texts:
In English grammar, an absolute adjective is an adjective, such as supreme or infinite, with a meaning that is generally not capable of being intensified or compared. Also known as an incomparable, ultimate, or absolute modifier.

the list

I saw a list depends on this matter such as person can’t be more or less dead. In the same way, a sphere can’t be more or less round.

Thereby, I found,on the same list,  a lot of words  which can be graded, such as furious, obvious, huge, tiny, by adding an adverbs like extremely, too, very.

  Extremely furious, he stormed my house sith a gun, trying to shoot everyone sitting over there.

What is your explanation for this condition, that why we couldn’t use adverbs with adjectives, huge, furious, tiny...etc?


texts: Which preposition do I use after the verb "negotiate"

texts:
Do I have to use the preposition about or for after negotiate.For example:

  We will negotiate with the company about/for a better deal.


texts: A phrase or single word for a person who always think he is important

texts: Is there any interesting phrase or word used to describe a person who wants others to pay all their attention to him and think himself important than anyone?


texts: Infinitives with causitive verbs bid, command, order

texts:
1). I bade him go.
2). I ordered/commanded him to go.

Till now I have thought bid, order and Command have almost same meaning except some nuances.
But why Bare infinitive is used for bid and to-infinitive is used for order, command?


texts:
This news augurs the happiness for the days to come.

  This news augurs the happiness for her in the days to come. (not for
  her for the days to come)

What is actually the difference?

  This news augurs the happiness in the days to come.

Is it correct?


texts: Would anyone explain to me the use of the preposition of time ‘to’?

texts:
Would someone explain to me the exact meaning of the following sentence:

  Tickets are available to the end of the month.

Does it mean the tickets are available from the beginning until the end of the month or that tickets are only available around the end of the month?


texts: Her beauty and talent is/are the secret of her success

texts:
a. Her beauty and [her] talent is/are the secret of her success.

  b. The secret of her success is her beauty and her talent.

  c. Her family and [her] friends is/are the secret of her success.

What is the correct verb in a and c? Does including or dropping the second pronoun her affect whether or not is is correct? (on the presumption that is is deemed correct.)


texts: How to say an event happens in the same room with another event that we know

texts:
Let's assume we have two events like lectures. I know lecture A is given at ROOM1. I know lecture B is given at ROOM1, too (at a different time). Someone came and ask me "Where is the Lecture 2". Is my below statement correct?:

  The same place where LectureA happens?

Another option is:

  It is in the same room as LectureA

I have seen two examples in macmillandictionary.com. The first one is:

  Animals feel pain the same as we do.

and the second one is

  We were staying at the same hotel as our parents.

Can you explain why in the first sentence the verb do was added whereas in the second one there is no verb at the end of sentence? I mean, could it have written as We were staying at the same hotel as our parents were staying


texts: meaning of the word "trigger" in context?

texts:
It is from the online journal Psychology Today. Here it goes:

  Some of those behaviors can become habitual — i.e., habits. The resulting chain — trigger activating motive, leading to behavior, leading to repetition, which eventually leads to habit, a specific style of responding — follows the social learning theory traced by Julian Rotter in the 1950s.

I cannot get what  trigger activating motive is. If the word trigger was used there as a verb then why was that used in the infinitive form? Should not it be triggers activating motive? And Why was the definite article was omitted before the word motive? Could you please rephrase the whole sentence for me?


texts: Phrase variation: At this/that early/old age

texts:
This is a three-part question as there are quite a bit of combinations involved:

1) I am informed that "At an early age"  and "At a young age" are  interchangeable, commonplace phrases. This has led to me to wonder whether, on the other end of the spectrum, "late" can be used instead of "old" in that construction. If so, which preposition should I use? (e.g. "He is still fit AT/IN such a late age" to mean "He is still fit in his old age.) Or is it more idiomatic to use "years" with the comparative form? (e.g. "in his later years")

2) Referring back to part one, if it we can say "AT a young age", then why can't we say" AT an old age" and instead need to express it as "IN old age"? Is there any reason "She accompanied it At SUCH AN old age' might sound  jarring to native speakers?

3) Is it grammatical to use determiners or pronouns such as "this, that, his, your etc. in the constructions below? For example:

  Can you find anything in your old age?

  I am surprised what you accomplish at this young age.

  He was employed at that early age?

  She is still able to run in such old age.

  You 've being through such a traumatic time at such a young age.

  You ran the marathon in this old age?

If any of them caused raised eyebrows, please explain and suggest edits.

I know it's a tad bit unusual to compress three questions into one, but all of them are strongly related and I hope by having them together this post will prove helpful for user reference in the future.

With my deepest thanks in advance.


texts:
Look at this picture

Do we say "put your hair roller on your hair / head / bangs"? But I didn't feel that a hair roller can be used in the same way as a hat or a hairband.

We can say "put your hairband / hat on your head" but for a hair roller we have to roll the hair on it.


texts: Do we use "among" or "amid" before abstract concepts or mass nouns?

texts:
Monet would have loved to stand his easel among the landscape. (The New York Times)

Since "landscape" is an abstract concept, shouldn't it be better to use "amid" in the sentence above?

Please, explain what is the difference between "among" and "amid" usage in reference to the case above, in which an abstract concept/mass noun is involved.


texts:
Consider:

  “Thanks for the ride.” “You're welcome.” (Merriam-Webster Learner’s)

[i] ‘You’re welcome’ seems like a perfunctory or a mechanical saying when somebody responds to a person that expresses their appreciation, not having that serious meaning. They would gladly receive the one again that is giving the thanks remark.
[ii] Nonetheless, the two have this shared meaning: “You’re welcome (if you come for help again.)"
Are both [i] and [ii] the proper imagination?


texts: riding up to their bridle reins - meaning?

texts:
Usage example with a context:

  The Atocha bombings were brutal acts of terrorism, but as Ferré acknowledges, there were many atrocities in the Crusades as well. Crusade chroniclers reveled in the slaughter of the population of Jerusalem: One wrote of crusaders riding up to their bridle reins in blood at the Dome of the Rock and called the massacre a splendid judgment of God.

What does that exactly mean?


texts: Suggestion for the phrase "go under the question ..."

texts:
Suppose that I want to explain why we select the students using specific metrics. I've written down:

  if we choose the students indiscriminately, the fairness goes under the question.

  if we choose the students indiscriminately, the fairness is questionable.

  Selecting the students indiscriminately makes the fairness questionable.

Question:
Would you please provide me with better sentences and phrases?

Personally, I prefer to use phrases similar to "go + under + question". Such phrases are very common in my native language (Persian). Also, for me, It is interesting to see whether English-spoken people use such phrases or not.

Thanks in advance.


texts:
I heard this phrase from someone today and have a question about how this person used "I have been".

  She advised me to continue to draw the things that I have found interesting.

My question is, can present perfect be used here? Wouldn't simple past work better since this person is describing the advice she recently received from someone? Can someone please help me understand the usage if present perfect in this sentence?


texts:
I really wonder, which specific structure should be suitable according to the table below for the following sentence:

  The table shows that navigation is included or not included in related cars.

Or

  The table shows that navigation is included or not in related cars.

The table:

         Navigation
| BMW  |    1
| Opel |    -

I want to use not because Opel has no any navigation feature.


texts:
"I feel well" and "I feel good" these both sentences are used occasionally, but what is difference between them. I mean when someone ask to a patient "How are you feeling now" and he replies "I feel well" or "I feel good" then the person who is asking this question might be confused. I mean in which context patient is informing.
Thanks...


texts: The difference between "I never followed you" and "I've never followed you"

texts:
If someone says to me that

  You unfollowed me!

Which answer is correct?

  1) I never followed you

  2) I've never followed you

I feel like both are correct, but I can't understand the difference between them.


texts:
I'm trying to write an English definition for "linguistic enclave". I haven't found any in a monolingual dictionary or on the Internet.
I came up with something like this:

  A portion of territory surrounded by a larger territory whose
  inhabitants speak a dialect or language which is different from the
  one of the inhabitants of the surrounding territory.

Is that correct English and does that reflect the true meaning?


texts: Question about "if ever" and "in his own small way"

texts:
Mr. Kapasi knew that his wife had little regard for his career as an interpreter. He new it reminded her of the son she’d lost, and that she resented the other lives he helped, in his own small way, to save. If ever she referred to his position, she used the phrase “doctor’s assistant,” as if the process of interpretation were equal to taking someone’s temperature, or changing a bedpan. She never asked him about the patients who came to the doctor’s office, or said that his job was a big responsibility.

A. Would you please in a more readily way teach me what the bold sentence mean? especially the following phrases:

in his own small way
if ever

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Source: Extracted from the book   "Interpreter of Maladies" by Lahiri


texts: Question about words in context of renting in order to owning

texts:
Monthly mortgage has been roughly calculated using 25% down, 6% interest and 25 years amortization
Source: http://www.ottawaliving.ca/property.php?property_id=38161

I was wondering if you could help me, simplifying the highlighted words above.


texts: I know that cages are used to lock people or animals up. But what is the meaning when we are talking about the healthcare industry? I saw this word in a presentation of a company that sells surgical equipment. The sentence was: "if you buy our cage, you buy our biologic".


texts: What is the difference between 'relationship' and 'relation'?

texts: Can we say a sentence like 'her relation to her mother in law'?


texts: "I can hear a noise in a place" or "I can hear a noise from a place"?

texts:
Could you tell me which preposition I use in the follwing sentence: in or from?

I've heard a noise in the kitchen. I had better go to check.
I've heard a noise from the kitchen. I had better go to check.

If both are possible, is there any difference?


texts: Is "An explanation what is the foundation of this stuff." correct?

texts:
I was writing my thoughts and put it like that at first:

  An explanation what is the foundation of this stuff. (&)

Then I thought: "Wait, shouldn't is be at the end?", so I rephrased the sentence and looked at it again:

  An explanation what the foundation of this stuff is. (#)

As to a non-native English user, this sentence felt somewhat awkward to me, so I've found an article about it:

  What as a pronoun
  We can use what as a pronoun to mean ‘the thing(s) that’:
  What we need to do is make a list of useful phone numbers. (the thing we need to do)

And indeed, my sentence can be rephrased using this rule:

  An explanation of the thing that is the foundation of this stuff.

I've also tried to replace what by some contextual synonyms:

  An explanation what [inhabits]/[amounts to] the foundation of this stuff.

Or thinking up similar sentence structures:

  I'm analyzing what is there.

But I'm still not sure.
According to my understanding of English, the (#) version is totally correct, but after all this research, I'm still not sure about the (&) version.

My question - is the (&) version correct?


texts: Is it optional to use different structures in the sentences OR just wrong?

texts:
1) I think that it is a good movie

2) I think that is a good movie


texts:
The plants have shut down for lack of funds.

Why can we not say:

  The plants have shut down for shortage of funds.

I can not tell the difference.


texts:
I am hesitant in using an article after the sentence which we call.

Example:

  We discovered a new attack model which we call "man-in-the-middle"
  attack

Or

  We discovered a new attack model which we call a "man-in-the-middle"
  attack


texts:
I started to learn English recently and I have one misunderstanding about the usage of "all" and "any". In what cases should we use "all" and in what "any"? Why does the following example:

  There was something false in all this.

use "all" instead of "any"?


texts: The unit/location where I did my military duty

texts:
I was conscripted in the Bundeswehr. ("Allgemeiner Wehrdienst"/"Grundwehrdienst", 9 months of duty that, once you passed the health check, could be avoided only by doing civil service).

How would I describe in which unit/location I was during that time? A friend wrote in his CV that he was "posted at the Tank School in Munster".

Is "posted" correct? First, I only heard that word in connection with online message boards, and second, LEO translation knows "posting", but the German word given ("Abkommandierung") is used not for the barracks/ship where you are normally doing your duty, but only if, for some time, you have to go elsewhere for a limited timespan, expecting to return to your "default" barracks afterwards (e.g. going to Berlin to work with a Ministry's group, or if you are going to Kosovo or Afghanistan)


texts: Can I omit the word "it" and "she" from the following "as...as" sentences and still be correct?

texts:
Can I omit the word "it" and "she" from the following sentences and still be correct.

1- Everything may not be as neat and clean as (it) is being portrayed.

2- Kate is not as good as (she) is thought by others.


texts:
Wood Chickens "Skunk Ape" 7"

First things first - really did love the Dead Milkmen during my formative High School years. The title track on this rubs that Milkmen vibe, pretty damn close. As for the other two tracks, they rollick through the hillbilly fields, skipping about like Mojo Nixon on a harder hooch. Not really anything I'm needing to hear again

Why  present continuous here,is it to emphasize the idea (it is really something I don't need right now)


texts:
I want to know if these sentences are correct:

1) Our school will order stationery for students at a discounted price.

2) You may purchase the books from our company’s designated book store with a discounted price.

I want to use 'in' a discounted price, but it sounds Chinglish to me. Also, can I use 'at' or 'with' in the above sentences? Thank you so much!


texts: ... finished {written/writing/to write/wrote} two compositions

texts:
I am just practising some english grammar related questions , here is the question I am confused about :

  Salman finished__________ two of his published compositions before his twelfth birthday.
      A. Written
      B. Writing
      C. To write
      D. Wrote

Its correct answer is B. Writing. But why should we select "writing", what's the logic or rule behind it?


texts:
I am analyzing a sentence where I have this phrase: They are the ones most affected.
"Most" here is an adverb, isn't? So, what kind of adverb is it?


texts:
Just run into this one: 'Helene had come to notice working for the German Communist Party'.

I surmise the subject ('Helen') is here the object of noticing while being the subject of the gerund (incidentally I am not sure 'working' is a gerund in that case).

I understand the whole phrase is equivalent to: 'Helen had been noticed' —even better: 'had drawn attention upon herself'— 'because she was working for the German Communist Party.'

Do I get it right? And is this conspicuous grammatical construction correct?

Sources: none found.


texts:
I want to ask a question about the passive.

Let's see this sentence:

  "I want to eat the food"

What is its correct passive sentence?

Is it?

  " The food wants to be eaten "

or

  " The food is wanted to be eaten "


texts: An idiomatic word meaning "very good" in this context

texts:
The country's ranking in global output has been _____ for quite some time now.

What is an idiomatic adjective, or adjectival phrase, meaning "very positive" or "very good" or "very high", to put in the above sentence. Or are each of these three options idiomatic when we talk of ranking?

Thesaurus give a lot of options, among which "outstanding" sounds not a bad option to me, but I still don't know which one is idiomatic when we are talking about rankings.

I am not looking for words that add other meanings. For example, "promising" seems to me to add a sense about future and consequences, and that is why it is not what I am looking for.


texts:
Do the following three sentences mean the same to you?

1: You may invite a maximum of 10 guests.

2: You may invite up to 10 guests.

3: You may invite 10 guests at most.

Are "maximum", "up to" and "at most" synonyms?


texts: Is the use of indefinite article in this sentence wrong as my teacher said?

texts:
My sentence is:

  Opened in 1982, the Rio Sul Center is a 164 meters high building.

But my teacher said the sentence should be:

  Opened in 1982, the Rio Sul Center is 164 meters high building.

(basically, removing the article a). I still think that mine is correct, and hers is wrong.

Which one is correct, and why?

PS: English isn't my first language, that's why I'm asking this basic question.


texts:
I've heard someone, a native speaker, called his girl friend by "honeykins".

Does it the same as "honey" or "darling"?
Does it have special meaning other than those expressions?


texts: what does the following phrase functions as in the whole sentence?

texts:
The AOA recommends washing glasses everyday, paying special attention to the frames and earpieces, where hair product and makeup tend to rub off.

In the sentence above, I cannot figure out whether paying special attention to..blablabla denotes an adjective or something I don't know?

Although I am of the opinion that the phrase I mentioned above functions as an adjective modifying the only object (AOA). But if so,what does this sentence actually mean?..you know,there is something attributive clause standing after the middle phrase puzzling me.


texts:
I was reading a powerpoint for one of my classes and came across this sentence:

  It allows us to assert that exactly one of two propositions is true

When I first read it, I thought that it should have said:

  It allows us to assert that exactly one of two propositions are true

Since propositions is plural I would argue that are is the better fit in this sentence, but it is possible that is fits grammatically as well?


texts: Grammar in "Miss Caroline subsequent mortification"

texts:
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird:

  If I could have explained these things to Miss Caroline, I would have saved myself some inconvenience and Miss Caroline subsequent mortification, but it was beyond my ability to explain things as well as Atticus, so I said, “You’re shamin’ him, Miss Caroline. Walter hasn’t got a quarter at home to bring you, and you can’t use any stovewood.

Shouldn't it be Miss Caroline's subsequent mortification? Since mortification is a noun and it belonged to Miss Caroline, so it should be her mortification rather than she mortification in my mind.


texts: Revision of a document. Number of pages in a document

texts:
Let's say I need to list some properties of something, for example, of a document:

  5: Revision of a document.

  1000: Number of pages in a document.

  [other properties] of a document.

  ...

Generally, the first time I mention the document I need to use "a" article. The next time I need to use "the" article.

But in this case it seem to me that I need to use "a" article in each element in the list.

Could you please confirm that we should use only "a" article here? Could you please give a brief explanation also?


texts: What is the difference between "one" and "a"?

texts:
Should I say:

  One feature of my work is ...

Or

  A feature of my work is...

What is the difference?


texts: What is the meaning of this sentence from "A Study in Scarlet" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?

texts:
I had neither kith nor kin in England, and was therefore as free as air -- or as free as an income of eleven shillings and sixpence a day will permit a man to be. Under such circumstances I naturally gravitated to London, that great
  cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are
  irresistibly drained.

It is not quite clear to me what "gravitated to London" means. The rest of the sentence isn't particularly clear either. Please explain.


texts: In what cases I should skip 's in possessive case?

texts:
I notice that in some cases people skip the  's  in the possessive case. But I cannot understand what rule they use.

For example:

attribute declaration, but not attribute's declaration or declaration of attributes
pet cemetery (name of the book), but not cemetery of pets.

Explain please how should I do it correctly?


texts:
I have a function which I need to specify its parameter. I chose the parameter of this function to be close to its independence case. Then, I try to say that this function is specified with low parameter. I just wonder do I need to use "chosen to be with low parameter" or "chosen with low parameter"

Here is my try:

This function is chosen to be with low parameter.

This function is chosen with low parameter.

Which sentence is correct?


texts:
The boy pushed his brother who was wearing a white short.

"who" refers to what in the sentence above?

If "his brother" was followed by a comma, would the refrence of "who" changes?

Thank you


texts:
Does the preposition 'with' sound redundant to you in the following self-made sentence or not? If yes, why?

  Those two countries fought with each other for eight years.


texts:
I'm a bit confused with this -ness suffix. I never know when to apply it.

For example this word got me confused : powerlessness. It looks like this suffix can be used in many cases. And I feel like there is a rule when to use this suffix, but I don't get it.

When are we supposed to use this suffix ? What does it express ?


texts:
Which one is the better sentence?

The opportunity does not made by someone. The opportunity is things that I make.
Opportunities are not made by others. It is me that make the opportunities.
None. What else options?


texts: Usage of "in" or "at" in "you can do well IN..."

texts:
1a) you can do well at a lot of things

  1b) you can do well in a lot of things

  2a) you can do well in many things

  2b) you can do well at many things

I am confused about the usage of "in" or "at" in the examples above. Which one should I choose and why?


texts: A dash or a hyphen in the sentence "Owls are 20-30 cm long," and what's the pronunciation?

texts:
Owls are 20-30 cm long.

My question is silly but nevertheless: is it a hyphen or a dash here? And how is the "20-30" pronounced?


texts: Is this sentence (The teacher gives you conversation starters...) gramatically correct? Nobody got it when I said it

texts:
I'm starting a course and our teacher gives us cards with a bit of information about each student in the class, maybe to mingle the group.  Then I said the following to explain a friend what was going on:

  "The teacher gives you conversation starters to mingle with people you
  don't know but whom you are going to spend some time with".

Is that phrase grammatically correct?  It seems to me that it does, but no body understand me, and this time I'm sure it was not caused by my pronunciation.


texts: Sweep out something from under the couch?

texts:
Let's say there's something under the couch and you use a broom to get it.
Is it right to say:

You swept it out (from) under the couch?


texts: Sensations that people wanted. Why is it indefinite?

texts:
Could someone explain the reason why the definite article is omitted in the first example?

  The task was
  clear: pump a healthy dose of emotional appeal into the shriveled-up fruit. Link up sensations that
  people wanted. "Shriveled" and "dried" are not the sensations that most people associate with feeling
  good about their lives.

The author is referring to specific sensations in both cases, not just in the last one, so it should be definite too. Thanks!


texts:
Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do.
I am trying to understand why Lewis Carroll decided to write "on the bank" instead of "on a bank". Could you clarify it for me? So far I've been exposed to the following possible reasons for that:

"on a bank" is never correct in the sense of "on a riverbank". (Do you agree?)

Alice was beginning to get tired of sitting on a specific bank which happens to be "the bank".

However, I am not convinced whether "sitting on a bank" wouldn't convey the meaning needed.  I understand that "was getting tired" restricts the situation to a one-off occasion. Hence, she couldn't have been sitting on more than one banks at the same time. It means that "a bank" can be only a specific bank. I think if we had "She was tired of sitting on a bank" it would mean that she might have sat on many banks. But it's not the case in this case.
These are my musings on the matter. How would you profoundly substantiate the choice of "the"?


texts:
So I saw this line from a TV drama (again) and couldn't understand it. Here is the line:

  But Michaela Stone remains a person of interest in the most perplexing investigation ever to cross any of our desks.

What's the meaning of "cross any of our desks"? I was guessing "according to our records" or something like that.


texts: Adjective for "occuring in two different planes or levels"

texts:
I'm trying to shorten

  He grew up in Ethiopia and moved to Canada at the age of 25. Those two worlds (occuring in two different levels), made him see how far man has reached.

into

  ...Those two (adjective here) worlds.

I'm looking for an adjective with the meaning described in addition to a figurative meaning of "one higher/better than the other. Off the top of my head, unleveled, unparalleled. I'm not sure those are correct. Feel free to suggest different constructions.


texts:
a small ( ) topped with cheese

For the contents in parenthesis, should I use crescent of pastry or pastry of crescent? Is there any difference between the two phrases?


texts: Choice between "they and " them" in ".....instead of they/them waiting for him to come."?

texts:
The boys visited their uncle instead of____waiting for him to come.
  1)The boys visited their uncle instead of they waiting for him to come.
  2)The boys visited their uncle instead of them waiting for him to come.


texts:
I am going to make up an example:

  Time goes very quickly. It has been twenty years since I last met Jack. It seems like yesterday.

Does the clause in bold make sense? Thanks a lot.


texts: How to understand "fill out Bingo Card", "punch oneself" and "get trolled"?

texts:
From this dtrace.conf(16) wrap-up, I come across the following statement:

  Just to save you the time filling out your Cantrill Presentation Bingo Card: you can find me punching myself at 16:19, me offering unsolicited personal medical history at 20:11, and me getting trolled by unikernels at 38:25.

I can't figure out the whole sentence's meaning. Could anyone help to explain how to understand "fill out Bingo Card", "punch oneself" and "get trolled" here? Thanks very much in advance!


texts:
I read a sentence in "The Hindu" which was:

  We are working together to see India become a top three trading partner for Australia by 2035.

Shouldn't there be "one of top three" or "top third" instead of "a top three" in the sentence?


texts: What does 'a classic manipulation' mean?

texts:
What does a classic manipulation mean in the context? Who does the manipulation, employers or experts?

Dream teams are not always so dreamy. When a team of experts comes together they often work for themselves and not for the good of the whole. This is what happens
when companies feel the need to pay mega-salaries to “get the best
talent.” Those people are not necessarily showing up because they
believe in your WHY. They are showing up for the money. A classic
manipulation. Paying someone a lot of money and asking them to come
up with great ideas ensures very little. However, pulling together a
team of like-minded people and giving them a cause to pursue ensures a
greater sense of teamwork. Samuel P. Langley, who failed to build the
world’s first airplane, pulled together a dream team and promised them
riches. The Wright brothers, who invented the first airplane, inspired
a group of people to join them in pursuit of something bigger than
each member of the team. Average companies give their people something
to work on. In contrast, the most innovative organizations give their
people something to work toward.

Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action


texts: How do I express the phrase "disorderly conduct" using a verb?

texts:
How do I express the phrase disorderly conduct using a verb? For example:

The man was thrown in the slammer for diorderly conduct.

I would like to know formal and informal ways to say that.


texts: What's the difference between making something “in ten minutes” or “for ten minutes"?

texts:
Gordon Ramsay attempts to make fish and chips in ten minutes

Why is “in” used here instead of “for”?


texts:
What is the difference between From today and Starting today ?

For instance in the following sentences:

  All users of Sitestat can download the
  new toolbar free of charge from today.

  From today, employees will be required to take at least a twenty minutes nap during lunch break.

  Starting today, employees will be required to take at least a twenty minutes nap during lunch break.

Are they correct ?


texts:
My mom and I both got the iPhone 7+ yesterday. She just text my sister
  and I how she doesn't know how to screenshot on this phone

  He told us how he was honest and could be trusted


texts: traffic accident vs car accident vs road accident

texts: I learned English has expressions describing accident that is caused by cars. I could not find differences between traffic accident, car accident, and road accident. I want to find the differences. I would appreciate it if you could inform when you find it.


texts: Differences between 'up to now' and 'so far'

texts: Is there any Difference between 'up to now' and 'so far' except to the condition when 'So is' is used for 'distance' in the sentence ? I would be greatfull if anyone would tell me,thanks


texts: What does the phrase “speaks instead of” mean?

texts:
I'm a little confused about the sentence structure of the sentences below (this is an excerpt from an IT book):

When Hunter and Westerman say that IT must demonstrate value through “on-time project delivery, on-budget project delivery, and ‘first time right’ application delivery,” are they aware that the Agile community speaks instead of maximizing business value delivered, creating minimal viable products which are later incrementally enhanced, and even of testing in production?

The "speaks instead of" part confused me.
My understanding is "Instead of the what Hunter and Westerman said, the Agile community speaks of maximizing business value delivered, creating minimal viable products which are later incrementally enhanced, and even speaks of testing in production.
My friend's understanding is "Instead of maximizing business value delivered, the Agile community speaks of creating minimal viable products which are later incrementally enhanced, and even of testing in production.
Which one is correct?


texts: "I hate my family not understanding..." vs. "not to understanding..."

texts:
Which of following sentence is the exact usage of the verb hate:

  I hate my family not understanding me

  I hate my family not to understand me


texts:
Consider the following sentences

XYZ was attacked in NY on Monday

XYZ was on Monday arrested in NY

These are from two different news reports. From what I've learned from order of adverbs, adverbs of time comes after adverbs of place. Why then was 'on Monday' - an adverb of time - moved and placed before the adverb of place?

I know they are flexible but what I want to know is, are both styles correct? Or are there rules that dictate the movement of adverbs?


texts: Word for words created or coined to harm or create havoc

texts:
What would you call a word created or coined to harm someone or some group of people or cause havoc. I think there is a need for such a word as a from someone's point of view there are always words of this kind, and someone needs to be able to point out the word as such, possibly by backing such designation with an argument.

Thanks.


texts: I have heard the phrase "Here we go" a couple of times. And some other time I hear "There we go". What do they mean and what is the difference of the two phrases? I somehow feel it could be replaced by saying "Let's go", could it be?


texts:
In The Blacklist, episode S03E05, about 27:30 in, a guy asks something like this.

  Some say it's a daddy-daughter thing.
  Others swear it's a may-september...

What does it mean? I haven't heard that reference before.


texts:
What's the difference between phrases "piece of cake" and "a piece of cake"?
This question comes from reading this answer to a question on puzzling.stackexchange.com and its first comment (which says that The first line doesn't say "I'm a piece of cake", it says "I'm piece of cake").


texts: "Both" vs "Both of" in case of passive voice

texts:
I am confused with this sentence:

...So, both of the speech signal and envelops were shifted with the same amount

Should I use both or both of and why?


texts: He is "used to seeing" her kiss other men

texts:
I understand that we use 'used to' for things that happened regularly in the past.

But the following "used to" is different in someway, also the format of verb is ing form.

  MICHELLE Keegan is adamant her husband Mark Wright doesn’t mind watching her intimate love scenes because he is used to seeing her kiss other men. The Sun

Is it mean he saw here kissing other man one time? or regularly in the past?


texts: Infinitive form Vs. -ing form after a value judgement

texts:
Which one of the following is correct and why?

  It'll be wonderful to see you again.
  It'll be wonderful seeing you again.


texts: Understanding sentences written by Henry David Thoreau

texts:
Excerpted from Where I Lived, and What I Lived For by Henry David Thoreau:

  This small lake was of most value as a neighbor in the intervals of a gentle rain-storm in August, when, both air and water being perfectly still, but the sky overcast, mid-afternoon had all the serenity of evening, and the wood thrush sang around, and was heard from shore to shore. A lake like this is never smoother than at such a time; and the clear portion of the air above it being, shallow and darkened by clouds, the water, full of light and reflections, becomes a lower heaven itself so much the more important. From a hill-top near by, where the wood had been recently cut off, there was a pleasing vista southward across the pond, through a wide indentation in the hills which form the shore there, where their opposite sides sloping toward each other suggested a stream flowing out in that direction through a wooded valley, but stream there was none. That way I looked between and over the near green hills to some distant and higher ones in the horizon, tinged with blue. Indeed, by standing on tiptoe I could catch a glimpse of some of the peaks of the still bluer and more distant mountain ranges in the northwest, those true-blue coins from heaven's own mint, and also of some portion of the village. But in other directions, even from this point, I could not see over or beyond the woods which surrounded me. It is well to have some water in your neighborhood, to give buoyancy to and float the earth. One value even of the smallest well is, that when you look into it you see that earth is not continent but insular. This is as important as that it keeps butter cool. When I looked across the pond from this peak toward the Sudbury meadows, which in time of flood I distinguished elevated perhaps by a mirage in their seething valley, like a coin in a basin, all the earth beyond the pond appeared like a thin crust insulated and floated even by this small sheet of intervening water, and I was reminded that this on which I dwelt was but dry land.

What does the bolded sentences mean? Is continent an adjective there? But I can't find proper definition of it as an adjective in dictionary. And finally, why it mentions butter and why a well can keep butter cool?


texts:
step 2 ●●● S3 W3 verb (stepped, stepping) [intransitive always +
  adverb/preposition]

  1 to raise one foot and put it down in front of or behind the other
  one in order to walk or move

  step forward/back/down/into etc

  He stepped back to let me through.

  I stepped outside and closed the door.

  Mr Ives? Please step this way (=walk in the direction I am showing
  you).

  2 to bring your foot down on something SYN tread British English

  step in/on etc

  I accidentally stepped in a puddle.

  You’re stepping on my foot.

"Step" is an intransitive verb.

So we can say "to step on the mat" but not "to step your slippers on the mat".

Say, Your kid can walk barefoot on the mat but he can't walk on the mat while wearing his slippers.

is it okay to say "don't step your slippers on the mat"? or maybe "don't step on the mat while wearing your slippers"?


texts:
Which verb form is correct?

  They saw that lady broke it last year

or

  They saw that lady break it last year


texts:
The context is:

"person 1: Can you hug me close?

person 2: So tight you willingly surrender your breath."

what does it mean?


texts: How many tenses you can use in one sentence?

texts:
Anyone meets situations, in which we don't know how many TENSES (past, present and future) should be used in one sentence?

For example, in this formal conversation:

  A: Are you from Asia? I think so though

  B: Yes, you are right. What's your stereotype for most Asian people?

  A: They eat chicken feet...

  ......(couple dialogs)

  B: By the way, why "did" you think I "am" from Asia?

  A: Because....

Is the last one correct? Could we use both [did (for the past)] and [am (for the present)] in one sentence?

Because I was told that in one sentence only one tense could be used and using the present tense to express anything would be correct because I am really from Asia. So it's correct the use of "am" here?


texts: Put it away in a place that it won’t be (damaged / harmed / hurt)

texts:
Please suppose that a worker who is living in a factory has a very valuable stamp album (no matter precious or not the worker loves it for some personal reasons). He decides to travel to his hometown for a while and take some rest. Before he leaves the factory, whereas he has a very reliable friend and coworker, he asks his friend to take care of that album while he is away. Before his departure, he tells the friend:

  Just please put it away in a place that it won’t ...........

Which one of the following words can be used here naturally:

a) be damaged

b) be harmed

c) be hurt


texts: Proper casual english for someone experiences of a song or movie

texts:
How do you guys say it if a movie/song's story happens to someone. Is it

  She experiences the song/movie (<-- this is more like she sings/watches it?)

or

  She encounters the song

or

  The song's story happens to her.

? I'm not sure with those sentences, though. How do you guys usually say it? I need in British and American style.


texts:
In "Dr. Thorndyke's Case-Book" by Austin Freeman", a woman was talking to a detective about another killed woman, saying:

"Oh, she liked him well enough. He is a tall, good-looking man—though for that matter he is no taller than her husband, nor any better-looking. Both men are over six feet. But there was no harm so far as she was concerned, excepting that she didn't see the position quite soon enough. She wasn't very discreet, in fact I thought it necessary to give her a little advice.

Does it mean "she thought that there no harm, but she didn't see the position quite soon enough"?


texts: How do we know when to use articles or not?

texts:
I finished writing a report last night.
  His hobby is writing poems.

Why in number 2 is an article not used before the word "poems"? Is it because "poems" is plural? If so, why then don't we use "the" before it since "the" is the plural definite article?

  His hobby is writing the poems.

When do and when don't we use articles before nouns?
Or do we always have to use articles before nouns?


texts: India specific- Addressing multiple men and women in an interview

texts:
In an interview in India, how am I supposed to greet the people (all of them together) in the interview panel?
The interview panel consists of at least two men and at least two women.

Good morning, Sirs and Ma'ams C-1

or just

Good morning, respected interview panel members

How am I supposed to greet them (all of them together)?
The interview may be considered as a formal interview for government job or for college admission or anything similar

Edit:
I tried to find transcripts. Below are some interview transcripts of UPSC (Civil service) exam interviews  C-2. These are possible cases of two or more men, and one woman.

Good afternoon sirs, madam

Good evening Ma’am, Good evening sirs

C-1. I would make sure it's pronounced /mæm/ and not "Madam". I am not sure about the "Madam" issue as pointed in comment. I will take the time to understand it later. Pronouncing /mæm/ is common and absolutely fine as far as I know.
C-2. A reputed exam in India


texts: He lives on the top floor {of / in} our building?

texts:
He lives on the top floor of our building ?
  He lives on the top floor in our building ?

Which is the correct preposition?


texts: Does “some” actually mean “a large amount” in the following sentence?

texts:
According to dictionaries, "some" can sometimes mean "a large number or amount of something". This is while "some" is mainly used to mean "an amount or number of something that is not stated or not known". Now the question is: how can we know that in a sentence like the one below "some" means a considerable amount, not an unspecified amount?
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary uses the following example for "some" as "a large amount of something":

It was with some surprise that I heard the news.

There's a similar example from Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary:

Their decision was met with some surprise.


texts:
What is he saying between 1:55 ~ 2:00 in the video in the link below? I can't hear well...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koJMqQ5pV6E&feature=youtu.be&t=115


texts: What phrase to be used to tell the baby about careful on pot holes on the road while riding bicycle?

texts:
One day, When I am with my 3 year baby, he was with his bicycle riding on the road. I saw a big pot hole on the road and I want to tell him to be careful about the pothole. But I could not get the proper phrase to say it to him.

What is the sentence/dialogue I should have used in that situation to tell him not hit the pot hole and go around it for safe ride?


texts: Coordinating Conjunctions + Conjunctive Adverbs

texts:
1- Alexander II was an obscure commander but nevertheless interesting
  Scottish king.

  (Full version: Alexander II was an obscure commander but nevertheless
  Alexander II was an interesting Scottish king

  2- The defendant was depressed and therefore not fully
  responsible for her own actions.

  (Full version: The defendant was depressed and therefore the
  defendant was not fully responsible for her own actions.)

In the examples above, we use reduction in conjuction clause by omitting "subject and the auxillary verb (be) . Can I do the same reduction if I use just a conjunctive adverb in the sentence? As:

  1a- Alexander II was an obscure commander, nevertheless interesting
  Scottish king.

  2a- The defendant was depressed, therefore not fully responsible
  for her own actions.


texts: Does the passive form of verb instead of the active form give the sentence a more formal or professional look?

texts:
The previous question attracted me to ask this question.

For example in an academic thesis of a student:

  Second, by using the [...] and [...], an attempt was made to find an appropriate model.

In compare with:

  Second, by using the [...] and [...], we/they/[...] tried to find an appropriate model.


texts: How can I correctly use this relative pronoun?

texts:
I work with families with many children who have financial problems

here, who actually refers to children, not families.

How can I re-write this sentence to make it refer to families?


texts: Having terrible spoken English in daily contexts

texts:
Short background of me:
I was originally from the Philippines and have learned English for 14 years in school. I came from a family with humble beginnings and grew up surrounded by people who speak either Ilocano and/or Tagalog (Filipino). Although English is an integral part of daily life in my country, where TV, radio, internet and public announcements are mostly in English or a combination of English and a local language, I have not had the change to use proper English outside of school, apart from Taglish (mixing Tagalog and English within a sentence) which is very common for younger people in the Philippines.
My dilemma
I have only really started using English on a daily basis when I started working 8 years ago. I work in technology, whose main language is English. In the Philippines, barely anything is translated from English to a local language. I could say I have a decent level of business English and have never struggled expressing myself during meetings and when writing emails. I have even conducted in-person and online trainings before. For almost a decade, I have worked with people all over the world from countries like the US, UK, Germany, India and France. Of course, my business English skills are far from perfect, but I am really comfortable using it in formal contexts.
Last year, I moved to Malaysia where I got to work with local Malaysians and Indian expats. That was my first time actually interacting with people in English in non-business contexts and on a daily basis. At first, I was really uncomfortable with the way Malaysians and Indians speak everyday English; in a manner which is usually called "Carabao English" in my country.
I eventually got used to it though, until I had to move to Europe for a new job when I realized how "unconventional" Malaysian and Indian (spoken) English were. I currently live with Europeans, all of whom are non-native English-speakers but are very fluent with the spoken language. Interacting with them on a daily basis really pushed my language skills to the limits: I started using properly-constructed compound sentences and the right adjectives and adverbs, and have stopped using non-English words as substitutes when I struggle with their English counterparts. I started stuttering, speaking really slowly, and often find myself using the wrong or inconsistent tenses.
I understand people usually start using English in daily contexts then struggle using it in more formal contexts. How do people deal with this struggle but in the opposite direction? How long will it take before I get comfortable using English in non-formal contexts?
Cheers.


texts: Why is "little" not the correct option to fill "only ___ milk left"?

texts:
In Destination B2 book, these definitions are given for quantifiers little and a little:

  little: uncountable nouns, means 'not much'

  a little: uncountable nouns, means 'some'

Now, given the following sentence:

  We've only got ______ milk left so get some when you go shopping.

I choose little as I thought the talker meant that there's not much milk left so they needed some to be bought. But the correct answer is a little.

Can someone explain why is that so?


texts: How to express a person unconsciously opens his mouths just a bit and then closes it back immediately?

texts:
Some people often unconsciously open their mouths just a bit and then close it back immediately, especially when they are working or sleeping or at the time after they wake up as shown in the below video.
Note: Sometimes it makes sound but sometimes it does not. People don't do it on purpose or they don't even know they do that.
Watch this youtube video
Is it correct to say "he smacked his lips"?


texts:
Are the sentences below correct?

Which is more commonly used in BrE? Do you use them both?

Need without "to", are they possible?

I need go to the hospital to get the special treatments.

I needn't go to the hospital to get the special treatments.

Need I go to the hospital to get the special treatments?

Needn't I go to the hospital to get the special treatments?

I've ever heard that "need" with "to" can be used in all verbs, and "need" without "to" Only can be used in the present, if you want to put "need" without "to", I must put "have" after the "need" e.g. I needn't/ need have gone.

Are the facts correct, I await for your explanations, thanks!


texts: Use "points in the 2-hop cover" or "points of the 2-hop cover"?

texts:
I wrote these sentences as follows.

"I also reduced the number of points in the 2-hop cover used for the index to 25% of the initial graph size."

I am not sure should I use "points in the 2-hop cover" or "points of the 2-hop cover"? Is there any difference between the two choice?


texts: Should I use "Does" or "Is" in this question?

texts:
Does vs Is?

  Does presenting yourself confidently and believing in your own ideas a sign of brilliance or ignorance?

In this sentence what would work best?


texts: Definite article (the) in front of personal name

texts:
I know that "the" should not be used with people's names.

But what about when refering to mutiple people with the same name in one place? Like "the Thomas" for example ? I've heard this phrase in our remote office.

Also can you say "The Thomas agrees with the new updates" ?
If yes, should the verb agree be singular or plural?


texts: What should I use after "2 hours" to say it was consecutive?

texts:
I want to say something "I can work 2 hours [?] without having to reboot", and want to emphasise the two hours are not a total of several occasions I worked. My initial thought was "2 hours in a row", but I'm not convinced. What about :

  2 hours in one sitting

  2 consecutive hours (sounds a little heavy and formal)

  2 hours at once

  2 full hours

Which one are correct and why ?


texts: "Challenge with" or "challenge against"?

texts:
Is it proper English to say "my challenge with a friend"?

I don't mean to say that I have a challenge with him, as in that I don't like him.

I mean to say that I have a challenge against him, as in that I have a bet with him (but I'd like to avoid the words "against" and "bet").


texts: Usage of "only" in "Private cloud operates like a public cloud only"

texts:
Source

  Private cloud operates like a public cloud only, but the resources are
  operated exclusively for a single organization.

The message to be conveyed is:

  Private cloud operates just like a public cloud except that the resources are operated exclusively for a single organization.

The usage of "only" in first sentence seems wrong to me. In my opinion, the word "only" makes it sound more like:

  Private cloud operates like a public cloud only and not like any other
  cloud.

Am I correct about the interpretation of the sentence or is it grammatically correct? If it's wrong, what would be the correct one-word-replacement of "only"?


texts:
August 11, 2020, 12:10 am
Arrival at Post Office
FRANCE
Your item has arrived at the delivering post office in FRANCE at 12:10 am on August 11, 2020.
I don't understand the "has arrived"the use of present perfect: does it express the future?. In France, when I read this on my computer it was 8 olock in the morning on August 11. Why not "is going to arrive" or "will arrive"?
I know the day is not finished and the item has not arrived yet at the time of writing this but I find strange to use present perfect for a precise moment in the future


texts: Using the conjunction "with" in the past tense

texts:
My sister never read / had never read book until she was five.

Can I use both of them?


texts:
The resulting rules can be organized hierarchically to share the common rules among the wrappers for the similar websites.

I still don't know if "the"s (bold ones) are applicable or not. I feel when I talk about specific websites which have specific wrappers that have specific common rules, then I can or (must?) use "the", right?

I must add websites are not something that I have said previously but anyway, I am talking about the resulting rules (that are specific) and a subset of these rules (the common rules) are for similar websites, then it may make them specific...

If the sentence is hard to grasp, you can imagine you're speaking about some books, like you say "These books are organized hierarchically to share the common books for the students of the similar fields....", it seems just "the similar" doesn't sound well?


texts: What is the modifier (adjective) that means "composed of 60 people"?

texts:
In a research paper, I want to use population size (count) as an adjective for population. Here the population size is 60, i.e. there were 60 individuals in the statistical population. Is it OK to say

  In a 60-people population...

Or should it be reworded as:

  In a 60-individual population...

?
I am not sure if either of the above sentences are correct, but I tried to follow the grammatical convention used, for example, in a 100-dollar note, a one-step program, a two hundred-page book, a ten-minute workout,etc.
Which style should I use to make a modifier that, when brought before "population", says that the population consists of 60 people.

Edit
Some context for further clarification:

  Sadeghian et al (2009) examined the relationship between organizational self-esteem, organizational feedback, and personality types in a 60-[people/person/individual?] population from among education employees of Jarghooyeh Sofla (a county in Isfahan).


texts:
1) His work can be compared to that of XYZ.

2) His work can be compared with that of XYZ.

1) I was comparing my result with his.

2) I was comparing my result to his.

Can you also please give more examples to clear my doubt?


texts: Why a is missing and a comma puts in front of and?

texts:
Summer is a good time of year for most animals. It's easy for them to keep warm, and food is plentiful.
Why the article "a" is missing in front of year?
Why the comma puts in front of and?


texts: What does "flight" and "stairs" means in "a flight of stairs" respectively?

texts:
According to the dictionary, "a stair" can either mean "a step" or "a set of steps".

  Terry was sitting on the bottom stair. (A stair is one of the steps in a flight of stairs.)

  I followed her down the stair. (A stair is a flight of stairs.)

My first question is why does "stair" have a meaning of both plural and singular?

The second question is what is the origin of "flight" in the context of "a flight of stairs"?
I am curious about how could the meaning of "fly" be transformed to "a sequence of"?

Thanks!


texts:
After reducing her size to cellular level, Carol meets his friends:

  Carol: Well, actually, we weren't planning on coming at all at first,
  but then, you know, we started getting all the emails. Plus my sister
  was having a lump removed. She's fine, thank God, but I still needed
  to see her.

What does it mean, "coming at all"?

I know "come at" means "attack", but context is not about attacking.

I find this line in Downsizing 2019


texts:
(In a computer program) I have a variable named:

  last_message_received

which represents a message. I know the phrase "Last message received" can be interpreted as an event (the last message was received) but what I want to know is if it could also be interpreted as a noun (a message) or should I definitely rename the variable as last_received_message?


texts: Appropriate title/subject when writing to someone who got injured in a car accident

texts: Recently a professor in my department got injured in a car accident and I want to write him a sympathy email. However, I don't know how to choose the title/subject for the email. Can I simply write "condolence"? (Is it only used for those who passed away?) If it is okay to use "condolence", are there any alternative to it?


texts:
I'm programming a modal window and it can be popped up. I can't think of a good word for the opposite state. Similarly, if the window can pop up, what should be call the act of retracting to the previous state?

I googled but found no antonyms.


texts:
"We used to work out together everyday and hangout on weekends. He lives in the US now. So I don't get to see him anymore."
Does 'see someone' mean meeting or hanging out with someone?


texts: How to translate from French: "on fait une photo ?"

texts:
I'm French and I'd like to translate this in English.

  On fait une photo ?

or

  On se prend en photo ?

Context: My friend and I are in front of a nice monument/place and I want to propose them to take a picture of ourself.


texts: Two filtration systems form "a unified system". Is this correct?

texts:
My translation from Russian:

  The filtration and filling process involves the use of two disposable systems: system 1 and system 2. Before being put into operation, the two systems are connected via a specialized connector, forming a unified system, and are installed in(at) the equipment.

Does the phrase unified system look okay here? Or is the word unified suitable only for something less tangible and implying that they are not physically connected, but rather compatible?

Maybe I should just write united system instead? The Multitran dictionary offers several options for the original phrase in Russian, "единая система".


texts: Always past tense when telling someone's history?

texts:
Tom's father had instilled him an interest in how things work.

Should it be how things work or how things worked? It all happened in the past but "how things work" seems to be a general thing that Tom still is interested in today.

Did the fact that Tom is dead or alive make any difference in tense? Are there any difference in work/worked here? Or is one of them grammatically incorrect?


texts: Meaning of "for some other form of what amounts to being its own sake"

texts:
...not worth doing for the development of high submaximal
  velocities or for some other form of what amounts to being its own sake.

(Source: Scientific Principles of Strength Training)

I am not sure I know what that last part means

  for some other form of what amounts to being its own sake.

Some form that tries to be standalone or exists solely for its own sake? Not sure If I get it


texts: How can we say someone is falling into sleep and awakening repeatedly?

texts:
Have you seen a man who is falling asleep while sitting but tries to stay up? On this occasion usually the head goes to a direction but the person moves it back suddenly.

Do we have an expression for this?


texts: What's this piece of metal in front of offices doors called?

texts:
Many offices building as well as governmental offices and building have a piece of metal or PVC (usually golden or silvery but can be in any color) and it has the information about the working hours or other information such as the owner of the office the physician of this clinic etc. It's usually located near the door outside the buildings, for people to see the information about them.

How should I refer to it? What is this piece of metal called?

Based on my dictionary it's called sign or placard, but based on looking at google photos it looks like a mistake in translation.


texts: (here) Do these two sentences mean the same?

texts:
It's six o'clock. I was expecting him here at five forty-five.
  It's six o'clock. I was expecting him to be here at five forty-five.

What I'm confused is the no.1 sentence that it could mean：

  I was here expecting him at five forty-five.


texts:
When you flex your hand to show the movement it has.
I also remember someone using this term for how someone could arrange their face when they show facial expressions.
E.g i articulated my foot to show the Doctor the movement i had.


texts: Why can't we say "I have been having a dog"?

texts: So I can say "I have been playing the guitar since I was 6" but "I have been having a dog since I was 6" sounds incorrect. Why?


texts:
Is this sentence grammar correct?

  I am available every day until 1pm and all day weekends.

I am not sure every day or everyday and I think I need to write weekday instead of every day


texts:
I did not read until teacher came in.

Does this sentence have these three possibilities when precisely analyzed?

1.I did not start reading before teacher came in, and started reading after teacher came in.

2.I did not start reading before teacher came in, but still not after teacher came in.

3.I didn't do the thing and that thing is "read until teacher came in". I.e. I may read before teacher came but not consistently read, and still claim I did not read until teacher came in.


texts: How do you describe when you say good bye to your friends at the station?

texts:
I met with three friends and had dinner together and went to the station together. But each of us had to take a train in a different line.

1) We split up at the station.

2) We parted from each other at the station.

3) We left each other at the station.

Which sentence is the most appropriate here?   Or is there any good sentence to describe this situation?


texts:
I know there have been discussions about the difference between them before too. But I wrote a summary on how they are usually used based on different explanations and exceptions. Is it written correctly?
"Made from" is used to refer to something which is made of individual components.
"Made of" is used to refer to the material with which something has been manufactured.
"Made out of" can be used for both "made from"and "made of" and "made up".
Only "made up" and "made from" only these two are used in the sense of composed of several components.
When talking about food all these forms can be used.
"This chocolate vegan cake is made with/made from/made of/made up/made out of ... the list of ingredients."
But is "made with" used only when talking about food?


texts: One day, my mother comes. Is it correct? past or present

texts:
Is this sentence correct?
Suppose I am elected as the president of America now. One day, my mother comes and knocks my door and says "Hey! Our neighbor is here to see you and spend some time with you.
Shouldn't he use the past tense since it's imaginary as he said suppose


texts: "... he wouldn't come close." What does it mean?

texts:
I feel resentful, especially since it's the man who bring in the money; and even if Bill were the school principal, he wouldn't come close.

● Read more here: I found this via Glenn Sacks.  (June 17, 2008
Family secrets: I wish I had married for money, not love.)

I searched for Come Close and this is the result:

  Definition of come close

  1 : to almost do something We didn't win, but we came close. —often + to The band came very close to breaking up.We came close to winning the championship this season.

  2 : to be similar to something or as good as expected She said they taste just like real hot dogs, but they don't even come close (to the real thing).

But there's still a little nagging doubt at the back of my mind. I wonder if it means:

"Bill wouldn't earn nearly as much money as her friend's husband; even if he became head teacher & got the job."

or
"Bill will never come close to get promotion."


texts: Is "driving in turn" a real/natural phrase?

texts:
Two people are going on a long trip (let's say 8 hours). The first guy drives the first 4 hours, and the other one drives the remaining 4 hours. Is it then OK to say they are driving in turn?

Also, are there other "casual"/informal ways of saying/describing that above?


texts: What is the meaning of "Julia Child wasn't always Julia Child"?

texts:
Julia Child and Mario Batali are famous for cooking.

  Eric: So write a blog about cooking.

  Julie: "I'm not a real cook, like Julia Child or Mario Batali.

  Eric: Julia Child wasn't always Julia Child.

Is Eric saying Julia Child famous only for few days?


texts: Word or a phrase for quick looking through a bookshelf

texts:
Would the act of quick looking through a shelf to find a book be called "browsing through the shelf"? Are there any alternatives to describe the same action?

Edit:

  "Which hex do I enter? Which wall do I look at? Which shelf do I skim through? Which book do I open? What page do I read?"

What do you think, "skim through" works here?


texts: "How much English he knows!" Vs "How beautiful it is!"

texts:
When I want to show my enthusiasm or wonder about someone English (for example someone who just started to learn English and he has nice English) then what is the way to that in exclamatory sentence? I thought about "How much English he knows!" but when I see "How beautiful she is!" I don't see the use in "much" while English and beauty are not countable nouns.

So though English is a noun and beautiful is an adjective, I am not sure if it's Ok to say it in the way that I thought (using "how + much").


texts: "The answer to question 4" or "the answer to the question 4"?

texts:
Consider the examples below:

  What was the answer to question 4?
  What was the answer to the question 4?

I'm sure that the definite article in the sentence 1 is used correctly.
My question is that can we use the definite article before the word question? Or if we can't, why? Because the question 4 is definite.
I don't understand why the definite article isn't used in the sentence 1.


texts:
Standalone: able to operate without control from another system,
  company, etc.

  self-contained: not requiring help or support from anyone or
  anything else : complete by itself

  Independent : not associated with or owned by a larger business

  From Merriam Webster Learner's Dictionary

Suppose a company is spinning off one of its divisions into a separate company.  This division becomes a standalone/self-contained/independent business.  Can I use all of them here?  What is the difference between them?


texts:
I heard a phrase, a moment ago,

  We will see this continue.

Why neither continuous tense nor "to" was used for "continue"?


texts: The difference between houses prices and house prices

texts:
For the last one year, houses prices rise 20%.
For the last one year, house prices rise 20%.
For the last one year, houses' prices rise 20%.
For the last one year, house's prices rise 20%.

I would think sentence 2 is correct, but I don't know what is wrong with sentence 1,3,and 4.


texts:
A. How high is Mount Everest?
  B. What is the height of Mount Everest?

Can we use the same sentence construction B when  we ask about the height of a human being?

  What is the height of Yuri Gagarin?


texts: "has felt"/"has been feeling" - why is the first wrong here?

texts:
I know that both

a) She has walked for two hours.

and

b) She has been walking for two hours.

mean the same thing: that she started walking two hours back and is still walking.
So according to the above example, both of the below two sentences should be correct.

Since she started journey, she has felt sick.

Since she started journey, she has been feeling sick.

But my grammar book says only the second sentence is correct. Why so? What is the difference in meaning between them?


texts:
I am wondering about the meaning of word "arguably". I have of course read its definitions in dictionaries but they seem to differ.

As I am from Poland, I checked English->Polish dictionaries in the beginning.

Some of them say that "arguably" = "bezsprzecznie", which in Polish means that "something is sure and you shouldn't even discuss about it", I'd say that "unquestionably" would be a synonym.

Other say "arguably" = "prawdopodobnie, możliwie", which in Polish means "probably, possibly".

Those definitions didn't really seem to be similar to me, so I decided to look up definitions in English to English dictionaries.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/arguably?s=t says:

  1.susceptible to debate, challenge, or doubt; questionable: Whether this is the best plan of action or not is arguable.

  2.susceptible to being supported by convincing or persuasive argument: Admirers agree that it is arguable he is the finest pianist of his generation.

To me, those meanings seem to be contrary as the first one is "you can have doubts about something" and the other is "you shouldn't have doubts about it, because the convincing argument exists".

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arguably :

  as may be argued or shown by argument

It seems to cover the second meaning from dictionary.reference.com.

I also checked the meaning of "argue" in English->Polish and it seems to mean "disagree about something" as well as "give a proof" (in formal, mathematical sense).

My problem seems to be that I don't know if 'arguably' in sentence means that the fact mentioned in that sentence is:

  'sure', 'can be proved', 'you shouldn't have doubts because everyone knows that this is true',

or rather

  'you can argue about it', 'it's one of possible options', 'it's just my opinion'.


texts: Is it correct to use the expression "I have also attached..." in an e-mail?

texts:
Is it grammatical to use the expression "I have also attached ..." in an email?

For example:

  "I have also attached the screenshot of the faculty list at University
  which I was on."

Should I use a comma before the word "which"?


texts: Difference between "being passionate" and "being

texts: I've looked at definitions of both "passionate" and "passional", and they are pretty much the same, but I can't help but feel being passionate is different from being passional


texts:
I introduce two objects and need to tell how we refer each of the objects further in the text. How is it better to formulate it? Is the following correct:

  There are two person in the study. We refer to one person who works a lot as "hard-working" and another as "lazy".

Sorry for such a profound example. :)

Update: I modified the example such that the terms characterising each person is not self-explanatory.

  There are two persons in the study. We refer to one person who works a lot as P1, and another as P2.

The questions are:

1) Is it grammatically correct?

2) Is it concise and clear? If not, what should be the structure of the sentense?


texts:
Mia: This sounds like you actually have somethin' to say.
Vincent: Well, well, I do. I do. But you have to promise not to be
offended.
Mia: No, no. You can't promise somethin' like that. I have no idea
what you're  gonna ask me. You can ask me what you're gonna ask me,
and my natural response could be to get offended. Then, through no
fault of my own, I would have broken  my promise.

What does "could be to get offended" mean?
"could be to get offended" means that a possible outcome of what he says would be Mia getting offended?
Source: Pulp Fiction 1994


texts: Ask someone if they can NOT do something?

texts: A pupil would like the teacher to not wipe the board as he's not finished writing down the lesson. Should he ask: "I'm not done. Please could you not wipe the board?" stressing the word "not"?


texts: Is 'where' used as a pronoun in relative clauses?

texts:
Please take a look at the following examples:

(a) Statement: He works in a office.
(b) Relative clause:
　　1. The office where he works (is for rent).
　　2. The office in which he works (is for rent).

Here, 'where' = 'in which', and I think 'where' is used as an adverb to mean 'in, on, at or to which' in relative clauses.
(a) Statement: He works near the office.
(b) Relative clause: The office near where he works.

I think here 'where' = 'the office'.

My questions:

Is 'where' used as a pronoun? (as 2.(b))
Can we use other prepositions of places (except 'in, on, at, to') with 'where' as 2.(b)?

For example:

　　1. The bridge under where we live...
　　2. The beach behind where i am standing...
　　3. The shop next to (close to/before/opposite/in front of, etc.) where we live


texts:
In the following text, what does the bold line imply:

In the coming weeks, there will be other reviews of Urwand’s book in major publications and in blogs, but for now I would like to plant a suggestion that will undoubtedly be greeted with derision by any publishing executive who hears of it: Urwand did some good digging, found some interesting things, but organized his book poorly and hurled all sorts of unprovable accusations. Harvard should acknowledge these problems and correct them in a revised edition that is better informed, if less sensational—for its own sake and for the sake of Urwand’s career as an historian.
-- New Yorker (2003)


texts:
In drama movie Bombshell (2019), After Gretchen filed a sexual lawsuit against Roger,
Host Jeannine called Anchor Greta to tell about what Jeannie
talked to "The Warp" online publication :

Jeannine: I said, "I don't think Gretchen Carlson has a friend in the
building."
Greta: I know, Roger. Someone would've told me.
Jeannine: They're gonna quote me on that.
Greta: Not a ring of truth.

What does "ring of truth" refer to?


texts: Which tense to use with "Until now", "before (now)"

texts:
I come across different Tenses used with "until now". For example,

1) I have never been here until now.
2) I was never here until now.
3) I had never been here until now.

It goes the same for "before now"

1) I have never met you before (now).
2) I never met you before (now).
3) I have never met you before (now).

I can say that the Present Perfect is what seems to be the least appropriate from a logical point of view but I think it is valid on the basis of its idiomaticity regardless of a logical blockage. Because as soon as you meet someone it changes the situation and your not meeting this person goes into the past. Hence, the Past Perfect is more logical here.

But I would like to listen to your comments where you would express your opinion on whether

1) all the three tenses are used in colloquial English

2) which are the least appropriate

3) and whether they mean the same thing in terms of their meanings.


texts: Are "respect, honour, esteem" synonymous to "lose face"?

texts:
According to Oxford Dictionaries, "lose face" means:

Be humiliated or come to be less highly respected

And esteem, honour, and respect were given as synonyms. They seem contradictory to me if not outright opposite.


texts: An appropriate word to expressing rewriting the programming codes

texts:
I deleted my program, actually C++ code, and am re-writing it in a different way.

Especially, I am updating the engine of my code.

What would be the best word or verb to express what I am doing?

remake
renovate
rebuild
redesign
reconstruct


texts:
I never saw verb+ing after word bother.

  Not surprising, since I've been way too busy cooking fattening food to
  bother exercising

What is the meaning of bother exercising?


texts:
Recently I have heard a song which is nice that is very nice of Michael Jackson that is called ‘We Be Ballin' You' so I wanted to know the meaning just to understand the song or maybe is just an invented word?

link to the song:
song we be ballin you


texts:
In this song of 5FDP: The wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell

Why do they use righteous instead of right?

Is that the same thing, so you can use both, of have a different meaning on this case?

Is there a similar case to the wrong word?


texts: What is the correct sentence give or gives?

texts:
Which one is correct?

This give me hope in the world
This gives me hope in the world


texts: Restrictive or non-restrictive participle phrase?

texts:
While writing this sentence in fiction, should I put in a comma after "fanned out" or should I withhold it to imply restrictive use?

  They fanned out looking for Justin.


texts:
If someone asks me where my hometown is, what should I say?

I live in a country which is not my birth country. I was born in different country.

So which one should I consider as my hometown? The place where I live or the place where I was born?


texts:
First example:

  Leibnitz beat Newton to publication by three years

or

  Leibnitz beat Newton to making it public by three years

Second example: imagine two men are dueling and one wins the duel by killing the other, which is the correct comment to make?

  He beat him to the shot

or

  He beat him to firing the shot

I have seen the first sentence of each example before, I was wondering if it is correct to use the second sentences as well and why.


texts: I wonder if the words tie and cravat (they translate to the same word in German) are completely interchangeable or if there are some subtle differences to a native speaker.


texts:
Michael Swan in his book (http://ielts-house.net/Ebook/Vocabulary/Practical%20English%20usage.pdf - page 3/ page 4) writes about above/over

1) "Higher than": Above or over
Above and over can both mean "higher than
Can you see a helicopter above/over a palace?

Okay, I make a conclusion they are the same here.
2) "not directly over": above
We prefer above when one thing is not directly over than another.
We've got a little house above the lake

The thing that is meant here, as I can guess, is the house is higher but it's not on the same vertical line with the lake. If there were "over" here
We've got a little house over the lake
then we would have to understand it like the house is hovering/levitating above the lake with no logical explanation. Am thinking right?
This case I am feeling troubled because in the first way of usage the choice of above/over means the same thing while in the second one it's different.
Having read the second usage, should I take
Can you see a helicopter above a palace?
like the helicopter is at a higher position than the palace but it is not directly over the building?
And should I understand
Can you see a helicopter over a palace?
like it's right over the roof that if it goes down it will land exactly onto the top of the palace?
I see it as a problem because the author firstly says they are equal but then gives an example with an explanation where they are different.
How should I distinguish the first usage senteces where they are the same from the second usage sentences where they would mean a different thing?


texts: Grammar of "supposed to": part of speech / word class, active or passive?

texts:
If I say

  I'm supposed to go.

Is supposed to here an adjective in a passive construction?


texts:
During an online session:

student:

"before this time, the internet connection was kind of unstable."

"The internet connection was unstable several sessions before."

"The internet connection was unstable The other times."

Are they all correct? which one sounds more natural?

Thank you.


texts:
"Reason to visit" or "Reason for visit" ?

Which one is correct grammatically?


texts: about "i.e." and the following sentence forms

texts:
I am not sure if the sentence forms following "i.e." are correct. Can the native speakers here please help?

Is John bilingual, i.e., does he speak two languages?

1'. Is John bilingual, i.e. he speaks two languages?

Is John bilingual, i.e., he speaks two languages, or trilingual, i.e., he speaks three languages?

2'. Is John bilingual, i.e., does he speak two languages, or trilingual, i.e., does he speak three languages?

Are they all acceptable?


texts: Connotations—are they to some extent instinctive?

texts:
I've noticed that many synonyms are often not very alike. Yes, their core meaning is the same. But there are many differences in mood or tone. Often I understand  the kind of meaning it will have by the sound of it.

Here's how I interpret two synonyms 'happy' and 'glad'

Being happy reflects a positive attitude or nature as a general overall feeling. Just feeling the wind on my skin makes me happy. Life going peacefully and smoothly makes me happy.
Gladness requires more of a benefit to oneself. You're usually glad because something was done. It eases your life in some way or it simply makes you feel happy. Either ways, it was beneficial and that makes you glad.

"Skinny" and "Slender"

Skinny has a sharp tang. It adds to the quality of being thin a certain sexiness.
Slender has the same basic meaning as 'skinny', but it paints a more graceful and eloquent picture of thinness. I automatically associate slenderness with a refined sense of beauty.

I have never learnt it anywhere but still whenever I see these words being used, that is how I understand them. Why is it that way?

I know all of it looks very confusing. It does to me too. To be honest, I hardly understand what my question is myself. Hopefully, somebody will be able to sort this mess out and identify what I'm asking.—


texts:
The process will terminate in a fewer iterations with method A.
The process will terminate in fewer iterations with method A.

May I know which one is grammatical


texts:
Can the verb specify take an object that refers to something specific, like "January 20" as opposed to "the date"? Are the following examples okay?

  He specified January 20 (as the election day).

  He specified California wine.

I'd appreciate your help.


texts: Is this "that" part of "on the grounds that?"

texts:
"Then, in the first place, do you agree with me that I have a right to be a little masterful, abrupt, perhaps exacting, sometimes, on the grounds I stated, namely, that I am old enough to be your father, and that I have battled through a varied experience with many men of many nations, and roamed over half the globe, while you have lived quietly with one set of people in one house?"Source

Is this "that" of "on the grounds?


texts:
I came across the expression “ One family, who live in Wolverhampton, told the BBC they feared being stuck out in Brazil.” in a news site
According to dictionary
, I found  stick out means ENDURE, LAST as transitive verb.
When rephrasing this word, it reads “they feared being endured in Brazil...”, however  it doesn’t seem to make sense.
Does stick out have another meaning?


texts:
Which is the right way to phrase "Who made this mess?" in the passive voice?

  By whom were made this mess?

or

  Who was this mess made by?

How should I write questions in passive voice?


texts: "Don't touch nothing" isn't grammatically correct, is it?

texts:
I have been watching a film today named "The Invisible Man", year 1984. And in the second episode i have listened next: "I said... don't touch nothing".
It isn't grammatically correctly, is it?


texts: What is the meaning of "lure of the road"?

texts:
Fossil fuels stand for prosperity and freedom—from the romance of the roughneck to "the lure of the road".

I've looked up the lure in the dictionary and there were 3 entries

  1
  :  an object usually of leather or feathers attached to a long cord and used by a falconer to recall or exercise a hawk

  2
  a :  an inducement to pleasure or gain :  enticement
  b :  appeal, attraction

  3
  :  a decoy for attracting animals to capture: as
  a :  artificial bait used for catching fish
  b :  an often luminous structure on the head of pediculate fishes that is used to attract prey

I guess ,in this case, the entry 2 fits in the sentence thus I interpreted this as.

  "the lure of the road"="the pleasure of the road"

Even though the entry 2 says it means "attraction" or "encouragement", I think it could also contain the meaning of "pleasure".
So, can fossil fuels both represent the romance of roughneck and the pleasure of constructing the road that is made of oil, which is very prosperous and liberal at the same time?

the link:
http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21710807-or-without-america-self-interest-will-sustain-fight-against-global-warming-climate


texts:
It remains unclear how any decision about the Olympics would unfold if officials in Tokyo conclude they have to alter plans for the Games.

What does the sentence mean?
How the decision will be made?


texts:
I have Googled 'to blush up to one's ears', but couldn't find its meaning. Here is the context:

'Darlin, how I wished you were ten years older!'
'I will be," Bob said matter-of-fact, even though he had blushed up to his ears. "In ten years."

What does this expression mean here?


texts: Which phrase would be proper to use in written American English?

texts:
I need to say that there arises a question after making some points in my essay, so which one is better?

  Here probably arises a pertinent question as to why he would want to be a bio-engineer now, if he didn't like mathematics at school?

or

  Here probably the pertinent question arises as to why he would want to be a bio-engineer now, if he didn't like mathematics at school?

or

  Here probably the/a pertinent question arises, "Why would he want to be a bio-engineer now, if he didn't like mathematics at school?

Would it be proper for written American English? Thanks.


texts: What do the Arapesh ancestors do when they "pluck back the bramble"?

texts:
I'm not sure about the meaning of the phrase "pluck back" in this passage of Margaret Mead's Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies.

  The ghosts themselves are residents of the lands, and a man going upon his own inherited land will announce himself, his name and relationship to them, remarking: "It is I, your grandson, of Kanehoibis. I have come to cut some posts for my house. Do not object to my presence, nor to my timber-cutting. As I return, pluck back the brambles from my path, and bend back the branches so that I walk easily." This he must do even if he goes along on the land that he inherited from his forefathers.

I know the meaning of pluck with regards to plants meaning to pull out/rip.


texts: Can "had to" and "would have to" mean the same thing?

texts:
Mary had to deal with the issue herself.

  Mary would have to deal with the issue herself.

Can both sentences mean the same, given the proper context?

Example:

  No one picked up her phone. Mary had to deal with the issue herself.

  No one picked up her her phone. Mary would have to deal with the issue herself.


texts: Could you make my sentences more natural? If I misuse some words, plz which is wrong

texts:
homage
ex1) Joe SeHo showed homage towards Yu Jaeseok. he said "when I had money problems, he helped me without paybacks".

Q1. What's the difference between "to" and "towards"?

ex2) Many pick YuJaeseok as a homage. Because he donated a lot and helped younger friends when they told concerns."

Plagiarism
ex1)
A: Hey, It's really yours? not a plagiarism?
B: absolutely, why?
A: a few days ago, I saw that Jeff presented her artworks in public. It's really similar to yours.
B: Just because looking someone else's artwork, don't judge I copied with it. It's annoying

-Q1. When do you guys use 'absolutely' as an answer?
ex2)
Personally, art fields have controversy about plagiarism compared to others. Do you think so?


texts: How to understand "…you like it the shape it is"

texts:
Fred and George looked at each other. Then Fred said abruptly, “I've told you before, Ron, keep your nose out if you like it the shape it is. Can't see why you would, but -”

I don't know how to understand the grammar of "you like it the shape it is". It seems to me that "you like it with the shape it is" looks more grammatical. How should we understand the grammar of the sentence?

Excerpt from Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire


texts: What is the meaning of “laid out” in the sentence- “I laid out your option”?

texts:
I am watching the movie Chain of Commander with Steve Austin and Michael Jay White - in the part of the movie when Michael needs to tell where the money is, the hitman Hammond is telling him to tell him where the money is, Michael is saying “ to release his pal before he tells them where the money is",
then Hammond is saying “I laid out your option”
upon checking the dictionary

lay out - make something easy to understand
lay out - explain
lay out - arrange something
lay out - spend money

so nothing of these meanings means exclude
Any thoughts on that? Can you explain the meaning in this scenario.


texts: Now that/because/as you mention it: 'that' meaning 'because'

texts:
Now that you mention it.

  Now because you mention it.

  Now as you mention it.

I've seen many times that being used in place of because and as, mostly by the native speakers.


texts: Use of "To" after "where" and "which", and use of article "the"

texts:
Which sentences below are correct? Please explain why it is correct and why it is wrong.

These are the places where I want to travel.
These are the places where I want to travel to.
These are the places which I want to travel to.

Must "the" be used in all the sentences above?


texts:
What's the meaning of the expression "short circuit" in the text bellow?

  During a time when our collective national identity continues to be called into question, excruciating politeness might well be the last bastion of Great British behaviour.

  For the most part, this is something to be celebrated — there’s something undeniably heart-warming about watching someone apologise profusely as someone else runs over their feet with a suitcase, or utter a “thank you” to the ATM that has just produced their cash.

  However, when it comes to making a complaint in a restaurant, our national propensity for politeness seems to short circuit. (source)

I'm also in doubt about the expression "as someone runs over their feet with a suitcase". Should it be literally translated or does it has some kind of figurative meaning?


texts:
In "For Esmé - with Love and Squalor", Esme seems to use "squalor" without knowing what the word means. Assuming she mistakes it for another word, what would the other word be?
Good answers provide contextually appropriate words, which are written or spoken similarly to "squalor" (maybe "splendor") or convince that "squalor" is what she really means. Links to articles or online resources are more than welcome.

(This question started as English tutoring exercise, so I am posting it here.)


texts:
Meaning of wait on somebody/something is to wait for something to happen before you do or decide something

So I think its usage is correct in the following sentence

  It was barely midnight when I arrived home but I found them both sitting at the table waiting on me.

But according to my book it should be waiting for me.

Although waiting for is also correct but I don't think waiting on is wrong.


texts:
I understand the meaning of "synonym", I'm just not sure of its usage, in particular the correct preposition follows it.
From Cambridge Dictionary

Cool is not a synonym for all things good.

Which indicates "a synonym for" is a correct use.
Ngram Viewers shows "a synonym of" could also be a correct use.

Does this mean the same thing as the quotation?

Cool is not a synonym of all things good.


texts: Is the usage "it is not until now……" grammatically correct?

texts:
I have heard a lot of sentences including the phrase "until now" at the begining of sentences.

But when I search its inversion format in Google, I hardly find any related sentences which begin with

  "It is not until now ..."

Instead, I get a lot of results such as "until now", "not until" and "it is not until".

So, is the usage "it is not until now" correct or commonly used?


texts: What is the meaning of "taking in each other's washing"

texts:
Of course your existence matters to other people—your parents and
  others who care about you—but taken as a whole, their lives have no
  point either, so it ultimately doesn't matter that you matter to them.
  You matter to them and they matter to you, and that may give your life
  a feeling of significance, but you're just taking in each other's washing, so to speak.

  [What does it all mean, T. Nagel]

I can't find the definition of "taking in each other's washing" in my dictionary. What does it mean? Thanks!

I think it means "pleasing each other". Is it right?


texts:
I'm learning modal verbs, would!
I'll try for understanding how can 'would' be used for polite requests by approaching with a methodology.
The methodology is that we think 'would' is the past version of 'will' and 'would' is used for expressing an unlikely or imaginary situation.
so, I made some examples.

Would you mind telling me the time (if it were possible?)<--skipped.
In the above sentence, 'if it were vs if it is: which is correct?'

Would you get me a sandwich (if it is possible?)

What would you do (if you read people's thought's)<-- it's context.

How about you?
Is this approach correct?


texts:
What's the difference between seem & appear in this sentence?

  It appears/seems that the man had been murdered.

Are there any specific structures for using these verbs?


texts:
I was doing an exercise and I had to find the infinitive and also its type.

  And fools who came to scoff remained to pray.

I think here there are 2 infinitives to scoff and to pray.
 But the answer is only to scoff.


texts:
Here is a grammar and vocabulary task from English state exam in Russia.

Linda heard the momentary lift in Mrs Franklin’s tone and knew there
was no way she could possibly tell her that without clearing it with
her, she had requested a check on Henry Brighton. Instead, she said,
“I’d really like to stop by and see you sometime in the next few days
– that is, of course, if you think you’d 36 ______ the visit.”

1) enjoy; 2) choose; 3) prefer
As far as I understand, all of them are grammatically possible there. So, we should think about the logic. The way I see it, choose and prefer imply the existence of some alternative.
I can do this or that. Which would you choose/prefer?
I can't see anything that the character offers to choose from, that's why I guess the right answer is enjoy.
Am I right? Can you help me out with it?


texts: Do we use 'work in' or 'at' a gas station?

texts:
Which one is correct?

  Wind up working in a gas station (song name by Frank Zappa)

or

  He knew that Old Joe didn’t work at the gas station anymore
  (an example from Grammar textbook.)

Or may both variants be acceptable?


texts:
Why is there no article in front of "typical"?

  They met one evening in typical New York fashion at a gallery opening

Source: Sex and the City Season 1 Episode 1 (Transcript)


texts: What does this text from The Haunted House by Charles Dickens mean?

texts:
“Who is—or who was—the hooded woman with the owl? Do you know?”
“Well!” said Ikey, holding up his cap with one hand while he scratched his head with the other, “they say, in general, that she was murdered, and the howl he 'ooted the while.”
This very concise summary of the facts was all I could learn, except that a young man, as hearty and likely a young man as ever I see, had been took with fits and held down in 'em, after seeing the hooded woman. Also, that a personage, dimly described as “a hold chap, a sort of one-eyed tramp, answering to the name of Joby, unless you challenged him as Greenwood, and then he said, ‘Why not? and even if so, mind your own business,’” had encountered the hooded woman, a matter of five or six times. But, I was not materially assisted by these witnesses: inasmuch as the first was in California, and the last was, as Ikey said (and he was confirmed by the landlord), Anywheres.    —  Charles Dickens, The Haunted House: The Mortals in the House

There is nothing written about “being taken with fits and hold down in them” in any dictionary.
This is what I don't understand.


texts:
A post says

  I like living in London because it’s where most of my family members and friends live and there have lots of things to do here.

I guess the following sentence means the same thing as the one above

  ... there are lots of things to do here

Are "there are" and "there have" interchangeable?


texts: Is the auxiliary verb "have" declared implicitly in this sentence?

texts:
I read a sentence in "The Hindu" which was:

  After having accused the Congress of working in favour of Pakistan, it appears to resurrected the issue of "citizenship".

At first glance, the sentence seemed wrong to me because of the past form of a verb used after "to". But then I got to suspect that the auxiliary verb "have" was declared implicitly between the two because it had already been used before and so there was no need of it. Am I right in thinking so?