texts: What's the difference between "you are not really lucky." and " you are really not lucky."?

texts:
I just want to know
 "you are not really lucky."   and
"you are really not lucky."
  them which one is correct in both of them. And if  both are correct then is  there any difference between them ?


texts: Two "not only" with one "but"; What should I do?

texts:
I found this in The Guardian

  And assuming a 50:50 gender divide, polygamy not only means that women in polygamous relationships not only receive a small fraction of a man, but that some unfortunate men lower down the pecking order will get no woman at all.

I believe the above sentence has a grammatical mistake. There are two "not only" but has only one "but". If I make the sentence parallel, I have trouble in second not only, which is highlighted in bold. What should I do in this scenario?

How find some of the "not only" which does not follow with "but". In this condition how can I rephrase the sentence?

  And assuming a 50:50 gender divide, polygamy means not only that women in polygamous relationships not only receive a small fraction of a man, but that some unfortunate men lower down the pecking order will get no woman at all.


texts: Can I say "under number" to mean the unique code of a registered legislation?

texts:
Can I use "under number" when talking about a unique code that is given to a law or regulation entered in some official register?

For example,

  "This law was entered into the register under number 459SK-a."

What if there are only numbers in the code (no letters)?


texts: She enjoys having some more / extra money to spend on clothes

texts:
The question below is from my English exercise book

  Choose the one option - a, b, c or d - that best fits each of the
  numbered blank.

  David Evans is a farmer. He does farming on his own land in Wales. The
  farm has belonged his family for generations. The soil is poor. David
  raises sheep on his land. He does not employ any full-time workers.
  His sons help him when they are not at school. His wife adds to the
  family income by selling eggs which her hens produce. In summer she
  often takes paying guests into the farmhouse. The guests from the city
  enjoy their quiet holiday in the clean country air and Mrs. Evans
  enjoys having some (1)___ money to spend on clothes for her children
  and herself.

a) more
b) free
c) extra
d) interest

I can easily eliminate option b) & d) but I just can't understand why option c) is chosen as the correct answer by the book. Does "have some more money to spend on something" sound natural to native English speakers?


texts: Is "keep them looking natural" grammatical?

texts:
I came across this sentence. Is it grammatical?

  This will keep your face looking beautiful?

It struck me as odd, but I am unable to say it is wrong, because "keep + noun + present participle" seems to be a valid construction, e.g. keep it going.

Is there any difference in meaning between that sentence and

  This will keep your face beautiful?


texts:
I am not sure what "the one in red" means?

Why don't people say "the red one".

When to say "I like the one in red" & when to say "I like the red one"?


texts: When preparing a general guideline, is "up to that point in time" the right choice to replace "so far"?

texts:
I prepare a guideline for my colleagues to follow, and I am not sure what is the correct phrase in this context:

Ask the R&D for feedback about their satisfaction with our cooperation
up to that/this point in time.

This is a step in the middle of the process, so the cooperation continues. Normally, I would say "so far" but I assume this cannot be used when not referring to a present moment that I am talking about.


texts: nice of or from you ? which one is correct?

texts:
Do we say

That's nice of you.

or

That's nice from you.

?
If both, what's the difference in meaning ?


texts: When do you use which or what? Are they interchangeable these days?

texts:
which or what?
I have always been taught that which is used when you can choose from a limited, given number of choices. What when you have an unlimited choice.

Which country has a higher GNP, Germany or France?
What country would you like to go to on holiday?

On the internet I see people use what and which in both cases. Is this correct?
Is the rule I was taught old-fashioned?


texts: What word of two mentioned above should I use when I mean a map route which begins and ends at the same point?


texts:
I didn't get the following sentence straight.

Excuse me, but can you read at all?

As far as I Know, at all used in negative statements to emphasize what you are saying.

This sentence is from a reading article as following:

  Tom is an old farmer. He lives a long way from the town.One day he goes into town to buy something. After shopping, he goes into a
  restaurant and sits down at a table.When he looks around, he sees
  some old men put on their eyeglasses before reading their newspapers.

  After lunch, he goes to a shop to buy glasses, too. The man in the shop makes him try on a lot of glasses, but Tom always says, "No, I can't read with these."

  At last the man asks Tom, "Excuse me, but can you read at all?"

  "No, I can't!" Tom says, "If I can read, do you think I will come here to buy glasses?"

My question is: Can the question the man asks Tom be rephrased to:

  "Excuse me, can't you read at all?"

What is the difference between them?


texts: Idiomatic way of describing the fact that someone has had some alcohol

texts:
What's the idiomatic way of describing the fact that someone has had some alcohol?

For example, a husband is coming back home from work and starts talking to his wife. He is not drunk, so he speaks and acts just as usual. However, from the scent coming from him she understands that he had some at work. So she says, "I see you have already ________________!"

What would put in the blank here?
(Any part of speech and any number of words in the blank are okay, but only one verb - if that's possible and idiomatic - is preferred).


texts:
Suppose there are 60 students in the 3rd grade in a primary school. They are divided into three homerooms, normally called Grade 3A, Grade 3B and Grade 3C.
Now here is a case. In a country that does not use Latin alphabet, the students are divided into three homerooms, called Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3. How do you refer it with their year of study when English speaker would understand? Grade 3.1, Grade 3.2 and Grade 3.3?


texts:
Why do we say 'in the week' when referring to a weekday Monday to Friday and 'on the weekend' referring to Saturday and Sunday?

E.g. 'you're so lazy on the weekend' vs 'you're so busy in the week'. But you can't change the on or in around. Why would the grammar for these two sentences be different?


texts:
Please consider this sentence, "No change in schedule other than having Kelvin introducing you to the audience".

I already know Kelvin will be present. So do we need "having" in the above sentence?

Thanks.


texts:
In the framework of Question word + preposition + object pronoun + verb,
should the verb be singular or plural (ie grammatical number)?

For example, the plural verb "What about them elicits" effects a few links,
but "what about them elicit" nothing.

2. Here, the subject is what, but its numerosity is unknown because what can refer to one or many objects. So how can we determine the grammatical number of the verb?

3. What's this concept called?

4. What general lesson oversees/overrides this question? I want to learn about the bigger picture.


texts: What does "pass off" in "pass off in vapor" mean?

texts:
I have come across "pass off in vapor" or "pass off in fumes" at several places. But I can't seem to find the corresponding definition of "pass off" that would fit in the context.

The definitions of "pass off", to sum up Merriam Webster and The Free Dictionary, are either to misrepresent something (used transitively), or to carry out (used intransitively).

But neither definition seems to sufficiently explain the following sentences, where the phrase seems to carry the meaning of "evaporate". In fact, MW defines words like "evaporate" and "volatilize" as "pass off in vapor". The meaning of the phrase is pretty obvious, but I just can't find the definition.

Example sentences (from Google books):

  The latter plate, being perforated, permits the oil to thence pass onto the next lower ball,and so on downward until it is volatilized and passed off in vapor.

  Hydrogen unites with more oxygen to form water, which is passed off in vapor from the lungs, in perspiration from the skin, and in urine from the kidneys.


texts: can produce a very bloody foot -- what does that really mean?

texts:
Source: Beginning C for Arduino, Second Edition—Learn C Programming for the Arduino by Jack Purdum (2015)

Example:

  The term void * is a common C idiom used to denote a “typeless” data type pointer in a function declaration. In other words, memcpy() does no type checking during the copy process... it assumes that you know what you are doing and that the pointers all point to valid data! Not paying attention to such details can produce a very bloody foot.

Ran a whole bunch of Google searches online, couldn't find anything. Obviously, this is supposed to be some kind of metaphor or an allusion to something. What do you think the author is really trying to say?


texts: A five-minute walk away the rebels have turned - meaning

texts:
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/confusion-over-rival-claims-control-donetsk-185927751.html

  Unfortunately for Taruta -- a billionaire oligarch appointed by Kiev to run the restive region following the ouster of pro-Kremlin president Viktor Yanukovych in February -- he was being forced to talk to journalists from a meeting room in a luxury hotel.
  A five-minute walk away the rebels have turned what should be his office on the top floor of the region's barricaded administration building into the headquarters of their self-declared state.

I don't understand what this part means: a five-minute walk away the rebels have turned what....


texts:
My sister is flying (fly) home from London today. Her flight will arrive (arrive) in an hour so I am leaving (leave) for the airport right now to get there in time.

Why Will arrive and not arrive because the arriving of a flight is something  schedulde, so present will be better

http://www.ndj.edu.lb/sites/default/files/images/import/grade-9-all-tenses.pdf


texts:
Imagine a floor to ceiling window with a big hole in it because someone has jump through it. If you saw that window would you describe it as broken or shattered or something else?
Two police officers ran into the office and saw the broken/shattered/* window.


texts:
I'd like to know if it would be completely natural to use "cool with" here?
Young man: You mind if I play some rap music?
Older man: Not at all.
As the music comes on, the older man starts bobbing his head slightly to the beat to show that he's cool with the rap genre. (he wants to show that he has nothing against rap music, maybe even likes it.)
According to dictionaries the definitions of "be cool with something" are "to be happy to accept a situation or suggestion" and "to not find the thing objectionable."
Is the latter fitting for my example?


texts:
Are transitive verb phrases intransitive verbs?
I think I’m asking that probably because some transitive verb phrases goes before prepositions.


texts: "(the) most greatest" or "(the) greatest"

texts: I'm a beginner so soory for my English. I don't know and couldn't find which one is right on the internet. Is"(the) most greatest" used by people? Or like, is it right to use that? I saw this in a book. Although I say "(the) greatest" normally, just wanted to make sure. Thank you!


texts: “Five rewards in this year” vs “Five rewards this year”

texts:
How do I state the fact that a person had or received a number of something during this year? I need the sentence to be nominal, i.e. without a predicate. I see two ways of saying it (let’s take rewards as an example):

Five rewards in this year
Five rewards this year

Which way is more appropriate and sounds better?


texts:
Any one explain me. Which one is correct time.

What's time now?

What a time now?

if apostrophe come means it's indicate the position. But if it come in questions pattern's means, what does it means?


texts:
Is it correct to say "reply something" as in:

  — Did you ask him about dinner?

  — Yes.

  — And what did he reply?


texts:
He was being praised by his teacher.

  "I do shock. I was praised by my teacher." he told me.

I was surprised.
I was shock.

Can he use "do" or is should be "was"?


texts:
I am a little bit confused reading this:

  Under the new HIPAA Mega rule published in January 2013, portions of the HIPAA Privacy Rule and portions of the HIPAA Security Rule were dramatically amended as published by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

What does "amended as published" mean?


texts: Paraphrase the sentence "I didn't know how expensive the desk was!"

texts:
Please take a look at the following sentence:

  I didn't know how expensive the desk was!

This sentence means that the desk is very expensive, but the speaker didn't realize it then. Am I right?


texts:
If Oscar Wilde was right, or partially right, what are the reasons? If not, why not?

If Oscar Wilde was right, or partially right, what are the reasons? If not, why?

Is "not" needed after "why" in the latter question? What's the difference between the questions, if any?


texts: The use of "will" and "be going to" for something that will happen in the very near future

texts:
I read in one grammar book that will and be going to can be used for something planed in the future. But if it is the very near future. For example:

  I will go to work tomorrow.

  I am going to go to work tomorrow.

If someone would say the first sentence what would you think? Does that sound natural? Do the two sentences have the same meaning?


texts:
The Sentence is

  The way computers has invaded our society is remarkable.

now, when I tried to use Ginger Grammar in this sentence it has suggested to use
have instead of has... making the sentence look like this

  The way computers have invaded our society is remarkable.

Now, my teacher has told the class that the first sentence is Good. how can that be? she told us that the noun in the sentence is way, and the sentence could stand alone without the word Computer, I told her that the sentence could not stand without a the word computer because there would be a question in the sentence asking: What has invaded in the society?

she then defended, it's not what but who. I got blank at that point.. and agreed to here answer, to finish the class.


texts:
I encountered the sentence

    Ease by which something may be reached

in this site. I have heard of and read the expression 'ease with which' many times. However 'ease by which' sounds strange to my ears. Google search shows that this is not an uncommon usage despite the ngrams results. What I want to know is the difference between the two (if there is any). Thanks in advance.


texts: Would anybody please help me with finding correct reference?

texts:
In 1900 electrically powered cars were more popular than gasoline powered cars because they were quiet, operated smoothly, and......

handled easily
easy to handle

My professor has told me:

"You can never ever use easy to handle about the sentence above."

Would you tell me why?


texts: "Give him it"/"Give it to him" vs. "Give John it"/"Give it to John"

texts:
Subject + indirect object + direct object:

"Give him it."

  Subject + direct object + preposition + indirect object:

"Give it to him."

Similarly, "Give it to John" is ok.
But what's the wrong with "Give John it" ?


texts: What is correct? "My whole money" "All my money" or "All of my money"?

texts:
Recently my English teacher in an example has used

"I spent my whole money on...",

but I thought whole it's rather used with countable nouns. So I just thought that maybe he made a mistake?


texts:
Can you tell me please if this sentence is grammatically correct:

  My school is near from my house.


texts: The decoration of the new office block is more/most pleasing

texts:
This sentence is from Edgar Thorpe's
Objective English.
As I know, we should use the comparative adjective to compare between two entities and superlative adjective to compare among three or more. But in this sentence, it is not clear to which 'the new office block decoration' is being compared.
So is it fair to assume the speaker is comparing 'the new office block decoration' with more than two entities and use superlative adjective and write:

The decoration of the new office block is most pleasing.

Even so shouldn’t a superlative adjective be always preceded by 'the'?


texts:
I've been learning English for a long time, but always get bogged down with articles.

  The complexity of a problem is related to the resources required to compute a solution as a function of the size of the problem. The size of a problem is measured by ...

We don't know what a problem we are talking about, so "a problem" is used. If we don't what a problem is, how can we use "The complexity of" or "The size of" then?


texts:
I wonder which form(s) are correct amongst the following:

We denote scalars with italicized letters.
We denote scalars with italic letters.

Google n-gram seems to show that both forms are correct:

but is there a most preferable choice, and/or any difference of meaning?


texts: Does "tech" include non-computer technology?

texts:
"Tech" appears to be short for "technology". However, I noticed that "tech" is mostly used to describe the computer hardware and software industries.

Suppose I have a few friends who work with technology:

W is a biochemist involved in improving fertilizers.
X is a mechanical engineer involved in improving the efficiency of oil drilling rigs.
Y develops lightweight composite materials for use in bridges.
Z is involved with building low-cost sounding rockets.

Can I say that W, X, Y, and Z work in "tech"? Is it appropriate to use "tech" to describe mechanical technology and chemical technology?

When people say "I work in tech", do they only mean "I make software"? Or can it also mean "I build advanced coal mining equipment" or "I develop more efficient fertilizers"?


texts:
Is the word "sling" informal here? Cambridge Dictionary says:
sling: mainly UK informal
to throw or give something to someone:
[ + two objects ] Sling me a pen, will you?
Is it used in the US today as well?

Education is important—there’s no denying that fact. For the most part, the more schooling you receive, the more successful you will be in your chosen path. In general, people who drop out or receive minimal education are probably headed toward a long, torturous career slinging burgers at a fast food joint. That’s the common perception, at least. But here are ten famously successful people who stand as exceptions to the rule:

Source: 10 Poorly Educated But Incredibly Successful People


texts:
I see a black bird.

Is it present indefinite tense or present continous tense?


texts: Distance between subject and verb in this sentence

texts:
I wrote:

  “R” denotes “Repeat” and to be distinguished from a letter, is in uppercase.

Should it be

  “R” denotes “Repeat” and to be distinguished from a letter, it is in uppercase.

Are they grammatical?


texts:
Consider these two sentences:

  We will update the server to include more space.
  We will update the server including more space.

Sentence 1 is the original sentence, but I was asked if sentence 2 could be used instead.

Sentence 2 feels incorrect, but I can’t explain why. If someone could explain to me why S2 is or is not correct I would appreciate it.


texts:
How do you parse run across the street below?

  I saw him (run across the street).


texts: Can I always use "with" instead of "because of"? If not when can I use it?

texts:
Can I always use with instead of because of? If not when can I use it?
For example, can I say:

His company went bankrupt with him.

and:

His fingers are numb with cold


texts: According to what rule is it 'the Bolsheviks' and not just 'Bolsheviks' (even when not talking about specific people)?

texts: If it was 'the Bolshevik', it would be understandable ('Used to make a generalized reference to something rather than identifying a particular instance,' the third sense here: https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/the). And yet, it's plural. The similar goes for names of nationalities. Most examples in the Lexico entry for 'Russian' that use the plural form go with 'the' (https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/russian). Some, on the other hand, do not (for instance, 'It was Russians who first built up a caviar industry on Iranian shores.'). Please explain.


texts: What is the difference between "comprehend" and "perceive"?

texts:
Suddenly today I've encountered a sentence which got me crazy. honestly, I can't understand the difference between "comprehend" and "perceive"?

  The first stage in the comprehension process is the perception of the speech signal, an acoustic signal produced the speaker. This includes the position of the tongue, lips, velum, the state of the vocal cords, and the airstream mechanisms.

The full context is:

  Perceptions are interpretations of the messages from our environment based on our past experience, the current context, our needs, goals and expectations.

  Our ability to perceive and sense contributes to our uniqueness on a further dimension: we have a conscious awareness of ourselves and an ability to go beyond that experience, extending the limits of our consciousness. Perception also refers to later processes  that organize and interpret information in a sensory image as having been produced by the properties of objects in the external, three dimensional word.

  The first stage in the comprehension process is the perception of the speech signal, an acoustic signal produced the speaker. This includes the position of the tongue, lips, velum, the state of the vocal cords, and the airstream mechanisms. The intrepretation of these sounds is necessary in order to learn the language, therefore, understand the content (Fromkin and Rodman, 1991).


texts:
I'm reading this article: https://qr.ae/TWFMOe

What does 'boot off of our throats' mean here?

"The larger challenge is building an economy that restores our autonomy, gets the boot off of our throats and puts our energies and innovation to work in addressing the real challenges of this era, like climate change


texts: "Is it persuasive for sth to do" is not grammatical construction?

texts:
Is it persuasive for an adjective to take a nominal
  complement directly?

Would you tell me If that's ungrammatical? If so, what did you think of the following?

  Is it persuasive that an adjective takes a nominal complement directly?


texts: "Is there any truth TO the stereotype?" or "Is there any truth IN the stereotype?"

texts:
I have seen interview and there was a question about stereotype. So I want to ask you which is correct? And why?

Is there any truth TO the stereotype?

or

Is there any truth IN the stereotype?


texts: why the word "ergative" sounds like /ˈɜːrgetɪv/ but it's phonetic symbol is /ˈɜːrɡətɪv/?

texts:
http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/ergative?q=ergative

the pronunciation of "ergative" in link sounds like /ˈɜːrgetɪv/ while it's phonetic symbol is /ˈɜːrɡətɪv/.

the phonetic symbol e and ə are different i think. but all dictionaries i looked up show me the pronunciation sounds like  /ˈɜːrgetɪv/

I'm curious on e and ə.


texts:
Which of sentences is correct ?

We still  xxxxx it a miracle that they were able to do so.

xxxxx  take, think, consider, find


texts:
In the English  biographical movie: Bronson Paul says Bronson will be a good name for Michael Peterson.

  Paul: You're more the Charles Bronson type.

  Peterson: Charles Bronson...

  Paul:Yes... "Death Wish". Fits you down to a T perfect.


texts:
In a programming site, someone just wrote:

  I cannot seem to get them both to find their relevant objects.

It seems I've heard something similar before, say:

  I cannot seem to find it.

With my simple-minded mind, I would think that what they really mean is:

  It seems I cannot find it.

... because what they really want is not to seem to find X but really find it.

My question is: is it common to say "I can't seem to do it" when one really means "It seems I can't do it", and is it "correct" (in whatever sense that makes sense)?

[edit]
There is another question on how to use 'seem' in negative form; however, my interest is a bit different. I would like to know how native English speakers perceive the "I can't seem..." expression: for example, if someone is looking for something for quite some time, would they rather say (1) "I can't seem to find it" or (2) "It seems I can't find it"? Would (1) seem (even slightly) illogical or is it just a natural way to say it?


texts: When I write emails, how do I say my name?

texts:
I am a non-native English speaker.

While making a phone call, I should say,
"This is Julie Park." That is what my English text book says.

But when I am sending an email, what should I say?

1) This is Julie Park

or

2) I am Julie Park....


texts: get-out-of-jail-free card for being late

texts:
In a company, if an employee is being late, their wages for that month will be docked (one-time decrease).
There is a thing called "late-coupon", some kind of get-out-of-jail-free card that could make the employee exempt from punishment.
For example, employee A was being late one time last month and he didn't have any late-coupons, his wage for last month will be docked. Employee B was being late one time last month and he had one late-coupon, his wage for last month will not be docked and his late-coupon was used.
Is there a phrase or a word to refer to that "late-coupon"?


texts: that's fine, that's OK or tomorrow is fine

texts:
If someone asks you if sending you the document you requested by (date) is Okay. Which answer is more idiomatic?
(date) is fine. (Is this OK in this context or only to confirm a meeting date?)
That's fine.
That's Okay (not sure about this one)
Thanks.


texts: “Why aren’t films true ? Why aren’t songs true?”

texts:
There’s always this inherent kind of limit to the self,” he says. “You know, there is a limit to how far one can connect with the world because of the self, and I think that’s what I’ve been talking about the whole time. Like, why is that hard? Like, why aren’t films true? Why aren’t songs true?

I don’t really get what he’s saying, especially the “why aren’t films true? why aren’t songs true?” part. Does it mean that life doesn’t go the way like films or songs? Like life doesn’t go the way you imagine/want?


texts: Meaning of the word "clutch" in "And bones, well, they're pretty clutch."

texts:
I have come upon the sentence with the word that I cannot get in Crash Course Anatomy & Physiology. It is at around 46 seconds. Here is the context:

  Astronauts often experience things like trouble sleeping, puffy faces, and loss of muscle mass, but perhaps the most serious damage a microgravity environment causes is to the bones. And bones, well, they're pretty clutch.

I have looked up the meanings of the adjective clutch in a bunch of dictionaries, but none seems to fit.


texts: Is it grammatically correct to say: neither were statistical surveys implemented nor were comprehensive registers made available


texts: What does "where" mean here and what is its role?

texts:
Text:

This comprehensive solution would constitute an integrated whole where nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. Source

What does this where mean here? Does it mean "in which" or "while"? Looks like here where as a relative pronoun is used to refer to something which is not a place or situation. It is referring to the comprehensive solution.


texts:
This dictionary says:

  • You use here on its own, when you are talking about a place or
  organization:

  The people here are poor.

  Do you work here?

  ✗Don’t say: The people in here are poor. | Do you work in here?

  • You use in here when talking about the inside of a building, room,
  cupboard etc:

  It’s crowded in here.

  There aren’t enough chairs in here.

Ok, let say, you & a person are eating inside a restaurant & then you say:

I used to work here (or in here)?

Suppose you are an ex-waiter of this restaurant.

It seems like "here" is more logical & "in here" is more physical .


texts:
What is the difference in meaning between on the same day and in the same day. I thought that on the same day was the only one correct, but in the sixth episode of the eighth season of Friends Phoebe said in the same day. Here is the context:

Phoebe: He is sweet. He’s too sweet. He calls me all the time.
(Mimicking him) "So did-did you get home from work okay?" "Did-did you
get out of the shower okay?"
Monica: Just don’t pick up your phone.
Phoebe: Then he comes over! (Mimicking him) "I’m so worried about
you." Uck! Be a man!
Monica: What? So now I’m not allowed to fire him?
Phoebe: You can’t fire him and dump him in the same day, he’ll kill
himself.

Here is the video. It's at 1 minute and 40 seconds.


texts:
While both German and English have vowel reductions of some sort, English is much more laxed than German.

I found this sentence in a video, I don't see why there is a word "laxed" there. As I know, the word lax itself is an adjective. There shouldn't be a -ed added to the end of it. Is laxed even exist?


texts:
There is a situation in an english teaching video:

A and B are friends. They haven't seen each other in a long time. Now A sees B at a pub.

  A: How long is it? Three years ...

I wonder why A doesn't say "how long has it been?" instead?


texts:
Which one is correct in or on own way?

  I usually help my closest friends on/in my own way.


texts:
In the following sentence, I have a few problems:

  A tinge of garlic is all that's necessary in most recipes.

1) What is the exact meaning of the tinge?

2) What does mean the "all that's" and what is such a structure grammar?

3) Must we use "in" or "for" in the specified position? The Grammarly takes an error and says it should be replaced with "for"!


texts: Consistency when it comes to using verbs

texts:
Should I be consistent when using verb tenses? Once I use simple past, do I need to stick to it through out my conversation? Please see my examples below, as I think they would better explain what I'm trying to ask.

"Mom asked me to go grocery shopping, but I was wondering if you could go instead. Here is the list of items she wants."
"Mom asked me to go grocery shopping, but I was wondering if you could go instead. Here is the list of items she wanted."

I'm not sure if I should keep my tenses consistent and use "wanted". It seems like Mom still wants the items on the list, so I'm not sure if I should go with "wants".


texts: "You are one of those people who correct me." Why we don't use "one of them"?

texts:
You are one of those people who correct me.

I have confusion regarding the use of "one of them" and "one of those". Why we don't use "one of them"? Please explain it.


texts:
Which is more accurate of these sentences:

  Doctors at the hospital declared x dead

Or

  Doctors at the hospital announced x dead

What is the exact difference between declared, announced in these two contexts. I think both are correct but one is more precise than the other, for example, if the doctor have actually examined the body then they "declare" him as dead, but if the doctors are reporting the "death" state from the doctor who actually examined the body then it's announcement, is that right?
I think I really didn't fully understand the use cases of "declare".


texts: Something is as far as one, or no one, can go?

texts:
While I was watching something, I heard this

  The city is as far west as one can go.

My guess is that the city is very far. I'm not sure I heard it right, or it was

  The city is as far west as no one can go.

Which one is correct?


texts: What does "That’s pretty much all I read"?

texts:
I've come across with the phrase below:

  That’s pretty much all I read.

I know "pretty much" means almost completely[1]

But I don't understand the whole meaning of the phrase.

Does it mean

  All I read is aproximately that book?

The fuller text:

  Perez enters the room and speaks to her in a low voice. “I’ve just
  remembered something. It might be important.” She nods. “You wanted to
  know if I or Wilcox had ever heard of the author Candice White. I
  thought the name sounded familiar but I couldn’t place it. I thought
  maybe it was someone my wife read. She reads a lot of books.” Sorensen
  nods her head again impatiently. “Yes?” “But actually I’ve read one of
  her books. She wrote a true crime book a few years ago that I quite
  enjoyed. That’s pretty much all I read.” “Is that so?” Sorensen
  says. “What was it called?” “I don’t remember exactly, but it was
  about that school principal who murdered one of his students.”

An Unwanted Guest  by  Shari Lapena

[1]https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/pretty-much


texts: does this long sentence need to be split into 2 to make things more clear?

texts:
the question is derived from that post

here is a long sentence to describe a question on that post.

  this piece of code used to demonstrate algorithm complexity and
  Measuring the Run Time of an Algorithm comes from a book
  FUNDAMENTALS OF PYTHON: FROM FIRST PROGRAMS THROUGH DATA STRUCTURES

does this long sentence need to be split into following 2 to make things more clear?

this piece of code used to demonstrate algorithm complexity and Measuring the Run Time of an Algorithm.

this piece of code comes from a book FUNDAMENTALS OF PYTHON: FROM FIRST PROGRAMS THROUGH DATA STRUCTURES.

this one looks better?

the book FUNDAMENTALS OF PYTHON: FROM FIRST PROGRAMS THROUGH DATA STRUCTURES inspires me the following piece of code

...code snippet

which can be used to demonstrate algorithm complexity and Measuring the Run Time of an Algorithm


texts:
What's the adverb for the word half-assed?

I thought it was

  Half-assedly

but it seems like it might not be a real word...


texts: Why is 00 called 'double zero,' not 'double zeros'

texts: Shouldn't 'double zero' be 'double zeros'? For example, we say 'double doors,' not 'double door.'


texts:
Introducing a point of view to whom would have refused it if humor was not present.

Is this sentence grammatically complete?

I feel like something is missing in between the whom and would to connect them together because the would have refused it if humor was not present part seems to be missing its subject.

Am I right or wrong about this, and what is the reason behind?


texts:
Which word would be used instead of the phrasal verb " to make up for something"

For example :

  ...You have been given the wrong room. I hope you will accept a
  complimentary meal in our restaurant to make up for your
  inconvenience.


texts: Rewrite a complicated sentence with "it" I don't know what they refer to

texts:
"As I argue above, the United States was politically predisposed toward stimulating
consumption."
"But even as it delivered the necessary stimulus for the world to emerge from
the 2001 recession, it discovered, much as in the 1991 recovery, that jobs were not being
created."

Can you please rewrite the 2nd sentence? I've bolded the "it"s that I don't grasp what they refer to.
In addition, I know the meaning of "emerge" as to become known, however I don't how it combined in this sentence.


texts:
We passed through the narrow mouth of the cove with the ugly rocks and waving kelp close on either side, turned to the east, and sailed merrily up the bay as the sun broke through the mists and made the tossing waters sparkle around us. We were a curious-looking party on that bright morning, but we were feeling happy. We even broke into song, and, but for our Robinson Crusoe appearance, a casual observer might have taken us for a picnic party sailing in a Norwegian fjord or one of the beautiful sounds of the west coast of New Zealand.

Above is a part of what Ernest Shackleton - an arctic explorer wrote about his journey. I don't understand what "tossing waters" mean. I've never seen water use as plural. I tried to google image about "tossing waters" and find nothing. What I thought is that the sun break the mists to smaller parts of ... waters ? Am I right ?


texts:
She had done her duty by him
She did well by her children

The use of preposition 'by' in the above two sentences sounds to me like it means 'because of'. I coudn't find any meaning of preposition 'by' matching with what I feel. I'm not certain that 'by' in these two sentences means 'because of' or has a close meaning or something. So...

  ...What is the meaning of 'by' in this situation? Please give me some
  more examples so that I could get a bigger picture about this case!


texts: What do "before going in" mean in this context?

texts:
The context link:https://www.quora.com/Is-drowning-a-painful-way-to-die/answer/RetchedRevolver

  I also have to say that the way you breathe and hold your breath beforehand completely differentiates the experience; if you breathe in through your lungs and not your diaphragm before going in, your last moments are typically far more euphoric.

The before going in to my mind as "XX go into a YY(container)", is this meaning before water going in your lung?


texts: There 'is' people or There 'are' people?

texts:
What is the correct form?

  There is people

  There are people?

Kindly, explain your answer.


texts: How to identify the adverbials in a phrase?

texts:
I'm trying to help my daughter with her grammar homework.  She has two phrases where she needs to identify (underline) the adverbials.  The sentences are:

  My friend Zainab went skiing last week.

And

  We decided that we would sail our boat towards the island.

I tried out the sentences on an online sentence parser and it could not find an adverb:

Constituent tree:

(S (NP (NP My friend)
       Zaimab)

 (VP went
       (VP sking
           (NP last week)))
   .)

Also,

Constituent tree:

(S (NP We)
   (VP decided
       (SBAR that
             (S (NP we)
                (VP would
                    (VP sail our boat
                        (PP towards
                            (NP the island)))))))
   .)

I can only think that this is a trick question or has been published with an error.


texts:
When we board a train, ship, or aircraft, we get on it:

  I boarded the plane bound for London.

  The ship was boarded by customs officials.

When a plane or ship is boarding, it is ready for passengers to get on:

  Flight BA193 for Paris is now boarding at Gate 37.

Is it OK to say "the train is boarding (the passengers)"?


texts: meaning of the 'promotes begging as therefore desirable'

texts:
I am struggling with the meaning of the sentence below in bold.  The paragraph is cited from 'Walk on by...' in The Big Think Book.  I read its Chinese edition, but find that its translation does not make any sense.  So I try to read the original text and for my poor English I am confused again.  I can't understand the meaning of "promotes', the function and meaning of "as therefore desirable", and the meaning of "In view of the sheer chance regarding".

  The begging relationship,though,need not be seen as one of humiliation.  Get metro man（someone begs in the metro）up, off his knees. He is then a fellow human being, down on his luck. True, he may be bowed by circumstances, but giver and receiver may recognize their common humanity. Fellow-feeling need not cause humiliation; rather, it engenders sympathy and generosity. Yes, the beggar is helpless.  But a cry for help need not be humiliating; and a cry for help is radically better than starvation. As a rabbi has said, 'god stands with the poor person at the door'. Atheists substitute 'our common humanity' for 'God'.  None of the above promotes begging as therefore desirable. In view of the sheer chance regarding which beggars attract most attention, which ones are genuinely in need, which ones are most deserving, there are good reasons for authorities to aim at greater success in providing for the dispossessed.


texts: The public is cautioned about/of pickpockets

texts:
The public is cautioned ________ pickpockets.

Can someone fill in the blank with the correct answer. I'm not sure whether it is 'of' or 'about'.


texts: Should I use strongly or forcefully in this context?

texts:
Consider these expressions

You have to shut the door strongly/forcefully to lock it.
You have to press the lid strongly/forcefully/powerfully to lock the jar.

I would like to know if any of these strongly/forcefully/powerfully is appropriate in this context? If not what word should I use instead of them.


texts:
I'm watching CNN 10 and they are talking about grades in school.
and I don't know how can you tell the difference between grade as your score and grade as your year.

In Michigan, students who were on track to advance on March 11th will
remain on track and be promoted to the next grade.

I think this one is definitely about year. but are these too?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our chancellor has said that their grades can`t
be hurt in anyway.
In Chicago, student`s grades cannot be lowered by distance learning.
They can only stay the same or be improved.
Administrators are still deciding what to do about grades.

Only difference I can tell is 'grade' and 'grades'.
But I don't think that's how you tell the difference.
You can tell by its context? or is there some rule that you can tell?
Are these sentences all referring to 'grade' as in Second grade, Third grade?
or is it about score(marking)?


texts:
I have two things that are the same, I'm just trying to say that in one of the following options but I'm confused because I don't know what is the correct.

  1) Both equal.

  2) both equals.

  3) both of them equal.

  4) both of them equals.

  5) both of them is equal.

  6) both of them are equal.

  7) both is equal.

  8) both are equal.


texts: What's the difference between 'subdued' and 'moderate'?

texts:
I cannot tell the difference between 'subdued' and 'moderate'.

I saw 2 sentences:

Experiment A produces subdued response.

Eperiment A produces moderate response.

Are there any difference? Could you explain about that?


texts:
I was doing a chapter in my grammar and there I found the following sentences

  This mango is very sweet
  In this sentence, very shows in what degree the mango is sweet.

What my confusion is

We use to what degree but here in what degree is used and it sounds very weird.


texts: On the one hand, you can use both the preposition 'on' and 'in' with the noun 'plane'. On the other hand, you only use 'on' with 'ship'. On yet another hand, you use 'in' with 'car'. What preposition should I use with 'spaceship'?


texts:
Can I have thoughts on this sentence? I worry that the clauses are too many or that the positioning of 'would' is awkward.

  On other other hand, Common Law, which at this point has infiltrated
  the scene, would, as we can gather from from Littleton’s writing, deem
  the contract against the law and therefore void.


texts: Can you "club together" with something else than money?

texts: All examples I've seen on the internet refer with this phrase to money. But isn't it possible to club together with, for instance, our group effort/our knowledge and experience/our part of work?


texts: Why doesn't this clause have perfect tense?

texts:
Harry watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he
  called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the
  cheek, who, to Harry's amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat
  lopsided.  (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

What does the bold-faced part mean? If it is the reason for Hagrid’s getting redder, I guess its tense needs to be perfect one: as he had called for more wine.


texts: Why do they use "be" in titles of videos like "something be like"?

texts: A lot of videos on Youtube have a title like "something be like". But why do they use "be" instead of "is" there? Is this a type of the present subjunctive form or anything by any chance?


texts:
I was trying to find some information on using "to + Ving" The following was the closest I got, but I still have a question.

In the following snippet out of context:

  ...which causes him to switch back to using sophisticated verbiage ...

Which combination would be the most appropriate:

which causes him to switch back to using sophisticated verbiage
which causes him to switch back using sophisticated verbiage
which causes him to switch back to use sophisticated verbiage

Not a native language, so thank you in advance!


texts: Help to understand: "and for others to do so on behalf of his targets" in this context

texts:
In trying to find a way to excuse her father, Brennan-Jobs is following a long line of people, all of whom are much more culpable than her for his behavior. Generally, the only way to get a bully to back off is to stand up to him and for others to do so on behalf of his targets; in Jobs' case, too few people did.

I am not sure how to parse the sentence correctly: "the only way to get a bully to back off is to stand up to him and for others to do so on behalf of his targets".

I can probably get the meaning of the sentence. From the grammar standpoint, what's and for others to do so on behalf of his targets doing?

The full source.


texts: "You'll bury every gerbil's face in his face, yeah!"?

texts:
This is about some audio clip in an old school coin-up game (Wrestlefest). You end up fighting against the Legion of Doom and you're presented with a cut scene where Road Warrior "Animal" and Road Warrior "Hawk" are interviewed:

  Gene Okerlund: It's time to fight with a powerful challenger...
  RW-A: Haha, we snack on danger, right on, yeah! RW-H: [You'll
  bury every gerbil's face in his face, yeah!]

Obviously, Michael Hegstrand (RW-H) was not saying that but this is what I hear...

What is he saying exactly?


texts: Meaning of the phrase "not until later" in context

texts:
It is from this video. It is at 1 minute and one second. Here is the context:

  Jerry has just got a job as a junior stock broker and his boss invites him to have a drink after the 4 P.M. bell. He had a dinner date planned with his wife for her birthday, but that is not until a bit later and he figures he will be done by then.

Could you please rephrase the whose sentence for me? The phrase not until later really confuses me. Does Jerry realize that he will be done before his wife's birthday or after? He will be done later after what? Would it not be well just say Jerry had a dinner date planned with his wife for her birthday, but later he figures he will he done by then because he his boss invited for a drink? Or Jerry realizes that he will be done after he has a drink with his boss that he will be done by the beginning of the dinner with his wife?


texts:
1) Can we use ‘any time’ instead of ‘any day’ in the below example?

"Have you seen this any day before?"

Can you please tell me what the difference is between ‘any time’ and ‘any day’?

2) Answer this question: Shall I come next week?

A) You can come at any time.

B) You can come on any day.

C) You can come on any week.

Which one of the above is correct?


texts:
I see this expression a lot these days and I have searched about it and didn't find an answer.
Some examples:

We are getting prepared
We are getting married
We are getting better


texts: require that X be used VS. require X to be used

texts:
Some cities have a rule requiring that a certain percentage of the budget be used to fund public art.

I am wondering the reason for being omitted the preposition to before used to.


texts: Alongside the Queen, we were delighted to deliver a speech to the MPs - Does anyone know what this means?

texts:
Alongside the Queen, we were delighted to deliver a speech to the MPs.

Does this mean

  A) We were delighted to deliver a speech to the MPs and the Queen.

or

  B) The Queen and we were delighted to deliver a speech to the MPs.

?


texts:
I have seen "I be v.-ing" pattern many times, but I don't know how to get this pattern.

What does exactly this mean and when to use it?


texts: What does "the best of us" in "the best of us must sometimes eat our words" mean?

texts:
"I seem to remember telling you both that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules," said Dumbledore.

  Ron opened his mouth in horror.

  "Which goes to show you that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling. "You will both receive Special Awards for Services to the School and...two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor."

  Harry potter and the chamber of secrets

I don't exactly understand "the best of us" here. What does it mean?


texts: Why do these sentences, which have similar structures, use different tenses in their object clauses?

texts:
That was not the first time (that) someone has needed me.

It was not the first time (that) someone had fired at Eric while he walked to school.

It was not the first time (that) someone suggested that punitive measures awaited my procreative ways.

The above sentences have the same structure and similar purposes, but they use three different tenses in their object clauses.
My questions are:

Are they all correct?
What are the subtle differences by using different tenses here?


texts: Should I say "My child coughed sputum / phlegm / mucus up" in general everyday English?

texts:
sputum (uncount): liquid from the throat or lungs, especially when it is coughed up (= forced up from the lungs, etc) because of disease

  blood in the sputum

  phlegm (uncount): the thick substance that forms in the nose and
  throat, especially when you have a cold

  mucus (uncount): a thick liquid that is produced in parts of the body, such as the
  nose, by a mucous membrane

  a handkerchief stained with blood and mucus

  The frog’s eggs are surrounded by a coating of jelly-like mucus.

My child has a mild sore throat. Sometimes, she coughs up some thick sticky gel-form liquid (it could be white if it is a mild illness, could be more yellowish if the illness is more severe)

Ac coding to my research, "phlegm" & "sputum" are the same and imply when you have a cold / throat infection, etc, but not sure which is more general common term. But "mucus" does not imply a cold / throat infection, etc. However, I heard a lot of native speakers use "mucus" even for a cold / throat infection.

Should I say "My child coughed sputum / phlegm / mucus up in general everyday English"?


texts: What's the meaning of "Seasoned as old leather"?

texts:
I checked Longman Dictionary and there are three definition for "Seasoned":

  1 [only before noun] used to describe someone who has a lot of experience of a particular thing

  2 seasoned food has salt, pepper etc added to it

  3 seasoned wood has been prepared for use by drying

However I do not understand  meaning of the phrase.

Could you please tell me what the meaning of "Seasoned as old leather" is?

The full text is here:

  When Grandpa-down-the-hill was a young man, there’d been herds of
  livestock spread across the mountain, and they were tended on horseback.
  Grandpa’s ranching horses were the stuff of legend. Seasoned as old
  leather, they moved their burly bodies delicately, as if guided by the rider’s
  thoughts.


texts: Why is the word "for" missing in this sentence?

texts:
A Saudi Arabian person arrested uploading abuse video.

I saw this line in some NEWS Channels scrolling. I am pretty sure word "for" is missing.

Why there is no "for" used in between arrested and uploading ?


texts: "Where are you coming from" is the sentence correct?

texts:
I was taught that where are you going to is incorrect.

But if I use:

  Where are you coming.

It seems to be ambiguous.

Can I say:

  Where are you coming from.

Please Explain.


texts: Which are the differences between the verbs "to say" and "to tell"?

texts:
i don't know in which contexts I have to use One of these two verbs?
Can anyone help me?


texts: What's the difference between "fool myself" and "fake myself"?

texts:
When I feel down with some bad news and don't want to talk with anyone, but I have to.  I hide my real emotions and act cheerful.
In this case, how can I describe myself, "I fooled myself." or "I faked myself."
I'm very nervous at the speech in front of the people, but in order to hide my nervousness, I pretend to be confident.  In this situation, can I use the either sentence?
Or if there are any other sentences for these situations, could you explain them?


texts:
Please let me know what the difference in meaning is between the following sentences:

The tips will save your life if YOU ARE TEACHING English to complete beginners.
The tips will save you life if YOU TEACH English to complete beginners.


texts:
In the following sentence, what is the meaning of "runs parallel to"?

  The street where I live runs parallel to the main road through town.

Is it a phrasal verb? (I could not find it in any dictionary or internet resources!)


texts: Does "in the past" mean the same things as "before"?

texts:
I have been there a few times in the past.

Would it be equal to:

  I have been there a few times before.


texts:
I am wondering what it means to "bear the seal/stamp of the county of New York."

i.e., This public document bears the seal of the county of New York.

Does this mean that the document physically has the seal on it or that it has been approved by the county of New York?

Many thanks for your help in advance.


texts: When starting a Skype conversation, what do people usually say at the very beginning?

texts: So, I've contacted to my companion through Skype. What do people usually say first in this situation? "How are you"? or giving a name first and then "How are you"? Or are those two phrases are incompatible with each other... if you give a name do you need to avoid How are you?


texts:
What is "spilling the beans"? A proverb? A phrase? ...?

For example, what to put in the blank below?

  Truth might be told mistakenly, as indicated by ----- spilling the beans.

Should I use "the phrase", "the proverb" , or ...?

And, is the second part of the sentence "as indicated by ... spilling the beans" idiomatic, or can be said in a better way? Aren't the followings better wordings?

  Truth might be told mistakenly, what refereed to as spilling the beans.

  Truth might be told mistakenly, hence ..... spilling the beans.

or other suggestions?


texts: What does "you are feeble and you know it " mean in the context?

texts:
This part is in a Children's math book, it teaches how to use cancellation in dividing.
the sum is 270/18. 270 and 18 are both broken down to their prime factors, so it become 2x3x3x3x5/2x3x3, and the female character in the book suddenly sing "You are feeble and you know it"in the illustration nearby. What does the it mean in this context, why would she say that?
//Transcript:

270/18 = 2x3x3x3x5/2x3x3
Now we can cancel. This means if any number on the top has a matching number on the bottom, We can cross them both out!

[Illustration] "You are feeble and you know it" (the female character sings this out, holding a scarf with both hands above her head)

We are just left with 3*5 on the top, that gives the answer 15, so 270/18 = 15


texts: What is the meaning of "in" in the sentence, "Tea splashed in a puddle"?

texts:
What is the meaning of "in" in the sentence, "Tea splashed in a puddle" ?
(Source: The Princess Twins and the Tea Party by Mona Hodgson)

Does "Tea splashed in a puddle" mean "Tea splashed. The place where tea splashed is a puddle"?

Or does "Tea splashed in a puddle" mean "Tea splashed making a puddle(=>The shape of the tea splashed is the puddle form)" ?

Does "in" in "Tea splashed in a puddle" mean "making" ?


texts:
Is there any grammar mistake in this sentence?
" What's even worse, I slept right through my stop! "
I think this sentence is incorrect because two sentences are connected without any conjunction.

If this sentence is correct, why?

If this sentence is incorrect, how to make it correct?


texts: What does "if you treat her otherwise" mean in the following paragraph?

texts: This account is my new account, because i can't remember my old account (sorry about this and i hope admin will not delete my post). Now i'm translating a book about women for a male client, named "The Manual: What Women Want and How to Give It to Them", and i posted my question here, but i can't receive the question that is reasonable for me. In the book, i has a confusing paragraph that i posted on photo. Can you help me to understand the highlighted sentence, especially the expression "if you treat her otherwise"?. Thank you]1


texts: Can I add verb successively after the word "after"?

texts:
I saw a sentence like

  After laying in bed talking and playing, we started dining on hamburgers

Is it grammatically correct or just a spoken usage?


texts:
ONCE on a time there was a boy named Jack, and one morning he started
  to go and seek his fortune.

  He hadn't gone very far before he met a cat.

  'Where are you going, Jack?' said the cat.

  'I am going to seek my fortune.'

  'May I go with you?'

  'Yes,' said Jack, 'the more the merrier.'

  So on they went, jiggelty-jolt, jiggelty-jolt.

This content is from "How Jack went to Seek his Fortune" in English fairly tales.

Could you teach me the meaning of "jiggelty-jolt"?


texts: Is it considered rude to say something won't be explained in a text because you assume the reader is knowledgeable about it?

texts:
I'm a non native English speaker writing a dissertation in British English. In the dissertation I'm explaining a new advanced form of a certain method (let's call this method "x"). Because of word limit I wish to omit any explanation of the standard form of "x", since usage of this form is widespread in my field. Would it be considered rude to write something like the following?

  We assume the reader is knowledgeable about standard 'x', so these will not be explained in this document. Instead we will focus on the new capabilities provided by "advanced x".


texts: Usage of "presumed" with present/past tense in a subordinate clause

texts:
"Everyone presumed that I am weak person"

Is this wrong?

vs.

"Everyone presumed that I was weak person"

Is this always right?


texts:
To express only the thing I think is I fly in the air, is 'I think just that I fly in the air' grammatically correct? I wonder focusing adverbs can focus on not only phrases but clauses!
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Focusing-Adverbs.htm


texts:
What do you call a dripping liquid? When you salivate, sometimes there's dripping liquid hanging from your mouth or chin. What do you call it? Is there a word for it?

  There was a dangling ___ of saliva hanging from her chin.

  There was a dangling ___ hanging from her chin.


texts:
In te next sentence:

We use "this" only in the first question. The answer and the other questions use "it"

Is correct?

If the above is correct, then the following example:

- Is this a gull?
- no, it's not a gull
- what is it?
- it’s a duck
- what color is it
- it’s black and white

Without taking into account the above explained, the example would be the following:

- Is this a gull?
- no, this is not a gull
- what is this?
- this is a duck
- what color is this
- this is black and white

Which of the two examples is correct?


texts:
What's the difference between:

  " I'm short, I would have liked to be taller."

  " I'm short, I would like to be taller. "


texts: Is there any actual difference between "aspects in" and "aspects of", apart from their frequency? As far as I can see, the comparatively rare "aspects in" occurs especially when followed by the name of a discipline (e.g. "aspects in astrology").


texts: Compound word And fraction word difference

texts:
Fractions and compound word confused me:

Five sixths

One third

And two hours

Two hour


texts:
From the Cambridge Dictionary

  lethal: able to cause or causing death; extremely dangerous

I understand it basically means "killing". When talking about weapons, do "cause death" and "causing death" mean the same thing?

I googled it but didn't get anything. Could someone help me on this?


texts:
What is the difference between: "I am going to lecture room" and "I am going for lecture room"?

Which one is preferable?


texts: "Commonly used to select" or "commonly used for selecting"

texts:
I read about the prepositions, for, and to. For example, to can be used with times, directions. for can be used as because of. However, I am still confused about my sentence. I think the first one is correct as my method do something. While the second sentence shows the reasons.

I have a commonly used method, A, which is used to select the best fit model. What one of my sentences is correct? and Why?

  Method A is a commonly used method to select the best fit model.

or

  Method A is a commonly used method for selecting the best fit model.


texts: Do I need one ‘that’ or two in the following sentence?

texts:
You need something to look forward to. To light up your heart. To
  forget that you’re walking in the dark. Sure, sometimes you’ll
  discover (that) that something doesn’t exist. But so what? That
  light already helped you to get through the day."

Do I need one ‘that’ or two in the sentence above? Why or why not?


texts: "have liked"/"have been liking"/"had liked"/"had been liking"

texts:
I have liked you since childhood.
I have been liking you since childhood.
I had liked you since childhood.
I had been liking you since childhood.

What is the difference between the above sentences?


texts: "Insert your data" or "Enter your data"?

texts:
What is the difference between Insert and Enter?

If I have a form to fill in, which legend is better?

  Insert your data

or

  Enter your data


texts: '... a journalist who is used to ...' vs. '... a journalist who uses to

texts:
To an economist or a journalist who is used to thinking of a decade as long enough for entire theories to rise and fall, an age is the longest period imaginable; durable ideas can be age-old and this age is synonymous with 'this world' or 'everything'.

Can anyone confirm whether is used is used correctly in that passage?

Shouldn't it be '... who uses to ...'?


texts: "He likes it tomorrow" / "We leave for Hawaii tomorrow" - Why is the first sentence bad?

texts:
The following sentences sound right to me:

  The package arrives tomorrow. (The package is going to arrive tomorrow)

  We leave for Hawaii tomorrow. (We are going to leave for Hawaii tomorrow)

But the following sound wrong to me:

  We watch The Avengers tomorrow. (We are going to watch The Avengers tomorrow)

  He likes it tomorrow. (He is going to like it tomorrow)

  The house is demolished next week. (The house is going to be demolished next week)

I don't understand why the second group sounds wrong. Is it because there is an object or adjective?

Is there a rule for when the present simple could be changed to indicate future time with only an adverb or preposition phrase?


texts:
I am confused how to use "by definition" in mathematics.

When I want to say that some fact follows from Definition of A, then can I say:

This fact follows by definition.
This fact follows by definition of A.
This fact follows by the definition of A.

If I use the sentence 1, does the meaning different from 2 or 3 (if these make sense).


texts: Can "'ve" be used as a contraction of "have" when "have" is acting as a verb and not as an auxiliary?

texts:
Examples:

I have a pen. I've a pen.
He has something. He's something.


texts: Why can't I use "passing" instead of pass?

texts:
I have been given the following sentence:

  He got only passing mark.

I don't understand why it should be "pass marks" in place of "passing mark". I don't want to cram but understand. I read a thread on stackexchange about this, but at that place it was used in different context.


texts:
What prepositions should I use in here:

  I wiped with eraser what he had drawn with a pencil on paper and blew out the garbage on him.

Blew out / away / off the garbage "on" / or "in" him?


texts:
Here is a sentence:

  I enjoy when someone read to me.

I think the passive form of this sentence could be:

  I enjoy being read to me.

I found the following sentence where "me" is omited as:

  The pleasure of being read to.

Source: http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-pleasures-of-being-read-to

I think this sentence should be:

  The pleasure of being read to me.

So, why the pronoun 'me' is omited in sentence No 3 ?


texts:
Could you explain it's necessary to use "can" in this phrase or I can say simply "I see it." Is there something changes if I use "I can see it."?

  Oh, dear! Where’s my key? I can’t find it. Oh look! It’s on the kitchen table. I can see it.

TIA

P.S. I have just read other posts about this question, and as I understand some difference may be. For example, "I can see these flowers!" (= your phisical ability) or "I see flowers" (= some flowers existence near you).

However, I don't understand is it recomended to use "can" with feeling verbs or not (very often it is used as I understand). And is there any difference if I use "can" in my example?


texts: Does "**societies**" here mean "groups of people" or "registered organizations"?

texts:
This page says

  In the decades since the 1960s, ACM, along with leading professional and scientific computing societies, has endeavored to tailor curriculum recommendations to the rapidly changing landscape of computer technology. As the computing field continues to evolve, and new computing-related disciplines emerge, existing curriculum reports will be updated, and additional reports for new computing disciplines will be drafted.

Does "societies" here mean "groups of people" or "registered organizations"?


texts:
When we asked whether he or she has been ride any vehicle.

How do we say it?

  "Have you been on aeroplane/bus/bicycle?"


texts: Do the given sentences convey what the speaker is looking to convey?

texts:
Suppose someone's tests have been going on for a while, and the last test they had to take was earlier today. And you didn't know their tests were going on.

To convey that I could probably use a sentence like "I had no idea your tests were going on, and that they got over today." Correct me if i'm wrong here.

But, if i used a sentence like "I had no idea your tests were going on until today.",would it still mean the same, or would that mean that I got to know her tests were going on today?


texts:
I have a question about the usage of toward here:

  Two top House Democrats today criticized the majority leader, Dick Armey, for what they called disparaging comments toward Jews made at a campaign appearance last weekend. Mr. Armey dismissed the complaints as partisan politics.

Two senses of "toward" is 1) in the direction of, and 2) in regard to.  Does "comments toward" in the example mean the comments happened face to face (in-the-direction-of sense) , or the comments were about Jews (in-regard-to sense)?


texts: The phrase "to the Right of Attila the Hun"

texts: Recently I have come to the phrase "to the Right of Attila the Hun" which allegedly describes the very conservative or reactionary person. Is it possible to construct similar phrases such as: "to the Left of Che Guevara", "to the Fanatic of Savonarola" or "to the Sex of Cassanova"?


texts: one of the things that I have noticed VS one of the things I have noticed

texts:
Should it be:

  one of the things I have noticed

or:

  one of the things that I have noticed

I need to build right sentences and which one is correct form?


texts: Shouldn't there be "it" instead of "he" in this sentence?

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

An NCLAT bench, headed by Chairman Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya, said he would like to.....

I think "it" should be used instead of "he" the  because bench is the subject in the sentence not the Chairman.


texts: Is it wrong to say "I sent you many emails this week"?

texts: When I'm writing to a person who didn't reply to a lot of emails I sent him, is it wrong to say "I sent you many emails this week but I haven't received any replies"? Must I say "I've sent you many emails this week, but I haven't received any replies"? It seems like the "sending" was completed, so I'm not sure if it's totally wrong to say "I sen you many emails this week".


texts: "such that", "so that" or "in a way that" in this sentence

texts:
I wrote:

  The problem is that "can we cover the bigger rectangle with small rectangles such that no two rectangles overlap and no gap opens up"

Is it a correct usage of such that? Could I use "so that"? How about "in a way that"?

Is open ups the correct verb choice for gap here?


texts:
A man is trashing an apartment.
Moments later, the man came back into the living room carrying a fridge, which he threw/dropped on the floor.
I feel that a fridge is a too heavy thing for one to be able to throw, so I thought "dropped" would be better to use, but if I use that would it be clear from the sentence that the man dropped it deliberately? And if not, is there another word that might be more appropriate to use instead?


texts:
I got teased by my daughter often so I said

  Why you like to tease me so much?

It wasn't a question since I did't expect her to answer, it was more like complaining. Is it ok to skip the word "do" after the word "why"?


texts: Set out for a trip vs Set out on a trip?

texts:
I'm confused whether do we use for or on with the phrase set out?
Like,
I'll set out for a trip to Philadelphia.
I'll set out on a trip to Philadelphia.


texts:
Could you tell me what stolen or order mean? For example:

A few cars has been stolen to order.


texts:
Do I need "with" in this sentence? (Which one(s) are correct)?

What did you use to paint this WITH?
What did you use to paint this?


texts:
Which is the correct way to express that I am writing or I wrote a letter aimed at another person? Is it ‘I write / I wrote a letter to you’ or ‘I write / wrote a letter for you’? I’m so confused.
Does it work the same way talking about writing, playing and dedicating songs?


texts:
1.The fourth case is more diffuse – the forging of various bilateral links with the fishing industry: some ENGOs have succeeded in working with fishers to bring in environmental measures that they can accept.

  They work with the lawyers to solve this issue.

Can the infinitive in the example sentences be understood as in order to?

Does the meaning change if the sentences are interpreted to be in order to?


texts: Food that feels a bit rough (though it was meant to be smooth)

texts:
What will be a natural way to describe the food that feels a bit rough though it was meant to be smooth? (Like something rough, gritty texture....)

Will it be called "grainy", "gritty"? I mean it might not feel rough to touch but it feels that way. Is there a specific word to describe that?

Edited: Corrected the mistake. (Tastes---> Feels)


texts: Is it grammatically correct to say 'I have not much time?'

texts:
I am well aware of the fact that in order to form a negative sentence in Present Simple one must use an auxiliary (do/does, am/is/are) or a modal verb (can, may etc).

I wonder whether it is possible to say 'I have not much time.' (I do not mean 'not so much' time here.) and whether such usage is grammatical.

I mean to say, it is absolutely OK to say 'I have NO time', why is it then incorrect to say 'I have NOT MUCH time'?

I would appreciate it if you referred me to some reliable resources.


texts: I am a little bit confused about All Items or All Item. Which one is correct and why? I will use this on the website application as a menu item. In my point of view, while I use All before the Item, that's mean it's plural, NOT singular. So, can I use ALL ITEM instead of ALL ITEMS?


texts:
Can we use both prepositions here?

This game is a joy to me

This game is a joy for me.

I know “to” is preferable but can we use “for" is it common? And are there any circumstances where we can use joy of?


texts:
In fact, he only claimed to be the first to coin the term “vacuum cleaner” for devices of this nature, which may explain why he is so credited. As we all know, the term “vacuum” is an inappropriate name, because there exists no vacuum in a vacuum cleaner.
Rather, (1)it is the air moving through a small hole into a closed container, as a result of air being blown out of the container by a fan on the inside. But I suppose a “rapid air movement in a closed container to create suction” cleaner would not sound as scientific or be as handy a name.   Anyway, we are stuck with (2)it historically, and it is hard to find any references to “vacuum” prior to Booth.

What does it refer to each?
Really confusing. .


texts: "continuation with" VS "continuation of"

texts:
Examples:

  **The continuation of the strike caused a lot of hardship
  **

  Today's lecture is in continuation with the previous lectures.

Explain the difference.

Thank you.


texts:
Could you please tell me if it means that interview stage is already ended or has not started yet (it will start in the near future)

  Please be advised, "company name" are not looking to progress anyone else to the interview stage yet. If the circumstances change at any stage we will keep you informed and will let you know In due course in order for you to arrange accommodation.

Thank you in advance


texts:
I'm a little confused about the word opinionated. From a dictionary, it means:

someone who is opinionated has very strong opinions that they refuse to change even when they are clearly unreasonable

So it seems opinionated is a bad thing. But I saw many products claim that they are an opinionated something. Like this tool, which is an opinionated code formatter. What does it mean in this context? Why they use this kind of disapproving word in there product description?


texts: In running such a game, a/the computer may freeze

texts:
Having the following sentences and lines of reasoning:

  Video Games are becoming more and more hardware demanding. In running
  such a game, the computer may freeze. (*)

My line of reasoning: the definite article is used because we want to focus on the computer that is running a game, we can process the sentence as follows: In (the procces of) running such a game (by a computer), the computer may freeze. "In running such a game" introduces a computer in the background, and in the next part of the sentence we are referring to this computer.

  Video Games are becoming more and more hardware demanding. In running
  such a game, a computer may freeze.

My line of reasoning: the indefinite article is used because we want to focus on the fact that any computer (with poor hardware) may freeze when running a hardware demanding game.

  Video Games are becoming more and more hardware demanding. A computer,
  in running such a game, may freeze.

My line of reasoning: the same as in the second.

I have the following questions:

Are all the sentences correct?
Are the lines of reasoning correct?
Do all the sentences roughly communicate the same information? And if so:
Which one will be chosen by a native?

I know that the legitimacy of some of the questions depends on the legitimacy of others, but I hope you will understand my doubts from the questions.

(*) I assume that no explicit referent of the computer appeared before the sentence and the word appeared the first time in this sentence.


texts:
I have a question about the usage of the phrase "pass through" in this writing:

  Herman Melville was born in New York City in 1819. When his father died, he was forced to leave school and find work. After passing through some minor clerical jobs, the eighteen-year-old young man shipped out to sea, first on a short cargo trip, then, at twenty-one, on a three-year South Sea whaling venture.

How does a person "pass through" a series of jobs?  I understand "pass through some stages/phases" in some process, or "pass through a period of time".  But "pass through some jobs" seems off to me.  What do native speakers think?


texts: Can we use an adjective to modify a verb?

texts:
'A confident person speaks a little stronger, stands a little taller, and looks a little bolder'.

I read the sentence in the book Instant Voice Training.

In this sentencen, both the verb speaks and stands are modified by an adjective, stronger and taller. What I have found on google is that an adjective can only follow a linking verb as complement of the subject. But in this case, the only linking verb is look,  both speak and stand are action verb. So what is the grammatical facts of it?

I assume that there are ellipses. It probably should be speaks in a way that is a little stronger , stands in a way that is a little taller. Is that right?


texts: What does the word "retrieving" mean here?

texts:
Please help me figure out the meaning of the word "retrieving" in the following sentence from the description of the game MudRunner Mobile:

You’ll make a delivery by night, where obstacles are not easy to spot,
and hop between vehicles – retrieving materials in one truck to repair
another that you’ll fill up to refuel a gas-guzzling third.

I found the lexical meanings of the word "retrieve" here, but am not sure which of them fits here.


texts: "Asked me to" without a verb at the end of sentence

texts:
Let's say that someone tells me:

  I am asking you to not chew gum.

I could reply to that statement:

  I will not chew gum as you have asked me to.

Does the previous statement make sense, or do I need to reword it to:

  I will not chew gum as you have asked me to do

I have googled "asked me to" and I found out that a song has a title with those words: If You Asked Me To. The fact that a song was written by a American author gives me some assurance that both sentences are correct. However, I would appreciate an expert voice on this issue.


texts: How to express relatively long-lasting situation?

texts:
If I'm reading a book now, I can speak :

  "I'm reading an interesting book".

If I began to read that book a week ago and I have been reading it for several days and I haven't finished it yet, I can also say

  "I'm reading an interesting book".

For an accurate definition I can add the word "now" at the end of the first sentence, but if I add the subordinate clause "since I bought it a week ago" at the end  of the second sentence, I have to use the present perfect :

  "I have been reading an interesting book since I bought it a week ago".

How can I write the second sentence using the present continuous, so that it can be understood that I'm not reading that book at this moment?


texts:
which option will sit right with the sentence.I can't come to a right option; I'm confused.Please do explain your choice.

  She told me that she had a good job with a big salary, but she ______.
  a) doesn't
  b) didn't
  c) hadn't
  d) wasn't


texts: I study really hard now. but until a couple of days ago, I (hadn't studied / didn't study) hard at all. - which one is right?

texts:
I study really hard now. but until a couple of days ago, I (hadn't studied / didn't study) hard at all.

I think hadn't studied is more proper because it refers to the state before a specific time point, which is a couple of days ago.

which one is right?


texts: Do we say "Glass Crumb" just as we often say "Food Crumb"? If not, what is the word to say?

texts:
crumb (n): a very small piece of food, especially of bread or
  cake, that has fallen off a larger piece

  She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her sweater.

ok, now I want to change the definition a little bit. That is:

  a very small piece of glass that has fallen off a larger piece

do we say "glass crumb" as just as we often say "food crumb"? If not, what is the word to say?

also other kinds of materials? "wood crumb" or "stone crumb"?


texts:
In order to distinguish plural nouns from singular nouns I want to know which one is correct:

  Julia complains that her wage is low.

or

  Julia complains that her wages are low.

I've seen both in texts some people use wages as singular (wage) noun and some people use it as plural noun (wages).


texts: What is the meaning of numbers here in dinner question?

texts:
In English Drama movie "The Remains of the Day", Lord Darlington asks Mr Steven (Butler) about Dinner:

  Lord Darlington: What are we at dinner tonight? 14? 16?

  Steven: Twelve, sir.

How to understand this numbers here?


texts: How do I say the possessive, when three people possess the same item?

texts:
If two people possess the same item, the speaker would put an 's after the second name only. So, the storyteller would say

  Dudley and Harry's home is located at 4 Privet Drive.

If a pronoun is used, the speaker would use the possessive form for both. So, Dudley would say

  Harry's and my home is located at 4 Privet Drive.

My question is, how about three people? For example, how would Hedwig (Harry's friend, lives with Harry) refer to that house

  Dudley's, Harry's and my home is located at 4 Privet Drive.

or

  Dudley, Harry's and my home is located at 4 Privet Drive.


texts: One book devoted to the well known and controversial period within the French Revolution is called "In defence of the Terror". Nevertheless the same historical event is officially described as The Reign of Terror. Is there some clarification for the different usage of the articles?


texts:
This is my sentence:

  The system has no value for neither Weight, Height, nor Water Temperature  properties.

I feel something wrong in the sentence, could you help please?


texts:
How should I define the type of my aunt and uncle in order to specify among my parents, whose brother or sister they are?

Is it the natural way of it to precede these nouns with the adjectives "maternal" and "paternal" or there is another fixed term for them which I have to know?

I have always said:

  She is my maternal aunt or he is my paternal uncle and so on.

But for soem unknow reasons these terms strike me a bit philosophical.
I wonder if you let me know about it.


texts:
Should I use capital letters in front of items? There are two cases

  The reasons for that are: 1) We don't have budget and 2) We can not do that.

or

  The reasons for that are:

  1) We don't have budget.

  2) We can not do that.


texts:
Can we even eliminate "of which"?

  The first of which was published in * and the last in *.

Source: History in the Plural: An Introduction to the Work of Reinhart Koselleck. https://books.google.com/books/about/History_in_the_Plural.html?id=I7o7KB3Hn8EC


texts: What it's not 'doesn't that' here in the sentence?

texts:
The following context comes form Breakfast at Tiffany's page 17. After Mr. Arbuck sent Holly home, but Holly closed the door in his face. Then Arbuck said:

  "Hey, baby!" he said, for the door was closing in his face. "Yes,
  Harry?" "Harry was the other guy. I'm Sid. Sid Arbuck. You like me."
  "I worship you, Mr. Arbuck. But good night, Mr. Arbuck." Mr. Arbuck
  stared with disbelief as the door shut firmly.
   "Hey, baby, let me in, baby. You like me, baby. I'm a liked guy.
  Didn't I pick up the check, five people, your friends, I never seen
  them before? Don't that give me the right you should like me? You like
  me, baby."

My question is why it's "don't' but not 'doesn't' in the bold sentence? As 'that' here represents the fact that Arbuck pick up the check for Holly and her friends.


texts: sentence meaning “My car is having new tyres fitted.”

texts:
My car is having new tyres fitted.

My guess is as follows

The above sentence means

  I am having new tyres fitted on my car.

Is My car is having a "firm intention / definite decision"? or "arrangement in the future"?


texts:
Can we use "people" and "persons" interchangeably? I am not sure, but I feel like people should never be used to describe people you know or when you attach a number to it.

For example:

  There are 3 people who are bachelors in my family.


texts: "You will never be the man your mother is."

texts:
"You will never be the man your mother is" is without a doubt one of the most popular (and perhaps overused) insults. Yet I feel like I've never really grasped the true meaning it carries.

What exactly makes it so funny and offensive to so many people? Perhaps there are multiple ways of interpreting it like "why did the chicken cross the road" joke?


texts: "Each day" or "with each day". What's the difference in meaning?

texts:
"...and (with?) each day my confidence grows strong that..."

"How can I make sure that (with) each day I memorize more?"

Are these with-s redundant? Do they change the meaning of these sentences at all?


texts: The pronunciation of the word "honest" is with "h" or without?

texts:
I would like to know and to get some information about the pronunciation of the word "honest".

Some people told me that it's pronounced without the first letter "h" (as if: onest) but some told me that it's pronounced with the "h" as a full form pronunciation (honest). Who's right? or does it depend on the country?


texts: how to pronounce words 'baths' in actual conversation?

texts:
I was confused by the pronunciation of consonant cluster 'ths' at the end of the word.

For example: the cluster 'ths' in word months, according to ESL teaching videos on Youtube,video for months' pronunciation on youtube can be pronounced as /ths/(which is the pronunciation listed in most of the dictionaries), /ts/ and /s/. As for word baths, I could not find a video explanation by searching internet. But I assume that the word baths should be pronounced as /baths/ or /bas/, but not /bats/(As I couldn't think of any rules for this pronunciation)

I'm not sure whether the above descriptions are correct or not, so please correct me if there are any mistakes or exceptions. Thanks in advance.


texts: What does author means in this sentence?

texts:
I understand word meanings, but cannot put them together and understand what author meant in following:

  I enquire now as to the Genesis of a philologist and assert the following:

If you need further context, here is the rest:

  A young man cannot possibly know what Greeks and Romans are.
  He doesn't know wether he is suited for finding out about them.

  Friedrich Nietzsche


texts: "I hope you will..." or "would..." – which is correct?

texts:
Which of these sentences is correct?

  I hope you would get well soon.

  I hope you will get will soon.

I think that the second sentence is more apt due to tense of main verb, but I've heard that the first sentence is also correct because it emphasizes the meaning and because it is used when the speaker is unsure about the person's recovery.


texts: What's the meaning of "taken to" in the following the sentence?

texts:
Exception has been taken to Gobbin's humour.

I am not able to understand "taken to" in particular.
Please, help me..


texts: How someone can be called as "Android Engineer"

texts:
Generally we have seen that a person writes his qualification as an Engineer or as an Android Developer.

But when he write like "Android Engineer" is it proper to use this word as a qualification?

Is this right to write like : "I am an Android Engineer" ?


texts:
Hi I strive to avoid passive voice to make my writing more vivid, there is a sentence where I have to write

  He is based in Australia

Other than saying

  He bases in Australia

Is there any other better suggestion ? Thanks


texts: What is the word for "eyeing at X and thinking lewd things"?

texts:
I was thinking of using the word eyeing, but it doesn't necessarily imply that the person eyeing a person X is also thinking about lewd things about person X. Is there a word for this?

For example:

  Bill was ___ her. He found her very attractive indeed.


texts:
The child's practised eye instantly noted his father's state. He dived
  under the table, where experience had taught him was a rather safe
  place. The dog, lacking skill in such matters, was, of course, unaware
  of the true condition of affairs. He looked with interested eyes at
  his friend's sudden dive. He interpreted it to mean: Joyous gambol. He
  started to patter across the floor to join him. He was the picture
  of a little dark-brown dog en route to a friend.

It's from 'A dark brown dog' by Stephen Crane in 1893.

What does the picture mean exactly?

It sounds a bit odd for me to just interpret it 'image or figure' in the flow of sentence.


texts: Telling a teammate to press forward alone towards the goal

texts:
Let's say you are playing football and such a situation happened:

After the corner, you had the ball and you gave the pass to the partner ahead, and he alone, what would you say? Would you say?: go yourself! or go alone! or it is incorrect? or maybe something else?


texts: Is this acceptable: 'What does most irritate you?'

texts:
A security question on an educational website is:

  What does most irritate you?

Isn't this incorrect? Shouldn't it be:

  What most irritates you?


texts: A completely disorderly organization or country

texts:
In everyday English speech and in casual manner how would you describe an organization or a country which is too chaotic and disorderly, in which everything is in jumbled confusion, nobody is in their rightful place, everything is higgledy-piggledy, everybody has their nose in other's business and wants to work / live in the way they want without observing laws and regulations?
In these kinds of communities / societies, enployees / pleple usualy do what they want, due to the lack of proper systematic management!

I have found the following explanation to describe such communities/societies/countries:

  This organization / country is the wild-wild-west.

Does this sentence sound idiomatic to you?
If not, then please let me know how would you name or describe that situation?


texts: When "all" is used with personal pronouns? What exactly is it?

texts:
As you know, all can be used with personal pronouns, right?
I want to know what exactly it is; an adverb or something else?

Two examples:

  They've eaten it all.
  All it takes is 5 minutes to rock the cloud.


texts: possessive doing: his doing vs. him doing

texts:
Note: I understand the rules of it, I'd just like to know if there is some stats shows that, like this one

  The haitch pronunciation of h has spread in England, being used by approximately 24% of English people born since 1982 ... src

A grammar post compares this group

  I am tired of his doing everything so late.

  I am tired of him doing everything so late.

and claims

  the latter form is much more common in practice. There are even many native speakers who never use the possessive form at all.

Is it true in all English speaking countries or some specific areas?

Ngram Viewer shows the opposite of it.


texts: An easy way to differentiate between Compendium, Encyclopaedia, and Almanac?

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Are there any tips/tricks for easily differentiating between Compendium, Encyclopaedia, and Almanac?
To give you an idea—the question goes like this: Which reference would you use to find the following information?
Some examples:

When Queen Elizabeth II was born.
(My Guess: Almanac, as in calendar)
How long the US Civil War lasted.
(My Guess: Encyclopaedia)
How long a kangaroo lives.
(My Guess: Encyclopaedia)
Who won the Football World Cup last time.
(My Guess: Compendium, as in collection of statistics)
Who invented the zero.
(My Guess: Encyclopaedia)
Who discovered Radium.
(My Guess: Encyclopaedia)

It's very confusing as to which reference each piece of information (above) falls into.


texts: Dropping the /t/ sound in words like, "wanted"

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In my experience, a lot of Americans, on many occasions, don't make the standard /t/ sound in words like "wanted," "twenty," "accidentally," "presented," "interview" etc. I feel like when they don't make the /t/ sound in words of that type, many of them kind of go by the /t/, or probably make a sound that's similar to the flap /d/ sound.
I looked up videos on this occasion in American English on Youtube. In all of the videos I saw, the instructors say the /t/ is completely dropped when that happens, but when I hear Americans, mostly it doesn't sound like they completely ignore that consonant. It feels more like they go by it somehow or make a sound similar to the flap /d/ as I said. When I talk also, when I completely drop the /t/ in those kind of words, it sounds kind of off to me. I don't know if it sounds uneducated or totally wrong if I completely drop the /t/. I actually remember noticing that some Americans probably completely dropped the /t/ on some videos involving Americans that I saw before, but those moments were rare. It might depend on the region and education maybe?
This is one of the videos on this topic. What do you think? Do you think Americans can completely ignore the /t/ sound in words like, "wanted"? Do you think it is wrong? What kind of sound should I make if I want to go by the /t/ sound like Americans? This is pretty important for me since I have been learning American English for some time.


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A: where are you going now?
  B: I am going to the yard to collect your shorts and put them into the washing machine.
  A: How many cups of the detergent powder shall I add?
  B: 4 parts of all 5 part of the lines illustrated on the cup, I think would make it enough,would not it?


texts: Is there a usage like "come do something"?

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From NPR:

  So go ahead, join the entomologists and hope for another even colder polar vortex to come settle over the country again this winter.

I guess the word "settle" is used as a verb here. So does the word "come" have a usage like "come do something"? I couldn't find the usage in the dictionary. Could you give me some more examples like "come settle"? Thanks.


texts: How to understand the sentence and who is the pianist here?

texts: I come up with the sentence "I don't like him as a pianist, but as a judge" when considering "him" as a pianist. But can this sentence have two meanings when "as a pianist" refer to both "I" and "him"? Or can it only refer to the closer "him"?


texts: Dozen, hundred, thousand vs dozens, hundreds, thousands

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I have read that dozen, hundred, thousand etc. have no -s and of when they are used after a numerical, a few or several :
Three dozen eggs.
A few hundred times,
Several thousand years.
But with some and many, they take -s, and of is used :
Some/many dozens of mangoes.

THERE ARE SOME SIMILAR TYPES OF QUESTIONS IN THIS FORUM, BUT THEY DON'T CLARIFY THE FOLLOWING (PARTICULARLY MY 2ND QUESTION) GIVEN BELOW :
1. "Three dozen eggs" is correct; but "three dozen of eggs" is not correct. Why?
2. "Some/many dozens of eggs" is correct; but "A few/several dozens of eggs" is incorrect. Why?
I am really confused. Could anyone of you please clarify my queries with brief & precise grammatical explanation.


texts: What does "a shot across Lululemon Athletica's bow" mean?

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Nike also launched a line of maternity clothing for runners, something Donahoe says is part of the company's work to keep taking market share away from rivals in women's athletic wear. And in a shot across Lululemon Athletica's bow, Nike launched a new line of yoga wear. The company also benefited from its recently revamped Air Max 90 shoe.

Source: https://fortune.com/2020/09/23/nike-q1-ecommerce-results-covid-19/


texts: Simplification: specific developmental disorders of school skills

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My friend asked me to translate her thesis synopsis into english. An original text was ugly and its translation is not better. Even it sound much worse:

  Bachelor thesis deals with the influence of specific developmental
  disorders of school skills on human life. It contains a theoretical
  overview of specific developmental disorders of school skills, their
  diagnosis and communication area of individuals with these disorders.
  The practical part presents four case studies showing the
  communication difficulties of selected individuals and overcoming
  them.

I am not sure if you understand this text. The thesis is about dyslexia and similar problems. How to simplify "specific developmental disorders of school skills" without loosing a meaning?

specific learning disorders
specific school skill development disorders
specific learning development disorders


texts: Pronouncing double "o" in Foot vs. Cooperation

texts: Why are the two words "foot" and "cooperation" so different in pronunciation?


texts: Sitting room vs. Living room vs. lounge room

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I found that the room where people sit (normally in the entrance of the house or in the center of the house) is named in English by one of the following three names:

  1) sitting room

  2) living room

  3) lounge room

My question is which one of them is more common in the British English and which one of them is more common in Am English - or all of them are used equal in British and American English?


texts: Question about “very” vs. “too” – with and without “much”

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I feel sleepy very much.
  I feel very sleepy.
  I feel too sleepy.
  I feel sleepy too much.

Which is correct? Is there any difference between them? Thanks for your answers!


texts: What's the difference between "think in" and "sink in"?

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Let that sink in a little …

I have never thought "sink" would have a meaning of "Understanding". At first, I thought maybe it was a type error. After looked it up, I see there does exist this usage.


texts: What do you call it when a voter intentionally makes his ballot invalid in protest (by putting crosses in all boxes, for example)?

texts: Some voters turn out at polling stations and then invalidate their ballots on purpose to express, for instance, their dissent with how elections are carried out. It could be expressed by making drawings on the paper or filling it in improperly. What do you call that in English? 'Intentional ballot invalidating' is certainly not how you say it.


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I've been said that in the construct "kind of + noun", if the noun is singular, we should use either "kind of + singular form of the noun" or "kinds of + plural form of the noun".

And if the noun isn't countable we may use either of "kind of" or "kinds of" for it.

Do you agree with that? should we look upon it as a rule please?


texts: What does "to flip a wallet on its feet" mean?

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I have heard the following line in the movie Focus:

I'm sure you can flip a leather on its feet.

I'm aware that "to flip a leather" means "to steal a wallet without the victim realizing it", but what does "on its feet" mean here? I have never seen that expression used for things.