texts: A term to explain a matrix that is mirror reflection of the input

texts:
What is the correct word to say that we have put everything that is in the right to the left and every thing that is placed in right to the left, while preserving the order in the opposite manner. What is the correct and appropriate word for it? I know that if it was just about a string of characters I could use reversed output. But now I have two dimensional objects (i.e. matrices). They topside and downside don't change but the right and left side are exchanged peer to peer.
1  2  3  4  5  6               6  5  4  3  2  1

7  8  9  10 11 12     ---->    12 11 10  9  8  7

13 14 15 16 17 18              18 17 16 15 14 13

By searching on the internet I found the words and phrases: Reversed output, mirror output, mirror reflection of the input, reversed output, mirror reversed output. (One more question in parenthesis: Do we have the phrase "mirrorly reflected output"? Are we able to add -ly to mirror to use it as an adverb at all?)
And about its part of speech, I want to use it as an object, not a verb.


texts:
Is there a verb for "putting someone to sleep"?
For example, how would one replace the .... with a single word in the following sentence:

  If you are tossing and turning and you just can't fall asleep, then I'll sing a song to .... you`?

Upon googling a bit, I found some verbs like sedate, muffle, benumb, but they seem to have a slightly negative connotation to them.
 What will be a good, neutral kind of a verb for "putting someone to sleep"?


texts: Is bimonthly or bi-monthly correct spelling

texts:
Is bimonthly or bi-monthly correct?

In

  http://www.dictionary.com/browse/bi-monthly?s=t

I can find both in the examples.


texts:
Won’t you close the window?
Make yourself at home, won’t you?

Source: "English Grammar", by Angela Downing
The first sentence’s modality is not polite, The second is polite, says the book. But there’s no comment in the book about:

Won’t you sit down?

Is this polite, not polite, or to be suspended until meeting a specific context?


texts: "to have played" or "would have played"?

texts:
I have two sentences here but I'm not sure if I write them correctly. And this is my first time trying to use be to + infinitive in the sentence 2 so I'm not sure if I used it right. Please see the following:

"She wanted to thoroughly clean up the house in-and-out"

and

"We were to have played computer game after the lunch, and now we were sadly mopping our room."

or

"We would have played computer game originally, and now we were sadly mopping our room."

Is the grammar correct?


texts:
When our memories outweigh our dreams, it is then that we become old.

What's the meaning of "outweigh" here?

Does it mean that our brains cannot dream anymore, or that we cannot make dreams into real anymore?


texts: I'm out of my mind - I'm out of mind - Are both correct?

texts:
Is it correct to say "I'm out of mind" or does it have to be "I'm out of my mind"?
Online translators like Google Translate or DeepL say that both work and both have the same meaning (I'm crazy).
I make music as a hobby and I used the line "I'm out of mind" in one of my songs. I was just wondering if it's correct.


texts: How to transform '"Who's next please?" She wanted to know' into indirect speech

texts:
I added a that, changed and switched the verb.
So my answer was She wanted to know who the next was. But the correct one is She wanted to know who was next. Why the verb stayed at the exactly same spot as before. Was that incorrect to use here? Can anyone gives me clarifications on this?


texts:
If I were her, I would have killed him months ago.  [englishforum]

A person asks whether the expression can be acceptable. In my mother tongue, that also can be a way of saying. In English, is it a proper saying?


texts: Having to close the shop Vs. closing the shop

texts:
I read this sentence: " If you could see how worried Mum is about having to close the shop, you couldn’t fail to see that money is really important.”
If I write" ...how worried Mum is about closing the shop,..."
Or If I write: If you could see how worried Mum is to close the shop,..."
How would these changes alter the meaning of the sentence?


texts:
He opened the door with his elbow as his hands were greased/smeared/smudged in/into/with mustard.
Could you please help me with what is possible here? Also, are there better options than "greased", "smeared", and "smudged"?


texts: "Simple past" vs "present perfect" with 'ever'

texts:
I have a question related to the usage of 'ever'. My grammar book says the word 'ever' is used with present perfect tense when we want to say 'the time upto now'. But I found a lot of results that used 'ever' with simple tense and I have seen many movies where people have used 'ever' with simple past tense. I have searched a few grammar sites on the internet and I have found people saying it's a difference between American and British English.

Here are two example sentences:

Christiano Ronaldo is the best football player I have ever seen.
Christiano Ronaldo is the best football player I ever saw.

I know the first form (using "present perfect") is the correct choice in formal writing but I've seen in speaking or informal writing I have seen both tenses are used. So if I used the "simple past tense" with "ever" (like in the second sentence), would I be considered incorrect? And does "simple past" sound natural to your ears? Is there truly any difference between American and British English regarding the usage of 'ever'?


texts:
I heard a Burger King promotion on a radio, saying:

  Beautiful! 2 for 5! // It means 2 hamburgers, 5 bucks

To me, '2 for 5' sounds like you pay 2 hamburgers to buy 5 bucks, which is illogical.

I would think '5 for 2' makes more sense, meaning you pay 5 bucks for 2 hamburgers.

Question:

Any reason behind the usage of '2 for 5', instead of '5 for 2'?
Can '5 for 2' make sense as well? Can we say "5 bucks for 2 hamburgers" or "5 for 2"?


texts:
Would anyone please more readily explain if there  is any difference between these? and if they are interchangeable?

A mutually beneficial/supportive relationship

A reciprocally beneficial/supportive relationship

“For example, in the early Middle Ages a Romance ethnic unity, in the absence of any political bond, linked nations of the most varied origins. Reciprocally, on the question of ethnic unity, we must first consult language. ”

Thanks in advance


texts:
I am confused how to use Shall and Can.
For example:

Shall I commit the code

Can I commit the code

Which one of the above is correct?


texts:
Generally speaking, ellipsis of the resulting clause is required in the use of "if only...". For this reason, the sentence #1 below will be easily accepted. On the other hand, the sentence #2 is usually not permitted despite its logical meaning is similar to #1. Therefore, I would like to check the acceptability of #2.

If only I had more money!
If I had more money!


texts: How do I use the phrase "way back" properly?

texts:
Can I say:

  Wish you a safe way back to home

when I am trying to tell someone I wish them to return home safely? When I was googling, I saw that there is another meaning for the phrase way back, which means long ago. Because of that I'm unsure whether I am using it correctly in my sentence. Does my sentence sound ambiguous? If yes, how can it be rephrased?


texts:
I'm writing a paragraph comparing working and volunteering and I'm looking for a word to say that a person will be compensated if he is an employee but a volunteer won't, what is the best word that fits? working is ______ but volunteering is not.
I found the word 'compensative' but I don't think it's correct to use it.


texts: What does 'granular' mean, in reference to an approach to a subject?

texts:
[75% down the page] If the size of firms obeys a power law, economies will comprise some very big firms and a long tail of small ones. The fortunes of the biggest companies might then stir the whole economy, [Xavier Gabaix of New York University] conjectures. The $24 billion dividend paid by Microsoft in December 2004, for example, added 3% to America's personal income that month. Mr Gabaix calls for a more “granular” approach to macroeconomics, which would weigh the contribution of big firms to national aggregates.
This granular view is already taking hold in studies of international trade. Countries, after all, do not trade with each other; companies do. A few firms usually account for the lion's share of a country's exports: in America, the top 10% of exporters account for 96% of the country's foreign sales, and only 4% of firms export at all.
granular = 1. Resembling or consisting of small grains or particles.
2. {technical} Characterized by a high level of [granularity]:
granularity
= 1. I omit this circular definition; it just bootlessly refers back to 'granular'.
2. {technical} The scale or level of detail in a set of
data.

1. The only possibility seems to be defn. 2 of 'granularity', but this contradicts macroeconomic's already extant, flourishing dependence on data, and this view's novelty as implied by Prof Gabaix's calling for it?
2. What does the bolded relative clause mean? I think that 'weigh to' is confusing me. Are firms' contributions simply being compared to national aggregates?


texts: should I use "end up being full of charges" or "end up full of charges" in this sentence?

texts:
When you keep charging a capacitor for a period of time, the plates will end up being full of charges
and
When you keep charging a capacitor for a period of time, the plates will end up full of charges

Which one is the best expression, or both of them are wrong sentences? Thank you very much for your suggestions. I learn from the dictionary that end up can be used as end up + adj. and end up + adv./prep and end up doing something.


texts: Is it okay to put "cannot" in a present perfect tense?

texts: Is it okay to say "we cannot have achieved this without the participation of your company.


texts:
I have these two questions:

  Are developed countries the one who left? Are the firms the one who left?"

I want to combine them using "or". Is this correct:

  Are developed countries the one who left or are they the firms?

Also, it is correct to use "who" in this way?


texts:
this would make us look like cheats

vs

  this would make us looking like cheats

which is the right one, and why?


texts: Does 'nick' mean 'idiot' in British English?

texts:
I was watching 'On The Buses' (British comedy) and I came across the word 'nick' being used to mean something along the lines of 'idiot'. I've never heard nick being used to mean 'idiot'.

One of the character sat on a couch and there was a needle which pricked him. He said: You stupid great nick.

I searched in all the dictionaries I had access to but didn't find it used in this sense.

Does it mean 'idiot'?

On The Buses - timestamp: 7:20


texts: Job Offer - Appropriate way of saying "I'm not seeking/searching for a job change"

texts:
The title says pretty much it.

I'm responding to a job offer and I want to express that currently I'm not really seeking for a change (a company/job/other change).

How I write it?


texts: I read on one of the forums that a native speaker may use both the present simple and the progressive interchangeably in a sentence like "I am living in Dublin" instead of  "I live in Dublin"  even if  the action  isn't a temporary one. The progressive can also imply  that the speaker was living somewhere else before. The native speaker wasn't talking about his hometown though.  But if they  were talking about their hometown would they still use the progressive in "I live in Dublin" even if the action isn't temporary and the speaker didn't live anywhere else before? Aren't we talking about a fact in this case?


texts: Could it be imperative sentence without exclamation mark?

texts:
Based on the definition of Cambridge dictionary for the "imperative sentence":

  a sentence that gives a command or gives a request to do something.

Then, as far as I can see, command or request giving should end with exclamation mark. Isn't it? If it is, then can I say that imperative sentences should end with exclamation mark or there is / are exception/s?


texts:
Afraid as an adjective means ‘feeling fear’. We use it with of + noun, of + -ing form, a to-infinitive or a that-clause Cambridge Dictionary

We can use of +ing or to-infinitive with afraid, how to know what we should use?

Which one of the following is correct? what is the difference in meaning between them?

  I hurried to the station. I was afraid to miss my train.
  I hurried to the station. I was afraid of missing my train.


texts: Is it okay to say we or us even if you are no longer part of something?

texts:
I now work in marketing but I used to work in production.

How do you compare marketing to production?

Here in marketing, your suggestion gets considered. In production, they just ask us to do menial jobs such as photocopying, sorting out documents and whatnot. We don’t get to do anything great there.


texts: What does the word "flog" mean, figuratively?

texts:
I'm translating the british play "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" to brazilian portuguese, my native language, and I stumbled upon this:

  ROS: [...] if  I asked you  straight off  - I'm  going to stuff you in
  this box  now,  would you  rather  be alive  or dead? Naturally, you'd
  prefer to be alive. Life in a box is better than no life at all. I
  expect. You'd have a chance at least. You could lie there  thinking -
  well, at  least I'm not dead! In a minute someone's going to bang on
  the lid and tell  me  to come out. (Banging on the floor with his
  fists.)  "Hey you, whatsyername! Come out of there!" GUIL (jumps up
  savagely): You don't have to flog it to death!

In this scene, Rosencrantz is going on and on about death, making Guildenstern uncomfortable and annoyed, up until the point where he just can't take it anymore and replies - "You don't have to flog it to death!", which also seems to be some sort of punchline.
The word "flog", from what I've seen, is mostly used to mean whipping (when literally) or criticizing (when figuratively), but neither seem to apply in this context. So what is Guildenstern saying?


texts:
I go cycling a bike in a park.

Is the above sentence correct?


texts:
I read this example

Flying high above the trees, the butterfly was impossible to catch

I thought that the sentence must have been made like this:

Flying.....,the butterfly was impossible to be caught.

Which one of those is correct?


texts:
In response to "If you were going to start a company, what would you do?" what should be the correct answer between the following two---

If I was going to start a company, I would...

or

If I were going to start a company, I would...


texts: "He took a picture of himself TO school." What is the meaning of TO

texts:
On Light verb (wikipedia) page I found a sentence:

  He took a picture of himself to school.

Does it mean the same as: He took a picture of himself on the way to school.

I am confused, please help.

Thank you.


texts:
Could someone please tell me what the difference between "someone" and "someone else" is?

I heard these sentences many times:

She is talking to someone.

She is talking to someone else.

Likewise:

I want to go somewhere

I want to go somewhere else


texts: My question seems to be simple at first sight, but it is confusing for me. I feel that "the last chance" means the kind of chance which ends any other chances, while "a last chance" is like one of many last chances. I would go for "the last chance," but the problem is that I can see quite a few native-speakers' opinions on the internet that "a last chance" is the right choice while "the last chance" is wrong, yet, it is used in a sentence like "I give you the/a last chance". Is it "a" or "the"?


texts: What does "...this began the transformation of Kankakee’s general education track into the College and Career Academy..." mean?

texts:
What does the bolded part of the sentence mean?
Does it mean they began transforming Kankakee's general education track into the College and Career Academy? Could you please explain it?

  Each grade has a designated topic, paving the way for every student to explore and become familiar with a wide variety of career possibilities.

  Three years ago, this began the transformation of Kankakee’s general education track into the College and Career Academy, which is 100 percent focused on using with PBL to prepare students for future jobs.

To Connect Classes to Careers, Consider Erasing Grade Levels


texts:
Is such phrase like "when make a call" correct?

I wonder whether I can make a subjectless clause for describing the condition to perform some action. For example:

  To make a call, use a softphone application installed on the tablet,
  that is in the conference hall.

I couldn't find any grammar rule describing such a case. Please, assist me in this question.


texts:
Imagine you're a personal trainer and you're explaining how to do an exercise. For example, you have a choice of two sentences:

Bring/draw/etc. your leg/arm/pelvis/etc. backward(s).

Bring/draw/etc. your leg/arm/pelvis/etc. back.

In which situations, to denote which movements would you use back and backward? Or are they interchangeable? Or does one of them sound better? Is it the same with "up" and "upward", "down" and "downward".
Thanks in advance!


texts:
It's my dream being on a TV show like this.

This is my dream being on a TV show like this.

Are they both correct?


texts: Meaning of "To my dismay/discomfort/surprise"

texts: I have come across such sentences many times. And i do the last words' meaning too , but i don't get "to my's" meaning.


texts: meaning of the pharses combined with the word "ground"

texts:
What does "fluid ground substance" mean? Does it mean that the substance was ground to fluid or the substance was ground by the fluid? Here it is in context.

  In this case the matrix is the fluid ground substance called plasma.


texts: Yes, I live; Yes, I do live; or Yes, I do?

texts:
Here is the question -

  Do you live in New York City?

Which answer is preferred and why?

  a) Yes, I do.
   b) Yes, I do live.
  c) Yes, I live.


texts: Difference between and usage of "Them" and "These/those"

texts:
What is the difference between them and these/those?
What is the usage of them and these/those?

Example sentence -

  Some of these are insured by govt...

But I think "Some of them" is more common. But again there is nothing wrong with the quoted sentence.


texts:
Does the word "segregate" have any undesired side context to US speakers?

These are examples:

  Segregate configuration from the code.
  A task is about test segregation.


texts: Wondering whether my perception is correct on this short text

texts:
"We are working in a very big ocean and within a very large search area, and so far since the aircraft went missing we have had very few leads which allow us to narrow the search area," he said.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26908884

Which of the following perception of mine is correct?

We have had very few leads so far and therefore it is difficult for us to narrow the search area.
We have had very few leads so far and that has allowed us to narrow the search area.


texts:
We have to save her, okay? I can't live without her.

We need to save her, okay? I can't live without her.

Will these be seen as completely interchangeable or is one more appropriate in the context than the other?


texts:
I have a question about lyrics of a song "I Am Machine" by Three Days Grace.

I mentioned that they used no article in this song. Is it grammatically okay to say "I am machine" without an article and why?


texts: Different between verb + ing and verb + ed

texts:
Can somebody helps to explain what are the differences between these sentences?
What grammar is this?

ex)

1.
   - This is an added product
   - This is an adding product
   - This is an additional product

2.
   - I saw an arrested person
   - I saw an arresting person


texts: we lack wings prevents VS lack of wings prevents

texts:
I got a bit disturbed when I read sentence in a book Flow by Mihaly Csikszzentmihalyi:

  The first fact does not entail the second any more than the fact that we lack wings prevents us from flying.

Is it correct? Shouldn't it be

  The first fact does not entail the second any more than the fact that lack of wings prevents us from flying.


texts: had been vs Have been, what's the difference?

texts:
Is it "I have been robbed" or "I had been robbed"
What is the difference between the two sentences?

Thanks in advance


texts: The part of speech of "that" in a sentence

texts:
If I see an article advertised, it is the surest proof I know that the article does what is claimed for it, and that it is good value.

I'd like to know what the part of speech of "that" in the sentence is. Is it a relative pronoun or a conjunction? Thanks a million.


texts: I want to refer a friend to an article and to tell him that the topic he's looking for is explained 'not briefly'. But I'm using "not briefly" because don't know to say it in a positive way (without using the word 'not').


texts: Should "the belief that the world was round" be "the belief that the world is round" in this sentence?

texts:
There is a text like this,

  "The belief that the world was round was not strange to Columbus."

I think 'the world was' should be fixed like 'the world is'.
Because 'the world is round' is the truth of all time.
Am I wrong?


texts: Can he's always be used instead of he is?

texts:
The word he's is a contraction of the words he and is. If I want to use the contraction to say

  I'm a better driver than he is

I should be able to say/write I'm a better driver than he's, but that just sounds awfully wrong in my head.

Is it correct to say/write

  I'm a  better driver than he's

I reckon it might sound silly due to the fact that it sounds like I'm saying I'm a better driver than his when pronounced.


texts: Which word is more appropriate to be used “along” or “together”?

texts:
I want to ask a supplier to:

  Please put inside the color packing box the manual along with the product.
  Please put inside the color packing box the manual together with the product.

Are these words interchangeable in this context and either one of them can be used?


texts:
Suppose that I knew John arrived today, but I didn't know exactly when he arrived. Maybe he arrived two hours ago, maybe not. I just wasn't sure. Now consider the following sentence:

If he arrived two hours ago, he is staying at a hotel now.

If he arrived two hours ago, he will be staying at a hotel now.

Are both of the above sentences correct? If so, what's the difference?


texts: What do "copper ring" and "hub-cap ring" refer to in this context?

texts:
There's a scene in the movie Bernie where a man talks about a district attorney:

  One thing Danny Buck's good at is getting Danny Buck re-elected. And he gets his little photo ops in the paper, busting up the copper rings or the hub-cap rings, or the meth labs, but in slow times, Danny Buck be out digging up some shit.

I think "ring" here obviously means "gang," but what are "copper rings" and "hub-cap rings"? There is no previous mention in the movie, and these seem out of the blue.


texts: How to describe the orientation of an object?

texts:
I want to know how to instruct when a component needs to be attached to a car in a manner shown in the drawing above. My examples are as follows:

  Example 1: This component needs to be attached so that the green
  colored end faces the front side of a vehicle.

  Example 2: This component needs to be attached so that the green
  colored end is on the front side of a vehicle.


texts: The tense of the verb in the dependent clause needs to match the main verb's tense? (would or will)

texts:
I get told that #1 is correct and #2 is wrong.

They revealed that they would quicken the pace of the change.
They revealed that they will quicken the pace of the change.

Is #2 just wrong?


texts:
The question is quoted from here on math.stackexchange.com

  A cylindrical chocobar has its radius r unit and height h unit. If we wish to increase the volume by same amount either by increasing its radius alone or its height alone by the same number of units, then how many units do we have to increase the radius or height?

As you can see, the OP has proceeded to solve the question using

π * (r + x) * (r + x) * h = π * r * r * (h + x)

while, I beg to differ. In my opinion, the question seems to state that

π * (r + x) * (r + x) * (h + x) = 2 * π * r * r * h

I'm not sure though. All other users are proceeding with what the OP has put in the question.

Basically, I'm confused over the meaning of the following section of question

  volume by same amount either by increasing its radius alone or its height alone by the same number of units


texts:
What is the meaning of 'should have' in the following sentences:

I should have let her know what was happening but I forgot.
They should have remembered that their guests don't eat meat meat.
I should have sent everybody a reminded by email.
He should have told them the truth but he didn't.
I don't think you should have done it.

I'm confused here because I know that 'should have' is used to imply 'regret'
for example:

I got really wet today while going to market. I should have taken an umbrella.
She wept so badly. I shouldn't have scolded her.

do the first five examples imply 'regret'? Or, do 'should have' implies both 'obligation and regreats' in all those 5 examples? Or, Do 'should have' implies both 'obligation and regreats' in all those 5 examples?


texts: the correct usage of "feel appropriate" phrase

texts:
People should not be forced to retire, and they should be allowed to continue working as they feel appropriate.

I want to say as they feel it is OK. Is this a correct usage of the word?


texts:
Is it correct to use:
Residentship to indicate the country I am currently living in ?
Citizenship to indicate the country where I was born ?

I am using these words in my CV:

  Residentship: Germany  (or German ?)
  Citizenship:  France   (or French ?)


texts:
I am a native German speaker and wanted to ask

1) if it is meaningful to use "advanced progressive", both words together
2) what is the exact meaning of these using in combination?

Context:

  "advanced progressive software systems"

Does it make sense?


texts:
I've read the BBC English grammar challenge and faced with the following sentence:

  But don't forget, when people are speaking, they often shorten words
  like is or has, so they sound like this: [...]

I don't understand why we use Present Continuous tense instead of Present Simple tense? I think that people speak in general point, but not in the current moment. Where is my reasoning wrong?


texts:
I am confused about these possibly nonstandard sentences concerning theater acting:

"He played the role of the main character."
"He played the main character."
"He performed the role of the main character."
"He performed the main character."

Dictionaries seem to equate "role" to "character".  So, are sentences 1 & 3 poorly written due to redundancies of "the role of"?


texts: What does "third-string" mean in this context?

texts:
When I was a little girl, Louis spent a lot of time with his third-string hoodlum buddies, guys with names like Izzy, Lazar, Harry, AI. They played cards for days on end and filled the house with clinking coins and schnapps glasses, thick masculine voices and the smell of cigars. Louis had been a prizefighter when he was in his teens, a fancy dresser and an outstanding dancer. I don't even know if he finished high school. (source)

I am familiar with the meaning of the term as defined in dictionaries, substitute player. But what does it mean here? What subtleties does it carry?


texts: What's an adjective I can use when my fingerprint doesn't work for scanners?

texts:
So when you're at the airport or somewhere else, we need to put our fingers and make the fingerprint scanners recognize ours.

But my fingerprint is too adjective, and the fingerprint scanner won't recognize mine. I always experience this situation whenever I have to use these fingerprint scanners.

Someone has a fingerprint that is very clear(or strong, evident? I don't know what adjective I should use here either), so the scanner works very well. But mine is very vague/invisible/blurred or whatever...(I don't think any of these adjectives fits here.) so I have to retry over and over till it can finally read mine.

What adjective can I use in this situation? My fingerprint is sth.


texts:
I read this sentence:

  None of us knew if we were gonna go back home again.

I would like to know if the sentence above can be re-phrased differently using the modal
"would". I was thinking of something like this:

  None of us knew if we would go back home again.


texts: Complete or Completed with present tense or future tense

texts:
End of the day if it will not complete tell me
  End of the day if it will not completed tell me
  End of the day if it is not complete tell me
  End of the day if it is not completed tell me

Which one is correct.


texts: Meaning of the word can in this sentence

texts:
I am reading Clarissa by Samuel Richardson and I am not sure that I have understood a sentence correctly. Thank you very much in advance for your help.
Lovelace tells Clarissa that in the midst of his mild vagaries he has ever preserved a reverence for religion, and for religious men and that the good men of the clergy call him a decent rake and he goes on by saying:

  "This madam, I am the readier to confess, as it may give you hope that the generous task of my reformation, which I flatter myself you will have the goodness to undertake, will not be so difficult a one as you may have imagined; for it has afforded me some pleasure in my retired hours, when a temporary remorse has struck me for anything I have done amiss, that I should one day take delight in another course of life: for without one can, I dare say no durable good is to be expected from the endeavour.

The word "can" seems to me to be used as a noun. I have looked all its accepted meanings up but to be honest none convinced me. From what Clarissa says afterwards I understand that it can mean "delight". She says:

  "I told him that his observation that no durable good was to be expected from any new course where there was not a delight taken in it, was just: but that the delight would follow by use.


texts:
I hear how russian speakers use word "concrete" a lot, but I doubt that it means what they actually want to say. My questions is: does concrete mean exact/particular/specific, or is it more about something made of concrete?

Here is an example where it sounds weird to me:

  among all the t-shirts in the shop I've chosen this concrete one

Does it sound ok to you?
or another one:

  This issues should be addressed concretely to John.


texts: What is a difference between two sentences?

texts:
There are two sentences below.

  1) She couldn't stand being kept waiting.

  2) She couldn't stand keeping waiting.

Please, let me know about difference.


texts: Can "before" be equal to "when" in certain contexts?

texts:
There are the following sentences:

"I had been waiting for three months before they finally sent
me an answer"
"He had been waiting for the bus for 10 minutes before it arrived"

Does "before" essentially mean "when" in these sentences? I think this is why the past perfect continuous is used in them.
There are other sentences which have "before" in them and that aren't in the past perfect continuous tense. For example:

"Marilyn was a factory worker before she was a model"
"They were married for 10 years before they got divorced"
"I was dissembling before you were born"

Am I right in thinking that the past perfect continuous is needed when "before" means "when" (in the meaning "by the time")?


texts: What does it modify? The noun "heat" or the whole phrase "the value of heat"?

texts:
I'd like to learn what the part "for the preservation of food" modifies in the following sentence, the noun "heat" or the whole phrase "the value of heat" .

The value of heat for the preservation of food has been known for a long time.

What do you think?
I think "for the preservation of food" refers to the whole phrase "the value of heat".
"What value of heat?"
"The value of heat for the preservation of food".
Do you agree with me on it?
Thank you


texts: How to translate Brazil's academic degrees in the USA classification?

texts:
I'm a master's student and I already have a postgraduate degree called in Brazil "postgraduate Lato sensu". I can't classify this in my CV and ask for some help.
Specifically, this course has 510 hours (two years) and a need for a dissertation to conclude that. And you need a bachelor's degree to be able to enter.
Here in Brazil, we distinguish lato sensu" and "stricto sensu". The last one is the graduate normal track (master and after doctorate).
Any help would be appreciated


texts:
Is the following sentence correct?

  There aren't lifeguards services in this season

Specifically, I’m wondering if the word services should be plural or singular.


texts: What's the word for "to wish bad for someone"?

texts: Example sentence - He wished bad for his girlfriend because she ditched him. I know one word which is curse (a solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something) from searching Google, but it sounds too intense and can't be used in routine.


texts: You are nothing like as critical as you used to be. Why not use ‘not’?

texts:
You are nothing like as critical as you used to be.

Why not say ‘You are not like as critical as you used to be’ ?


texts: Past Simple or Present Perfect: Tried or Have Tried

texts:
I’ve tried to help you.

The action happened in the past but I don’t say when.

I tried to help you yesterday.

The action happened in the past but I say when.

Which is correct and which is not? I’m very confused!
Is there a simple rule to follow?

More Examples:

You can use the account that you’ve already created.

You can use the account that you already created.

I’ve sent you an email. Please check your Inbox.

I sent you an email. Please check your Inbox.


texts: "Especially those living in remote areas, might have never been to the capital."

texts:
Sentence:

Especially those living in remote areas, might have never been to the capital.

Question 1: Does this sentence lack a subject? if so, why "those" can't be regarded as a subject?
Question 2: If I replace "especially" with "in particular", will it be different?


texts: "either" or "neither" after "I don't like..."

texts:
Consider this fill-in-the-blank question:

  I don't like _______ of the films. Both of them are boring.

Will the correct choice will be either OR neither? Why? I think the correct answer will be "either" but I am not sure.


texts:
I was recently reading a book called "Head First Kotlin", and there's a sentence in it like this:
Here, you’ll learn how data classes enable you to write code that’s cleaner and more concise than you ever dreamed was possible.
I think the sentence should be ended at "than you ever dreamed". Why add the "was possible"?  Which is the subject of "was possible"?
And I can find many similar sentences:

Life could be so much better than she had ever dreamed was possible! [Google Books]
If you remain long enough in Cripple Creek, you will know more about gold mining than you ever dreamed was possible. [Google Books]
That was definitely something she never dreamed was possible. [Google Books]

It is possible "dreamed was possible" is an idiom?


texts:
He has__my car today.
A. nothing
B. the
C. a
D. an
This is a question from some English test. The correct answer is A. The Explanation is as follows:  "Exceptions when using definite articles". I am really confused. "Nothing" is a definite article? Can you please explain to me how it is meant?


texts: Is it "offensive jokes on" or "offensive jokes against"?

texts:
I am wondering if both forms are ok and mean the same thing. I always thought they were synonymous, but now after asking so many questions, I am no longer sure, because I was proven wrong before on some grammatical matters.

Here's an example:

  A Facebook employee posted offensive jokes on Zuckerberg and got
  promptly fired.


texts: "in" vs. "within" for data and information

texts:
I wrote this sentence

  In our approach, we try to simulate the way a human user scans a web page to find specific data items. We use textual delimiters and semantic cues (in or within ?) the content to identify the data of interest.

In a text/page/content/book, some words/information/data/delimiters are "in" or "within" it?


texts: What does "make your night a living hell" mean in this context?

texts:
Ortiz also accuses Lettman of illegally filming him and says, “So, I’m going to make sure, while you’re recording this, that you never have a job as a Lyft driver again.” When Lettman finally speaks, he points to a sign in his car that states passengers will be recorded, to which Ortiz threatens to “make your night a living hell.”

According to dictionaries, a living hell means "An extremely unpleasant situation". But I'm not quite sure “make your night a living hell”, as a whole, is conveying. It seems to be a metaphor of some kind.

The full source.


texts:
I often see the terms old-fashioned, outdated, dated, archaic, obsolete and aged in different dictionaries. Are they all synonyms and do they all mean the same thing?

Many forums discuss this and some say that obsolete is less older than archaic, and that old-fashioned and aged are synonyms, and that outdated and dated are synonyms and are less older than archaic but older than obsolete. I'm confused with so much information giving no concise explanation.

For instance the verb "ail" in [Oxford Dictionary] it is archaic, the [Merriam-Webster's Dictionary] says nothing, in [Cambridge Dictionary] it is old-fashioned, the [TheFreeDictionary] simply says that it is a literary word, in [Collins Dictionary] it is old-fashioned, [Vocabulary] says nothing, [YourDictionary] says it's now chiefly used in interrogative or indefinite constructions.

An interesting thing is that based on what Oxford says "old-fashioned" are divided into two categories "archaic" and "dated".


texts:
A Text from a recent (excellent) Dr.Who episode:

  "One day you will linger in the same place too long.
  You will sit too still or sleep too deep - and when, too late, you rise to go, you will notice a second shadow next to yours. Your life will then be over."

To sit "still-ly" isn't possible, I know, "still" is used as the adverb here, but what about the "deep"? Is there a difference between "sleep too deep" or "sleep too deeply"? Why isn't the adverb used here?


texts:
I know the difference between

1) I needn’t have done it (but I did it) – I didn’t need to do it (and I didn't do it.)

But do these make sense? I have come across them being uttered or written by native speakers

2) I need to have done it. – I needed to do it. (What's the semantic difference?)

3) Need you have done it? – Did you need to do it? (What's the semantic difference?)


texts: Inversion usage in "Despite being cheap and efficient, hardly does crayon capture the artists’ true intention."

texts:
Is it correct to use inversion in the second part of the following sentence?

Despite being cheap and efficient, hardly does crayon capture the artists’ true intention.

Is it better to revise the sentence as follows?

Hardly does crayon capture the artists’ true intention in spite of
being cheap and efficient.


texts:
I read a kids’ story book. In the story book, it says:

I talk dog talk to the dog.
[. . . .]
I talk baby talk to the baby, and the baby talks back to me.Source: Talk, Talk, Talk, by Joy Cowley

Is it grammatically correct?


texts:
When strive is used without a direct object, should I use strive on, or strive in?

Example:

  I strive on getting success.

  VS

  I strive in getting success


texts: What's the meaning of "How'd you manage that"?

texts:
Could you please tell me what the relationship is between the phrase:

  "How'd you manage that?"

and the next sentences:

  "I felt stupid. I should have been able to do it, I thought. It’s a
  simple thing."

Here is the full text:

  My back struck iron: the trailer’s wall. My feet snapped over my head and
  I continued my graceless plunge to the ground. The first fall was seven or
  eight feet, the second perhaps ten. I was relieved to taste dirt.
  I lay on my back for perhaps fifteen seconds before the engine growled to
  silence and I heard Dad’s heavy step.
  “What happened?” he said, kneeling next to me.
  “I fell out,” I wheezed. The wind had been knocked out of me, and there
  was a powerful throbbing in my back, as if I’d been cut in two.
  “How’d you manage that?” Dad said. His tone was sympathetic but
  disappointed. I felt stupid. I should have been able to do it, I thought. It’s a
  simple thing.


texts: what does "in the week to a number of days" mean?

texts:
Here is the context:

  To that end, there must be a reduction in both volume and intensity starting about 10 days out from the competition. In the week to ten days prior to the meet, the lifter should not be grinding out high volume sets of 5, nor should he be taking out maximum attempts.

What I am confused by is the use of preposition to there. Does it mean in the week that is 10 days prior to competition?


texts: Which one is right? "person guilty" vs "guilty person"?

texts:
In the book of "1100 Words You Need to Know", about "felon" word, the following definition was presented:

  "person guilty of a major crime"

I am wondering the following one should be right:

  "guilty person of a major crime"

In fact, "guilty" is adjective of "person" as a noun.


texts: He worked very hard but he failed to win the match. Can I delete the second 'he'?


texts:
Please look at the following

I will do the homework. This means I will myself do the homework
I will get the homework done. I know this means that I will cause the homework done. So this could be interpreted in two ways:

2a) I will have someone do the homework. Here I am causing the homework done by someone.

2b) I will myself do the homework. Here also I am causing the homework done, but it is being done by me. So in effect I am causing the homework done by me.

My question is interpretation #2b the right interpretation? Can we interpret it this way?


texts: Can "for the rest" only refer to one thing?

texts:
"For the rest" used when you have already mentioned the important parts of something and you now want to mention the other less important parts. Source: Cambridge Dictionaries Online, English definition of “for the rest”

Example:
The film was fast, with great performances, but for the rest it was boring.

What I want to ask is if "For the rest" can be used to introduce a new sentence and have the meaning of "as for the rest of my news", like in the following example:

  I just came back from the doctor and he said that everything is fine. For the rest, I'm preparing myself for the final exams and at the same time I'm making plans for my new life in England.


texts: How to express creating individuals of a certain quality via a certain process

texts:
cultivate excellent individuals/professionals
develop excellent individuals
create excellent individuals
foster excellent individuals
churn out excellent individuals

I want to express a certain idea - of 'creating' (essentially) individuals of a certain quality or individuals of a certain class (e.g. 'professionals') (through a certain process, such as school), but I don't know what is a good word to use or what it is a good expression for it.

In particular, is 'cultivate' a suitable word to use? Or is it misleading or not really right in some way?


texts: 'act up' - how did it get its meaning and what does "up" mean?

texts:
Act up:

If a machine or part of the body acts up, it does not work as it should
To make somebody annoyed by behaving badly, trying to get attention, etc.

  The kids started acting up.
  The car's acting up again.

I would like to know how act up came to get its meaning. Also, what is the meaning of the word up and how is it being used? Is it compared with down in some way?


texts: understanding of tense in "there is been"

texts:
what is the meaning and when do you we use  this "there is been a misunderstanding"

espicially this part "there is been" when do we use this tense and how this is different fron the tense "there was a misunderstanding"


texts:
I was checking example sentences for the phrase at the bottom of the heap, and I noticed several sentences similar to the below one.

  "At the bottom of the heap are the rural poor." [Reference: The free dictionary]

I am wondering if we can use other place-related phrases/words/nouns in a similar way? Like:

  In schools are the students.

Personally, I think that this example does not sound natural. So, what would be the applications for such word ordering? Does it emphasize one specific part of the sentence? Thanks.


texts:
To be critical meant to raise thought so far above all constraints that, through the perception of the falseness of constraints, knowledge of the truth takes flight as if by magic.

Just one question regarding this clause. I am a little bit puzzled by the phrase "knowledge of the truth takes flight as if by magic". I have the problem with the phrase "take flight" in the context of the sentence. In all dictionaries is the meaning of it similar to "flee", "run away" and so on. So this would mean that in the end of the critical process the knowledge of the truth is away, disappeared. Firstly, I thought that this could be some sort of paradox that the author (Walter Benjamin) uses. Just to be sure I browsed through Benjamin's text translated to my native language. Its interpretation of the passage is quite contrary: The knowledge of the truth reveals or – this is a literary translation  – gets out of a shell.

So can you tell me what exactly the phrase "take flight" means in the above sentence?


texts: Some online links use "foot towel" to describe "a small, rectangular towel typically used to dry the feet upon emerging from the shower or bath", while other links use "feet towel" to describe the same thing. So who is right in this context? Thank you !


texts: The passive voice of: “Do I watch TV everyday?”

texts:
I am just preparing a table of English grammar tenses and I am stuck in passive voice of following sentence. Sentence in question is example of Simple Present Tense,

  Do I watch TV everyday?

I am just wondering, will it be,

  Is TV watched by me everyday?

OR

  Does TV watched by me everyday?

If both are the correct sentences in daily talking then which one is right?


texts: Use of "Much", "Many" and "More" in English

texts:
In the example below, I used more and much both but I can't understand the proper use-case for more, much, and many. Sometimes, it confuses that in which scenario which one is a perfect match for it. I search and see some articles about this but I am still confused.

Our school only has Apple computers. However, some students are more familiar with PCs.
Our school only has Apple computers. However, some students are much familiar with PCs.
Our school only has Apple computers. However, many students are familiar with PCs.

Could you please tell me how to distinguish the differences in the usage of them?


texts: Can candidacy be used to refer to a person?

texts:
Candidacy is usually referred to the qualification required for a candidate to apply for a specific post.

However, does "Candidacy " sometimes refer to the person as well? Can I say "Candidacy for this open position"? Is that acceptable for a native speaker?


texts: Come from behind, sneak up on someone from behind,walk up to from behind

texts:
Our teacher was telling us about a "murder" in our psychology class.  So she said:

  A man came from behind and stabbed a lady.

  A man sneaked up from behind and stabbed a lady.

  A man walked up to the lady from behind and stabbed her.

Do the bold words sound natural in this context?


texts: Why is present simple used in conjunction with "while" instead of present continuous?

texts:
I was recently watching this Apple series called For All Mankind and came across the following sentence there:

  While we sit here, the Soviets are pushing ahead with their plans for a lunar military foothold.

To put it into a bit more context, these words are coming from a senator addressing the public on sort of a conference/trial/hearing.

So the question is, what's the difference between this sentence and

  While we are sitting here, the Soviets are pushing ahead with their plans for a lunar military foothold.

Stylistically and in terms of the meaning.

Could it be that maybe what is being implied here is "while these meetings keep taking place" on a regular basis rather than "while they are sitting there in this particular moment"? (although this is not clear from the episode). But then again the second part is present continuous, so probably this is not the case?

When I asked my native British friend about it, he said that this is because it's shorter and punchier. Is that really all there is to it?


texts:
How can I translate the phrase:

  "so far, so good"

Example:

  So far, so good. Let’s see how the web server configures the web
  application


texts: Is there any difference between "bring something" and "bring something by"?

texts:
Could you tell me if there is any difference in meaning between brings something and bring something by? In the 24th episode of the 8th season of The Office, Dwight used bring by, which was the first time I hear the phrasal verb used. Here is the context:

Dwight: Hey everybody, just a few hours left for the free family portrait studio. Darryl. We’d love to see little Jada come by. Angela? Why don’t you bring by your little angel?

Would the meaning of the sentence change if Dwight just used bring?


texts: Word for random person from audience who is called to stage during live show

texts:
Sometimes during a live show, the lead singer/performer invites a random person from the audience to join them on stage, usually for short mutual singing or performance. (Example)

Is there a word for the person being invited?


texts: Is there any idiom or proverb which can be used for saying focus on the important matters?

texts:
Is there any idiom or proverb which can be used for saying focus on the important matters / filter out unwanted details or management by exception?

This is in regards to when you have lots of information to process, you need to know what you should pay attention to.

In software (Excel), you have the ability to define rules or apply filter, which will narrow down the results and you can focus on only what you need. One need not eye through every record one by one to identify which records meet his/her criteria.


texts:
Did you see the movie about Dian Fossey's work with mountain gorillas?   It was an amazing film.

Why is the indefinite article, an, used in the second sentence?

It's the same film they are talking about. Is it because the descriptive adjective in front of the noun?


texts: What is the grammatical structure of “is in large measure hereditary”?

texts:
I saw the below sentence from LSAT and I can't parse out the grammar of the first clause.

Fur color is in large measure hereditary, for black cats are more likely than others to have black kittens.

According to the MW dictionary, "hereditary" is an adjective; how come an adjective can follow a noun and modifies it at the same time?
Please help explain this sentence.


texts: Problem with position of "might/possible" in the sentence

texts:
Are both the sentences correct ?  (Context: I have recently bought the car.)

  That might make me get to my work on time.

  That makes it possible for me to get my work on time.


texts:
I am new to this site.While reading a mail ,I came across this phrase.

  " askers asking questions, answerers answering "

While I was typing I was prompted with the following options ,none of which suite to my current question.

answers
answered
answer

And I quote from Collins dictionary which says,

  answer
  Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense answers  , present participle answering  , past tense, past participle answered.

Similarly I quote from Cambridge dictionary,

  answer noun :reaction

My question is does the word "answerers" exist ?


texts:
The essays that Arendt selected for Illuminations primarily reflected his literary achievement, among them dense ruminations on Kafka, Baudelaire, Proust, Brecht, and Leskov, as well as the charming essay on book collecting. Only the last two essays, on the mechanical reproduction of artworks and the philosophy in history, give any clue to Benjaamin's more profound philosophical ambitions.

I hesitate how to properly understand the phrase "literary achievements" in the context of the above clause. I understand it that Illuminations reflected primarily Benjamin's interest in literature which would assert the last sentence. But the standard meaning of the word "achievement" is a little bit different. So how do you understand this phrase?


texts: What does "each step is Man Friday on the move" mean?

texts:
But if you prefer more of a real desert golf experience, a visit to Al Ghazal, Abu Dhabi’s all-sand course, is an eye-opener, although pleasure is not guaranteed: balls hit off stones, grit or a small square of artificial turf fly off at random. ‘Browns’, sand putting surfaces slicked smooth with oil, are true, but each step is Man Friday on the move, the deep imprints requiring extensive sweeping to restore the status quo.

Source: Distinctnews

I looked up man friday and it means a loyal servant. I then traced the origin to the movie Robinson Crusoe as explained on Quora

I didn't watch the movie but I'm guessing Man Friday stomped for his life.


texts:
Spendthrift is defined as :

  A person who spends money in an extravagant, irresponsible way.

Nevertheless, thrift is:

  The quality of using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully.

So, 'spendthrift' literally means
A person who spend thriftily, which completely opposes the OED definition.

How to understand it?


texts: Is there a difference between "exactly the same page" and "the exact same page"?

texts:
We were both looking in the same book but each at exactly the same page.
We were both looking in the same book but each at the exact same page.

Is there any difference (whatever difference) between the former and the latter sentence?


texts:
See this video (a captioned children's story) at 1:34 (1 minute & 34 seconds)

They say, "He becomes even more richer than ever before"

Is more richer idiomatic?

Why don't they say "even much richer" or "even far richer"?


texts: What is the difference between "can not" and "cannot"?

texts:
I have found both in texts of native English speakers but couldn't find the difference. In EL&U site people edited all my "can not" to cannot. So again I couldn't find out the matter.

Which of them is correct English and is there any possible difference to use them in different situations?


texts: What is the meaning of "Sign up" in this context?

texts:
I found a strange meaning of sign up here
,It says that sign up is to enlist, like in military.

Also I found this "Sign up" in business domain:

  By signing up early adopters (i.e. those quickest to adopt or most influential in your space) you can make it near impossible for new entrants to get any foothold

Have I figured it correctly? is it means to enlist customers?

Can it be that all sites around are saying "sign up" in that sense?


texts:
What does the highlighted part means?

  The ground rumbled beneath her, even as her ears popped with pressure –more laughter from The Tortoise in the Lake, even as the darkness of space focused and narrowed – became the shadow of wings, the curve on vast surfaces – the hulls of two huge ships flanking them; thin, sharp, like a stretch of endless walls


texts: Can {that} be used as "which" and "where" in the same sentence?

texts:
Consider the following sentence:

If you use {foreign word} with {the equivalent of "in"} then what you're referring to is a place that
you're familiar with, one that you probably love and have good
memories.

Can "that" be used as both "which" and "where" at the same time here?
I would also go as far as asking: can I omit it?


texts:
Can back home phrase mean back at my place as in,

  I couldn't find the book in school. Back home, I found it in my cabinet.


texts: What kind of sentence structure it is? I mean Gandhian it

texts:
It is not surprising that terrorists struck Bacha Khan University on the death anniversary of the Gandhian it is named after......

Gandhian is - related to mahatma ghandi


texts: He is one of the men who do/does the work

texts:
Let us say, I have been given two sentences in an MCQ test and I need to pick up the correct one.

He is one of the men who do the work.
He is one of the men who does the work.

Somehow, I lean towards the second one ("It is I who am to blame", the one sentence memorized to take care of cases like this), but I have found some grammar books supporting the first one.


texts:
How to call an event that keeps appearing?

According to a dictionary, both 'recurrent' and 'recurring' seem fine but there must be some slight difference between them.


texts: "Claim" = "Action" in the legal context?

texts:
I ask this because a book on Legal English says "claim" is the modern equivalent for "action", but doesn't explain it. If the book's right, then I could argue that "file a claim" means exactly the same as "bring an action".
Page 69, Legal English: How to Understand and Master the Language of Law

I think I'd better draw some examples from COCA. To me, filed a claim doesn't sound equivalent to "bring an action":

Halverson's bailiff, a black man, says he was ordered to rub her feet, give her back massages, put on her shoes, change her oxygen bottles and pick up papers, cookie crumbs and sunflower seed hulls strewn on the floor of her chambers. He eventually filed a claim for discrimination based on race, religion and sex.
She sued this supermarket, claiming her foot had been run over by a cart. And at the local bank, she says her foot was hit by this door, so she sued about that, too. She filed a claim against the city of San Francisco, saying she slipped in a puddle at City Hall, spraining her ankle and tearing her nylons.
The family attorney says he will likely file a claim in a matter of weeks alleging the federal government is liable in Terry's murder because gun found at the scene were part of "Operation Fast and Furious."
The McCoys, along with two other Chicago-area Wave investors, say they plan to file a claim against Web Street for arbitration by the National Association of Securities Dealers. They contend that Web Street misinformed them about the transfer process.


texts:
I've seen the sentence below in The TV show Friends.

If little Joey's dead, then I got no reason to live.

But I think it should be

If little Joey's dead, then I would/should/might get no reason to live.


texts:
I m seeing a person for the first time and he tells me " I am from police."

Is it okay to use "how would I know that you are from police?" In my reply or should I use "how would I know that you were from police?"


texts: What kind of adverbs can modify another adverb?

texts:
There's a huge market out there.

The book is over there.

In the first sentence, what does "out there" mean? "out" is an adverb,does it modify "there"?
If I want to divide the sentence into different parts, which in the following is right?

There/ is /a huge market/ out there.
There/ is /a huge market/ out / there.

In the second sentence, "over" is an adverb, does it modify "there"?


texts:
Looking for a word to describe the opening or widening of a gap. Like, if you are experiencing an earthquake and the earth opened in front of you, how you you describe that with "Oh look, the ground is __________-ing !!"?

Gaping's original word is "gape", so that's definitely incorrect.

Is there word that I can use to describe something like that concisely?


texts:
Which one is correct:

A child born today
inherits a world vastly different from that of its parent’s generation.
A child born today
inherits a world vastly different from that of his parent’s generation.

I found the first version of the sentence in a book. But my humble knowledge of English language says it must be written his instead of its.

What do you think and why?

EDIT:

The posts given on Is referring to people as "it" considered rude? do not answer my question because all the answers refer to rudeness and anger such as in the accepted one: this is something that would be said only in the heat of anger. But the author of the book is not trying to offend anybody.


texts: If I knew him, I would say (would have said) hello

texts:
What is the difference between these 2 sentences:

  If I knew him, I would say hello.
  If I knew him, I would have said hello.

I found the second sentence here :
https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/conditional-sentences/exceptions


texts:
Hello I have a silly question. For example if you are in a bus or in the underground and you want to stop in a station but there are some people in front of the bus door how you address to them.

Excuse me can I pass through?


texts: "As wel" and "too" used in the same phrase

texts:
Although probably grammatically incorrect, in a coloquial conversation can the expressions as well and too be used in the same sentence and still make sense, like in the examples below:
I know how good he is at getting the attention of women, but I may as well have some tricks of my own too.
I know he is younger and stronger than me, but I may as well become a good fighter too.


texts: How many years (have you studied)/(have you been studying) English?

texts:
What are the differences between questions 1 and 2? If you were asked to choose only one over the other to use in an application form which one would you use?
In case you say it depends on the situation then could you give me an example?

1- How many years have you studied English?

(A question taken from an application form to the English Language Institute at University of Florida)
http://www.vivecampus.com/uflorida/documentos/ApplicationForm.pdf

2- How many years have you been studying English?

(A question taken from an instructions sheet for the IELTS applications form on the British Council's website)
http://www.britishcouncil.org/completingieltsapplicationform-2.pdf


texts:
FC Barcelona took on Atletico Madrid in massive top of the table clash in spanish league at Camp Nou and it turned out to be a belter of a game.

Source: http://www.totalsportek.com/highlights/atletico-madrid-vs-barcelona-replay-video/

I would like to ask what noun stands in the pronoun "it" in the above sentence. I presume that it is "clash". But then the phrase "it turned out to be a belter of a game" sounds to me a little bit odd. The clash is the game so the game turned out to a belter of a game…


texts: What's the difference between "almost" and "near" when talking about time?

texts:
It's almost 12 o'clock.

It's near 12 o'clock.

There must be a little difference, but how different they are?


texts: Two questions how to use some and what is the meaning of this sentence

texts:
I'd like to know whether or not I should use "some" whenever I am talking about something which is a plural noun. For example, should I say

  "I saw some people and some cars" or "I saw people and cars"?

And what is the meaning of this sentence?

  You're in good hands with him here.

Thanks.


texts: Reformulating a sentence with a more clear idea

texts:
In my technical paper, I have written as follows.

  The strategy is used to fix outer-boundaries is useful for maintaining
  symmetries and alignments of boundaries.

But, I have been asked to reformulated this sentence. I am confused now what is the wrong with this... Doesn't this give a clear literacy?

So, If I write like this

  The strategy used to fix outer-boundaries is useful for maintaining
  gutter symmetries and as well as alignments of adjacent boundaries.

However, please suggest your way because I want to learn how this can be improved.


texts: When do you omit a/an? - "Choose Suspect"

texts:
I was looking at an Android app, there are two buttons with these names: "Choose Suspect" and "Send Crime Report." After I thought about it, there are bunch of places where 'a/an' are omitted and they look just fine.

So, when is it safe to omit a/an?
What's the mental model?

I checked another question with similar title - "When do you omit a, an or the?" - which deals with omitting articles after 'of.'


texts:
I have this sentence:

  I changed [the?] command doc('t.xq') in front of [the?] variables $p and $q with [the?] variable $db as follows. Now it works (plus, I used [the?] function last() to have the last (lowest) common ancestor).

Is my usage of "The" in brackets, before specific names correct?

Is it a mandatory rule? Could they be said with or without "the"? What would be the difference?


texts:
Consider:

  Actually, I can't even remember why I married him. Look at the state of him. Smiling away to himself. The great big eejit. Happy he is. The fucking nerve. He's no right to be happy when I feel like a bag of shit.*

Source: Catherine Barry: "The Twenty-Eights Day". In Irish Girls About Town, 2004, p. 39.

Is it usual in English to have a structure of the kind Happy he is? Where the adjective is in the very beginning of the sentence. I understand it as if the author/character omitted some words; so the full version would be "Look at him how happy he is". Am I right or is the matter in a different way?


texts: "Short delivery time" vs "fast delivery time"

texts:
I'm curious about the correct usage of these terms. To me "fast delivery time" sounds off because time is not something you can't just accelerate. That being said, both terms are used.

Please enlighten me!

Context: of course, delivery times of orders.


texts: Is it polite to word requests in a form "can I get X"?

texts:
For context, I have recently started a new job, it's a startup in the UK and most employees come from an academic background. I have lived in the UK for 4 years but didn't study here, and English is not my first language.
I noticed that it is common here to word requests in a form of "can I get X", when addressing a group. For example, in my team's Slack channel (instant messaging tool), people ask "can I get a review on (link)". It should be noted that doing these reviews is within my team's responsibility.
This form of making a request doesn't feel very polite to me. I usually word my own requests in the form of "can I please get a review on (link)", or "could someone please help me with X". However, no one else in this company says this, and I also got some feedback (on other occasions) on my communication style being too direct, so I wasn't sure if this would be the most appropriate form to use.


texts:
What do we call the thing in the image that contains water and has a spout? According to my knowledge this is used in South Asia, usually in toilets for the washing purpose. I've also found that it used to be used for ablution too, before people went to worship in that region when there was no proper water supply system.
Is this a:
a. jug
b. pitcher
c. spouted vessel
d. ewer
e. OR WHAT?


texts: Must "where" precede a noun referring to a location and not a state?

texts:
He crashed the car into a wreck where the police inspected the debris.

I am assuming where is a pronoun here. The question is whether the word that precede where must be a location. From most examples, it seems that if it's a pronoun it must refer to a noun preceding it unless it's at the start of a sentence. Is this the case? Also, note that wreck refers to the state and not the location; hence, the question.


texts: Can "alternative" mean "choice between"?

texts:
It may perhaps be thought superfluous to offer arguments to prove the utility of the union, a point, no doubt, deeply engraved on the hearts of the great body of the people in every State, and one, which it may be imagined, has no adversaries. But the fact is, that we already hear it whispered in the private circles of those who oppose the new Constitution, that the thirteen States are of too great extent for any general system, and that we must of necessity resort to separate confederacies of distinct portions of the whole. This doctrine will, in all probability, be gradually propagated, till it has votaries enough to countenance an open avowal of it.  For nothing can be more evident, to those who are able to take an enlarged view of the subject, than the alternative of an adoption of the new Constitution or a dismemberment of the Union. It will therefore be of use to begin by examining the advantages of that Union, the certain evils, and the probable dangers, to which every State will be exposed from its dissolution. This shall accordingly constitute the subject of my next address.

This is from the Federalist Papers.
But I don't understand the first sentence.
The noun alternative is used here like the choice between A and B...
Why?


texts: What does "Only" mean in "Only don't tell anyone"?

texts:
In Harry Potter:

  Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.

  “I start training next week,” said Harry. “Only don’t tell anyone,
  Wood wants to keep it a secret.”

What does "only" mean here?


texts: What's the difference between "rough" and "tough"?

texts:
"I had a rough day."  vs "I had a tough day."

I know they express almost the same idea. But is there a slight difference between them? If there is, when should I use "rough" and when "tough"?


texts:
A friend of mine said that in everyday speech advise can be used as a noun to replace advice, like can you give me an advise?
I think that it should be either can you give me an advice or can you advise me.

Who's right?


texts:
Specifically with the following sentence, which is more suitable/correct?

  You don't count on humans to not do things they're used to doing.

  You don't count on humans not to do things they're used to doing.


texts: "What new features of C# have you used?" vs "What new features of C# have you worked with?"

texts:
Does this question sound natural:

  What new features of C# have you used?

Or would you use another phrase, for example?

  What new features of C# have you worked with?


texts: Verb to Adjective "inviteable" or "invitable"?

texts:
I really wonder what's the right way to make a verb to adjective?
"inviteable" or "invitable"?
"closeable" or "closable"?

Are there rules about these or it's just my decision which one to use?


texts: What does one mean by a most distinguished guest? I'm confused about the word distinguished. I'd guess that it's a synonym to famous or important. Is that right?


texts:
What is the meaning of "service-sector orientation" in the below sentence? It was taken from the IELTS reading test: https://www.ielts-exam.net/docs/Reading/IELTS_Reading_Passage_2.htm

The land required for this service-sector orientation had been acquired in the early 1970s, when the government realized that it lacked the banking infrastructure for a modern economy. So a new banking and corporate district, known as the ‘Golden Shoe’, was planned, incorporating the historic commercial area.

What is the meaning of spontaneity in below sentence? Source is same.

current concern also appears to be how to use the planning system to create opportunities for greater spontaneity:


texts: Should I use comma or semicolons in the following sentence?

texts:
He had three ways of traveling to the other city. By air(:)(,) flying
  in his private jet. By land (:)(,) driving his truck. By sea (:)(,)
  taking the town's ferry.

What's the correct punctuation in this case and why?


texts:
As far as I know, the expression "out of" is usually located at the beginning of a sentence.  Can the expression "out of" be located in the middle of the sentence? as follows:

  Please send back to me only data, out of data I sent you yesterday,
  related to a tomorrow meeting. I have deleted it by accident.


texts:
I would like to understand why do I need to use at with games?

For example,

He would be better at tennis if he practiced well.

Why I used at here and not in or on?


texts:
The question, to me, means "What does upset you?", but I would like to know what kind of contraction "'s" is.
Is it "does"! or "is"? and then, how do we explain the development of the original sentence to the current form?
By the way, the sentence was taken from an example in the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary; it is "You're very crabby today. What's upset you?"


texts: Which tense is better: "He wanted me to ask you how you were (are?) doing."

texts:
I bumped into him on my way back home. He wanted me to ask you how you were doing.

  I bumped into him on my way back home. He wanted me to ask you how you are doing.

Are both the above sentences grammatically correct?
What's the difference in their meaning?


texts:
Can you guess how old I am?

What tense should I use with guess?

  I guess you are around 30.

  I am guessing you are around 30.


texts: What form is it "understand someone to have Verb+ed? Is it a right form?

texts:
As in "his answer does not even attempt to teach any skills, which I understand the OP to have requested"

Could someone tell me what form of use this is and share a reference link?

Thank you


texts: do not keep giving the right time vs stop giving the right time

texts:
Clocks do not keep giving the right time if electricity goes off.

  Clocks stop giving the right time if electricity goes off.

Which is natural and why ?


texts: Application of a sentence in a situation

texts:
In the film The Exorcist, father Demien Karras challenges the daemon Pazuzu to get a bigger dare. That dare would consist in abandon the body of the girl Regan and penetrate Demien's body. My interest is to know what would be the correct sentence to describe this situation. The options I imagined are:

  The priest challenges the demon to enter in his proper body.
  The priest challenges the demon to enter in himself.
  The priest challenges the demon to enter him.
  The priest challenges the demon to enter in his self body.

In other words, he asks the demon to abandon the girl's body and enter in himself. He wanted to be in the place of the girl, he proposed a change.


texts: Is "burnt" being used as an adjective or verb in the second sentence?

texts:
In US English, if burnt is the adjective form and burned the verb form, is it grammatically correct to use "burnt" in the second sentence?

  She burned herself while cooking. However, she felt a lot less burnt/burned after a letter arrived about a prize she'd won.

I'm trying to understand here whether the second sentence is using "burnt" as an adjective or verb form. Often we say "burnt toast," where "burnt" is the adjective form. Is it the same here?


texts: What is the meaning of "We went to the aid of the stricken boat"?

texts:
We went to the aid of the stricken boat.

Does it mean "We come to rescue the stricken boat"?

I could not understand what is the "stricken boat" and "aid of" as I know it is an action but why it has "the" before aid? An act?


texts:
Last year, planet Earth was hotter than ever before. That is according to a report by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

  It says that 2016 marked the third year in a row of record warmth. NOAA scientists have kept records for the last 136 years.

Can 'marked' be exchanged by 'signalled' in the case?


texts:
Our company car is in the workshop, so I would like to ask my manager that who will collect; Also before he replies that you can collect by yourself, I want to tel him that in some cases even I can collect, so is it ok to ask as below;

  Please tell me who will collect the car from workshop?
  In some cases even I can collect …

Regards


texts:
I saw an article starts with: "A company to launch a new product", in a news paper.
I just wonder what does it mean?  Is it a kind of usage of near future? (e.g. is to do something)


texts:
How to express /abc/def  in http://127.0.0.1/abc/def ?

http://127.0.0.1/abc/def is called url
/abc/def should called what??

BTW,I don't know which tags to choose
You can edit my tags , Thank you


texts:
1) The number of books in economics that we need to buy (is/are) three.

or

  2) A number of books in economics that we can buy for the course (is/are) available in the college book store.

Possible answers:
a)is
b)are

My approach:

I am confused here why is and are are used in the 1 and 2 sentence.

What they exactly mean according to subject verb agreement rules.


texts: Can I use when and after in a sentence meanwhile

texts:
When I walked on the way home after school, I found that someone had dropped his purse.

Is this a correct sentence?


texts:
Does the following sentence make sense?

The origin of the festival is that people prayed for good weather.

Can that-clause be a complement?


texts:
Once we deduct/deducted it we have to deduct this for next six month.

What should I use in above sentence Deduct or Deducted?

Is it something like

a) If we deduct it once the we will have to deduct this for next six month.

b) If we deducted it once then we would have to deduct this for next six month.


texts:
In Schindler's List (1993), with Goeth, Oskar Schindler gambles with a deck of cards in a game of Twenty-One for his maid -
he proposes to put Helen's name in the last line left on the final page:

Oskar: One hand of 21.
Goeth: No.
Oskar: If you win, I pay you 7,400 reichsmarks.  Hit a natural, I make
it 14,800.
Goeth: No.

What does "hit a natural" mean?


texts: What is the main idea of using "do" with a verb in these sentences

texts:
I often come across the phrases like these:

  do make the change: e.g, "But do make the change I've posted, it is always good practice to use the variables names"

  do care about this: e.g, "I really do care about you as one of my best friend."

So what is the main idea of using "DO" in such a way?


texts:
1) I need to say the promotion will be invalid on December 6th and while we have not reached that date, the promotion will be valid. What should I say:

  A) The promotion is valid up to December 5th.
  B) The promotion is valid until December 5th.
  C) The promotion is valid by December 5th.
  I think only 'C' is correct here.

2) I need to say the promotion is valid from date ‘X’ to date ‘Y’. After the date ‘Y’ the promotion will be invalid. How shall I say it:

  A) They have great promotion from January fifth, until January 8th up to 50% off.
  B) They have great promotion from January fifth, up to January 8th up to 50% off.

For me both work here and have exactly identical meanings. Am I right?


texts: Difference between 'emotional well-being' and 'mental health'

texts:
In this sentence, which one is better? 'emotional well-being' or 'mental health'?

  In the long term, I will establish an NGO to offer a variety of free
   elementary level courses to promote students’ academic performance as
   well as _____________ (mental health / emotional well-being).


texts: ''I am bound to say that in all the accounts which you have been so good as to GIVE OF my own small achievements you habitually underrated your own abilities.''


texts: Parenthesis with apostrophe, how to order and how to space?

texts:
I have a very simple phrase:

  I want to introduce Adam's kid

I want to insert a pair of parentheses for Adam, say, should be like this:

  I want to introduce Adam (my friend)'s kid

But I'm not sure about spacing/the order of ' and ().
Like, should I put a space before the '?

The following also looks pretty good to me:

  I want to introduce Adam's (my friend) kid

  I want to introduce Adam (my friend) 's kid

but there must be a better choice (which is what I want).


texts: "What more do you want to buy" Vs "What else do you want to buy"

texts:
When having a shopping with my brother or friend and I want to him if they buy more things after we bought some, then what's of these two is more common in British English?

  "What more do you want to buy?"

or

  "What else do you want to buy?"

In addition, is it valid to say > "What more / else do you want?" (without detailing)


texts:
It is from Crash Course World History. It is at around 8 minute and 13 second. Here it goes:

  Napoleon had plans to reconstruct France's empire in North America that it had lost most of in the 7 Years War, and to do this he needed tons of money from France's most valuable colony, Saint-Domingue. And the best way to maximize profits? Why, to reintroduce slavery, of course.

Did the presenter mean why not to reintroduce...?


texts: Can we use 'I think' after 'In my view'?

texts:
The following sentence is given in my book:

In my view, I don't think this is a good idea.

I know it very well that if phrase 'In my opinion' is used instead of 'In my view', then it won't be correct to use 'I think/I don't think' after the phrase. But I am not so sure about the above sentence. Can anyone tell me whether the given sentence is correct and if we can use both the expressions 'In my view' and 'I think' at the same time?


texts:
"I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a
  good beating wouldn't have cured –– and as for all this about your
  parents, well, they were weirdos, no denying it, and the world's
  better off without them in my opinion - asked for all they got,
  getting mixed up with these wizarding types - just what I expected,
  always knew they'd come to a sticky end ––" (Harry Potter and the
  Sorcerer's Stone)

I suppose the construction might be a preterite perfect. In this case, I wonder what the full matrix clause is supposed to be. I guess it could be ‘There would have probably been nothing [a good beating wouldn’t have cured]’. But I’m not sure for I’ve already got one:” "Your strangeness is nothing [pronoun functioning as subject complement] that (relative pronoun) a good beating wouldn't have cured," which makes me confused. What could be the matrix clause?


texts: Idiomatic meaning av "Lenny's a survivor" (or similar expression)

texts:
In The Simpsons S29E10 @ 01:33, the God's finger crashes the area of the collision and Lenny's jiggling that he's a survivor.

The character isn't connoted with particular surviving skills and I'm not familiar with any other properties specific to the series that the statement's nature might be accounted to. The statement itself seems weirdly off by its happiness, so I'm inferring a pun.

Hence, I'll expect some kind of reference and I'm assuming that it's a linguistic one. Googling for phrases akin to "hehehe, Lenny's a survivor" didn't lead me to anything useful.

Anybody's got an idea what that might be about?


texts: "A cheat sheet {that shows|showing} the most used irregular verbs"

texts:
A cheat sheet that shows the most used irregular verbs
A cheat sheet showing most used irregular verbs

The former sentence is in simple present, and the latter one is in continuous present. I know that both versions are in use, but at my view only the first one is correct.
Is it idiomatic to use continuous present in such cases? That is, in cases where normally the simple present should be used.


texts:
a. If there's something I can't do for you, I will send you to John to do.
b. If there's something I can't do for you, I will send you to John to do for you.
c. If there's something I can't do for you, I will send you to John to do it for you.
Meaning:
Whatever I can't do for you, I will send you to John so that John will do it for you.
Are (a), (b) and (c) correct with the given meaning?
It seems to me that they are not. It seems to me that in those sentences you (and not John) are the person who is going to do the thing I can't do.


texts: "What surprised about the movie is..." vs. "what surprised me in the movie is..."

texts:
Could you tell me if there us any difference in meaning between the following sentences?

What surprised me about the movie is how the main character faced up to the immense hardship.
What surprised me in the movie is how the main character faced up to the immense hardship.


texts: How is “supposed to” different from “expected to”?

texts:
Macmillan dictionary defines to be supposed to do something as

  to be expected or intended to happen in a particular way or to have a particular result

Consider this expression

  You are not expected to do this stuff.

It means that no one expects you to do this thing as this does not align with your work.

If I use supposed to instead of expected to

  You are not supposed to do this stuff.

It might mean that if you do this stuff, this might be against the rules and you might be fined.

My question is that do supposed to and expected to mean the same thing? If not what are the context where they do?


texts:
Suppose there has been a death in someone's family and he couldn't attend a meeting because of that. Then would the following sentence be an appropriate way of communication?

I couldn't attend the meeting yesterday because there had been a death in my cousin's family.
I can't attend the meeting today because there has been a death in my cousin's family.

Is 'has been' or 'had been' correct ? - Is anything else that could be used ?


texts: What does "his mirror" refer to in this context?

texts:
... He scowled at the dark ceiling. Did they think he couldn't look after himself? He'd escaped Lord Voldemort three times; he wasn't completely useless....

  Unbidden, the image of the beast in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent crossed his mind. What to do when you know the worst is coming....

  “I'm not going to be murdered,' Harry said out loud.

  'That's the spirit, dear,' said his mirror sleepily.”

I don't see a real mirror has been mentioned in the whole context. No one else was there and Harry was lying in his room alone. It might not be a literal mirror here. What does "his mirror" mean?

-- From Harry Potter - The prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 4, the Leaky Cauldron.


texts:
I read the below article in "The Hindu" newspaper:

The state government has imposed restrictions on gatherings with immediate effect. Only 50 persons would be allowed at gatherings. The government ordered the closure of all the gymnasiums, spas, sports complexes and others with immediate effect. Funerals and related activities could be attended by not more than 20 persons.

My doubt here is, Shouldn't we use will and can instead of Would and Could??
What is the difference in meaning if we use will and can instead of would and could?


texts: I know that I can use, give a check up, get a check up  or have a check up. ( medical) . But can I use the phrase.   ...take a check up. If so , what would the meaning be? Place help


texts: How do you say “examenes extraordinarios”

texts: So in mexico when you fail a class such a math you have to make up for it by going to a whole week of courses in winter break or summer and then you redo the exam, so this semester I failed chemistry and I say “Me voy a ir a extraordinarios”, is there a specific way to say that in English because I’ve never heard someone say “im going to extraordinaries”


texts: Use of the aspirate after the indefinite article

texts: How do you use the aspirated "h" after the indefinite article. Do you say "a historic occasion" (forcing the aspirate) or "an istoric occasion" (no aspirate)?The BBC tend to say "an historic occasion" (forcing the aspirate).


texts: I can't understand what they said, please help. "Counting Stars" by copy band three guys

texts:
I studied English with pop songs.
Recently, I like to listen the song "counting stars" by three copy band guys

But I can't understand what they said perfectly after about 3:24.

Somebody help me, please.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSLAO7zxS2M
"Counting Stars" - OneRepublic (Alex Goot, Kurt Schneider, and Chrissy Costanza Cover)

[what i can hear that part, not sure with ().]

Look guys, this is Kurt, Chrissy, Alex.
That was "Counting Stars" by "Onerepublic".

Hope you guys liked it, if you (dig the song on itunes, so link of that would be down below.)

And if you guys like this video,
make sure to give it the big thumbs up
and to subscribe (to all of our channels and links of video by right heads)

(That still will.)

Catch ya guys next time.
Bye. Bye.


texts:
What is the meaning of these words from Captain Bartholomew Roberts's pirate code?

  Every man to be called fairly in turn, by list, on board of prizes because, (over and above their proper share) they were on these occasions allowed a shift of clothes [...]

Namely, be called ... of prizes.

UPDATE: Another question is they were grammar. Is it the subjunctive?


texts: A person who has developed only in one or many aspects of their life

texts:
What do you call a person who has been developed in only one aspect of their life?
For instance, someone who has just studied and did not achieve any needed experiences in society dealing with different people.
Or a person who has only one skill (i.e. mechanics). It would be so difficult for such a person to get connected to other people.

The terms that can be used in this sense [just some translations from my mother language]:

  Single/one-dimentional person
  Single/one-faceted person

What about a person who has developed many aspects of their character. I guess the term:

  "Multi-dimentional" OR "multi-faceted" [translation]

works in this sense.

But I have no idea whether they are natural or not.
I wonder if you could help me with it.


texts: in which/where when discussing a country

texts:
In formal writing, it'd be better to write:

  the house in which I was born

than

  the house where I was born

but does the same 'rule' apply when using a country as a locality? E.g.

  In August I go to France, in which there were elections in April.

or should it be:

  In August I go to France, where there were elections in April.


texts:
I have just watch movie in which I think that they should built the digestive system of that toy , after watching the movie how can I express that sentence like I express it as

They should have made intelligent digestive system of Rand

Which Past tense this is and am I expressing it right ?


texts:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k1794318-How_safe_is_commuting_from_LaGuardia_Manhattan_via_Harlem-New_York_City_New_York.html

Take the SOUTH FERRY bound Train

what is the meaning of "ferry bound train"?


texts: Should I use "on" or "over" with these sentences?

texts:
Should I use "on" or "over" with these sentences and what is the difference?

  you should not be jealous when others succeed on you.

  you should not be jealous when others succeed over you.


texts: using 'quite a' with adjective 'vulnerable'

texts:
Is it okay to use the modifier 'quite a' with adjective 'vulnerable' in referense to children?

I've been using "quite a vulnerable boy" for a very long time and have always found this phrase useful for writing reports on kindergarten boys that can easily get hurt.

However, I just entered the phrase "quite a vulnerable boy" in Google and found... only 2 results! This looks very suspicious. Before, I would enter even more refined quires and would get hundreds of different results. Is something wrong with that phrase? Perhaps, not in terms of grammar, but in terms of style?


texts: "if it works" and "does it work" phrase differences

texts:
I recently was corrected in this SO answer. I am just curious if there are any differences between the following phrasings, and whether there is a difference in meaning or one phrasing simply sounds wrong:

  Not sure does it work

and

  Not sure if it works

As far as I know the second is subjunctive and the first is not, but both seem to be correct to me.


texts: Since I hadn't had much chance to communicate with you...?

texts:
I'm asking for my guidance counselor to write me a recommendation letter for a college application but since we haven't had much conversation, so I wanted to say

  "Since I hadn't had much chance to communicate with you, kindly allow me to elaborate on my learning experiences in hope that you will be able to understand me better."

After this sentence I want to talk about how I moved to a foreign country and faced many struggles but how I worked up my way through the problems.

Does that sentence sound natural? And are there any other way to say this better or formally?

Is it supposed to be "much of a chance"?


texts:
As I understand, sometimes we can use the Present Continuous with key adverb "always". Is it possible to do it if I put "all the time" instead "always"?

Why are you always criticising me?

vs

Why are you criticising me all the time?


texts:
A dictionary defines the word vertical adj as: straight up and down.

So can I say someone draw a line that is straight up and down?

Can the word horizontal mean straight from side to side?

Please explain.

Thanks in advance.


texts: Is "print this book for me double-sided and coil bind it" OK?

texts:
I want to ask a friend to print a PDF file for me on both sides of the page and then bind it with a metal coil at one edge. Can I say the following?

  Please print this book for me double-sided and coil bind it.


texts:
Is it ok to ask:

  "How long haven't you eaten oranges?"

or

  "How long haven't you done your homework?"

Does it sound strange for native speakers?

And the answer like " I haven't eaten oranges since I left home"


texts: Why do native speakers say '0' like 'O'?

texts:
I read this question (Should the number “0” be pronounced “zero” or “oh”?) and answers on English Language and Usage but my question is not the same as that one.
My question is basically why most native speakers say it that way?. So I have heard most native speakers say the number 0 like the letter O (oh): 101 = one oh one.
Some possibilities:

Because O (oh) has less syllables (one syllable) than zero (two syllables) and saying it O saves time
Because they both look almost the same so people confused them and then the custom of saying it oh continued
Because the last syllable of zero is exactly the same as oh and people just picked it out

Can anyone explain why native speakers say it that way?


texts: "I will never be alone with you." what does that mean?

texts:
What does this sentence mean?

I will never be alone with you.

Does it mean I want to be with you or I don't want to be with you?


texts: What does it mean by 'tongue between someone's teeth'?

texts:
"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagird, ....... he pulled an owl-a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl-a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down : ........

I don't understand the meaning of 'tongue between his teeth' here.
Is it like someone's biting his/her tongue when they are nervous?
But it's not the case here, I guess...


texts:
Is there any special case where the following question would be correct?

  She is the lady of the house?

Instead of the normally accepted

  Is she the lady of the house?


texts: "a kid or two that was" or "a kid or two that were"?

texts:
Is "or or two" item singular or plural? Neither sounds right to me and google returns both, but I don't think they are both equally correct.
Thanks


texts: The construction "pronoun"+"to be" +"adjective" + ... issue

texts:
If the construction works for all the sentences below ?

He is important to do it. == It is important for him to do it.
He is happy to do it. == It is happy for him to do it.
I am sorry to do it. == It is sorry for me to do it.


texts:
You can now go to the web version - Lingualeo
  and there to create your own personal Word Sets.
  For example -
  After synchronization, Word Sets will be available in the application in the section

I couldn't figure out the meaning of the meaning of the bold part. What's the meaning of there to create in this sentence?


texts:
I want to add a headline to a printscreen of a recipe. The headline is supposed to say that this is one example of the recipes in the database.

  Recipe Example / Example Recipe

I don't know which one to choose.


texts: I noted that in conversational language and slang, English native speakers often use "you know". Should this phrase be understood as a question "do you understand what I'm trying to say?" or as an assertion "as you probably know"?


texts:
I know that it's acceptable to say "Is this book - yours", but I'm asking about the other form of: "Is this yours book"?
Is it correct construction?


texts: ...waited until recently...[Is 'until recently' a complement of 'waited'?]

texts:
This article says in part:

  Though the White House first announced his nomination in April, lobbyists waited until recently to begin publicly mounting an aggressive opposition effort.

Is 'until recently' here a complement of the verb 'waited' or simply an adjunct?
Also, what about "to begin publicly mounting an aggressive opposition effort"?


texts:
According to definition #1 of the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language the purpose is: The object toward which one strives or for which something exists; an aim or a goal.

Definition #7 of scope in Collins English Dictionary , explains scope as purpose or aim.

According to Collins English Dictionary, definition #3: the area covered by an activity, topic, etc; range.

I understand that the context will help us to distinguish which sense is appropriate:

  The scope of this work is vast. Here is the meaning #3 from Collins.
  The scope of this work is to describe… Here is the meaning #7 from Collins.

My question is: which meaning should I choose for the word scope in Directive 2009/125/EC , page 5, article 1, Subject matter and scope.

Is the meaning of purpose, goal? If so, is the scope more formal than purpose or goal since it is used in official documents? Why then it’s defined this way only at definition #7?

Edit: In my language we have only one word to describe objective, aim goal, target, etc. It’s “SCOP” from Greek skopos, or Latin scopus.