texts: Why has Marx's "Das Kapital" been translated to "Capital" in English and not "The Capital"

texts:
Why has Marx's "Das Kapital" been translated to "Capital" and not to "The Capital"? Actually, the article "Das" in German points out that it is not any capital, but the capital as the process of the current production mode - which is, in fact, capitalism. For example in French the translation is "Le Capital". Is there a specific reason for that? Or is "Capital" the more appropriate translation of "Das Kapital" in English?

Actually, I know we must use "Capital" and not "The Capital" to identify "the financial capital", but I wanted to understand the underlying rule in terms of usage or linguistic. It seems to me (but maybe I am wrong) that in English "the" does not only define the word it precedes, but it also changes the meaning: "capital" is completely different from "the capital (city)". Conversely, we say "The society of the spectacle" (the famous book of Guy Debord) and not "The society of spectacle" for example.


texts: What is the difference between will have and have

texts:
He will have a girlfriend

vs.

  He has a girlfriend.

Will have is for future, – but will have can also be used as a guess....no?


texts: Is this phrase grammatically correct: "Look, there is a little me and little all of uses!"

texts:
There is a phrase said by Alex the lion in the Madagascar 3 cartoon movie when he looks at the miniatures of himself and other animals:

  Look, there is a little me and little all of uses!

Is this phrase grammatically correct?

UPDATE: The emphasis is on "uses".


texts: In formal writing, when to use bullets and when the numbers?

texts:
While writing documents, blogs, articles, webpages and the like, I always get confused whether use bullets or number down the list of entities.

Specifically, I want to know the preferred way (bullets or numbers) to list down the items while describing...

  a) Services of the company
  b) Benefits of the service
  c) Industries we serve in, and
  d) Why choose us (for product/service)


texts: Is it ok to say "to tie your finger with a rubber band", "to wrap a rubber band around your finger"?

texts:
tie [transitive] to attach or hold two or more things together using
  string, rope, etc.; to fasten

  somebody/something with string, rope, etc.

  tie something + adv./prep. She tied the newspapers in a bundle.

  He had to tie her hands together.

  They tied him to a chair with cable.

  I tie back my hair when I'm cooking.

  The box was tied with plastic string.

  His hands were tied behind his back.

  tie something Shall I tie the package or tape it?

  wrap [transitive] wrap something around/round something/somebody to put
  something around something/somebody

  A scarf was wrapped around his neck.

  The nurse wrapped a bandage tightly around my ankle.

  His arms were wrapped around her waist.

  He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

  He wrapped his hands around my neck and tried to strangle me.

  She's got a towel wrapped around her head.

My kid did this today (see the picture)

What should I say?

Why did you tie your finger with a rubber band?

Why did you tie a rubber band on your finger?

Why did you wrap a rubber band around your finger?


texts:
I think it is a good time for you to leave.

or

considering that we can say the following which is correct:

  I'll take your leave now. Bye.

can I say:

  I think it is a good time for you to take a leave.

Basically I want this person to leave and I don't want to order him to leave. I just want to remind him that it is quite late so he should consider leaving now.

What are the differences between the above sentences. What to say it in a better way?


texts:
According to Google ngram viewer, "I felt rewarded" is not frequently used. What would be a better to way phrase this?

For example, I want to say " I felt very rewarded when I saw my students performing well on their exams"

Thank you.


texts: "Projections to..." meaning in this context

texts:
Read the following statement.

  The graph below gives information about cinema attendance in Australia between 1990 and the present, with projections to 2010.

I'm confused with "Projections to 2010", Can someone please make it clear? Web's empty!


texts: position of 'only' and the respective change in meaning

texts:
What is the difference between the meanings of the two sentences given below?

He plays only as an average player.
He only plays as an average player.

I think the second sentence emphasizes more on the fact that he plays as an average player i.e the second sentence is concentrates more on his playing style by comparing it to being average.

This question was asked to me during a verbal test. The question was:

Fill in the blanks:

He _____ as an average player.(only plays, plays only)


texts: Is there a word that means "frozen to the point of being damaged beyond repair"? I am thinking of organic things, but I would also like to find a word that can be used generally for non-organic things also like hardware, but if you can't find a general word it's ok.


texts: Word order in the full form of a negative question

texts:
According to the book "Grammarway 4", in order to form a negative question, we have 2 patterns:

Full form: auxiliary + subject + not + verb
Short form: auxiliary + n't + subject + verb

I am struggling to construct the full form of this negative question:

- Let's go to see the new Brad Pitt film tonight!
- Haven't you already seen it?

Which position should already be put in?

Have you not already seen it?
Have you already not seen it?


texts:
I find the preposition out in this sentence strange.

  When we left the office, Sally gave voice to her fear that promotions are unfairly awarded out in our department.

Most Google search results are false positives as "award out of the blue". Is it an idiomatic phrase?


texts:
I'm trying to improve by ability to recognize instances when the inclusion of the word 'that', prepositions, definite articles, etc. are technically right, but unnecessary.

Do I need to use 'the' in this sentence or is it okay without it?

  The cameraman focuses his equipment on Mr. Don, but he is saved by the arrival of authorities.

or

  The cameraman focuses his equipment on Mr. Don, but he is saved by arrival of authorities.

The second sounded odd to me at first, but then I considered that this sentence makes sense.

  The cameraman focuses his equipment on Mr. Don, but he is saved by anger.

So "saved + by + some other noun" sometimes works.....is the article always needed?


texts:
While in a online class about passive voice this sentence appeared and I have never seen it before, looks like someone sent the teacher, I'd be grateful if anyone could answer.

"The teacher has been sent the project by us."

Does this phrase makes sense in english?


texts:
She could not tell whether her diamond earrings were beautiful. She had lost her eyesight for years/ had been blind for years.

In the second sentence, which phrase should I use, 'had lost her eyesight' or 'had been blind'? And I'd like to know whether they are interchangeable?


texts:
I'm trying to understand something about the following sentence:

The graph highlights data about how much gas was produced in Russia between 2003 and 2008.

Would it be correct to include "that" or "which" between "gas was"?

If you asked the question:

How much gas was produced in Russia between 2003 and 2008?

Then you could answer: The graph highlights data about (followed by the question itself), right?


texts: Why did the host say "...I WILL do some exercise..." instead of "...I do some exercise..."?

texts:
This passage is from 6 minute English by the BBC:

  But because I know that is not good for my health, I do also like to go to the gym a couple of times a week and I will do some exercise like a bike ride, playing football at the weekend.

Why did not the host just say I do some exercise...? I am a little bit confused because it does not seem like a promise, but rather a habitual thing. Does the present and future tenses mean the same thing in this context, or the use of the future simple has some shade in meaning?


texts: How can I increase my focus and pleasure in reading English?

texts:
After working on my oral skills in English for a couple of years, I am now more interested in learning written English, specially by reading. I have been reading a couple of books over the last months (Game of Thrones, the whole Sherlock Holmes, Lord of the Rings, some Stephen King...) and articles (the Guardian, the New York Times, the Atlantic, mostly). Although I've felt some improvements in my understanding, and learned lots of words, I'm still not enjoying reading English as much as I enjoy reading French (which is my natural language), and I'm not even what you would call a literary (checking my other Stack Exchange affiliations would prove that). When reading English I just follow the plot, but I'm really totally insensitive to the style of writing, in the choice of words, ... I hardly realized that when reading a few pages of French the other day, it's even way easier to focus on what I read when it is French than English.

Have fellows who learnt English as a second (or third, or more...) language ever felt that? Have you been through that? How long did it take? Or is it just a never ending job in progress but I'll never reach the ease I have with French?


texts: How can you ask about a particular conjugation?

texts:
Say for example you want to know how to conjugate the Spanish verb "contar" for present tense "yo". The correct answer is "cuento", but how can you ask?

Does it make sense to ask "How do you conjugate 'contar' to present tense 'yo'?". Perhaps "... for present tense 'yo'"?

This knowledge would be helpful in any case you don't know how to conjugate a verb, especially when dealing with irregulars like "Contar". I want to know how to ask the question in English.


texts:
This is a sentence from my dictionary:

  She carried herself straight and with confidence.

The sentence is fairly strange to me, for the extra conjunction "and". Normally I would say something like this:

  She carried herself straight with confidence.

This is more regular to me. For example, I would say "She stood here, smiling with confident." But I wouldn't say "She stood here, smiling and with confident." So why did the original sentence add an extra "and"?


texts:
Could you please enlighten my classmates and me which one is the correct wording of the sentence?

  We make comparison easy so you can decide quickly and feel confident you have found the best deal.

vs

  We make comparing easy so you can decide quickly and feel confident you have found the best deal.


texts: Is "The only invariant for me is change" proper English, if not, how to correct?

texts:
The only invariant for me is the change

I write this sentence and hope to show that the frequency of my changes is very high(IOW, I often make changes). But I don't know is it proper. BTW, how native English speakers express this?


texts: Which of these: "I only have few left" or "I only have a few left"

texts:
So, my son is being challenged by his teacher with the following exercise:

I need cosmetics from Avon because I only have much / a little / few left.

Jac's version:  "I only have a little left"

While the "other" version is "I only have few left"

So, just thought I would post this to see how it goes...


texts:
Is use of "of" in the following sentences correct grammatically?

  It can be easily understand that one of losses of turbine (or
  turbomachinery) is due to blade profile.


texts: Do I have to add a question mark to a statement?

texts:
When someone says "What would you like to discuss first?"

Should the reply be;

  I would like to know how long does it take to process the request.

Or

  I would like to know how long does it take to process the request?

I'm also confused about whether to add a question mark when I say the following:

  He would like to know how long does it take to process the request.


texts:
Will it be okay to use "all at once" instead of "in one sitting"? I mean in AmE what would sound more natural? Do they have a slight difference in their meaning?

  I read the book in one sitting/all at once..
  I watched an entire season in one sitting/all at once.  (I know that "binge watching" is better, but I wanted to know about "all at once")
  I ate the whole cake in one sitting/all at once.
  I drank the whole bottle of water in one sitting/all at once.
  I typed the whole script out in one sitting/all at once


texts: must not have done vs might not have done

texts:
Q) It was very kind of you to do the washing up, but you -- it

Should it be "did not have to do" or "might not have done" or "must not have done"?

They all seem to convey same meaning in general to me. Which is correct grammatically?


texts:
There are a first leg and a second leg of a table.

Can I say "a first and second legs of a table"?

As far as I know, "a" can't be put with "-s" which represents  plural nouns.

Thanks.


texts: Noun phrase and verb after the whole sentence

texts:
Is it grammatical to say:
"But overall the romantic comedies and action movies I like."
https://youtu.be/Fdp_lHXj--Q?t=120

It seems like the noun phrase "I" and the verb "like" of the verb phrase went after the whole sentence. What is the rule here?


texts: possessive ('s) used in the word "family"

texts:
Which of the following sentences is correct?

  He's a friend of my family.
  He's a friend of my family's.


texts:
"take as input.."

I have no idea what that means..

for example,  I extracted a sentence from Google by searching, such as

"Describe an algorithm that takes as input a list of n integers".

What is the meaning of the sentence?


texts:
I am finding it rather difficult to precisely put into words a sentence that roughly means "The cow is prone to using its horns" or "It is the cow's habit to thrust its horns at others every now and then.
What is a more precise way to express this?


texts: What is the verb when someone suddenly run across the road

texts:
How does a native describe the action of the person when you see someone suddenly appears on the road whilst you’re driving.

“Someone ..... to the road while I was driving and I turned the wheel so hard in order not to hit”

Can I use “rush”?


texts: Omitting the indefinite article in "The baby has soft skin". What rule applies here?

texts:
Why are we omitting the indefinite article in

  "The baby has soft skin"?

We are not saying

  "The baby has a soft skin".

In this case we're talking about a particular baby, not babies in general. I'd really like to know the rule(s) because this is a major problem for many language groups learning English.


texts:
I know all the meanings of the word but i don't know how to use the noun in sentence.
"You can't do a six years work span in one year"
Is this sentence correct?
What i mean is that you cannot do six years worth work in one year.


texts: Does the verb need "to" in this sentence?

texts:
All that can do is [to] make us disappointed.

Is the "to" required for the above sentence?


texts:
Today I said some event was a couple of weeks away. A native speaker from Australia corrected me and said, no it's at least three weeks away. What followed was a discussion as to whether a couple always means two, or if it can mean more than two.

What does a couple, in particular a couple of weeks, mean to a native speaker?

According to wiktionary:

  Two partners in a romantic or sexual relationship.
  Two of the same kind connected or considered together.
  (informal) A small number.

According to OED:

  two people or things of the same sort considered together:
  'a couple of girls were playing marbles'
  [treated as singular or plural] two people who are married or otherwise closely associated romantically or sexually:
  'in three weeks the couple fell in love and became engaged'
  'a honeymoon couple'
  [informal] An indefinite small number

Yet my colleague — a native speaker — insists that a couple never means three, although there can be a small error bar on the two. We asked one other native speaker who agrees with him, yet three non-native speakers point at the above-mentioned sources to claim they're wrong. But it's a bit tricky for non-native speakers to claim native speakers are wrong. Note that both native-speakers are from Australia/New Zealand.


texts:
What do you call the area in which the cameraman, the director, the lighting and voice recording staff etc. work in a studio? (The other part would be the place where actors or reporter stand and act.)

I know two words for that, but I don't know if they work in this sense or at least which works better here?

Backstage:

  In the area behind the stage in a theatre, especially the rooms in which actors change their clothes or where equipment is kept.

Backroom:

  A room in which work or other activities are done out of public view or secretly.


texts: Where to put commas in this sentence and why?

texts:
Where should I put commas in the following sentence:

In these investments the analysis of the reasonably possible changes in the key assumptions used in calculating the value in use shows that the carrying amount of the investment would be higher than the recoverable value.


texts:
Jaspers even records a dream in which, during a tense conversation with some of Heidegger's critics, his friend suddenly approached and addressed him for the first time with the familiar du. The two then set off together, alone.

Source

What do you think "set off" means in the context of the above sentence. I considered the different meanings of the phrasal verb "set off" but none makes much sense for me.


texts:
I want to say:

  On a surface, making $$$ per years looks like a lot of money. But when you divide it by the actual hours worked, suddenly it doesn't look like much.

Something tells me that the emphasised part might be incorrect.


texts:
Can I use "looks like" for non-physical attributes?

For example:

  My father looks like my mother. They are both very kind.


texts:
Is "Approaching people beyond poverty" understandable?

Context: this is for a short caption in a trailer that presents a social study. The social experiment's goal is to meet people living in third world countries. Studies in such fields face many difficulties (language, customs, differences...). One of them is poverty rush conditions (for instance hygiene conditions: there is a huge life style gap between western life style and traditional one...).

What I mean by "Approaching people beyond poverty" is that the protocol required the experimenters to live like and with the same conditions  the locals. "Beyond poverty" means to overcome this difficulty.

In french this construction works : Approcher les hommes au delà de la pauvreté et des différences. The literal translation is approaching people beyond poverty and differences


texts: I'm having a hard time figuring out "Categorical Noun"

texts:
I like fruit

Here, fruit refes to a category called fruit. that's why we use singular form:fruit.

  I like oranges and apples.

oranges and apples refer to two kinds of fruit.

  I have oranges and apples. I mean I have two fruits.

Here, we can use plural form of fruit because it refers to kinds of fruit not a category.

  I eat a piece of fruit every morning.

Here, piece refers to ,not kind or category, but one component. it could be an apple or a orange.

  I eat an apple every morning.

I think it is right.

  I eat a piece of an apple.

We would not say like this because we usually use "piece" when we refer to a component of a category not kind. it implies that we split an apple, then I eat one of them

What I understand so far is that

A category consist of kinds and each kind consists of components.

when we refer to a category using fruit, we have to use singular form.

but we can use plural form when we refer to kinds with a categorical noun "fruit"

Am I right to think this way?.


texts: What are the correct uses of Apostrophe?

texts:
The following use of apostrophe is correct.

  Gita is Sita's sister.

But suppose Sita is name of two twin sisters and Gita is their younger sister. So how should we write that?

  1) Gita is Sitas' sister.

Or

  2) Gita is Sita's sister.

It seems to me, that in certain cases, the apostrophe comes after the s, though I might be wrong.


texts:
A lot of popular media (specifically Disney) is STRONGLY rooted in characters created by other people.

I've learned English since Elementary School, and now decades later, I'm still struggling with the proper use of prepositions. I found the example above from some writing forum. I want to know why it's 'rooted in' not 'rooted at' or 'rooted on'?


texts:
I know soft-skills are interpersonal skills, but is there a contorted definition of the word so that includes technical skills?

Let say you are interviewing for the position of a mechanic and you clear a technical interview round and the next round you are told that it is soft skills.. But they ask you about how to operate a fork lift. As a mechanic you might not require to use a fork lift every day, but it is an auxiliary skill. Soft skills also tend to be in the auxiliary skills domain.

Would soft-skills include lesser used technical skills that are auxiliary to the job?


texts:
I do not know how to ask someone to be frank.
Actually I have request from someone and I want  to send an email to ask whether he would do it for me or not.


texts: Which preposition goes better for computer system?

texts:
When we say something in specified operating system, which preposition should I use?
e.g.

  I play games {in/on/under} Windows.


texts: Difference between "to enter through", "to enter from", "to enter by"

texts:
Are all of the sentences below correct and usual? Do they mean the same?

He entered the bedroom through the window.
He entered the bedroom from the window.
He entered the bedroom by the window.


texts: What is the difference between "I am red in the face" and "I get red in the face"

texts: My student asked me this question. Seems I couldn't explain it to him. I need help. I'm not even sure "get red in the face" is correct.


texts:
I am reading a book named "BHAGAVAD-GITA AS IT IS". I came across the below sentence:

I Offer my respectful obeisances unto him

Further I have consulted a dictionary for the meaning for unto and I learned its meaning is to. Is there any difference in meaning if I replace to with unto for all the places? Consider the following examples:

I am going from Chicago unto New York.
My rank was improved from 5 unto 3.
The new policy applicable from software engineers unto project managers.

Are the above sentences perfectly fine or not?
Are there any usage limitations for both to and unto?


texts: When we talk time, I know I can say eleven thirty or half-past eleven for 11:30. But how about eleven and a half? Is it correct?


texts:
Please give an explanation.
And you can give a link to the extended use of articles?
I just do not understand why in this case the article "the" is put, if this noun is singular, then the article "a" should be used, as it is written in the rules.

  Сan you get the meaning?

or

  Сan you get a meaning?


texts:
Before, I thought that "degree", when associated with an academic title (e.g. bachelor, master), always meant the qualification given to a student after he/she has completed his/her studies. However, I have recently found out by reading the Cambridge dict corresponding entry that it can also refer to "a course of study at a college or university". Therefore, a "master's degree" can mean both the qualification given to a student after he finishes the master's course or the master's course itself. Is there any difference in meaning between "master's degree" and "master's course", when "master's degree" has the second meaning? Is the first expression more idiomatic?
Example sentence: I will start a master's course/degree next year.


texts:
On arriving from school does it make any sense asking the kid You had a good day?
How does that sound to you?


texts:
I found the above explanation in the book "Oxford Guide to English Grammar"

"After some transitive verbs we can leave out the object when it would add little or nothing to the meaning."

My question is, would you still call them Transitive?

What about the below example

  Our cat lived till he was 10

In the above example, the verb "lived" without the object (the life)" which is left out as per the above explanation given in the book. So, is the word "lived" in the above example a Transitive?

I asked this question along with another question here Transitive verbs vs. Intransitive verbs but that is not answered yet. So that I'm separately asking here now.

Please help. Thanks in advance.


texts: Is the usage of "spell" here inaccurate?

texts:
The following is a passage from this article:

  Slate quickly dubbed the new venture an enterprise to “replace waiters,” and Time declared, “You’ll never have to interact with another human being again.” But at least for now, the company insists the move won’t affect its staffing. And if the tablets take off, they could conceivably help staff earn more tips – by enabling patrons to pay more quickly and efficiently (a swipe of the credit card at the patron’s convenience, rather than the bringing of a bill, ringing it up, and bringing back the change) — a move that spells higher turnover.

I assume turnover as referred to at the end of the paragraph means the rate at which goods are sold in a shop/store instead of the rate at which employees leave a company and are replaced by others. If my assumption is correct, then wouldn't the use of spell in a move that spells higher turnover be inaccurate? because according to OALD, spell is defined as:

  to have something, usually something bad, as a result; to mean something, usually something bad

But if turnover here refers to goods instead of employees, then higher turnover from the launch of these tablets would be a good thing isn't it? and not something bad as stated in the dictionary.


texts: Is it a student 'in' or 'of' your class?

texts:
I would like to talk about a hypothetical situation in which I am emailing my professor whose course name is 'BA.' If I want to tell my professor that I am one of his students, which of the following sentences should I use?

Hello professor, this is a student of your BA course

or

Hello, professor, this is a student in your BA course


texts:
Can anyone give me some words to sweeten the word wife?

Especially commonly used words woild be perfect.

Of was thinking of: wifie


texts:
Which is more grammatically correct?

  For our country, people and environment.....

or

  For our country, our people and our environment.....

Do we need to repeat the word 'our' in front of every element?


texts: Which form is correct? I'll be going or I will be get going or I will get going?


texts: Is "without" a preposition or an adverb in "She left the hotel without paying the bill"?

texts:
She left the hotel without paying the bill.

How do I tell if a particular word is a preposition or an adverb when it is attached to a verb?


texts:
I came across this "if conditional" and I have no idea if it's correct or wrong. I said:

  If you came to have a good time, push your fingers up

I've not faced such an if statement before, as far as I know, all if conditionals that come with an imperative, join with present tenses. As an example:

  If you should see him, give him the book

Sometimes conditionals get really complicated. I have no problem with other types of conditionals like mixed ones and so on though.

Could you clarify the issue?


texts:
I'm writing Personal Statement for Grad school. I wonder if it's correct to say "My passion for research starts from an early age?"

I didn't find problem at first, but then felt uncomfortable because passion itself can not behave itself and instead I should say "I started to have passion for research since an early age"?

But later I feel both are fine? Still confused.

Any advice is appreciated!


texts:
"Since the sun is already setting and the town is still for good four
  hours of ride afar, I think it would be wise to wait the night out
  here."

Is the use of "for good few hours" correct?


texts:
She is now two minutes behind schedule, but she can make that up if
she cuts through the minimall instead of waiting for the light.

Does it mean the traffic lights?
light or lights?
Hadley and Grace by Suzanne Redfearn


texts: In "I have to go there" is 'go' an infinitive or the main verb? I have read somewhere that infinitives can be used after 'have to' and the above mentioned sentence was given as an example. If that's correct then how about "I must go there"? I am pretty sure in this case 'go' is the main verb.


texts:
I regret being late

vs

  I regret to be late.

what is the difference in meaning of these two sentences???


texts:
Is the following sentence correct, regarding the starting of the sentence with "because" followed by a comma?

  Because, I have more of it, then I know what to do with.


texts: I might be wrong but I think the verb "to salute" is quite rare now and people don't use it, but might I be mistaking?


texts: What does 'not' mean in a positive sentence?

texts:
“Let’s go, then,” he said, taking his cloak, his sword, and his three pistols, and uselessly opening three or four drawers to see if he might not find a stray pistole.

How can I understand the usage of 'not' here, even when the character is actually looking to find a stray pistole and not 'to not' find a one. (this being a translation of the three musketeers).


texts: Why is it grammatical to say 'It's the holidays'?

texts:
I have come across the following sentence in Oxford Grammar for Schools 4 by Martin Moore:

  It's the holidays. I don't have to get up very early.

Why isn't the subject of the sentence in agreement with the compliment? Is it correct to say 'They're the holidays'? - I find it rather odd sounding, though.


texts:
I saw my children two days ago.

  How are they?/How were they?

Are both of these natural in the given context or only one of them?


texts:
Jane is back in May, by____ the new house should be finished.

  A. which B. that C. whom D. when

"when" is the answer, and I know its grammar.

My question is whether or not "which" works and why.

relative question: Stephen Hawking believes that the earth is unlikely to be the only planet ____ life has developed gradually


texts:
I am always confused with using "below".
My colleague corrected my sentence from:

  Below examples show...

To:

  Examples below show...

Is the first one grammatically wrong? then why?


texts: Why are "baked" and "naked" not pronounced the same?

texts:
The word "baked" is pronounced as:

  /ˈbeɪkt/

While "naked" is pronounced as:

  /ˈneɪkɪd/

Why are these two words not pronounced the same?


texts: the amount you need to take while using drugs or alcohol to get intoxicated

texts:
I used to get buzzed after a shot or two. But after a month of frequent drinking, I need at least five to get me there.

What's this limit called in English? I mean the amount that you take on drugs or alcohol to feel high.

  Oh, I shouldn't have been drinking that much. Now my [the word] has gone up. I just don't feel a thing after two shots.


texts: What does "if somewhat distrusted" mean here?

texts:
And why "distrusted"?

  Widely reported, if somewhat distrusted, accounts by figures like the famous traveler from Venice, Marco Polo, of the willingness of people in China to trade with Europeans and of the immensity of the wealth to be gained by such contact made the idea irresistible.


texts: "Acting as president" vs "Acting as the president"

texts:
The vice-president is second-in-command, and will act as president if the president dies, resigns, or is removed from office.

My initial thought, while I was reading this, was there was a mistake and we needed to put the between as and president:

  ... and will act as the president if  ...

The vice-president will become the president, the only one in the country.

Why are we omitting the here?
Any help would be appreciated.


texts: "must" vs "shall" - are they the same, or is one a softened version of the other?

texts:
In Information Technology, the "RFC2119 standard" (not exactly standard, but it does not matter here) provides guidance for the use of some words: "must", "must not", "should", "should not", and "may". The definitions there are very clear and there is no ambiguity.
Then there is the word "shall" that is

used in laws, regulations, or directives to express what is mandatory

Is there any practical difference between "shall" and "must"?
I am not a native speaker of English and in my language (French) you have all kinds of acrobatic constructions to soften or graduate some concepts. This is even more pronounced in some Asian languages.
I wanted to understand if this is the case with "must" and "shall" (= if they mean the same, possibly with some sugar coating) - I do not care in the text I am writing is gentle or not, I just do not want to have any doubts about the coercive meaning (in case there would be, for a reason or another, a "shall").
I understand the formal/dictionary definition above (which clearly states "mandatory"), I am more interested in the "feeling" of these words for an English native speaker.
A practical example (following the comments and answers): "Users must use a password" vs "Users shall use a password". Is there any difference for a native speaker? Any nuance?


texts: Is there any difference between "post under" and "post with"?

texts:
I was wondering if both meant the same thing, and if there's any difference between the two, what they were, because as I see it, it's pretty much the same thing. Saying "post under my real name" should mean the same thing as "post with my real name". Am I wrong?

For example:

  I am posting under my real name on the English Language Learners
  stackexchange.


texts:
Suppose I want to write:

  We want everybody to contribute with minimum barrier to entry.

Grammarly suggests I need to either say a minimum or the minimum. I find that odd but Grammarly always nags me about this and I got a bit unsure.


texts:
Could you explain to me which is correct (or if they are both correct)? What are the differences in meaning between these sentences?

Is this version supposed to be fixed by us?
Does this version supposed to be fixed by us?

I am a bit confused.
Thanks!


texts: What do "from inside" and "from outside" mean in discussing grammatical Aspect?

texts:
While reading ASPECT concept am not getting the terms  "from outside" and "from inside" from the sentence

  "The situation is presented from outside versus the situation is presented from inside."

Please explain these terms with simple and suitable examples.


texts: past perfect vs. simple past in one particular sentence

texts:
Then, in November 2005, just as crucial depositions were both scheduled and proceeding and Avery stood to receive his money, he was suddenly and sensationally arrested for the murder of a freelance photographer named Teresa Halbach, who had come to Avery’s Auto Salvage on Halloween to photograph a truck for an auto magazine, and whose SUV had been found on the Avery property, as eventually were her scattered and charred remains.

(New York Review of Books)

When I read the above excerpt I was thinking about why the whole last part is not told in the past perfect. Can you explain to me why is "had been scattered and charred remains" not used? This event as I suppose happened before November, 2005 so I would use the past perfect as in the case of preceding events. Or am I wrong and the simple past indicates that the remains of her body was found substantially later than her car?


texts: How to identify whether sentence is passive voice or in simple tense?

texts:
How to identify whether sentence is passive voice or in simple present tense?
I.e. does it mean habitual or repeated action or just simple passive tense?

  This table is cleaned by John

Meanings

Conveys status that table is cleaned because John has cleaned the table. (Passive)
Every day this table is cleaned by John. (Present Tense)

Similarly for past tense sentence

  This table was cleaned by John

Meanings

Conveys status that table was cleaned because John had cleaned the table.(Passive)
In the past every day this table was cleaned by John. (Past Tense)


texts: What does this sentence from a newspaper daily mean?

texts:
"We hope she is alive,"said her mother,Shanta Ben, the dark circles around her eyes giving her a haunted expression.

Does it mean that the dark circles around her eyes made her look haunted?


texts: Is  essential in: played hide-and-seek with  child’s eyes

texts:
My earliest childhood memory is of the swaying limbs of Golden Delicious
  apple trees. Rows of them stood next to a dirt road that separated our
  orchard from the front yard.

  The Kentucky summer sky hung hot behind those high twigs, their leaves
  leathery green on top, soft as down underneath.

  The apples, little bigger than shooter marbles then, played hide-and-seek with a child’s eyes.

Frank Browning,“Sweet Temptation,” Reader’s Digest

If the apples swing around in the air like a child's eyes do. Would not the prepositional phrase be put without the indefinite article a as follows:

  played hide-and-seek with child’s eyes.

rather than

  played hide-and-seek with a child’s eyes.

Think of:

  I go by bus

not

  I go by a bus

To me, saying:
 "played hide-and-seek with a child’s eyes" is much like there are two parties playing hide-and-seek: the apples, and a child's eyes.


texts: Is the usage 'with diabetic patients' right in this context?

texts:
Significance of immune responses in disease A with diabetic patients.

Is this sentence grammatically correct? The meaning I want to convey is that this study is on the effects of immune responses on disease A in patients with diabetes (i.e. the patients have diabetes and disease A, but the effects of immune responses are applicable only to disease A.)

If this does not work, does either of the following options convey the above meaning?

  1) Significance of immune responses in disease A, with diabetic patients.

  2) Significance of immune responses in disease A in diabetic patients.

The double usage of the word 'in' in the second option makes me hesitate to use it. I realize that I could reword the sentence, but this was written by someone else and I don't want to make too many drastic changes. Can someone help me?

Thanks in advance.


texts: How to understand "got a good bit of use out of them"

texts:
‘Fred and George have invented Extendable Ears, see,’ said Ron. ‘They're really useful.’

  ‘Extendable—?’

  ‘Ears, yeah. Only we've had to stop using them lately because Mum
  found out and went berserk. Fred and George had to hide them all to
  stop Mum binning them. But we got a good bit of use out of them before
  Mum realised what was going on.

  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

In my opinion, "got a good bit of use out of them" probably means make good use of them or benefit from them. But I'm not sure what it means exactly here. Any thoughts?


texts: What is meant by the expression "Jazz pants"?

texts:
I just watched a show, and there were competitors arguing with each others then one of them said "Are you happy with it now?"
and then the woman said "Jazz pants!"

I don't really know the name of the show, sorry.
It came from a short video clip on the advertising screen in the Mall.
Those competitors were arguing while they were cooking with loud noise,
that's why I turned around to watch that video and it's ending with that woman said "Jazz pants!" (not Jazz hands).

What does "Jazz pants" in this situation mean?


texts: Which one is correct? "Believe" word grammar

texts:
Which sentence is correct?

  He believed that brain is linked to emotion.

  He believed that brain was linked to emotion.

I think "is linked" is correct because he believes in a fact, am I right?


texts: What do we call a person who criticizes everything? One word for it

texts: A word for a person who always criticizes people, and he always claims that he is the righteous.


texts: Which part of speech is "to get a thing" a part of?

texts:
Consider the following sentence:

  We had to go to get a book.

This is how I identify each word or group of words to its corresponding part of speech:

We is the subject of the sentence.
had is the auxiliary verb, the sentence is in past tense. The sentence could end here and it is still grammatically correct.
to go is an infinitive acting as an adverb modifying the verb had. The sentence could also end here and still be grammatically correct.
to get a book this is my question. How should I dissect this? If the sentence ends at to get a person would ask "to get what?" so the noun a book is a restrictive component to the word to get. Is this an infinitive phrase? A compound noun? I don't think it is a preposition either. Did I wrongly approach this structure?


texts: Difference between " in a row" and "at a stretch"

texts:
There is a sentence, "He would study for eight to ten hours at a stretch."
If I say, "He would study for eight to ten hours in a row.", does the meaning the same?
The dictionary says that "in a row" means without a break, and "at a stretch" means continuously.  To me, these two phrases seem to have the same meaning.
Could you explain how to use these two?
Also how about "eight to ten straight hours"?   Does this also have the same meaning?


texts:
This is the whole paragraph I’m having trouble with:

  His uncle backhanded him so hard across his left cheek that Isaac’s
  sense of self temporarily broke upon the ground on which his body
  fell. He lost any feeling of personal cohesion. And as the parts of
  his psyche put themselves back together, some secret piece of himself
  remained in the dirt, left behind in a place from which it would never
  be recovered.

I don't understand the meaning of "self temporarily" in the first sentence. Isaac's uncle backhanded him, but what happened next? And what is the meaning of "broke upon the ground"? What is that verb’s subject and what form is it in?


texts:
I am always confused about these words. for example let's consider these sentences:

Doctors can now detect very small amounts of dangerous chemicals in the body.

The professor asked us to identify several types of whales.

I think we used detect in the first one because it is not obvious to find dangerous chemical.
Is it all? We use detect for something not obvious otherwise we use identify?


texts: Do the sentences make sense in the following situation?

texts:
Here is a situation: I don't know if he ate the cake. I think in my head:

If he didn't eat the cake, I'll have it.
If he hasn't eaten the cake, I'll have it.

Do the above sentences make sense?


texts: What does 'fit everything around someone' mean?

texts:
Paul wonders aloud why they must always fit everything around
  Matt.  (thearchers.co.uk)

What does the highlighted part mean?


texts:
a killed person. I saw a killed person in the street.
  a person killed. I saw a person killed in the street.

  Is there any difference in meaning between two these phrases, and are they both acceptable and interchangeably used in context?


texts:
In neo nair crime movie The Little Things (2021), Joe Deacon drives his car to tail suspect's movement, which stopped
near hamburger mall, where group of hookers present.

Joe Deacon: We got roast beef, we got strippers...We got hookers.
Damn, homie. You don't know how lucky y'all are.

My friend said that He is saying who lives near that area where there is a place to get roast beef and
strippers/hookers at the same location are the lucky ones. How to identify "lucky" being refer to people in that area?


texts: Use of be+infinitive in different meanings

texts:
I know that be + infinitive is used for order, instruction and plan but some of the example sentences are confusing to me they are:

  I'm to go now. ( what's the meaning of this sentence ?)
  Mr johns was to speak at the meeting last monday. ( if this sentence is about past plan, was the plan fulfilled ? Or what's the meanings of this sentence ?)
  You are to be on time.(what kind of meaning this sentence implies?)
  Am I to believe what they say ? ( what kind of meaning this sentence conveys ?)
  Now, if the meaning of those sentences is similar to 'supposed to', why be+infini' is used instead of supposed to' ? Is 'supposed to' is the same as 'should' or what?
  I'm expecting understandable answer. Thank you in advance.


texts:
What is the meaning of "set on you" in George Harrison song?

I've read the whole song thinking it will help me to understand based on the context but I'm still not sure about the meaning. Second, I've checked the dictionary for the meaning of the word set and it doesn't make sense to me. Then I found an idiom "set on" which means to attack someone... Does this meaning makes sense for the song?


texts: Why did the writer use "would" instead of "loved"

texts:
I can't understand why the phrase beneath is written that way.

  "She needed someone that would love her for more than just one night"

I've seen the same construction in other cases. Hope someone can help me.


texts: What's the meaning of 'lockjaw' in this sentence?

texts:
I know the meaning of 'lockjaw', which is a kind of disease but I don't think this word from the sentence below doesn't literally means that disease but other thing.

This is some part from a novel 'Baker's Blue-jay yarn' by Mark Twain.

[You may say a cat uses good grammar. Well, a cat does - but you let a cat get excited once; you let a cat get to pulling fur with another cat on a shed, nights, and you'll hear grammar that will give you the lockjaw.]


texts: Is "This is the only mammal that can fly" an independent clause?

texts:
We were taught that an independent clause must have a complete thought/idea.

  This is the only mammal that can fly.

How can "This is the only mammal" be treated as an independent clause?            It was a grammar lesson and there was no context there. In this situation how can I decide that it is an independent clause? Though for sure, there should be an independent clause in a correct sentence, and the clause starting with 'that' is not independent. But by this way, I can't fit it with the rule that every independent clause must have a complete thought. A simple sentence must have an independent clause. If the sentence has no independent clause how we can call it a sentence? Can even two dependent clauses form a sentence?


texts: Is this sentence correct? : This is what should be done to become teacher I was told

texts:
I just tried to make a sentence from these two sentences.

Something should be done to become a teacher.
I was told that something.
And I want to say “This is something that I was told”.

So, I made a sentence like below :
“This is what should be done to become a teacher I was told.“
Does it make sense?
Thank you.


texts: simple for us to go out -- what does that mean?

texts:
Source: Lecture 3 | Programming Paradigms (Stanford) (It's a Youtube video,  So just click the link and it will automatically take you to the exact moment he says it.  I have put in a time stamp for you there.)

Example:

  Let me just write a function I know you've seen before and it's actually charmingly simple for us to go out because this is all very difficult compared to what I'm about to write.

Specifically, I don't understand what for us to go out means.


texts:
When I am reading Philosophy and Simulation, I encountered the word:

  "than"

Normally, I know the meaning of the word but this time I could not understand what the meaning of than in this sentence. Could you explain it for me? Could you give me synonym for this word in the context?

The context of word is below:

  This other field, of course, takes for granted the properties of molecules themselves, treating them as solid spheres endowed
  with the capacity to collide and redistribute their energy, so another
  scientific field needs to account for the emergence of these properties
  in terms of their even smaller components (electrons, protons, neutrons). These three fields are, respectively, classical thermodynamics,
  statistical mechanics, and quantum mechanics.

  Lattice-gas automata operate at the same level of scale than statistical mechanics and borrows some of its methods. In particular, statistical mechanics must deal with entire molecular populations in order to
  account for processes lilce gradient degradation so it cannot deal with
  molecules individually: even a perfectly rigid sphere has six degrees of
  freedom being capable of changing its position and momentum in three different directions.


texts: Which tense to use for the verb following "Do you mind if I..."?

texts:
At school, I was taught the traditional grammar rules that stated that it was correct to say "as if it were" instead of "as if it was" and that "Do you mind if I" was always to be followed by a past-form verb rather than the present-form one.

However, the more I am exposed to the daily English, the more I hear "as if it was" and questions like "Do you mind if I go there?"

So, my question is: what is grammatically correct, is it

  "Do you mind if I go there?"

or still

  "Do you mind if I went there?"

?


texts: which one is more natural? government "forced" or "ordered" to reconstruct the apartment?

texts:
"government forced to reconstruct the old apartment."

  "government ordered to reconstruct the old apartment."

which one is more natural between somebody "forced to reconstruct ..." or "order to reconstruct ..."?
Or is it more natural if I make "the apartment" a subject? as in

  "the old apartment is forced to be reconstructed."

  "the old apartment was chosen as ..."

Or is there any other verb that fits here?


texts:
I have always considered such words as "high-pitched", "four-legged", "oft-stated", "first-time", "self-esteem" (struggling to come up with more common examples) single words. For example, I would call "self-esteem" a hyphenated word. But a Merriam Webster editor refers to lily-livered as two hyphenated words. In the audio at 00:24, the editor says "it's spelled as two hyphenated words". Technically, are these compound words single words or not?

Edit: added the exact source.


texts: Use of 'without' in 'the howling of wolves without grew louder...'

texts:
I could not understand the meaning of "without" in this sentence and it seems redundant. The sentence is taken from the novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker.

  As the door began to open, the howling of wolves without grew
  louder and angrier.


texts:
What is the perfect verb for 'throwing notes' on someone as a sign of appraisal?
Is this 'throw' or 'shower'?
The act can be seen in this picture, although it's not much clear.
Can we say: They are showering currency notes on the man.


texts: Can you use "education" as a countable synonym for "course"/"programme" etc?

texts:
When I check the various dictionaries I have access to, education seems to be used only as an uncountable or singular noun for the phenomenon as such, but when I google educations it seems to be used to some extent also as a more general word for actual 'manifestations' of education, such as courses and programmes, so now I'm wondering whether the following sentences are correct:

We are reviewing our array of educations at the moment (meaning that we are reviewing the different courses and programmes on offer)

There will be a new set of educations in the autumn (meaning that there will be a number of new courses and programmes in the autumn)

I'd be very grateful for any native speaker input I can get on this, since the mere fact that I have found some support for this use on google doesn't prove that it's correct – or even makes sense to native speakers :)
If education cannot be used in this way, is there another word I can use in this context, as a more general alternative to course and programme?


texts:
All the flights____because of the snowstorm, we had to take the train instead.

A. were canceled      B. had been canceled

C. having canceled     D. having been canceled

Here is an exam question maded by Chinese education department?I guess. The correct answer is D and I asked one of my American friends,he thought both A and B are making sence.


texts:
Uncertain how to react, she was puzzled when she found  that she was being cheated.

Vs
Uncertain about how to react, she was puzzled when she found  that she was being cheated.

Also,

I am uncertain about what I want..
vs
I am uncertain what I want.

Is about necessary? Or is it redundant in the given sentences?

And could anybody please explain to me when one needs to use about and when should not?


texts: In "I have grown very fond of Alec", why is an adjective ("fond") used instead of an adverb?

texts:
I have grown very fond of Alec.

I think this sentence looks weird.

I suppose grown is a verb, and should be followed by an adverb.
But I don't think fond is an adverb.

Is this sentence correct in grammar? Thanks.


texts: How to say any day after a particular date?

texts:
My interviewer mailed me this:

  When can you come in for a technical interview?

Is it correct to say "15th June 2013 or any other Saturday after that" or is there any other correct phrase to say that?


texts: Merchant of Venice- Underline or in Quotation Marks?

texts: Should Merchant of Venice be underlined or put into quotation marks? This is being used in terms of an essay (not only as a title but in the essay itself). My teacher has taught us to underline books and to put short stories into quotations. However she never talked about plays, which has left me confused.


texts:
One of my friend speaks sporadically (that is, not often) to me.
How to express this in correct tense and words.
How to ask him about this.

"Why you are talking sporadically to me?" is this correct

FYI - This my first post. If I have done any wrong tagging please forgive.


texts:
I have the following sentence

  the user specifies some anchors by selecting some elements of the page.

Is it an alternative to avoid repeating "some"?


texts:
I would like to know what is the best or correct answer.

What about meeting us next week?
What about meet next week?
What about if we meet next week?


texts: An article about her at New York Times vs alternatives

texts:
An article about her at New York Times
An article about her on New York Times
An article about her at newyorktimes.com
An article about her on newyorktimes.com

I suspect that the first and the fourth are correct, but I am not sure. The research I did. Is on more specific than at?

P.S. The article in question


texts:
Source (page 5)

  Soon, Haring opened a store which he called the Pop Shop, which he hoped would attract a broad range of people. While somewhat controversial among street artists, some of whom accused Haring of selling out, the Pop Shop changed the way people thought about the relationship between art and business.
  Soon, Haring opened a store which he called the Pop Shop, which he hoped would attract a broad range of people. While somewhat controversial among street artists, some of them accused Haring of selling out, the Pop Shop changed the way people thought about the relationship between art and business.

Generally, WHOM is similar in use to HIM/HER/THEM and WHO is similar in use to HE/SHE/THEY. Hence, the text book discusses the use of WHO vs. WHOM instead of WHOM vs. THEM.

I'm a confused with the use of WHOM and THEM. Please explain.


texts:
This short dialogue is from the movie Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist:

  Nick: Do you guys talk a lot? Talk about her (Tris) new boyfriend?

  Norah: I cannot believe Tris dated a straightedge. That's, like, astounding.

  Nick: What did she say about me? She said I was a straightedge?

  Norah: Can I ask, what did you see in her? I could floss with that girl.

  Nick: This is your friend that we are talking about?

  Norah: All right. I'm the bad guy now. Is this what we're doing? I'm the bad guy?

Background: Norah is into Nick, but Nick is hung up on his ex-girlfriend Tris. So here when Nick brings up Tris, Norah is apparently miffed.

Having checked Urban Dictionary, I haven't found a definition that fits the context. Urban Dictionary mentions "show off" but it doesn't seem relevant. From what Nick says after that line, it seems Norah's words are not very flattering. What does it mean here?


texts: What is "Subject patients to radiation"?

texts:
SOURCE (Job description)

  Prepare, administer, and measure radioactive isotopes in therapeutic, diagnostic, and tracer studies using a variety of radioisotope equipment. Prepare stock solutions of radioactive materials and calculate doses to be administered by radiologists. Subject patients to radiation. Execute blood volume, red cell survival, and fat absorption studies following standard laboratory techniques.

What is "Subject patients to radiation" here?

Can you provide the definition of subject from a reputable source to address my problem?

I think in this situation it can be either the patient is affected by the radiation or the technologist is affected by the radiation. Also, isn't that "Subject" can mean deal with something?


texts: What does it smell like? or How does it smell?

texts:
What does it smell like?
How does it smell?

I think both of them are correct ways of asking what something smells like. But I feel that there is some difference between them. Can you please point that out?


texts:
What is the difference between Scenario, script and Screenplay? I checked up on a couple of dictionaries and they more or less describe all three the same way.

Besides scenario being used in Computer science as a way to describe usage of a software (something like storyboarding) I did not seem to find any differences.

Also when writing one for a video game, which one is more suitable?


texts: Which one is correct? two years’ period or two years period?

texts:
Which one is correct and more appropriate?

  two years’ period

  two years period

why?


texts:
I have learned that peposition with is used in sentences like,
Write with pen, draw with pencil, etc

But I have seen following sentence in book.

  For Kids drawing by crayons is always preferable than sketch pens.

Is this correct or should it be with instead of by.


texts:
what's the difference between in and during? Which one is correct in the following sentence?

Here's the sentence :

John's total business income during/in March is fifty-six thousand dollars.


texts: Pull the socks from behind or pull the socks from backside?

texts:
I was teaching a kid how to take off his socks by pulling the leg down to the heel, then sliding the bunched up sock over his foot. Would the last step be better described as:

pulling the socks from behind

OR

pulling the socks from backside

Which is better sentence out of the two? Why?


texts: Is an article necessary in this sentence?

texts:
Is an article necessary in this sentence, where I have indicated with the question marks?:

  I am currently reading ??? CNN article "Australia's top stock exchange is having an awful Monday".

My intuition is that there should be an indefinite article. But that would mean putting it in front of a specific noun "article", which would call for a definite article.


texts:
Putin has instilled fear of stepping out of line with talk from his propagandists about the “sixth column.” The regime has long smeared the opposition with textbook accusations of them being Russia’s “fifth column.” But the Orwellian new invention of a “sixth column” refers to those inside the regime opposing expansionism due to their ties to the West.

What does that mean?


texts:
I've found sentences like these:
 1. I don't want them bringing their children to see me.
 2. She lost track of him, found him somehow, and then she didn't want me making any more enquires.
 3. I don't want you all coming here for food.
 4. I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick.
 5. I don't want you coming home so late.

All the examples show the pattern 'not want someone doing something...'
 I've been trying to figure out what if 'to do something' is used instead of 'doing something.'

As far as I know, '(don't) want someone to do something' is most preferred,
 but it would seem that 'don't want someone doing something' is gaining its own ground.
 I've been looking for a plausible explanation, but I haven't.

The question is, what's the difference between the two options?
 Is there any difference in nuance?


texts: How do I avoid misspelling "receive" as "recieve"?

texts:
As a non-native speaker and before the advent of the panaceas called spell-checkers and auto-correct, I used to often misspell words like receive ( as "recieve") and achieve (as "acheive").

I still make the mistake sometimes and thanks to auto-correct/in-built spell checkers in browsers, I am never able to get a hang of which spelling  to use when!

Is there any easy way to remember when to put 'i' before 'e' (as in "believe", "relief" etc.) and when to put 'i' after 'e' (receive, receipt, deceit, and so on)?


texts:
I Need to prove my teacher wrong.  We had an English test and there was this one task where we had to put the verbs in the right past tense (past simple or past continuous). So the sentence was:

  Susan ___ (photograph) places and people while she ____ (travel) in the Middle East.

My answer was:

  Susan photographed places and people while she was travelling in the Middle East.

And my teacher said it should be like that:

  Susan was photographing places and people while she was travelling in the Middle East.


texts:
I've come across two versions of writing a capital G and a capital J in cursive. I cannot understand which one is correct because Wikipedia shows that the capital G from my textbook is, in fact, the capital J from Wikipedia and vice-versa.
Is it a mistake in my textbook or one can use them interchangeably and just needs to be consistent when deciding which one to use as a capital letter?
Here are examples from my textbook.

UPDATE
Thanks. I've corrected my textbook.


texts: What is the difference between "to meet you" and "to meeting you"?

texts:
Why the below one is correct?

  I look forward to meeting you.

And why this one is wrong?

  I look forward to meet you.

I generally do these mistakes in letter writing.


texts: General American and RP Pronunciation of "character"

texts:
I've seen several different pronunciations of the word character in several dictionaries (Cambridge, Oxford, MacMillan,Collins, Merriam Webster and Wordreference). All of this pronunciations were shown as the main pronunciation (Not the weak ones).

So, my question is which is the main pronunciation for General American English and the main for British English (RP)?.

For General American English I've seen:

/ˈkær·ək·tər/ From Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries of American English

/ˈker.ɪk.tɚ/ (Also from Cambridge dictionary and, like the one above, shown as the main one. This is the main pronunciation in Merriam Webster and WR too)

/ˈkerəktər/ From MacMillan dictionary

For RP I've seen:

/ˈkærɪktə/ From Collins, Cambridge and MacMillan dictionaries

/ˈkærəktə/ From Oxford dictionary

I'm talking about the main ones, not the weak ones. Thanks in advance!


texts: Is it correct? "You may call me in your convenient any time."

texts:
I am confusing whether I could use "convenient" and "any" at the same time.

Also, I'd like to know the different nuance between may and can, in this sentence:

  You may call me in your convenient any time.


texts: Can I say "They study it in a shallow level"?

texts:
When referring to studding can I use the term "shallow level"  in a meaning of study subject not deeply?

For example if I see a video that teaches biology but very basic, can I refer to it as "a shallow level"?

Actually, I didn't see the use of "a shallow level", but it's a direct translation from my language. Of course, I tried to do some googling but I didn't find something that answer me about that.


texts:
Usually, the resumptive modifier works as follows:

  Life is all about moments, moments that record achievements, moments that record time with family.

I wonder what is the grammatical function of the italicized parts. Apposition?

The more important question is if the following grammatical?

  Life is all about moments, some moments that record achievements, but many more moments that record time with family.


texts:
Two guys meet each other at night and one of them shows the other a box where there are three guns. Then a police officer appears and asks:

What is in the box?

Can the guy whom was shown the box whisper to his pal

Don't show him what are in the box! ?

I read that if we knew or presupposed about something that was plural we could say sentences like that with plural forms or verbs. This way the police officer doesn't know anything about the singular/plural form of what is in the box. Therefore he uses "is". However, the boys knowing the amount of the guns is three use "are". Am I right?

P.S. If he can, will it be wrong if he still says:

Don't show him what is in the box! ?


texts: The difference between "existing", "existent", "extant"

texts:
Related question - Which word is correct, “existed”, “existent” or “existing” - has an answer that claims that

  "existent" would evoke the sense of existence which is related to philosophy and life in general

But in a dictionary I've seen an example:

  The report is based on inputs from LDCs and their development partners, including their existent reports.

It is not related to philosophy, isn't it. Is my dictionary wrong, and it is better to say "including their existing reports"?

Update:

This answer presumes that there could be a typo, and the word is "extant", not "existent".


texts: "Differences in values" - use "is" or "are"?

texts:
Differences in values are/is not necessarily the source/sources of conflicts

Which word should I choose in each pair of words separated by "/"?


texts: Meaning of "He rushed past her like a football tackle, bumping her." from "The Catbird Seat"

texts:
What does this mean: "He rushed past her like a football tackle, bumping her." (The Catbird Seat, by James Thurber)

Does it show his swift move? I watched some football tackles on YouTube. They are very violent. Has he done so? Probably not. How would you reword and rephrase this sentence?


texts: How to use the preposition 'in'and 'for' in an negative sentence.

texts:
Here, the seventh point says I can use the preposition in in an negative sentence. Does it mean I don't have to use the preposition for and still it will be correct?

For example:

I was there for three years.
I was not there in three years.

Thanks for help.


texts: What's the meaning of 'next september' in this context?

texts:
I was wondering what 'next September' mean in this context.

for example, if this article is written in 2018 3 January,
Does 'next September' mean 2018 september?
or 2019 september?


texts: Overlap or confusion in terminology describing predicates and complements?

texts:
[The source] is about the completers of thoughts, it is appropriate
  to include a brief description of complements. A complement
  (...) is any word or phrase that completes
  the sense of a subject, an object, or a verb. As you will see, the
  terminology describing predicates and complements can overlap and be a
  bit confusing. Students are probably wise to learn one set of terms,
  not both.

  ● A subject complement follows a linking
  verb; it is
  normally an adjective or a noun that renames or defines in some way
  the subject.
  ● Adjective complements = predicate adjectives.
  ● Noun complements = predicate nouns = predicate nominatives. See
  predicates,
  above.
  ● An object complement follows and modifies or refers
  to a direct object. It can be a noun or adjective or any word acting
  as a noun or adjective.
   ● A verb complement is a direct or
  indirect object of a verb. (See
  above.)

Comparing predicates vs complements, what else overlap[s] or is confusing? I simplified the exposition above and want to master both sets of terms (for predicates and complements).


texts: Word usage: The recent years v.s the past few years

texts:
I know that I can write my sentence as:

  The study of web analytic has been studied over the past few years.

However, I want to use the word "recently": So I rewrite my sentence as:

  The study of web analytic has been studied over the recent years.

Does the 2nd sentence sound correct to an English speaker?


texts: Whether to include the definite article when we talk about all of the instances of some set

texts:
a. k. a., i. e., e. g. — Notice that the intermediate periods in the abbreviations are followed by hair spaces.

The sentence after the abbreviations themselves is not a description of a rule how abbreviations should be typed. It is description about how these three particular examples are typed.
Is it correct in such a case to follow "that" with "the" or the article should be omitted?

Notice that intermediate periods in the abbreviations are followed by hair spaces.

My understanding of grammar rules tells me to include the article, but for some reason it sounds odd.


texts:
I wrote this sentence:

  Spelling words in English is challenging for both native speakers and language learners.

I feel it is correct, but I am little confused about using "both", could the sentence be:

  Spelling words in English is challenging both for the native speakers and the language learners.

What is the normal position of "both"?


texts: When someone pays for all someone else's expenditures (including food), for example a child, what do you call it? I want to construct, if possible, something based on this structure: 'someone is one someone else's [sustenance? maintenance?]'. I also want it applicable to the situation when one state provides for another country (due to political reasons, for example) to the point when the latter country is not viable on its own.


texts:
Stumbled upon this phrase in a high profile game dialogue, which means it is supposed to be written professionally and not just a blunder:

  If this murder was intended to hurt me, it has succeeded. If it was meant to send a message, it failed.

Why did the author use present perfect for 'succeed' but past tense for 'fail'? In my foreigner's mind it should be either this or that.


texts: Why did the author use "One of them" instead of "each one of them" in this sentence?

texts:
The scenario is the protagonist in this novel had been experimenting a theory her colleague have had told her (is the tense correct?) that eye contact with another person for more than six seconds without looking away or blinking revealed a desire for either sex or murder.

  She reflexively hadn't believed this, but it had intrigued here enough to test it out on various friends and strangers. To her surprise, with the exception of John [her husband], one of them always looked away before the six seconds was up.

  – Cited from Still Alice

My question is, why did the author use "one of them" but not "each one of them" or "every one of them"?


texts:
I have three phrases in Spanish I would like to translate to English:

Simon en Japón.
Simon en la Tierra.
Simon en el código.

I think these would be the proper translations:

Simon in Japan.
Simon in the Earth.
Simon in the code.

The meaning I want to transmit is that of Simon being physically in that place. Simon is in Japan, Simon is in the (planet) Earth, Simon is in the (computer source) code.

I've read a lot about "in" vs. "on", and wether to use "the" before "Earth". I believe these translations are appropriate, but I would like to check with native speakers.

UPDATE:

There is no verb in the phrases because they will be used as titles.

From your answers the first two phrases would become:

Simon in Japan
Simon on Earth

Regarding the last one, the intent is metaphorical.

Simon in Japan: Simon went to Japan, explored and had adventures.
Simon on Earth: Simon went to other places on Earth, explored and had adventures.
Simon in/on the code: (metaphorically) Simon goes into the source code, explores and has adventures.

In the last case, would it be better "on"?


texts: What does "world outlook" mean in this context?

texts:
Under these baffling conditions there is no thorough discussion of the
world outlook whatever, anywhere.

The new world order by H.G. Wells
I interpret the "world" outlook as "world state". Am I right?
Or what does the author mean by it?
My other question is, what does "whatever" mean here?


texts: a navy-blue shirt -- possibly what he was taken out of his home wearing

texts:
What is going on grammatically with this embedded interrogative clause:

  In court he was wearing a navy-blue polo shirt—possibly what he was taken out of his home wearing.

The reference is to an indicted person who was arrested by police at his home.

An analogous sentence without the passive in the embedded interrogative clause:

  She was found wandering the streets in a yellow dress and matching hat decorated with yellow roses—possibly what she went to church wearing.

P.S. Here are some similar clauses:

  That's the tree I broke my arm climbing when I was a kid.

  This is the medicine I get dizzy taking.


texts:
"There was a light house which is a very special place and that morning I wanted to see it for my self"

This was a line I heard in a  TV show "How I Met Your Mother" and I was wondering what does this line mean especially this part "for my self".


texts: So, we can use many different structures for 1 set of meaning of a word, right?

texts:
Ok, for example, look at the word "spend" in the dictionary. The word has many meanings & each meaning has many different structures.

  [transitive] to use time for a particular purpose; to pass time Source

spend something + adv./prep.
We spent the weekend in Paris.

spend something on something. How long did you spend on your homework?

spend something doing something. I spend too much time watching television.

spend something in doing something. Most of her life was spent in caring for others.

So, my question is that:

If we can say "I spent a lot of time on my homework", then can we say:

-"I spent a lot of time doing my homework"

-"I spent a lot of time in doing my homework"

If we can say "I spent too much time watching television", then can we say:

-"I spent too much time on television"

-"I spent too much time in watching television"

If we can say "She spent most of her life in caring for others", then can we say:

-"She spent most of her life caring for others"


texts:
This was a conference which it was her duty to attend.

I would like to ask why there is in the above sentence used the pronoun it. Is that sentence a relative clause?


texts: I will report to you "in" or "at" Blacktown Hospital?

texts:
I am confused about this sentence.

Which statement is correct?

I will report to you in Blacktown Hospital, at 8:00 AM.

I will report to you at Blacktown Hospital, at 8:00 AM.


texts:
It is requested for the producers this information to be stated on the packing.

It is requested so that the producers state this information on the packing.

I would like to ask whether these two sentences are grammatically OK. I am not sure whether the preposition "for" is needed in the first one.


texts:
I am reading a Harry Potter fan fiction.

Hermione go back in time when Tom Riddle is a student.
She get to be in Hogwarts as a year seven pupil. (as Dumbledore's niece. Aberforth Dumbledore adopt her. so her name became Hermione "Dumbledore". not Hermione "Granger".)

On Hogsmeade weekend trip, Hermione go to the Hog's Head of Aberforth with Mcgonagall.
Tom Riddle also go there with Cygnus Black and Abraxas Malfoy.
After Hermione left, Aberforth ask the boys.

  "Does Hermione seem happy up at school?"

What does "up" mean?


texts: What does these words meaning in this sentence?

texts:
I read this passage from an article. There are words being bold below :

  The Internet of Things (IoT) will breakthrough in three directions:
  boundary, dimension, and scenario.

  With the development of 5G and edge computing, computing power will
  not be limited to cloud computing centers, expanding to everything and
  building a distributed computing platform. At the same time, the
  insight into time and space, the two most important dimensions of the
  physical world, will become the basic capabilities of the
  new-generation IoT platforms. This will promote the integration of IoT
  with more scenarios such as energy, power, industry, logistics,
  medical treatment, and intelligent city, and create greater value.

What do they meaning in this sentence ?


texts: can anyone explain the quote in simple way?

texts:
I came across a quote

  Life isn't too funny, to be too serious

Unfortunately, I can't get the right meaning out of it, even though I'm familiar with all of the words. Can anyone explain in a much simpler form using an example?


texts: Difference between 'prepositional phrase' and 'adjective phrase'?

texts:
Can you please help me understand the difference between 'prepositional phrase' and 'adjective phrase'?

He drives the car at high speed. (Prepositional phrase)
The boy in the shop is my friend. (Adjective phrase)

My question is why these two phrases are different when both of them start with the preposition 'in'?


texts:
I share this paper with the objective to divulge how Spirit has guided me.
I share this paper with the objective of divulging how Spirit has guided me

Which one is correct ?  or is there a better way to say this


texts:
Please have a look at this sentence:
I'm French-speaking person.

Is this correct grammatically?
I would use an indefinite article this way:
I'm a French-speaking person.

Would you agree please?


texts: "A little too many" or "A few too many"?

texts:
I dont know whether to choose few or little in sentences like :
"I bought a little/ a few too many apples for us to eat so some of them ended up spoiling."


texts:
I am wondering if Tete-a-Tete has a similar meaning as mutual relation between two entities such as the following:

Suicide rate and depression are Tete-a-Tete.


texts: What's the difference between "a contract with" and "a contract from"?

texts:
What is the difference between "a contract with" and "a contract from"? For example, in the sentence

  SpaceX has a $1.6 billion contract from NASA.

Can I replace "from" by "with" in this sentence? Or does "from" indicate something like the contract is made by NASA and endorsed by SpaceX, and if "with" is used, this information will be lost?


texts:
Maybe you'll meet a girl who isn't interested in a long term relationship.

Should isn't actually be won't be? Are both acceptable?


texts: What does "... folding screen tipped on its side, and lined the collection box in red crêpe paper" mean?

texts:
I have several questions about the sentence in bold from the novel Atonement by Ian McEwan.

  THE PLAY—for which Briony had designed the posters, programs and tickets, constructed the sales booth out of a folding screen tipped on its side, and lined the collection box in red crêpe paper—was written by her in a two-day tempest of composition, causing her to miss a breakfast and a lunch. When the preparations were complete, she had nothing to do but contemplate her finished draft and wait for the appearance of her cousins from the distant north. ”

Does tipped mean "having a specified color or material on the end or tip"?
Is tipped an adjective?
Does folding mean "able to be folded into a smaller shape"?
Does screen mean "a large, flat, white surface on which images or movies are shown"?
Does "constructed the sales booth out of a folding screen tipped on its side" mean "Briony used a folding screen whose side is tipped to construct the sales booth"?
Does out of mean "used to say what something is made from"?
Does line in the sentence "and lined the collection box in red crêpe paper" mean "to cover the inner surface of (something)"?
Does in in the sentence "and lined the collection box in red crêpe paper" have same meaning as the word "with" in the sentence "I lined the box with paper"?
Which meaning of "in" is used in the sentence "and lined the collection box in red crêpe paper"?

http://learnersdictionary.com/definition/in

I looked up the word "in" in the Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary, but I couldn't find the definition of "in" which matches the meaning of "with" in the sentence: "I lined the box with paper".

Does the word "tempest" mean "a situation in which people are very upset or excited"?

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/tempest


texts: Is the phrase "not before, neither now" correct/common?

texts:
I thought that phrase was quite common, so I was shocked to find very few Google results.

Maybe the phrase is written wrongly? Or it should be phrased in another way?

Here's an example sentence with a subtle variation:

  Despite their popularity, Mary had never been interested in the Harry Potter movies in the past. Neither now.


texts:
I am little confused with one question which was in my test.

  "Are you seeing her at the university today?" - it was translation task and that answer was correct.

Present Continuous implies an arrangement?

If I ask will you be seeing it will mean I want to ask someone politely to do something for me e.g. Will you be seeing ... today? I want you to give her gift for birthday. Moreover Future Continuous conveys a repeated action (we are working together / studying together, so we will meet at some time at university).

And if I ask Do you see her on Monday?, in this case it will indicate timetales (for example we ask someone's tutor about his meeting with a student)?

And If I use to be going to construction it will indicate my companien has not fix an appointment yet,  so he isn't sure whether he will meet the person I am askinng about. Am I right?


texts: "What would you prefer they say?" Grammatical or not?

texts:
I know "prefer" can be used this way,

I would however prefer that you got as much advice as possible from
the books first.

But when it comes to this one,

What would you prefer (that) they say?

in which obviously "what" serves as the object of "say", a verb located in a subordinate noun clause.
Tons of examples of this sentence can be found, but is this usage grammatical or standard?


texts: Grammatical Correctness: "he is lucky" vs "he's got lucky"

texts:
Which one is better? And could we use get lucky in Present Perfect?

  Person A: He has just sold two pictures of his.
  Person B:  He is lucky. My husband has been painting for five years and hasn't sold any pictures yet.
  Person A: He has just sold two pictures of his.
  Person B: He's got lucky. My husband has been painting for five years and hasn't sold any pictures yet.


texts: Which one of the words should the preposition be considered with?

texts:
Small huts have been built to accommodate visitors to the island.

The question is that, which one of the words does the preposition to relate to?
is it accomodate visitors to the island or separately, visitors to the island


texts:
"Kyle!" She screamed it as loud as she could, praying inside as she did it.

What is the meaning of the bold part of the sentence? And what use does it have for the sentence?


texts:
Does the phrase "fighting their suppression" mean "fighting against their suppression"? Or "fighting for their suppression"?

The Democrats tweeted:

Republicans are taking aim at measures like early voting to disenfranchise people, specifically Black voters, who helped power Democratic victories in 2020 and 2021. We'll be there fighting their suppression every step of the way — in court and at the ballot box.


texts: Should we use present and past tense together in a sentence?

texts:
I always get confused in these kinds of sentences when someone thinks in his mind.

He might be thinking that I also got these kinds of materials that's why he asked me
He might be thinking that I also get these kinds of materials that's why he asked me.

I want to make it clear that I also get these kinds of materials regularly.

If I use past tense then it feels like it happened only once before he was thinking and if I use present tense then it feels like it happens regularly.


texts:
The word "re-combobul-ate" what does mean ?!

For example (( "re-combobul-ate" area ))

And could anyone recommended a website that can help me to define a new words slang and using by native speakers ..?


texts:
To track the changes and rollback them if necessary, use GitHub, Bitbucket, or GitLab. If you don’t know how to use Git, consider using a GUI client; if this is too much either, use a bunch of local timestamped copies and compare them using Meld or another comparison application.

I want to discourage beginner programmers ("students" for short) from using comments to track changes. Instead of using comments, I suggest them to use one of the three options:

Git (for the most ambitious students)
Git + GUI client over it (for students that are not that ambitious)
Local copies + comparison application (for the least ambitious ones)

I'm not sure that if this is too much either is a correct way to show the jump from the second option to the third. I tried to find usage examples, and there are very few of them.

Google: "if this is too much either" - only 2 real results, 0 trustworthy (e.g., from New York Times or some book).
Google: "if this is too much as well" - 0 results.

And so I think this phrases are wrong. How to fix it? Or may be I should choose the completely different one?


texts: Why is each chapter of the Bible called a book?

texts:
I am always confused with that. A book has several chapters but then I find several books in Bible!

Isn't the Bible a book?


texts: When someone asks our name, we use I am [name]. Also, we use I am to express our feelings, like I am sorry, and I am happy. So do we use I am for both our identity and our feelings?


texts:
I want to ask. In below conversation, which one I should use?

A : Why do you hate him ? ( What has he done / what did he do ) to you ?" >>
B : Sorry what did you say?
A : I asked you what ( had he done / has he done/ did he do )?"


texts: Why many abstract nouns get an indefinite article while it's taught that abstract nouns shouldn't get it?

texts: I was told that abstract nouns don't get articles. (You can see here for example). But I found many abstract nouns that get indefinite articles, such as: "of a truth", "of a size", "of a lifetime", "of a certain age", "a love", "a wish", "a difference", "a power" and more. What is the explanation for that?


texts:
Though I miss the jump into my teammates’ arms, I continue dancing.

OR

Though I missed the jump into my teammates’ arms, I continue dancing.


texts: Why how 'old' are you, not how 'young' are you?

texts: English (the language) always gives an impression of being positive.  For example, when little kids are making mistake, it will refer to as 'being creative' instead of 'being incorrect'.  So as my title, isn't it the opposite?  I assume asking how "old" is not very polite, so I usually avoid it and ask 'what's your age'


texts: Can I use the phrase "at its best" to refer to a party?

texts:
Can I use these idioms to convey for example:

We left the party at its best (at the party's peak; while the party was reaching its peak; while the party was going really well)


texts: Each base edge and apex "form/forms" a trangle

texts:
Each base edge and apex form a triangle. (Wikepedia)

When there is the determiner, each, doesn't the subject become singular? I mean the verb, form, needs to be changed to ‘forms’. Is it mistyped or is it right?


texts:
The following is an excerpt from a passage from ETS, operator of TOEFL test. I wonder, which name the pronoun "it" points to.

The tradition of religious sculpture extends over most historical periods but is less clearly delineated than that of stonewares or porcelains, for it embraces the old custom of earthenware burial ceramic with later religious images and architectural ornament."


texts:
I came across this sentence below and I reckon something is wrong with this sentence that I underlined the certain part. Because using "past simple tense + before + past perfect tense" pattern does not make sense as far as I know.(source)

  I got so bored with what he was saying that in actual fact I dozed
  off before he'd finished speaking.

Shouldn't it be

  I got so bored with what he was saying that in actual fact I had
  dozed off before he finished speaking.


texts: Word or phrase for "something that is not moving"

texts:
Is there a universal verb or phrase in English which I can use to say that something is not moving (it can move but is not moving right now). For example:

  The car is not going, it is . . .

  The ball is not rolling, it is . . .

  The boat is not sailing, it is . . .

  The man is not walking, he is . . .

Can I use the phrase "stand still" in these examples?


texts:
What is a person in "pelvis cloth"?

What kind of clothing is that?

In what context is this expression used?


texts: Shortening sentences with participles -> "After the girls had finished their dance, they left the dance floor"

texts:
i have this sentence, i have to shorten using participles:

  After the girls had finished their dance, they left the dance floor.

In the solutions there's as this answer written:

  After having finished their dance the girls left the dance floor.

Why was this version chosen? Why wasn't

  After the girls had finished dancing, they left the dance floor

chosen? Is my version wrong or also possible? Is there a grammatical difference?


texts: How to use "to be thought to" correctly?

texts:
In a secondary school exam, I found this question

  The Princess came into the room and I bowed down to her. "It seems you've tricked me," she said, but not unkindly. "I would like to apologise to you for this," I said. "You don't need to apologise. I should thank you for all you've done for Ruritania," she said. "I've learned all about duties and responsibilities," I said to her. "It's a lesson I'll never forget." "And we'll never forget how you've helped the King," she replied. The King smiled, then closed his eyes and fell asleep, and the doctor said it was best if I left him.

  Q "It seems you've tricked me" What trick was the speaker thought to play?

I think the question reversed the situation and isn't grammatically correct as well, is it? If it is not correct, how shall it look like?
Would it be grammatically correct if we said

  What trick did the speaker think to have been played?

Thanks in advance


texts: on which condition should i use the right word [which,that] which leads to subordinate clause?

texts:
I find the bag which you bought yesterday on the desk.
  I find the bag that you bought yesterday on the desk.

Which one is correct? or both are right?     I want to know on which condition should i use 'which' and 'that' to lead to the subordinate clause？   Could you give me some brief conclusion??


texts: How to phrase this sentence about showing fingers?

texts:
A took B's hand & shows B's four fingers to B & asks B
  How many fingers does B see.

I mentioned B about five times in above sentence, Is it possible to mention B only once?


texts:
I have this sentence..

  My gift for walking and talking simultaneously did not fail to attract attention.

What should be the verb and subject in this line? As per me the verb should be walking and talking because it signifies action. And subject should be My because it is talking about me. But that doesnt seem to be correct. Any help??


texts: Does this sentence miss a "to" after "assign"

texts:
Suppose this sentence, I've found it in a scholarly technical article about Android.

  Based on criteria, such as the requested permissions, apps are assigned a security type.

In my opinion, this sentence needs a to after word assigned. Something like this

  Based on criteria, such as the requested permissions, apps are assigned to a security type.

So, Is my second sentence correct? if so, could you please tell my under what circumstances, I can omit to after verbs.

For example, can I omit to from this sentence He went to the park. ?


texts: What does "all a little worse for wear after a day of carousing" mean here?

texts:
I would like to know what "all a little worse for wear after a day of carousing" means in the following sentences:

It is a few moments before the waitress regains consciousness. She is,
it appears, uninjured, but whatever she has seen out there has struck
her nearly mute. The most they can get from her are low moans,
wordless nonsense.
‘I sent her over to the Folly for a couple more bottles of champagne,’
the head waitress – only twenty or so herself – says helplessly.
There is a palpable hush in the marquee. The guests are looking among
the throng of people for their loved ones, to check that they are safe
and accounted for. But it is difficult to spot anyone among the
seething crowd, all a little worse for wear after a day of carousing.
It is difficult, too, because of the structure of this
state-of-the-art marquee: the dance floor in one tent, the bar in
another, the main dining section in the largest.

Lucy Foley, The Guest List, Chapter 13

This is a thriller novel published in 2020 in the United Kingdom. One hundred and fifty guests gathered at some remote and deserted fictional islet called Inis an Amplóra off the coast of the island of Ireland to celebrate the wedding between Jules (a self-made woman running an online magazine called The Download) and Will (a celebrity appearing in a TV show program called Survive the Night). The wedding ceremony is held at the Folly, which is a renovated castle. On the wedding night, after several times of blackout, a waitress screams outside before entering the marquee, the party venue installed on the island, and guests are now all gathered to see what happened, in front of the fainted waitress.
In this part, I am wondering what "all a little worse for wear after a day of carousing" means.
I looked up "worse for wear" and found that it means to be "drunk," so I wonder whether it would be all right to understand that everyone (=all) had their minds a little muddled (= a little worse for wear) after they had spent one day while drinking and playing (=carousing).
In short, I am wondering whether "all" means "everyone" here, and whether it would be okay to see that "worse for wear" is the second reason why they find it difficult to spot anyone among the crowd, the first reason being the "seething" (=fast-moving) of the crowd.
Or perhaps, does "all" functions like "all the more"...? I am confused.


texts: Is it ok to short words more than one time, like I'ven't?

texts:
Actually I have this question for long time. As I started to use contracted words like I've , it's, you're (verb with subject), and due to habit of shorting verb+not like haven't, isn't etc, eventually I came to write words that are contracted twice e.g I'ven't, it'sn't, you'ren't etc.

But I suspect about correctness of it since that I've never found such twice contraction in a sentence. So, finally I has come to ask: Is it ok to contract and combine more than one words simultaneously?

I mean combining effects of I've + not & I + haven't to I'ven't! and similar possible word contractions.


texts: is it a correct sentence "there itself I given our comments"?

texts:
situation:
I visited a factory and next day updating my boss my visit.

verbal Explanation on next day
I visited their factory yesterday. they shown the HMI simulation. there itself ( to mean during the demo of HMI itself) I given my comments on the visualization of HMI was not looking good.

Query
My explanation, is it conveying proper meaning?
"there itself" is it right sentence? is it used by the native?


texts:
... horsewoman, Marlee and her husband also now run the cattle station as a guesthouse.Guests can join in with the farming activities and also go fishing. The Bullo River, which feeds into the Victoria, is famous for its barramundi, ...  (The Guardian-Travel)
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/jan/25/travel-women-safari-shopping-wildlife
... Yes.I join in with my college's international activities – we sometimes have Chinese nights. My friends and I have cookouts in our kitchens too, where we make ... (The Guardian)
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/oct/15/-sp-meet-a-student-from-hong-kong
... disturb the universe?" Let's not accept these demeaning definitions and limitations.Let's not join in with conversations about superficialities. Let's have more of the truly important conversations. ... (Huffington Post)
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/important-conversations-b_b_9576512
I do not understand why 'with' is necessary in the above examples because 'join in sth' already means participating in something. Is the word necessary, or is another meaning achieved by adding 'with'?
I understand why we add 'with' in other occasions, such as ''Feel free to comment and join in with more ideas.'' and  ''I join in with the rest of the crowd.'', but I think these two usages cannot explain the above.


texts: About English practice for writing in forums

texts:
As French, I'm used to see that most of the time elevated language is not used when writing in French forums: it's often preferred to speak short. Not surprisingly it appears that the same applies to English in the same contexts.

But recently I realized something more: I observe that English writers, most often, not only use short expression but also precisely write reproducing the oral language, e.g. it's for it is, I'm for I am and so on.

So for a long time I'm used to do the same, but finally it puzzles me, since
it does not ultimately shortens one has to write... and sometimes even complicates it.
For example writing you're is IMO not easier than you are: space and "a" come more fluently under the fingers than the apostrophe.

In other words, I feel that this use does not respond to a desire to shorten and facilitate the drafting, but a kind of agreement that would be generally respected.

I would be glad to have comments about that.

EDIT

After reading some of the questions tagged contraction, I came to feel contractions, in English, are not reserved for the current language, but on the contrary would ultimately be the most common rule, including high language.

For a French, this is quite surprising, because for us contraction is absolutely reserved to oral language, and even then not totally accepted as "correct" speaking (but this tends to change for some tens of years).