texts: "I would think" vs "I would have thought"

texts:
What's the difference in meaning between these two sentence

  "I would have thought Tom was the best expert in this stackoverflow.com"

  I would think Tom is the best expert in this stackoverflow.com."

I've been told that I would think/expect/say/imagine/ etc are used for:

tentativeness or creating distance from what we say
For politeness or to be indirect
Giving opinion with softness . . . .

Or mixture of them.

Now, I'm still confused in the use of I would have+p.p which is said to be used for "disagreeing with someone or giving opinion."
I would think that giving opinion is itself contradicting or disagreeing with someone. So, I still could say that "I would think" and "I would have thought" give the same meanings.

I have been told that "I would have thought" refers to both past and present. That's why, I'm puzzled between its meanings whether to use it for contradicting or for giving opinion?

On the other hand, this phrase also seems like conditional ( If he had told me ,I would have thought about it ) but the if clause left out. But it doesn't give such meanings either. So it's useless to say that this phrase is conditional. what would Am i right? As I said before,I have been told that it's used for both "disagreeing with someone and giving the opinion". It suggests that this phrase is an idiom (as it doesn't give its literal meaning) and works both for contradicting and giving an opinion.

Is "I would have thought"** is the same as  **"I had thought before" ?

Does it mean that "i would have thought" is used for both giving openion and disagreeing with someone politely or without being direct ?

As I've learned that "I would think" is used for giving openion ,politeness , showing uncertainty,softening etc
"I would have thought" should also share the same characteristics as  It's only past version of "I would think".

Example:
A: She died of a broken heart.
B: Really? I would have thought that she died from an overdose of drugs.

'B' could also use "I would think" to show his opinion but why did he use "I would have thought' ?

He could also use "I thought" to show his opinion but He didn't use it why?

I think that 'B' made  that statement ( Really!  I would have thought she died from an overdose of drugs ) for clearification of the A 's statement.Is it just like the following example?

A.Do you know , Mt Everest is located in India.
B.Really! I would have thought it's in Nepal.

or

A.Buddha was born in china.
B. But I would have thought he was born in Nepal.

further querries :

Is the phrase "I would have thought" means "I think" with more polite deference, more indirect and with more than necessary words ( "I think" is enough to convey the same meaning but "i would have thought" includes unnecessary words: 'would have') As you said this phrase is used for both purpose in past and present time reference ,depending on the condition: 1.for diagreeing with someone politely 2.for expressing an earlier opinion politely( the opinion which was in the past and but no longer exist)

(Note:I had asked a similar question but It wasn't about the difference between this two phrase )


texts: Is a preposition missing/misplaced in this sentence from an NYT article?

texts:
I have read this sentence below several times, but can't be sure if the last clause is grammatical.

  Our reactions to these foods are often instructive about our own prejudices on how to eat and are so much more of a joy when shared than, say, sold off the sandwich board of a third-wave cafe under a different name and for five times the price. (Source)

If I were to parse it, my understanding would be:

  Our reactions to these foods are often instructive about our own prejudices on how to eat and are so much more of a joy when (these foods are) shared than, say, (these foods are) sold off the sandwich board of a third-wave cafe under a different name and for five times the price.

It seems to me either sold off, which means to get rid of or sell all of something, is the wrong phrasal verb here, or a preposition is missing after it. Shouldn't the sentence read:

  Our reactions to these foods are often instructive about our own prejudices on how to eat and are so much more of a joy when shared than, say, sold from the sandwich board of a third-wave cafe under a different name and for five times the price.


texts:
The people of the village saw the dark chariot from Hell, whose
  tacks were made of iron and tortured the bridled horses with
  impunity.

I am not sure if a tack is part of the chariot. We could think it's part of the horse, so using whose with horse would make sense, but I am not sure if we can use it with chariot.

Is there any specific rules on when we can use "whose"?


texts: Tense agreement in the past irrealis conditionals

texts:
The following is taken from PEU1 123.5:

  Could have + past participle can refer to present situations which were
  possible but have not been realised.

  He could have been Prime Minister now if he hadn't decided to leave politics.

  We could have spent today at the seaside, but we thought it was going to
  rain,  so  we decided not to.

The above two are the examples of past irrealis conditionals.

But I just don't understand why "now" / "today" agree with the past tense (could have been Prime Minister now / could have spent today).

I would think they should be like this:

  He could be Prime Minister now if he hadn't decided to leave politics.

  We could spend / be spending today at the seaside, but we thought it was going to
  rain, so we decided not to.

Do these two alternatives make sense? How do they differ from the original ones?

Edit:

Interestingly, as @Fantasier suggested, PEU 259.3 also introduced a similar usage:

  We sometimes use structures with would have ... to talk about present and future situations which are no longer possible because of the way things have turned out.

  It would have been nice to go to Australia this winter, but
  there's no way we  can do  it.  (OR It would be nice ...)

  If my mother hadn't knocked my father off his bicycle thirty years ago, I wouldn't have been here now.  (OR ... I wouldn't be here now.)

But PEU failed to provide more explanations about why this is acceptable and how native speakers think of and use it.

1. PEU = Michael Swan's, Practical English Usage.


texts: What's the meaning of "to doctor the books"?

texts:
I checked "to doctor" in Longman Dictionary and it means:

to dishonestly change something in order to gain an advantage.
to add something harmful to food or drink
to remove part of the sex organs of an animal to
to give someone medical treatment, especially when you are not a doctor.

I think the first meaning fits with the phrase but I am not sure.

Could you please tell me what the meaning of:

  "He doctored the books"

The full text:

  Shawn drove for days with little sleep, navigating our fifty-foot trailer as
  if it were his own arm. He doctored the books whenever we crossed a
  checkpoint, to make it seem he was getting more sleep than he was. Every
  other day we stopped to shower and eat a meal that wasn’t dried fruit and
  granola.


texts: How to describe a positional relationship between two objects with respect to a certain direction?

texts:
I am trying to describe the positional relationship between the red circle and the green triangle with reference to direction A indicated by the blue arrow. I thought of two examples:

  The red circle is located above the green triangle in direction A.
  The red circle is located downstream of the green triangle in direction A.

Are there any problems with my examples?


texts: What is the difference of these two sentences with the comma separation?

texts:
We got in through the window which someone had left open.

  We got in through the window, which someone had left open.

I saw/hear these two sentences from an IELTS preparation video http://www.chinaielts.org/guide/band_descriptors_writing.shtml
2:37. These two sentences demonstrates the point that punctuation can change meaning supposedly
.
I think I know the meaning of the sentences but I could't tell the difference.

What do each of them imply?


texts:
Here is the context:

  These are the most effective exercises for building muscle as identified by science.

Does as identified by science means the same as which was identified by science?


texts:
I heard I cannot say "I could learn that it is different from **.",
and instead, I have to say "I was able to learn that it is different from **."

And after a bit of researching, I saw this explanation:

  A. There is one context in which could, with the sense of able to, is not usual. This is when referring to a single past occasion. For example:

  ? I was late but could get a good seat.

  ? We were tired but could reach the top of the mountain.

  ? How many points could you get in the test.

  ? I could get a bargain.

  It is more usual to say was able to ..., succeeded in ..., or managed
  to ... in such contexts.

  There are exceptions to this common avoidance of could when referring
  to single past occasions.

  Exception 1: with verbs of the perception and mental activities:

  I could hear a faint noise.

  I could understand very little. Could vs be able to

Here, the writer said "with verbs of mental activities", I can use could.

Then why can't I use "I could learn..."?


texts: What is the meaning of "I'm in a rhubarb of a pickle of a jam here"?

texts:
What is the meaning of this sentence?I know every words in the sentence but can't figure out the meaning of it.

  Homer, I'm in a rhubarb of a pickle of a jam here. I was all set to go
  off on vacation when I get called up for jury duty. Oh, it's a corker
  of a case.


texts: Is this 'X was when' expression idiomatic?

texts:
This award (was given to me) was when I was in the fourth grade.
This movie (was released) was when X was the most popular guy in the industry.

Are these two expressions without the parenthesized phrase idiomatic? If yes, is there any difference between the one with and the one without parenthesized text?


texts:
here is a sentence:
They motored up, taking Michael Mont, who, being in his seventh heaven, was found by Winifred 'very amusing'.
What does the phrasal verb "motored up" mean in this case?


texts:
'Will you + infinitive' expresses a request,order or instruction.

  E.g:1. Will you do something for me.(request)

But I want to know when will is placed before a third person or first person subject in questions, what does it express?

  For example:2.Will he do something for me?

                  3.Will I do something for him?

(Does will imply a request,order or instruction too when it's used in question with third person and first person subject? )


texts: how do I ask "are you Jason?" on the phone?

texts:
very simple question but I can't find the answer directly on google search.

Is this Jason?
Am I talking to Jason?
Are you happen to be Jason?


texts:
I saw this sentence in a book:

  Don't phone Ann now. She'll be busy. (= she'll be busy now)

  -- English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy.

I don't understand why the sentence uses future tense for “She'll be busy.”

I'm wondering if I can write “Don't phone Ann now. She is busy.” instead or not.

Plus, “she'll be busy” means she may be busy or not.


texts:
How did it end up like this?
How did it come to this?
How did it come down to this?

I couldn't find any differences between those. Can anyone be nice and help me please?


texts: What does it mean that “The hardline bullies in her party have been shown up for the reckless obsessives they are”?

texts:
The sentence above is from the article of Economist(link: https://www.economist.com/leaders/2018/12/13/the-real-lesson-from-theresa-mays-bruising-week).

I have a problem reading that sentence, especially with the expression "have been shown up for", and "they are" at the end of the sentence.

The expression 'show up', which is said idiom in my dictionary, means "to appear". But there are no such example i can find using the expression 'show up for'.

Second, the pharse 'they are' at the end of the sentence makes me feel that this sentence is somewhat incomplete. What is this for? I'm just guessing that it is to specify the 'obsession' is from 'the hardline Brexit bullies'.

Can anyone help me parse this sentence? I want to know the meaning and grammatical principle of these expressions.


texts: What is the difference between these noun phrases?

texts:
Live performance by Zedd in Amsterdam.

Live performance by Zedd to Amsterdam.

What is the difference between both


texts: to take a veiled shot at someone - what does this idiom mean and how to use it?

texts:
From Yahoo! News:

Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he was “encouraged” by Obama’s strong rhetoric but took a veiled shot at the president’s vow not to send in combat troops.
“We cannot afford to rule out military options or allow ISIL to make any further progress. Our unequivocal and unrelenting goal must be to pursue these terrorists wherever they go and destroy them,” said Chambliss.

I tried to look it up but I couldn't find anything because there was literally no dictionary out there that had this expression.


texts: is it right sentence or not..? "What we mean by smart devices are smartphones"

texts:
What we mean by smart devices are smartphones, tablets and Ipads and we mean by young adults are girls and boys around 20 to 30.

Is it a right sentence or not...? Do I have to use "are" or "is"?


texts: "Can you please do this?" versus "Can you do this please?"

texts:
What is the difference between these two phrases:

  Can you please do this?

  Can you do this please?

Is the latter one (putting an extra emphasis on please), considered to be a less polite and a more direct form?


texts: What would be the interrogative form of the following sentence?

texts:
Say I want to know the serial number of Joe Biden as the president of the USA. How can I ask this to another person?
What would be the interrogative form of the following sentence:

Joe Biden is the [46th president] of the USA.

?


texts:
A lot of reference is available for this question but I couldn't understand the difference.

That when to use congratulate on and when to use congratulate for.


texts:
He's mingling around flirting with girls as was he James Bond.

He's mingling around flirting with girls as if he was James Bond.

Which one is correct? (if any of them)


texts: Future perfect: By that time, I will have possessed three cars. Will I still have them by then?

texts:
Reading an answer under this question, I found one interesting point: the use of the future perfect with the verb possess. My question is rather simple. Consider:

  By that time, I will have possessed three cars.
  (NOTE: It doesn't have to be "By that time", it might be something like "By the time I retire", "By the time my son graduates", a more idiomatic phrase such as "By then", etc.)

Will I still own the cars by that time?

In my opinion, it could be interpreted as either a) my possession will be over (so the perfect tense), or b) the possession will keep building up and by that time I will have already owned three cars.

Are both interpretations possible?

Note: I think this is a good example on the use of stative verbs with perfect tenses. Possess, in my opinion, is a stative verb. Saying "By that time, I will possess three cars." would be enough already; thus, saying "By that time, I will have possessed three cars." explicitly might be used to emphasize the sense that the cars will have already, by that time, gone.


texts:
I would like to say that I want to buy something in future, but I'm not sure which of the sentences below is a better choice:

  We will probably order another box of earphones, please send us invoice for the order so we can process the payment
  We probably will order another box of earphones, please send us invoice for the order so we can process the payment

kindly advise, thanks !


texts:
So I've heard this expression in the "Trailer Park Boys" TV show (taking place in Canada). According to the context I understand that it probably means someone grumpy, who's complaining a lot.

However I'd like to know where this expression come from: is it some sort of Canadian idiom, is it a cultural reference, or something else?

My research has shown that this is a "common" expression (but not popular), since I get a few hits like a Youtube video with this title, but nothing in classical and slang dictionaries. Concerning the context, a people "bitching around" is called "Mr growly pants", I don't know much more.


texts: Best decision I/I've ever made-- difference?

texts:
I started watching that show a few months ago. Best decision I've ever made.

  I started watching that show a few months ago. Best decision I ever made.

What's the difference between the two sentences meaning wise?
Is the I've and I just a difference between American English, and British English, I read it somewhere that Americans oftentimes don't use have in such cases as the one used in the sentences above?


texts: What is the English equivalent of the Filipino word "po", used to add respect?

texts:
I am Filipino and I want to figure out the English term for "po".
It's a term we add meaning respect. For example:

Anong kailangan n'yo po?

Which translates to "What do you need?" but I'm questioning if "po" has an English equivalent.
The Filipino for "yes" is "oo", but if we would use it with respect, we use "opo" instead.
Is there an English equivalent of "po"?


texts: Text dexcribing my military service - not sure if correct, grammar-wise

texts:
I could use some help :) I know that you don't proofread, but I don't know where to ask.

I had been recruited to the Military on the 20th of October, 2013. As a combat service supporter in the Teleprocessing Corps, I had been through two months of boot camp, and after I'd finished the training, I was stationed in the Ranger's unit teleprocessing battalion, serving in the southern city of ****. I've had participated in the 2014 operation *** *****, and after that, I joined the commander's course. And that's how I finished my military service after three years.

This is the order:
1. Joined the military.
2. Boot camp for two months.
3. finished the training
4. Stationed in Rangers and as serving there for a while.
5. Participated in an operation.
6. Joined commanding course
7. Finished my service.

No longer a soldier.

Is the grammar on this ext correct? The usage of had been and the other perfect tenses?


texts: What is the English equivalent of the Russian word тормоз which is used for very slowly working software?

texts:
In Russian there is word тормоз (tormoz) which originally meant "brake" (as in a car), but now is often used to denote a very slowly working software.

The nearest word in English I know is "lag". But I am unsure that these are the same.

How to translate "тормоз" (in this second sense) to English?

Examples of usage: 1. Windows is тормоз compared to Linux. 2. Microsoft Word is a тормоз.

There is also a Russian verb "тормозить" derived from this noun. I want its English equivalent, too.


texts: If "I read the book in five minutes" is to duration, what is "I read the book five minutes ago?"

texts:
If duration is the general term for the class of words that reference the time difference between now and the future when an event is finished (i.e. I read the book in five minutes), what is the general term for the class of words that reference the time difference between now and the past when an event occurred (i.e. I read the book five minutes ago?

Context:
I am looking for the hypernym to use as a descriptor that references how long ago an event occurred with respect to the current time.


texts: Meaning of the phrase "go all [someone]"?

texts:
It is from Crash Course Big History. it is at around 10 minute and 28 second. Here it goes:

  In fact, on the scale of millions years, a devastating eruption is almost guaranteed to happen. And unlike an asteroid, one can't go all Bruce Willis and blow up a super eruption with a nuke.

Does this this mean no one can turn into Bruce Willis?


texts:
I recently came across a person saying,

  I need to make money for paying my bills.

This puzzled me, because I would normally use "to pay". I've come across other uses on the Internet where people said

  I need the ingredients for making a cake.

Instead of

  I need the ingredients to make a cake.

Can someone explain to me the difference in meaning and how to correctly use both of these?


texts: Is it "live on Facebook" or "live at Facebook"?

texts:
There are three prepositions to use with the verb live when describing the location you live at/on/in.

What makes the situation here different is that in the previous case your location would be an actual/real one, where is it not the issue here.

So when someone wants to describe the idea that s/he spends all her/his time on a social media site, say Facebook for example. Then, what is the right preposition after "live"? As it is doesn't actually mean living, I'm putting it in a scare quotes to make sense.

  I "live" on/at Facebook.

I think it should be "on" as it is followed by a social media platform after all, but the verb live makes it a bit confusing.


texts: “I often go into town with Sammy DURING the school holidays.” Why is 'on' impossible here?

texts:
Could you explain the use of preposition 'during' in the sentence:

  I often go into town with Sammy during the school holidays

Question:
Can anyone explain why 'on' here is grammatically impossible?

My idea is this: we can certainly say 'on a rainy/sunny day, on a schoolday' but not 'on the school holidays' - why is that?


texts: What do you call the cloth that this jester wears?

texts: I am not talking about the hat, but the thing right below it that seems to be a part of the hat or separate from the hat. The hat is called a fool's cap, I think.


texts: The difference between gathering, get-together and meeting

texts:
I've been googling to find the differences among the words: gathering, get-together, and meeting.
I found meanings of the three words from Collins:

A get-together is an informal meeting or party, usually arranged for a particular purpose.
A gathering is a group of people meeting together for a particular purpose.
A meeting is an event in which a group of people come together to discuss things or make decisions.

The dictionary definitions seem not much different but from the various articles, I gathered that three words might be ordered by the formality of the event:
meeting > gathering > get-together
And it seems also that gathering and get-together are not for the business world. In the business, it has to be meeting. I also think that get-together is a smaller scale than gathering.
But I'm not sure about my conclusions. Fix me if I'm thinking in the wrong way.
And here are some cases that I'm not sure of suitable words to call the events:

If teenage students meet together to do homework home, is this gathering or meeting?

If you go to drink with several of your friends, is this get-together?

If you meet with your friends for lunch with homemade food, is this gathering or get-together?

If you meet with your neighbors to discuss community problems, is this gathering or meeting?

Thanks.


texts: "I have played football for five years."

texts:
what's the difference between:

1- I have played football for five years.
2- I have been playing football for five years.


texts: What is the meaning of "stolen escapes"?

texts:
Page 23 of Digital Fortress by Dan Brown mentioned this,

  Their courtship was slow and romantic — stolen escapes whenever their schedules permitted...?

I would like to know what is the meaning of "stolen escapes"?


texts: A word for something that is too visible?

texts:
How to call something/someone that is too visible, more that it/she should or deserves, or more than it is natural and accepted? The word I have in mind is "over-visible". Are over-visible and over-visibility correct/idiomatic words?

I want to say that someone is too visible, as in the following sentence:

  Unlike philosophers who suffer from invisibility in the society, sociologists enjoy over-visibility.

Is the use of "over-visibility" in the above sentence correct?


texts: Formal alternative to 'what are you doing here?'

texts:
As far as I know, there is a fixed phrase/idiom for saying what are you doing here? but I have forgotten it.
It is a very formal and polite way of saying that.
What are you doing here? can sound impolite and even rude.
Does anyone know that phrase/idiom?

Edit after Msfolly's answer:
Sorry for not giving a context.
The context I had in mind was like: Suppose you saw your friend near your home and you want to know what he is doing there, so you would ask what are you doing here? (the meaning is literal). But there was a polite alternative to what are you doing here?...


texts: "Why didn't he tell her what had happened?" "He had fallen on the floor"

texts:
Sometimes I am not sure whether or not I need to use the past perfect or leave it out completely.

Why didn't he tell her what had happened?
Why didn't he tell her what happened?
(Are both of these sentences correct)

He had fallen on the floor and then went to hospital as he had an injury.
He fell on the floor and then went to hospital as he had an injury.

I assume the first one suggests that it had taken some time for him to make his way to the hospital after falling, whereas the second one suggests that the it all happened quite fast.


texts: Is the sentence, "When I opened the letter, it was written in Spanish..." grammatically correct?

texts:
I am writing a tech blog. In this blog, I am using an analogy to explain something. And the analogy has this story that begins in Spain. And there's a sentence I used to convey a part of that analogy but now I am not sure if that sentence is grammatically correct or not.
So what I actually want to convey to the readers of this blog is that I received a letter, I opened it but the language in which the letter was written was Spanish. And to convey that I wrote, When I opened the letter, it was written in Spanish.... I don't know why but it seems like it is incomplete. Is this sentence grammatically correct?


texts:
Time and time again, I've faced situations in which I have to talk about being on time, avoid delay and suchlike. Well, there are many useful verbs which you can use to express your thoughts, however sometimes it becomes tricky, at least for me. In this question, I've aggregated some related questions with each other to avoid asking many very similar questions. All in all, between the following sentences which ones are natural and formal or informal? In each sentence I've highlighted the controversial[!] part by showing it in bold.

  "We should always make sure we never allow/let any delay in finishing our homework/project."
  "I never procrastinate with my study/project/job/homework"
  "I never delay/defer my study/project/job/homework"


texts:
What preposition do we use for duration? till or for? e.g.

  They will live in there for hundreds of years.

OR

  They will live in there till hundreds of years.


texts:
But however we interpret the religious motivation, there are three
objections to this type of answer. [...] Third, fear of
punishment and hope of reward, and even love of God, seem not to be
the right motives for morality. If you think it's wrong to kill,
cheat, or steal, you should want to avoid doing such things because
they are bad things to do to the victims, not just because you fear
the consequences for yourself, or because you don't want to offend
your Creator.

[What does it all mean, Thomas Nagel, chapter VII]
What does "love of God" mean in the context above? "Love by God" or "Love for God"? I'm so confused
Many thanks


texts: Does this mean "apologise to the waitress" or "apologise in general"?

texts:
"Organisation should apologise to and reinstate the waitress and ask her to apologise for her breach of customer privacy and post both (apology for the mistake and she being reinstated again) on social media."
This sentence is a part of a case study. I am not posting the case study as I want answerer to answer it without any prejudice - in pure grammatical context.( Use of "and" here).

By "independent" I meant a general apology to (say customers or viewers), not the waitress.

Following is the snapshot of case study. copyright of XATONLINE©

P.S. Please Ignore red ellipses.


texts: "There's nothing that spoils the taste of good ordinary food half so much as the memory of bad magic food" -- what does the "half" mean?

texts:
Here is a sentence from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe:

  He had eaten his share of the dinner, but he hadn't really enjoyed it because he was thinking all the time about Turkish Delight—and there's nothing that spoils the taste of good ordinary food half so much as the memory of bad magic food.

I don't quite understand what the half adds to the meaning of the whole expression. Is it being used as an intensifier of sorts, and, if paraphrased, could that part of the sentence be something like:

  There's nothing at all that spoils the taste of good ordinary food half so much as the memory of bad magic food.


texts: Comparative construction with two adjectives

texts:
I need a little piece of advise.

I am not sure about the right grammatical structure in a comparative sentence with two adjectives, the former with three or more syllables and the latter with only two ones.

Please, look at the two sentences below and compare smart-smarter.

  I think you are more intelligent and smart than what it seems.

vs

  I think you are more intelligent and smarter than what it seems.

I do personally think that the second question is better than the first one, but I'm not sure though. What's your take on this?


texts:
I am almost completely broken with "will". Can anybody explain it in a good way?

We can use "will" for willingness:

He will work - he wants to work

I will sleep - I want to sleep

She won't walk with them - she doesn't want to walk with them

At the same time I am finding some examples of using will like "wills" or "willed":

If he wills to work, then let him do it

If anyone wills to do his will...

She willed herself not to think of the man...

If we can use "will" both like a modal verb which is not conjugatable and a normal conjugatable verb then what is the difference in:

He will work - he wants to work

He wills to work - he wants to work

He willed to work - he wanted to work

He would work - he wanted to work


texts: benefits for the program = benefits for the program's participants?

texts:
The purpose of this MOU is to clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of each party as they relate to the implementation of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Stamp Program (FSP). The FSP is intended to help state agencies inform low-income households about the availability, eligibility requirements, applications procedures and benefits for the program.

Is this use of the preposition for natural? Is the intended meaning "benefits under the program", "benefits enjoyed by the low-income households enrolled in the program"?

Could it be that the preposition for is used because each of the terms "eligibility requirements", "application procedures" and "benefits" relates to the program? That is, because the authors of the sentence decided to link several terms to a single preposition phrase?

When I try to "hook up" each of these terms to the preposition phrase, this is what I get:

"Availability for the program" looks strange to me. I would use "availability of the program (in a specific location, say)".

"Eligibility requirement for the program" looks okay.

"Application procedures for the program" looks somewhat strange. A natural way would've been, it seems to me, "application procedures for the participation in the program".

"Benefits for the program" looks understandable within the context, but in another context it could've meant "benefits provided to the program" (not to the indigent families, but, say, to the agencies implementing the program)


texts:
What are the meanings of the following phrases?

  In you go.

  Off you go.

  Here you go.

  There you go.

Does you go mean the same in the above phrases?


texts: How do I politely turn down other people's gestures?

texts:
I live with two roommates and often we have lunch/dinner together. One thing that happens frequently my roommates offering me something and me turing it down. It often goes like this

  Friend: Dude have some garlic bread.
  Me: I don't want it, you eat/go ahead.(awkwardly)

Does it sound odd to native English speakers? What would the appropriate reply be in this context?


texts: Making passive sentences into interrogative sentences

texts:
How do I make an interrogative voice sentence from a passive voice sentence?
For example, we have the following sentence:

  They will be offered in the fall semester.

How can I make this sentence into an interrogative voice sentence?
Does this work well?

  Will they be offered in the fall semester?

Thanks for your help


texts: "obvious how ..." vs "obvious of how ..."

texts:
An example of "obvious how ..." from Definition of obvious adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

obvious how, what, etc.
It was far from obvious how they were going to get off the island.

An example of "obvious of how ..." from a video of Khan Academy at around 3:00:

This is a one minus cosine squared theta, so it's not completely obvious yet of how you can simplify it, until you realize that this could be viewed as a difference of squares.

Question

Is there any difference between "obvious how ..." and "obvious of how ..."?


texts: 'Go through with something' and 'get something over with'

texts:
Could you let me know if these two phrasal verbs have the synonymous meanings ?

  a) I'd better to go through with the homework.
  b) I'd better to get the homework over with.


texts: Why does 'turn of mind' mean 'one's temperament or character'?

texts: I came across the sentence 'He was a person with an inquiring turn of mind even from his early teens', and I found 'turn of mind' means 'one's temperament'.  Why does that 'turn' have such a special meaning?  I looked 'turn' over in many dictionaries but I couldn't find out why.


texts: Can "either" be used for more than two items?

texts:
The Judiciary also uses a special type of monitoring through the General Inspection Office and Bureaucratic Justice Court. Additionally, either of the three powers have internal supervision mechanisms.

"Either" in the above paragraph is used for more than two items (three powers). Is it grammatical?


texts: what's the meaning of "up" in this context

texts: we have, at present, 130 plaques up in the city. Does it mean it could be more than 130 plaques?


texts: "During" or "while" before an "ing word"?

texts:
I work in a small company and I would say we have an intermediate level of English (for French people).
We do not agree on the translation of our slogan. An incorrect translation would be quite embarrassing for a company with customers all over the world.
To put this in context: our company is specialized in instrumentation (recorders) for the geotechnical engineering.
In french it is :

Mesures pendant et après forage.

From this, we argue about these two possible translations:

Measurement during and after drilling.
Measurement while and after drilling.

What I've found so far is that "during" is used before a noun and "while" before a subject+verb.
I would prefer "while" in this case because it sounds good to me but since "drilling" is a noun, and also an action. I don't find the right argumentation to convince my teammates. Could you clarify me the rule please?
My question is: Are these two sentences grammatically correct?


texts: comma for tomorrow in the middle of sentence

texts:
I  am having a problem with punctuation before and after the word 'tomorrow' when it is used in the middle of a sentence. In the
example below, can I use ',' both before and after tomorrow?

I can assure you that, tomorrow, I will create as much chaos as I can


texts: present perfect with simple past in one sentence

texts:
I am not a native English speaker, I am not sure whether the following sentences are correct, I am confused how the simple past and present perfect can be used in one sentence. What is the general rule for them?

The sentences are used to describe how things have been done.

  A typical vehicle model was chosen as the virtual vehicle, it has
  195/65 R15 tires and the mass of the vehicle is 1301kg.

  The road was designed with slalom, which has been created with Pylon
  Alley.

Thank you for your help!


texts:
Are thoes two words used in different situation?

Is there any examples that can explain the difference between two words?


texts: Does " the solution is just to arrive" have a meaning?

texts:
Does " the solution is just to arrive" can be used in a sentence to emphasise that this is what somebody was looking for?
If I want to advertise something. The solution ( to all your troubles) is just to arrive - new shampoo ( or whatever)
Does it sound good/natural?


texts: In what circumstances would one use the word 'frangible'?

texts:
When can / should we use the word frangible?

Please give some examples of its use in a sentence.

ADDED:
I know that it is a very specific word, But I would like to know where this word appears: biology, physics, ...


texts: What is the meaning of "outlive" and "the same age" in this sentence?

texts:
The sentence:

  Beethoven did outlive many people who were the same age as Berlioz.

The context:

I’m reading the book Probability Theory: the Logic of Science written by E. T. Jaynes. I was confused by the wording “logically contradictory”. I mean here. Maybe I made a mistake. I didn’t get the meaning of that sentence/counterexample in this statement:

  If A implies B then a false propposition implies all propositions, and if we tried to interpret this as logical deducibility, it would follow that every false proposition is logically contradictory. Yet the proposition: ‘Beethoven outlived Berlioz’ is false but hardly logically contradictory.

By the same age as Berlioz(11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869, died at 66 years old) does the author mean 66? Or any age in one year between 1803 and 1827? Or maybe anything else? I guess what the so-called "logically contradictory" means is A => A bar(A implies the opposite of A itself)?

PS: Beethoven(1770-1827, died at 57 years old)


texts:
If Jack was a Lord, or a King, or a Knight, he would be called Lord Jack, King Jack or Sir Jack, respectively.

So let's say Jack is a Warlord, would you call him "Warlord Jack"? or just Lord? or just Jack?


texts:
What are the similarities and differences? Are there any general lessons or implications?

Wordreference.com (banned) user 'Ume' claims:

  I've found "at whim", not "at a whim", in both the LONGMAN Dictionary of Contemporary English and the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. What difference is there between "at whim" and "on a whim". Neither of the dictionaries don't say that.

Wordreference.com Senior Member 'Loob' states without proof:

  I'd say the difference between "on a whim" and "at whim" is that "on a whim" relates to a single event, "at whim" to repeated occurrences.


texts: How long did it take the spaceship to travel

texts:
Which is a correct sentence with for or without for?
"How long did it take (for) the spaceship to travel from Florida to the ISS?"
"The trip took (for) the spaceship 19 hours."


texts: Some Odd Word Order in The Comparison Structure As...As

texts:
As we know, in the structure as...as the first as modify the adjective or adverb that goes after it. We can also use a noun modified by an adjective in the structure; for example,

They have as much influence as he has money.

However, I have seen the following examples in somewhere, whose word order is odd to me:

He is as good a cook as his wife is.

And it has been stated there that the following sentence is not grammatically correct:

*He is as a good cook as his wife is.

Regarding the first sentence example mentioned in this post, I wonder why the above sentence is not grammatically correct.


texts: Can I delete 'there' in the sentence 'The Customs Officers asked the man how much perfume there was in his case'?

texts: Can I delete 'there' in the sentence  The Customs Officers asked the man how much perfume there was in his case?


texts:
In the movie titled 'The King's Speech', Lionel says,

  "I'll stake you.  Pay me back next time."

Isn't it "I'll stake for you" instead of "I'll stake you"?

I think "I'll stake you" is grammatically wrong.

Am I correct?


texts:
Here’s my case:

  I have 3 cats and 2 dogs. (The) cats live in the house and (the) dogs live in the doghouse.

I think it’s required because this is specific.
So do we need “the” here?


texts: Yesterday I could do that but today I cannot

texts:
When speaking about the past, I know that "could" cannot be used for single events (Yesterday I could go there but I did not).

However, what if we talk about an ability that ceased to exist? Is the following correct, idiomatic English?

  Yesterday I could lift the couch but today, after the injury, I can barely walk.


texts:
I was running across this advertisement for an English language school on the subway this morning:

  English fit for travel, as if you have your teacher with you.

This sounds somehow wrong to me. Shouldn't the subjunctive use the past form of have in this case, as in 'As if you had your teacher with you'?


texts: Shift a little forward? (I feel that it will be better to use "move over")

texts:
When someone is asked to move over a little, is it idiomatic to use "shift"? I heard someone say (though of course not a native):

  Shift a little forward.

I found it a little strange. Is it better to use "move over" in this context?

  Just move over little.

And when just a single word is used (though it sounds a little rude)

  Move over.

  Shift.

What sounds better and more natural, what sounds more likely "move over" or "shift" (I know that "scoot over, budge over etc. are used too.)


texts: What does "Right in one" mean in this context?

texts:
... “In the end, he(Bagman) turned pretty nasty,” said Fred. “Told us we were too young to gamble, and he wasn't giving us anything.”

  “So we asked for our money back,” said George glowering.

  “He didn't refuse!” gasped Hermione.

  “Right in one,” said Fred.

  “But that was all your savings!” said Ron.

  “Tell me about it,” said George. ...

  Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

What does "right in one" mean?  Is it short for something? Maybe Fred meant Bagman just gave them one Galleon(the money in wizarding world)?


texts:
Much of what Maccari put on the runway might actually have been better appreciated in a more intimate setting where audience members are able to put their hands on the fabric, see the details up close . But putting Perry Ellis on the runway during the inaugural season of New York Fashion Week: Men’s, served a larger purpose. It sent a message: This, too, is fashion. And there’s nothing to fear.

What is the difference between “see something closely” and “see something up close”?


texts: Meaning of "onto" as in "The window looked out onto the terrace"

texts:
I would like to ask about the 2nd meaning of the preposition onto defined by Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary as follows.

used with verbs to express movement on or to a particular place or position. For example, Move the books onto the second shelf.
used to show that something faces in a particular direction
. For example,
The window looked out onto the terrace.

I don't get where the 2nd meaning there comes from. And I get the 1st meaning since onto is a combination of on and to.


texts: " I am not gonna write a book about it."

texts:
Years ago, I watched a video about President Bush (Father). A reporter asked him sth, and he replied " I am not gonna write a book about it. "

Is it an idiom, or his idiom or he just made up some new English sentence?


texts: difference between "fair" and "equitable"

texts:
I saw two words of "fair" and "equitable" in one sentence in a standard of practice.

is there any difference between them?

if yes what is that?


texts: "It should have come down" or "It should have came down"?

texts:
My colleague and I were talking and he said "it should have came down", which to me, does not sound correct. Which sentence is correct?

I also have a question about 'took' and 'taken'. With the same individual, he said "he could have took the cookie" to which I corrected him and said that, yes, you can say that and the meaning will come across and will be understandable, but "he could have taken the cookie" is correct English. In retrospect, after much debate, I am now doubting myself.

By my knowledge of the English language, 'took' and 'taken' are not interchangeable if you are utilising the English language correctly.


texts: Indefinite article before uncountable nouns

texts:
Please help me understand why the indefinite article is used in this case:

  "I had a marvellous time!"


texts:
Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, but mistakes do slip through. If something
  doesn’t work the way you expect, your first port of call should be www.friendsofed.com. A link to any known corrections since publication will be
  posted there.

  If you think you have found a mistake that’s not listed, please submit an
  error report to www.friendsofed.com/errataSubmission.html. When friends of ED has
  finished with the thumbscrews and forced me to admit I’m wrong, we’ll post the details for
  everyone’s benefit on the friends of ED site.

What does the author allude to by the thumbscrews?


texts: What is the word for this (facial) expression?

texts: When the loved one gently puts his/her head on your shoulder, there is smile on your face with the thought, I am always here for you. This expression is like a smile, and then there is caring thought going on. When you do it, it's not a proper smile, but a half smile, but gentle. Like when a kid comes to you and puts his head on your shoulder, you'll have this expression. It's a smile not to show to them, or anyone, it's just you do it as if you mind is programed to do.


texts: past perfect stronger (more explicit) than because

texts:
Do you remember this question about past perfect:

  Every band has a shelf life; BB had finally expired. We always felt excluded in many ways...

I was just wondering if I write this:

  "BB finally expired because every band has a shelf life"

Is the link between both "events" just as strong as if I write:

  "every band has a shelf life; BB had expired".

I mean, is the connection stronger with the past perfect? Or in the version with because?


texts: "It exactly addresses" or "It addresses exactly"

texts:
I wrote the following statement in another StackExchange:

  "I think this paper exactly addresses your question"

Is it better to say:

  "I think this paper addresses exactly your question"

?

I think the first one is good, and they could be equivalent.
Is it true?


texts: "Could have" and "can have" in a sentence using the present tense

texts:
It is ten o’clock. They could have arrived now.
  It is ten o’clock. They can have arrived.

What is the meaning of the above sentences?

What meaning do "could have" and "can have" give to sentences using the present tense?


texts:
Just saw this on Twitter.

What does "use a ramp" mean?


texts: "Desolated"; past tense of an adjective?

texts:
He looks around the desolated street.

In this sentence, If I'm not wrong, 'desolated' is an adjective, right? Or is it a verb? In the dictionary 'desolate' is defined as an adjective. "Desolated" is defined as the past tense of "desolate".

Only verb can be in past tense or even adjective can be in past tense?
In the above sentence "desolated" is a verb or an adjective? My guess is it's an adjective here.
Is "desolated" a past participle of the verb "desolate"?
Is the above sentence wrong and should I have written the above as below?

He looks around the desolate street.

Mostly I'm sure my first sentence is correct, but I'm little confused.


texts:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

This was past events so it should use past tense.
But now means (at) the present time.

Or now here used as a conjunction means ‘ because the thing mentioned is happening or has just happened’ ?


texts:
Her anger was such that she lost control of herself.

Her anger was such as to lose control of herself.

Does both same mean? Isn't the second weird?


texts: Bizzre usage of "of" and strange structure of senstence

texts:
Quoating from a Guardian article :

  Thanks to multiculturalism, international movement and technological advances, many communities are now far more accepting of diversity

I assume  General meaning of "many communities are now far more accepting of diversity" is nowadays communities are much willing to accept diversity . but , what is this permutation which makes feel accepting has a gerundish sense though it doesn't suit in context ?


texts:
It might be a duplicate, but I can't find one with my short searching.

I found the two sentences with different meaning of "due"

I had to abandon my project due to a lack of government funding.
He is due to start school in this March.

As a foreigner, I learned the first 'due' means, with 'due to', 'because of', or kind of meaning cause and effect (exactly, effect and cause). But, I think second 'due', in most other cases, means 'the necessity of doing something' or 'it plans to'.

I can't understand why 1st meaning comes from 2nd meaning. Is it just a word with multiple meaning? Or, does 'due' have something special links between them, related with a preposition 'to'?

Thanks.


texts: Using "would" in questions to ask about past habits

texts:
I know the difference between used to and would. I've seen many examples of used to in questions, but I'm not sure if I've seen any for would. Are these questions correct to ask about someone's past habits, assuming the person who is being asked from is 60 years old.

  Would you smoke when you were younger?

  As a teenager, where would you hang out with your friends?

Is it possible to use would in this sense in questions?


texts: What's the part at the end of the shoelace called in English?

texts: What are the (usually) plastic part of the shoelace called? The end part I mean? Mine's broken but I can't do a DIY fix without knowing the name.


texts:
I am in the process of finalising my PhD thesis, and I am currently going through a stage of being unreasonably pedantic about minute details. So please bare with me if this question sounds like a triviality.
To provide context, the field of my thesis is Applied Mathematics. The write-up of my research involves a gradual development of the mathematical tools I have employed. Therefore, to aid the flow of the narrative, I want to add a closing section at the end of some of the chapters in the thesis. These closing sections serve the dual purpose of (i) summarising the work presented in the current chapter, and (ii) foreshadowing and motivating the impending extension/generalisation of the previously outlined work in a future chapter.
I currently title these sections as Summary, but the title Closer seems to be more apt to me. However, I am unsure if it is appropriate to use this title, as I have only encountered one other thesis with sections titled as Closer. Can someone advise me on this? I am also open to alternate title suggestions.


texts:
I live in Japan, and we translate these two into much the same, a sentence with which you recommend something:

  Might as well ...

  Might want to ...

Can they be replaced each other? Or could you tell me how you distinguish them?  For example:

I (might as well/might want to) have coffee if I want to stay awake, since I will be studying late tonight.
I (might as well/might want to) have coffee, since you just brewed a fresh pot.
I (might as well/might want to) have coffee to stay awake because if I don't have it, I will definitely fall asleep.
I (might as well/might want to) have coffee because it helps me stay awake.
I (might as well/might want to) have coffee because I'm tired and need to stay awake.


texts:
Is this sentence correct?

  This is the problem we want to understand more.


texts: How to specify a certain year in a senctence?

texts:
Which of the following is/are the right way(s) to express a certain year in a sentence? I would be really appreciated if the explanations can be provide at the same time.

1.) ... in 2013

2.) ... in the year of 2013

3.) ... in the year 2013

Or any better choice?

Any help is appreciated.


texts: When there are refutations to what a person is confidently saying

texts:
When I sometimes make a confident statement (for example) "All great men marry once in their life" there is always someone who refutes it. So to lighten up the situation what's some good conversation lines, phrases and expressions etc to use? Like "Yes, there is always a 'but'".

Also I am not talking about being funny here because I usually stick to my idea while giving the other guy some leeway.

So what are some tactful sentences that I could use so the other person understands that the topic is open for discussion or debate?


texts:
I’m reading The Greedy Queen by Annie Gray. The author introduced the way people made gelatine in Victorian times:

  Jellies at this time were set with gelatine extracted from calves’
  feet. Rendering the gelatine took days, and was even more involved
  than making a stock, involving similar amounts of clarification and
  straining, plus a bit of flavouring with wine and sugar, and with the
  added pitfall of ensuring that the final thick liquid would set
  firmly – but with a perky wobble – when chilled. This basic wine
  jelly was used as the basis for some incredible dishes, often made
  in specialised moulds which enabled cooks to fill internal cavities
  with set creams.

I'm lost from "pitfall" onwards. As defined by the dictionaries, "pitfall" basically means a trap. But what does the whole thing have to do with a trap? Is this sentence saying that something is added to set the gelatine? If not, what's it saying? And does "this basic wine jelly" in the following sentence actually refers to the aforementioned gelatine? Can anybody clarify the idea for me?


texts: What do "I realized a few things about life, (reading)/(having read) that book" mean?

texts:
I realized a few things about life, reading that book.

What's the meaning of the above sentence?
How is it different to the meaning of

  I realized a few things about life, having read that book.


texts: “Life that means you” or “life that mean for you”?

texts:
A life that means you.

  A life that mean for you.

Are both sentences constructed correctly?

I want to indicate a life that means you and reflects you or the way you want your life to be.


texts: A word like "footing" for healthy activity on foot

texts:
In Italian, we use a word that should be a loanword to mean "an activity such as race or march, practiced for training or healthy activity": footing.

An American friend of mine has never understood what I mean, and told me she doesn't use footing like that. I also looked at the NOAD, and the OED; both report the meaning of footing, but they don't give to the word the meaning we give in Italian.

What is the word that I should use to describe that kind of activity?


texts:
Tell me please if have to include the definite article before the word chance in the following sentence.

  If you lose weight too quickly, then (the) chances are you are going to gain the weight back very soon.

If I need to include it, then tell me why please.


texts: How to talk about not being satisfied with some degrees of something?

texts:
Is there a a natural sentence or phrase describing a state of not being satisfied?

  E.LL is a writer. He has written a piece of writing recently. He thinks his work can be improved although it already seems acceptable. He never was a big fan of perfectionism, but surprisingly, that current point of perfection didn't satisfy him and he continued to modify the the piece of writing .... (These  sentences has been concocted by me)

Added: consider we have three basic discrete levels of writers: !
1)careless 2)moderate 3)perfect
And also there are some other levels that
lies within these three levels !
And the writer creates a piece of writing whose
work qualifies him such way that he locates between level 2 and 3
which is referred to it as
**that** in the above sentence.

Is there a natural way to write/speak about that? In Persian, we have a phrase , بسنده نکرد , which fits to this context completely.

Also, which one of the below quantifiers* are more appropriate in such sentences?

that point of
that extent of
that degree of
that level of
that scale of
that deal of

*quantifiers does not stand for its grammarian connotation, it is just a word that came to my mind at the moment.


texts:
A quote attributed to Hippocrates himself, and translated into English many years ago.

However, is this correct English? "all" seems to be referring to a plural, "disease" however is singular. Is this correct English today, or does it need altering so as to conform to modern usage?


texts: Positive word(s) for "bother", "nagging"

texts:
Can anyone suggest words to express the following feeling (especially while writing emails):
That I do not want to bother the person that I am writing to / I don't want to be a trouble by emailing again (usually in a follow up email). To express this feeling while being polite, I am looking for a rather positive word than bother, trouble etc.


texts:
Which one of the following is commonly used in daily British English conversation?

  The story could be true, but I don't think it is.
  The story might be true, but I don't think it is.
  The story may be true, but I don't think it is.


texts: "he likes but I don't" or "he likes but I"

texts:
What is most used?
Means the same?

A) He likes but I don't.
B) He likes but I.


texts: Shoud I use "did" or "does" in conjunction with "during this week"?

texts:
Which one is right?

Did the student submit the paper during this week?
Does the student submit the paper during this week?

Please enlighten me.


texts: "in a given factors" or "The decision will vary in given factors"

texts:
I would like to ask about these words. Which one is grammatically correct?

  "The decision will vary in a given factors"

or

  "The decision will vary in given factors" ?

Since the word "factors" refers to more than one thing, I think it should be plural. I have searched in google, but the result shows both of them exist.


texts: is there any difference between "at first", "initially" and "at the first time/ the first time"?

texts: I often met 3 adverbs of time in English : "at first", "initially" and "at the first time/ the first time", but i can't make a distinction. They are the same and can be used interchangeably in any situation, right? If there are any difference between them, please give a some examples.


texts: Why is the present and the past tense mixed in this fairy tale?

texts:
After that the king says to Molly: 'Molly, you are a clever girl, but
  if you would do better yet, and steal the giant's ring that he wears
  on his finger, I will give you my youngest son for yourself.' Molly
  said she would try. So back she goes to the giant's house, and hides
  herself below the bed. The giant wasn't long ere he came home, and,
  after he had eaten a great big supper, he went to his bed, and shortly
  was snoring loud. Molly crept out and reached over the bed, and got
  hold of the giant's hand, and she pulled and she pulled until she got
  off the ring

This is from English fairy tales. I read some English fairy tales and they are usually written in past tense. However there is some sentences written in present tense in this story like "So back she goes to the giant's house and hides
herself below the bed". Why does present and past tense mix in this fairly tale?


texts:
Ok, in cambridge dictionary

  of: preposition (MADE OF): made or consisting of; having:

  dresses of lace and silk

  plates of gold and silver

  a land of ice and snow

  a woman of great charm

  a subject of very little interest

in Longman dictionary

  in /ɪn/ ●●● S1 W1 preposition

  18: used to say what colour something is or what it is made of

  Do you have the same pattern in blue?

  a sculpture in white marble

SO, based on the dictionaries, we can say "a plate of gold" & "a plate in gold". "I ordered a dress in cotton" & "I ordered a dress of cotton"

What are the differences between "a plate of gold" & "a plate in gold"?


texts: Do these three questions mean the same thing? And do you need a preposition when asking about places?

texts:
To where did you go yesterday?

Where did you go to yesterday?

Where did you go yesterday?

I see people omit the 'to' a lot. However, I also asked a related question yesterday

Who did you give the keys to?

To whom did you give the keys?

Here, the 'to' seems necessary. Why can you omit the 'to' when talking about places?


texts: Indirect questions - Identifying Subject / Object in indirect questions

texts:
I'm struggling to identify subjects and objects in indirect questions.
Any rule of thumb to distinguish them apart?
Here is my thinking..
In the following question, which would be the subject and object?
"Could you explain what this is?

The subject of the sentence:

"you" or "this"?

Tips to help identify?
Correct me if I am wrong, please.
"this" is the Subject as the answer would start with what it is.
example:
"It" is a strange hat.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks


texts: “What is its name” vs “What is the name of it”

texts:
Let’s say a friend of mine is listening to a song, and I heard the song while he is listening to it; and I wonder what the song is called. Can I use these sentences interchangeably to ask him the name of the song.

“That is a nice song. What is the name of it?”
“That is a nice song. What is its name?”

I think “its name” would be more usual, but “the name of it” can be used too. Do you think I am right?


texts: Sickest Tango?? Or Six to Ten Tango? Or Six to Ten to Go?

texts:
I hope you are living good days every day.

I am sorry, could someone help me about the probable term on the title ( which I am trying to post on my blog ).

While I am listening to this,

From 4:20～, I think she ( Samantha Power ) is saying

>"And it is extremely important to have the diplomatic track, just as it was proved in Iran contexts. But it takes the sickest tango I guess in this case."

I thought ( personally ) she is saying that. Or just am I wrong here?

Should I be corret about hearing this, what would that mean??

Or if I am wrong, what is she saying? Could someone help me.

I am sorry.


texts:
In Nobody (2021) movie, Hutch says to his wife, Becca:

Hutch: Becca, I love you, but I need you to trust me right now.
Okay? Blind for the last time.

Then he sends his family away to safety before setting his house on
fire to destroy any evidence.
What does "Blind for the last time" mean?


texts: What is the need to say a full "sentence"?

texts:
Definition of Tense:

  Tense is the form that a verb takes to show the time it happened.

So if someone ask me to give an example of the present tense can I answer with the basic from of a verb eg, be, play, work etc. instead of saying a full sentence like: I play football every day?

Likewise, an example of the past tense is played, not I played football yesterday?

Thanks in advance.


texts: is "you were sweet to help me / for helping me" the same as "it was sweet of you to help me"?

texts:
We got this structure in dictionaries

  to be sweet of somebody to do something

  Ex: it was sweet of you to help me

My question is: "you were sweet to help me" or "you were sweet for helping me"  (to & for in this case express the purpose, ex: I save money to buy a house) is the same as "it was sweet of you to help me"?


texts: Do we use past tense in a subordinating sentence when talking about a thing that a non-specific person might have done in the past?

texts:
When we use when or if or any other subordinating conjunctions (unless, because, and once, etc) to talk about a thing a non-specific person might have done in the past, do we use past tense?

Example 1: (when writing an article and referring to the reader's past.)

  (1) If you had an unhappy childhood, you are more protective of your kids.

  (2) When you had an unhappy childhood, you are more protective of your kids.

  (3) Unless you had a fortunate childhood, you are likely to be more protective of your kids.

  (4) If you are a beginner, your muscles can feel sore because you started lifting weights not long ago.

Example 2: (when talking about a non-specific person's past)

  (1) If a person had an unhappy childhood, he/she is more protective of his/her kids.

  (2) When a person had an unhappy childhood, he/she is more protective of his/her kids.

  (3) Unless a person had a fortunate childhood, he/she is likely to be more protective of his/her kids.

  (4) If a person is a beginner, his/her muscles can feel sore because he/she started lifting weights not long ago.


texts:
which one of those two sentences is correct

  "The professor called on me for question 1"

or

  "The professor called me on for question 1"


texts: Doing something that was started more recently and for a shorter period than another person

texts:
I'm thinking about a situation like this:

John started working at this company 2 years ago.
Mary started working at this company 1 year ago.

So, I want to say that Mary is working at this company having started "more recently" and (thus) "during a shorter period" than John. How could I convey that idea in a correct and concise way?


texts: Using 'in particular' and 'particularly'

texts:
I saw a n old SE question about the difference between 'in particular' and 'particularly'. I understand the difference between the two, but my question is whether they can both be used in the same sentence.

  eg: In particular, disease A is considered (to be?) particularly contagious.

Assuming that we were talking about many infectious diseases, the phrase 'in particular', I feel stresses on the disease and 'particularly' stresses on the severity of the contagiousness. Am I right? There are very few Google search results for sentences containing both these phrases.

I have three questions.

1) Can they be used in the same sentence or is it redundant?

2) Is the above sentence and my understanding of the nuances right?

3) (slightly off-topic) Does the sentence need the phrase in the brackets?

Thanks in advance.


texts: "half of pound" or "half of a pound" or "half pound"

texts:
Which of the following are the correct sentences:

you need half of the pound of potatoes.
you need the half of pound of potatoes.
you need the half pound of potatoes.
you need half pound potatoes.
you need half of a pound potatoes.
you need half of pound of potatoes.
you need a half of pound of potatoes.
you need a half of a pound potatoes.
you need half a pound of potatoes.
...

Is it the same for one third or other fractions of the form 1/x? Does it matter whether I put of in front of potatoes or a in front of half anyway? Do the same rules apply for year or liter instead of pound?


texts: Why does T S Eliot use "he do" in The Rum Tum Tugger?

texts:
In the poem “The Rum Tum Tugger”  by T S Eliot, I found a use of  do that looks utterly weird to me. This is the first stanza:

The Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat:
If you offer him pheasant he would rather have grouse.
If you put him in a house he would much prefer a flat,
If you put him in a flat then he'd rather have a house.
If you set him on a mouse then he only wants a rat,
If you set him on a rat then he'd rather chase a mouse.
Yes the Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat—
And there isn't any call for me to shout it:
For he will do
As he do do
And there's no doing anything about it!

The last three lines repeat in every stanza.
My problem is that I cannot understand the use of the "do" in bold.
If it were an emphatic do it should have been does.
Is the poet overlooking the grammar for it to look nicer?


texts: If 'get ready' is not proper here, what should it be?

texts:
In Indian dialect, the commonest phrase you find among us is get ready when we have plan to go out. It does not matter whether we are going to party, movie, outside eating or whatever... if we are going out of the home, we use this phrase to tell a person that they should get ready by...

putting up good attire
wear some accessories
do some makeup to look good
whatever it takes to go out comfortably

get ready, in Indian English will include everything that I mentioned and if you tell this phrase to any Indian while going out, he or she will understand that.

Since I'm keen to learn neutral English I found that get ready is not exactly what we understand. Also, natives tell this way - get ready for the [reason -say party] which makes better sense but then that's not the case. It's just outing and get ready for outing will mean something else and not putting up dress and ..till 4th point.

Is there any term/phrase that will convey this message. I don't want to use get ready for this after learning the meaning of get ready from here, here, and here.

What natives practice makes utter sense get ready for... but then in my case as I described, it won't make much sense (get ready for restaurant! get ready for the beach!..and so on...)

Again, to clarify, we use get ready in this way...

  "Okay, I'm bored; and we are going out. I don't know where but somewhere to unwind.   (After 30 minutes; to my wife) "Ah, what are you doing? get ready...fast." - And, she would understand all those 4 points up there!


texts:
Which is the better word to use here ?

  Each/every part of coconut tree is used by man.

I went through earlier posts regarding each / every on SE, I can distinguish between each and every in examples given in those posts e.g.

"its better to say Every apple is red instead of each apple is red"

but I am not able to decide in this sentence.


texts: What is the difference between "and" and "with"?

texts:
Do these two sentences express the same thought?

I go to the movie with you.
You and I go to the movie.

When would you choose one over the other?


texts:
Is this sentence grammatically correct and does it sound natural?

  Basement is where the wrecked useless stuff end up.

P.S. this is not a part of a broader context, this is from a short story I'm trying to write in English.


texts: What does the adjective "big" modify in this sentence?

texts:
In this sentence, does big modify basketball player or just player?

  He is a big basketball player.


texts: Wording for three different behaviors for a count-down timer hitting the maximum range

texts:
Imagine you have a timer that is set to a certain number of hours and minutes to elapse before going off. Now, if there's a button above the hour window and minute window and you click it, the value of the corresponding field will increment by one. If the minutes are set to 59, the display will turn to 0 and the hourly value will bump up one step.

The interesting thing occurs when we click the incrementor button for the hour and we reach the limit (let's say it's a 24 hours span). If we're at 23:37 and hit the hour button, I can imagine three different outcomes.

the display loops/wraps to 00:37
the display blocks/stays at 23:37
the display becomes/rounds to 24:00

My question is what would be a intuitive, natural and distinctive discrimination between those three strategies if it'd be put in words? Extra nice if it's a brief and single-word term for all three cases.

My current suggestion (which very well might suck a bag of donkeys) is as follows. I'm not happy with it and I can't decide which terms, if any, come across as intuitively natural and distinctively discriminating.

loop/wrap/continue
limit/restrict/block
round/push/spread

edit

Based on the answers/comments this far, I see the following list emerge. Feel free to criticize it as well. I'm still quite undecided on the first, unhappy with the second but rather satisfied with the third.

continue/flip
restrict
snap


texts:
In Pulp Fiction (1994), Wallace says to Butch:

Wallace: How many fights you think you got in you anyway? Two? Boxers
don't have an old-timers' day. You came close, but you never made it.
And if you were gonna make it, you would have made it before now.

What does "an old-timers' day mean?
Old Timer represents someone who has competed in a sport a while ago. Such as Michael Jordan (Famous Basketball Player) would be considered an Old Timer because he competed a long time ago. Old Timers Day I don’t know the meaning of though.


texts: Is it "I'm currently in the bathroom" or "I'm currently at the bathroom"?

texts: because "in" = general and "at" = specific place and I don't think the bathroom is specific or what?


texts:
Is "in this part" a correct phrase? For instance, if we say

In this part of the essay we talk about...

is this all right? I am trying to translate a construction from my language and "in this part" feels like the equivalent, but I am not sure if this is proper English.


texts: What is the meaning of "with big hugs and kisses" in the following sentence?

texts:
What is the meaning of "with big hugs and kisses" in the following sentence (source: UP, UP AND AWAY Susie),

  "At the arrival area, Susie and her parents pick up their luggage.
  Susie watches all the different suitcases ride along the carousel.
  "Here come ours!" she shouts. They find Susie's grandparents waiting
  with big hugs and kisses. "How did you like your first ride in the
  sky Susie?" they ask.

Does "They find Susie's grandparents waiting with big hugs and kisses" mean "They find that Susie's grandparents are waiting with open their arms and pushing their lips forward"?


texts:
Can we use the phrase "for a change" to make a sarcastic comment or insulting comment like

  Why don't we let her say this good news to others, for a change

Or

  You have made quite a good point, for a change


texts: inform of, come to know something or aware of

texts:
You are informed of something

  You come to know something

  You are aware of something

Would anyone explain the difference between those? And whether or not one can use them interchangeably? If so, when?


texts:
Fill in the right word.
Bread is usually made ______ wheat.
1) of
2) from
3) with
4) by


texts: The meaning of "a something" in dictionaries

texts:
I always came across this definition in dictionaries(a something) . When a dictionary uses a something instead of something, does it mean I have to use countable noun?

For example : The title of this phrase is "more/less/much of a something"

And the dictionary gives example about that phrase:

  1- It was really more of a comment than a question.

Can I use uncountable nouns in that structure? For example:

  2- The taste of the drink was more of wine than liquor.

Or do I have to use a before uncountable nouns:

  2a- the taste of the drink was more of a wine than a
  liquor.

Or shouldn't I use this structure with uncountable nouns?


texts: What is the difference between "should" and "supposed to be"

texts:
Please clarify to me in which context to use "supposed to be"?

  You are supposed to be here.

  You should be here.

Are both of them correct or is there  any difference in its usage?


texts:
I read this sentence in a book:

  Being jealous, Mona would not let her boyfriend dance with any of the
  cheerleaders.

I've seen similiar sentences starting with "being" but I don't know why an english person should start a sentence like that! If I was going to say the same things, maybe i would say this one:

  Mona didn't let her boyfriend dance with any of the cheerleaders
  because she was jealous.

Now these are my questions:

When do English people start a sentence with "being"?
What's the difference between my sentence and the first sentence?
Is my sentence right at all?


texts:
Can we say "What a song from what an album!"?

Context: Let's say I love a song and I love the album that song is in too. Can I say that sentence to praise that song I like along with the album? I know we can use the "What (a)" structure to praise something or somebody, but in the sentence I gave, after the word "from", "what a" sounded kind of, like, wrong to me but it also sounds kind of familiar. What do you think about it?


texts: How to put one direct speech into another direct speech?

texts:
I am writing a letter. a piece of that, is as follows:

My grandson’s class mate told:

  “When I was a little boy I had a broken donkey doll. I loved that, but one day my mother discarded it. When I noticed, I began to cry. The day after that the phone rang, and my mother picked it up. She told me “Come on, the ghost of that donkey wants to talk with you.” Then I heard “ I am the ghost of that donkey. Now I am in heaven. Here is very good place and I am so happy. Blah, blah, blah” This made me calm. When I became older I understood that the ghost of my donkey doll was my father.”

As you can see I have to use direct speech into a bigger direct speech. So did I do that correctly or not?


texts:
Who's exactly refer to the act of "confessing a secret" here?

  You are going to read one of a series of articles from The Times called Family Secrets, which are unsigned and use fictitious names, and in which readers of the newspaper confess a secret.

If I'm not wrong 'confess a secret' means 'admit a secret' or 'reveal a secret'.

So here, why the author wrote 'readers confess a secret' instead of writing 'A member of those families confess a secret'?


texts: Do we use simple present tense to express future events for things that are on to-do lists?

texts:
This site says:

  Speakers occasionally use Simple Present to talk about scheduled
  events in the near future. This is most commonly done when talking
  about public transportation, but it can be used with other scheduled
  events as well.

  Examples:

  The train leaves tonight at 6 PM.

  The bus does not arrive at 11 AM, it arrives at 11 PM.

  When do we board he plane?

  The party starts at 8 o'clock.

  When does class begin tomorrow?

First & foremost, What does "scheduled" mean?

  In dictionary, to schedule: to arrange for something to happen at a
  particular time

Anything can be arranged to happen at a particular time, Eg: a to-do list

I am not sure things on a to-do list are things scheduled?

See this example:

Today is 20 June 17. Ok, let see this to-do list. This is an one-off event and this list only  happens once, not a regular event. That is this list is effective on 21 June 17 only.

  On 21 June 17

  1pm: Lunch with Mary

  2pm: Meeting with Bob

  ....

So, is it ok to say "The meeting with Bob starts at 2 pm"?


texts: 'Left middle finger' or 'Middle finger of left hand'?

texts:
If I write about a person's identification mark, which of the following two sentences is better?

1. A black mole on the left middle finger.

2. A black mole on the middle finger of the left hand.


texts: What does "dragging something onto nationalist ground" mean?

texts:
The politician dragging the debate onto nationalist ground is Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front (FN).

Does it mean Marine Le pen is trying to make the debate all about nationalism rather than economy or etc?

http://www.theworldin.com/edition/2017/article/12593/fight-france


texts:
I want to inquire about the difference in meaning between these two sentences:

The code must work perfectly.
The code should work perfectly.

For instance how the usage of "must" and "should" in the previous sentences will change the meaning?


texts: Is it grammatically correct to omit the "to" in the following sentence?

texts:
The British government would pay anyone who could build the best locomotive large sum of money.

-or should I say-

The British government would pay large sum of money to anyone who could build the best locomotive.


texts: Can numerals denoting cardinal numbers take articles (not nouns that follow them)?

texts:
He's taller than the other two.
  One factory of the four has already been idled in the town.

'Two' and 'four' in these sentences are still grammatically numerals and they took articles, right?

The articles in the sentences are not linked to some omitted phantom nouns, are they ('the other two [boys]', 'of the four [factories]')?
So what is the complete list of parts of speech that can take articles (not just be next to them)? Is it only nouns, numerals, and pronouns ('the one who...')?


texts: Is "I didn't get your name" only used when someone has told you their name but you forgot it so you ask again or is it also natural to use when the other hasn't mentioned his or her name?


texts: Shouldn't there be "from" instead of "to" in this sentence?

texts:
I read this sentence in a weekly magazine published by "The Hindu":

  However we may protest to the contrary, we do judge and remember a book by its cover, Covers decide if the reader will take the book to the sales counter or ditch it.

We take book from a sales counter not to a sales counter.


texts: "Understood" for replying to given information or an explanation

texts:
When someone explained something to me and I understood the explanation, does it sound ok to reply "Understood."?

Example 1
A: He will come late to the office today due to a delay of the train.
B: OK, understood.

Example 2
A. Please ask Mr. XX about it because he's in charge of it.
B. Understood. Thanks.

As you can see, I assume a situation where A is not telling an order or an instruction, but more just information.

An English teacher told me that it might contain some negative implication that I have no other choices but to understand it as told. Do you agree?

And how about saying "I see." in the same contexts?


texts:
Which is correct and why:

We're waiting for a response to our request.
We're waiting for a response for our request.
We're waiting for a response about our request.


texts: What is the difference between 'EVERY TIME' and 'EVERY SINGLE TIME'

texts: I just heard this in conversation among my friends. Is there in difference between to say every time and every single time.


texts: Using the word “droughts" after it has rained

texts:
Since it rained today, then it will no longer be drought. So it is correct to use:

  It had been droughts for days and finally it rained today.

or should I put it in:

  It has been droughts for days


texts:
Blockquote

Which word is appropriate for the blank at the end of this sentence and why?

  The question of forgery in photography has lately become nontrivial.
  Prices for vintage prints (those made by a photographer soon after he
  or she made the negative) so drastically ballooned in the 1990s that
  one of these photographs might fetch a hundred times as much as a
  non-vintage print of the same image. It was perhaps only a matter of
  time before someone took advantage of the ______________ to peddle newly
  created "vintage" prints for profit.

A) Discrepancy

B) Ambiguity

The definition of discrepancy is given as follows or to have a good view it is here

  Blockquote
  DEFINITIONS OF:
  discrepancy
  1
  n a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions
  Synonyms:
  disagreement, divergence, variance
  Types:
  allowance, leeway, margin, tolerance
  a permissible difference; allowing some freedom to move within limits
  Type of:
  difference
  the quality of being unlike or dissimilar
  n an event that departs from expectations
  Synonyms:
  variance, variant
  Type of:
  departure, deviation, difference, divergence
  a variation that deviates from the standard or norm

The meaning which fits here is the difference between conflicting facts and claims, which is clearly the case here. Again the meaning of ambiguity is here. In the last meaning it is given that an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context. I can also extrapolate this definition to fit in this particular scenario here. Why this vintage prints were sold at such high prices against the non vintage ones itself couldn't be clearly understood! So I thought that both the words have a chance in this blank and hence having a confusion.


texts:
The sentence in my cover letter is:

  I was able to build positive customer relationships by answering calls promptly and maintaining a friendly attitude.

"built" sounds less passive than "able to build" but is it grammatically correct?


texts: using present tenses to express future in relative clauses

texts:
The following three sentences, which forms are correct?

The people who will arrive at the meeting want to get some free drinks.(I can't delete will right?)

The people who arrive the meeting tomorrow need to sign their names on the paper.(no "will", right?)

The train which is refilled tomorrow morning leaves at 9 pm.(no will, because leaves means future right?)


texts:
What’s the best way of presenting the “contents” of my wish if they consist of one desired happening and two more happenings that should precede it?

The desired happening: the “wishee” (the person on whom the “wisher” is bestowing his wish) must find what he wants in his life;

The first happening that should take place prior to that: the “wishee” must reach the full age (the age of 18);

The second happening that should take place before the desired one: the “wishee” must become independent;

1) Should I use a gerund with a relative clause?:

  I wish him only one thing – finding what he wants in his life after
  he has reached the full age and become independent.

2) Or should I use gerunds everywhere?:

  I wish him only one thing – finding what he wants in his life after
  reaching the full age and becoming independent.

3) Or should I use a to-infinitive clause with a relative clause?:

  I wish him only one thing – to find what he wants in his life after
  he has reached the full age and become independent.

4) Or should I use a to-infinitive clause with gerunds?:

  I wish him only one thing – to find what he wants in his life
  after reaching the full age and becoming independent.

5) Or should I use a so-that construction with a relative clause?:

  I wish him only one thing – so that (he would find / he finds) what he
  wants in his life after he has reached the full age and become
  independent.

6) Or should I use a so-that construction with gerunds?:

  I wish him only one thing – so that (he would find / he finds) what he
  wants in his life after reaching the full age and becoming
  independent.

7) Or should I use a so-that construction with embedded “having + past participle” construction?:

  I wish him only one thing – so that, having reached the full age
  and become independent, (he would find / he finds) what he wants in
  his life.

8) Or what?


texts: Word/phrasal verb/expression for a man who has no religious values?

texts: What is the word for the person whose values doesn't confine to that don't comport with those of his religion? Because he drinks, lies and is morally corrupt.


texts:
I think both started and starting make sense. Which is preferred? Is there any subtle difference in meaning?

Started in 1987, the festival exhibits more than 550 varieties of mangoes and provides a rare opportunity to taste them all for free.

Starting in 1987, the festival exhibits more than 550 varieties of mangoes and provides a rare opportunity to taste them all for free.


texts:
I am wondering whether this sentence is correct:

  The scenes consist of about 400 images showing a non-moving ball at various locations while the rest are sequences of a moving ball.

...or if there has to be comma:

  The scenes consist of about 400 images, showing a non-moving ball at various locations while the rest are sequences of a moving ball.

Since The scenes consist of about 400 images is the main clause, I would consider that a comma is needed there...but I am not sure.

EDIT: Meanwhile a colleague of mine suggested the following:

  The scenes consist of about 400 images, showing a non-moving ball at various locations, while the rest are sequences of a moving ball.


texts: "would like to have Vpp" or "would have liked to V"

texts:
Suppose you were reading a dictionary that wasn't available when you were a student. Which of the following forms would you use?

This dictionary is excellent. I would like to have had a copy when I was a student. / I would have liked to have a copy when I was a student.


texts: What do the native speakers say for the indian expression "I have a head bath today"

texts: i have heard expressionsions like I have a total bath or I have a head  bath. i think native speakers saythat I have washed my hair in the similar instance. what are the other possible expressions


texts: Question about the use of "that's" and the portmanteau word "tigon"

texts:
I think I've found two errors in this passage (marked as bold):

  Ligers tend to have characteristics more like lions than tigers. A creature can be created that’s more like a tiger, though. This offspring of a male tiger and a female lion is called a tigon.

QUESTIONS:

I think that the phrase "that's" is superfluous and the text would be better if it was deleted.  Am I right? (But if that phrase "that's" is acceptable, then what function is it performing here?)
I think that the name of that animal was misspelled and it should have been spelled as "tiglon". Am I right?


texts: An idiomatic verb for a question that is still open and unanswered?

texts:
There is a vast literature on this topic but this important question/problem
  is still _____ .

  Among the questions/problems that are yet ______ in this field is about the
  relation between X and Y.

I am looking for a verb to say that there is no answer at all for that question, or that there is no noticeable answer or approaches to answer it, or that the question is still quite open.

I can simply say unanswered but that seems a bit too determined. I also thought of open and then I came to unsettled which seems to me the most idiomatic option in that context. What do you think? Any other suggestions?


texts: a poet and a writer OR a poet and writer - Which expression is correct?

texts:
Are there any rules for this phrases? I don't see the difference between these phrases.

① Although better known today as a poet and a writer, Kelly wrote the lyrics to more than 534 popular songs.

② She was also a poet and writer, publishing a number of soccer articles for the magazines.

Thanks


texts:
I'm looking for an adverb which can be used in a certain situation.
is there any adverb i can use when i try to put a thing or someone in something else even though it is not properly fit? like which could be used both physically(literally) and figuratively.
in a figurative situation, for example, if a football manager put a player in a certain position which is not his original one with the manager's unilateral decision, what word is the best use for this situation?

"This manager put him in the position (adverb)."

i looked up a dictionary and found "forcefully" "by force" "against one's will".
for me, however, they seem to be specific to "physical" thing. like,

"This manager put a chair in the box forcefully."

what i'm looking for is the one/ones with more wide range of that meaning that i literally can use in any situation depends on context. Or could i just use "forcefully" "by force" "against one's will" these words? like,

"This manager put him in the position forcefully." (not literally by force but figuratively)

it's really hard to explain what i want to ask since i'm not a native English speaker but hope
it delivers clearly what i exactly want to ask. thank you for your time and hope you guys are having a great day.


texts: Does "before Dec 10 midnight" mean "before Dec 09 - 23:59" or "before Dec 10 - 23:59"?

texts: When a deadline says, submit "before Dec 10 midnight". Does it mean "before Dec 09 - 23:59" or "before Dec 10 - 23:59"?


texts: What is the phrase for the description below?

texts:
So I'm trying to make a sentence and convey the meaning that ignorance is bliss but I learned that there were this many things I didn't know and then learned about the things I didn't know about but I'm just looking for how to say that I learned all the things that I didn't know in a concise way.
Basically
what is it called when you learn that there is so many things you didn't know?


texts: I wonder how native English speaker perceives 'make' in this expression

texts:
"make landfall"

e.g, The hurricane made landfall.

I know what "landfall" means.

I know "make landfall" means "to reach or hit or strike a certain area."
But I can't understand well the meaning of "make" in the expression, as I am not a native English speaker.

I wonder how native English speaker perceives it.

Please don't give the answer that "It's just idiom."


texts:
I have a question about the usage of "pay":

  He paid the agent $100.
  He paid $100 to the agent.

Is the second pattern nonstandard? I don't seem to be able to find it in dictionaries.


texts: Is San Francisco near the "**sea**" or the "**ocean**"?

texts:
When I was chatting with a native English speaker, I said

  San is Francisco near the "sea".

He told me, he would say

  San is Francisco near the "ocean"

Cambridge Dictionary gives this definition about "sea"

  the salty water that covers a large part of the surface of the earth, or a large area of salty water, smaller than an ocean, that is partly or completely surrounded by land

and this for ocean

  a very large area of sea

Is it a matter of style, formal vs. informal of some kind of grammatical rule?


texts:
When we have a habit of doing something, how do we make a sentence?
He is habitual of drinking alcohol.
Does it sound fine?


texts: Nuances in expressing how someone joined a tribe

texts:
This is about a translation of an old text from German. The passage:

  Er ließ sich unter den Stamm aufnehmen. (Stamm = tribe)

When I enter this into gTranslate this is rendered as

  He allowed himself to be taken under the tribe.

However "unter" is an archaic expression and would be changed to "in" today.

DeepL renders a possible translation as:

  He was taken in by the tribe.

When discussing the best way to translate this others came up with the following ideas:

  a) He affiliated himself with the tribe.
   b) He made the tribe affiliate him.
   c) He had himself admitted into tribe.
   d) He got himself accepted into tribe.
   e) He contrived to have himself accepted into the tribe.
   f) He let himself become admitted into the tribe.
   g) He was admitted to the tribe.

My understanding of the current passage in the original is that the protagonist has a passive role in joining the tribe, since it is the tribe's decision of letting him join or not. I am looking for the most literal translation, retaining the archaic style of the original that expresses in good grammar what I interpret from the original.

Comparing the machine translations and the human translations the human variants a–e seem to change the meaning, f is probably too stiff and too literal.

Since I might be wrong on my interpretation of the content in the first place, correcting explanations on that are also very welcome.

Which of these translations comes closest to the original, why?

Disclosure: this is the reverse version spun off from another question on another SE. Since not only was I involved in that discussion but also quite puzzled by the answers I would like to gain more insight into what I apparently missed in these nuances. It would prefer it if you write down any answers before having a look at that other question or even completely without looking at it. But of course, there is perhaps more context to be found.


texts: Do both sentences have the same meaning?

texts:
1.He didn't run because he was afraid.

2.He did run not because he was afraid.

I want to know they are the same.


texts: What does this pronoun indicate in the below passage? "Nonsense and silliness"? or "kids"? or "adults"?

texts:
What does "they" indicate in the below passage? "Nonsense and silliness"? or "kids"? or "adults"?
By any chance, if "they" means "adults", does the sentence seem  right to you English native speakers in terms of context?

Probably the biggest roadblock to play for adults is the worry that
they will look silly, improper, or dumb if they allow themselves to
truly play. Or they think that it is irresponsible, immature, and
childish to give themselves regularly over to play. (Nonsense and
silliness come naturally to kids, but they get pounded out by
norms that look down on “frivolity.”)


texts: Is it correct to say "Exciting movies are hard to find"?

texts:
Is the following sentence correct?

  Exciting movies are hard to find.

I know people usually say that it is hard to find exciting movies.   But I have to make a sentence that starts with exciting movies are adjective to infinitives. Is the given sentence correct? Could you help me clarify it?


texts:
I want to to ask a question, but I do not know the right one in the following two questions:
- Who have agreed on that with you?
- Who has agreed on that with you?


texts: past continuous vs past perfect continuous

texts:
What is the difference between these two sentences?

I took my car to the garage because it wasn't working properly. This means that at that moment my car wasn't working properly.

I took my car to the garage because it hadn't been working properly. This means that over a period of time it had not been working properly.

Am I correct?