texts: Lowercase/capital Greek letters written in English

texts:
Consider two examples:

Gamma function written as Γ(n);
gamma-butyrolactone written as γ-butyrolactone.

Is there a rule which says how the lowercase and capital Greek letters must be reflected when they are written in English? E.g. in the middle of a sentence capital Γ must be written as "Gamma", whereas γ -- as "gamma" only?

If not, how does one know for sure whether it is supposed to be a capital Greek letter or not, when only an English word for it is provided?


texts: How does 'sending eyelashes' mean married?

texts:
In episode 12, season 2 of the series "friends", there is a letter for Joey from a woman. In the P.S. she wrote:

  P.S. Enclosed, please find 14 of my eyelashes.

From this they deduced that the sender is married.

  RACHEL: Ya know, in crazy world, that means you're married.

From what I found in my search, I can say that sending a lock of hair to someone is showing love to that person. But how does this mean being married?

EDIT:
Here is the full transcript. Please read the scene right after the "OPENING TITLES".


texts:
Here is the given direct speech:

  The old man said to his son, “Fie! You are such a coward.”

Here are the four possible ways for the indirect speech version:

  a. The old man cried out in anger that it was
  shameful that his son was such a coward.
  b. The old man exclaimed that it was shameful that he was such a coward.
  c. The old man exclaimed that it was shameful  that his son was such a coward.
  d. The old man surprised that his son was such a coward.

Source:Learn Grammar

Question no. 19

Correct answer given is option A. But he is not addressing his son. So which option is correct? First or second or none of them?

Please explain reason.


texts: Is this, something terrible, a predicative adjunct?

texts:
"I guess Gilbert Blythe will be in school today," said Diana. "He's been visiting his cousins over in New Brunswick all summer and he only came home Saturday night. He's AW'FLY handsome, Anne. And he teases the girls something terrible. He just torments our lives out."
–– L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

I guess something terrible has he as its predicand, and it is an adjunct that modifies the predicator, teases. Is this the right view for the structure?


texts: "Non-communicative protocol" vs. "non-communication protocol"

texts:
I am trying to say that in an experiment I prohibited users from communicating with each other. Which one is correct?

  We imposed a non-communication protocol.
  We imposed a non-communicative protocol.

Or instead of non-... can I use communication-less?


texts:
I'm running twenty four hours

What do you understand by the above statement? In my languages it means I'm very busy with lot of work 24 hours a day, no time to relax. But I don't see this sentences in English. Why? Is this a wrong sentence? Are there any different ways of saying the same thing.


texts: Which preposition to use with beauty? Of or with?

texts:
I read a sentence which was:

  Maricha changed himself into a charming golden deer with surpassing beauty.

Could there be "of" instead of "with"?


texts:
Am I using which correctly when combining the following sentences?

The usage of normal vector for searching plane objects is introduced.
The method is formed by seeking points representing a plane from left to right.

  The usage of normal vector for searching plane objects is introduced, which is formed by seeking points representing a plane from left to right.


texts: Why the preposition OF in Keats's "... as those whose sobbings were heard [of] none beside the mournful robins"?

texts:
Written by John Keats in February 1817, on the blank space of a leaf at the end of Chaucer's "Tale Of The Flowre And The Lefe".

  This pleasant tale is like a little copse:
  The honeyed lines so freshly interlace,
  To keep the reader in so sweet a place,
  So that he here and there full-hearted stops;
  And oftentimes he feels the dewy drops
  Come cool and suddenly against his face,
  And, by the wandering melody, may trace
  Which way the tender-legged linnet hops.
  Oh! what a power has white simplicity!
  What mighty power has this gentle story!
  I, that do ever feel athirst for glory,
  Could at this moment be content to lie
  Meekly upon the grass, as those whose sobbings
  Were heard of none beside the mournful robins.

Shouldn't it be by?

  I, that do ever feel athirst for glory,
  Could at this moment be content to lie
  Meekly upon the grass, as those whose sobbings
  Were heard by none beside the mournful robins.

The robins heard the sobbings.
The sobbings were heard by the robins.

Why is there the preposition of then?


texts: Do we say - "in the meeting" or "at the meeting"

texts:
I am always confused with the preposition. Can somebody point me to the material where prepositional phrase is explained?

Here is the problem I am facing currently.

  This was discussed (stated/announced/said) at the last meeting when you were not present.

or

  This was discussed (stated/announced/said) in the last meeting when you were not present.


texts: How to pronounce pick it up in Standard American English

texts:
When you pronounce the phrase 'pick it up' as a native speaker, is there any word in it that need to be pronounce higher in pitch with more stress?

This is how I pronounce it in American English. I'm not native. https://clyp.it/njjdhmuy Phonetically the three words are connected together with a flap T.

Pick up is a phrasal verb, and as far as I know phrasal verbs get the most stress on the preposition, but I'm not sure about "Pick it up" when it has an "it" between "pick" and "up".

Any suggestion would be appreciated.


texts:
I want to say: "I know it is important to expand on my point." (i.e. It is not enough to share my suggestion, I need to justify it, explain how this can be applied, etc.)
This is a perfectly valid sentence, but in this case I need to rephrase it. Which of the options below are idiomatic (a search online proved useless):

I know expansion on my point is important.

I know expanding on my point is important.

I know expansion of my point is important.

I know expanding of my point is important.


texts:
The injury which all surgeons thought was incurable took away the victims life.

What is the relative clause of this sentence?

which all surgeons thought was incruable.
Is was curable also part of this relative clause?

My books say relative pronoun will serve as subject or object in the clause,
if which all surgeons thought was incurable is the relative clause,
Since which is behind the verb and is in front of be verb was,
Should which act as the subject or the object?


texts:
Mashable’s video calls Y2K “arguably the first-ever mass audit of a
  global computing network that had been running for decades.” In fact,
  “The robustness of New York City’s telecommunications and transit in
  the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks has been attributed to the
  amount of work put into avoiding the Y2K bug.”

Source : https://thenewstack.io/how-the-y2k-bug-returned-on-jan-1-2020/

Hope someone could explain to me.


texts: "State all the languages you can speak __", the suitable preposition

texts:
I have slightly changed the sentence in the question title to be both short and clear. The actual sentence I'm asking about is:

  It would be nice of you to comfort that person in all the languages you can speak___.

I'm not sure of the proposition that would fill the blank. I thought of "speak in" but didn't find such a phrasal verb when I have searched it on the internet.

I have also searched for the possible prepositions that can come after the verb "speak" and found (with, of, and to) which came with different phrasing of sentences.


texts:
I understood the most of it, but not ..... word

( Either - every - each - neither )

Which word should I use and why ?
If I used each is that mean I didn't understand all of it ?


texts: "There is still an eternity left before we can be together." or "There is still an eternity before we can be together."?

texts:
Is the word left really necessary?

Saying There is still a computer to fix before we're finished with the job is grammatically correct english, isn't it? As well as saying There is still a computer left to fix before we're finished with the job, right? Is it just a matter of how it sounds?


texts: What type are these two sentences with imperative clauses

texts:
Quotes are from The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Remember, no matter how little you want to, that you must eat him
in the morning.

Remember, he said to himself.

I thought the second one would be complex sentence as it is similar pattern to direct speech ("Remember," he said. - that would be complex, right?) but not sure anymore as it feels like imperative clause Remember can stand on its own.
Similarly at first I thought that the first sentence is complex-compound but if the Remember is independent clause it can't be. How is it, then?


texts: Pick up the link with (Is the use of "pick up" in this context common?)

texts:
Zylie panicked a little when her computer wouldn't pick up the link with the projector, but Mr. Stock simply shrugged it off and said we could present directly from the computer.

I know that "didn't pick up the link" means that "it didn't connect with the projector". Is the use of "pick up" this way common,  because I couldn't find its use this online......  Can it just be:

  Zylie panicked when the computer didn't connect to the projector.

  Zylie panicked when the computer didn't link with the projector(Or should it be :"didn't link to the projector"?)

Edited.


texts:
This is a line I came across in someone's bio. Apparently the author is not a native speaker of English. The verb extend strikes me as somewhat unusual. Although extend has the sense cause to cover a larger area, I am not sure one can extend research to an area. Does expand work better in this sentence? Or are both verbs fine?

  Since 2005 I have extended my research on education to the German society.


texts:
I know that in the following phrase I must add the letter s to the verb seem when used with third person singular like this:

  It seems to me...

But then I see such phrases as

  make it seem...

and I'm entirely baffled why the word seem is used without the letter s. Isn't seem used with third person singular here?

Note: English is my third language, but I have a good command of it. Still such peculiarities are perplexing.


texts: what does *embroidered on* mean in the following sentence?

texts:
What does "embroidered on" mean in the following passage (emphasis added)?

  The report embroidered on the theme that was to become a hallmark of
  the WDRs: urging a reliance on the market mechanism, replacing public
  monopolies (in urban transport, for example) by private firms, and
  sharply pruning and streamlining regulation.

Development Economics through the Decades: A Critical Look at 30 Years of the World Development Report, Shahid Yusuf, page 30


texts:
What's the correct preposition that should come after this phrase?
Is it "on" or "about"?

I've done some digging ___ that man and found out that he's an orphan.


texts:
What does the word "one" refer to in this sentence? Who/what is “the only smart one” in this sentence? Is it talking about Linda who is the only smart person in America's favorite cartoon family or is talking about the only smart cartoon among other cartoons?

  The only smart one in America's favorite cartoon family, Linda believes that her real family must live somewhere in Centerville, and she has got to find them.


texts:
From the description of an episode of the BBC radio play "Dot":

  A little East End snotling finds her way into the War Rooms. How will Dot dispose of her?

The only definition I could find is in the urban dictionary, on which I obviously won't rely on. But the person that bursts in is indeed a child, as described by the Urban Dictionary entry. So I'd like to have some sort of corroboration.


texts:
Max smiled indulgently. He blew on his coffee. "Around the corner he
  goes to Moe's barbershop and plunk goes the whole ten-spot on a filly
  named Miss Sparks running in the fifth at Belmont. On the nose, but.
  And you guessed it, MacDonald, Miss Sparks comes in and pays eleven to
  one.

  -The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler -

What is the meaning of 'but' here? however?


texts:
When I am "less set on" an idea, I will seek help from the teachers here for suggestions.

Does it have the same meaning as this sentence:

  When I have no idea of <something>, I will seek help from the teachers here for suggestions.


texts:
His father had to pawn the earrings.

  The earrings were gone for a long time.

If I change this sentence in such a way that it means exactly as
"The earrings had been in absence."
I wanted to know the usage "had been in absence" is
right or wrong.


texts: Why do native speaker tend to use passive voice?

texts:
I found native people prefer to use passive voice in a sentence.
For example:

Tonight's moon can be seen from anywhere worldwide.
We have reason to believe that progress can be made.

Be honest, it's difficult for an English learner to understand.
Why not phrase it this way:

We can see the moon from anywhere worldwide.

In which cases do people prefer to use passive voice rather than active voice?


texts: What tense should I use for case studies?

texts:
I am writing case studies and stuck with this:

  The client was from the IT field and ...

The problem with this is should I use 'was' or 'is'.

Now, the client's status as on today is also the same, but when I am writing this case study, it should mention the client's status when we had this project on the floor. In other words, case studies are always in past because you're describing something that happened then. But, as far as the status or background is concerned it is the fact even today.

So, should we use past or present tense in such cases?


texts: How to use article 'the' with conjunction?

texts:
The first and second chapters are....

Or

  The first and the second chapters are...

Which is the correct usage? Is it correct to use the for both the phrases or not??
Please explain to me.


texts:
I have made this sentence:

  To determine the ending point of this context, we can select the parent node if it encloses the results section, otherwise we should specify another anchor which identifies the ending point of the context or have a common ancestor with the first anchor which encloses the section.

I think it may be too long. How would you shorten such sentence?


texts: Does "accents" include also the breve and caron?

texts:
The NOAD uses accent also for the circumflex accent, but in the description for breve it doesn't say accent.

Does accents include also the breve and the caron, or does it strictly apply to acute, double acute, grave, and double grave as the list to the right in the Wikipedia article about diacritics seems to suggest?

As Italian, I am used to use accents for those diacritics over a letter (over vowels, but that is because Italian doesn't use accents over consonants). Would I use accents in the wrong way, if I meant that in English?


texts:
I was her biological teacher for 3 years she had been studying there

Or

  I was her biological teacher for 3 years she had studied there

Also, in written situation it is best to write 3 years or three years?


texts:
The weather can be rainy tomorrow. It is not accurate. The weather forecast application says that it will be rainy tomorrow.
Depending on this information, I have set up following sentence:

If the weather is rainy tomorrow, I will not stop by my brother.

Is it a true sentence ? In many books, future structures are not allowed to be used in if clauses. In fact, I did not use "will", "going to" or any other kind of future structure in if clause, but its meaning is related to a situation in the future.


texts: What's the proper phrase for "退一万步说(back-stepping ten thousand steps)" in English

texts:
The phrase "退一万步说(back-stepping ten thousand steps, or taking ten thousand steps back)" is normally used for stressing that the gap between the two sides are so wide, or the topics in discussion is so broad, that even if I withdraw from my current standpoint, back-stepping ten thousand steps, getting back to the very fundamental and core of the discussion, that's what expression is trying to convey. I.e., it basically means "even if", but there is so much connotation within such "even if". One example,

  退一万步说，假如说这件事是真的，难道不好吗

Basically trying to say "Even if it is true, what's so bad about it", when the discussion was on the basis that it is not true.

One meaning of it is "the bottom line is", but It usually means "even if", "however", "anyway", "anyhow", or "taking a step back" but trying to emphasis that the compromising is a thousand times stronger --

"妥協別人的論點，退一萬步就是讓到極限了", It tries to emphasis that even if I try to compromise, to the extreme point that I  can, that I cannot compromise any steps further.
"這樣一步一步條分縷析對方論點的不合理處，以至萬步", It is used to stress that the demand from the other side is so unreasonable, that even if I backtrack step by step, until ten thousand steps, the asking still doesn't make sense.

  退一万步说，就算我真的知道了没告诉你，我也没错阿

Even supposed that I knew and I didn't tell you in time, you really can't blame me on that either.

So, is there any English idiom that is close to this? Thanks.


texts:
I looked up in this online dictionary for the word, endeavour,
http://www.englantisuomi.com/en/dictionary-english-finnish/endeavour

but the example sentence even made me more confused.

Here is the example sentence:

  In spite of our best endeavours, it has proven impossible to contact her.

Who has proved that it is impossible to contact her? Either her family or some rescue team, isn't it?
So, I am wondering why it is not

  In spite of our best endeavours, it has been proven impossible to contact her.

Please help me.
I am trying very hard to understand why the example sentence given by the online dictionary is grammatical.


texts: Is the word 'remind' is stative verb? (remind vs. reminding)

texts:
Is the word remind a stative verb? (which means that even if I'm talking about something that's happening right now, I still have to use this infinitive verb without turning it into present continuous tense and addition of -ing)

For example:
If I am speaking right now with someone and he's saying to me something that causes me an association with something else, I have two basic choices to respond:

  a) You remind me (at the moment) of a quite similar anecdote that I came across two weeks ago.

or

  b) You are reminding me of a quite similar anecdote that I came across
  two weeks ago.


texts:
I'm practicing articles and at the begining it seemed quite easy, but now i'm completely confused. Here are reasons:

  Several million visitors a year are attracted to the ski slopes of the
  Alps.

As long as it's plural - there should be no article - I guess.

  I went to --- Buckingham Palace today. It was great.

  I took the train to London and then the underground to --- Victoria Station. It’s a short walk from there.

  If you ever go to London you must see the Tower of London and --- Tate Gallery.

There's one and only one (definite) Buckingam Palace (/Victoria Station / Tate Gallery). Whatmore it's name of building. Considering that - why it's without article?

  After his wife’s death he left --- home and joined the army.

  John himself doesn't go to ---- church.

Does both 'home' and 'church' are treated as 'general' here, and that's why no article?

  There will always be a conflict between the old and the young. ----- young people want ---- change

Isn't the old and young general thing and then should be left without article?

  It's right that there aren't so many ways of spending ---- daily life in the suburbs.

Why suburbs are so specific in this sentence?

I'm bit confused and hope for native english speakers or experienced learners it won't take much time to clarify my concerns.


texts: "... the posts on Google ..." or "... posts on Google ..."?

texts: We know that we should use "the" in situations that we have "of", such as "the users of this website". But sometime we have "on" that act like "of". Like: "I like (the) posts on Google". Should use "the" in such sentences?


texts: Is "Long live our noble Queen" inverted? Is it imperative?

texts:
I know the meaning of "Long live our noble Queen", but I don't know the structure.

What's the grammatical structure of "Long live our noble Queen" (quote from the British anthem)? Is it inverted? Is it imperative?


texts: we wed, we wedded, we were wed or we were wedded?

texts:
Which usage tense and is more formal: we wed, we wedded, we were wed, or we were wedded??

Sentence example, "We wed on
(insert past date and location)."


texts: The difference between the Onto and on to?

texts:
What is the difference between the on to and onto? In the Persian language both have the same meaning. Are they the same in English?

For example:

  After reading the first part of the English book 1. go on to second part.

Or

  After reading the first part of the English book 1. go onto second part.

Which one should be used when we talk about the next task that we would do?

Edit:

After reading the following web pages about the difference between the onto and on to, I come up with the answer.

Links:

http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/onto
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/usage/onto-or-on-to
http://data.grammarbook.com/blog/definitions/on-to-vs-onto/
http://writingexplained.org/onto-vs-on-to-difference

Here is the meaning:

Onto: On top of, to a position on the surface of.
On to: To move to the next level or to move forward to.

  When to Use Onto

  Onto is a preposition that means, on top of, to a position on, upon. Onto implies movement, so it has an adverbial flavor to it even though it is a preposition.

  When to Use On to

  Use on to, two words, when on is part of a verb phrase. In instances when on is part of the verb, it is acting as an adverb and to is the preposition, which takes an object.

Examples:

  On to

  Go on to the second page of the book if you're finished the current page.

  Let’s move on to the next point.

  I'll log on to the computer.

  Onto

  The cat jumped onto the yard.

  He climbed onto the roof.

  Let’s step onto the dance floor.


texts:
Here, seemed this:

"Note: A capital letter generally does not introduce a simple phrase following a colon.
Example: He got what he worked for: a promotion."

(did I, "cite" all right, or may you utilize, "M.L.A."?)

"a promotion." seems a, "simple phrase". Here
 I think I got, " With difficulty."seems an utterance. May this seem all right? I recently, maybe, didn't get what they seemed like, maybe I think they seemed like fragments. They may not seem, fragments. They seem to get liked in context, and signify things.

May there, maybe, seem a list, where it lists things that don't seem like complete sentences, and get utilized? Like, "utterance", "simple phrase", . . . I may not got a word to these. Like, I may not get what a, "clause" seems like.


texts: Confused by this response to "Where have you been all these days?"

texts:
I asked my bae

  "Where have you been all these days?"

She replied

  "In your memory"

Memory refers to the thinking capacity of a person. It sounds same like in your mind, but she wants to say that she was thinking about me.
What word she could've said? Cause memory here in this sentence doesn't sound okay to my non native ears.


texts: Time Period in the Past using was and had been

texts:
I was never happy the way I was treated in my previous job.

And

  I had never been happy the way I had been treated in my previous job.

Is there any difference in meaning between the two sentences written above?

For me, both of the sentences mean  that I was not happy while I was working at my previous job. Is that a correct interpretation?


texts: Is there a use as "due xxx(specific date)"?

texts: When I did listening today, I heard the sentence "But I have another article due the same day". I have checked "due", it only has meanings as adv，adj and noun. I don't know why "due" in the sentence is used in that way that seems to be a verb or preposition.


texts: "Game" in the meaning of "wild animals"?

texts:
Take a look at this text:

"Dogs that stretch their circles far into the snow-covered winter forest are better kept on a leash on certain sections of the route. In winter, the game often stays in valleys near the feeding sites resting. The game has little chance to escape. The animals drive down their metabolism in winter and then have to drive it up for flight. This is extremely stressful for them."

I googled it and one of the meanings is "animals that are hunted for fun". This text is about cross-country skiing with your dog etiquette, so no relation to hunting. But, even if I accept "the game" to be wild animals, then why does it say "the game has little chance to escape"? It's the pet dog who would need to escape then. I'm very confused.


texts:
Before a noun with no determiner, we use all without of.

  All children need love. (NOT All of children need love.)
  Link

I don't understand why All of children is not correct.

Could you explain logically or semantically why it does not make sense?


texts:
I am writing a summary about how the author's team developed an android app. Before starting to code, they had tried to take into consideration all possible issues and they had missed a couple of them.
And I wrote this:

  A choice of way of storing intermediate data is one of those
  unspecified details during their development.

I think here is too much "of". Or is it OK in this situation?


texts:
that which belongs to or is connected with her (Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s)

'Though ‘which’ can be replaced by ‘that’ in relative constructions' they say, when it is placed after ‘that’ I wonder if aforesaid can be applied as well?


texts:
You've got a great smile

vs

  You have a great smile

which one is correct or better to use when I am trying to compliment a lady, and why is that?


texts: "can we schedule the call to" vs "can we do the call at"?

texts:
I am writing a business email and want to schedule a call with the recipient.

Which of the following is correct, if any:

Can we schedule the call to 9 AM?
Can we do the call at 9 AM?
Can we have the call at 9 AM?


texts: The  is ..... meaning wolves in general?

texts:
I was learning about using "a" and "the" today, and was confused about:

What is the word "the" doing in these sentences?

  The wolf is a very dangerous animal. The kangaroo comes from
  Australia.

I think it refers to "wolves in general" or "all wolves"? So the same as:

Wolves are very dangerous animals.
Kangaroos come from Australia.

What is the rule here?

Also, a similar thing with "a". e.g.

  A man needs friends.

This refers to all men / men in general I think?

When do we use "the" and "a / an" in this way? I've tried searching but i really don't know what keywords to use other than "the" and "a" which didn't help much. Thanks.


texts: the icing on the cake: Is 'on the cake' an adjunct or complement?

texts:
It's the icing on the cake.

Here, is on the cake an adjunct or a complement of the noun icing?


texts: help to listen what he is saying "of the order of n" or "on the order of n"?

texts:
i am confused about the discussion on this hot post.

it seems that most people believe that the professor is saying "on the order of n".

the title of the question had been forced to that though, what i heard is "of the order of n" instead of "on the order of n".

plz help to listen what he is saying "of the order of n" or "on the order of n" ?


texts: I'm a Persian, and we consider bread countable in Persian language. I wonder why is bread considered uncountable in English language?


texts: How to phrase a follow-up question politely, if there's evasion?

texts:
Suppose that someone's trying to avoid, dodge, or hedge at a question, by either:
♦ ignoring the question, even though I wrote it in a letter
♦ answering irrelevantly or a completely different question
♦ or pretending to misunderstand or request clarification.

What are the polite, cordial ways of requesting that my question be answered?

My first try is "Since you didn't answer my question, could you please clarify"?
Yet this sounds too cutting and barbed.

2nd try: "Since you didn't seem to answer my question, ..."
This is less outright, but can do I better?


texts: Not using a parallel construction where one is recommended by an ESL instructor

texts:
While the sentences below don't have a parallel construction like Region A has a rate of X%, Region B has a rate of Y%, I wonder if my construction can be preferred over a parallel one.

  The regional unemployment rate in St. John’s is 7.8 percent; in Northern BC it is 9.3 percent. In St. John’s, workers require 630 hours of insurable work to qualify for EI benefits; in Northern BC, workers require 560 hours.

In the first sentence, I replaced "regional unemployment rate" with "it is"; in the second sentence I omitted "of insurable work to qualify for EI benefits".

An ESL instructor disapproved the way I wrote it. They suggested two options.

Option 1 is the following:

  The regional unemployment rates in St. John’s and Northern BC are 7.8 and 9.3 percent respectively.

For some reason this option sounds like simply stating facts, while I feel my original one makes an impact while stating the facts (when I read it in my mind, the comparison seems more dramatic).

Option 2 is the following:

  In St. John’s the regional unemployment rate is 7 percent, and workers require 630 hours of insurable work to qualify for EI benefits. In Northern BC, the regional unemployment rate is 9 percent, and workers require 560 hours of insurable work to qualify for EI benefits.

This seems a little grayish. My sentence needs to be in the format of "the rate in region A and region B" and "the hours in region A and region B". This is because the conclusion I am going to draw is about those two factors, the regions are not that important.

My question is, do native users disapprove of my original construction?


texts: What does "current secret clearance required" mean?

texts: I read "current secret clearance required" in a blog and I don't understand this expression. What does it mean?


texts:
I was trying to understand why can't we say I have not money, and the answer was that have doesn't mean possession here, it is an auxiliary verb(AV) to make a perfect tense, which requires main verb -- a sentence can't exist without main verb.

Now, the proper sentence is I do not have money. The question is, does not modify do or have? That is, does not modify auxiliary verb(do) or main verb(have)? How would you prove that mathematically/linguistically/?

I had this whole discussion with my friend, at a deeper level, with a lot of examples and counter examples. Following are some example which suggest not seem to modify main verb(MV):

He is(AV) not swimming(MV).
Not donating(MV) money is(AV) bad.
Not presenting(MV/Gerund) your research before asking a question is(AV) bad.
The idea to-not-donate/of-not-donating(MV) money occupied(AV?) my brain.

My counter argument was all of them contain AV, and you can't prove not is not modifying AV rather MV. Another argument was, one should be able to construct a sentence without AV that involves MV and not, since not only modifies MV. We came up with the following:

Joe ran the race. ==> Joe ran not the race. (Doesn't make sense)
Lion is king. ==> Lion is not king. (But, is is both MV and AV!!)
I have money. ==> I have not money. (This can't be correct!!!)

Another argument was, we can answer questions like, Have you got money, with, No, I haven't. But I haven't is supposed to be short form of I haven't [got]. Then my friend asked me to provide example of a sentence involving only AV and not. I could not give any, because I don't think I can make a sentence without a main verb.

Recently, my mate has come up with references of old English. As recent as 1900, one book named The History of the Valorous and Witty Knight-Errant Don Quixote of the Mancha; Volume 3, uses sentences like he runs not..., I know not why.. etc.

Edit: I've come up with new ideas on this. Consider the following example:

  Is(AV) this not your pen. ---- Is has to be auxiliary, because you cannot start an interrogative sentence with the main verb.

My mate's counter argument is, Is as an auxiliary verb is meaningless and not modifies(negates) the whole sentence, not the auxiliary verb -- because, you can't modify a meaningless thing. I refute this with the following example:

  Can't(AV) this dice roll(MV). --- Can+not is meaningful, because it asks for the incapability of something.

Moreover, I don't think not has a meaning in itself either then. If not means to negate something, then is, as an auxiliary, means to ask the truthfulness of something. So, isn't asks for the falseness of something.

After this my mate's argument is, not modifies the exists aspect of is, that is, is still has some sort of main verbal aspect to it. My refutation is:

  Is time not 5 o clock?
  Is speed not 10 kilometre per hour?
  Is Joe not ghost?
  is Space not empty?

In these type of sentences the subject doesn't exist. Is just asks for the truth  of something, and isn't has a meaning of asking the falseness of something, e.g. in isn't the box empty the sentence expects the listener to answer yes/no to the  falseness of the fact that box is empty. My last argument is two following axioms:

1. A verb can't act as both main verb and as adverb in a given sentence.
2. Is is main verb if you can replace it with exists in that given sentence. In "is speed not five kilometre per hour", you can't do that, which proves is is auxiliary there.

Cheers


texts:
Can you suggest me if there are any grammar mistakes in below sentence?

"I would like to live where there are many people (who) speaks English."


texts:
"Thou hast cleft my heart in twain."

In this context, what would change if instead of 'cleft' we'd read cleaved or cloven? Does the choice among the three past participle forms involve being more literary, poetic or old-fashioned?

According to Collins dictionary the verb can be found in all three forms when used to mean split or divide.


texts: "In addition to outgunning other types of computers...."

texts:
I was reading an article about tablets , I came across this sentence ( highlighted one) which I am not sure I could understand it ..Because for me its meaning contradicts the rest of the article..What I understood is that " tablets beat other form of computers in terms of sales or functionality but tablets are seen the demise of e-readeas" .So if we use tables to read e-books , doesn't  the word " demise" contradic the rest of the sentence?Can you explain what it means .In this context the word suggest means "show , indicate "..?

"More and more people are choosing tablet computers as their weapon of choice for e-mail, surfing the net, watching videos, keeping up with social networking, playing games and whatever else they do, both for fun and for work. Tablets will outsell both desktops and laptops combined in 2014 and, as you can see from the list of activities (which is incomplete), their versatility is definitely one of the major appeals of these devices.

In addition to outgunning other types of computers, tablets are often suggested to herald the demise of dedicated e-readers. Some potential buyers, ask “which is the best tablet for reading books on?”."

Thanks


texts:
I am having trouble understanding one of the comments made by my supervisor on the latest draft of our scientific paper. She commented on the first sentence of the draft (Introduction section), she said that the sentence is hanging.

Here is my sentence:

Crowd tragedies continue to take lives all over the world.

btw. She has highlighted the word continue for some reason.

I really want to get this sentence right for the next draft to keep my supervisor motivated for working on the rest of the paper.

I would appreciate any help for improving the sentence or understanding the term 'hanging sentence'.

PS : I googled the term, but all I could find was some information related to dangling modifier. But I am not sure if my sentence falls into this category.


texts:
Compare the following pair of sentences:

  What Chinese Tariffs Targeting American Crops Will Mean For Farmers

  What will Chinese tariffs targeting American crops mean for farmers?

Why does the former conveys an explanatory sense, as it is normally used as a title in articles to elaborate on the topic, while the latter is interrogative? Please explain in grammatical terms.


texts: Singular or Plural for between 2 matches?

texts:
The boxing match between "Ryo Akaho and Toyoto Shiraishi" and "Andrew Murray and Erick Plumeri" has yet to start?

or

The boxing matches between "Ryo Akaho and Toyoto Shiraishi" and "Andrew Murray and Erick Plumeri" have yet to start?


texts:
Would happiness come along Pain? (meaning come together)
  Would happiness and pain come along (meaning come together)

Is 2 a correct usage of come along, when I mean the two things in question come together? In other words, the question is whether "A and B come along" can be used instead of "A and B come together"?


texts: Watching movies {on/of/in/with} a specific genre

texts:
I am looking for the correct preposition to use in a sentence I am including in my short bio.

The sentence goes like this:

"My other hobbies include cycling, hiking, cooking and watching movies ___ sci-fi genre."

Similarly for "[...] reading books ___ sci-fi genre."

Which preposition would best fit in the above two sentences (does it depend on action i.e. reading/watching)? I have a hunch that it should be either 'on' or 'of'.


texts: Looking for an easy word that means "the person on behalf of which something is done"

texts:
I'm writing a text where I have to reference 3 different entities.

The "creator" of a document, which is the person who launched the request in a
software system for the document to be created (aka, he or she who pressed the button)
The "recipient" of the document, the one to whom the document is being made for and who will eventually receive the document
The person on whom's behalf the creator is making the document for. This occurs when the creator is making a document for his or her boss. In such a case, for the recipient it will appear as if it was the boss who created and send the document because the document is signed by this entity and not the actual creator.

I would like to know if a single word exists that is as easy to understand as "creator" and "recipient" to grasp the concept of the third entity.


texts: What does 'they' refer to in the sentence?

texts:
In the following sentence, what does 'they' refer to.

  While people are arguing how coronaviruses spread, they have spread around the world.


texts:
I haven't caught her name, or I didn't catch her name?

Whereby, in which cases should a native use the first or the second form above?


texts:
The word different clearly indicates that her model was different from the same of other students? I am thinking about using the word unique to replace it, but I am not sure.
their soils clearly indicate that I am referring to the soils belonging to each landscape? I am thinking about changing: but also each one of their soils...by...but also their soils. However, I am not sure because although it reduces the length of the sentence, it could not be clear that I am referring to the soils of each landscape.
.For example, in the subject Geography, I required a scale model about the different landscapes the students analyzed during a field trip. Without specifying the way they should develop this task, Hassim surprised me with a different model that included not only the landscapes but also each one of their soils.


texts: Why did he use "more of" in this context?

texts:
I am learning English like a ESL if I write this sentence below I wouldn't use more of. Why did he do it? What does it mean?

  This percentage is more of a guideline for what makes a good, informative listing,


texts:
Context: She has known him for more than ten years.

In the above mentioned sentence, every word can separately be analyzed grammatically. For example:

She is a subject / pronoun.
has + known = present perfect tense
him is an object / pronoun.
for more than is a prepositional phrase.
What is "ten"? Determiner/ Adjective?
Years is a noun.

In order to understand grammar in detail, I am trying to focus on the usage of words in different contexts.

Regards


texts: "Before" or "in front of" : What would be most appropriate?

texts:
I am trying to understand the difference between before and in front of  because these two words are used in a same sentence like.
Ahmad is standing in front of me.
Ahmad is standing before me.

For me, they look the same but I am not sure about it, and I don't have any lead to check it except to ask here. How do these two sentences differ from each other?


texts: Is there a problem in learning American English and British English at the same time?

texts:
I've been learning American English.
However, I happened to think that I need to learn British English.
So I began to listen to BBC.
I wonder if there is a problem in learning American English and British English at the same time. One of my worries is that my English might become strange both to native speakers of American and British English.


texts: As I have said or as I said in terms of sequence of tenses

texts:
Do sequence of tenses rules apply to sentences starting with "as"? If yes, which tenses should be used?
For example;
As I said (before), you are ...
As I have said (before), you are...
(As far as I know, past tense must be followed by past tense according to rules) Which one is correct according to rules?


texts:
I wonder if there is a steadfast rule for when to use in and when to use of with superlative forms:

  I'm so happy. This is the best day of my life.

  This is the worst depression in US history.

  The best coffee house in the country.

English Usage has the same question, but people seem to differ and answers are probably subjective.


texts:
Should I use the plural of 'smell' in this sentence?

  Ensure that your kitchen is free from any offensive smell, such as garlic.

  Ensure that your kitchen is free from any offensive smells, such as garlic.


texts:
I have a question about "hard" and "heavy" here:

  Before the operation was completed, the prognosis had been gloomy, with Winston Churchill warning the House of Commons on 28 May to expect hard and heavy tidings.

Given the context, "hard and heavy tidings" probably means bad news.  But I could not find dictionary definitions for "hard" and "heavy" that would fit this usage.  What do native speakers think?


texts: "I didn't have a laptop before" vs. "I haven't had a laptop before" in context

texts:
Could you tell me if there is any difference between the past simple and the present perfect in the following context.

I've just won a tablet. I haven't had a tablet before.
I've just won a tablet. I didn't have a tablet before.


texts:
It appears that the phrase "ensuring the election process occurred securely" means "ensuring that the election process had proceeded according to plan without being disturbed" (sorry I want to express the exact meaning, so the wording is awkward here). Am I on the right track?

Leaders of federal agencies responsible for ensuring the election process occurred securely attest they were successful, and no credible evidence has emerged to corroborate any claims suggesting otherwise.

Numerous courts have also rejected lawsuits brought by Republicans challenging the election, making military deployment among the last drastic options remaining for the president to try to remain in power.

Mr. Biden is set to be sworn in as president on Jan. 20.

Source:  WashingtonTimes


texts:
Here are a few sentences. The first one made me confused.

You can have either the £15 cotton top or the £17 cotton-and-polyester blouse. You can't have both.
Which of these apples would you prefer? ~ I don't want either of them, thanks.
The sisters in the photograph were standing on either side of their dad. (OR: ...on each side..., OR: ...on both sides....)

I can understand 2nd and 3rd sentences, but the first sentence sounds more like "you can have both of them" in terms of meaning. And I can't find a general rule or formula if somebody asks me when "either" means both and when it means none of them. But when I ponder it a little further I thought maybe if I can rewrite the sentence by omitting "or"  as

  You can have either the £15 cotton top and the £17 cotton-and-polyester blouse.

This time could it mean "you can have both"?


texts: Are "this" and "these" singular or plural?

texts:
What does this mean?
What do this mean?
What does these mean?
What do these mean?

When I should use do or does before this and these?


texts:
In the bellow sentence, I think the second "in" is redundant and should be erased. Because the first "in" belongs to "involved" and the second one is an error.

  ... suggest ways in which some risks involved in such sports can be reduced.


texts: What does "before" mean in the context of a theatre?

texts:
What does before mean in this sentence?

  Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers, typically actors, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage.

Source of the article [Wikipedia]


texts:
He is going to meet someone that (  ) has fired.
If I am curious about who is the (   ), can I make this question, "Who is he going to meet someone that has fired?"?
I want to receive many answers.


texts: How can we call the "Environments" at a nightclub?

texts:
Can I use "environment" to describe the sections in which some night clubs are divided?

It sounds so strange to me.

For example,
"Moon nightclub offers three environments, each featuring a kind of music!"

I've also found the word "ambiances", but the online dictionary says it is a rare word.


texts: What is the tense of the following sentence? "They are married"

texts:
What is the tense of the following sentence?

  They are married.

and what is the part of speech for the word "married"? is it Adjective or Past Verb


texts: Dedication of my thesis to my late father

texts: My father passed away when I was studying my PhD. Now I want to dedicate my thesis to him. I want to say that I am afraid that I couldn't finish my studies sooner. How do you feel about something like "a late thesis to the memory of my father"? Or "To my father who couldn't wait to see his doctor son"? The latter sound funny, I think. What's your suggestion?


texts:
As a software developer, I have used Regex quite a few times, without thinking about the name too much. The abbreviation can be resolved to "regular expression", but what do those terms mean?

"Regular" could mean something ordinary or normal. Regexes are not normal, they are very specialized. It could also mean symmetric or periodic. While a periodic input could be parsed easily with Regex, the Regex itself must neither be symmetric nor parse something periodic. The best match I see is in the meaning "adhering to rules / having discipline".

"Expression" can also have a few meanings. I think it goes into mathematical direction like "term". An expression in the programmer's world is probably related to the grammar of a programming language.

Is that reasonable? If not, where does the name come from and what does it mean?


texts:
I can't remember which tutorial it was.

or

I can't remember which tutorial was.

Is the "it" necessary?


texts:
On the south end of the garden, in the shadows of a loquat tree, was
  the servants' home, a modest little mud hut where Hassan lived with
  his father. Source

I would like to know if is possible to use the word loquat in the place of 'loquat tree' keeping the same meaning?


texts: What do you call the part of a metal structure that allows something to rotate endlessly in a 360 rotation?

texts: Like in the picture above you can see that the lower part can rotate endlessly while the yellow thing allow the rest of the metallic parts to hang something and rotate endlessly.


texts:
What do English speakers exactly mean when they say:

  I don't necessarily think that

or:

  I don't think that someone is necessarily a bad person


texts: Grammatically similar sentences in present perfect

texts:
In laser b1 student's book there's the following example in grammar section about present perfect:

I have believed in ghosts ever since that night.

It seems to me that sentence "I've assumed that machine learning has the future since I was at that conference" is grammatically the same, but I feel that it is incorrect, although I can't explain why.
Why is it correct or incorrect? Can we use "assume" in this context?
I'm also confused about using "I was at the conference", I'd feel fine about "I attended the conference" . But "I've assumed" and "I was" are appropriate here, aren't they?


texts:
In order your product is original one I will purchase it.

Does this sound natural? I couldn't find any same structure but still, I am in doubt that it might be correct


texts: 'I want to study all of them's subtitles.' - is that correct?

texts:
Please tell me, can I say following:

  I got 10 movies and I want to study ALL OF THEM'S English subtitles.

My question refers to the words  all of them's. Can I say that or must I use the normal

  I got 10 movies and I want to study the English subtitles OF ALL OF THEM.

The meaning I want to convey is the emphasis on ALL OF THE MOVIES.

Thank you so much.


texts:
In Braveheart (1995), Queen Isabella meets prisoner William Wallace:

Queen Isabella: Sir, I come to beg you to confess all and swear
allegiance to the king that he might show you mercy.
William Wallace: Will he show mercy to my country?
Queen Isabella: Mercy is to die quickly, perhaps even live in a tower.

What does "live in a tower" mean?
I know what live in an/(one's) ivory tower means but this one look
different.


texts: About the meaning of "unless you should get ahead of him" in a particular context

texts:
This is the text and the context:

  1905-08-29, A. I. Root, “Letter to the Wright brothers”

  Dear Sirs:-
  Well friends I suppose you will excuse your old friend, A. I. Root, if he does get a little anxious. You see Knabenshue is forging ahead so I have been wondering if he would not begin to use a lighter balloon, a still lighter, and after a while no balloon at all unless you folks should get ahead of him in some way. … As ever, A. I. Root.

I have to explain what was in Root's mind when he wrote the letter.
This is my "translation":

In August 1905, A. I. Root feared that, if Knabenshue succeed in flying without a balloon and the Wright brothers made no progress, Knabenshue would get ahead of them.

I do not get quite well the meaning of "unless you folks should get ahead of him". Is it equivalent to "if you folks do not get ahead of him"?

UPDATE

There are three clauses of interest:

1) I have been wondering
2) if he would not begin to use ...
3) unless you folks should get ahead of him ...

I do not even know how to relate them to each other.
It is clear that (2) is connected to (1) but about (3) I am unsure. Is it linked to (1) or to (2)?


texts: How do I remove the ambiguity in this sentence?

texts:
Christopher planned his vacation at the beach in December.

Without adding a context to specify the meaning of this sentence, it could be read as either Christopher was at the beach in December, and planned his vacation there or Christopher planned his vacation to go to the beach in December?


texts: What does the phrase "slid down tubes" mean here?

texts:
Please help me figure out the meaning of the phrase "slid down tubes" in the following sentence from the description of the game "Minion Rush":
For six and a half harrowing minutes, we ran up ramps and slid down tubes, steered around boxes and into hapless bystanders, until we hit a surfboard that refused to budge. (Apple's App Store)
I got a reference to the word "tubes" here:

While you run, you encounter a series of obstacles, from a range of
metal rockets to glass transportation tubes for the minions. (Venture Beat)

I am still not sure about the meaning of the phrase "slid down tubes".


texts: Is "in spending quality time" correct in this sentence?

texts:
I am in the process of translating my mission statement for my company to English, and I am in doubt: Is the following statement grammatically correct:

  "My vision is to bring the family together, in spending quality time."

I don't know if "in spending quality time" is correct, or if there are better ways to say this in English?


texts: Which expressions shall I choose in the following two sentences?

texts:
The amount of water is 3l.

The amount of water has 3l.

This bottle of water is 750 ml.

This bottle of water has 750ml.

Thanks so much for your kind help!


texts:
When I sit to write, I first think about what I would write if the choice of topic were up to me.

I googled to search the meaning of up to me. I got a song starting with it, but I didn't find its meaning.


texts: Looking forward to see you vs Looking forward to seeing you?

texts:
When learning grammar in school, I was taught that any verb after the word "to" should be in present tense and no participles.

i.e. To play instead of to playing, or to sleep instead of to sleeping etc.

So, which sentence is correct?

  Looking forward to see you.

or

  Looking forward to seeing you.


texts:
Many scientific discoveries occurred by accident. For instance, I can give the example of Czochralski process : Czochralski "made this discovery by accident, while studying the crystallization rate of metals when, instead of dipping his pen into the ink, he did so in molten tin and drew a tin filament, that later proved to be a single crystal."

Many other examples like that can be found (Pasteur, etc).

How can I name that phenomenon in general :

"Hazard in Science" ? (This is close to french)
"Discoveries made by chance" ? (that does not sound english...)
"Discoveries made in a haphazard way" ? (that does not sound english either...)
others...

What is the correct idiomatic expression ?


texts: What is the difference between "The longest" and "Longest"

texts:
hello guys i came across a question that is:

Mammoth Cave in Kentuck,Whic is ...... cave in the world,has 345 miles of subterranean passageways.

i reduced the answers to the longest and longest.But ı dont know what is the difference between them


texts: Does the object include the preposition or not?

texts:
Don’t be afraid of making mistakes in speaking English.

Is this the structure of [verb phrase: don’t be afraid of][object: making mistakes]
or [verb phrase: don’t be afraid][object: of making mistakes]?


texts:
In one of Friends episode, after Ross changes Chandler's nicotine patch, Chandler says sarcastic:

  Ooh, I'm alive with pleasure now.

I can guess it's meaning, but I need to know where we use it typically.
Thanks


texts:
I am wondering if we're allowed to use singular and then use plural to refer to the same thing in the same sentence. I am not sure if it's allowed, it's a very rare case, but it's something we may encounter in speech, so I was wondering how ungrammatical it was.

For example:

  Punch any man who insults you so that they will respect you.

  Punch any man who insults you so that all of them will respect you.


texts: Since with had been (the past perfect tense)

texts:
Please check the below sentences and let me know, is this correct or not. As per me had been (the past perfect tense) should not be used with since.

As per my friend:

I had been writing since childhood.

As per me, it should be:

I have been writing since childhood.

Thanks in advance.


texts: What's the meaning of "coiled for action"?

texts:
In the book I'm reading, a man and a woman are having an argument. The man looks at the woman and:

  He probably though she was some lunatic about to pull a gun or blow herself up... He didn't look frightened just... coiled for action.

What's the meaning of "coiled for action" here?


texts: When you sing with a song, for example, sing Wings of Birdy quietly or loudly by yourself when you are listening to it. What is the phrase of doing this?


texts: Now I have all three red, green and yellow pawns and I just have to find one blue one

texts:
I was playing "Snakes and Ladders" with my cousin. My brother came and scattered all the pawns. After looking for the pawns for a while I could find the red, green,  yellow pawns and three blue pawns. (One blue pawn was missing.)

  I've found all the red, yellow and green ones, now I just need to find one blue one.

Does "all" sound natural here?

Thank you:)


texts: Is this natural English: How was it yesterday?

texts:
People say:

  how was your weekend?

But do they say:

  how was it yesterday?

Is this the natural way of asking about how their yesterday went?


texts:
I saw the following sentence in an article.

It's now been a year since I joined Microsoft and I have to say, it's been quite a ride.
What does "quite a ride" mean? Does it mean very successful?


texts: "I'm sorry, I haven't written (or "haven't been writing") to you for a while" - which is better?

texts:
My question is simple. Which one sounds more natural to you?

1) I'm sorry, I haven't written to you for a while.
2) I'm sorry, I haven't been writing to you for a while.

I think 2 is better. Do you agree?

PS: To me the combination of "for a while" and "haven't written" sounds odd. "For a while" chimes with a lasting/repetitive action better. But "haven't written" is not a lasting/repetitive action. That is why I thought "haven't been writing " was better.


texts:
Puls Biznesu reported that the idea of the book was to give a people an opportunity to communicate abroad in a universal language - pictures.

Is it right to place the indefinite article "a" before the plural noun "people". If it's correct, why?

Source: http://thenews.pl/1/10/Artykul/252710,Graphic-dictionary-helps-refugees


texts: "There is not + noun" vs "There is no + noun"

texts:
I am wondering why in sentences with "There is/are" "not" sounds so unnatural, for example:

  There are not shops in this village.

I assume that the one correct version is

  "There are no shops in this village"

but still I don't have a proper justification.


texts: Why does it use 'the other' instead of 'each other' in this sentence?

texts:
The case came to light when both families filed criminal charges with police accusing the other family's son of rape.

  The case came to light when both families filed criminal charges with police accusing each other family's son of rape.

The first sentence was excerpted from a news article. It seems to me that the former sentence imply there could be other family involved whereas the latter one is limited between two families. Why should it use 'the other' rather than 'each other' in that sentence of the news article?


texts:
This question reminded me of a debate I have with non-native English speakers.

If today is Thursday and I say that something is to happen "next Saturday", does that mean the "Saturday in two days" or the "Saturday in a week and two days"? Alternatively, if today is Thursday and I say "next Monday", does this mean the "Monday in 4 days" or the "Monday in a week and 4 days"?

Similarly, using "this Monday" and "next Monday" have always been confusing to me as to which Monday it is depending on what day it currently is.


texts:
Our house is being decorated next summer for the first time in ten years.

What is the meaning of ‘in ten years’?


texts: What does "cut" mean in an American football context?

texts:
I came across this sentence in a sports reporting about football:

  Ankle ligament laxity does not inhibit running ability but could affect the ability to cut in the manner required of a running back.

What does "cut" mean here? I Googled and found "cut blocking." Same thing?


texts:
I can't understand the meaning of "someone reduces what they understand to be reality." in the below passage.
Is it possible to think of 'what they understand to be reality' as 'better(or possible) way of seeing or doing something'?
Also, I think that if someone reduces what they understand to be reality, then they can get more objective perspectives. Am I wrong?

  Many people out there think that they've got the answer, that their approach is the best, that they have the truth. You've met some of them, yes? They can't all be 100 percent right, of course, because they'd contradict each other. Yet the opposite doesn't make sense either: they can't all be 100 percent wrong all the time! Instead, everyone comes from a perspective, or point of view, which, by its very nature, is limited and partial. And the more perspectives you take into account, the better you can understand something, whether it be yourself, a relationship with another person, or a situation in the world. In contrast, the fewer perspectives you consider, the more susceptible you are to fallacies or misconceptions resulting from a limited view. A fallacy occurs when someone reduces what they understand to be "reality" by ignoring important perspectives, thereby arriving at misleading conclusions.


texts: Missing verb instead of Prepositional Phrase

texts:
Suppose I am reading some advertisement in the local newspaper because I am looking for a new house, and I find the following:

  ...spacious and ideal for big families, with a view of the Central Park. Call 00-12-345-6789.

What verb can be used to rewrite the phrase in bold?


texts: Adjective for a fraction that can't be represented in a simpler way

texts:
7/21 can still be represented as 1/3,
3/12 can still be represented as 1/4,
2/26 can still be represented as 1/13, but
9/13 can not be represented in any simpler way.
So, if I ask a student to find among these 4 fractions the one that cannot be represented in a simpler way, what adjective should I use in this question:

Which one of the following options is a ________________ fraction?

Should it be:

simplest ?

simple ?

non-simplified ?

basic ?

most basic ?

natural ?

final ?

fundamental ?

?


texts:
I have a question. Its about the "to" usage in the English. So. Instead of "Can someone to help me ?" we are saying "Can someone help me ?" but I never understood why we are doing it in such way. Also the same with this: "Can you to play football with me ?" - incorrect
"Can you play football with me ?" - correct
But why ? Could someone explain me this please ? Thanks!


texts: Should I use "in", “over”, or “within” in this sentence?

texts:
The boy did his first push up after 10 workouts in 20 days.

Should I use "in 20 days", "over 20 days", or "within 20 days"?


texts: What does "to do so" refer to in the following sentence?

texts:
What does "to do so" refer to in the following sentence:

  Although  these  ambiguities  formed  a  backdrop  to  the  heated  debates  in the formulation of the WDR, the real controversy concerned the role of institutions: did they “fill in” for market failures, or did they often help to preserve existing inequalities, frequently giving rise to inefficiencies in the attempt  to  do  so?

Development economics through decades, by Shahid Yusuf (2008), p. 147


texts:
He met Luis Suarez's cross at the far post, only for Chelsea keeper
  Petr Cech to show brilliant reflexes to deflect his header on to the
  bar. Carroll turned away to lead Liverpool's insistent protests that
  the ball had crossed the line but referee Phil Dowd and assistant
  referee Andrew Garratt waved play on, with even a succession of
  replays proving inconclusive.

I have no ideas how to interpret this sentence.

I think that the bold part of it could be interpreted in both ways: purpose and result.


texts:
Ironically, however, investment has been lackluster in the period India’s ease of doing business ranking (...?...) improved.

and

  According to World Bank, approximately two-third of the data (...?...) embedded in doing business indicators are based on a reading of the law.

Which Auxiliary Verb should I use in the brackets?

Is it OK if we omit auxiliary?

In which cases can we omit the auxiliary? Is there any specific grammar rule available in English?


texts: "Is he a director of this company?" or "Is he director of this company?"

texts:
In these sentences:

"Is he a director of this company?"

"Is he director of this company?"

Why don't we use the article 'a' in this question? Is there any workaround?


texts: Identify parts of the sentence in "What day is it today?"

texts:
Could you identify parts of the sentence in "What day is it today?"

I mean: subject, object, predicate and others.


texts: Correct way to refer to solve an equation

texts:
I am a mathematician and I have a question about how to say correctly in English the next preceding:

  Let x=(...)(,,,)
  If we clear away the first parenthesis we get:
  (...)=x/(,,,,)

The “clear away” is good for this situation? Thanks.


texts:
What do you call this kitchen appliance?

It is to make banana with milk. I would appreciate if you give me a link of how to use it too :)


texts: "guarded it through womanly transfiguration"

texts:
Dear Hannah,
  The demonic has seized me. The still, prayer-like folding of your loving hands and your gleaming forehead guarded it through womanly transfiguration.

This is the citation from the correspondence between M. Heidegger and H. Arendt. Could you please clarify me which noun represents the pronoun "it" in the above sentence. I worked with the possibility of "The demonic" but the meaning of the sentence is than a little bit weird.


texts: Which pronoun should be used for the country Germany in a tag question?

texts:
What will be the tag question of the following sentence?

Germany is a beautiful country, isn't {she/he}?

Shouldn't we use the pronoun "she" as country is always considered as motherland? But one of my friend told me that we have to use "he" for Germany only as this country is considered as fatherland.


texts:
SVA : She was there. SVOA : She put the book on the table.
  (source)

Is the Adverbial [of CGEL’s clause types] that is necessary in a sentence called because it modifies verb; or because it has the certain semantic meaning, like time, space, etc?


texts:
I wrote the sentence as follows.

“After this experience, I found that current methods only incorporate one type of information.”

I want to ask that is the sentence’s grammar correct? I use “found” because it happened in the past and I use “incorporate” because it is a phenomena. Can I use the two kinds of tense in one sentence?


texts:
I was reading a textbook (Connect 3: it's a student book) in which there are some time expressions for simple past among which I found 'this week'.

I always thought 'this week' must be used with present perfect and avoided making a sentence or question like 'What did you do this week?'

Now I'm confused by 'this week' as a time expression for simple past and unfortunately there is no example provided.

Does this sentence sound OK with a native speaker?

  I finished my homework this week.

Can we use 'this week' with simple past?


texts: If I were you I would tell my/your friends to respect my/your boundaries. How to choose the correct possessive pronouns in this structure?

texts:
Assuming your sibling telling you that his friends do not respect his boundaries, what would be your answer using the "If I were you..." structure? I see native speakers saying something like:

If I were you I would tell your friends to respect your boundaries.

but I think something like the following sentence would make more sense, although I couldn't find any evidence online to support it:

If I were you I would tell my friend to respect my boundaries.


texts: How to write question in the Future , about planning

texts:
I want to ask if something is planned in the future.
What is the right way and why?
 1. When version 3.8 is planned to be released
 or
 2. When version 3.8 is planne to be released


texts: How do you analyse "using" in this sentence "Upload your video to YouTube or vimeo using .mov, .Avi, or a .Mpg file."?

texts:
How do you analyse "using" in this sentence

  Listen to this,
  "Cover letters are so old-fashioned.
  Show us who you are with a cover-letter video.
  Upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo using .mov, .avi,
  or a .mpg file."
  We look forward to meeting you.
  Well, I guess that's meeting me.
  I swear I don't even know what language that was.

 Source: The Intern (2015) Movie Script

I would think the complete sentence is:

"Upload your video to YouTube or vimeo that use .mov, .Avi, or a .Mpg file."

And that usage is "reduced relative clause"

But I am not sure


texts:
Let's say we have following cases:

Color of death
Death's color
Death color

Trying to answer the question "What color the death is?" which case is the right one?
And what is the difference between all of them?
When I need to use one or another?


texts:
In this section, we will consider a few problems where developers new to React often reach for inheritance, and show how we can solve them with composition.

In above sentence, the author used where to connect two sentence. I know that where means location. What's the usage of where in this sentence. Thank you!


texts: using "should" with the second type of conditional sentence

texts:
The thin husband retorts that his child is an only son, meaning that, should he die at the front, a father’s grief would be all the more profound. The other man refuses to see that this makes any difference. “You may spoil your son with excessive attentions, but you cannot love...

If he dies, , a father’s grief would be all the more profound

If he died, , a father’s grief would be all the more profound

Would you please tell me if the bold parts mean the same thing?-- I think the bold parts or sentences are conditional sentences.

What about italic sentence?

Any comment would be appreciated


texts:
Attach a connector to each end of each cable.
  Attach a connector to both ends of each cable.

I am not sure the 2nd sentence above I created is grammatically correct.

I think it should be corrected to "Attach (two) connectors to both ends of each cable", because "ends" is plural.  But, in such a case, it may be unclear how many connectors are attached to each end.


texts: How to distinguish between descriptive adjectives and classifier adjectives?

texts:
I was reading the book "Practical English Usage" came across with order of adjectives before a noun. Of course the correct order of them! In the book we are reading descriptive adjective must come before classifiers adjectives. for example, the book presents:

"an old political idea"

"latest educational reform"

"leather dancing shoes"

as the correct structures.

Here, the question is why educational can be considered as a classifier while it doesn't hold for leather ? In general, when an adjective lies in the "descriptive"s or the "classifier"s ?

Perhaps, I am addressing difference between classification and description, somehow. I don't know. It mus be noted that I have read the post related to the question of mine, but it does not answer my question
Thanks.


texts: Been to America three times/for three times

texts:
I have been to America three times.

Vs

  I have been to America for three times.

Is for necessary here?
Or is the use of preposition futile here?


texts: How do I tell 'may' which is used like 'do'?

texts:
https://stackoverflow.com/help/be-nice

  Be welcoming and patient, especially with those who may not know everything you do.

I thought this 'may' is used to say that something is possible, like 'probably' or 'perhaps'.

But someone told me that 'may' has similar meaning as 'do' but it's softer than 'do'.

How do I tell the difference between those meaning?


texts: Is it "ask a question to someone" or "ask a question from someone"?

texts:
Sometimes we inevitably need to use a preposition when using the phrase "ask questions", the passive voice being one example of such occasions (Those questions must be asked to/from the teacher, not the students). Is the right preposition "to" or "from"? Or neither? I once heard a native English teacher use the preposition "to".

P.S. I know that asking something "of" someone means a asking for a favor. That's not my question.

Thanks a lot


texts:
The Great Hall looked its usual splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in midair. The four long House tables were packed with chattering students; at the top of the Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifth table, facing their pupils. It was much warmer in here. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked past the Slytherins, the Ravenclaws, and the Hufflepuffs, and sat down with the rest of the Gryffindors at the far side of the Hall, next to Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. Pearly white and semitransparent, Nick was dressed tonight in his usual doublet, but with a particularly large ruff, which served the dual purpose of looking extra-festive, and insuring that his head didn't wobble too much on his partially severed neck.

  “Good evening,” he said, beaming at them.

  “Says who?” said Harry, taking off his sneakers and emptying them of
  water. “Hope they hurry up with the Sorting. I'm starving.”

  The Sorting of the new students into Houses took place at the start of
  every school year, but by an unlucky combination of circumstances,
  Harry hadn't been present at one since his own. He was quite looking
  forward to it. Just then, a highly excited, breathless voice called
  down the table.

There are a couple of things I don't understand from the conversation above.

Who said "Good evening,"? Is it Nick?
Why Harry said "Says who?"

I don't really understand what the purpose of this conversation is. To me, it's not that relevant to the whole context here. Can anyone help me with it?


texts: How to pronounce "Hilary Clinton" like John Gibson?

texts: I am struggling to pronounce Hilary Clinton like Fox News host John Gibson, but it either becomes [hilarI klinhen] or [hilerI klinnen] or [hilerI klinton]. How does he really pronounce it that smoothly?


texts: What does "five chins" mean in this sentence?

texts:
Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continually.

As I understand, "five chins" is hyperbole implying Dudley is extremely fat. Am I getting it right?

What does it mean exactly?


texts:
From the movie Geek Charming:

  OK, guys, seriously, it's a whole other alien world. A mystery species. We'll never fully understand the populars and the way their strange vortex works.

This line obviously uses "popular" as a noun meaning "popular kids". And no dictionary seems to support this usage. (I'd like to add this usage also is dissimilar to "the poor" where the definite article in conjunction with an adjective means a group in general.) Is it a common usage or is this nominalization highly rare?


texts: Is "What did you doing?" the wrong way to say it?

texts:
I often hear English native speakers say:

  What did you doing?

Is that really ok to say?

Isn't it supposed be:

  What are you doing?

Or is it a contraction of other sentence?


texts:
Is it appropriate to use a participle as I did it in the sentence below?

We often come across some resources published using a foreign language.

I suppose that if we used "which (or that) are", it would be grammatically correct.

We often come across some resources which (that) are published using a foreign language.


texts:
As I understand, the word "however" is synonymous to "but", except that it can only be used, to grossly simplify, at the beginning of sentences, like this:

"It was red. However, it was hard to see."

I am also coming to believe that it may be inserted in the middle of a phrase, if that phrase is near the beginning:

"It was red. It was, however, not easy to see."

Finally, I believe it is incorrect to use it as a substitute of "but", like this:

"It was red, however it was hard to see."

Is any of what I am saying here correct, if not, what are?


texts: When I cite content from a book, should I say "section 2.3.2.1 of book... " or "section 2.3.2.1 of `the` book ..."?

texts:
I asked a question based on a book.

  section 2.3.2.1 of book "Machine Learning - A Probabilistic
  Perspective"

in this case, should I say "section 2.3.2.1 of book... " or "section 2.3.2.1 of the book ..."?


texts: The definite and zero article with the word "civilization"

texts:
Tell me please why the is not used in the first following sentence and is used in the second one.

  Ancient egyptian civilization existed for a long time.

  The Inca civilization flourished for a long time.

Is the omitted because of the word ancient, or the use of the is optional in both sentences?


texts: Is this a participial phrase "with Moscow supporting President Bashar al-Assad and Turkey backing some rebel groups"?

texts:
I'm still confused what type of word classes the word "supporting" and "backing" in this sentence below, I think they function as participial phrase in this sentence? Am I right?

Russia and Turkey back opposing sides in Syria’s nine-year conflict,
with Moscow supporting President Bashar al-Assad and Turkey backing
some rebel groups

Thank you for your help


texts:
From a song by Bob Dylan:

  Lay lady lay, Lay across my big brass bed.

Is lay lady lay grammatical? It looks like the guy confused the verb 'lay' with 'lie' here. Is it the case?  Bob Dylan is not known for meticulously following grammar rules, remember.


texts: Where in the letter should you write "Merry Christmas" formally?

texts:
I was writing an email to the principal of my former school, and came up with a question. The letter is to be read by the principal, so I should be more polite,
I need to be careful about the etiquette.
But how and where in the letter should I write "I wish you a Merry Christmas"?
Is it polite to say "I wish you a Merry Christmas" to the people that have higher social status?


texts: How to say date relative to an event in the past from present perspective?

texts: I know that tomorrow is the day after that or the next day and last night is the night before and so on. However, I am not sure about some other dates such as next Monday, this week and specifically 4 weeks from next Monday.


texts:
Please help me with the following sentence improvement question.

"If he smokes less he might get rid of his cough".

My book gave the below options to choose one from:

If he smoked less he would get rid of his cough
If he had smoked less he might get rid of his cough
If he smokes less he might have got rid of his cough
no improvement

My text book gave '1' as the answer but I think it's '4'.  What you suggest?


texts:
I was asked about whether I'd like to go on a vacation or stay home and relax. While answering it I said:
"I prefer staying home and relaxing. I like to have a cup of coffee, take a hot shower. Those/this kind of thing."
For some reason 'those' sounds better to me here. Which one's more natural between 'those' and 'these' here?


texts: "You're not trying to find a Chinese angle on it, are you?" What may be the situation to ask this question?

texts:
I came across this here.

Although the definition of "Chinese angle" is "a strange or unusual twist or aspect to something", and because there's no any context for the example question, but there is the preposition "on" before "it", I need a suggestion for the possible missing context (in order to fully understand how, when and where I might use the phrase, should I feel like doing it).

As for me, I think that it might be that someone is examining something, twisting it in his hands,  for a long time, and the other one, getting bored, may say: "Well, now! Are you trying to find a Chinese angle on it?" (meaning some invisible defect).

Please, correct me if I'm wrong with my guess.


texts:
I have learned that time expression should be at the beginning or at the end of a sentence. I saw following sentence in a CNN article.

  He was shot during an attack by an ISIS supporter on a supermarket.

I would write:

  He was shot on a supermarket during an attack by an ISIS supporter.

Would be it ok?


texts:
Here is part of Early Responses to the Periodic System

Alekseev also noted that because there had been no translation of Mendeleev's textbook into a foreign language up to that time, chemists in other countries had formed a superficial and often incorrect view of the periodic.

It seems simpler to say it like this

Alekseev also noted that because there was no translation ...

Do they mean the same thing?
I looked them up on Ngram Viewer, though I'm not sure whether it helps in this situation.


texts: Which English speech sounds are difficult for speakers of Jamaican Patois? What aspects of English grammar may be difficult?

texts:
I'll soon be supporting a speaker of Jamaican Patois with her spoken and written English. (I'm in the UK)
I understand that the sounds /θ/ and /ð/ are not used in Jamaican Patois, but would like to know if there are any other sounds that may be difficult?
Also, what aspects of English grammar are likely to be tricky for her?  Can you recommend any useful resources to support her learning?
If anyone can throw any light on these questions, I'd be very grateful, as I'd like to be as helpful to her as possible.  Many thanks!


texts: I'm baffled at this expression: "If I don't talk to you beforehand, then......"

texts:
A client wrote to me and ended his email with this line:

If I don't talk to you beforehand, I hope you have a very happy,
healthy and safe holiday!

It seems to me that this expression is for giving a heads-up of information to someone when you think you might forget or fail to do so in the future,
but I need a second opinion on that.
I found some other examples with the same expression over the Internet:

(1) That’s all I got for ya! I can’t thank you enough for all your
support, and I hope you’re having as much fun with all the reviews,
interviews, spotlights, and gif battles as I am. I’m going to continue
with these different features this month, but I’m hoping to bring you
some fresh and interesting new things in 2020! If I don’t talk to you
beforehand (chances are I most definitely will), I hope you all have a
wonderful Holiday Season, and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

(2) If I don't talk to you beforehand, I'll see you in the morning.

(3) If I don't talk to you beforehand, I'll pick you up at your
sister's at seven.

(4) A: If I don't talk to you beforehand, I'll see you at Watch
Night?”  B: Service is at ten, right?  A: Yeah, but I plan to be there
by a quarter after nine so I can get a seat. B: Okay. I’ll try and
meet you there at that time.

Could somebody enlighten me on the exact meaning of this expression? When and why would you use it? Or is there another way to express "If I don't talk to you beforehand," in the same connotation?


texts: Entering through legal / illegal solutions

texts:
Let's say that as a business man you have some problems with the tax ministry of your country. You are a very wealthy and influential individual that have friends in high places. Therefore it would not be surprising that there are many illegal solutions for you to do anything even removing your bad record in the ministry or escape from tax payment.
You are talking to your friend, and he / she wants to advise you to follow up your affairs "legally" or "illegally"!
I have made up a sentence here and I need to inquire if it is natural and idiomatic in this sense. If not, then please let me know what a native speaker would use instead:

  You'd better enter through the legal / illegal solution.

Explanations: I have tried to be witty using a simile for "legal" and "illegal" solutions and I have considered each one as a door/gate. If you want to perform your affairs based on each case, you must chose one path and subsequently enter through its respective gate. Therefore, I used "enter through"!
I wonder if semantically I am allowed to use such a structure for this sense in the manner that I could imply my intention to the native listener clearly. If not, then please let me know what would a native speaker say in the same situation?


texts:
In the dictionary

  dress [intransitive, transitive]: to put clothes on yourself/somebody

  dress (in something) I dressed quickly.

  dress somebody (in something) She dressed the children in their best
  clothes.

  Get up and get dressed!

  The children spend hours dressing and undressing their dolls.

and

  put something <-> on

    to dress yourself in something

  Hurry up! Put your coat on!

Is it correct to say "dress the teddy bear in the glasses" or "put the glasses on the teddy bear"?

But I couldn't find sentences "dress somebody (her/him...) in the glasses" on the internet but I found a lot of sentences "put the glasses on somebody (him/her...)"

But the dictionary only says "put something on" or "put on something" (eg, put my clothes on / put on my clothes) but not "put something on somebody" (eg, put the clothes on him)


texts:
The observation of prey dying of sepsis would then be explained by the
  natural instinct of water buffalos, who are not native to the islands
  where the Komodo dragon lives, to run into water when attacked. The
  warm, feces filled water would then cause the infections.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon


texts:
I just read a sentence in Longman Dictionary, under its entry for help yourself (to something):

  Children may be referred by teachers or parents or may even ask for help themselves.

I am confused about that usage of refer. Generally to refer means: to describe sth, to transfer etc.

What is the meaning that the sentence is trying to convey here?


texts:
This excerpt come from A Romance of the South Seas by Herman Melville

  Six months at sea! Yes, reader, as I live, six months out of sight of
  land; cruising after the sperm-whale beneath the scorching sun of the
  Line, and tossed on the billows of the wide-rolling Pacific.

Does wide-rolling mean the wide and undulating Pacific?

What's the purpose of combining the two words: wide and rolling?


texts: How to parse this sentence construction "Here be..."?

texts:
I have read the following sentence:

  She says to Tom, "Here is a new school bag for you, Tom."

How do I parse this sentence construction? Is it an existence sentence?


texts: Someone commented this on my soccer video: "Trent all the way" I don't know what is that means

texts:
What is meant by "someone all the way" like

  Trent all the way!
  Salah on the way!
  Vandjk all the way!


texts:
We now have the best cars and trucks we’ve ever had as a company

The last part of the sentence, "as a company", is confusing. Please help me what this sentence means. Does it mean

  We now have the cars and trucks as a corporation, and it is the best
  we've ever had.

or

  We now have the best cars and trucks we've ever had in our company
  history.

?


texts: Are there any nuances between "dismiss" and "ignore"?

texts:
According to the ODE, to dismiss something (e.g. an idea) means:

  Treat as unworthy of serious consideration.

    2.1 Deliberately cease to think about.

And to ignore something, still according to the ODE, means:

  Refuse to take notice of or acknowledge; disregard intentionally.

Is there really any difference at all between these two definitions?


texts: What's the difference between "made of" and "is made of" the passive voice issue!

texts:
I came across a sentence from LongMan dictionary while I was looking up the word "fence", and the phrase example was: a structure made of wood, metal etc that surrounds a piece of land.
my question is: why the sentence wouldn't be: a structure IS made of wood,...
"is made of wood" instead of "made of wood" since we talk about passive voice?!!
please explain to me that issue..


texts: Can the coordinating conjunction ”and” conjoin two different time sequences?

texts:
The following sentence is from a ”A study in scarlet” by Arthur Conan Doyle:

  If you are unable to come I shall give you fuller details, and would esteem it a great kindness if you would favour me with your opinion.

As per my question title I wonder if and can conjoin two main clauses with different time sequences. For me I shall give and I would esteem are different unless they can be both regarded like some kind of future.


texts: Amar had come as she had hoped. But when she was shocked at the sight of him she realized she never actually believed he would. Three years had passed with no news from him. On the day she told her parents she would invite him she had not allowed herself to pray,


texts:
the following sentences are written in my textbook
"this art exhibitoon was curated by Rocky" (Rocky is a dog btw)
"Rocky belongs to art critic Jessica"
and the question they ask was
"Who is responsible for curating the art exhibition?"
I thought it was Jessica because  they were asking "Who" not "What"
but the answer was "Rocky" because "the exhibition was curated by Rocky"
although I think it is a person who can curate an exhibiton not a dog.
My Question:
If the answer to the question is an animal, is it okay to ask with "who"?
and hence, if the question is asked with "who"  do you have to give a person as the anwer?


texts: When to use "after yourself" & When to use "after you" in the structure "tidy up after somebody"?

texts:
See this structure in the dictionary.

tidy up after somebody:

Eg: I’m tired of tidying up after you boys (=tidying somewhere that someone else has made untidy).

Eg: When you cook, could you please tidy up after yourself.

When to use "after yourself / himself / herself..." & When to use "after you / him / her" in the structure" tidy up after somebody"?

Here is what I think but I am not sure I am right, if the subject & the object after "after" are the same then the object should be "yourself / himself / herself..."

He often tidies up after himself

She often tidies up after herself

We often tidy up after ourselves

But if the subject & the object after "after" are not the same then the object should be "you / him / her..."

We have to tidy up after him

I have to tidy up after him

but not sure which one is correct "I have to tidy up after ourselves" or "I have to tidy up after us"

& not sure which one is correct, Eg: I say "you have to tidy up after me" or "you have to tidy up after myself"


texts:
Am I correct in thinking that having + past participle conveys the flowing meaning?

Pharse:

  Tomorrow, having finished the game, I will go home.

Means:

  Tomorrow, after finishing the game, I will go home.


texts: What is the difference between "swept away by", "swept up by/in" and "swept over"?

texts:
Is there any difference between "swept away by" vs "swept up by/in" vs "swept over"?
For example, what is the best fit in the following sentences? Is there any difference if I were to replace one with the other?

Perhaps, conversely, the inordinate passion I was swept up in after my recent debut as a writer was to blame.
Herein lies one of the reasons why the history of humanity has often
been swept up in the storms of revolution by men possessed by their
desire for divinity.


texts: Can 'which' be used as just a conjunction, not a relative pronoun?

texts:
Please, look at the bolded which it is in the following passage. I don't think it is a relative pronoun, but I can't find which used as a conjunction in a number of dictionaries. How is which used in the sentence? I'm sorry I couldn't find the source of this passage.

  Whenever our urge is to fight a specific biological change, we should
  ask the following triplet of questions. Will our efforts have made
  much difference a few hundred years hence? If not, this means we are
  fighting a battle we will inevitably lose. Next, will our
  great-grandchildren’s great-grandchildren be that bothered if the
  state of the world has been altered, given that they will not know
  exactly how it is today? If the answer to this second question is no,
  this means we are fighting battles we do not need to win. If change is
  inevitable, which it is, we should then ask a third question:
  how can we maximize the benefits that our descendants derive from the
  natural world? In other words, how can we promote changes that might
  be favourable to the future human condition, as well as avoid the
  losses of species that might be important in unknown ways in future?


texts: Is this correct - "a large number of people" or "many people"

texts:
Is it formal to add quantitative adjectives before plural nouns, like
"a large number of people", "many people", "many men", etc. If not what is the correct usage?

Also, is it more appropriate to use "a large number of man" - singular nouns with quantitative adjectives.

To clarify quantitative adjectives further: What is the difference between "Lot of people wear jackets" and "A large number of people wear jackets"? Is "large number of" more definite than "lot of" or "a lot of"? Thanks again.


texts: What's the meaning of "Late Wednesday night"?

texts:
Does Late Wednesday night mean last Wednesday night or on Wednesday this week, but in the late night? The translation tells me that the first explanation is right, but I cannot find a relative explanation in the dictionary.
The dictionary says: late is used to refer to the part near the end of a period of time, and has some examples:

a late eighteenth century building
in the late 1980s

So, which meaning is correct?


texts: What does "mark" mean as in "mark the anniversary"?

texts:
"Mark" literally means using a marker to underscore or circle the date.

Does it mean "commemorate"?


texts:
I wrote this sentence

  Today, there is a trend toward using document understanding and spatial reasoning [Methods ?] for capturing the conceptual structure of a web page.

Is "methods" necessary?


texts: Differences in meaning? Why would/should/will anyone...?

texts:
Are there any differences among these sentences?

  So why would anyone use the exception-based loop in preference to the
  tried and true?

  So why should anyone use the exception-based loop in preference to the
  tried and true?

  So why shall anyone use the exception-based loop in preference to the tried
  and true?


texts:
We use text features such as textual delimiters, keywords, constants or text patterns, which we call anchors, to identify data regions on a web page. Using these anchors, we create patterns for [the] data regions and match them in a mixed bottom-up and top-down manner.

The first sentence speaks about data regions in general. Could ti be in the case of the second sentence? or I'd better to use "the" to say these data regions are the same data regions we pointed in the previous sentence?


texts: Using adverbs "generally" or "in general"

texts:
Is there any difference between Additionally, and In addition, at the beginning of the sentence? The same question for Generally, and In general,. Some that using ly at the beginning is very formal and some say there is no difference. I want to use them in an academic research paper.

P.S: regarding Additionally, and In addition, I want to know is it ok to use More than that,?


texts:
I'm applying to a college that accepts diverse students with different and unique backgrounds. Since I have lived in different countries and have a different experience, I wanted to say that:

  I believe that I could make the best use of my experience I had when I was living in a foreign country.

Does this make sense? And if there are any other ways to say this more formally, I appreciate your response.


texts:
The online Cambridge dictionary gives two definitions of "to embarass":

to cause someone to feel anxious, ashamed, or uncomfortable
to cause someone to feel nervous, worried, or uncomfortable

AFAIK "to embarass" means "to cause someone to feel ashamed or uncomfortable". As a result , the person may get anxious, nervous or worried, but that is not the root meaning of the word and thus "to embarass" is not a synonym of "to feel anxious, nervous or worried". For instance, the second sentence in each pair sounds very odd to me:

I have a test/date tomorrow and it is making me feel anxious (= I have a test/date tomorrow and it is embarassing me)
Global warming affects us all and it worries me (= Global warming affects us all and it embarasses me)
My children are mischievous and make me nervous every day (= My children are mischievous and embarass me every day)

Are these definitions of "to embarass" in the Cambridge dictionary somewhat confusing or have I misunderstood the scope of the verb?


texts:
Does anyone tell me the difference between these two sentences below?
He was injured in the accident vs he was injured at the accident.

As for a non-native speaker, it seems to me these sentences are almost similar,
except for one thing-preposition "in" and "at".

Is there any different shade of meaning?

"I saw him at the car accident scene." would be better than " I saw him in the car accident." I don't know the reason why the former sounds right to me. Anyway, if any native speaker would explain the difference, I would appreciate it.


texts: There’s one son of one mother and there’s the other son of the other mother. Is there are two sons valid?


texts:
The sheer size and posture of it(the monster) is such that though it tries to crack open my now pachydermatous heart from all the trauma of life, not a single rivulet of light does my heart seem to want to let it be furnished with.

This part makes not much sense.
Is this grammar OK? What is this structure?


texts: The meaning of the phrase "trade behemoth" in context

texts:
Please consider this clause:

  a trade behemoth that shipped abroad $800 billion worth of goods

According to Longman dictionary, "behemoth" is a noun that means something very large. Additionally, the word "trade" as a noun is defined as a type of business or a particular job. The quoted clause I referred to is the example that Longman provides to illustrate the usage of the word "behemoth".

Nevertheless, it only baffled me. I failed to understand this example, because I don't know how I'm supposed to interpret the meaning of two nouns ("trade" and "behemoth") when they come consecutively. So, could you please explain the meaning of the phrase "trade behemoth" in this context?