texts:
Does B's reply sound natural in the following dialogue? Here, he is obviously denying he has an invisibility cloak to show he doesn't believe John has a Cadillac. Are there any constraints on this pattern? Some people say I should begin the main clause with "I am . . . " with this pattern to indicate absurdity. Is that necessary?

A: Did you know John owns a Cadillac?

B: If he owns a Cadillac, I own an invisibility cloak.

I am wondering whether there is a punchiness requirement on the main clause of this pattern.
Compare the following sentences:

If that's Princess Anne, then I'm able to fly from Zurich to San Francisco in just under two hours and wenty minutes.

If that’s Princess Anne, I’m a Dutchman.

If John owns a Cadillac, I own an invisibility cloak.


texts:
I thought of you as everything I've had but could not keep

  Lou Reed: Pale Blue Eyes

Is could past simple or conditional? I think it is past simple because have had means I've just lost you.


texts:
there are phrases on paper saying things like

  at its most radical

  at its + superlative

and there is no way of understanding the meaning of this phrase because I can't find it on dictionary.

The closest search to this phrase is "at the most" which is not what the phrase means

The following is the full sentence where the phrase I found is used:

  At its most radical, moralism produces descriptions of ideal political societies known as Utopias.


texts:
What does the failing sun mean? Is it the same as the setting sun?

As in:

  He struggled up, shivering, vaguely surprised that he was still wet to his skin, and saw the cup lying innocently in the grass before him and the lake, deep-blue shot with gold in the failing sun.

  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows


texts:
What are the similarities and differences?

adjudge = 1. Consider or declare to be true or the case:
adjudicate = 1. Make a formal judgement on a disputed matter

I tried to read the etymology to see if anything shifted semantically, but I was confused because
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=adjudge&allowed_in_frame=0 contains 'adiudicare', while http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=adjudicate&searchmode=none explicitly links to the previous link for 'adjudge'.


texts: Prepositional /infinitive phrase as sentence connectors

texts:
When prepositional /infinitive phrases are used as sentence connectors i. e they come at the beginning of the sentence, what is their status in the sentence. Are they mere connectors or they also are integral part of the sentence they introduce.

Example:- He is a hardworking man. Apart from this, he is also very diligent. Here "apart from this" is only a connector or also integral part of the sentence "he is also very diligent.

Similarly, "He wants to be rich. To achieve his objective, he is working very hard. "To achieve his objective"is only a connector or also an integral part of the sentence "he is woking very hard" acting as adverbial.

Thanks


texts: What does "one is to do something" mean?

texts:
What does construction one are to do something mean. E.g. in this context:

  Imagine, that you are to open an online shop.


texts:
I've written the sentence

  The samples are sent to a laboratory in order for scientists to analyse them.

However, my teacher told me that the phrase "in order for [someone] to [verb]" is incorrect. I did some searches and it seems like it still exists (e.g. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20order%20for%20(someone%20or%20something)%20to).
Is there a mistake in my use of this phrase or is my teacher wrong?


texts:
What is the difference in meaning between the two?

  I saw him as lately as the last Monday.

  I saw him as lately as Monday.

Meanwhile, would you possibly show me what "as lately as" means?


texts: The meaning of "scale" in "because diversions scale so easily wealth becomes concentrated"

texts:
And because diversions scale so easily—after all, who doesn’t want to
  post selfies on Instagram?—wealth becomes extremely concentrated in
  fewer hands.

As you know the word Scale as a verb has many meanings:

to weigh in scales
to remove the scale or scales from
to take off in thin layers or scales
to throw (something, such as a thin, flat stone) so that the edge
cuts the air or so that it skips on water
to attack with or take by means of scaling ladders
to climb up or reach by means of a ladder
to reach the highest point of : SURMOUNT
to arrange in a graduated series
to measure by or as if by a scale
to pattern, make, regulate, set, or estimate according to some rate
or standard : ADJUST

So, Could you tell me please which one explains the sentence?

The fuller text:

  There’s one last component to this harebrained theory that I still
  haven’t spoken about: inequality. During periods of prosperity, more
  and more economic growth is driven by diversions. And because
  diversions scale so easily—after all, who doesn’t want to post selfies
  on Instagram?—wealth becomes extremely concentrated in fewer hands.
  This growing wealth disparity then feeds the “revolution of rising
  expectations.” Everyone feels that their life is supposed to be
  better, yet it’s not what they expected; it’s not as pain-free as they
  had hoped. Therefore, they line up on their ideological sides— master
  moralists over here, slave moralists over there—and they fight.

Additinal note(I added this note and the question below after some people answered the original question):

In other page of his book the author mentions:

  Bernays’s political beliefs were appalling. He believed in what I
  suppose you could call “diet fascism”: same evil authoritarian
  government but without the unnecessary genocidal calories. Bernays
  believed that the masses were dangerous and needed to be controlled by
  a strong centralized state. But he also recognized that bloody
  totalitarian regimes were not exactly ideal. For him, the new science
  of marketing offered a way for governments to influence and appease
  their citizens without the burden of having to maim and torture them
  left, right, and center. You know, because torture doesn’t scale
  well.

Does he use two "scale" in the same way?


texts: The meaning of "smiling over her shoulder"

texts:
https://genius.com/James-arthur-say-you-wont-let-go-lyrics

  [Verse 1] I met you in the dark

  You lit me up

  You made me feel as though

  I was enough

  We danced the night away

  We drank too much

  I held your hair back when

  You were throwing up

  [Pre-Chorus] Then you smiled over your shoulder

  For a minute, I was stone cold sober

  I pulled you closer to my chest

  And you asked me to stay over

  I said, I already told ya

  I think that you should get some rest

We have "look over your shoulder" but I could not find the exact meaning of "smile over your shoulder".

Does it mean the girl is walking away from you , stopping for a moment , turning his head , looking at you and then smiling?


texts: How would an upcoming skit/act in the theater be announced in English?

texts:
An announcer in a comedy theater (I don't know how to call it; a small theater where actors are acting out some small funny skits) wants to prepare the audience for the next skit. So, he provides some background information for the upcoming act and wants the audience to clap their hands, thus, giving a signal for the actors to start performing.

What would the announcer typically say in this situation? Could he say something like "Please, welcome our next skit!", or "Please, welcome our next act!", or something totally different? (Not sure if it's okay in English to welcome an event instead of a person.)

I am especially interested in a case when the announcer wants to use a title for the skit. For example, "So, please greet our next act "The Tortoise and the Rabbit"!"


texts: Should I use past simple or past perfect

texts:
Before I made a second order that did well, I had thought my first
  order had not gone through.But when I received the confirmation for
  both orders, I knew the first order had also succeeded. I realised I
  had ordered the item twice.

Shall I say had succeeded or succeeded?

I would choose had succeeded because the first order succeeded first and I knew this only after I received the confirmation.


texts: What is the meaning of "hospitality maintenance"?

texts: I saw there's a kind of job called "hospitality maintenance", but I just can't find specific explanation of or concrete description of it. I want to know how I can relate it to certain kind of jobs or industry in my country. Thanks!


texts: They have been to Washington (they are there now vs. they are back now)

texts:
I have have been reading about the present perfect and come across this example on this page. First have a look at the example and then find my question below, please.
The Martin family are on holiday in North America. Here are their travel plans:

Monday – am Niagara Falls, Canada. pm Fly to New York City.
Tuesday – New York City
Wednesday pm.– Arrive in Washington
Thursday - Washington
Friday– am Fly to Boston

It’s Wednesday morning. Are the sentences true or false?

[The Martin family have already (been) to Washington.]
[The Martin family have not yet been to Boston.]
[The Martin family have visited New York City.]

Let's suppose it is Wednesday evening (not morning). How do we differentiate between:

Yes, they have; which means they have arrived and they are there now which I think is what the authors would write if it was Wednesday evening, and
Yes, they have; which means they have gone and come back as in:

Have they been to Washington? Yes, they have.

Some related information:

An interesting answer to the question: Have been to/have been in a place
A Youtube video of an English teacher teaching the present perfect tense with verb to be: The verb "be" in the present perfect tense: have been. Clicking on the link takes you directly at 2m:53s where he uses this example: The have been in Washington since Monday.


texts:
This is the context:

  Once there is a limitation (from a self-referential paradox or in any other way), it
  is not hard to find other limitations by looking at reductions. One limitation can
  piggyback on another. In fact, a careful reading of chapter 6 and of section 9.3 will
  demonstrate that only one problem was shown to be computationally unsolvable: the
  Halting Problem. All the other problems were simply shown to be reductions of the
  Halting Problem. From a single limitation, one can go on to build an entire edifice of
  limitations. We wonder if perhaps every type of limitation somehow comes from
  some form of self-referential limitation or a reduction from such a limitation.

  Source: The Outer Limits of Reason: What Science, Mathematics, and Logic Cannot Tell Us

What is the meaning of "wonder if perhaps" in this context? I have trouble understanding this, because "if" and "perhaps" is in the sentence consecutively.

My take of it: "We are curious to know whether it is possible that the origins of every type of limitation are some form of self-referential limitation or a reduction from such a limitation."


texts:
Do the rules of sequence of tenses apply to an adjective clause? Can the tense of an adjective clause be different from the main clause? The examples are as follows.

The latest preliminary report I’ve seen said that more than 100 people had died in Mexico City alone.

We asked a handful of writers who have covered technology for The New Yorker to discuss these questions over e-mail and suggest something like a way forward.

The growth and shifting demographics brought a vibrancy to the local community that has been embraced by people of different races and backgrounds.


texts:
If someone is asking me about my nationality what is the correct answer?

Question: Where are you from?

  I am from...
  I come from...


texts: "The last book I've read is" vs past-simple

texts:
I've troubles understanding why the tenses for the following sentence should be in the past:

  The last book I have read is Animal Farm, and it's really good.

I've been corrected (not from a native), stating that, instead of using the present-simple and the present-perfect, I should use the past-simple:

  The last book I read was Animal Farm, and it was really good.

I understand that the past-simple for read may be preferred since it's a finished action in the past. But, that book still is the last book I read, and the book still is good.

If that book was a pizza, I may understand that you won't be able to eat it again, so it was good, but a book still is: unless I'm not sure anymore, or I don't have an opinion anymore.


texts:
Does the truth of someone's position mean its quality of being based on fact?

The dictionary defines the verb acknowledge as to admit the truth or existence of something.
If so, consider the following sentences:

The US acknowledges the position that Taiwan is a part of China.
The US acknowledges that Taiwan is a part of China.

Can #1 be interpreted to mean the US admits the truth of the position according to the dictionary definition? Does that in turn mean that the US admits there's some truth in the position?


texts: "Noted. Thank you" as an answer to a letter informing about task completion? I mean office correspondence

texts: Is it correct and polite to end business letter with "Noted. Thank you" as an answer to a letter informing about task completion?


texts: The preference of using Present Perfect Continuos

texts:
This is a translating task. The key says that the answer is "did you speak" (off topic: "speak" or "talk"). But I'm pretty sure that I should use Present Perfect Continuous. In this case it is an exlusive form and we feel some kind of incompleteness, for example, "she is frustrated by his speech". Moreover speaker this question expresses some kind of author's anger, irritation or even criticism.

  Why have you been talking to her in that manner?


texts: What is the texture of a fruit which is not hard/fresh anymore?

texts:
When I pick up an apple from the garden, it is rather hard.

If I then wait for 2 weeks, it becomes _ _ _ , which means it is not hard anymore, and not as tasty because the food's texture has changed.

What is the word I am looking for here? (this kind of texture, preferably not just for food)
In French I would say mou, in Japanese 柔らかい.
But the proposed translations "soft" and "pliable" do not seem to convey the concept.


texts: question regarding usage of the idiom “driving me up the wall”

texts:
english is not my first language, and i’m trying to write a poem.
can you say “this feeling is driving me up the wall” to explain the frustration of having a crush or is it unnatural? i also don’t want to mean it in a sexual way haha


texts: "for whom" or "for who" (in the following sentence)

texts:
What's correct in the next sentence, "for whom" or "for who"

"This site is also for whom English is not his mother tongue."

The options are:

  This site is also for whom English is not his mother tongue.
  This site is also for who English is not his mother tongue.


texts:
In "The New Jersey Sphinx" in Dr. Thorndyke's Case-Book by R. Austin Freeman, a man found a hat that he was searching for, then said:

"Great Solomon Eagle!" he gasped. "Do you see, doctor? It's THE hat."

I see that it's an exclamation expression, but I didn't meet it before, does it refer to a particular meaning?


texts:
What is the negation of the below phrase?

  The need for tester programming

Is the below phrase true?

  Not the need for tester programming

What about below phrases?

  not needing to tester programming
  not need to tester programming
  not needing tester programming


texts: What does "reflect such" mean in this context?

texts:
Can anybody explain reflect such and cap for me in this context?

"The corporate tax rate is likely cut in the first 100 days and other proposed major corporate tax code changes deferred. The time in-between inauguration and tax cuts is risky; waiting for stimulus when rates and FX markets reflect such will cap stocks."

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-outlook-for-2017-2016-12/#2300-bank-of-america-merrill-lynch-1


texts:
I'm confused about the examples below:

a) State of Florida vs Florida State
b) Department of transportation vs transportation department
c) ego state vs state of ego

What are correct? Does each line have the same meaning whether I use either the first or second example?

Thank you in advance.


texts:
I thought I was informed the usage of "susceptible", which is, to be susceptible to + noun

  He's highly susceptible to flattery. src

  She isn't very susceptible to flattery. src

  These plants are particularly susceptible to frost. src

In the examples above, all of the words come after "susceptible to" are nouns.

However, Oxford Learner's dictionaries says

  [not usually before noun]

Could someone make up a situation where "to be susceptible to" is not with a noun or a noun phrase?


texts: Can I use "get off" to mean "just finished"?

texts:
I use the phrase 'get off' to mean "just finished." For example:

I just got off watching the movie.
I just got off reading the novel.

This is inspired by phrases like these:

I just got off the phone.
I just got off work.

I looked my phrases up and did not get a lot of relevant hits. My question is: do they make sense to a native speaker? Or they need to be modified?


texts: Uses of the definite article (the) in generic noun phrases

texts:
I was reading a paragraph about lions and I came up with a question about the definite article (the).

Let me tell you first what I know about it.

  1->We use the before a singular noun (when we are sure about the noun.
   And the listener and the speaker both know about it).

  2->We use the before a plural noun (again when we are sure about the noun,
  and we are not talking generally).

So, my question is why does the writer use the here as we are not talking about any specific lion or lions. We are talking generally.

The Paragraph:

  Living in the grasslands, scrub, and open woodlands of sub-Saharan
  Africa, the lion is the second largest cat in the world. It is dwarfed
  slightly by the tiger, which is closely related and has a very similar
  body type.

Can we re-write the paragraph something like this:

  Living in grasslands, scrub, and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa,
  lions are the second largest cat in the world. They are dwarfed
  slightly by tigers, they are closely related and has a very similar
  body type.


texts: Do I use the definite article before a type of transport only when I use a certain type of transport on a regular basis?

texts:
Do I only use the before a specific transport only when I regularly use it. For example:

  I take the bus to work.

Let's say don't usually go somewhere by cab, but I decided to use it on one occasion. Do I still have to use the? For example:

  Yesterday I took the cab home yesterday?


texts: "Had gone to" in the meaning of "had been to" in the past perfect and unreal conditionals

texts:
I have been wondering for a while about "been to" vs "gone to" in the past pefect and unreal conditionals.

I always thought that we use been to describe completed visits. For example, if we have visited a place and then returned we have been there. If someone visits a place but has not come home they have gone there.

But what about "had gone to" in the past perfect and unreal conditionals? I have a feeling that "had gone to" can have a meaning "went to place and then returned". I have encountered it in this meaning many times. Examples from COCA:

I had gone to school in three different states since first grade: upstate New York; Nashville, Tennessee; and now California.

He had gone to school, gone to law school, joined the police force, had used up most of his life unaware that what he really wanted to do.

You would think that my dad had gone to college, says Dave, but this is not so, as yet. He wanted to go to college, but a war intervened.

Most of the examples seem to be related to education. But I was recently watching the movie "Baywatch" amd one of the characters, a former Olympic swimmer, says at one point:

If it wasn't for that pool [in my foster home], I probably wouldn't have gone to the Olympics.

I tried to change "gone" to "been" in all these sentences and it just doesn't seem right.

Is this use really common? Are there any rules about it? Why do grammar textbooks not mention anything about this?


texts: In the sentence: ‘Mr. Thomson and his family of three came to my home.’ Is the ‘family of three’ part including Mr. Thomson himself or not?


texts: My friend and I live in two different cities. What I want to say is that when we meet we try to meet at a spot that is situated between the two cities , splitting the distance in half. What is the expression?


texts: Problem with the sentence structure. Colon

texts:
I have the sentence below. This sentence can be split into separate parts, but I'm confused by the use of colons. I added the first colon, because I want to list my career goals:

Become an expert.
understand all data life cycles.

With the second colon I list life cycles:

From mainframes
To implemented software products

  I'm guaranteed "XXX"  is a place where I can achieve my career goals:
  become a big data expert and understand all data life cycles:  from
  mainframes where data is stored to an implemented software products
  for a better life of business.


texts: How to express "friends that I only know them on internet" English?

texts:
I've come up with these options:

Friends On Network (searched, this is not used very common)
Friends Online (I think it's ambiguous, it can also mean the friends that are not offline but they're currently using the internet)

I think these are all inaccurate. How do native English speakers express that?


texts:
(a)He will/(b)bake a cake/(c)today in the evening/(d)No error.

What option would have been correct in case this is how the question would have looked like?

I feel that it should be - in the evening today instead of today in the evening. But this is just my gut feeling and not based on any rule.
Can anyone guide If I am right or wrong? Thanks.


texts: Should I use "kissed" or "kiss" in this sentence?

texts:
Should I use the simple past tense or the present tense?

  Would you mind very much if I kissed you?

  Would you mind very much if I kiss you?


texts: Each person have or has? And about "it"?

texts:
Each person have or each person has?

And more: Each person have/has its own way to learn or each person have/has his own way to learn?

I'm asking this because I found some contradictions on the internet and I'm here to get a more concise answer.

Thanks in advance!


texts: Rescue workers are drilling a hole through hard rock. Why not a hard rock?

texts: Rescue workers are drilling a hole through hard rock. Why not a hard rock or hard rocks?


texts:
When you ask someone for certain files, which of the followings is correct?

They are not uploaded on the website, can you please upload them when you have a chance?
Those are not uploaded on the website, can you please upload those when you have a chance?

I have always used they before, but I feel like those is correct. Is either one correct?


texts:
In the image posted, what preposition fits best?

A. The boy is passing through a house.

B. The boy is passing in front of a house.

C. The boy is passing past a house.

Actually what I know about the use of 'through' is that it refers to the move from one side of an object to the other.

As for, 'in front of' I feel it is used in states e.g. the boy is standing in front of a house.

To me, 'past' seems to be the best choice here.

Question: Which one to be used A, B or C?


texts:
I was reading a passage on economics, and I found a sentence that doesn't seem to make sense or I am misunderstanding some words. The sentence is blow with the neighboring sentences.

  He (manufacturer) balances the sale of his output against the amount he spends in order to produce it. He produces an output such that producing a little more would add as much to his costs as to his receipts. A higher price shifts this margin.

Here, I thought costs refer to the expenses occurred in production, and receipts refer to the receipt papers he got from his supplier. With these meanings, the middle sentence doesn't make sense to me because profit (=sales-cost) increase when the cost is minimized.

Do costs and receipts have the very meanings i mentioned?
Or just am i not understanding that economic concepts?


texts: Dialogue of/on issues of global interest

texts:
The president underscored the need for (A) a constructive and a realistic dialogue (B) of issues of global interest.(C)

My book says part (B) of sentence is wrong, we don't need to use a here, I agree with that but isn't part (C) also wrong ? I guess it should be dialogue ON issues of global interest. Am I correct ?

Edit : by a I am referring to second a, the one which is with realistic.


texts: Can I use "still" in place of "yet" in these contexts?

texts:
Context: I want to be single and "yet" attached. I want to be alone "yet" accompanied.

I have read that yet is used in the last of the sentence like he has not given yet, etc.
In these yet is not used in the last but in the middle, so, can I use still in place of yet so that meaning remains same?


texts: Articles in "OK Google, go back to the earbud drawing board"

texts:
Here is the title of a (news-)article:

  Pixel Buds review: OK Google, go back to the earbud drawing board

Can anybody, please, explain why the is used before earbud drawing board.

Here is how I understand the situation.

In the past, there were several drawing boards where they discussed the design of earbuds, and, what is more important, in the future they can discuss buds' design by a lot of other drawing boards (not necessary the same one that they used to discuss the design first time). So, why does the author of the article want them to discuss the design by that specific drawing board?

I know that I am wrong somewhere, please, correct me.


texts: How can I rewrite the sentence by replacing vague language and removing passive voice?

texts:
Rewrite this sentence to replace vague language with specific,
  concrete language.
  1. The diplomat was required to execute an agreement that stipulated that he would live in whatever country the federal government thought
  necessary.

I understand I need to avoid vague references, indirect language, and general wordiness and choose specific, descriptive words, but the only sentence I came up with is this: "The diplomat was required to execute an agreement that stipulated he would live in whatever country the federal government thought necessary." (I removed the word "that" from the sentence although I'm sure that's not what they wanted me to do.) I would be very thankful for a better variant :)
Also, can I remove the passive voice from the sentence? The book says on my exam I need to remove it whenever possible, but I didn't find how to do it in this case...


texts: "His mother is both kind and intelligent." - Does it sound natural?

texts:
This is one of the exercises attached to a textbook:

His mother is ____ kind ____ intelligent.
A. more, than
B. both, and

The key is A, which sounds grammatical (though pretty rude), however is B incorrect?


texts: Is it correct to say something like: "I'm available at 5 p.m. If it works for you, let's schedule our lesson then"? Does it sound natural? How would native speaker say something like this?


texts: Use "motivation for learning English" or "motivation in learning English"?

texts: The researcher also will give questionnaire to the students and interview them to measure their motivation FOR / IN learning English.


texts: Does the word "amalgamation" imply a degree of success?

texts:
The word amalgamation refers to the process of uniting/combining entities, but every time I hear the word used, the tone is one of success.

A recent example I heard is that Hong Kong is very pleasant for both English and Chinese-speakers, because it has signs in both languages, and the people there speak, or at least understand, both languages. Thus it was referred to as a complete amalgamation of eastern and western culture.

Similarly, every time I hear or read someone using the word, it seems like they are happy with the amalgamation.

Question

Does the word amalgamation imply a certain level of success, or can the word also be correctly used in a situation where the process of combining/uniting things has gone wrong?


texts:
Just one sentence.

"Buy not only seasonal and local but also seeded produce." Is this sentence grammatically okay?

Do you use this structure 'not only A and B but also C'?


texts: Is it correct to say "The bolt has an external male thread" and "The nut has an internal female thread"?

texts:
I think each bolt has just one thread and each nut has just one thread, too.
If a bolt had 2 threads, it would mess things up.
Is it correct to say "The bolt has an external male thread" and "The nut has an internal female thread" and "This nut doesn't fit tight on this bolt. I think the thread of either the bolt or the nut are worn"?


texts: about the structure of 'prohibiting doing something'

texts:
Can I use the altered sentences instead of the original sentence?
The original sentence is from Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

the original sentence: The high cost of equipment prohibits many people from taking up this sport.

the sentence A: The high cost of equipment prohibits taking up this sport.

the sentence B: The high cost of equipment prohibits many people taking up this sport.

This actually arises from wondering about the structures following prohibit.
I know structures of the sentence A and B both are correct when prohibit is associated with a rule or law as in The policy prohibits smoking on school grounds or The policy prohibits people smoking on school grounds. But the case I am asking about is when prohibit is not associated with a rule or law.


texts: Is "are you not..." an old expression or still prevalent?

texts:
Are you not very thankful to have such a fine place to live at?
  —Jane Eyre

Being familiar with the expression "aren't you […]," it's quite strange to meet this one. Is it the expression used just in the writer's age, or is it still prevalent?


texts: "We would have more to gain + stop doing that in this way"

texts:
Is this sentence correct?

  We would have more to gain by stopping to approach people like that

If not, what about these:

  We would have more to gain if we would stop approaching people like this

  We would gain more if we don't approach people like that


texts: Is there an English word equivalent to the Cambodian word "oudom'kati"?

texts:
In Cambodian language, we have a word "oudom'kati" which means a supreme idea about what is truthfully right to do things regardless of self interest and regardless of an intention to please someone.

Do you have a single English word for that meaning?


texts: Why does "Do you think your shit don't stink?" idiom use "don't" for uncountable noun?

texts:
Ok, shit is an uncountable noun.

But in this idiom, people use "don't" for "shit"

Ex: Do you think your shit don't stink?

Can we say "Do you think your shit doesn't stink?" or we have to say "Do you think your shit don't stink?"


texts: What's a proper term for a 'bill presenter'?

texts:
I saw this -

I'm not convinced with the phrase 'bill presenter' (a person specially appointed to present a bill is also a 'bill presenter!'- just a tongue-in-cheek comment!) and looking for the better/proper term.

It's bigger than a normal wallet in my pocket but smaller than a menu.


texts: Looking for a verb meaning "make something unnecessary"

texts:
X [verb here] Y meaning: Doing X is sufficient and so Y is not needed.

  Does listening make speaking unnecessary?

  Does listening [verb here] speaking?


texts: Is contraction obligatory in negative interrogative sentences?

texts:
I know that a verb and "not" are usually contracted when together in a negative interrogative sentence. Example:

  Aren't they lovely?

Is it grammatically wrong to avoid the contraction? Example:

  Are not they lovely?


texts: Fresh seasonal produce - with or without a comma?

texts:
Is a comma required or preferred between fresh and seasonal in the following phrase?

  Fresh seasonal produce

I suspect the answer hinges on whether fresh and seasonal can be swapped around. If they cannot, then no commas should be added.


texts: Having + object + Past participle and having + object + bare infinitive

texts:
What is the difference in these two sentences. I am quite confused

The minister had eggs thrown at him. [past participle]

The minister had a woman throw eggs at him. [bare infinitive]

I think the first sentence is conveying the experience of a minister but I am not sure about the second sentence.
In what other ways these sentences can be written and what are these sentences conveying?


texts: Which is better? "Of or "from" this background?

texts:
I want to know which preposition is better for the two sentences provided. I've perused definitions available online for both prepositions. As far as I can tell, both indicate relationship, which sometimes is one of origin. I get the sense, from example sentences, "from" is stronger than "of," at least in terms of origin, meaning if one were said to be from a country, it would likely mean they were born and raised in that country, whereas if one were said to be of a country, it could mean they have ancestry from that country.

There are people of/from many backgrounds in the world.
I work with people of/from many backgrounds.

Assuming the analysis I gave is correct, which preposition is better would depend on context that I did not provide for either of the above sentences.

Maybe "from many backgrounds" puts emphasis on origin while "of many backgrounds" on experience. Thoughts? If my thought process is flawed, please explain why.

Thanks for your consideration.


texts:
If someone is asked the question below,

  Q: Do you work or are you a student?
  A: Neither. I had a job couple of months ago, but I lost it because...

does this answer above sound correct?


texts: Can anybody give me some much less formal words or expressions in oral English which have the meaning as "sybarite" and "epicurean"?

texts:
I need some less formal words for "sybarite" and "epicurean". They are hard to be find in dictionaries.
(I consulted a thesaurus and found the word "epicurean" for "sybarite". I need some informal equivalents for them, which may not appear in a dictionary or thesaurus)
I don't need words like "voluptuary", "epicure"...


texts: There are these venues in my neighborhood with computers and sometimes consoles in which kids play video games especially team video games such as Counter Strike. We call these venues gamenets although I can't get google hits on it. I thought maybe the closest word would be video arcade but it seems a video arcade includes much more games than just video games. What's the word for such venues?


texts: Question on omission of "by" and location of modifiers

texts:
I am a nonnative graduate student writing science related journals.
Whenever I write related papers, there are always confusing parts, so I put up a questionnaire to clarify this.
What I'm confused about is (i) to use or not to use the word by, and (ii) the arrangement of the modifiers.
Please look at the following four sentences I made:

Case 1: To use the word by and to place the modifier before the main clause.

To this end, by leveraging Lagrangian duality and stochastic optimization theories, we develop a novel algorithm, whereby the original problem is decomposed into a series of subproblems, one for each time slot.

Case 2: Not to use the word by and to place the modifier before the main clause.

To this end, leveraging Lagrangian duality and stochastic optimization theories, we develop a novel algorithm, whereby the original problem is decomposed into a series of subproblems, one for each time slot.

Case 3: To use the word by and to place the modifier after the main clause.

To this end, we develop a novel algorithm by leveraging Lagrangian duality and stochastic optimization theories, whereby the original problem is decomposed into a series of subproblems, one for each time slot.

Case 4: Not to use the word by and to place the modifier after the main clause.

To this end, we develop a novel algorithm leveraging Lagrangian duality and stochastic optimization theories, whereby the original problem is decomposed into a series of subproblems, one for each time slot.

I really want to know how they are different.
Do they all have the same meaning? If not, how are they different?
Thanks for your interest in my question.


texts: 'Shot' or 'Filmed' to overcome its ambiguity?

texts:
I thought of a sentence -

  Back then, Mr. Anderson was shot by a journalist when he was misbehaving with a woman.

The surprise is that I am talking about 'shot' with a camera and not a gun!

The context is clear. We are talking about the evidences against Mr. Anderson. Now, if I use that Mr. Anderson was 'filmed' by the journalist (to avoid misunderstanding), I feel that 'film' is a better word for 'video'. We often, looking at a picture, say 'Nice shot' because 'shot' represents a still photo and not a video.

Well, I can't use '...was shot dead...' because it's not always that a person dies after being shot!

Note: I'm talking only about a still photograph


texts:
In submarine, Davis says to Torpedo Room chief:

  DAVIS: The screws are fading. I think they're leaving, sir.

  Room chief: Take us to periscope depth. Enemy destroyer's headed back
  to her fleet.

What does "screws" mean here?
I found this line in Midway 2019


texts: Meaning of Trust in "Trust extends TaxPayer"

texts:
I know the meaning of the verb trust, but in this case I am not sure about the meaning of the noun Trust in the following Java source code:

class Trust extends TaxPayer {
    private boolean nonProfit;

    public Trust(long inc, boolean nonProf) {
        super(inc);
        nonProfit = nonProf;
    }

    public boolean isNonProfit() {
        return nonProfit;
    }
}

I decided to ask the question here because my question is related to the meaning of a word and not a programming issue.

So, according to the code, a trust is supposed to be profit or nonprofit and pays taxes, but what exactly is it?


texts: Why do use "program" to refer to "input"?

texts:
I step away from her, and see her phone sitting on her desk, so I pick
  it up and program my number in with her contacts and then hand it to
  her so she sees.

Is it common to say "program some text into some app"? I just know it today, there is such an expression. I only knew "input" before.


texts: Do I have to use "the" with "fortune" and "luck"

texts:
I want to say "(the) fortune in my pocket" and "(the) luck in my pocket".
Do I need to put "the" there and is it at all acceptable here?


texts: Paying ransom a nonstarter in review of freeing captives?

texts:
I read a headline like the following in today's newspaper.

  "Paying ransom a nonstarter in review of freeing captives"

I don't get it at all. Can somebody explain the structure of the sentence and its meaning?


texts:
When she left, she realized that she ate his snack

When she left, she realized that she was eating his snack

I am writing about a situation where she already ate his snack before she realized what she did and I am not sure which sentence would be correct. I would also appreciate if you could tell me the difference.


texts: What is the meaning of "Find out to know is" in the following sentence?

texts:
What is the meaning of "Find out to know is" in the following sentence,

  Find out to know is too much ginger harmful and what are the side effects of ginger in detail.

(Source: 11 Side Effects Of Ginger You Must Know
Reviewed by Merlin Annie Raj, Registered Dietitian October 22, 2019 by Ravi Teja Tadimalla )

Does it mean "What we need to know is too much ginger harmful" ?
Does "Find out to know is" mean "What we need to know is" ?


texts: What is the correct use of a plural term and 'alignment'

texts:
While writing a technical document; me and my colleague argued over the correct pluralisation within a sentence using the term 'alignment'.

The original was:
  "The address must have 16 byte alignment"
and my colleague believed it should be '16 bytes alignment', but this just doesn't sound right to me.

The meaning behind the sentence is that the alignment should be to a spacing of 16 bytes in 'width'

[XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX][XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX][XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX]

and the intent means that given the above layout, the following would be invalid:

[yyyy][XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX]

(It instead must be)

[yyyy-0000-0000-0000][XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX]

And so we can see that we must be aligned to larger 'objects' of size 16.

So the ultimate question - Which is 'more correct':

"must have 16 byte alignment"
"must have 16 bytes alignment"
"must have 16-byte alignment"
other


texts: Can we analyze "to protect his country's southern border" as the non-finite clause of "the military"?

texts:
Trump announced yesterday that he intended [ to deploy the military to
  protect his country's southern border ]

I want to know whether the bold part can be analyzed as the non-finite clause of "the military".

I guess it can be in the same way as in "I want him to lend me some money"

(Here, "to lend me some money" is modifying "him" as a non-finite clause)

So, I think the sentence can mean, according to my analyzing, "Trump announced yesterday that he intended to deploy the military so that the military can protect his country's southern border".

Is my analyzing correct?


texts:
The text in question is:

  "In addition to posing philosophical problems in its own right, moral
  reasoning is of interest on account of its implications for moral
  facts and moral theories."
  (source: Moral Reasoning By Henry S.
  Richardson)

I have three questions to ask:

What does the word "its" in the phrase "its implications" refer
to?   I think that the word its refers to philosophy's but I am not
sure.
What does the word implications here mean?   I understand the
literal meaning of the word but I can't figure out what it means in
the context.
What does the phrase "of interest on account of its implications"
    mean? I think the phrase means "an interest in figuring out its
    implications" but I am sure about that either.

Could you please help me clarify it?  Thank you always.


texts:
Consequently, children are likely to have less supervision at home than was common in the traditional family structure.

Could anyone tell me why was common is in this position and what is its meaning?

Source


texts: Is your parent's spouse your step if you don't live with them?

texts:
If your parents get divorced and each marries someone else considering that you don't live with them, should we call them stepfather or mother or simply my mother or father's spouse? What I mean is can stepfather/stepmother apply if you're not living with them and they're not supposed to take care of you? Is it normal to say

  I have a stepfather and a stepmother.

For some reason I find it weird, so I wanted to check with a British or an American native speaker to see if something else except for the definition is involved.


texts: Other word(s) for "recurring event" and/or "event occurrence"?

texts:
Let's say a festival is a en "event" that is organised every year, so it's (a recurring event).
But that festival in 2017 happened on a precise range of dates is an event to (an event occurrence).

In English, by chance, are there two distinct single names that could help distinguishing a (recurring) event and an event (occurrence)?

(This question was triggered when thinking of names for tables in a database so I can't use twice the same word. My mother language is French, and I think that I would have the same issue in French.)


texts: Is this sentence wrong? (Comparative Adverbs)

texts:
Question : The Spanish athlete / run / fast / than the other runners

The Spanish athlete ran more fastly than the other runners.
The Spanish athlete ran faster than the other runners.

In my comparative adverb worksheet, my tutor said that the first sentence is the correct one, while it doesn't sound right to me. Is it wrong? And if it's not, is there any difference between the first and second sentence?


texts: What's the difference between Lord and God?

texts: Are God and Lord  one and the same thing? Are they interchangeable?


texts: Is “all women who are mothers of daughters” right?

texts:
Is the expression

  All women who are mothers of daughters are here.

correct? I mean every woman who has at least one daughter is here.


texts:
This post is derived from my another post (Could some help analyze the structure of this sentence "Sleet is *rain and snow mixed together*"?), where a nice guy @James  answers

  That noun phrase has a participle "mixed", which functions passively: the object of "mixed" is "rain and snow" (in passive participle phrases the grammatical subject is the logical object).

where the term passive participle is used, and I don't have a clear understanding about the concept.

Another ELL post (Formation of passive participle clause) considers the following sentence as an example of passive participle clause

  After being arrested, he was taken to the police station.

according which, 'being+p.p' is the passive participle clause.

However, another post gives this explanation

  John was eaten by lions. (here, eaten is a passive participle)

Which is simply a passive voice sentence.

So, what is "passive participle"? Is it a canonical term in English grammar?


texts:
What does "This was clearly her day off?" mean? Is this offensive to the person, or is it simply stating something obvious?

This question came from Area 51, but I am curious to know this.


texts: What is the correct term for being the first to play in a turn-based game?

texts:
Which of the following expressions is the most adequate for a turn-based computer game to inform the user (regardless of whether the user is a player or a spectator) that the white player will be the first player to make a move?

White starts.
White begins.
White plays first.
White goes first.
Something else I haven’t thought of?


texts:
change the voice

  The goons did not realize that their conversation was being recorded

Which option is more appropriate ? And why?

  a) The goons did not realize that someone was recording their conversation.

  b) It was not realized by the goons that their conversation was being recorded.

  c) It was not realized by the goons that someone was recording their conversation.

I knew that in voice change for complex sentence, we need to change voice for both part in the sentence.Will it be applicable here also and option C) would be correct?

Let me clarify my doubt more precise manner. It's an exam question where you have to choose only option which is correct. I have an anglo-vernacular grammar book which is based on Nesfield,Wren and Martin. It specifically says and I quote " In changing the voice of complex sentences the voice of principal and the subordinate clauses should be changed if they have a transitive verb and object/complement. Intodcutory 'It' may also be used ". But there is no extra clarification what to do if you face different options like this one.


texts: Two years and a half, two years and half,...?

texts:
When I looked up the word "half", I've found "two and a half year" is a correct phrase. But I've seen some Americans use "two years and (a) half" quite often and it confuses me. Is it correct to use any of the following phrases in conversation or writing?

  two years and a half

  two years and half

  two and a half years


texts:
What is the function of this "might?"

  I am from Niger. People there don't dare to dream big. But I thought I might dream big.


texts: Am I correctly understanding "red carpet presence"?

texts:
First of all, thank you for your kind assistance in advance.

I was just reading this article, and I encountered a personally unfamiliar expression.

Saying,

  Though Today long had been among Bush's ambitions, his hiring as the co-host of the 9 a.m. hour was somewhat controversial given his lack of hard-news experience and a snarky red carpet presence. ( 3rd paragraph ).

Now, first I had thought this might be an idiom, however when I googled, nothing came up so I resorted to Wikipedia just for some info.

Now, since according to Wikipedia,

  A red carpet is also used in gala celebrity events

So I assume that "red carpet presence" would mean Bush would've gone
to the stardom life, which did not come but on the contrary, and going back
to the question, am I correct about catching the meaning of the core meaning of
the "red carpet presence"?

Thank you for your support and I am sorry I have to say in advance I may be not
able to answer or comment or upvote just in 6 hours.

Thank you very much (m_m)


texts:
If I had two choices, either to "Eat something" or "Stay/Keep hungry", when food is offered to me when I was in a state of hunger.

I want the phrase to be in the same format as "Eat something", I mean two words and in an order(verb) form.

I found out that "Stay hungry" is an idiom which means:

  To remain determined, competitive, motivated, and active in one's
  hopes, ambitions, or goals; to keep oneself from becoming complacent
  or self-satisfied with less than one might potentially achieve.

Also, I don't find that "Keep hungry" makes a good fit.

So, what should I say?


texts:
I read a lot about the difference between customer and client. There have been a myriad of answers, and the most common thing I could find is the one that matches Hellion's answer here:

  Client -  ongoing relationship with the seller.

  If you go to the store to buy a box of matches, you're just a customer, but if you always go to that store because you know you'll get good service and good prices, you're a client.

Now the question

I have heard many people say:

  Take care of him, he's our regular customer

But...

  Can a customer be loyal or regular?

If they can be, they are no more customers but clients!

Furthermore, is this sentence correct (or redundant)?

  He's our regular client!


texts: I have a question about the order of "as much as" with lengthy phrase

texts:
I don't see as much any big problems in him as some people speak of him

I don't see as any big problems in him much as some people speak of him

which sentence is correct I intend to say:
"there might be some problems in him but not much as some people speak of him. they're exaggerating"?


texts: past simple and past continuous in this context

texts:
which one is correct?

"when I got the job offer I was still working in my old company, which I'd worked for 7 years"
"when I got the job offer I still worked in my old company, which I'd worked for 7 years"

if they are both correct, what is the difference?


texts:
I am watching Friends TV series season6 episode 22, there is a scene  when Monica comes home and says:

  "I bought groceries, I was just gonna make you dinner"

but I can't hear "I was" at all, I slowed down the speed and watched it for thousands of times and I still just hear: "I bought groceries, just gonna make you dinner" is it possible that she really drops "I was".. and I know about connected speech or reduction and linking ..if she is reducing or linking, can somebody tell me how exactly she is doing that? And how can I hear it? What is the problem?


texts:
Are the following sentences grammatically right and applicable ??

1- The country didn't take procedures as firm as it is in other countries.

2- The country didn't take procedures as firm as it has been in other countries.

3- The country didn't take procedures as firmly as others countries did


texts: Water temperature or the water temperature

texts:
Should I use "the" before "water"?
"A hurricane occurs where the water temperature is high."


texts: What is "pooled eyed" (or "pulled eyed"/"pooed eyed")?

texts:
I heard a strange word in a movie description several times:

  Mitch looks pooled-eyed

This describes the character Mitch looks unhappy and frustrated after his phone call was cut short. As additional information, here is an audio clip (via an audio sharing site).

And in another scene:

  Steve: A lot of people showed up after the service, huh?

  Walt: Yeah, well, I suppose they heard there's gonna be a lot of ham. I'll go down in the basement and get some chairs.

  Steve: Oh I can do that, Dad.

  Walt: No, I need them now, not next week.

  Narrator: Tubby, 40 something Steve looks pooled-eyed.

The word here supposedly means the same as the first scene. Here's an audio clip. I can't find a dictionary that shows any of these words is an adjective meaning "frustrated". Does "pooled-eyed" have this meaning? Or is it another word? What does it mean exactly?


texts:
Please, take a look at the map, here: https://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/ielts-writing-task-1/page/2/
I want to combine these two sentence:

1- At the junction of Hospital Road and Ring Road, a roundabout was created.
2- At the junction of Hospital Road and City Road, a roundabout was created.

I am not sure, may it be right?

For each of the junction between Hospital Road with Ring Road and City Road, a roundabout was created.


texts: When to use "more likely" and "most likely" in a sentence

texts:
I am having a difficulty on what is the proper usage of more likely and most likely.
Is there any way to remember the difference between these two phrases easily?

On the following sentences below, which phrase to be used:

  Janus is __________ to commit crime than Mike because Janus has a
  history of mania.

Can you give brief explanation and examples?


texts: it’s a pleasure meeting you or it’s pleasure meeting you.Why do we put the article’a’ when pleasure is an abstract and uncountable noun?

texts: How to use uncountable nouns as countable nouns? Here pleasure is abstract noun and how to identify uncountable nouns as countable nouns according to situations?


texts: Singular or plural in the mentioned context?

texts:
Let's now explain the contrast between ethical and unethical act/acts

In the above sentence, should it be "act" or "acts"?


texts:
I'm currently translating this interview and have a problem with understanding words from 17:45 to 17:50 in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0iaG0RN37k (Warning: the video contains language that some may find offensive)

After "I invent the eviliest thing I possibly could put on my face. Constructed of leather..." and to "Put it all together". It's about materials he used to make the mask, but nothing I'm familiar with or can recognize.
Thank you for your attention, maybe you could help me.


texts: Word difference between 'proficient' , 'competent' and 'accomplished'

texts:
Is there any difference between 'proficient' , 'competent'
  and 'accomplished' in 'when I grow into a proficient educator'?

What I'd like to express here is that 'when I grow into a good educator'


texts: "global participants" vs "international participants"

texts:
What is the correct way of saying that I participated in  competitions that had participants from across the globe? I also have to be brief, saying it.

The sentence I am using in this case is:

  (I) Ranked 22nd of 2062 global participants in Women’s Cup, October
  2015.

International generally means not national. I want to say that national as well as international participants were involved in the competition.

Would the word international be a better choice instead of the word  global?


texts: What does "a roll of fifty was worth a thousand American dollars" mean?

texts:
Source: The Secret Cycle

  The next year, he bought several bags of rare Canadian pennies, which turned out to be even rarer than he thought. Within a year, they shot up in value: a roll of fifty was worth a thousand American dollars.

What does the bold part mean?


texts: "Everything" in a positive sentence with negation

texts:
Let's start with the following simple sentence:

  I have everything I want.

Now let me follow with the negative variant:

  I do not have everything I want.

I have no problem with these.

What I need is to express something in between and particularly say that the positive state is not reached i.e. I need to say that I do have some of what I want but it is not everything I want. The negation variant (2) does not seem to fit correctly because it seems unclear that I have most of what I want. This is why I try to make it a positive statement.

In Russian I express that with something equivalent to:

  I have not everything I want.

The positive variant with almost, nearly etc. do not fit either. Consider the following extension:

  I am not happy because I have almost everything I want.

Does not sound right. I do need to express that I am not happy with what I got.

How do I do it right in English?


texts:
The unnamed title character of Gabriel Marcia Marquez's The Autumn of the Patriarch is a composite figure not only of Latin America despots, but of dictators the world over from Julius Caesar onward.

I would like to ask if the word "over" is used in the sentence as the preposition and if so why it come after the noun.


texts:
I'm confused with the use of conditional type in the following sentences:

  In the olden days, the life of a soldier had such a hard duty and exhaustion. If so, today in the Union army, how hard and exhausted the life of a soldier would be.

Please explain it to me.


texts: Can "revolution that would transform" be rewritten as "revolution that transformed"?

texts:
The period 1786–9 saw the collapse of the old regime, and the rise of a revolution that would transform the nature and practice of politics.

Source: Marisa Linton: Choosing Terror, p. 48.

My question concerns the use of "would" in the above sentence. I suppose that "would" here indicates neither conditional nor "repeated activities, habits or events in the past" ("transformation" was difficult but one-time and completed action). Is "would" used because the mentioned transformation is in the clause in the future from the point of view of the period 1789–9 but in the past from the point of view of our present. – Is it possible to use just simple past tense, i.e. "transformed"?


texts: Is it okay if "had" only agrees with the second item (and not the first)?

texts:
Okay, this is a little hard to explain. So here's an example:

My cousin became a Catholic. My relatives were shocked, since neither they or their ancestors had belonged to that religion.

As you can see, "had" here only agrees with the second item:

My cousin became a Catholic. My relatives were shocked, since they didn't belong to that religion.
My cousin became a Catholic. My relatives were shocked, since their ancestors hadn't
belonged to that religion.

Is the first example common in English? (Structuring a sentence to only agree with the second item). Or there's a better way to structure sentences like these?


texts:
They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the
  black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from
  what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber,
  were the white pieces. Harry, Ron and Hermione shivered slightly ––
  the towering white chessmen had no faces.
      "Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.
      "It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."   Behind the white pieces they could see
  another door.   "How?" said Hermione nervously.   "I think,"
  said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen."   He walked up to
  a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At
  once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the
  knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.  "Do we ––
  er –– have to join you to get across?"  The black knight
  nodded. (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

There’s no entry for ‘play one’s way’ in dictionaries but ‘make one’s way.’ Does the highlighted part lend the latter idiom for saying this specific going forward?


texts: What should be the correct sequence in the question given in description?

texts:
I recently took an exam and its answer keys have just been released. There is this type of question where you are provided with jumbled sentences and you have to mark the correct sequence.

Question 1:-

  P- And if I think about something which didn't happen I start thinking about all the other things which didn't happen.
  Q- But there is only ever one thing which happened at a particular time and a particular place.
  R- And there are an infinite number of things which didn't happen at that time and that place.
  S- A lie is when you say something happened which didn't happen.

Options for Question 1:
1) QSRP
2) SQPR
3) SRQP
4) SQRP

The options that I marked are: SRQP
As per answer key: SQRP

Question 2:-

  P- The magnitude of the interdependence depends on the technique of production causing the shifts in the food supply curve.
  Q- Interdependence of food and labour market is important for the development process.
  R- Similarly, an upward shift in the food supply curve shifts up the food demand curve.
  S- An upward shift in the food supply curve would simultaneously result in an upward shift in the labour demand curve.

Options for Question 2:
1) QSPR
2) QPRS
3) PSRQ
4) SPQR

The options that I marked are: QPRS
As per answer key: QSPR

Now above are two such questions and I would appreciate if you could let me know what options you would go for in both questions.

Thanks in advance and sorry for the mess if any.

All criticism welcome.


texts:
How do you feel a and b? (inversion?)

  Where did you get that?
  a.Your friend this gave to me.
  b.Your friend gave this to me.

What if the sentenses to use "has"?

  Where did you get that?
  a.Your friend has this gave to me.
  b.Your friend has gave this to me.


texts:
Is there a rule for the two words (which I suppose are nouns) that the second in below example is always at the end?

filling weight (for example of feathers)
stress level
body index
building point

Is there a special name for these nouns as they take part in this kind of phrases? Or does the special name for this kind of phrases?


texts:
Following situation is given:
Sue has been in France for the last three weeks.

I have to repeat this sentence using, "She went ...", I would say something like this:

  "She went to France three weeks ago."

Is this correct?

Another one: "Do you often go to the cinema?"

  "No, I haven´t gone to the cinema for a long time."

I used for, because its a period of time, and I used present perfect, because there is a connection to the present.


texts: Meaning of "such" in 'such is the son' (Homer's Odyssey)

texts:
Source: Book 1, Lines 258-260, The Odyssey, by Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald,

  The gods decreed
  no lack of honor in this generation:
  such is the son Penélopê bore in you.

Does this mean the following:

  The son is an example that shows that the Gods decreed no lack of honor?

Is this "such" the same as "I don't know such."?


texts: What is difference between it's and its?

texts:
I have find so many words between that but unable to understand when actually used it's and when its. Please explain with example.

Thanks,


texts:
It is from Crash Course World History. It is at around 9 minute and 18 second. Here it goes:

  So if we cast Cook's death as a part of a native ritual, we are implying that Hawaiians were just performing a ritual script, which takes away all their agency as human beings.

I can understand what agency means itself, but I have difficulties getting what it means there.


texts: Have you got any ID on you? vs. Do you have any ID?

texts: I was recently watching a British video on You tube in which the guy making the video asks a girl if she has got any Id on her. I have heard the sentence "Have u got" being used before but I have never heard or observed the preposition "On" being used when asking about the possession. I really want to know if it is used by the native speakers of Britain only or even  Americans use it nowadays.


texts: "Wait with doing something" grammatical?

texts: Could the following be said : "Wait with booking the flight, the weather might not be great that week." "Wait with closing the gates, not everyone has entered yet."


texts:
For this sentence, should I fill "reflected or is reflected"?

The importance of mythology within a culture reflected in the status of storyteller.

The importance of mythology within a culture is reflected in the status of storyteller.

Thanks a lot!


texts: What is the appropriate way to ask about filling in documents?

texts:
My uncle sent me documents which were to be filled in by me.

Now I am confused what to write in an email telling him "I filled these documents."

  Are these documents filled fine?

  Have these documents filled fine?

  Did I fill these documents fine?

Can all three be used? Which one is more appropriate?


texts: What is the best preposition to describe things inside a boat?

texts:
I'm translating a story into English. A fisherman had some things inside his small boat.

Those things are like a knife, a plate to eat, fishing net, money, tools,..etc.

Now, I don't know how to say this sentence:

  The boat crashed into an Island. Everything that was (inside/on/in)
  the boat (fell/drown) in (sea/water/seawater).

The words in the brackets came to my mind but I can't choose the correct one.

Thank you,


texts:
I prefer the retailers that help shape the products/services I buy.

I couldn't find the exact definition that "shape" can be interpreted as "assemble".  In the example above, what does "shape" mean? Does "shape" mean to come up with what to buy?


texts: "Give it to me please" or "give it me please"?

texts:
I'm not sure if I have to add the preposition "to" in the following sentence. Do I have?

  "Give it to me please"

or

  "give it me please"

?


texts: What‘s the difference between the two sentences with by and without by?

texts:
I know that both prepositional phrase and present participle can be adverbial modifier, but how should I decided which one is should be used when they were used to show a particular method or way of doing something.  As in the following two sentence.

Sentence 1:

  Those are some of the reasons why the father told his son, "Always
  give your wife what she wants." And why he also issued these words of
  caution, "Always treat her as you would treat a queen." That's because
  relationships can swing both ways with equal force. You can avoid a
  lot of problems by giving in to her, and you can also cause a lot of
  problems by giving in to her.

Sentence 2:

  You can make a lot more money using the bank's money, and you can lose
  a lot more money using the bank's money. So the price to pay is an
  investment in your education and several years of experience.

My Questions:

1, Can I put the word by in the second sentence right before using?

2, How to decided which form is the most proper one to choose when using them as adverbial modifier, gerund or present participle?

3，Can I remove the word by from the first sentence?

4, Is the present participle phrase in the second sentence indicates in which way and method, or time?

In general, I don't think I can remove the propitiation by in sentence 1, but just don't know how to explain it.


texts: Using the 'past tense' versus 'past perfect' - Apostrophes

texts:
When we are talking about the past actions in general; past tense, or a combination of past, and past perfect is more desirable?

Alt. 1

Since the symbolic buildings are the first things that come to our minds upon hearing the name of a city, those who made war throughout history , always went after destroying them to destroy the spirit of place.

Alt. 2

Since the symbolic buildings are the first things that come to our minds upon hearing the name of a city, those who made war throughout history , had always gone after destroying them to destroy the spirit of place.
Also 'the name of a city', or 'a city's name' ? which one is better in this sentence?
Thanks
BM


texts: Thank you for your kind notice. (when can be used?)

texts:
Thank you for your kind notice...
Can be used when you shared a document to your boss and he went through it in detailed and asked you further questions on it? After replying to those questions, can we type - Thank you for your kind notice!


texts: What does "Nobody has any conscience about adding to the improbabilities of a marvelous tale" mean?

texts:
Nobody has any conscience about adding to the improbabilities of a marvelous tale.
  –Nathaniel Hawthorne

Kindly paraphrase it. What does this quote mean?


texts:
I'm a bit confused about the position of all in these sentences:

  We all will die one day
  We will all die one day

Are they both acceptable? Is there any difference in meaning?


texts:
xxx company also makes fertilizer to help feed the world’s growing population.

Though the operation may produce a wide range of fertilizers, why the singular form of fertilizer is used here?


texts: Morning : arrived / occurred / happened / came

texts:
Which is the best word to use from the ones given in title to use in the following sentence ?

  When the morning _____ , the murder was discovered.

  arrived
  occurred
  happened
  came

Please don't suggest any other word instead of those four given options as this was a MCQ pattern based question asked in my exam and I have to choose just from those four options.


texts:
If someone say "non-radiating objects"...
Does he mean : objects that do not have emission of radiation ?

If yes, why do we not say "non-radiator objects" ? What is the difference?


texts:
Is the following sentence grammatically correct?

"Do not wish for something more than you work for."

I'm pretty sure that the following separate sentences are correct, but it somehow sounds somewhat weird when put together:

Do not wish for something.
Owning a house is something to work for.

I think that I'm confused because you can stress "Do not wish for something more" while you should stress "Do not wish for something" and "more than you work for".


texts: Is **on to** a conventional contraction of "let's back on to" when presenting a lecture?

texts:
It sounds like the video is saying (link with a time stamp corresponds the following)

  All right, on to today's show, which is ...

I guess this is an expression to drag the attention of audience back on to a topic.

the question is,

Is on to a conventional contraction of "let's back on to" when presenting a lecture?


texts:
The captives were taken away on his order(s).
  The captives were taken away under his order(s).

Dictionaries are vague about the difference between "on his order" and "under his order" and whether "order" should be singular or plural.


texts: Can anyone explain which context requires to use the adjective quiet and when I should use silent instead?


texts: I would like to ask, whether the title "Crashes on Financial Markets" is OK, or should it be "Crashes in Financial Markets"?


texts: Do I fully understand the full meaning of this sentence?

texts:
People were brought together by the need to produce food cooperatively, as the use of food surpluses in one place to relieve shortages in another ended due to a change in climate.

Question 1: Does as mean in the similar way of "Do exactly as I say."?

Question 2: Is the second subject of the above sentence "the use of food surpluses in one place to relieve shortages in another"? (In this way ended is the main verb of the second sentence.)

Question 3: Has one been omitted after in another?

Some more related information:

  Sharing and cooperation were almost certainly part of early Puebloan life. Scholars believe that this cooperation allowed people to contend with a patchy environment in which precipitation and other resources varied across the landscape: if you produce a lot of food one year, you might trade it for pottery made by a distant ally who is having difficulty with crops — and the next year, the flow of goods might go in the opposite direction. But all of this appears to have changed thirteenth century. Although the climate remained as unpredictable as ever between one year and the next, it became much less locally diverse. In a bad year for farming, everyone was equally affected. No longer was it helpful to share widely. Instead, the most sensible thing would be for neighbors to combine efforts to produce as much food as possible, and thus aggregated towns were a sensible arrangement.


texts: "disapproving" tag in the Cambridge Dictionary

texts:
From the Cambridge Dictionary

disapproving: showing that you feel something or someone is bad or wrong

I understand the meaning of it though I don’t understand the tag in the Cambridge Dictionary.

Does that mean the word "jargon" is disapproving for some cases? Is "disapproving" a grammar term in English?


texts: difference or similarity between reaction and interaction

texts:
Would anyone possibly throw a light on when/where would you use the following terms interchangeably? when not?

reaction

interaction

Any help would be appreciated


texts: Why is the pronunciation of the O in "move" different from in "bone"?

texts: I have read about the silent "e" rule. So, in the word "bone", it seems to work with "o" having its letter sound. But, we say "move" as in "moov". Why this difference? Is it historical or due to some rule?


texts: What's the difference between "hang out" and "play"?

texts:
I just saw the movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The wide boy said, "Do you want to come to my home and play?" But the main character wanted him to say "hang out," and people around them jeered at the wide boy.

So, what's the difference between hang out and play?


texts: Addressing the probability of a category as a whole

texts:
Assume that we have a bag of candies, 10 candies, 6 of them square, 4 of them circle.  You shall pick a random number between 0 and 100, and I will give you one of the candies by that number.  You don't know my rule.  But I tell you this:

The probability of you getting any one of the square candies is 2%.
Consequently, the probability of you getting any one of the circle candies is 22%.

Note that 2% * 6 + 22% * 4 = 100%

Now, my question:  I would like to form this one single sentence that should convey all the information given in the two items above.  My draft is as follows:

  The probability of you getting a square candy is 12%.

It this fool-proof?  Could this also mean that each of the square candies has a 12% chance, and the 6 combined has 72% chance?

I cannot change 12%; that will be the cornerstone of the sentence.  How can I formulate this one sentence that is crystal clear, and only using 12% as a numeric value?


texts: Is this a correct usage of « «made up of »?

texts:
Can we say: New York City is made up of five boroughs?
Thks


texts: How do I find where the "-s" goes in verbs?

texts:
Which one is correct and why?

  it makes me better
  its make me better
  its makes me better.

I'm confused about the -s.


texts: Confusion with the verb tense used in the dependent clause

texts:
I had put my glasses on the table, and my friend forgot to take it for me when we went outside.

First, I had put my glasses, and then my friend forgot. That is why I use Past Perfect for the first clause and Past Simple for the second one.

However, I do not understand the situation with the dependent clause. Please, help me to understand which verb tense I need to use in the dependent clause.


texts: Why has "as it did" been used in this sentence?

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

  Coming as it did just after the success of The Shape of Water at the Oscars, the book became an instant bestseller.

I don't know what difference would it have made had I not used "as it did" after "coming".


texts: What is the difference between reckless and aggressive driving?

texts: I am wondering what the difference is between reckless driving and aggressive driving. To me these are the same kind of thing.


texts:
how can I describe the physical act of signing:

  Signing me on the official register of...

or

  Signing me onto the official register of...

It is a ceremony and the register contains many other signatures. Thanks!

I was trying to describe a picture of me signing an important thing and I came out with this doubt.


texts: like has/like it has/as has - comparison

texts:
A: I hope you like the letter I wrote you. Or like has happened before, you might not.

  B: I hope you like the letter I wrote you. Or like it has happened before, you might not.

  C: I hope you like the letter I wrote you. Or as has happened before, you might not.

Are all these sentences grammatically correct and mean the same thing?


texts:
why do we have expressions like 'free time' , 'free afternoon' , and so on. , but we can't have 'free evenings'? What is the rule behind this?
I was also searching and I found out that although 'free' is an adjective and can come before 'noun', in this meaning it can come either after or before nouns.
Here it means 'available', but What makes me confused most is that when we can use this adjective before and when we can use after 'noun'?

  I wanted the evenings free for going out with friends.

  I wanted the free evenings for going out with friends.


texts: How do you describe the sensation of mist from a river?

texts:
Is the following sentence correct, to describe the refreshing feeling when one is near a river.

"We listen to the murmur and feel the brisk of the river"

When I looked up the definition for brisk, I found:

On the 3rd option: "brisk" is used to describe the wind as stimulating and invigorating, which is a similar meaning/expression I would like to convey.


texts: do they sometimes omit the /d/ , /t/ sounds of the -ed ending?

texts: In the phrase CCTV, closed circuit television; do we omit the -ed, and just say /kləʊz-sərkət-.../ in fast, connected speech. And, about the word "closed" itself, is it finished with an /zd/ or /st/ sound, when it comes alone?


texts: "Lets talk about the disadvantages, the first one being...."

texts:
So I heard this sentence of someone who was clearly a native speaker

  Lets talk about the disadvantages, the first one being....

and he chose it instead of

  Lets talk about the disadvantages, the first one is...."

which is what I would have gone with in such a sentence. So of course, I want to know why.


texts: Meaning of the idiom "the playing field is far from level"

texts:
Here is an article from an exam.

  Imagine if just anybody could hike up the tallest mountain in the world and be back again in time for dinner, with no special equipment or training needed. Well, perhaps they can, because it seems that when it comes to measuring mountains the playing field is far from level. Traditionally, mountains have been measured from sea level to peak. So Mt Everest, with a peak 8848 meters above sea level, is undoubtedly the tallest. Expeditions to Everest take huge effort.

  But what about mountains that do not begin at sea level? If we were to measure mountains from top to bottom, then the tallest mountain on Earth would be Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii. Measured from sea level, Mauna Kea is only 4207 metres tall, but the base of Mauna Kea lies deep down on the floor of the pacific Ocean. From top to bottom, Mauna Kea stands a huge 10210 metres tall. Preparing for that expedition is a lot more civilised. It is an 8-hour trip from the Mauna Kea visitor centre to its summit, and you can even drive all the way to the top.

Question:

  What is the meaning by the quotation, "when it comes to measuring mountains the playing field is far from level"

  A) it is not possible to measure mountains that are not side by side
  B) The mountains have not been measured accurately
  C) It is not useful to compare the heights of mountains
  D) There is more than one way to describe how tall a mountain is

(Edit) From Wikipedia:

  .. a level playing field is a concept about fairness, not that each player has an equal chance to succeed, but that they all play by the same set of rules.

However it is not clear how this applies to mountains.  Could someone please explain which would be the correct answer choice?


texts:
As the heading says: Should I use a hyphen in premodifiers referring to a time period? That is, should I write

A five-year stay

A 60-credit programme

A year-long ordeal

or

A five year stay

A 60 credit programme

A year long ordeal

Thank you!


texts: It depends on how much money "I've got/ will have/ have"?

texts:
I was paging through my grammar book and I came across with this sentence:

  I was thinking of going to china next year, but it depends on how much money I've got.

I  know ,here, past progressive refers to the future, but I cant figure out why present perfect tense has been used at the end? Does it have a subjunctive mode?

In addition, compare:

I was thinking of going to china next year, but it depends on how much money I will have.
I was thinking of going to china next year, but it depends on how much money I have.

In sentence #2, I used the bare infinitive have to imply subjunctive mood as matter of the fact that sentences similar to the highlighted one are extensively used in my native language (Persian) with subjunctive tone of voice.

Would you please help me to understand the difference(s) between these three sentences?


texts: what is buzzword for a too many cups of coffee

texts:
Like the term Boozer is for a drunk, what is the buzzword used for a person who has too many cups of coffee or an overload of caffeine? General used amongst the digital generation sipping away in
Coffee shops.


texts: What does the phrase " happen to be " mean?

texts:
What does the phrase "happen to be" mean in the sentence:

Camera just happen to be recording this.


texts:
Kindly, consider the following two sentences:

1) In a situation that a manager is telling a person who is applying for the job:
"You have to prove that you are the right person for the job."
What is the correct question tag for this statement, is it:
can you, can't you, could you or couldn't you?

2) Nobody could sleep.
What is the correct question tag, is it: could they or couldn't they?

Thanks in advance.


texts: "nice meeting you"　Or "nice to meet you"

texts:
Here is a situation:
After I meet others for the first time and have a talk, is it correct to say "nice to meet you" or “nice meeting you”？


texts: Taking one approach over [another/the other]?

texts:
Which sentence is correct?

  To what extent, taking one approach over the other, can...

Or

  To what extent, taking one approach over another, can...


texts:
Does the sentence mean "If you consider Buffett as a role model to follow, you should use the discipline to buy things only when you really, really like them"?

"If the Oracle of Omaha serves as any example, the discipline to buy things only when you really, really like them pays off."

Source: http://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/10/warren-buffetts-investment-strategy-can-help-you-build-wealth.html


texts: Need a proverb for a poor man who struggles for better life

texts: I need a proverb for a person who is poor in his native place and migrates to another country for better living, but there too, he still remains poor. So how can we call that person in proverb. In my own view, "a have not is a have not everywhere".


texts: What is the meaning of the verb “willed” in the following context:

texts:
Douglas Robson, USA TODAY Sports says:

  The favorite when defending champion Serena Williams toppled out in the second round, Sharapova virtually willed her way to the title.

I think in this context willed is the simple past of the verb “to will” (not the modal “will”). Yet I can’t figure out from the dictionary which sense is more appropriate.


texts:
The car was far,but it wasn't ( too far - far enough ) for me to see.
I said the answer is ( too far ),my teacher doesn't agree.
Which one is it and why?


texts: Does "after somebody" mean "following somebody" or "trying to catch somebody"?

texts:
The Oxford dictionary says

After: behind somebody when they have left; following somebody
He ran after her with the book.

But Learner Dictionary says

After: trying to catch or get (something or someone)
The dog ran after the ball. [=the dog ran to get the ball]

So, Does the sentence "She teetered after him in her high-heeled shoes." (from Oxford dictionary) imply "She just followed him" or "She tried to get him"?


texts:
"If you like it, you can keep it (moustache/beard). You don't really have to shave it."

I'm keeping this moustache.

People in army aren't allowed to keep a moustache/beard.
(Idk if this is true though, I guess I read it somewhere. So please correct me if I'm wrong. These sentences are off the top of my head)

Does "keep" work in all the sentences? Like the last one can be "grow a moustache" but then that's "growing it", rather than "growing it" and then deciding not to "shave it". So does the third sentence sound natural?


texts:
I was listening the song "Guts over fear". It contains a line,

  Started thinking my name was fall.

I can't understand it. It would make sense if it were "fallen" not "fall". So my question is, Is the rapper using "fall" for "fallen" or the sentence means something else?


texts: What is the meaning of "would" in "would step in to fill the void"?

texts:
From this : https://www.bbc.com/sport/basketball/52970613

Doncic would make his first-team debut at Real Madrid aged 16

That summer's EuroBasket also, inadvertently, gave Doncic the chance to establish himself as Real Madrid's key man. Spain international Llull, Madrid's starting point guard and the previous season's MVP, suffered an ACL injury in a pre-tournament friendly, ruling him out for most of the 2017-18 campaign. Doncic would step in to fill the void.

Basketball was a constant in Doncic's early life. His father Sasa played professionally in Slovenia, Croatia and France, and his godfather is the former San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors centre Rasho Nesterovic. The young Doncic would sit behind the basket while his father played, sneaking on to the court at half-time to practise his jump shot.

How can I understand (would in both sentences) ?

...
opinion or hope ?
instead of (used to) ?


texts: For me it sounds weird, but I was wondering if and how often native English speakers use the phrase: "I find this ..." to express their opinion, like: "I find this interesting" or "I find this is a stupid idea".


texts:
I have worked on a task for 3 days and finished about 10% of the task.
How to report to my boss about this status?

The task was finished 10%
The task has finished 10%
The task was 10% finished
The task has 10% finished

Which is right? Or is there another way to express my meaning?
I am a new English learner, so could you please be more patient?


texts:
What is the difference in meaning between:
on the truth quest vs in the quest for truth
or:
on the happiness quest vs in the quest for the happiness
Examples https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/quest:
Nothing will stop them in their quest for truth.
Examples on the Twitter https://twitter.com/joshsimona/status/1129043253574230021:
...most people are not on the truth quest, most people are on the happiness quest


texts: "Her mind wandered free through time." Can I use 'freely' instead of 'free'?

texts:
At the age of 80 my mother had her last bad fall, and after that her mind wandered free through time.'' With this graceful yet unsettling sentence, Russell Baker, the humorist and New York Times columnist, opens his memoir, "Growing Up."

Her mind wandered free through time.
Her mind wandered freely through time.

First, in sentence #1, is free adjective or adverb?

Second, is #2 possible? For a native speaker, is #2 also natural? (In our language #2 is more natural (but we are not native speaker),  we have been discussing this sentence in here.) If not, why is 'freely' impossible?

Third, in dictionary 'free' is both adjective and adverb. So, what is difference free (the adverb) and freely?


texts:
He lay in a stunned heap.

I can't decide this sentence structure.Does it mean
"Lay in a heap being stunned" or "lay stunned in a heap" ?


texts: What does "sensitive for" mean in this sentence?

texts:
The BLOSUM matrices are calculated matrices, most sensitive for local alignment of related sequences, ideal when trying to identify an unknown nucleotide sequence.

What is the meaning of "sensitive for" here?


texts:
The handsome young teacher fell into easy banter with his students, who were not much younger than he/him.

Should this use "he" or "him"?


texts: Are you going to my house? or Are you coming to my house? Do we care about the real location when saying?

texts:
Ok, now A & B are talking via telephone

Case 1: A is currently at A's house & B is currently at B's house.

A: Are you coming to my house tonight?

B: Yes, I am coming to your house tonight.

No problem with case 1, everyone agrees to say like that

Case 2: A is currently at a supermarket & B is currently at B's house.

A: Are you coming to my house tonight?

B: Yes, I am coming to your house tonight.

or

A: Are you going to my house tonight?

B: Yes, I am going to your house tonight.

How to say in case 2?

Case 3: A is currently at an A's neighbor (the next door to A)  & B is currently at B's house.

A: Are you coming to my house tonight?

B: Yes, I am coming to your house tonight.

or

A: Are you going to my house tonight?

B: Yes, I am going to your house tonight.

How to say in case 3?

Case 4: A & B are currently at B's house.

A: Are you coming to my house tonight?

B: Yes, I am coming to your house tonight.

or

A: Are you going to my house tonight?

B: Yes, I am going to your house tonight.

How to say in case 4?

In general, Do we care about the real location of the speaker to select the right word "come" & "go"?


texts: Can the same word be an "adjective" while also being a "determiner"?

texts:
I was curious, after asked this question by a student, to know what part of speech you would consider the word "my" in this sentence as:

  My book is that one.

I browsed various dictionaries to see what part of speech they considered the word as. While some dictionaries like American Heritage and Merriam Webster consider it as an adjective, most others like Lexico, Cambridge, Collins, etc consider it as a determiner. When I searched for the distinction between both the parts of speech, I came across this webpage which says that the first difference is that while an adjective can be used predicatively, a determiner can only be used after a noun or noun phrase. So considering this distinctive quality, in the above written sentence it seems to me that "my" is definitely a determiner there, but I still don't have courage to say a prestigious dictionary like M-W can be wrong. I would appreciate any help in the matter.


texts:
I am curious if it possible to use a short phrase:

  I am looking forward.

It is a short version without to + noun/gerund. I would like to use it at the end of the discussion with somebody, when it is obvious what I am looking forward to. So this is the way to type less words and I am curious if it is grammatically correct.


texts: How to properly construct a sentence with "experimenting (with)"?

texts:
I'm not sure how to construct my sentence properly with the word "experimenting":

I'm still experimenting (with) how to draw humans.

Among the examples I could find I often saw the structure "experimenting with verb + -ing", but I don't know if saying the following would be correct either:

I'm still experimenting with drawing humans.

Which one is correct?


texts: How to understand the【big picture】in this context?

texts:
This is a short piece from the article "10 Simple Ways to Make People Like You More" from Time.com. I'm not sure the meaning of the big picture highlighted here. Does it mean the bright side of life? So that a person will be more open to others if he sees the big picture? I appreciate any answer or enlightenment you guys post.

  8.Lighten up

  I will admit to struggling with this one. I’m a serious person with
  serious concerns! (Most of the time.) But it’s better to see the big
  picture in life. Really serious people are essentially acting
  selfish because they focus too much on their personal issues. Highly
  likable people at work are those who can set aside their concerns and
  go with the flow. They’re selfless.


texts:
I should be sleeping.
Is "sleeping" used as adjective?


texts:
It is a pleasure to me to reflect upon this subject in the language of Burke, who uttered the well-known touching eulogy over the neglected bier of its European prototype.
It argues a sad defect of information concerning the Far East, when so erudite a scholar as Dr. George Miller did not hesitate to affirm that, chivalry, or any other similar institution, has never existed either among the nations of antiquity or among the modern Orientals.Source

I don't understand this sentence.
I think it should be, "It argues a sad defect of information concerning the Far East that so erudite a scholar as...did not hesitate...."
Is the writer's sentence grammatically correct?


texts:
In the following sentence, is the word 'cowardly' an adjective or adverb?

He acted in a cowardly manner.

What I understand is the word cowardly is modifying the verb act. So it should be an adverb. But in the phrase a cowardly manner, the word is used in an adjective or pre-modifier place.
Am I missing something?


texts: What is the meaning of "you are" in the sentences

texts:
I don't understand the meaning of "you are" in this sentence:

  I'm not crying you are.

Found in a meme on reddit.


texts: usage of mean/meant for a shorter sentence

texts:
Can I write the shorter form of the first line as the second line ? Have they got the same meaning?

  Going to gym does not mean that it makes you healthy

  Going to gym is not meant to make you healthy


texts:
I found in a book where I saw 'at' before afternoon.
Can I use it anyhow?
I know that 'in the afternoon' is often used.


texts: How do I distinguish between "more" and "further"?

texts:
Can you think of any situation in which you might find the following words interchangeable?

more
further

Additionally, I am wondering what is the difference between these two expressions:

a further edition of this book
another edition of this book

Any help would be appreciated.


texts: What is the meaning of "ahead of" in the following sentence?

texts:
What is the meaning of "ahead of" in the following sentence,

  The aircraft lands on the moon ahead of the mission.

?

Does it mean "The aircraft lands on the moon to perform the mission" ?

Does "ahead of" in the sentence mean "to perform" ?


texts:
The mind is essentially survival machine.  Attack and defense against other minds, gathering,  storing,  and analyzing information – this is what it is good at, but it is not at all creative.  All true artists create from a place of no mind, from inner stillness.

What  it refers to here?
The mind, or what it is good at?


texts:
What is the meaning of this question to be?
  What will be the meaning of this question?

Which one is correct?
Clarify the difference between them.


texts: where does the apostrophe go in this sentence?

texts:
Where would the apostrophe go in:

'he dedicated his days to...'

Would it be days, day's or days'?

Thank you.


texts: "Standard cars in the US" or "the standard cars in the US"?

texts:
Could you tell me if I need to use the before standard in the following context?

Standard cars in the US are pretty good.
The standard cars in the US are pretty good.

What I'm trying to say is that (the) regular cars in the US are pretty good, not some specific cars.


texts: Starting from tomorrow vs From tomorrow on

texts:
If we say something that will likely to continue everyday and it starts from tomorrow, how should we say this:

  Starting from tomorrow we will practice boxing at 5 o'clock.

or

  From tomorrow on we will practice boxing at 5 o'clock.

Which one would a native English speaker would choose or would be widely used?


texts:
I would like to comprehend the meaning of the word aesthetic.
For some context

  Aesthetically pleasing work.

How do I use this word? How do I use esthetic in a sentence. I have consulted the oxford dictionary.


texts: A mathematics nazi is part of the mathematical inquisition?

texts:
I learned that a grammar nazi is someone who seems extremely authoritarian in compulsively correcting people's grammar mistakes and other errors while practicing languages. And today I learned another phrase: mathematical inquisition.

I’ve taken a bit of freedom with regards to the notation; if you’re part of the mathematical inquisition then take a chill pill.

I wonder 1) if I can coin a phrase like mathematics nazi to represent someone who cannot bear any freedom with regards to mathematical notations? 2) Is there already such a phrase or word? 3) Can I append a nazi to anything to represent someone who is very restrictive on that?


texts: meaning of the phrase "as to" in context?

texts:
The sentence with the phrase that puzzles me is from the journal Psychology Today Here it goes:

  Data has long shown that predictability and control (link is external) can lessen our physical stress response and our associated feelings of upset. Without being so rigid as to set yourself up to be thrown off if things don't go exactly as planned, come up with a specific strategy that outlines what your interaction will be like.

What does as to mean there? I feel that the word as might be redundant there. Could you please rephrase the whole sentence with the phrase for me?


texts:
What is the difference between the following two sentences regarding the position of never?

  There never has arisen a great man who has not been misunderstood.
  There has never arisen a great man who has not been misunderstood.

Is there any rule regarding the position of the adverb never?


texts: When should I use "is","does" and "has"?

texts:
I called one shop to ask whether the shop was open or not.

Which sentence should I have used?

Is the shop opened?
Does the shop opened?
Has the shop opened?


texts: Difference between “At the time” and “at the moment”

texts:
What’s the difference between “At the/that time” and “At the/ that moment”?
In which cases should they be used?


texts:
Two people were playing cards. So a person folded a card by mistake. So what sounds natural:

  You have spoilt the card.

  You have damaged the card.

Do both "spoilt" and "damaged" sound natural?