texts: Adjective preposition phrase vs adverb preposition phrase

texts:
I'm good
Chicago is on the northest tip of Illinois.

I'm confuse, in first sentence, "Good" as an adjective, modify subject "I", or linking verb 'IS". If "Good" modify subject "I", then what the matter about "ON THE NEAREST TIP" in the second sentence,  as a prepositional phrase. Does it (On the nearest tip) work as an adjective, or as an adverb? It modifyes which (i.e. Chicago or IS)?

Thank you.


texts: "What was a little X going to do?" or "what was a little of X going to do?"

texts:
What the correct option? Or maybe the of is optional? Example:

  What was a little more (of) smoke going to do?


texts: "Give someone the cold shoulder" VS "Snub someone"

texts:
As The Free Dictionary says:

To give somebody the cold shoulder:
- To intentionally appear disinterested toward one; to snub. This phrase usually refers to the act of ignoring someone.

Example:

  She thinks you started that rumor about her—that's why she's been giving you the cold shoulder all day.

Also, it mentions that:

To snub somebody:
- To ignore or behave coldly toward; slight.

I think they both mean exactly the same thing, where "to give someone the cold shoulder" is only an idiom to the simple verb "snub". So we can say:

  She thinks you started that rumor about her—that's why she's been snubbing you all day.

without any change in meaning.

I was wondering if you could explain if I am right or wrong. If not, then what would be the subtle difference between them?


texts: Does it make any difference with passive auxiliary or not?

texts:
Jose Arcadio Segundo, in the meantime, had satisfied his wish to see a shooting. For the rest of his life he would remember the livid flash of the six simultaneous shots-and the echo of the discharge as it broke against the hills and the sad smile and perplexed eyes of the man being shot, who stood erect while his shirt became soaked with blood, and who was still smiling even when they untied him from the post and put him in a box filled with quicklime.   (One Hundred Years of Solitude, tr. by Gregory Rabassa)

Can you substitute being shot with shot? If yes, isn't there any semantic difference?
Since being is an auxiliary used for passive construction, I don't think there is some difference.


texts: Shall I use continuous or simple in this example

texts:
I am  waiting for a parcel because it has still not arrived. I mailed the seller and he wrote me that in fact he had written a wrong address .Now I am writing to him a new  email asking "what do we do now or what are we doing now "
I think the first one is better (after reading the difference between these expressions).
Am I right thinking the first one is better in this case?


texts: "to put smth to the test" vs. "to put smth to a test"

texts: What is the difference in the meaning between the two phrases: "to put smth to the test" and "to put smth to a test"?


texts: "If it were absent" in the following context - correct?

texts:
"It looks not important but in fact its presence is very important
  compared to if it were absent."

Is it correct to use that way?
The meaning is to say: It's better for us to have it, than to not have it. It works?


texts: I read the sentence “Last Christmas I was poorly” and don’t understand why an adverb is used to describe a person instead of the adjective “poor”. Is it an exception?


texts:
How can we ask a question tag for the following questions? Negative or positive?

  The boys problems are physical not mental,...?

  They were warned not to climb the mountain in such bad weather, ...?

Is it correct to use negative question tag?


texts: Agreement of multiple objects with one verb

texts:
How would a native speaker understand such a sentence?

  She truly believes in the power of diversity and collective
  intelligence

She believes in the power of diversity AND SHE ALSO BELIEVES in collective intelligence
She believes in the power of diversity AND ALSO IN THE POWER OF collective intelligence


texts:
When a professor is Michael Ernst (I suppose Michael is first name, and Ernst is last name), we call him Prof. Ernst or Prof. Michael?
When his close friends call him, should they call him Michael, or Ernst?
I see that he has called himself Mike, what is the reason?


texts: Why the writer is not using "a few" in place of "few" in the following sentence?

texts: She is unfortunate enough to lose few friends she made during her stay in Chennai.


texts: "could sought" in a conditional statement

texts:
I am asking my friend for a favor. If he doesnot accept then i have to inform him that i will look for someone else to favor me. For this context, i am confused with using could and should or would in future sense.

  If not, reply me so that i could sought for others!

Did the sentence conveyed what i expected?

I am little bit confused about future perfect tense and present perfect tense!

Thanks in advance

Update based on answers

So

  Could is the 'past' form of can. It expresses past tense in 'real' mode, or non-past tense in 'unreal' mode, but it cannot express non-past in real mode. You have to use can.

But the next answer suggests

  If not, reply to me so that I could seek help from others

I will look for next person if he denied and i am not sure whether he will deny or not. So that could seek depends on a event that has yet to occur. So following infinitive form of the verb after could expresses the context in present or future ?


texts: Does "I play football at the park near my house every Tuesday evening." sound natural?

texts:
The answer to this post (Is it idiomatic to say "he wakes up early always" or "he wakes up always early"?) says

  It is unusual and odd to use the adverbs "usually" or "always" at the end of the sentence.

I agree with that.

Besides, Cambridge dictionary gives this grammar rule

  The adverb usually refers to what typically or normally happens. We use it mostly in mid position, between the subject and the main verb, or after the modal verb or first auxiliary verb, or after be as a main verb:

I guess the rule above is also applicable to other adverbs of frequency.

  I play football every Tuesday evening at the park near my house."

I am curious that, does putting the adverbs of frequency at the end of the sentence like the following also natural?

  I play football at the park near my house every Tuesday evening.


texts: Providing/provided, do I need to use the comma?

texts:
I have this sentence:

  They confirmed the system fulfills its intended use, providing that the
  proper X with high enough resolution was used.

Is the comma there correct?

I am also not sure about the "high enough resolution"...resolution high enough?


texts:
"The faunlet of a mother would designate the individual a portion of relative love toward both adult and child."
I have no idea what the person who wrote this is trying to say.


texts:
The data were analyzed by the ANOVA method.

  The data were analyzed with the ANOVA method.

Which one is more appropriate?


texts: Look the other way vs. look straight through somebody

texts:
look the other way

Fig. to ignore something on purpose. John could have prevented the problem, but he looked the other way. By looking the other way, he actually made the problem worse.

............................

She just looked straight through me

to behave as if you do not see someone when you look at them, either because you do not notice them or because you are ignoring them

.......

My specific question: I have found those explanations in both the Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries. Nevertheless, I have just found sentence below in the book English Grammar in Use. Thus, I am wondering if the bold parts mean the same thing and/or are interchangeable?

I saw Sue in town yesterday, but she didn't see me. She was looking the other way.

Any help would be appreciated.


texts:
Are these sentences correct or not with "back then"?

See, there were two types of cameras back then.
Duke Ellington got his first New York City gig at the cotton club in Harlem. Harlem was a hot spot for up and coming music and musicians back then.


texts:
I had to look up a word in English and was surprised at what I found.

I wanted to know how to say that a person is to "perfectionistic" which isn´t a word, I know:

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/german-english/perfektionistisch

Why is it that English only uses the word, "perfectionist" and not "perfectionistic"?

It might be my German mother tongue that makes me think like that since we just add an "-isch" to nouns most of the time when we use them as adjectives:  Perfektionist (noun), perfektionistisch (adjective).

It´s weird that I didn´t know about this because I usually get the words right when I speak and write in English!


texts:
My question is, there is some phrase which (at this moment) I cannot exactly remember, but the syntax is following -

  as _ as

Here, (__) is some word. Such phrases are very confusing to me. Can somebody explain me? These phrases don't have a literal translations in Spanish.

Thanks in advance.


texts:
For those who knows Russian here is my original question. The question is as follows: is there any other way to express temporal relations, that is to say that something has already been around since X times? Some other adverb perhaps?

My fault—I've asked not what I meant to. The question is not only to express temporal relations but also to express the past time in an explicit relationship with the present or, more precisely, the other way around = the present to the past and to emphasize that mentioning the very person who already did it then in the past: It was already observed by Aristotle that... something along these lines.. This comment is the closest to what I meant to ask.

Already in Aristotle's times it was observed that... I think this is the best variant. No perfect is needed, the simple past will do.


texts:
Please explain the word "newly" for me. Does it mean:

It's 10:00 a.m now and I finished my homework at 9:55 a.m. So can I say "I newly finished my homework"?

It's 10:00 am now and I finished my homework yesterday. So can I say "I newly finished my homework"?

Which sentence is correct?


texts: What is the difference between sheen, lustre and gloss

texts: I have referred to dictionaries, all of the three words express the meaning of something having a smooth and gentle brightness on its surface. So whether they are interchangeable or have subtle distinctions in there?


texts: The difference between the meanings of two sentences

texts:
1) I will tell you when he comes.

and

  2) I will tell you when he will come.

Is the difference between the two sentences (apart having different tenses) the answer, one the first does not need any answer  more a kind of info but second is a question and need a precise answer


texts:
I stuck at page 338, Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Here's an excerpt,

  Certainty adjective controlling subject-to-subject raising

  1.[The government] is unlikely to meet the full cost.

  . . . This meaning relationship becomes explicit if we paraphrase the structure with an equivalent that-clause. Two constructions are possible

  1.a. That the government will meet the full cost is unlikely.

  1.b. It is unlikely that the government will meet the full cost.

I don't understand the presence of will here, why is to meet.. rephrased to will meet... Does to refer to a future event?


texts: Clauses, same structure but different results

texts:
What he did to the company to cause employees to resign is unforgivable.

In this sentence , i bolded the noun clause,
and the entire sentence is considered correct with clear meaning.

  He made a mistake to cause the employees to isolate him.

But in this sentence, the entire sentence has the same structure as the noun clause above ,
but the sentence is not considered correct or it is ambiguous,

Why and what causes the difference?


texts: What should I say to person that wanted to help me and eventually didn't do that?

texts:
What should I say to person that wanted to help me and eventually didn't or couldn't do that?

If I translate it from my language then it is supposed to be: "thank you for your wishing to help". Does it work in English as well or there is alternatives?


texts: Is "in the hopes of" synonymous to "in the hope of"?

texts: Why do sometimes people put an s after hope in the idiom "in the hopes of"? Is there a reason for this, or is it just a matter of "dumb" preference? I am asking, because I saw the idiom with an s and without an s, and they both seem to be very prevalent.


texts:
I am confused as to why we say "that is okay" when we don't want someone to do something. For example,

A: Do you want a hotdog?
B: That's okay.

I would think that the means that it is okay to do, since you are saying that it is, quite literally, okay.


texts:
I looked up 'boulevard' and got this definition:

"a wide road in a town or city, often with trees along the sides"

My questions:

Is this word used for a dual road (in a town or city) that have a line of trees right in the middle to separate traffic lanes? If not, what is the word?
What is the word they use to describe that line of trees, or grass that separate the lanes? You can even sit there and watch cars passing you from both sides.

(I've found 'verge' but first it's British and second it's used to describe the edge of a road; also I found 'central reservation' but I'm not quite sure if it works here and it sounds awkwardly formal)

Thanks


texts: Would you please help me get to the bottom of the meaing of quite a vague phrase "And still for all our talk"? Again, it is a part of G. Hansard´s song Bird of Sorrow. Thank you.


texts: “There might be a lot more of them than there were of him” meaning in the context?

texts:
Only bubbles flew out of his mouth, but he had the distinct impression that the mermen had understood him, because they suddenly stopped laughing. Their yellowish eyes were fixed upon Harry's wand, and they looked scared. There might be a lot more of them than there were of him, but Harry could tell, by the looks on their faces, that they knew no more magic than the giant squid did.

I don't understand the meaning of "There might be a lot more of them than there were of him" in this context. What does it mean exactly?

From Harry Potter


texts: Having done something vs doing something

texts:
Do these two sentences mean the same thing? If not, please elaborate. If there are grammar mistakes, please help me correct them.

Growing up in California, I experienced life that was different than most people in Mexico.
Having grown up in California, I experienced life different than most people in Mexico.


texts: what does contributor mean in CNN contributor

texts:
what does contributor mean in this sentence:

  he is CNN contributor

thanks


texts:
Which is grammatically correct?

  He wrote it wrong.
  He wrote it wrongly.


texts:
Should I add 'of' after gerunds to introduce an object? For example, which one is correct:

  The advent of social media has had a huge impact on sharing information.

or

  The advent of social media has had a huge impact on the sharing of information.

? Both? In other words, do gerunds function as nouns or as verbs in such instances? Let me stress the fact that my question is not "how can I say it best" so don't suggest rephrasing (yes, "on how people share information" sounds better, but it's not the point, you can make your own example if you don't like mine).


texts:
twinkle [intransitive] to shine with a light that keeps changing
  from bright to pale to bright again

  Stars twinkled in the sky.

  twinkling lights in the distance

  blink [intransitive] to shine with an unsteady light; to flash
  on and off

  Suddenly a warning light blinked.

What are the differences between "The light is blinking" and "The light is twinkling"?


texts: the celebrations of the connections of a horse

texts:
The deaths of two of yesterday's Melbourne Cup runners put a dampener on the celebrations of the connections of the resounding winner, the German stayer Protectionist.
  And it reignited calls from animal welfare activists to tighten racing's rules and ban whipping.
  While seven year old stallion Araldo broke a leg after being spooked while returning to the mounting yard, an initial autopsy has revealed that Japanese horse Admire Rakti died from a heart attack, but what caused it might be more difficult to establish, as Samantha Donovan reports. (Aussie ABC)

I can't find the meaning of 'connections' that makes sense. What does it mean?


texts: Meaning of the phrase "to be used" in context

texts:
Here it is:

  And as blatantly obvious as this is, the norm in exercise programming is to ignore it. We are taught to test a novice for his 1-rep maximum capacity on the various exercises to be used, none of which he really knows how to do, none of which he can do correctly, and therefore none of which he can perform well enough that a test for max effort would actually mean anything.

Is to be used reffered to the future there? Could it be rephrased as ...the various exercises that will be used...?


texts:
What does the bolded phrase mean in the following:

  "Maybe you will come to London sometime."

How is it different from "You should come to London sometime."?


texts: "much of the sights" or "many of the sights"?

texts:
In this conversation, two people are talking about travelling when one of them says the following sentence:

  I went to Paris once, but I didn't see MUCH OF the sights.

I think "sights" in this sense is a  plural countable noun which  means "interesting places"; so shouldn't it be "many of" not "much of"?


texts: You're not gonna get away with this!/You'll not get away with this!/You won't get away with this!/You're not getting away with this!

texts:
I'm writing a story. A burglar breaks into a man's home and threatens him with a gun. As the burglar locks the man into a room so that he can rob his things, the man yells at him -

1) You're not gonna get away with this!

2) You won't get away with this!

3) You'll not get away with this!

4) You're not getting away with this!

Are the suggestions equally natural or are some better to use here than others? Thank you in advance.


texts:
Did you move home after University while you hunted for a job? Or stop over at your parents' house a little longer than planned while saving after your gap year? You're not alone and no one is judging you, if the latest research is anything to go by.

What does it mean be sth to go by ? Could you write at least one more example,please?
What is gap year in this context?


texts: I see "Give us a feedback" sometimes in software written by non-native English speakers and it sounds wrong to me, I think the article should not be there. Am I right? Perhaps for the same reason as in “The,” “a” or no article: “See you in _____ court.”?


texts: an ["imaginary" or "virtual"] person who only exists in her mind

texts:
Here is a scene (at 03:06) from Friends Season 4 Episode 13 "The One with Rachel's Crush".

There is no anyone else in the room where Rachel is just practicing asking Joshua out.
To describe the scene, I guess I can say

Rachel is talking to an imaginary/virtual person who only exists in her mind.

To describe that person in this context, should I use "imaginary", "virtual" or some other modifier? Are there any other expressions more natural could be used here?


texts: subjunctive following insist and maintain

texts:
I'd like to know whether insist and maintain are both correct in the following:

John insisted / maintained that the patient be treated immediately.

I'd appreciate your help.


texts:
Let's say I want to ask

  How many people are in the hotel? Women do not count.

I would like to get, as an answer, the number of people in the hotel excluding women. Is the above question the right way to ask it?

The sentence Women do not count is the part I find confusing. In this particular context, it may be obvious what it means, but in general, wouldn't it mean that women are not capable of counting, instead of women not being a part of the people we consider in our counting?

In my opinion, it sounds much intuitive to say Women have not being counted or Women are not (being) counted. But, at the other hand, it still doesn't make much sense.

So, what is the correct way to ask it? Btw, how would the same sentence look like in present continious, or past simple?

Thank you in advance for your time.

This is my first question on english stack exchange community. English,
 as you can probably tell, is not my native language, so feel free to correct any grammar mistakes I've made in this post. Thanks.


texts:
I live in university residence, and I have an internet problem. I am trying to send a message to the university to tell them about the problem. this is my email.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am Marco Dinatsoli, an informatic-master-degree student.
I study at XXX and I live at: YYY
Room number ZZZ.

I live here since three weeks, and I have a big Internet problem.
The Internet in my room is too too slow and keeps disconnecting. I just have one WIFI signal, and in a very rarely cases, I have two signals.
Plus, when I open the window, the Internet almost stops working at all.
Moreover, every 20 minutes, the Internet disconnects.
I am 100% sure that the problem is not because of my laptop for the following reasons:

    I tried to connect to the WIFi from my laptop at another room in the building and the Internet works perfectly.
    I tried to connect to the WIFI from my friend's laptop at my room and it has the exact same problem.
    When I open the door of the room, the Internet becomes better.
    All the other rooms have a hardware above the door to improve the WIFI signal except my door.
    When I put my laptop in the hole (like far just 3 meters from my room), I have a very good Internet.

My room is the farthest room in the building, in front of it there is the kitchen, and beside it there is the washing machine room, that is why the problem happens just with me.

I am really really looking forward to your help as soon as possible because I have to study for the exam and for the practical work.

I count on your support.

Many thanks,
Best regards,

as you read, I stated that I have one WIFI signal, but I don't know if Signal is the correct word here.

I mean this :

Could you tell me please what is the correct word here?

Many thanks


texts: It is not correctly? Review Present Continuous and Present Simply

texts:
I'm learning english and I have problem with translation name of sound: "Tell Me When We're Having Fun". I not understand why was Present Continuous form of tense used?
Is it not should use Present Simple (exactly "have fun"), as used definition in a general sense (have fun) or it means that action takes place right now and this form emphasize it here?


texts: "The irrealis mood form is unique to 'be', and limited to the 1st and 3rd person singular"

texts:
"The irrealis mood form is unique to be, and limited to the 1st and 3rd person singular”

Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum, A Student's Introduction to English Grammar. Cambridge University Press, 2005
What did he mean by this?

"if you were" - About 222,000,000 results

"if you was" About
17,200,000 results
"if you were my girlfriend" About 2,380,000 results

"if you was my
girlfriend" About 34 results


texts:
Is it ok to say "do not unrespect me" instead of "do not disrespect me"?

I heard someone say it and it struck me as odd.


texts: How to capitalize (or not) an abbreviation, is there any rule?

texts:
Reading this article I was quite puzzled about the way the author capitalized or not the abbreviations.

When writing in full:

  The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Number

All words are capitalized, but when abbreviating only the first letter is capitalized:

  The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Number (Icann)

Following the article, there is an opposite situation:

  generic top level domain.

Here, on the contrary the first letter is not capitalized while the rest are:

  generic top level domain (gTLD).

Could you please explain if there are some rules on how to capitalize the abbreviations or it’s up to the author’s want?


texts:
It is from a definiton by The Merriam Webster Dictionary. Here it goes:

  :to gain favor or favorable acceptance for by deliberate effort —usually used with with

It would make more sense to me of the word were left out. Why did the authors of the dictionary put in there?


texts:
Peter was the smartest kid all the way up until the fifth grade.

What is the meaning of "all the way up" , and what is the function of "up" here?


texts: What does "that" refer to in this context?

texts:
Does "That" refer to "The abiding sense"?

But don’t be fooled: enjoyment and happiness are not synonyms.
Enjoyment is, at best, an answer to the rigors of routine; it is not
the abiding sense of a life well lived. That comes with having lived
life well at every level and to the very heart of its ultimate
meaning.


texts:
We have a shop called, "tops in pops", and I would like to know what it means.

I tried Googling it and didn't reach results.

This is the shop. We sell groceries

I simply would like to know what this means. "tops in pops" – what does it mean?


texts: Usage of addressing, locating, identifying and specifying

texts:
It seems I have a problem in using some verbs like addressing, locating, identifying and specifying.

In this sentence:

  However, the main drawback of the approaches that rely on the HTML structure to identify objects is the lack of flexibility. They may require the use of absolute HTML paths to (address/locate/identify/specify/specify the address of/specify the location of) a data item. This approach is likely to fail when the target HTML page changes.

I know that identify fits, but how about the others?

I thought of address in this context: 'to find, or to specify the address of something', but it seems this means just 'talking to a certain individual', or 'trying to solve a problem'.

locate again to specify the location, but it seems this means 'to find the location'.


texts: Is it standard to add "please" after a question?

texts:
I was in a conversation with a client who asked me, "How are you?" I responded with "I am fine, thank you." I then followed up with, "How are you? Please."

My manager asks why I append "please" and says it is not standard.  Is she correct or is it OK to use please after my question?


texts:
Which is the correct answer?

  I'll be there in a _____ time.

  A) day or two
  B) day or two's
  C) day's or two's


texts: Do bathtubs strongly associate with "freestanding"?

texts:
From the definition of freestanding in Collins COBUILD:

  A freestanding piece of furniture or other object is not attached to anything, or stands on its own away from other things.

It can be about bathtub, but why is it the dominate result when googling the images for "freestanding"?

Does this have any explanation in English?


texts: Until you cry to stop or until you cry to make me stop?

texts:
I wanna share jokes to my friends to make them laugh hard till they cry & beg to stop. Which sentence would be correct to tell them?

I wanna tell you jokes and make you laugh until you cry to stop it.
I wanna tell you jokes and make you laugh until you cry to make me stop it.


texts:
A paragraph of a sample IELTS essay about the negative effects of telecommunications technology on people's everyday life starts as follows:

  It is also likely that people have become increasingly accustomed to living in a world that appreciates convenience and inactivity and they do not want to evade those maxims.

Is this sentence poorly designed in that the writer has used is likely to coupled with the past participle tense, or it is an accepted usage?

I'm not a native, yet the only way I can justify it is, it is likely to was meant, as it were, to connote it is not unfair to say that, it is not far from true to say that or other phrases along with those lines, or else likelihood involves future events and trends, to the best of my knowledge, rather than those having started in the past. Am I right?


texts: Can we say "I'm going to the bathroom" to mean "I'm going to take a shower / bath"?

texts: To me, "going to the bathroom" means "going to use the toilet" although the word "bathroom" can mean both places, which is why I always try to clarify and say "I was in the shower" instead of "I was in the bathroom" as I think the latter would be interpreted as "I was in the toilet". Am I wrong?


texts:
Can I use the word "dot" to denote the period at the end of a sentence?
I saw someone edited a post to change dot to period, but https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/dot says:

a dot written or printed as part of an i or j, as a diacritical mark, as one of a series of marks to signify omission, or as a period

so I'm confused.


texts: Can 'all' be used as a predicative complement?

texts:
"But what are you going to do with it [= dragon’s egg] when it's
  hatched?" said Hermione. "Well, I've bin doin' some readin', said
  Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta
  the library –– Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit –– it's a bit
  outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the
  fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on ‘em, see, an' when it hatches,
  feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half
  hour. An' see here –– how ter recognize diff'rent eggs –– what I got
  there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them." (Harry Potter
  and the Sorcerer's Stone)

It looks like ‘all’ is a predicative complement over ‘it’. Yet I don’t find such usage in dictionaries. How do I see the ‘all’?


texts: "Whatever/whatsoever book you like you can take it"?

texts:
What is the difference between "whatsoever" and "whatever"?
Which of them can be used in the following sentence:

Whatever book you like you can take it.

Whatsoever book you like you can take it.


texts: Use of present perfect and comparison with other tenses

texts:
Gloves for goalkeepers restrict heat loss from the hands and cuase
  discomfort. To alleviate this problem, material A has been
  incorporated into gloves to reduce the amount of heat.

This is a excerpt from a textbook on writing. The second sentence has present perfect. But,I don't understand what effect does present perfect tense bring out in the sentence.

Practically, the incorporation already happened before mentioning of the incorporation in the text. In that sense, past simple tense seems right.

Also, assuming it is not important to provide the time the incorporation is done in the original context, I think present simple tense is okay too, just for telling the completed state of the incorporation at present.

Based on those, I carefully concluded past, present tense works in place of present perfect. Could you judge those considerations on each tense and contrast each meaning with that of present perfect?


texts:
Which one is correct?
1. Peter hasn't been to the bank yet.
2. Peter hasn't been to a bank yet.
3. Peter Hasn't been to bank yet.


texts:
I discussed this with IMS team in my last meeting and the current backlog is expected to reduce substantially in the coming weeks..

should this sentence be rephrased as following and which one is more apt.

1.I discussed this with IMS team in my last meeting and the current backlog is expected to be reduced substantially in the coming weeks..

2.I discussed this with IMS team in my last meeting and the current backlog is expected to get reduced substantially in the coming weeks..


texts:
What's the passive form of "he did him dirty"?
He got done dirty? I think this is the correct form, but I am not 100% sure, because it sounds a bit odd.


texts:
What is the best translation for

  Bonjour Patrick, Malheureusement, "Je n'ai pas eu de nouvelle de Tom". Bonne journée.

Should I say

  "I didn't get news from Tom."

or I should say

  "I had no news from Tom."


texts:
a. Jane had been studying for 5 hours when her parents came home.

b. Jane was studying for 5 hours when her parents came home.

I think 'a' is ok, but what about 'b'? As a non-native, I wonder 'b' is correct, especially in grammar. Can I use past continous with 'for'?

Addition

A native teacher replied to me just a while ago that 'b' is not correct.
"In spoken informal English, yes, you can use the Past Continuous and there will no misunderstanding.
However, in a test, if you want to be perfectly grammatically correct, you should use the Past Perfect Tense. A well-spoken native speaker would also use the Past Perfect Continuous if they mention the length of time."

What's your opinion about this? Is 'b' natural or awkward?


texts: Usage of 'any' before more and comparative degrees

texts:
Could anyone please tell me what is the role of any in this sentence and can I leave out any in the sentence?

  I love to read books. I have books of many writers. I have a book named 'Gitanjali' written by Rabindranath Tagore and a book named 'Hamlet' written by William Shakespeare and many more books. I don't need (any) more books.

I think I can leave out any in the above sentence.

Here is another example:

  Me: Hey dad, I know you are going for a hike. I have given five packets of biscuits in your bag. Do you need (any) more packets of biscuits?

  Dad: No no that's enough. I don't need (any) more packets of biscuits.

I think I can also leave out any in both the above sentences.

And one more question, what does it mean when we use any before comparative degrees. Is it necessary to use any before comparative degrees can I leave it out? I  don't often use any before comparative degrees.

Here is the example:

  John: Yesterday, we lost the match to Manchester United. Our strikers were out of form. Could it have been any better if the coach had substituted them? What do you think Mani?

  Me: No, I don't think it could be any better because all the players were out of form.


texts:
I was wondering if a native could say which sentence from among the following sentences does not sound correct:

That child does nothing but watch TV.

That child does nothing except watch TV.

That child does nothing except for watch TV.

For me only #3 does not work. Because after 'for we have to use a noun or a gerund, whereas here according to the sentence we have to use infinitive without to (...does watch)
Am I right?


texts: What is the name of the person that consults?

texts: Working in agriculture, I deal a lot with consultants that advice me. So when I'm posing my doubts to those guys(a consult) what am I? What is the word meaning: "the person who consults?"


texts:
During a self-introduction in class, Jan said, "Hi my name's Jan Wayne. My friends call me Jan."

I want to write these sentences down formally, but I don't know how to.

I mean I don't know whether it is a formal way to introduce oneself to other people by saying
"Hi my name's Kitty XXX. My friends call me Kitty."


texts:
Here is a sentence from a CPE coursebook:

This is surprising, given that great differences often exist between the attitudes of parents and adolescents on such issues.

As we can see the preposition "on" is used here. If we consult Oxford Dictionary
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/attitude
we will see that to, towards, about, and on are all in use.
My native friend from the US told me that: "I don't say attitude "to" or "on", the others are contextual" That doesn't tell us anything except for his own preferences.
My question: Is there any way to choose between "to/towards" and "on" with attitude?


texts:
Excerpted from the paper How the Chinese Government Fabricates Social Media Posts for Strategic Distraction, not Engaged Argument by Gary King

  Section 8 discusses the theoretical implications of our findings. We give a unified parsimonious summary of Chinese government internal information control and show how these findings may cause scholars to rethink the notion of “common knowledge” in theories of authoritarian politics more generally.

What does parsimonious summary mean here? I looked it up in a dictionary but it's a bit strange to me, it sounds like the author is unwilling to give us summary.


texts:
Oh father, dear father

If in you besee-ee fit

I'll send him to college for one year yet

I'll tie blue ribbons all around his head

To let the maidens know that he's married

Source: https://genius.com/Donovan-young-but-growing-lyrics

Can you tell what the second line of the excerpt from Donovan's lyrics means? Not able to find the answer on the internet.


texts:
Let's look at the sentence.

  He doesn't want to see me win.

Is it shortened? Is it correct grammatically? I think the sentence should be as follows.

  He doesn't want to see me to win.

or

  He doesn't want to see that I win.

Please make me know it with explanation.


texts: Is "there neither existed a ..." a idiomatic phrase?

texts:
The phrase only gives 14 results on Google. So, it makes me wonder if it is idiomatic or not.

Example sentence:

  There isn't an appropriate place to break up. There neither exists a spot to stand after the ordeal.

EDIT:

Maybe this sounds more idiomatic?

  There isn't an appropriate place to break up. Neither one to stay at*
  after the ordeal.

_* not sure if at is the correct preposition

(I think I'm convinced now that there neither existed is not idiomatic.)


texts:
Does it mean "take part in trading"?

  "Optimism is quite high but everyone is a little bit nervous about when we should come in, what's the president going to do, what changes are going to come through, so they've been holding back, so loan growth is going to be a big focus of these numbers," he added.

Source: http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/18/us-banks-are-now-truly-turning-the-page-asset-manager-says.html


texts:
For this sentence:

  He broke a cup of his own.

Does it mean

that he broke a cup of unknown ownership after someone else had broken a cup, also of unknown ownership, or
that, after breaking a someone else's cup, he then broke a cup that belonged to himself?


texts: What would be an alternative to the word "reverse" as noun?

texts:
I mean the noun 'reverse' in the driving context, like 'drive and reverse'.

Is there any replacement for 'reverse' in this context?

Do you use, for example, 'backwards' instead of 'reverse' in America?


texts: What tense is this: "Why'd you make him live all those years alone?"

texts:
In the movie "Something big" with Dean Martin, Mr. Baker asks colonel's wife:
"Why'd you make him live all those years alone?"
What tense is that? Grammary suggest me:
Why'd you made him live all those years alone?
But I hear "make" as it writes in the subtitle.
Does it some with "should", as:
Why should you make him live all those years alone?
If I'm writing:
Why did you make him live all those years alone?
Grammarly there was no suggestion. But, if I'm writing:
Why'd you make him live all those years alone?
Grammarly corects to:
Why'd you made him live all those years alone?
If it is not "did", it can be only some modal, and I think it is "should" but I'm not sure and because I have just created this question.


texts: Who or whom, when the person being referred seems to be both a subject and object?

texts:
Edit: I am actually a native speaker of English, and I know that "whom" is not often used these days. However, the reason I am asking this question is to better understand grammar, so that I can compare and contrast English grammar with the grammar of French (a language I am trying to learn).

Suppose I want to speak English in a register that still uses the word "whom".

I understand that we use the word "who" if "who" is a subject:

  Who ate my sandwich?

and that we use "whom" if "whom" is an object:

  On whom do you have a crush?

But I'm confused which word I use in the following response about Marc, because the person I'm referring to with "who(m)" seems to be both an object and a subject:

  -- Who are you hoping will choose you as their teammate?
  -- It is Marc whom I want to ask me to be his teammate.

"I want Marc" makes Marc sound like an object; but "Marc asks me to be his teammate" makes Marc sound like a subject.

Questions:
Do I use "who" or "whom" in the sentence about Marc? Why?


texts:
In the following dialogue, what does Homer mean which makes Lisa upset? (from The Simpsons)

MARGE: I'll just clean the dishes...
ADIL (a guest): No, Mrs. Simpson, you have been oppressed enough today. I will clear the dishes. [goes to the kitchen.]
HOMER [to Marge]: Did you see that? This is the way I always wanted it to be! We've become a fully-functioning family unit! We've always blamed ourselves, but I guess it's pretty clear which cylinder wasn't firing.
MARGE: Homer!
[Lisa leaves the table in disgust.]


texts: The usage of On with days in informal speech

texts:
I've read it that you could choose not to use the preposition On when talking about days, like " I hope i get to meet you monday." in informal speech.
So, i was wondering, could i choose not to use On all the time?

Or is it better to just use On when talking about days in informal speech?


texts: "Send someone to do someting" vs. "send someone in to do something"

texts:
What is the difference in meaning beween send someone to do something and send someone in to do something? For example:

The government decided to send troops to restore order in the region.
The government decided to send in troops to restore order in the region.


texts:
I would like to ask you:

1) Is it OK to use "KEEP" in the PRESENT PERFECT

I have kept knocking on the door for 3 minutes now.

2) Is it OK to use "KEEP" in the PRESENT SIMPLE in this context

Two friends are at the office. One of them starts calling his wife on the phone every other minute. His wife hangs up on him but he goes on calling. After 10 minutes have passed the other guy asks the one calling.

Why do you keep calling her?

Would it be OK to use KEEP with the PRESENT SIMPLE, taking into consideration the fact that, the calling had been happening for 10 minutes only at the time of asking but apparently it had a potential to go on for some time.


texts:
I asked a duplicated question in another SE site. A native speaker left the following comment:

  It is somewhat of a duplicate, but the answer to this question, while
  given in the accepted answer to the other question, is just barely
  mentioned and could stand emphasizing in that or another answer.

I found this bolded use very peculiar, so I did a little search in Google Books. However, almost all examples are fake ones, like ".. stand, emphasizing ..", ".. took a stand emphasizing ..", etc.

Except for only this one:

  A few points brought out by Dr. Smith in my opinion will stand
  emphasizing: First. A constant and even flow of the gases. Second.
  Warm gases.

  -- Oral Hygiene, Volume 3

Is this a rarely used turn of phrase?

Does stand here mean 'to remain valid, effective, or unaltered', as in 'the agreement stands' or 'be in a specified state or condition', as in 'I stand corrected'?

And how to assess the syntactic function of 'emphasizing' here, a non-finite clause or a complement?


texts: Person desperate for loan or desperate person for loan?

texts:
When I say a person desperate for a loan, is it OK to say desperate person for loan?  For example:

"1. He met a person desperate for loan"

"2. He met a desperate person for loan"

The reason I am asking is because sometimes we reverse the order.

We say "good chance to do something or good chance for something", not "chance good to do something or chance good for something".

Well, I actually think, for the chance sentence, both of them make sense, but for the desperate person sentence, I don't think the sentence two makes sense. Desperate person for loan sounds off to my ear. Is the sentence two, desperate person for loan, grammatically correct?


texts: Is it wrong to say "are you sitting anywhere?" to imply have you already taken a seat?

texts:
Suppose you bump into a friend in a restaurant (or a food place in general) and you want to know weather he already has taken a seat.

Is it wrong to ask

  Are you sitting anywhere?

Would it sound like I am asking if he is sitting on something when we are talking which looks absurd!


texts: What does "I am not the kind of dude who rolls" mean?

texts:
It's from the 12th episode of the 2nd season of Breaking Bad. Here is the context:

Jesse's girlfiend: He's a high-school teacher. What's he gonna do,
give you a B-minus?
Send you outside to clap the erasers?
Jesse: You wouldn't really go to the cops, would you?
Jesse's girlfriend: We won't have to. He'll pay.
Jesse: And what if he doesn't?
Jesse's girfriend: Jesse, it's your money.
You're in the right here. He's in the wrong. He's not stupid. He'll
pay.
What is it, really? You don't want your half a million dollars?
You wanna renounce your earthly possessions and become a monk?
Jesse: No, it's just, I'm not the kind of dude who rolls.


texts: Does "anglophone" refer to anyone who speaks English?

texts:
According to Cambridge Dictionary:

anglophone
a person who speaks English, especially in countries where
other languages are also spoken.

According to Merriam-Webster:

anglophone
consisting of or belonging to an English-speaking population
especially in a country where two or more languages are spoken.

Does this mean that anyone who speaks English, whether native or non-native and regardless of where they live, is an anglophone?


texts:
Is I walked a dog slowly ambiguous?

I played game and at last after 3 hours I made a dog move fast.
I walked a dog right away but I made a dog move slowly like a snail.


texts: I am seeking an admission OR I am seeking for admission?

texts:
I am seeking a full time PhD admission.

OR

  I am seeking for admission to the full time PhD.

Both sentence seem to me correct. Am I right?


texts:
Is "swinging left and right" idiomatic? Swinging means "to move laterally". I am not sure if I am wrong, but it just doesn't sound right and I don't imagine the phrase being used in a novel, so is there a more idiomatic way of saying this?

For example:

  Robert swung his body left and right on the bed as he never
  experienced laying on a bed before since he had been homeless all his
  life.


texts:
'I would rather die than for this to happen.'

Does this sentence make sense and sound natural?
I saw it. But i am not sure..


texts: What is the difference between 'a few', 'some', 'several', and 'multiple'?

texts: 'A few', 'some', 'several', 'multiple' seem to have, more or less, the same meaning. But, as I see it, 'a few' appears to be less than 'some' and 'several' while 'some' and 'several', in turn, appear to mean less than 'multiple'. Could you clarify the subject for me?


texts: Is it correct to say "Does he say 'sink' in place of 'think'?"?

texts:
I saw a discussion below a youtube comment regarding the grammatical correctness of this question.
Find the comment here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvzbS7nlYX4&lc=UgzPb9XrJ-VcZLCjxs54AaABAg
I thought that it felt wrong, especially since he seemed to be talking about a momentary gaffe and not a pattern of behavior. Shouldn't he have said "Does he always say "sink" in place of "think"? " or "Does he often say "sink" in place of "think"? " if he meant a recurring pattern?
But since this was a comment on a single video, I think he meant to say "Did he just say "sink" in place of "think"? ".
Anyway, I wanted to confirm if that comment has no problems grammatically speaking.


texts: Gramar question -"She is going to marry him in spite of that he is very poor"

texts:
"She is going to marry him in spite of that he is very poor"

I think there is a problem in that sentence but I can't find it


texts:
I want to learn about different cultures.

  I want to know about different cultures.

Do these two sentences mean the same?


texts:
Is there any phrase or idiom to describe a situation where someone has no any other choices but only one final choice . The context of the sentence:

There is no evidence to associate the accused to the crime, leaving the judge with no choice but to acquit him from the offence


texts: Is “to” needed here? “We thank (to) our teacher”

texts:
Could you please tell me if "to" is needed with "thank":

  We thank our teacher for everything she has done.

Or,

  We thank to our teacher for everything she has done.


texts: An adjective to describe a TYPE of person who is reluctant to accept truth (when person feels substandard)

texts:
Eg. Oh I'm glad I'm not in a relationship (because you have issues with yours) -yet the person actually wants to be in one.

eg. I'm glad I don't have a nice car (because you have to pay for premium gas) -yet the person actually likes nice cars.

I'm not looking for :jealousy, envy, something towards lacking confidence...


texts:
He called the Fun Zone, asking to meet the guys from the video.

Hi, I saw that sentence in a tv-series. I suppose I can rewrite it as:

  1- "He called the Fun Zone and asked to meet the guys from the video."

What I am wondering is the function of the participle, asking, in that sentence? I think it conveys the purpose of the call.

But these actions are happening in order: First he calls and then asks to meet.  I feel like using "asking" like that breaks this order and implies as if these two actions are happening at the same time.

As far as I know participles can be used to give more information about condition, result, reason or time not  purpose.

For example this sentence below seems awkward to me:

  2- He went to the library, studying for the exam. (To me, it
  means that he went to the library while studying for the exam or in
  the process of going to the library, he studied for the exam. Probably
  He studied for the exam on his way to the library.)

  3- He went to the library and studied for the exam. (But this one
  sounds okay.)


texts: "speaks Italian better" vs "speaks better Italian"

texts:
I guess the following sentences are both grammatically correct, but are they different in meaning?

Laura speaks Italian better than Jake.
Laura speaks better Italian than Jake.


texts:
Which one is most correct way of describing the number? Should it say:

  reported that 414 (which is 78%) of (the) 530 people.

or is it:

  reported that 414 (which is 78%) OUT of (the) 530 people.


texts: What is referenced - the people or the main subject?

texts:
I just heard the following expression.

  I knew him better than most people.

And suddenly, it hit me that I can't discriminate between the following interpretations.

  I knew him better than how well I knew most people. The other people being less familiar to me than what he is.

  I knew him better than how well most of the other people knew him. The other people being less familiar with him than me.

The first one describes the relation between me and him compared to me and others. The second one described the relation between me and other people compared to him and other people.

Which one is the correct interpretation? Or is it ambiguous and one has to relate on the context to make an assessment?


texts:
[...] tonnes of rubbish are being accumulated and the lack of space for (IT/THEM) is becoming a complex problem.

Should it be IT or THEM? And why?


texts: Do I say "where is it there" or "where it is there" to ask where a place is located?

texts:
I would like to know which of the following sentences is correct.

"Where is it there," or
"Where it is there"

Now what I'm trying to project in the question is: "Where or what is that place?"  Like asking: "Where was the example picture taken" I have been trying to translate "Adónde es alli?" from my native language Spanish to English using Google Translate, but I don't trust it since it won't translate correctly sometimes. It does translate "Adónde es alli?" to "Where it is there" but I'm not sure whether it's correct or not.

I would like to ask where this truck is located in this picture:


texts: Which tense should I use in this sentence? and why?

texts: She travels a lot. She [visited/ have visited] many countries.


texts:
I've encountered a person learning English using "dress" for a piece of clothing that covers the top half of her body (and possibly her legs as well).

I was under the impression that "dress" used to mean clothing in general, but nowadays is more commonly used to mean "skirt".

However, I looked up Wiktionary and Cambridge Dictionaries Online, and both of them indicate it means a piece of clothing that covers the top half of the body and hangs down over the legs.

I'm not an expert on women's apparel. Was I mistaken in thinking that "dress" could be used for a synonym for "skirt"?


texts: Question about meaning of "flying colors" and "featuring" in this driving related context

texts:
Preparing to take your driver's test so you can get your driver's license? Bone up for both the written test and the road test with these videos featuring A Club Driving School; they teach you everything you need to know to pass your tests with flying colors (including that bane of every new driver's existence -- how to parallel park!).

Which one is correct while defining featuring ? Showing a driving school or showed by a driving school ? Or none of them?
I cannot figure out what flying colors is refering to.
What does bane of one's existence mean? ( I know bane is something that make one unhappy ) but what is the use of the word existence here?


texts: make it convenient for me , conveniently

texts:
It is convenient for me to receive medical treatment

Is it correct to write: "I receive medical treatment conveniently"?

Is there any difference between the two sentences?


texts: The article use when the referent is shown

texts:
In the context described as conditions 1 through 3, which of the article options would you be more likely to use? I would normally say a because it's one of the books you are referring to, but wouldn't you ever use the because you are showing it to the listener, and the existence of the book is already evoked?

  A. I have (a / the) book I bought yesterday with me.

  B. This is (a / the) book I bought yesterday.

  (conditions)

  You have ONE OF THE BOOKS you bought yesterday with you.
  You are SHOWING IT to the listener.
  You have NEVER MENTIONED OR SHOWN IT, OR IMPLIED THE EXISTENCE OF IT to the listener before.

What if I've pulled the book out of my bag long enough before the utterance, but still almost at the same time as it, so that I figure you could feel the existence of the book was something you'd already known?


texts:
Do you (British people) use both "have" and "have got" in BrE?

Ex.
A. I have a.. & I have to..
B. I don't have a.. & I do not have to..
C. Do I have a..? & Do I have to..?

The examples of have got:
A. I have got a.. & I have got to..
B. I haven't got a.. & I haven't got to..
C. Have I got a..? & Have I got to..?

Or, do you (BrE) use have got in progressive form?

Ex:
I am having got (having) a.. And I am having to.. (having got)
I am not having got (having) a.. And I am not having to.. (having got)
Am I having got (having) a..? And I am having got (having) to?


texts: Where to put 'already' in present continous

texts:
Can you help me where to put 'already' in an English sentence which is in present continuous? Generally.

For example in this sentence.

  We are starting at 6 o'clock in the morning.


texts: Difference between "came to" and "came up to"

texts:
For these expression which of these two came to/came up to should I use

In the morning he came / came up to me and said that.......
I forgot my phone in the cafetaria in the afternoon.  I realized that when I came / came up to the elevator.

Can anyone please explain the difference between came to vs. came up to?


texts: It is impossible that . . . / It is not possible that . .

texts:
I'd like to know if the following sentences are correct. The intended message is that he cannot be a good student. What are the constraints on "It is impossible that . . ." and "It is not possible that . . ."?

a. It is impossible that John is a good student.

b. It is impossible that John should be a good student.

c. It is not possible that John is a good student.

d. It is not possible that John should be a good student.

While some of the above don't work, the following seem okay (though with different meanings):

e. It is not impossible that John is a good student.

f. It is possible that John is a good student.

g. It is impossible that a fishlike mammal will actually revert to being a true fish.


texts: Is it okay to write "gale force" without the hyphen?

texts:
Northern New South Wales is bracing for more flooding today. Heavy
  rain and gale force winds are expected to hit the region later this
  morning. (ABC News)

ABC’s news script has no hyphen between gale and force. Is it okay or does it need to be changed?


texts:
What's the difference between the following two sentences?

Sam is back in Boston on a visit to his uncle.

Sam is back in Boston to visit his uncle.


texts:
What is the exact meaning of "snuggle up to" in the following sentence? It is about an abortive attempt to removal someone called Mosadeq.
We now have to take a whole new look at the situation and probably have to snuggle up to Mosadeq if we’re going to save anything there.


texts: meaning of "not playing with a full deck"

texts:
From Lexico(Oxford)

not playing with a full deck (North American informal): Mentally deficient.

From the Free Dictionary by Farlex

Not mentally sound; crazy or mentally deranged. A: "Look at that guy talking to himself on the corner." B: "I reckon he's not playing
with a full deck."
Not very bright or intelligent; dimwitted. Jim's a nice guy, but with some of the foolish things he does, I wonder if he's not playing
with a full deck.

I understand the meanings talked about above.
However, an ELU post says

Both you and your friend are incorrect; sorry.
But that's not your fault; you're not playing with a full deck,
if you take your definitions of "part of speech" from English books.

Does it convey the same meaning defined in dictionaries? If yes, is it some kind of being impolite, calling asker not very bright?


texts: What does "shrink the whole nine yards" mean here?

texts:
In movie The Departed, there's a line: "You will be on probation, see a court-ordered shrink......the whole nine yards."
What is shrinking by court order here?


texts:
Subtitled movies sometimes have that nice feature, where important sounds and background noise are written out in words, something which you could not learn from just the audio.

In this way I understood that horses can neigh, whinny, snort, snicker, hooves, and whatnot.

There is that one sound that, if a human made it, we would call "blowing raspberries". Horses frequently do that in movies, but I found no consistent subtitling for that sound. Research on https://dict.leo.org finds discussions, but no clear answer. Wikipedia entries mention all sounds, but do not describe it in a way that would allow a clear assignment. Especially the distinction between neighing and whinnying seems to be blurry, my impression is that neither would match.


texts: Is it correct to end the sentence with "between"?

texts:
This is what I wrote

  Where c1, and c2 are the terms the system is trying to find the similarity between.

is using 'between' at the end correct?


texts:
As the problems of poverty grow worse, a class of rabble (Pobel) is thus created.
  —Terry Pinkard

I was stumbled across the above piece and when I read the Terry Pinkard's bolded sentence,
I wondered if it were common in English language. So I searched on The New York Times to verify if there were other examples of the phrase "poverty grow worse". Before searching there, I expected to find a remarkable number of examples, but I found nothing. Thus I searched on the most important British newspapers, but, again, I found nothing.

This circumstace seems strange to me because the fact that poverty is growing is rather common nowadays.

However, apart further considerations, this question arise from the fact that the words "grow" and "worse", used togheter as above, sound strange and almost contradictory.

Can anybody explain and clarify if I'm imagining things or if I have observed an unusual way to write?


texts: Is this a clear expression, "on a rainy day, Bob is grumpy with a 60 % chance, happy with 40 %"?

texts:
This question comes from this post, where I am trying to express the following meaning clearly and concisely.

this is clear but not concise

  on a rainy day, Bob is grumpy with a 60 % chance, Bob is happy with a
  40 % chance.

is this clear and concise?

  on a rainy day, Bob is grumpy with a 60 % chance, happy with 40 %


texts: "Hamdi is very fast I think he will win the match"

texts:
What is the difference between

  Hamdi is very fast I think he will win the match

and

  Hamdi is running fast, I think he is going to win the race

is that only running and very fast or this is not a difference?


texts: Number 6 of this poster on Maths SE implies some smutty subtext or wordplay for the noun phrase 'associated primes', which I fail to perceive, so would someone please explain and reveal the bawdiness?


texts: 'Would have known' vs 'could have known'

texts:
“I’ve thought and thought about how the killer got in, and I’m sure he must have followed her inside when she came in that morning, because of Derrick Wilson leaving his desk and being in the bathroom. I thought Wilson ought to have been bloody sacked for it, actually. If you ask me, he was having a sneaky sleep in the back room. I don’t know how the killer would have known the key code, but I’m sure that’s when he must have got in.”
  (The Cuckoo’s Calling, by Robert Galbraith)

‘Would’ and ‘could’ are both used to indicate a possible thing, say OALD would #3 and could # 4. Then, can the ‘would’ in the novel be replaced with ‘could’ - ‘would' here doesn't seem to indicate irrealis but inference - with the meaning unchanged? Or would there be any semantic change if ‘could’ was used?


texts: How to give multiple, possible options for an appointment?

texts:
Simple suggestions for an appointment...

  We could meet on Friday at 2 p.m.
      Are you available on Monday at 10 a.m.?

...can become quite cumbersome when many possible dates have to be given due to one person being busy.

How could I shorten several suggestions in a formal mail? I have seen this approach:

  Could we meet tomorrow (2-4pm), Friday (12-6pm), ...

...but I am unsure whether this would be correct, especially in formal writing?

What is the usual practice to give multiple suggestions for an appointment while keeping the writing as short as possible?


texts: Why use article 'the' in phrase The university of Texas at Dallas?

texts:
Why use article 'the' in the phrase The university of Texas at Dallas?

The founders of UTD named it "The University of Texas at Dallas" while the founders of UF named it "University of Florida". What was the reason the article "the" was used?


texts: "wait more than" vs. "wait FOR more than"

texts:
If you make him wait (for) more than ten minutes, he'll just walk away.

I found both instances on Google Books: with for and without for.
So I'm a bid confused.


texts: Meaning of "by" in the phrase "by the age of eight"?

texts:
This question is related to this other one: "What does “by” mean if we are talking about a date?".
What is the most common interpretation of the phrase "by the age of eight"? Does it mean before the person's eighth birthday? Or does it mean before they stop being eight, namely before their ninth birthday? The answer may possibly vary by context.
As a native speaker, I feel it should mean before their ninth birthday. To use an analogy, if A says "by the age of 18, a person ought to have done a double back somersault", and then B manages to do their first double back somersault when they are 18 and a half, I would make the interpretation that B has lived up to A's spoken expectation. But perhaps others differ?


texts: What's the difference between "upright" and "awake" in this context?

texts:
During the Doctor Who tour, these guys are experiencing a big jet lag

So I was trying to translate (in French) "How are you all upright and awake at this point?", so I translated "awake" as "réveillés", but I don't know how to translate "upright", which is a synonym of "straight"/"vertical" (or even "honest", but this doesn't mean anything in this context), so I could translate it by "debout" (which is the french for "standing", and might be used to express the fact that somebody is awake), but the problem is that "debout" and "réveillé" are redundant, so to translate it I would need to understand what is the difference between "upright" and "awake" in this context ?


texts:
Source From an episode of Friends at 00:01

  Monica: Will you let it go? It's not that  big a deal.

  Ross: Not that big a deal? It's amazing! OK. Just reach in there and there's just one little manoeuvre bam! — a bra right out the sleeve.

I always believed ‘that a big deal’  to be correct until I watched this episode of  'Friends' series where It's not that big a deal was used so frequently,  I am now beginning to doubt my belief that not that a big deal is grammatically correct.

So, which one is grammatically correct?

it's not that a big deal
it's not that big a deal

And why does the indeterminate article, ‘a’, come after the adjective big and not before in the Friends' excerpt?


texts: Question when we shift one tense back in reported speech

texts:
There is something makes me confused when I use reported speech. Please help me to understand this.

For example, in a three people conversation.

A said: I like ice-cream.
When I reported this sentence to B
Should I say: "He said he liked ice-cream"?

Does past tense in reported speech really mean action in the past? Does "liked" mean he doesn't like ice-cream anymore at the moment I say to B?

Sorry if my question sounds a little stupid...


texts: "When responding, please reference the claim number"

texts:
I've got an email from my insurance company. It says,

"Please return this information to us in writing using the contact information above. When responding, please reference the claim number listed above. Thank you for your assistance."

I'm not sure what it means by "reference the claim number". Do they want me to write the claim number on the envelope?


texts: What preposition should be used in "the conversation has been driven […] the subject"?

texts:
When you're trying to get the other party to converse about given subject, you drive or steer a conversation towards it. What preposition should be used with the following sentence?

  The conversation has been driven […] [at] the subject.

Would into or onto be the correct preposition?


texts:
A dog looks into a mirror and sees his own image. He thinks that is another dog, so he barks at that dog.
Do we say "The dog mistook/misunderstood his image in the mirror for another dog"?
When do we use the verb "mistake" and "misunderstand"?


texts: is 'envy your traveling life' correct sentence?

texts:
I have an Australian friend who travels very often and I want to say to her

  I really envy your traveling life

Is it right sentence? If not, what is nicer words?


texts: what is the right preposition "bad points of/about"

texts:
What is the right preposition to use here?

One of bad points of/about having children is being worry all the time.
One of the main bad points of/about my hometown is pollution.


texts: Can I say like this: "All these (things) is evidence he was not there."?

texts:
I am not sure if "is", "are" or "represent" can be used in a sentence like this:

  "All these (things) is/are/represent(s) evidence he was not there."

UPDATE

Because I have received slightly conflicting answers I will try to make my initial question a bit more clear. There are four versions. Which one is correct?

  1) All these represent evidence he was not there.

  2) All these represents evidence he was not there.

  3) All these are evidence he was not there.

  4) All these is evidence he was not there.


texts: "She DIDN'T enjoy it" or "She NOT enjoyed it"?

texts:
I have confusion about the following sentence.

Sue enjoys her work. She wouldn't do it if she not enjoyed it.

Sue enjoys her work. She wouldn't do it if she didn't enjoy it.

Which one is correct?


texts:
We did not know about that, WHICH/WHAT caused us thinking in a wrong direction.

What is the correct form of this sentence?

Thanks


texts: Understanding "What in pollination?" meme

texts:
I came across many images on Twitter like this

update 1
Original link.

Does the hat resemble nation? If yes then what's the reason?
I came to know that everything that ends with nation or sounds like nation they use this sticker and laugh at it.
But I don't get the joke.


texts:
Afraid of getting denied.

Scared to be denied.

Which one is grammatically correct please tell me.


texts:
He is the first kid to have been sent to Japan to study to become a doctor.

In this sentence, does the infinitive act serve as an adjective and modify the noun kid?

Can it also be understood as :(relative clause)

  He is the first kid who has been sent to Jpan to study to become a doctor.

Do both have the same meaning?


texts:
Is is only paying grammatically correct in the following sentence?

  if you took pictures yesterday, please note that our company is only paying
  for 1 picture per person.  If you need additional pictures, please reach out to Michael directly and arrange for payments.


texts:
I'm currently writing a formal letter in which I'm complaining about the dangers of the process of tanning leather in Bangladesh.

  But the ugly truth is that this price difference is actually being paid in Bangladesh; in/ with/ by human lives.

Which preposition should I use here?


texts:
I am wondering about the usage of the verb "fill in" in the following sentence.

"Please fill in the form."

Does fill in the form means you need to fill in only the necessary item in the form? You shouldn't fill in all items in the form. How does it work?


texts:
How do I say 0.0001782% written out in English?

0.1 is one tenth
0.01 is one hundredth
0.001 is one thousandth

Is 0.0001782 one ten-thousandth seven hundred eighty two, or  seventeen hundred eighty two, ten thousandths?


texts: Please explain why "would" is used in the following sentences?

texts:
Please explain why "would" is used in the following sentences (it's shown in its contracted form).

Situation 1.

  A: We have a special course that focuses on healthy food.

  B: I don't think I'd be interested in that.

Situation 2.

  A. What about the course specialising in vegetarian dishes?

  B: Oh. that sounds interesting.

  A: it gets booked up very quickly so you'd need to check if it was
  available.

Situation 3.

  A: This experiment takes very little time.

  B: So, that'd make it a good one to choose. And I don't suppose it'd
  need much equipment.


texts: What does 'reflect' mean in this sentence?

texts:
Once I was done optimizing the soil for my new low water consumption plan, I was ready to replace all my plants. I decided that the placement of all my plants would reflect the amount of water necessary to keep them alive.

What does 'reflect' mean here?

In chat, Damkerng suggested that it might be sense one in Macmillan Dictionary, "to show the existence or nature of something".  Jim Reynolds suggested that it might mean "correspond to; be in proportion with".  But I'm not sure, so I decided to ask here.


texts:
Why Main Verb is Used with did ?

Did is auxiliary verb like Have, Had.

Did represent Tense like auxiliary Had

Then why we use main verb and not past participle with did ~
Example :

Had you changed it ?
Did you change it ?


texts: What is out there in the sentence what is it like out there where they glow?

texts:
This is a quote from a song in the animated movie Tangled. I find translating this kind of sentence especially difficult:

(A) What is it like out there where they glow?

She is looking through the window in her castle and sees the glowing lanterns that are falling in the sky. This is when she sings the song in which the quote appears.
I think that the word "it" in (A) means the outside world where they glow. But how can we analyze sentence (A)?


texts:
Dictionaries say both 'literally' and 'literarily' could be adverb, but they say nothing about the usage of literarily.

So, what would be the differences in usage for these two words?


texts: Can "how to say" be pronounced as "howjsay"?

texts:
I found this interesting site http://www.howjsay.com. I realized their site name "howjsay" might just be "how to say". Am I right?

Do people say "how to say" as "how j say"?

Thanks!


texts:
Why do not we use 's for "government departments"? For example: Government departments are either ministerial departments or non-ministerial departments and we do not say Government's departments are either... .

ans also is there a clear solution for the correct usage of 's?


texts: When he married, he {could / was able to} go to Europe

texts:
I'm not a native-speaker, so sometimes modal verbs are tricky for me.

Could is a modal verb that expresses general ability in the past tense.
'Was able to' is not a modal verb, and we can use 'was able to' to talk about an ability related to a single event or incident in the past.

So, I think like this:

He was rich. He could go to Europe.

In this case, he was rich, so, I don't know he actually had been to Europe or not, but he could go to Europe whenever he wanted to, because he was rich then. Am I thinking it right?

How about this:

He was rich, so when he married, he {could/was able to} go to Europe.

In this case 'could' or 'was able to'? 'When he married' is a single event, so, is 'was able to' right?


texts: What do we call that green coloured substance inside our nose in English

texts: I had caught fever and and my nose was running. I want to know that what to call the stuff that comes out of a running nose, in English. In Hindi, we say "Naak".


texts:
When a word can be considered as an object? For example the following sentence from a dictionary, is provided under the entry for the word “compensate” when it functions as an intransitive verb so logically it shouldn’t have an object:
“Her intelligence more than compensates for her lack of experience.”
But it looks to me that “her lack of experience” is the object. Am I right?


texts: Is, "He is a bit deranged," past tense or present tense?

texts:
I am writing an essay which must be in present tense. So is, "He is a bit deranged," past tense or present tense?
If it is past tense, how do I write it in present tense?
I would really appreciate if you could answer.


texts: Performing several actions on the same thing - "(verb) it, (verb) it and (verb) it" OR "(verb), (verb) and (verb) it."

texts:
I was writing some answers on other SE communities, when I find myself writing:

  Test it, learn from it and improve it.

1) Is it okay the repetead use of "it"?

2) Are there cases when it is useful to emphatize or to be eloquent? or is it just unnecesary?

3) In case I want to avoid it, is possible to deal with -for example- the "learn from it" without placing it in the last place?. In my example the order does matter, so would it be correct to say "test, learn from and improve it"?

4) In case order doesn't matter, is it recommended that in the case where there's just  one verb+ preposition, to position it at the end?


texts: 'Do you have anything needed?' Is this sentence incorrect?

texts:
This sentence just came to mind right after I watched the sentence :

  Do you need anything?

So, do these two sentences have the same meaning, or is the one in the title totally redundant?


texts:
Environmental, physical, and psychological factors limit our potential and narrow the range of things we can do with our lives.  “Trying harder” cannot substitute for talent, equipment, and method, but this should not lead to despair.  Rather, we should attempt to become the best we can be within our limitations. We try to find our niche.  By the time we reach employment age, there is a finite range of jobs we can perform effectively.

What does 'niche' match in context above?

the best we can be within our limitations
a finite range of jobs we can perform effectively.


texts: Should I use the preterite or the present perfect?

texts: I haven't seen my family for three years (now). Should I say "It's been three long years since I haven't seen my family" or "it's been three long years since I last saw my family" or "It's" in the simple present instead of "It's been"? Can you suggest me the best way to put it?


texts:
Of Rama and Usha the latter is the more responsible.
I think use of the is superfluous before competative degree more.
But my book suggest that the given sentence is absolutely right. Please explain if there is any rule regarding this in English grammar.


texts: Does "long on brains" means 'be smart' or 'having many smart people'?

texts:
long on brains

Does this mean 'be smart' or 'having many smart people'?
One dictionary says 'long' means 'having or being more than normal or necessary'.


texts:
I have written two groups of similar sentences below, but I don’t know in each group which sentence is the most natural way of implying the matter in my question. I was wondering if someone could help me:

A)
- 1) It’s        one year now that  you promised me.
- 2) It’s        a   year now that  you promised me.
- 3) It’s        one year now since you promised me.
- 4) It’s        a   year now since you promised me.
- 5) It has been one year now since you promised me.
- 6) It has been a   year now since you promised me.

B)
- 1) One year ago today   you promised me.
- 2) A   year ago today   you promised me.
- 3) One year ago at this you promised me.
- 4) A   year ago at this you promised me.


texts: "Why Londoners didn't understand Frieda?" vs. "Why didn't Londoners understand Frieda?"

texts:
Which of these is a more natural-sounding sentence:

Why Londoners didn't understand Frieda?
Why didn't Londoners understand Frieda?

It seems that we oftener say "why didn't you do this?" and not "why you didn't do this?", but with the Frieda example, both sound passable to me.


texts: I like / liked the way you act / acted last night

texts:
Which sentence sound more idiomatic when we talk to someone now for referring to something specific she/he did before, for example helping someone last night.

  I like the way you act last night.

  I like the way you acted last night.

  I liked the way you act last night.

  I liked the way you acted last night.


texts: Is there an idiom that means "easy to destroy"? I thought about the idiom "easy pickings", but I realized "easy pickings" is used for things that are easy to get, steal or refers to people who are easy to convince. Is there any similar expression that means "easy to kill, destroy, take care of"?


texts: is it "I am not like someone" or "I am not as someone"?

texts:
When referring to not being like a specific group of girls....

Would you say

  I'm just not like them.

Or would it be written as:

  I'm just not as them.


texts:
"You mean Piglet. The little fellow with the excited ears. That's
  Piglet. I'll tell him."

This is from Winnie-the-Pooh. What's the meaning "with the excited ears"?


texts:
What's the difference in meaning between "act a certain way" and "act in a certain way"?

It confuses me sometimes.


texts:
Kamala Harris

  She credits that largely to a Hindu immigrant single mom who adopted
  black culture and immersed her daughters in it.

I looked up dictionary and there are 2 meanings as a verb:

  V-T When a sum of money is credited to an account, the bank adds that
  sum of money to the total in the account.
  V-T If people credit
  someone with an achievement or if it is credited to them, people say
  or believe that they were responsible for it.

It didn't seem fit.


texts:
1.Which article should I use in the sentence below. I have noticed that ‘the ‘is often used in this kind of situation * (question on forums). Let’s assume that nothing indicates that the question is about articles

-Does the sentence below need a/the definite article?

Is it possible to use the indefinite article in the sentences below? Lets say that a little boy throws stones in a paddle and his mom isn’t happy about it ( sorry about the banality)

-Mother: don’t throw stones in the paddle

Son: but it is the only way that a crab will appear.

Mother: a/the crab will not appear if you throw stones in a/the paddle

Thank you!!


texts:
Imagine the following conversation.

  A: Oh, there is Bugs Bunny on television.
  B: Who is Bugs Bunny? Is it your new boyfriend?
  A: I don't have a new boyfriend; I prefer my old boyfriend.

B just wants to know of whom A is speaking; maybe Bugs Bunny is the nick used for a celebrity or for a person A knows, not to mean that Bugs Bunny.

Is prefer correct, in this case? Looking at the definition given from the dictionary, I read the following.

  to like one thing or person better than another; to choose one thing rather than something else because you like it better

In this case, there isn't a second person for which the comparison can be done. I would think that "I like my old boyfriend." is a better phrase.
Is it really so, or is there any reason to use prefer in this context?

Should I understand "I prefer my old boyfriend." as "I prefer still having my old boyfriend than not having a boyfriend."? Is prefer really used with that meaning?


texts: which one is correct, whine or whining as a noun?

texts:
Do you think these 2 are correct?

Cannot tolerate your whine anymore
Cannot tolerate your whining anymore

I feel more comfortable using "whining" in this example but I can also see that "whine" is a noun too so it could also be correct?


texts: Was it impolite for me to say "That's alright" when someone ran into me? Are there any better expessions?

texts:
I was travelling on a crowded bus. Someone suddenly ran into me and touched me when the bus stopped suddenly. The man said sorry to me. I did not get angry because I could see there was an auto accident not far from the bus, and then I said this,

  that's alright

Was it polite for me to say it?
If not, what shall I say?
Or are there any better expressions when someone ran into you but you are alright with it?


texts: Try food from someone, Try someone's food, Try food from someone's plate

texts:
I usually get the same thing at my favorite fast food place. But if my friend gets something I've never tried before, I'll try some from them, and see if I want to get it the next time.

Does it sound natural? It doesn't flow well. What's the best way to express it?
As in "Trying food from someone", "try someone's food", "try food from someone's food".
I know that "I'll have some of their food" works, but I'm looking for something along the lines of "try".


texts:
"It's not the PIIGS one should worry about," Friedman said. "Germany hasn’t even begun falling yet. And when Germany falls, and it will, that’s when the panic begins to set in."

(Source)

Does the first 'And' mean "But"?
Does "and it will" mean "and it will fall for sure"?


texts: "necessary to life" OR "necessary for life"?

texts:
From Longman dictionary I see that the word necessary can be used as follows:

  It is necessary (for somebody) to do something.

  Something is necessary for (doing) something.

However, I saw the sentence

  Air is necessary to life;

in a book which I think should be

  Air is necessary for life.

Which form is correct and why?


texts:
I have a question about the meaning of

  try to grasp the stakes here

for a difficult situation to take the control?


texts:
Suppose you have a friend, named “Sam”. You know each other for example for 3-4 months. You see sometimes he plays some offensive practical jokes or makes some impolite advances to his friends and you do not like it at all. Even it seems too offensive for you. Anyway he has not played such jokes with you yet, (you just came across his jokes with some other people in the past.) Once when you are with a company of your common friends, he starts to play some unpleasant jokes with you in front of your friends. He says some offensive words (he thinks that these all are OK and kind of jokes and you can take these jokes. So everything sounds OK and fun for him up to now.) You “severely” dislike his behaviors. You are getting a little bit annoyed and perhaps angry. (But yet you are controlling yourself.) He sees you are getting upset and as another bizarre practical joke, with a loud laughter, he smacks on the back of your neck. I think saying "Sam, please don’t be overly friendly" sounds quite natural under these circumstances. Am I right?
Any other suggestion will be welcome. ;)


texts: Choosing the right word between front/ahead/forward

texts:
Consider these expressions:

The place is smelling very bad, the smell seems to be coming from the front/ahead
When I got off the car, I saw a very fast car coming towards me from the front/ahead.
Can you please come forward/ahead  a bit,I won't have to talk so loud.

I am always confused about the difference between these three words: front/ahead/forward. Can anyone help me understand these expressions?


texts:
You might want to consider quitting your barista job.

You might want to spend more time studying and less time playing video games.

Q1): I know "you might want to..." means "I suggest/recommend...". Do we use "you might need to..." to mean the same thing too?
Q2): Can I use sentence (2), or rather "you might want to...", in a different context where the speaker is not sure whether "you" intend to do the thing mentioned, and therefore just guessing "maybe you want to do X or maybe not, I don't know"?


texts: Which definition of 'vest' applies in 'vested interest'?

texts: Which definition at http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/vest_2 applies to http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vested%20interest? I want to dredge below this term, and ask not about the Merriam Webster dictionary that I already apprehend.


texts:
I thought that "that" was unnecessary in sentences like:

  I discovered (that) you can't fake sadness.

Google books surprised me though:

I discovered you (12,300 hits)

I discovered that you (137,000 hits)

Why is this?