texts: Get back your money, or Get your money back

texts:
a) Get your money back.
  b) Get back your money.

Someone says the both sentences are almost similar in the meaning, and exchangable.

But For me, the both meanings are taken like a) and b).

a) means the money is yours so you have to ask someone the money back.

b) means the money is not yours so you have to return it.

please explain for this.


texts:
Example (These cramped Moscow dorms provide a rare glimpse into college life in Russia):

1:

  Ndlovu, who attends the university on a scholarship, pays $10 a month for his room. "It's cheap. That's for sure," he told Dumont.

2:

  Nigerian students Christopher Onoja, top, 22, and Issac Ismaila, bottom, 24, both came to Russia on a scholarship. “Honestly, I don’t like anything about this place because the rooms are full of roaches and bedbugs.

3:

  According to Dumont, rooms shared between three to four people are generally around $50 a month per person if the students are not on scholarship.

The same news article, but different grammar. Which one is correct though?


texts: What is the meaning of "officially" here?

texts:
I am playing a PC game.

After a lot of bad things happened that day, my character said , "Okay…this is officially the worst day ever.”

How can I interpret “officially” here? The dictionary does not help because it seems none of the definitions fit.

  officially

  in a formal or authoritative manner:
  in a way that is formally acknowledged but is not necessarily the case https://www.thefreedictionary.com/officially

I found a possible answer here. I am not sure if it is correct.

  Q: What does “officially “ mean in this sentence?“ I am officially
  jealous “?

  A: Just to emphasize that he is openly declaring that he is jealous.

  https://hinative.com/en-US/questions/13769540


texts: "Google is asking for my phone number" Is the tense correct here?

texts: I have seen  people use sentences like-"Google is asking for my phone number (for verification)". But shouldn't it be "Google has asked for my phone number" because if a person receives such a notification from Google,then that event has happened in the past?


texts:
I want to know what

  she lives 10 minutes away

means.

Can we say instead that she would be here 10 minutes ago?


texts: Best way to say I keep on doing something?

texts:
What is better to say:

  I am continuing to do something.
  I am carrying on doing something.
  I keep doing something.

How to say it better if, for example, I continue to make my mobile application better.

I'd like to put this text in release notes.

What's better in terms of general English and particular usage?


texts:
When they were kids I cared for them both alike. (Or both of them alike?)
When they were kids I cared for both of them equally. (Or them both?)
When they were kids I cared for each of them in an equal way.

What is the common way to say this? Maybe a different combination is correct?


texts:
Which of the sentences is correct?

  Most people can be made happy by being given what they need.

  Most people can be made happy by giving what they need.

My guess is they are all correct. As for the understood subject, in the first sentence, being given take most people as its subject.; In the second sentence, the understood subject of "giving" is generic.

Edit: further question.

Can I interpret the second sentence as:
People can be made happy by (others) giving (to them) what they need.


texts:
Consider the definitions of against in Merriam-Webster:

She was resting her head against the side of the chair.
I accidentally knocked my head against the shelf.
She accidentally brushed against him as she walked by.
Profits are up this year against last year.

Can I use on instead in these examples and make no difference in meaning?


texts:
I was reading the case US v Virgina.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/94-1941.ZS.html

In Holding 2.(b)'s last sentence:
The State's justification for excluding all women from "citizen soldier" training for which some are qualified, in any event, does not rank as "exceedingly persuasive."

I don't understand the structure of "The State's justification for excluding all women from citizen soldier training for which some are qualified". I don't know why it should be "for which some are qualified" rather than "which some are qualified".

I supposed the "which" here referred to "The State's justification for excluding all women from citizen soldier training", and they were trying to say some of "The state's .....training" are qualified. The "for" however, made me think that the "which" stood for "excluding all women from citizen soldier training", and they meant that some of "exlcuding..... training" were qualified for the State's justification.

I was really confused and It'd be helpful if anyone could explain it in both the grammatical and the cases' standpoint. Appreciated.


texts: Difference between 'Last name' and 'Surname'

texts:
In applications and registration forms I usually see only 'last name'.

Is there any difference in uses between last name and surname?


texts: "got somebody something" vs "have got somebody something" "got something" vs "have got something"

texts:
In a movie, a man says:

  I got you a present.

Why don't he say:

  I have got you a present.

In another movie, I saw some sentences:

  Who's got champagne? Huh?

  I've got champagne.

Why don't they say:

  Who got champagne? Huh?

  I got champagne.

I'm confused by these sentences.


texts:
I am leaning this post

  The factors which consistently affect accuracy are those which
  directly or indirectly (as in the handling of continuous attributes)
  allow a greater number and variety of potential trees to be explored.

I assume this part of Abstract could be simplified as "The factors allow trees to be explored".

Don't be bothered by the term "trees", which is a computer scientific notion. You can view it as a robot that can distinguish an image a cat or a dog.

the question is, what does "allow something to be explored" mean?


texts: Meaning of expression " blanket rationale "

texts:
I strongly agree with this point, and don't buy the blanket rationale
  that speed trumps everything in a startup.

I couldn't find its meaning anywhere, what does blanket rationale mean?


texts: "Improve the disease outcomes" vs. "improve disease outcomes" (article usage)

texts:
From a press release:

  BIOCAD R&D vice president Roman Ivanov said: “BIOCAD’s new monoclonal antibody blocking pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17 may significantly expand treatment options for patients suffering from severe psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. We expect it to dramatically improve the disease outcomes and patients' quality of life.”

This the seems out of place. I would use no article there, because this "outcomes" is a kind of indicator.

But maybe it may be used there? After all, the disease (psoriasis) is mentioned in the previous sentence. The translator must have wanted to stress that it's not just any disease.

"It will improve the(?) outcomes in this disease" >> "It will improve the disease outcomes".


texts:
If a teacher asks a kid to read something aloud, will it be natural to use "from"?

  Read it from the book.

Is the use of "from" in this context common?


texts: An influential person / a very influential person who can pull strings in your favor

texts:
What do you call an influential connection in an organization or a governmental entity who can help you out of problems related to that organization or even more powerful one who has relations in other related organizations?

In our language, we have two terms! One which is indicative of such a person, and the second which represents a very powerful and influential one.

Example:

  How got that position Andy?
  Heh, Dan!
  You kidding me?!
  Not at all, (smiling)
  She must have a connection, because she is definitely unqualified for that job.

Or

  I'm not too worried about this charge against me—I have a very powerful connection who can remove my bad record. [in this sense we have a very informal term in our language]

I wonder if you could give me a hand with these two senses.

Thank you.


texts:
Which of the sentences is grammatically correct?

  The using of the opportunities offered by ... became an important element.
  A significant element became the using of the opportunities offered by ...

Thank you in advance for your help.


texts: Negative numbers: "minus" or "negative"?

texts:
I noticed that when negative number are used in speech, there are two dominant patterns. Taking "-10" as an example, in some cases it is pronounced "negative ten", while in others it is "minus ten".

I could not find any rules for this. A discussion in MathOverflow (which was closed) suggested that using negative was introduced in the US by "New Math" since the 1960's. If this is true, I would expect non-American speakers to mainly use minus (which I think is similar to the usage in most foreign languages), and perhaps senior Americans as well.

I'm not asking for opinions about this argument here. I'm also not looking for explanations or reasons for preference of one or another or the like.

I am looking for

References for authoritative text if there is any
Evidence of usage: I'd like to know how different dialects call negative numbers, and if there are rules or conventions for using e.g. "minus 40" or "negative 40" in different contexts in the same dialect.


texts: Can I omit the second "had he" in "Had he been honest and had he told that"

texts:
My first question is if I can omit the "had he" in front of "told"?

  Had he been honest and told that only the photo of an outdated engine, that had been already printed by others years before, would be published, the interest of his readers, in buying the next issue of his periodical, would have been much lower.

Another question would be if the tense agreement is good for the entire sentence which is about an author who dishonestly promised (just to make the readers curious) he would publish the picture of a revolutionary engine in the next issue of his magazine but finally only a picture of an outdated motor was printed.


texts: How to express this to a child: "It is good that you inform me in advance before you pee so I can put you to the bathroom..."?

texts:
Now, you don't want to put a diaper on your child because it may cause diaper rash. Thus, you just let him wear normal clothes.

But your child may pee his pants without telling you in advance. If that happened, you had to clean up his pee, which was tiring.

But one day, he informed you in advance so that you could "put him into the bathroom" (Note: I am not sure we can say like that the same way we use the idiom "to put a child to bed")".

Then how would I express that to him?

Is it ok to say "It is good that you inform me in advance before you pee so I can put you to the bathroom and you won't pee your pants anymore"?


texts:
I've got long, straight, black hair.

  I've got long, straight black hair.

  I've got long straight black hair.

Which version is the best? Is the adjective order correct?


texts: Would a native speaker consider this dialogue natural?

texts:
I am practicing for the speaking part of TOEFL. Below is a practice speech for a sample question I made. I was wondering if it sounds natural to a native English speaker. I hope you could help me. Here it goes:

"Question: Do you think being a lawyer is still a good career choice, financially speaking?

No.......Most people think that becoming a lawyer is a sure way to get rich, but I don’t. Honestly, if there’s one thing my country doesn’t need more of, it’s lawyers. The market for lawyers is extremely competitive nowadays, at least in my country. Passing the bar exam isn’t enough to land you a job in a prestigious law firm. Highly sought-after lawyers came from top-tier law schools, graduated with Latin honors, and have a lot of friends in high places. If you don't have those things, don't expect a huge paycheck."


texts:
Is there any difference between talk something and talk about something? (For example, 'talk politics' and 'talk about politics'.)

Note, I'm talking about instances when the object is some topic, not what is being said (so, 'talk nonsense' and similar is not a matter of this question)


texts:
I came across this sentence on the television crime drama Rizzoli & Isles. In the scene, A introduced B to C, and said to C that

  B is a detective with the Boston Police Department.

After taking a look at B's dress, C said to B,

  Oh. And is that official police issue?

My question is what does official police issue mean here?


texts: difference between read out of and read out

texts:
What is the difference between read out and read out of, for example in the sentences :

He read out the names on the list.
and

She read out of the book.

Thank you.


texts: "I took five days off FROM work" vs. "I took five days off OF work"

texts:
I took five days off from work last year.

  I took five days off of work last year.

Which is more appropriate?

Thank you.


texts: Does passive need direct object or indirect object of a verb

texts:
Here My Question is about direct object or indirect object of a verb when using passive form not abut "happened".
Can't we use the passive form if we don't have direct or indirect object.

This was happened to me.
This was happened 7 years back.
I was kissed by her.(correct)

Adding:
I'm trying to tell one incident:

This has happened to me when I was about 18 years old.

or

This happened to me when I was about 18 years old.


texts: does "crudely" here means that it was written unskillfully or not?

texts:
does "crudely" here means that it was written "unskillfully" or not?

  There is one factor which has been scarcely touched upon in this
  examination. It is the character and career of Mrs. Fish, afterwards
  Mrs. Underhill, who as Leah, the elder sister, plays so prominent a
  part in the matter. We know her chiefly by her book, " The Missing
  Link in Modern Spiritualism" (Knox & Co., New York, 1885). This book
  was written by a friend, but the facts and documents were provided by
  Mrs. Underhill, who checked the whole narrative. It is simply and even
  crudely put together, and the Spiritualist is bound to conclude that
  the entities with whom the Fox circle were at first in contact were
  not always of the highest order. Perhaps on another plane, as on this,
  it is the plebeians and the lowly who carry out spiritual pioneer work
  in their own rough way and open the path for other and more refined
  agencies.

from http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0301051h.html


texts:
I want to translate one chapter of a book from English. Who can explain to me what is "Pareto-inferior to x" at the end of third page? I think it is a mathematical term. I got some ideas about what it can be in my main language but I'm not sure it is. I think it is something like "Limit inferior of x" or smth. But the writer chose to write "to" instead of "of". It's a little bit confusing. Moreover, might it be an Economic term of smth?
Thanks in advance.


texts: What does "a cotton candy view" mean in this sentence?

texts:
Consider (my emphasis):

  But Muslims who call the Islamic State un-Islamic are typically, as
  the Princeton scholar Bernard Haykel, the leading expert on the
  group’s theology, told me, “embarrassed and politically correct, with
  a cotton-candy view of their own religion” that neglects “what their
  religion has historically and legally required.”

(From "What ISIS Really Wants", The Atlantic, March 2015.)

What does a cotton candy view mean?


texts:
Are these correct?

I was born with the wrong gender.

I was born into the wrong gender.

I was born the wrong gender.


texts: Which one is correct, "Taking day off Monday" or "taking day off on Monday"?

texts:
I am bit confused which of these sentences is correct when I write an email for leave.

Which one is correct?

  Taking day off Monday

or

  Taking day off on Monday


texts:
what is the meaning of "fuller revelation" in this context?

  There may have been—in fact, there probably was—a true psychic origin
  to these phenomena, but they had developed in a soil of narrow bigoted
  theology, which was bound to bring them to ruin. Even Swedenborg's
  religious system was too narrow to receive the full undistorted gifts of
  the spirit, so one can imagine what they became when contracted within
  the cramped limits of a Scottish church, where every truth must be
  shorn or twisted until it corresponds with some fantastic text. The new
  good wine will not go into the old narrow bottles. Had there been a
  fuller revelation, then doubtless other messages would have been
  received in other fashions which would have presented the matter in its
  just proportions, and checked one spiritual gift by others. But there was
  no development save towards chaos. Some of the teaching received
  could not be reconciled with orthodoxy, and was therefore obviously of
  the devil. Some of the sensitives condemned others as heretics. Voice
  was raised against voice. Worst of all, some of the chief speakers
  became convinced themselves that their own speeches were diabolical.


texts:
In the movie "The Mechanic" (2011) I came across the following piece of conversation:

  "Liquor fairy paid me a visit last night. Left me a big old bottle of scotch."

(This part is pretty understandable as the movie hero had left his interlocutor a bottle of alcohol, "a fairy" because the interlocutor had been sleeping at the time of delivery.)

But the continuation:

  "He even sprung for the good stuff."

I can't understand this.

I would appreciate it if anyone could explain.


texts: What's the meaning of "turn over" in the sentence below?

texts:
May a new year turn over a new leaf, and try a new way forward.

Source: JoongAng Daily

I searched up the meaning of "turn over" in the Merriam-Webster dictionary

  1 a : to turn from an upright position : overturn b : rotate ; also : to cause (an internal
  combustion engine) to begin firing
  2 : to search (as clothes or
  papers) by lifting or moving one by one
  3 : to read or examine (as a
  book) slowly or idly
  4 : deliver, surrender ;  also : to lose possession of
  5 a : to receive and dispose of (a stock of merchandise)  b :
  to do business to the amount of

Which meaning of 'turn over' is used in the sentence I quoted?

I guess it is 4(lose possession of).

Is my guess correct?


texts: Can trying(the v-ing of try)be a subject of the sentence?

texts:
We know that "try" as a verb has its noun form "try" that can be the subject of a sentence, but is there
any chance that "trying" can also be the subject? For example,"constant trying can help us..." Is it
correct in grammar? Do we use it like that in daily life?


texts: What does "to get to" mean in this sentence?

texts:
It is said here that the phrase "get to do something" implies to have the opportunity to do something.

But is it the real meaning of the expression in this Garfield's sketch ? "Next time I'll have the opportunity to pick what we do!" seems strange to me.. Isn't it a way to express a future action ?


texts: What does "throw one's hat in the ring for" mean?

texts:
I read the following sentence:

  Wikipedia has a great list of ORMs that exist for just about any language. That list is missing JavaScript, which is my language of choice, so I will throw my hat in the ring for Knex.js.

What does "throw my hat in the ring for" mean?


texts:
"The perception is that somebody would try to undermine Russia as a country that opposes the United States, and then we will need to defend ourselves by military means," he explained.

Source: http://www.vox.com/2015/6/29/8845913/russia-war

I am not sure in what sense the auxiliary verb "would" is used in the sentence above. Does it indicate the repeated action in the past (similar to "used to")? From the context I would deduce more likely that the attempts to undermine Russia are situated in the presence .


texts:
Speaking to a group of donors and lobbyists in Washington on Monday
  night, Joe Biden said this of the Republican Party post-Donald Trump:

  "With Trump gone you’re going to begin to see things change.

With a strict search of "said this of", it prompts the news. Is this a news term?


texts: "Being suitable" vs "strength", what does this word "fitness" mean in this sentence?

texts:
At Artesia High School, an L.A.-area basketball powerhouse, coach Scott Pera tried to bring Harden's fitness in line with his talent and ambition.

Does this mean the coach wants to make him not only strong but also talented and ambitious in a balancing manner. This is my guess.

Or could this mean the coach wants him to be suitable for any task with talent and ambition as well?

Source: http://time.com/4672996/james-harden-rule-nba/


texts: What's this kind of sentence or style called in the grammar terminology?

texts:
We have two ways to say the same declarative sentence in present simple tense using the same words- except for the auxiliary verb ("do' in this case). For instance:

  "He loves her." becomes  "He does love her."
  "I believe it." becomes  "I do believe it"
  "You think so." becomes  "You do think so."
  "They know it." becomes  "They do know it."

As far as I know, the second form in my examples using the auxiliary verb (this is the kind of the sentence that I'm looking for its name in English grammar terminology) functions as emphasis. I'd like to know what this specific kind, called in grammar terminology.


texts:
I have been proposing and leading the projects such as Project A and
  Project B in the company.

Is "have been proposing and leading" grammatical?
Assume I have already proposed, and I am currently leading.


texts: "Peter loves painting so much that he even worked as a part time art teacher at an elementary school."

texts:
Under the conditions that Peter is still alive and he still loves painting:

(A)Peter loves painting so much that he even worked as a part time art teacher at an elementary school.
(B)Peter loved painting so much that he even worked as a part time art teacher at an elementary school.

If Peter is still alive and still loves painting, would (A) be more clear and suitable in formal/academic writing?


texts: for vs in in a preposition after the verb "travel"?

texts:
I wonder which is the correct preposition to be taken after the verb travel, to express the travel for/in a country.

  I plan to travel for China.

  I plan to travel in China.

Which is the correct preposition? And when to use in and when to use for in a preposition after the verb travel?


texts:
I was wondering if I could say 'Where is here' when I show students a flash card of a 'supermarket'!
Can i ask them "Where is here" or I should say "What is here"?
Eg: (showing a flash card to the students)
- Where is here?
+ Here's/It's a supermarket.


texts:
Imagine an old father who works at his e.g. 70's from dawn to dusk to put a bread on the table of three unemployed sons. The old man is too weak to work anymore and thinks it's time to hang up his hat. One day, the father feels sick and sad. One of his old friends has sat next to him. His older son comes to him and as usual asks for money. Father gives him the some money. [sounds strange to the father's friend. He has not the faintest idea about the conditions.] Son asks for more money. Father gives him and the son walks away. The father's friend says:

  I don’t know how he has the face to ask for more money.

What makes me doubt about the sentence is that if the compound verb "have the face to do something" means "to do something without being shy".

Although, it was a direct translation from my mother language into English. I have no idea if it is natural in English or not. If not, then please let me know what verb sounds natural here.


texts: Is the construction Despite + possessive + ing correct?

texts:
Is it correct to say:

  Despite my studying, I failed the exam.

instead of

  Despite (me) studying, I failed the exam.

?

Is it less formal?

Thanks in advance.


texts: Which preposition should be used with "lift" (i.e., elevator)?

texts:
People usually go up and down the tall buildings_____the lift.

  by

  in

  on

  with

Which choice is right?


texts:
If I want to write something to do "easily", which is the best form?

  Easily calculate running costs

or

  Calculate with ease running costs

(or "Calculate with ease the running costs"?)

Do the two sentences convey the same meaning?


texts: discerning between "all that" and "what"

texts:
Although I have just googled, actually, I failed to get my specific answer, yet. I am wondering what is the difference between "all that" and "what".

For instance:

  "All that I need is x."

Or:

  "What I need is x."


texts: What does "to feel as a nutmeg must do when it's grated" mean?

texts:
‘Ah, Master Cromwell!’ More rubs his hands together. ‘I relish you, I
  do indeed. Now I feel as a nutmeg must do when it's grated. A lesser
  man – a lesser lawyer – would say, “I have read Tyndale's work, and I
  find no fault there.” But Cromwell won't be tripped – he casts it
  back, he asks me, rather, have you read Tyndale? And I admit it. I
  have studied the man. I have picked apart his so-called translations,
  and I have done it letter by letter. I read him, of course, I do. By
  licence. From my bishop.’

  — Wolf Hall by Hilary Mante

What is the meaning of "to feel as a nutmeg must do when it's grated"? Irritated?


texts:
I saw this expression in a novel Baker's Blue-jay Yarn by Mark Twain.

Here is the part:

  And as for command of language - why you never see a blue-jay get stuck for a word. No man ever did. They just boil out of him!


texts: tidying the rooms, or tidying their rooms?

texts:
Which answer should I choose?

  These could be taking out the rubbish, emptying the dishwasher, walking the dog, vacuuming the carpets or tidying ______ rooms.

A. the
B. a
C. their
D. theirs

Is C is better than A?

EDIT:

The full context is:

  Read the text below and choose the correct word for each space:

  Many children in the UK ( get ) pocket money. In the USA it's called an allowance but it's ( the ) same thing. Often children ( do ) small jobs for their pocket money. These could be taking out the rubbish, emptying the dishwasher, walking the dog, vacuuming the carpets or tidying (        ) rooms.


texts:
What's the difference between "to plug in", "to connect" and "to link"?

For example, what should I use when speaking about connection between program modules? And about network? etc.


texts: What does ‘business’ and ‘overlap’ mean in the following passage?

texts:
The music and film industries in Hong Kong have a very close relationship. Celebrities in our city don’t stay in one genre. Film stars often release Cantopop albums, and Contopop stars often act in Hong Kong films. These businesses overlap more often than we can count.

Thanks!


texts: Shrubs, weeds and raccoons have reclaimed (the) empty neighbourhoods

texts:
From The Economist's article on Detroit's doldrums:

  Detroit’s population has fallen by 60% since 1950. ... Shrubs, weeds
  and raccoons have reclaimed empty neighbourhoods.

Would it be acceptable to put the definite article before the "empty neighborhoods"?
Both the reader and the writer are aware where exactly these neighborhoods are, from the preceding text. Therefore the noun should have definite reference; hence,

  Detroit’s population has fallen by 60% since 1950. ... Shrubs, weeds
  and raccoons have reclaimed the empty neighbourhoods.

If the first quote is more appropriate, why? How would adding THE shift the meaning?


texts: Could you explain meaning of "getting hit on something" & "laid back" in this passage,please?

texts:
In this week's Fashion Q&A, Cosmopolitan.com's style editor, Charles Manning, answers your questions about high heels versus flats, the best underwear for avoiding panty lines, and how to make denim on denim work for you.
Q: I usually wear heels because I think they're sexier, but lately I've been going for casual drinks in flats and getting hit on. Is there something to a flat shoe that's enticing, and which ones should I be wearing?
A: It's possible that guys see your flats and think, "Hey, she seems chill and low maintenance." Or that they are less intimidated than they might be if you had the added height a pair of heels would normally give you. It's also possible that they never noticed your shoes in the first place and were responding to something you were not even aware of. There's really no way of knowing.
As sexy as high heels are, their real value lies in how they make you feel and how you project that feeling out into the world. If you feel cool, laid back, and confident, it doesn't really matter how high your heels are. And although there are not nearly as many fabulous flats in the world as there are fabulous heels, there is usually an appropriate flat equivalent for any high heels.


texts: Question about meaning of "jump" and "jump-start"

texts:
Kevin: I used to have the same problem with my old car.Did you check the battery?

  Mary: Yeah. It was dead in the morning. I called the mechanic to give my car a jump.

  Kevin: Well, I guess if you need to "jump-start" your car, you probably need to buy a new battery.

  Mary: What are you saying? I bought this battery just a couple of months ago. I don't think I should have a problem with it every second day.

Is it about just pushing a car forward physically or to get help from a battery from another car?


texts: The tricky prepositions (for vs to) in English

texts:
I have been learning English for the some time now. I get confused between for and to sometimes. I was reading an article on Yahoo and found out that the writer used the preposition to. But I think the writer could also use the preposition for instead of to. Please check the article and let me know your feedback.

  In the article

  I usually wake up at 6:30 and go jogging. I eat basically the same
  things for breakfast and lunch, keep regular office hours, and
  typically go home to make dinner with my husband, before retiring at a
  reasonable hour.

  These routines are important to my success, but no matter how much I
  enjoy my job and family, sometimes keeping things too routine can make
  it feel like work.

  As per my opinion

  I usually wake up at 6:30 and go jogging. I eat basically the same
  things for breakfast and lunch, keep regular office hours, and
  typically go home to make dinner with my husband, before retiring at a
  reasonable hour.

  These routines are important for my success, but no matter how much I
  enjoy my job and family, sometimes keeping things too routine can make
  it feel like work.


texts: "I wouldn't bother writing this email if I {didn't / don't} treasure our friendship"

texts:
I wouldn't bother writing (or to write) this email if I didn't (or don't) treasure our friendship and by all means want to mend it.

I'd like to know if you'd use

didn't or don't, and why;
bother writing or bother to write,  and why.


texts:
I thought I was something special until I jumped from a tower during training and dislocated my right shoulder. I had landed wrong, and they gave you only one mistake. They cut me from the team.

I was reading The Irishman. I have no idea what "they gave you only one mistake" means here.


texts:
I've found the following possible meanings of the noun notion:

  A belief or opinion
  A mental image
  An impulse or whim
  a vague idea; impression
  an idea, concept, or opinion
  an inclination or whim

But what could it mean in the following sentence:

  This man posseses of some radical notions.


texts:
Others will say we can reduce traffic without damaging the environment. For example, public transportation could be improved, reducing the cars on the roads.

What is the subject of "reducing"?
a) public transportation
b) public transportation could be improved (i.e. the previous whole clause)
I cannot decide which one is right. It seems to me that all of them make sense. If one is a definite answer, I want to know why the other one is not.


texts: Preterite perfects with a doubly remote intrepretation

texts:
If they had gone tomorrow they would have met her son. I’d rather
  you had gone tomorrow.

  -- The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language

I have familiarity with temporal anteriority of perfect tense, but not with the perfect above. The book says they are doubly remote with future time. It seems like it says the preterite expresses modal remoteness and the perfect makes further remoteness, and so they call it doubly remote construction. It amazes me that perfect tense makes time distance not backward but forward for making psychological remoteness.

Do you really make psychological distance by using preterite prefect with future time, or is it just an imaginary possibility?


texts: Away they went over stock and stone - What is stock and stone?

texts:
That statement is from Grimm's fairy tales.

What is the meaning of the phrase "stock and stone"? Where else can I use it?


texts:
I have a question about the meaning of the verb "touch" here:

  This year, the candlelight vigil in Hong Kong has been touched by controversy.

Definition 6b for "touch" in this dictionary reads:

  to affect the feelings of (someone) : to cause (someone) to feel an emotion (such as sympathy or gratitude)

Does that mean that the example sentence means controversy made the vigil more emotional?


texts: calling on the West take up a more active role -- is "take up" a subjunctive?

texts:
Example with a context:

  With the conflict in Ukraine showing little sign of coming to a peaceful resolution, Ponomarev now is calling on the West take up a more active role in reforming Ukraine’s political system and supporting its economy.

Is take up a subjunctive in this sentence?
Do you think it's possible to change the verb's mood to something more regular such as to take up (the infinitive form)? How do you think the meaning of the sentence would change?


texts:
Is there a big difference between those 2 sentences

I wish I were with you and I wish I could be with you

the first one means I would like to be with you but that is not possible  and the second means I would like to be with you not now but in the future..... So both express the fact that is not possible for me to be with you now


texts:
In Italian, the group gn is pronounced differently from English. (See for example magnolia, which is pronounced /ma'ɲoːlja/ in Italian.)

What is the correct pronunciation of gn, in English, for example in the following words?

Campaign
Foreign
Sign
Signed

Is there any word containing gn that is pronounced differently from the usual because of its origin, or because it is a loanword?


texts:
Reading a question, I was reminded of an Italian expression: La montagna ha partorito un topolino (literally, "the mountain gave birth to a little mouse").

Similar expressions are ha partorito un libro ("he gave birth to a book"), and vediamo che idea hai partorito ("let's see which idea you gave birth to"). All those expressions are used figuratively, and in jokes; they generally refer to how long it took to do something, or to the fact the result is less than expected.

Can I use give birth figuratively, or is there a better expression that I can use?


texts: Where does "they can't lay us off if they can't find us" come from?

texts:
In some film, I saw a man wearing a T-shirt written "they can't lay us off if they can't find us" with some picture on the middle of it.

I also found a mug with that same sentence and picture carved and it is on sale.
What is this? Do you have any idea? At least, I can guess it is really popular thing.

Well, Something like a quotation of someone?
Please tell me about all of this. Of course I searched internet on it myself.
But I failed to search it in detail.


texts:
adjectives followed by  prepositional phrases.Is it adjectives or adverbs
?
Example: He is afraid of rats.
 She is scared of cats.

Are both "of rats " and "of cats" adverb prepositional phrases?


texts: Usage of word "In future" or "In the future"

texts:
Is it correct to use the word "In Future" or "In the future" in below statement:

  In future, will bring into practice using ABC Report directly from the system as soon as all balances will match with suppliers


texts: usages of "in case" together with "should"

texts:
Here's a contact number, in case there should be a problem.

( I have seen this version in a dictionary )

My own rephrased sentences:

Here's a contact number, just in case there should be a problem.
Here's a contact number, in case there is a problem.
Here's a contact number, in case should there be a problem.
Here's a contact number, should there be a problem just in case.
Here's a contact number, should there be a problem in case.
Here's a contact number, there should be a problem just in case.

It would be appreciated, if someone could throw some light on the differences between these. I need some more detailed information.

Please feel free to ask me any further question.

Many thanks


texts: If a 'draught' is a liquid, why is this book title "Draughts and Potions"?

texts:
COURSE BOOKS
      All students should have a copy of each of the following:
      The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
      A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
      Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
      A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch
      One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
      Magical Draughts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
      Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
      The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble  (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

OALD says: draught, one continuous action of swallowing liquid; potion, a drink of medicine or poison; a liquid with magic powers. But it also has this meaning for draught: medicine in a liquid form. So I’m wondering what ‘draught’ means. Which one or what else is for it?


texts: May this seem like a complete sentence or maybe complete interrogative(?), no subject intransitive verb bit, or main clause?

texts:
"But what about Sir Isaac Newton, who some contend was autistic?”

I may not get this. I may get here and there complete sentences may not contain subject verb object. I think they got to contain subject (intransitive) verb? In But what about Sir Isaac Newton, who some contend was autistic? there seems no main clause, no subject (intransitive verb) bit. May this seem like a complete sentence maybe a complete interrogative(?) not containing a main clause or complete sentence bit(?) (subject intransitive verb[?])?


texts: Correct word order in prepositional phrases of the type to be + verb + preposition

texts:
which are correct word orders for prepositional phrases of the type

to be + verb + preposition?

E.g., which of the following examples containing the phrase

to be aware of

are correct?

...the fact, of which he was aware ...

...the fact, which he was aware of...

...


texts: How could I address students in a higher grade than me?

texts:
I know the word upperclassman but it means a junior or senior student in an American high school, college, or university. If I was a freshman I cannot call a sophomore an upperclassman. What the word should mean: to not only be a junior or senior student but a student with any higher grade. What's worse, there is no a word like upperclasswoman for a female student (this is an additional reason why upperclassman wouldn't work for me).

Edit:

In China there are two words: 学长 and 学姐 referring to any students with a higher grade; the former is for male students and the latter for female ones. All of the following sayings are very normal:

  Hello 学长, she's one of my 学姐.
  Hey, 学长/学姐, can you tell me how to get to the cafeteria?
  I'm her/his 学长.

These two words can refer to any students with a higher grade, no matter student in middle school, or university. Sometimes we just don't want/need to know his/her grade. For instance, as a freshman in the new students enrolling day I would address the majority male students on campus as 学长 in situations like this: Hey, 学长, can you tell me how to get to the cafeteria?

I wonder if there exists such an equivalent one/two words in English, barring upperclassman.


texts: Error in "Children enjoy listening to ghosts stories especially on Halloween night"?

texts:
I have been preparing (in India) for a competition exam for a few months. I was solving a book but got something which didn't make any sense to me. I have written a sentence below and we need to find the error in the sentence. The error I found it shows wrong and the answer it shows it's not making sense to me. I have mentioned the answer as well after the sentence.

  Children enjoy listening to (A) ghosts stories (B) especially on Halloween night (C) No error (D)

The book says answer is "Children enjoy listening to (A)".


texts:
I've seen many research papers that used the four prepositions quite interchangeably after the verb anchor, specifically in this sentence:

  This study is anchored by/in/on/to the theory (or concept) of X.

Are they really interchangeable?


texts: Do "a request to repeat the words" and "a task to construct a sentence" both qualify as "teacher's instructions"?

texts:
She is always more than ready to travel - be it a short trip to some
  town or a long flight by an airplane to another continent.

Here both "short trip" and "a long flight" qualify as "travel"

So, do "a request to repeat the words" and "an assignment to construct a whole sentence" also qualify as "teacher's instructions" in the following example?:

  She is very attentive and is more than ready to follow upon her teacher's instructions – be it merely a request to repeat words aloud after the teacher or an assignment to construct a whole sentence by herself.

If not, then what better term (word or a phrase) would encompass both? "Teacher's commands"?


texts: is it idiomatic to say "to walk / run / climb up straight, don’t slouch" like when we say "Sit up straight, don’t slouch."?

texts:
straight (adv): 2 POSITION in a level or correct position

  Sit up straight, don’t slouch.

People often say "Sit up straight, don’t slouch" or "Stand up straight, don’t slouch".

My question is, can we replace "sit" with other moving verbs such as "run / walk / climb"?

It may be confusing because when we say "he walks up straight", people may think he walks upstairs in a straight line for example, not he walks with his back up straight.

is it idiomatic to say "to walk / run / climb up straight, don't slouch"?


texts: "The car had still cost Jake 1500 even after the price was reduced. " -- Why does the sentence use the Past Perfect?

texts:
The car had still cost Jake 1500 even after the price was reduced.

I am currently learning past perfect and I don't understand why the above sentence (which has no particular context) uses it.

From what I understood, you use past perfect to describe the idea that something occurred before another action in the past.

The price was reduced first, then Jake bought the car, right? Does that violate the rule of past perfect?

Are there more uses to past perfect that are not listed in my book?


texts: What does "informed" mean in this sentence?

texts:
This is an excerpt from musician Sara Bareilles' interview.

  "I want to be someone who speaks to messages that are uplifting,
  and to tell people how loved they are.
  So it’s really informed how I am in the world in a big way."

What does informed mean in the sentence?
I've only encountered 'inform' as a verb but not an adjective as in here.


texts:
Is it grammatically agreeing to construct the a sentence using the word cheating as given below.

  He has committed cheating on her.


texts: Is there a formulaic method to get phrasal verbs right without even having read them all? To clarify, if I know the meaning of a common verb, say GET, how can I, without committing to memory the innumerable phrasal verbs,  know the exact meaning of any particular phrasal verb of the word ? Or is there no such heuristic and I simply have to study them all to be able to use them?


texts:
1.John helps his mother while she cooks.
    2.John helps his mother while she is cooking.
    3.John helps his mother while she has been cooking.

(A) Are the above sentences correct? I guess first and second sentences may be correct. but I don't know third sentence is correct. and,

(B)  I want to know how to use 'while' with tenses.(For an example, when main clause is simple/continuous/perfect/perfect continuous[present,past or future], which tenses must be used with 'while in sub-clause'?)


texts:
I have a mobile app that runs tournaments with cash prizes.

I want to add a sentence which I'm not sure it's correct grammatically:

  The prize increases every time one of your friends join.

Can a prize "increase"? Is there maybe any better way to say this?


texts: Why must the future tense not be used after 'unless'?

texts:
[Source:] !! Do not use the future tense after unless
  [✓]  I won't go unless you go
  [✘] [I won't go] unless you will go. [✘]

Why not? Even if the above is prescriptive, what may be some reasons? In my separate question here, I quote: unless = if not. If not can precede future tense; so why can't unless?

Footnote: This Wordreference.com question motivated this.


texts: What does "more flapper than sage; more purse than flag" mean?

texts:
Persiflage refers to the sort of light banter one just breezes through, breezy talk to shoot the breeze, mere raillery: more flapper than sage; more purse than flag; a trifle, a siffle, mere piffle.

I've been trying to decode the meaning of the phrase "more flapper than sage; more purse than flag' for about a day now. I bumped into this expression here . Please help me figure this out.


texts: "Ain't no ",Is this not a double negation

texts: I have heard this song ,"Ain't no party like a chipmunk party" ,there is a negation in the word Ain't itself, why we need to use no after that .Aren't those two negations cancelling out ?


texts:
If he had time, he always called in to see us.

The structure of this sentence is making me puzzled. I mean why it could not have been like this- "If he had time, he would have called in to see us."

It is true that it might be the past habit of the person of always calling in whenever he got time, but, does it make sense in conditional sentences like this? If yes, then could you make me understand how?


texts: definite article referring to industries

texts:
When talking about an industry, is the definite article needed?
Does it need two definite articles if referring two industries?

  Road transport development benefits the e-business industry.
  The e-business and the express delivery industries depend on road and air conveyance development.


texts:
Actually my question is as to comparing the word to garner and to glean but Id like to give reference to the words collect and get also.

The word gerner means

Gather or collect (something, especially information or approval)

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/garner

The word glean means

Obtain (information) from various sources, often with difficulty.

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/glean

So what I deduce is that the word garner has a meaning that contains the word glean but broader than it.

For example:

  Coppola garnered several Oscar awards for "The Godfather".

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/garner

I think we cannot replace garner with glean.Because the word glean is more associated with information but I dont see any problem if we replace the word "to garner" with the words like get, gather, collect here.

On the other hand if we look at the examples given for the word "to glean" on Oxford Dictionary, I think we can swap the words without changing their meaning.

  Much information is gleaned ( garnered ) from secondary sources or has
  been covered in more detail elsewhere by previous authors.

  Most of her war information is gleaned (garnered ) from her
  twice-weekly phone chats with her husband.

  Information was gleaned ( garnered) from operating reports dictated
  for the surgical procedures and available for review.

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/glean

Well most examples on the word garner on Oxford Dictionary also uses the word information so this also support my conclusion.

What do you think?


texts: Is the word naive disapproval in this sentence?

texts:
They think the people whose actions are thought to be rebellious can never be pure and naive.

The above sentence is taken from a writing which was trying to indicate that people can be good inside although their actions may not seem right to other people.

My question is whether the word naive is approval here or not because as I know in some circumstances it can be approval or disapproval. In my own point of view the word is approval here, but I was told by a teacher that naive is disapproval and it is used wrongly here.


texts:
Why I did, what I did

Is this sentence grammatically correct?

And can it be used in a situation where If a task can be done in multiple ways and someone has to explain "Why they did, what they did"

(While writing this, I've got a feeling that it seems wrong but this sounds interesting way to explain, if it is grammatically correct)


texts: Can you crave for a college? Or any other object like a book or a movie? I am using the word crave to show the strong need for a college. Is it grammatically correct?


texts: Simple past and present perfect- "One hour has passed." vs "One hour passed."

texts:
If I'm downloading something and it should take 2 hours to be downloaded. So after one hour for example I would say,

  "One hour has passed."

or

  "One hour passed."

and why?


texts: I still don’t understand how these sentences are interchanged

texts:
I eat too much = I eat food too much
I eat too much food = I eat too much food

‘Too much’ in the first sentence modifies a verb.
‘Too much’ in the second sentence modifies a noun.
They have certainly different meanings, but how are ‘I eat too much’ and ‘I eat too much food’ able to be interchanged?
https://www.lexico.com/definition/overeat
https://www.google.com/amp/s/dictionary.cambridge.org/amp/english/overeat


texts:
"Properly adhering to established security procedures ensures that clients’ confidential information remains protected."

"properly adhered to established security procedures represents that clients' confidential information is being protected."

is 2nd sentence correct?
i changed "adhering" to "adhered" in second sentence and following clause.


texts: "Area of improvement" or "point of improvement" or synonyms

texts:
I am looking for a good way or alternative ways of saying "points of/for improvements" in the meaning:

Peter has many weaknesses (so he could improve in many areas). Could one then say "Peter has many options for improvement" ?
A web application is not very user friendly. Could one then say "It has many areas for improvement" ?


texts: Can GET + past participle be explained as acquisition of state?

texts:
Verb to get has a prototypical meaning of acquiring something by some means. The following phrases:

to get tired
to get late
to get married

share common sense of acquiring some state represented by past participle. Could therefore GET + past participle grammatical construction be explained is an acquisition of state? Is there some counter-example?

P.S. As observed in comments by @StoneyB late is not a past participle, but it's still a state. So it seems reasonable to keep this example.


texts: someone pronounces "problem" /prɑː.ˈbləm/

texts:
normally, the word "problem" pronounces /ˈprɑː.bləm/,

a lecturer in a video pronounces that /prɑː.ˈbləm/, is that an accent or a way to emphasize?


texts: What does this quote from Shakespeare mean?

texts:
There is no man hath a virtue that he hath not a glimpse of, nor any man an attaint but he carries some stain of it.

Read more at http://quotes.dictionary.com/There_is_no_man_hath_a_virtue_that#Zyr8HucJpTARHcgA.99


texts:
My own example:

  Lord chancellor may put an amnesty on you if you quit retaliating against the government.

  There is no way the national law amnesty a person rebeling agains the government.


texts: how much is the room rate vs what is the room rate

texts:
I get confused between using how or using what when it comes to asking about the room rate.

Actually in general, I don't really understand the grammatical reasoning behind using one over the other. E.g. should it be "how are the housing prices in this area" or "what are the housing prices in this area"

I hope someone can really dissect this grammatical-wise, not just give me the correct answers.

Thanks,


texts: Sentence with "had there not" looks incomplete to me

texts:
I have been reading a book and I came across a sentence which looks like it's lacking one word which mistakenly was not written during the printing of the book:

  Though I lived and worked in the Third Reich during the first half of its brief life, watching at first hand Adolf Hitler consolidate his power as dictator of this great but baffling nation and then lead it off to war and conquest, this personal experience would not have led me to attempt to write this book had there not occurred at the end of World War II an event unique in history. This was the capture of most of the confidential archives of the German government and all its branches, including those of the Foreign Office, the Army and Navy, the National Socialist Party and Heinrich Himmler’s secret police.

The confusing part is the bold one. Given the next words, I think it lacks an if before had there not.


texts:
The cooks are not allowed to decide the amount of salt to be included in the dishes, as the proportion is fixed to maintain the quality of the flavor.

As is a conjunction, so the entire sentence that follows "as" is an adverb clause that modifies the main clause " The cooks ... included in the dishes".

Is my knowledge correct?

And "to maintain the quality of the flavor" is the infinitive used as an adverb to modify the phrase "is fixed" or is the infinitive used as a complement for the passive verb "fixed"?


texts: How should I differentiate "from" and "since" to express time in present perfect?

texts:
In the following sentence:

  I have known her since her birth.

This is the correct sentence. However, I also came up with the following sentence:

  I have known her from her birth.

However, I wonder whether the sentence that uses from is valid here, and if so, is there any difference between from and since, to express the origin of time in the present perfect?


texts: thousands of people rallied, MOST peacefully... -- most people rallied peacefully or did they rally most peacefully?

texts:
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/no-indictment-chaos-fills-ferguson-streets-083434303.html

  Thousands of people rallied in other U.S. cities, most peacefully, and President Barack Obama appealed for calm and understanding, pleading with both protesters and police to show restraint.

I think it should be understood like this: thousands of people rallied in other U.S. cities, (and) most (of the people who were present at the protests rallied) peacefully. Just a reality check.


texts: "a few percent" or "a few percents"? Why?

texts:
The sentences as follow:

"Problem is, the material Jing developed is six percent heavier than the standard stuff. And more weight means more fuel means more expense. But if we settled for a slightly quieter flight, Jing says he could use less latex, making the noise-blocking honeycomb just a few percent(or a few percents?) heavier."

My question is should I use "a few percents" in the last sentence?


texts: What is the difference between "buy something at shop," "in a shop" and "from a shop"?

texts:
What is the difference in meaning between buy something at a shop, in a shop or from a shop? For example:

  I bought the phone at the shop on the next street.

  I bought the phone in the shop on the next street.

  I bought the phone from the shop on the next street.

I feel that the sentences basically mean the same, but I cannot see the slight difference. If there is not none, then which preposition is the most common in the context?


texts: What does "find" mean in this excerpt from “Leaf by Niggle”?

texts:
Here is what J. R. R. Tolkien wrote in “Leaf by Niggle” (just before, Niggle was only told to take the train that he finds on the railway station nearby, he had no information on where he should go):

  He [Niggle] walked downhill to the station briskly, but without hurry. The Porter spotted him at once.

  "This way!" he said, and led Niggle to a bay, in which there was a very pleasant little local train standing: one coach, and a small engine […]. The coach was empty.

  "Where does this train go, Porter?" asked Niggle.

  "I don't think they have fixed its name yet," said the Porter. "But you'll find it all right." He shut the door.

  The train moved off at once.

What does the bolded part mean? “You'll have no problem finding the place” or “you'll think the place is all right”? I think the verb “find” means both, but I don't believe that Tolkien was so ambiguous. Or should I?

That Niggle had no problem finding the unknown place is obvious: a little bit later in the story, the train just stopped when it arrived at its destination, and so Niggle went out to, as it turned out, his magical country. But maybe the Porter liked telling obvious things, or maybe the thing was not so obvious to Niggle yet, so I can't decide…


texts: Describing the best attainment in someone's progress: Is "what I mostly pleased by with regard to his progress" okay?

texts:
Jack's sense of rhythm has improved a lot over this year, and his
  improvisation technics have increased, too. However, what I mostly
  pleased by with regard to his progress is his ability to keep the
  pitch. If before he would slide within one second, now he can stay on
  one note for quite a long time. I consider it to be his best
  attainment this year.


texts: A question about using articles before a single letter in the alphabet

texts:
I want to brush up my English and I just started to read some Grammar books.
When I read the section about how to use an article before a single letter, it says that we have to use "a" or "an" depending on the pronunciation of the letter.
My teachers in school have never told me about that and in fact I am not sure what is the correct article that should be placed in front of a single letter.

Here I tried to list all the 26 letters with articles.
Please let me know if I am correct or not and be kind to point out my mistakes.

an "A"
a "B"
a "C"
a "D"
an "E"
an "F"
a "G"
a "H"
an "I"
a "J"
a "K"
an "L"
an "M"
an "N"
an ""O"
a "P"
an "R"
a "Q"
an S"
a "T"
a "U"
a "V"
a "W"
an "X"
a "Y"
a "Z".


texts:
I think that "as expected" sounds less weird than "as expectation", but "as" is a preposition, so there should be a noun after it. Which is correct, as expected or as expectation?

Which is correct?

The planet should be observed on July 12 as expected.
The planet should be observed on July 12 as expectation.


texts: Can 'as many as it can' mean thing 'can't' in this context?

texts:
Consider these two expressions

The city can't handle any more people(moving here).
The city has as many people as it can handle.

The first expression is pretty clear, it says that city is over the limit and can't handle any more people.
However does the second expression convey the same meaning? If not, what should be the construct for it to mean the same thing as the first expression.


texts:
A friend asked me if there was any grammatical error in the sentences:
'Thank you so much for taking caring :) please, get dressed warm, too :)'
I told him that the 'caring' should be 'care' and the 'warm' should be 'warmly', according to my English knowledge.
Then my friend told me that the sentences were from an Australian, an English native speaker.
So, are they errors or not?


texts:
Can "singing a song" be moved to the front in the following?

  The students went away, singing the national anthem.
  Singing a song, the students went away.

What about the following?

  The dog lay dozing in front of the door.
  Dozing in front of the door, the dog lay.
  Jess came flying round the corner.
  Flying round the corner, Jess came.

I'd appreciate your help.


texts: "Commence many frustrating/embarrassing mistakes." meaning in the below context

texts:
What does the writer mean by the sentence in bold? (He is a native Kiwi English speaker.)

  Hi everyone,
  The door code is now 1111.
  Commence many frustrating/embarrassing mistakes.
  Regards,
  David


texts: It sounds like that there is a "v" in "generally", What I saw at her mouth matches what I heard. Why is that?

texts:
The speaker is lecturing (https://youtu.be/vzsQkjX4fD8)

  whether you are an English Learner an
  actor or someone generally interested in
  linguistics learning the IPA the
  international phonetic alphabet is going
  to greatly benefit you.

It sounds like that there is a "v" in "generally", What I saw at her mouth matches what I heard.

The image shown below is a screenshot at the time stamp just before she pronounce "v", about 0:04.03. Note: 03 is my estimate, since youtube does not show milliseconds (may youtube supports but I don't know)


texts: How to Grammatically Discern "after all", Phrase?

texts:
“People were excited by violence. What, after all, was the sexual act but a voluntarily endured assault, a momentary death?”
  ― P.D. James, Innocent Blood

How may you discern this phrase? It seemed like maybe a prepositional phrase. Or maybe it may seem like a parenthetical phrase, or discourse marker? I think I thought prepositional phrases place information on location like Near the ocean. Near the ocean, we ran. I think near the ocean seems like a prepositional phrase that may modify where they ran placing information on location. In after all, what may this modify?  After all of that running, we went home. Something like this I may get, a prepositional phrase maybe on when, after maybe placing information on location in time.


texts: What is the job title for a "car servant"?

texts: What is the job title for this man? (PS: Even it is short this question completely describes my problem, so this sentence is unnecessary)


texts:
Michael Jordan's brother who is more athletic than him?

(him = Michael Jordan)
Is the above sentence fragment grammatically correct? Is the pronoun usage correct?


texts: What is the right? 'the rope on the garden' or 'the rope in the garden'?

texts: I want to know what the right expression is? 'the rope on the garden' or 'the rope in the garden'?


texts:
A)It is not permitted to smoke in the kitchen.

  B)It is not allowed to smoke in the kitchen.

According to Practical English Usage(42) the passive structure with it,is only possible with permit.
To me sentence B seems to be correct and I can't understand why it is wrong to use it.

And according to Cambridge dictionary example:

  The loophole has allowed hundreds of drink-drivers to avoid prosecution.

Unlike the previous accepted answer for this question  I think Something can allow something else to happen as well as something can be permitted.


texts:
In the following context, I wonder if you could let me know which choice doesn't work and why:

  When my doctor couldn't ........... my disease after a week of treatment he said to go to better hospital and consult a better doctor as something is really wrong with me. He said so, right in front of me.

a) diagnose
b) recognize

Based on dictionary definition, "a" fits the best in this context, but I don't know whether the verb "recognize" works too or not.

Dictionaries, acknowledge that "diagnose" can be used for many things as well as a disease and by opening this thread, I was going to know more bout the usage of these two words specially "recognize".

Added: Cambridge Dictionary has raised the example below:

  Doctors are trained to recognize the symptoms of different diseases.

But here it's been said that they were unable to recognize "the symptoms" of diseases and not the "diseases".


texts:
What is the meaning of the following sentence it is from a book red dragon

  He knew the FBI document section would fall on the carving like a rabid mongoose


texts:
We have the following two sentences:

We definitely are able to make something delicious.

And:

We definitely are able of making something delicious.

What's the difference between these two? I can only see that the first one sounds more informal and does not use the contracted verb (making). Can someone point me to the answer?


texts:
I suppose the "executive chief" is the correct one. Why? Because I see the "executive" as an adjective and the "chief" as a noun, like the "executive director". But in the resources, it is written like this: "chief executive". Which one is correct and why?

  executive chief

or

  2- chief executive


texts:
I am translating texts in the field of education, and got confused about two specific words (volunteer and candidate).

Can we use these words as modifiers?

To illustrate, can we say the following?

1) He is a candidate student for Erasmus.

2) She is a volunteer student for Disability Advisory Services.

Are the above examples acceptable or should I say "student candidate" or "student volunteer"?

Please note that I am deliberately avoiding using verbs or collactions such as "stand as a candidate" or "volunteering", and also want to use the word "student".

Thank you.


texts:
Is law enforcement treated the same way as using police, that is, as a plural noun?

Which sentence is correct:

  Law enforcement finds the bodies.

or:

  Law enforcement find the bodies.


texts:
what is the meaning of "pass the requirements" and "district council surveyor"?

  Hydesville is a typical little hamlet of New York State, with a
  primitive population which was, no doubt, half-educated, but was
  probably, like the rest of those small American centres of life, more
  detached from prejudice and more receptive of new ideas than any other
  set of people at that time. This particular village, situated about
  twenty miles from the rising town of Rochester, consisted of a cluster
  of wooden houses of a very humble type. It was in one of these, a
  residence which would certainly not pass the requirements of a
  British district council surveyor, that there began this development
  which is already, in the opinion of many, by far the most important
  thing that America has 34 of 188 given to the commonweal of the
  world.


texts:
I am Thai genetically pure Chinese and grown up in Chinese communities with western educations. Now I am started to have western friends. Many of them are older than me or even my dad! I know them from Software Engineering events in Bangkok
In Asian culture I normally call older people with prefix.

Cases:
1. I call older people, but his age is younger than my dad
2. I call older people, and his age is older or equal to my dad

As is I normally wai them and add prefix Khun when I call his name. But I feel uncomfortable since Khun in Thai. It means he/she is the same age as mine.

Questions:
How to express my politeness with prefix to them?

Context is I see them at an event and I would like to say hello to them. And start talking.


texts:
Is it possible to add "goers" at the end of any word (words indicating a place)? I know there exists the words like: restaurant-goers, church-goers, etc. but I'm not sure about the other words such as hospital, or bank.
What about the hyphen? I mean the usage of the hyphen between the word and the "goer(s)", is it arbitrary?


texts: "meaningless for both of us" vs. "meaningless for either of us"

texts:
I wonder if I should rephrase the sentence "These efforts are not meaningful for either of us" into

1) "These efforts are meaningless for either of us"

or

2) "These efforts are meaningless for both of us"

Both sound weird to me. I think my main question is when "meaningless" has a negative concept, does it count as a negation word in the sentence?


texts: once I've been able to... I can now enjoy

texts:
Can would + infinitive be followed by simple present? For example:

  Once I've been able to get rid of this xxx, I feel more like myself as in now.

Because I've just read “Once you had put the pieces back together, you were never quite the same as you'd been before the fall.” Whereas in this case, it is Past Perfect Simple followed by simple past.


texts: Can we say : i need to start to collect/gather documents one and half a year ahead of time? Or what do we need to say when we're talking in advance?


texts:
There is no mountain in Myanmar as high as Mt. Everest.
or
There is no other mountain in Myanmar as high as Mt. Everest
What are the differences in meaning between these two sentences?


texts:
I want to write the expression

  I saw various science-fiction, thrillers and war movies last week.

in this way

  The movies I saw last week, they were science-fiction, thrillers and war movies.

or

  The courses I took at Y university, they were course1, course2 etc.

Do I need a comma after week and university in the expressions above?


texts: "I do my classes in/on SLOT #2"? What to put before 'slot'?

texts:
Context

In my country, there are specialised "coaching centres" for IGCSE and IAL students. The same classes are usually held on multiple different timings. This we call "slot".

  For instance:

  My English Language class has two slots. Slot 1 is 3:30—5:00 PM. And slot 2 is 6:30—8:00 PM.

It's much like "shift". Only that is used to refer to work timings, not class timings.

Check out: during her slot.

This is what I'm writing:

  Can we sit the monthly tests in whichever slot we wish to? Or it has to be the one I do my classes on?

What preposition to put before "slot" in this context?


texts: Conditional sentence, If clause for "would go"

texts:
I have grammar test with the following question:

We are having an exam tomorrow. If we ______ to study, we would go out tonight.

(A) Didn't have
(B) Don't have
(C) Hadn't
(D) Hadn't have

That looks like a type II conditional sentence, but I can't extrapolate it's examples to this specific case.

Can you please point out the right choice here, and explain it? (I would like to hear the explanation for incorrect options as well.)


texts: what does *to swing from exuberance ...* refer to in the following sentence?

texts:
what does to swing from exuberance ... refer to in the following sentence? Is it an explanation or a definition for to overreact? (emphasis added)

  As we are learning from a growing volume of research in the field of behavioural finance, money amplifies our tendency to overreact, to swing from exuberance when things are going well to deep depression when they go wrong.

the ascent of money, by Nial Ferguson (2008), p 13.


texts: Is "easier than before" used in everyday English?

texts:
I want to know if "easier than before" is correct in my sentence or not, and how I can say something makes things better than before. For example.

  "Our smartphones make learning languages easier than before."


texts:
I'm looking for the right explanation of the difference between "agree on/about something" and "agree with something."

My guess is that if we agree with something, we second someone's comment, proposal, etc. If we agree on or about something, we focus on the matter we have the same opinion about:

  I entirely agree with the comments you made about public transport (I can second them).

  The committee members all agree on the need for more information (the focus is on the thing they have the same opinion about - the need for more information).

I feel there is a slight difference between the prepositional phrases, but they don't mean the same thing and are not always interchangeable (although they often can be).

So, how would you explain the difference? Is my guess right? If it is, is there anything to add?


texts:
Which one of these two is correct:

  If I had gotten paid we could have traveled together.
  If I were paid we could have traveled together.


texts:
The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives the meaning of "conjuncture" as:

  Definition of conjuncture

  1 : CONJUNCTION, UNION

  2 : a combination of circumstances or events usually producing a crisis : JUNCTURE

Can the phrase "conjuncture of events " can be replaced with "series of events "? According to definition 2, is the word "events" is extra in the above phrase? Is the word only can be used for events? As according to definition 1,it is not limited to events only.


texts:
Carrying to term a pregnancy against one's will is punishment enough -- in fact, it can amount to torture, according to the United Nations Human Right Council.

I found the above sentence in New York Times.

My question is why enough comes after the noun "punishment" whereas so far I know enough comes before noun like "enough strength"?


texts:
I wonder what I should call a (market / bazar / shopping center, etc) where things are sold much more expensive than they worth and usually salespeople rip off whoever wants to purchase something there?

I have heard the term "rip-off central", but I cannot find any reliable confirming source for that.


texts:
If I am talking about the applications that correct grammars' errors, should I say "grammar correction application" or "grammar correcting application"?

Please justify the use of one of them.


texts: Why do we use approximate in the present and estimated in the past?

texts:
I was filling out a form and I saw:

Approximate course start date

and not

Approximated course start date

if I used the word "estimate" wouldn't I have to use it in the past if so why do we use "approximate" in the present and not in the past?


texts: Have I made up this sentence correctly: "He never stays hungry."

texts:
He never stays hungry.

I mean he always is going to find something to eat. He never bothers his stomach by leaving it to be empty.


texts: Grammatically speaking, why is "I rushed to went back home" wrong?

texts:
Yesterday I corrected my student when he said: "I rushed to went back home". I corrected it to "I rushed to get back home", but I couldn't provide a proper explanation. I know this is probably basic grammar but I do hope someone can help me out with explaining this properly.

Thank you!


texts:
When selling used goods, people sometimes use phrase 'used twice' or 'never used' to answer questions like 'How many times have you used it'.

Is there any formal phrase for this case if 'number of use' is not correct one to describe it?


texts: Is it natural and correct to say "the fire happened on its own" meaning it wasn't made intentionally by someone?

texts:
Is it natural and correct to say the fire happened on its own meaning it wasn't made intentionally by someone? For example:

What we know for sure is that the fire happened on its own.

If it's not natural, what would a native English speaker would say?


texts: What does 'gained appreciably' mean in the following context?

texts:
I am reading 'The Wonder That Was India' by A.L.Basham. In Chapter 1, Introduction the author speaks about the vastness and benefit of the Ganges basin. He adds,

  Though generations of unscientific farming, deforestation, and other factors have now much reduced its fertility, this was once among the most productive lands in the world, and it has supported a very large population ever since it was brought under the plough.  At its mouth in Bengal the Ganga forms a large delta, which even in historical times has gained appreciably on the sea; here the Ganga joins the Brahmaputra, which flows from Tibet by way of valley of Assam, the eastermost outpost of Hindu culture.


texts: Can "mistake(n) as" "mistake(n) for" "mistake(n) with" be used indifferently?

texts:
I'd always used "mistake(n) for" until today I came upon

  you could easily be mistaken as one.

I wanted to see if it was correct or if it was a mistake so I looked into the matter and found:

my dictionaries only give "mistake for".

  The doctor mistook the symptoms for blood poisoning. (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English)

  You mustn't mistake lack of formal education for lack of wisdom. (Collins Cobuild)

  Members of an army patrol mistook him for the gunman. ( BBC English Dictionary)

A quick search on the internet showed  "mistake(n) as" is quite common, but not as common as "mistaken for". This was confirmed by an Ngram.

I even found both on the same page:

  Why getting mistaken for a native speaker is much easier than you think.

and

  he has never in his life come across a language learner who is mistaken as a native the entire time

I really cannot perceive any difference at all in the meaning of mistaken as and mistaken for in these two sentences above.

I had the same feeling on that page,  where both are used :

  mistaken as 10 mg if the decimal point is not seen expressed in whole numbers

  100000 has been mistaken for 10,000 or ....

That document is pretty consistent in the use of "mistaken as" except in a couple of places, so I thought it could be because of different collaborators having different speech habits.

My browsing even led me to "mistaken with"

  Custom route mistaken with product id

  You must have me mistaken with someone else.

I somehow feel I could use for is these two sentences but not as but I'm at a loss to say why.

My questions:
- Since apparently for,  with, & as are used in after the verb "mistake" to mean we wrongly think something or someone is something else or someone else, can they be used indifferently ?  If yes, are there nevertheless slight subtleties to be considered?
- Could difference in usage be a matter of regional habits (AmE vs BrE vs AusE etc.)?


texts:
She gave you her phone to get it charged, not for you to look through it.

Does the sentence above sound fine?

Someone's phone had almost died. When she left to go the restroom, the person who had let her borrow his charger, started going through her phone. And the person who had witnessed this, objected by saying the sentence above. Is there a better way of putting it?


texts: ''Christmas star is on the tree,'' or "in the tree"?

texts:
Is "Christmas star is on the tree" correct? Or, should it be "in the tree"?

I know "on the tree" usually is be used to something grows by the tree.


texts: What would be natural to insert in the example?

texts:
Jack starts coughing. He tries to hold it back, but can't.
Elsewhere in the house, the police office can hear _________________(1) He follows _________________(2).
(1)  Jack's coughing/Jack coughing/The coughing/The sound of coughing.
(2)  The coughing/The sound of coughing.
Which of the above suggestions would be natural to insert in the two places in the example?
I think: If (a) is both "Jack's coughing" and "Jack coughing" possible? For (2) in my example, is it natural to write "He follows the coughing"?


texts:
Golden Retriever puppy dozes off in car after exhausting day out

I know "in car" should be "in a car" or "in the car" in the above sentence. It's the title of a public media.

Is it correct to use "in car" without any article? If so, does it have any special meaning? I can't find any usage like that in my English dictionary and Google search results.


texts: 'Over' is preposition or adverb in this sentence?

texts:
I have a sentence here and hard to judge if it is a preposition or an adverb.

"Over 500 people were buried on the grounds."

In this sentence 'Over' is in the position of the subject. Would it be possible that a subject with preposition comes together like this?

Thank you.


texts:
This is the question: Did there use to be a different capital city?
So, I don't  know if I have to ask " Yes, it did" or " yes, There was"..I will be so thankful if you can help me! Thanks


texts: The difference between "past" and "passed" in the following sentence

texts:
Is it proper to say "past" or "passed" in this sentence?

  Hopefully I can stay up passed or past midnight.


texts:
How to distinguish between American Indians and Indian Indians in native English (language) parlance?

Can I say Indian Indian to say Indian from Asia compared to the Native Americans?


texts: Is using the Simple Past always considered a more polite way to ask something?

texts:
When I use the Simple Past to ask something, is the sentence always considered more polite?

  I wanted to know if you would accept an invitation for dinner.

  I wanted to ask you something.

  I wanted to take you out for dinner.

In Italian, the first and the third sentence would make me think the person changed idea, and doesn't want to say the reason. I can imagine a person getting hungry, or offended for something done or said, announcing what was planned to do, as to say "see what you are going to miss."

Is using the Simple Past always considered a more polite way to ask something, or are there cases where the Simple Past is really used to mean something that was planned to do, and that is not going to happen anymore?


texts: Why do we add s and are in these sentences?

texts:
My question is why do we add s to these sentences:

  Are you the one who plays the violin?

why do we add s to play  and does one in this sentence mean you?

  You are the one who is funny in the class.

My second  question is why do we put is instead of are and do we by one mean you?

I am looking forward to the answer and I appreciate your effort.


texts:
Liza asked me If I (go - was going - went - had gone) on the school trip to the museum tomorrow.

Which is the correct answer? I chose (was going), but why tomorrow isn't transferred to the following day in this sentence?


texts: Have done (habitual) + finite purpose clause. What is the tense of the purpose clause?

texts:
What will be the tense if the purpose is expressed by a finite clause in

I have gone to bed early since last week to wake up early.


texts:
I've read this expression a few times, but I really don't understand it.
It's a 'broken question' an incorrect question? What nuance does it have?

EDIT: Example: https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/a/257928/126762

Thank you for your time!


texts: Is it natural to use the word "cheaper" as an adverb?

texts:
Is it natural and correct to use the word cheaper as an adverb. For example:

  You have to pay a lot of money to have your phone fixed at the repair shop. I will do it cheaper.


texts:
Can someone help me in understanding the suffix -tor and -ter?

I am not able to understand it properly and I always mix the spelling like:

"computor" when it should be computer
"administrater" when it should be administrator


texts: How is "over-the-top" related to online streaming?

texts: I know OTT means online content business, but why is "over the top" linguistically used? Literally I don't see much connection.


texts:
Assume a reporter is talking to the best player of just completed basketball game and ask him in the following manner:

  Tell everyone out there what it feels like to be the next Lebron
  James.

Why did he use out there? Why would not say just tell everyone, without "out there". Is the point going to be changed in that case or what?

What I did first to understand that was looking for the phrasal verb tell sb out. Since I didn't find anything similar I decided to look for out there and found the following referece: clatz. Unfortunately it wasn't helpful too.

Maybe you can clarify that point?

It's also not clear where I'm supposed to use out there and where over there


texts: 1873 British use of 'which', as a relative pronoun?

texts:
[25% down the page] In any case, is vengeance necessarily a bad thing?
The Victorian legal philosopher James Fitzjames Stephens [in  Liberty, Equality, Fraternity] thought vengeance was an acceptable justification for punishment. Punishment, he thought, should be inflicted:

1. for the sake of ratifying the feeling of hatred − call it revenge, resentment, or what you will − which the contemplation of such [offensive] conduct excites[,] in healthily constituted minds.

Would someone please explain which? What's this phenomenon called?
How does the above differ from the only way in which I could interpret this quote, by removing which:

2. for the sake of ratifying the feeling of hatred − call it revenge, resentment, or what you will. The contemplation of such [offensive] conduct excites in healthily constituted minds.

But 2 sounds wrong, because excite is a transitive verb (so 'excite in' is unreasoning)?
Update: I inserted a comma after 'excite', if this shos that 'which ... excites' is the relative clause?


texts:
How do you use "of which" correctly after a comma? I saw a similar example in a textbook and tried to tweak it a little:

  "Our cost of A has been decreased from B to C just like the other ones, the retail prices of which we lowered from D to E."

Or is this more correct?

  "Our cost of A has been decreased from B to C just like the other ones, of which we lowered the retail prices from D to E."

Can I use "on which" in the same way I use "of which"?


texts: Can imperatives function as interjections?

texts: I have no direct example, but sentences like 'Look! it doesn't work,' and 'listen! I have no time' make me wonder if imperatives can function as interjections, so a comma can be between an imperative and a sentence as in 'look, it doesn't work.'


texts: Help to understand the structure: why before the needles returned, shredding my thoughts

texts:
I AWOKE WITH NEEDLES in my brain. Thousands of them, biting, blocking out everything. Then they disappeared for one dizzying moment and I got my bearings. It was morning, early; amber sunlight poured in through my bedroom window. I was standing but not on my own strength. Two hands were gripping my throat, and they’d been shaking me. The needles, that was my brain crashing into my skull. I had only a few seconds to wonder why before the needles returned, shredding my thoughts. My eyes were open but I saw only white flashes. A few sounds made it through to me. “SLUT!” “WHORE!” Then another sound. Mother. She was crying. “Stop! You’re killing her! Stop!”

I copied this text from another question. The part I don't understand is the structure of why before the needles returned, shredding my thoughts. Since I am pretty interested in it, I'd like to ask it as a separate question. Thanks!


texts:
In one English lessons book there is this case where the 'Incorrect' sentence is replaced with the 'Correct' one.

  (Incorrect) Tom didn't leave work until 6:00, so he will not likely be here before 7:00.

  (Correct) Tom didn't leave work until 6:00, so he  is  not likely to be here before 7:00.

But I can't get what rules of Grammar this correction is based on. I.e. why present (he is) but not future (he will) should be used in the second clause?

It looks like some sort of the Sequence of Tenses. And if i modify this sentence a bit it will look like the mixed Conditional 2 and 1 which seems correct:

  If Tom didn't leave work until 6:00, then he will not likely be here before 7:00.


texts:
-Dad, I don't think I should go to school today! I have a fever.
  -Oh, yeah?Hmm, feels like a spelling test! Come one, I'll drive you to school.
  -I knew I should have gone with a spastic colon!

  TV Show: Alexa and Katie!

What is the difference between the following?

I knew I should have gone with a spastic colon!

I know I should have gone with a spastic colon!

P.S.: We use "should have + p.p." to talk about a regret or something like that in the past but we mention to that regret in the present. But here it is mentioned to the past!


texts: harmony of tenses, sentence construction , like/liked

texts:
I had no idea you liked movies of this sort.

  I had no idea you like movies of this sort.

Are both the above sentences grammatically correct?
Would the first one be more grammatically accurate than the latter, since its tenses are in harmony?


texts:
I have seen the following sentence on a news web site, which was telling about a volcano eruption. A sentence including "a good" surprised me, as I have not seen it used like this. Here is the sentence:

  "...You could hear and feel the eruption a good half a mile away, and the closer you got, the more you could feel it..."

What does "a good" mean here? Does it mean "they could hear it well" or does it mean "they could hear it from a distance which was as far as a mile long".


texts:
(a) The bandana on the end of his rifle flapped in the wind.
  (b) Her hair blew up toward the sky with the wind.
  (from COCA)

The bandana and her hair moved in the wind or with the wind. ‘With’ seems to be “used to indicate the specific thing or person that is being referred to (-> refer to: "to have a direct connection or relationship to (something).” ‘In’ seems to be “used to indicate the conditions that are around someone or something.” [- All definitions are from Merriam-Webster's Learner's dictionary.](1) Is my supposition right? (2) Are they used with distinctly different nuance or virtually interchangeable?


texts: What is the phrase for :I should do a task in two days?

texts:
I want a simple phrase to describe this:

If I should do a task in two days then which phrase is more natural to use:

2 Days deadline

2 Days Grace period

or a better phrase you recommend...


texts: What's the meaning of "flag out" in this sentence? And what does the entire phrase mean?

texts:
This sentence in the Oxford Online Dictionary confuses me:

  the flagging out of much of the fleet to flags of convenience

Even with the definition that flag means here "Register (a vessel) in a specific country, under whose flag it then sails.", the clause doesn't make sense. What does it mean? And is it a clause or a phrase?


texts:
Well, I've had a doubt for use which and that. Tell me if these examples are correct:

This is the hot dog which I made.
This is the hot dog that I made.
I'm finding the DVD which I lost.
I'm finding the DVD that I lost.

And also tell me what are the differences between which and that.


texts:
What is the meaning of "hear for blocks" in the following sentences,

  Hoeny is the name of the alligator.

  Well, it had to happen. One day, Justin's mother went into the
  bathroom. Honey grinned at her in a friendly way. She let out a yell
  you could hear for blocks. Soon after that, Honey had to go to the
  zoo. (source: Justin's  Alligator by Sandra Widener)


texts: How to pronounce "they're" in everyday spoken english (very fast contraction)?

texts:
there are lots of Pronounce Contractions in American English Pronunciation.

It sounds like the tutorial is saying (a video link with a time stamp)

  I'm going to do that
  with all of my portions.
  once they're all portioned out

where once they're sounds like "onther", did I listen it correctly? Should I pronounce the say way?


texts:
Can I use "A B C" construct instead of "C of A B"?

For example:

  "a fast man search" instead of "search of a fast man"?

It is confusing here whether the search or the man is fast, and if I use "a fast man search" some people can think that I mean "fast search of a man", but.. anyway - does the English language allows to do it?
Or let's take this example:

  "a red flower search" instead of "search of a red flower"

red search is not possible thing, so the meaning should be clear in both cases, meanwhile first case is more compact. So can I use the first construct here?

And how about expressions like this:

  "search of pairs of neighbour flowers"

can I rephrase it more compactly and readably somehow?


texts: Is the usage _a chalk piece_ acceptable in modern English?

texts:
Most teachers in  India say chalk piece or a chalk piece instead of a piece of chalk.

I know that chalk is uncountable and the correct usage is a piece of chalk.

But I have read in certain books that a chalk piece is also acceptable.

I would like to know whether the use is found only in India or it is also found even in native English speaking countries?

Is the usage a chalk piece acceptable in modern English even in speech?


texts: How to determine, the verb I have chosen for making a sentence, that is transitive or intransitive?

texts: A lot of transitive and intransitive verbs out there but I want to know, Is there any rule? that can help us to  determine it.


texts: what is the format of writing two Questions after a colon?

texts:
I have the following:

  The project answered two very important questions: How does Ontario's mineral tax rate compare with those of other provinces and territories? And, what are the reasons, if any, that justify revising Ontario's mineral tax rate?

I am not sure if I need the "And" there, and also if I don't use "And" will the second question still be connected to the first clause before the colon? I am following Chicago, but cannot find anything there (or in google) of help.


texts: Using the right preposition (after, within, afterwards)

texts:
I had a task to fill in the following passage with the correct preposition:

  Initially I attended classes several times a week and would sometimes
  study in the library (1). (2) a few weeks of beginning
  classes my English improved considerably, so I decided (3) four
  months to attend fewer classes and now attend one class a week.

I put down "afterwards" for the first option; "after" - for the second one and "after" - the 3rd gaps.

Nevertheless, I was astonished by the answer to the 2nd blank - "within".
According to the book, I took this exercise from, "within" means "before the end of", so I made up my mind to take down "after", which, in this case, means "following sth in time".


texts: How to understand "I think this is the most desirable of the compact cars"?

texts:
I see this sentence is an English textbook:

  I think this is the most desirable of the compact cars

But I can't understand it easily, maybe I can't understand the part "most desirable of", especially the "of" here.

I have a guess:

  Maybe I'm a car seller, and there are many kinds of cars, including compact ones and bigger ones. I'm introducing some cars to customers, and I can use this sentence to let them know they should buy the compact cars I'm introducing.

Is that a good situation to use this sentence?


texts:
As per definition, "Revenue" is the amount of money that is brought into a company by its business activities. I have seen that most people (even some not well educated business person) get confused with this term.

Just want to understand, what would be the best question/explanation (in short) to ask for knowledge about a business's revenue?


texts:
Can we say these in situations where I am like angry?

"Tell me wherever you are from" (here I want to learn where the person I am talking to is from)

"Tell me whatever your name is" (here I want to learn the name of the person I am talking to)

"Tell me whoever you are" (here I want to learn who he is)

"Tell me however you did it" (here I want to learn how he did it)

Can we also say these?

"You can't even tell me wherever you are from" (here I want to tell that person he can't even tell me where he is from)

"You can't even tell me whatever your name is" (here I want to tell that person he can't even tell me what his name is)

"You can't even tell me whoever you are" (here I want to tell that person he can't even tell me who he is)

"You can't even tell me however you did it" (here I want to tell that person he can't even tell me how he did it)

I guess we can not use these words "whatever", "whoever", "wherever" and "however" in those ways above.


texts:
Will is usually used to indicate future event, as in

  I will go to school

However, it can also function as a modal auxiliary expressing a willingness or refusal. Like

  I won't go to school

But I wonder, is it possible to say "will won't" to indicate a refusal in future. For example,

  I will won't go to school

I know, I can just say "I will refuse to.." but I don't think it sounds idiomatic(to my non-native ears). But, I want to know, is this construction possible and idiomatic?


texts: what does “the logic is fishier than the handymen”mean？

texts:
the sentence is cited from How to Win Every Argument。I can't find the links between fishier and handymen，and I wonder if there is any saying about the logic of handymen？here are the context：

  No handymen are bakers, and no bakers are fishermen, so no handymen
  are fishermen.
  (It seems innocent enough, but the logic is fishier than the handymen.
  If we had used 'tax-dodgers' instead of fishermen, we would
  have ended up saying 'no handymen are tax-dodgers', which
  everyone knows is untrue. The fault lies with the two negative
  premises.)


texts:
Should I use past perfect in this sentence? I've come up with three options:

I forgot to add them on Sunday, so I added them today.
I've forgotten to add them on Sunday, so I added them today.
I forgot to add them on Sunday, so I've added them today.

Which one is correct? If it isn't any of them, how can I articulate this sentence in a grammatically correct way?


texts:
Which of these is correct and why?
The inflation in commodity was led by oil price cutting
or
The inflation in commodity was led by cutting oil prices


texts: balanced structure of correlative conjunction

texts:
I am doubtful to decide whether the follwing sentences will be in accordance with "the balanced rule" of correlative conjunction.

  1.Either tell the truth or you will go to jall.

  2.He not only loves but also leads his children.

  3.Computers are both a useful and essential device.


texts:
The following dialogue is from Arrow:

  I lose myself in him.

I guess it's supposed to be a romantic line. But what does this actually mean? Does this mean the person forgets his/her own identity when she is around the character she is talking about ?


texts: "a driver at the last position" or "the driver at the last position"

texts:
Here are two sentences. I am confused about the articles a/the. Can you please explain to me which one is correct, and why? The sentence is:

  1: During a road race a driver at the last position made a maneuver which made him take the second place.

  2: During a road race the driver at the last position made a maneuver which made him take the second place.


texts:
she would make him feel she had never fallen before - and I should think it's likely she never had. She would not be everyone's money. You may be sure that she let Mr. Quayne know that her little life was from now on entirely in his hands.

(The Death of the Heart, by Elizabeth Bowen, 1938)

I thought "she would not meet any random man"
Is it an idiomatic expression? anybody knows the meaning?