texts:
"Instead of Jack swimming the race, it was Jill swimming the race".

Is the "swimming the race" for Jill needed? What if I only put "swimming"? What if completely omit it?


texts: "as a/my birthday gift' or "for a/my birthday gift"

texts:
(1) I received this watch as a birthday gift.
(2) I received this watch as my birthday gift.
(3) I received this watch for a birthday gift.
(4) I received this watch for my birthday gift.
Which sentence(s) is/are correct?


texts:
In heist comedy movie Logan Lucky (2017), Fish Bang said these words to Jimmy, who forced them to mount the heist a week earlier:

Fish Bang: We needed a moral reason to pull this job with you. Now, we
was fine with you wanting to get back at that store for messing with
your hot sister. But you did a whole 360 on everything when you moved
up the date!

What does "whole 360" mean in this context?


texts:
Which person to follow here?

  1- The number of students and the number of teachers are/is decreasing
  day by day in school.

  2- Either a number of teachers or a number of students is/are participating in the college's festival.


texts:
My friend asked me if I received an email she sent me last week, so I told her I did get it, but forgot to reply. She then told me this: "I was just making sure that you had gotten my email [...]"

How is this correct? It seems a bit unnatural for her to use past perfect, when she could have said "I was just making sure that you received my email". She is American, so I assume it is correct, but I've never heard of such a phrase before.


texts:
What does it mean when a dictionary indicates that a word is British English? Does this mean Americans do not use it at all?

For example: Do Americans use the word dodgy as a synonym of the word shady or is it used only in the UK (and also in some other English-speaking countries maybe) even though some Americans know what it means?


texts:
How to use "overt" as noun in a sentence?

Can the noun of "overt" be made?

I found that it is adjective but I want to use it as noun.


texts: What is my middle name and what is my last name?

texts:
I'm filing out an application form on a US website. The website is asking for my first name and last name. The Arabic name system is probably different from the English one. My name as it exactly appears on my national ID is Sara Adel Mahmoud Gad. My first name is Sara, my father's name is Adel, my grandfather's name is Mahmoud, and my family name (which is probably my great grandfather's name) is Gad. The part Adel Mahmoud Gad is shared among the family members, so my brother's name is Ali Adel Mahmoud Gad. Now What is my last name? Is it Gad? Or is it Adel Mahmoud Gad?

There has also been times when websites ask about middle name. What is my middle name? Is it Adel, or Adel Mahmoud? Or do I not have a middle name at all?


texts: Christopher Colombus has made a big mistake and I am confused when I am told there is an Indian in the US because how do I know that is a real Indian from India now working in Silicon Valley or a real Indian living in this continent for many many years and never leaving?


texts: Good to see that he's doing better/Good to see him doing better

texts:
He's been struggling with depression for years. But it's good to see (that) he's doing better./But it's good to see him doing better.
What is natural here? In the first, would it be more natural to leave out "that"?


texts: The Present Perfect, The Present Simple, or The Future Simple? The 3 options seems ok!

texts:
In Google's upcoming version of Chrome we read:

  There are a few conditions that must be met for media to autoplay on a
  website. It must be muted or not have audio,

    the user has to have tapped or clicked on the site while browsing, the site has to have been added to the Home Screen by
    the user on mobile or the user has to have frequently played
    media on that site if on desktop.

Why does not the writer simply use the present simple or any suitable future tense (since he speaking about the future)?

For example, in my opinion as an option, he could say:
(1)... the user has to tap or click ....
(2)..... the site has to be added ...
(3) .... the user has to frequently play media ....

I guess it is just for showing more emphasis but I am not sure.

Yet I think also that what Google will do in the future depends on what the user will be doing then OR  has done (before these modifications till the time of the modifications)
Still confuse
Thanks

Source:
https://www.engadget.com/amp/2018/03/21/next-chrome-version-wont-autoplay-videos-with-sound/


texts:
In my other post (Is it idiomatic to say "He doesn't drink much water at school"?) I quoted an expression.

  He doesn't drink much water at school.

And asked whether the expression sounds natural.

And then I realized that I've used sound(s) natural a lot.

I searched a bit on ELL "sound natural" got 857 hits, "is natural" got 279 hits. Which seems to indicate that the former is more commonly used than the latter.

Are both expressions idiomatic?


texts: meaning of passive voice: "a letter is written"

texts:
A letter is written.

The passive voice is not familiar with me and so vague to me. I would think that the sentence above means: “A letter [i] has been written and [ii] is seen by the speaker now.” Is it what the sentence mean? Can any other meanings be there: for example, a letter is being written now, etc. - it seems at least part of it to be in : It is often said that history is written by the victors (daum.net)?


texts:
“Who are you pregnant by?” or
  “By whom are you pregnant?”

What is the best way of asking about the father of the child?


texts: Would you help me choosing the right answer for the following question?

texts:
Which sentence is correct?

a) How I was saying before being interrupted, being polite is mandatory...
b) I got a promotion! Now I work like a production manager, with my own room and a personal assistant.
c) Nothing new to report. Same like last week.
d) That is not enough. To finish the job I will need at least three times as much.

My thoughts:

a) is wrong. ' as I was saying ...' would fit better here.
b) is wrong. 'I work as a productions manager, ...' sounds better.
c) and d) seem correct to me.
Which one would be the best option, c) or d) ?


texts:
We adopt the approach under which the ...
  We adopt an approach under which the ...
  We consider the scenario where ...
  We consider a scenario where ...

Suppose that I say nothing about the approach or the scenario before there corresponding sentences. However, suppose that the scenario is known in the literature.

I am a bit confused about the article usage here since I am explaining/clarifying things about the approach (resp. scenario) after under which (resp. after where)

Question: (a) which one between 1 and 2 is correct ?
          (b) which one between 3 and 4 is correct ?


texts:
Cambridge Grammar

It says "I’ve got to go to London on Friday" (this Friday / next Friday -1 occasion)

but

"The office is closed on Fridays". (every Friday - repeated events)

It says "I often get tired in the afternoon." (seem like "every afternoon")

but it says nothing about "in afternoons"

It says "The garden is wonderful in the spring when all the flowers come out." (seem like "every Spring") but it says nothing about "in Springs"

It says "We usually go camping in July or August." (seem like "every July" ) but it says nothing about "in Julies"

It says "What do you usually do at the weekend (UK) / on the weekend (US)?" but it says nothing about "at weekends" or "on weekends".

But this site says we can say "at weekends" or "on weekends". Ex: I only see him at weekends.

So, the expressions such as "in winters", "in Aprils", "on weekends", "at weekends", "in mornings" are right or not?


texts:
I was a big bully in school, and I haven't seen any of them since then, so I'm just a little nervous about how they're going to receive me.
Is "receive" natural in this context? Is it formal?


texts: Does "to tot up" also mean "to gear up" in British English?

texts:
A movie narration goes:

  An array of automatic weapons hangs on coat hooks on the wall behind them. They tot themselves up with AK-47 automatic assault rifles, automatic pistols, and plenty of ammunition. (source: YouTube)

It seems "tot themselves up" here means "gear themselves up", but the dictionary definition of "tot up" doesn't include this meaning. According to Cambridge Dictionary:

  tot sth up (UK)

  to add up numbers or amounts of something, or to have a particular number or amount as a total when added up:

Does this phrase also have the meaning of "gear up" in British English? If so please give some other examples as I am not able to find any on Google Books.


texts: Should it be "who" or "which" when referring to a corporation?

texts:
And that's what makes it ideal for AI research, say Microsoft, who own the game. BBC

What does "who" mean in this sentence?  shouldn't we use which?

Update:

If we can use "who" & "which" with corporation. so when do we need to use each one of them? or it is matter of writing style?


texts:
What are the similarities and differences? To no avail, I tried ODO and this Wordreference.com post.

  {verb} 1[.0]. Make or become better:
  1.2. [no object] (improve on/upon) Achieve or produce something better than:

Footnote: I encountered this issue while reading Principles of Microeconomics, 7 Ed, 2014, by NG Mankiw, who applies Defn 1.0 on p 11:

  Governments Can Sometimes Improve Market Outcomes.

But arrestingly, on p13, Mankiw instead applies Defn 1.2:

  To say that the government CAN improve on market outcomes ... does not
  mean that it always WILL.


texts:
Is there any difference between "have been used" and "have been so far used"? e.g., in:

  we first review and categorize the frameworks that have been so far employed to evaluate PIR methods.


texts: "the following August" vs. "in the following August"?

texts:
She completed writing her first novel the following August.

Is grammatically known, months name are preceded by the preposition "in"

Why , in this sentence, the preposition "in" is not included?

To be formed like:

She completed writing her first novel in the following August.


texts: When one makes something out to be a bigger deal than it really is

texts:
Lets suppose someone is exaggerating the magnitude of a problem. For example: they face an accident on the way home and start to fabricating some stories about the event that never has happened. The audience possibly would perceive these are all made up by the speaker to making a more scenic view of the occurrence. They may say:

  You are making this out to be a bigger deal than it really is.

Once, I read the sentence above somewhere and right away took it down on a paper. [The source is unknown now.]

How shall I say the above sentence in a simpler way and using simpler structure in English?


texts: Which is correct in this context "are that of a" or "came to be from"?

texts:
Could you please tell me which one of the following sentences is correct?

It is strongly believed to this day that all butterflies flying over fields, meadows, parks and gardens are that of a young widow's scrap of dress.
It is strongly believed to this day that all butterflies flying over fields, meadows, parks and gardens came to be from the young widow's scrap of dress.


texts:
So, recently I was thinking of texting:

  wao that's nice! Celebrations doesn't hurts .

I am confused if 'hurts' is correct? Or should I use 'hurt'?
I finally wrote 'hurts' and just to be on the safe side reframed the sentence to:

  wao that's nice! Celebrations doesn't hurts anyone

But I am still confused. Please help me with the correct usage of the word 'hurts' vs hurt'.


texts:
From this video at around 2:56:

  Chocolate, candles, champagne. We're just missing the flowers.

Why is continuous used here? Flowers are either here or not, so it is a state.


texts: What do you mean what am I doing? VS What do you mean what I am doing?

texts:
I have watched this subtitle like the capture. This is “ What do you mean what am I doing?”.
But I am curious the correct sentence should be "What do you mean what I am doing?"
Usually I am familiar with
< What do you mean by that? > or
< What do you mean by something? > or
< What do you mean Subject Verb ~ blah blah ~? >
That's why I think the correct sentence is “What do you mean what I am doing?”. Am I wrong?


texts:
Is there any word in the English language that expressly means to "color something in"? A word like colorize, but for instances where the means used to "color in" an image doesn't involve a computer?

  I _____ed this old photo. It was formerly portrayed in monochrome, but now it is adorned in every color on the spectrum.

  I intend to _____ this coloring book sometime today.


texts:
I want to say that beginner moms find it difficult to remember all of the numbers related to their baby (number of kicks, diapers, feeding times and so on). Here’s what I’ve written:

  The majority of beginner moms are confused about remembering all the numbers related to their baby.

Is it correct? I'm not sure about using “confused about” and verb “remember” in its -ing form.


texts:
She is beautiful than mary.
  She is more beautiful than mary.

Are both sentences correct and have same meaning? If not, what is the difference in their meaning?


texts: "Helped with the algorithm" vs "Helped to implement the algorithm"

texts:
Let's say I helped my colleague to implement some algorithm (in C# programming language, for example. He didn't know how to write it and I explained that to him).

And now I'm writing a daily report:

  Helped my colleague with the algorithm.

or

  Helped my colleague with the implementation of the algorithm.

I suspect that this is incorrect. Am I right? What I want to write must be written this way:

  Helped my colleague to implement the algorithm.

What I'm asking is the form of the statement. It is the same as of this statement:

  "I painted it with a brush."

The phrase "with a brush" means that I used a brush to do something (painting). So I wonder doesn't the phrase "with the algorithm" mean that I used the algorithm to do something (helping)?


texts: How can I know whether or not I should use the bare infinitive after a verb?

texts:
I usually make the mistake

'I prefer watch movies' instead of 'I prefer to watch movies'

Is there a grammar rule that can help me to remember not to make this mistake?


texts:
1.He hasn't enough money to attend the concert.

2.He does not have enough money to attend the concert.

I've found the second one in my text book. And  I am confuse that does the first one is correct with the same meaning?


texts:
Let's look at the following sentences.
I got bored while watching serials.
His father got him the mobile.
She got married to John.
Why does the verb 'get' occur in these sentences?
The first sentence can be written as:
I was bored while watching serials.
The second one can be written as:
His father gave him the mobile.
The third one can be written as:
She was married to John.
Then what the verb get doing here?
Please make me know each of the sentences with explanation.


texts: How can I express that the number of classes and screens in the application must be equal?

texts:
An Android application consists of one or more than one screen. The android developers define a special structure for each screen in an application. These structures are called "class".

How can I express it in one sentence? ( My intention is to specify the number of classes and screens in the application must be equal )

  The developers should define as many classes as the number of screens in the application.

  The developers should define a class for every window in the application.

Are they correct?

If they are not, how can I express this?


texts: I don't think "be something to doing" grammatically correct

texts:
Is "be something to be doing" grammatically correct?

From this book "Deep Learning and Convolutional Neural Networks for Medical Image Computing"

  What have been the impediments to realizing the full potential of
  medical imaging CAD? There have been a number of difficulties.

Is "the impediments to realizing" grammatically correct? I don't think so, but this is a formally published book by Springer, so I need a double check.


texts: What does the word 'vegetating' mean in this phrase?

texts:
Phrase:

  Your enormous mind literally vegetating by your own hand

Video with the phrase

One more link to the same video with phrase (20:21)

Oxford Dictionary meanings

Guesses:

1) According to the Oxford Dictionary, the meaning 2.1 (Cause plants to grow in) the most appropriate

2) Nevertheless, I think she said about inserting his own consciousness into another entity (pickle)

Question:

  What does the word 'vegetating' mean in the phrase 'Your enormous mind literally vegetating by your own hand'?


texts: pulsating --> pulsatingly pumping - alternatives?

texts:
Officially, the adverb 'pulsatingly' derived from 'pulsating' appears not to exist. At least all classical dictionaries (OED, OALD, CALD, LALD, etc. even WordNet v3.1) have no entry.

Theoretically, deriving 'pulsatingly' would be allowed. Hence, I want to know on a scale from 0 (not awkward at all) to 10 (super awkward) how awkward it sounds to use 'pulsatingly pumping into ...'.

Which alternative expressions would you suggest in case that you recommend against using 'pulsatingly pumping'?

Thank you for any valuable input.


texts:
disgusted and disgusting are both verbs.
So what sort of specific situations are these two words used?

For example, in these two sentences,which sentence is correct?

  I feel disgusted in my mouth"

or

  i feel disgusting in my mouth"


texts:
The police used a messaging app to search for the parents of a
  seven-month old boy who was kidnapped from Azad Maidan on
  Wednesday.

Why has the reporter used was instead of had been?

It should be:

  The police used a messaging app to search for the parents of a
  seven-month old boy who had been kidnapped from Azad Maidan on Wednesday .

Justification

Had been (the past perfect) is used to describe an action that happened in past in past. In the above sentence, the first activity was kidnapping and the second activity was sending the message. Hence, the reporter should use had been, but instead he used was. Please explain.

Actual Activity

Wednesday morning  ---> Boy was kidnapped

Wednesday afternoon  ---> Police used messaging app to search for parents

Reported speech

Wednesday morning  ---> Boy had been kidnapped

Wednesday afternoon  ---> Police used messaging app to search for parents


texts: Is there any difference in meaning in "Among people, there is understanding & 2.There is understanding among them?

texts:
Among people, there is understanding.
  There is understanding among them.

Are they two correct sentences? Is there any difference in meaning?

3.Whether there is understanding among them would require a further prove

Here, is "among them" an adjectival prepositional phrase modifying the word understanding (gerun acting as noun) or an adverbial prepositional phrase modifying IS (linking verb)?

Can prepositional phrase modify linking verb like "is, feel etc."?


texts:
I just read a part of conversation between two people on a book, which I am not gonna quote the exact words due to copyright stuff. It goes something like

  Hey, I am Kettle you must be Stove, my new roommate. I can tell by your profile picture.
  "Finally, we meet!"

Now I am wondering, is it right to use the present tense? I would have said Finally, we met!

What is the difference and why would someone say that sentence in a present tense?

Edited:

I am asking this question, because, chronologically, the action of meeting has to be prior to uttering that sentence? I mean "to meet" is instantaneous and hence, the utterance has to be after the instance of meeting! Also, the adverb "finally" in the beginning of sentence makes me feel like something has already finished!


texts:
This is the most interesting book I have ever read.

If I change this sentence,

  I have never read a book as interesting as this.

  I have never read a more interesting book than this.

Which rule is better,"not as adjective as" or "a/an comparative adjective noun than" to rephrase the superlative?


texts:
While watching a football game,
"We are seven minutes in. No score yet."

What does "seven minutes in" mean?

And what does it mean by "in"?


texts: There are still a lot of places we have to go/go to

texts:
There are still a lot of places we have to go.
  There are still a lot of places we have to go to.

I've asked some native speakers which sentence is grammatically correct, but they gave different answers. Two in three of them told me 1 is grammatically correct, but the rest told me 1 is wrong but 2 is correct.

I have no idea whose opinion is really right and why their opinions are different.

To my way of thinking, 1 is wrong, because a relative pronoun implied between places and we cannot be the adverb of "go". So, I think to make 1 grammtically correct, we should rephrase it as "There are still a lot of places for us to go".


texts: How to say a city has a polluted air properly?

texts:
I was wondering if you could let me know which one of the  following sentences is the natural way to say it:

  This city's weather is so polluted. (To my non-native ear, it sounds to be the most correct one)

  This city's air is so polluted. (I don't know if "air" works in this sense)
  This city's is so polluted. (I think witout mentioning "weather" it would be ambiguous)
  The weather in this city is so polluted. (to me it sounds like the second version of the sentence #1)


texts: Meaning of a sentence from The Emperor's New Clothes

texts:
I read the story "The Emperor's New Clothes". One sentence I do not understand. Of course, they could see perfectly well that the crafty pair was only pretending to weave the cloth, and cut it, and stitch it. But they didn't dare disclose the truth to the emperor.Disagreeing with the emperor would be like confessing that they had poor taste.
I don't understand "disagreeing with the emperor" in this sentence.


texts: He prepared for school like he always does (or did?)

texts:
I think that the following sentence is grammatically incorrect:

  He prepared for school like he always does.

Should it be more grammatical to say:

He prepared for school like he always did.

The reason is that the event is already in the past, so past tense should be used in the whole sentence.

Is my understanding correct?


texts:
My many smiles begin with you.

Many of my smiles begin with you.

Are both sentences grammatically correct as well as idiomatic?Do they convey the same meaning?


texts:
I saw him at the mall last weekend and I noticed he got a new haircut.

  I saw him at the mall last weekend and I noticed he had gotten a new haircut.

Do you find any of sentences above awkward?
I think they are all ok but not sure they are grammatically correct.

Thank you!


texts: What's the difference between "we don't have time for/ to do that"

texts:
What's the difference between:

1 we don't have time for that

2 we don't have time to do that


texts: "Square" + "-er" suffix: Denoting a person belonging to a company called "Square"

texts:
According to Oxford Dictionaries, the -er suffix could be used to denote a person belonging to a specified group (e.g. New Yorker for New York).

Suppose now that I work for a company called "Square". That is, I "belong" to a group of other people, the Square company. Is it correct to say that I am a Squarer?


texts: "Sun raises in the east" or "Where the sun raises its east": Which one is correct and why?

texts:
I have a question which has been running through my mind for sometimes. Please forgive me if I came to the wrong place to ask, but I do have the courtesy to get the answer to this question.

Of these two:

  "sun raises in the east"

or,

  "the sun raises its east".

Which one is correct?

Aren't directions north, east, west, and south imaginary, since the earth is rotating?


texts:
I want to write a definition for "cheese dome" for a flashcard. There are no definitions for this term in a dictionary, at least in the ones that are available online.

Does A dome-like cover, often made of glass, for storing cheese. sound adequate?


texts: The sentence with the 'on sb way out' pharse

texts:
From the dicitionary

  By 1989 it was clear that she was already on her way out.

I didn't get the point of this. Was the sentence talking about two women (she and her)? Couldn't you explain the meaning in more simple words?


texts: correct spelling of "carruffel" (fuzz, hustle, all that jazz)

texts: I faintly remember learning a word that means an arbitrary hubbub of things, all the to do, a minor inconvenience, etc., I'm not really sure. I thought it was  ca. "carruffel", but that does not exist. Does this ring a bell for anyone?


texts: How can I say it in this situation? ("slice" vs. "cut")

texts:
I'm really curious.

At the bakery, I picked one big bread and brought it to the baker
and say "Would you please slice it?"

Is it natural to say

  "Would you please slice it?"

or

  "Would you please cut it?"

or anything else?


texts: What do you call something you brag about? 'A matter of bragging' or 'a point of bragging' or something?


texts:
Considering what you guys have done, you guys should have gotten punished.

Vs

Considering what you guys have done, you guys should get punished.

Whats the Difference ?

Also

I have played a lot of football in school.

Or

I played a lot of football in school.

Situation :- a 35 yr old man explaining to his son how he is so good at football.
Well, football that he had learnt in school, still has its connection with the present (he is still good at it) so I think we should use Present Perfect, but he left school way before, so I also think we should use simple past. Which one's correct ?

Please explain


texts:
Is this correct:

  I don't like reading and playing the guitar.

or should I use "or".

  I don't like reading or playing the guitar.

Is the "and" version incorrect? I mean that I don't like reading and I don't like playing the guitar.


texts:
So I have been studying many examples about this. I want to make sure that I am right in assuming the following and have a question in the end.
So today is Thursday.

  In the last week, I have been on four dates.

This means from last Thursday until today, I have gone on four dates. These four dates could have happened on one single day of these days  between last Thursday and today. Or maybe two dates happened on one day and another two on another day between last Thursday and today. Or another time occurences.

  Last week, I went on four dates.

This means last Thursday I went on four dates. Meaning on that day, I went on four dates OR last Thursday, I had been on four dates, meaning that I could have gone on these dates any day before last Thursday?

Thank you.


texts: What would you call the paper you work out your math on?

texts:
Without computers, we would need to work out difficult math problems on paper. This is still true in math tests, where the teacher would give students a few pieces of paper so they can work out their problems. Usually, students can ask for more paper, if needed.

I don't know a specific word for this kind of paper. I was guessing that it might be working paper or jotting paper, but they don't sound quite right.

What should I call this kind of paper in English?


texts:
If I want to use the plural of "moderator" and also add the apostrophe plus S, how do I pronounce it? How do native speakers pronounce it?

Moderators = moderatorz
Moderators's = moderatorziz or just moderatorz?

A sentence is:

"I always thought that moderators's decisions seemed fairly arbitrary." (from Meta StackExchange)

I guess moderatorziz is correct but it sounds weird to me. Do native speakers pronounce it as moderatorziz?


texts:
There is a phrase

  What is bred in the bone will not wear out of the flesh.

What is the meaning of wear out in this context?


texts:
I starting a project on domain X. Though it existed before and was already quite famous, an important name N got so popular that it became a bannerman of the whole domain, and the general audience would take N as a representative of the domain.

The problem is that N passed away long ago and the project is to show that a lot has been done in X since then. I'd like my project to have a title that carries this idea. I found that "N is dead" (in reference to Nas' "hip hop is dead", though the main idea is different) too direct and provocative. I don't want to be dismissive on N's contribution, but the project is to highlight all the other talented persons that enriched X.

What I come up so far is "N is no more" but I am not sure it works. I cannot find it in this Wikipedia page on death-related expression.

As an example, if the project was on English theater, I would call it "Shakespeare is no more"

Is it a correct (grammatically, provocative but polite enough) way to express this idea?


texts: need an adjective to describe something important but not appropriate (see specific example)

texts:
What would be a "right" adjective for the following sentence?
The sought-after adjective should denote the necessity of the matter but downplay its significance for the time being.

job hunter: I would like to discuss the issue of compensation during my phone interview with the hiring manager.

recruiter: I think it's best to focus the discussion primarily about the job for now. Compensation is a(n) _____ issue at this stage of the conversation with the manager.

a few options below, but none seems spot-on:

accessory/supplementary: additional ?
unnecessary: (I think this is a "wrong" choice of word in this context)
peripheral/tangential: maybe ?? but seems to imply the non-necessity of the matter

Any better suggestion?


texts: (qualify for) and (qualify [as]) an excuse

texts:
I'd like to know if I could use "qualify for" in the context below, with the meaning of "to give the right to do something":

Example:

  The abuse of some does not qualify for the tough and unnecessary restrictions.

Wordreference has this meaning but does not give an example of use:

  "to get authority, license, power, etc., as by fulfilling required
  conditions, taking an oath, etc."

And what if I'd like to use the word reason? I am not sure about dropping the word "as":

  The abuse of some doe not qualify [as] an excuse to set the tough and
  unnecessary restrictions.

The use of as has the meaning to fit a description in the dictionary entry below. My usage is fine as far as I can see.

Oxford Collocations Dictionary, 2nd edition

  qualify
  verb

  1 have/give sb the right to sth

  PREPOSITION

  ▪ for

  ▪ You will automatically qualify for a pension.

  3 fit a description

  PREPOSITION

  ▪ as

  ▪ A three-week course hardly qualifies as sufficient training.

Note: I suppose I could say:

"The abuse of some doe not justify the tough and unnecessary restrictions" and be done with it but I'd like to learn how to use qualify. I might need to paraphrase in when writing.


texts: Vocabulary to refer to "the act of keeping something in its original/good state"?

texts:
I have a problem whenever I want to, in brief, say "how to keep a ball pen from drying out, keep my laptop cleaned from excessive files and virus, keep my car clean and able to function". The problem is that I want to say it briefly in short sentence instead of fully describing; however I don't know which words I can use.

The only word I can think of is "preserve":
1) Preserve my computer = Take good care of my computer, keeping it away from things making the computer slow.

2) Preserve my car = Take good care of my car, keep it clean outside and keep it functional inside.

3) Preserve my pen = Keep my pen able to be used for writing

=> However the word "preserve", within my range of knowledge, is often used for food. Are there any word that you guys can recommend for electrical items, household items, drinks,...?


texts: does "land on something" means agree on something?

texts:
in a movie, two actors had this conversation :

player A: Oh you bought a chair!

player B: Uh, no actually , I borrowed it like we talked about (explanation: he took the chair from his office)

Player A : I thought we decided that it is like stealing

Player B :  is that what we landed on that?

what does last sentence mean?


texts: Plurality of fraction that has an assigned mathematical symbol

texts:
I am aware of the general rule that the plurality of a fraction matches the plurality of the thing it modifies, as in “a fraction of investors are informed.”
Does this change when I assign a mathematical symbol to the fraction, as in “a fraction x of investors are informed”? “Are” still seems like the best choice there, but I’m not sure. Now, what about a construction like “the fraction x of informed investors is greater than a threshold X”? “Is” seems like the better choice there. If that’s correct, what’s the reasoning behind the apparent exception?


texts: Meaning difference between insinuate and imply

texts:
I looked up the meanings of the insinuate and imply.
Insinuate, as shown on the site vocabulary.com, means suggest in an indirect or covert way, and imply means to express or state indirectly.

I was just wondering, are they interchangeable?

The following are some sentences where insinuate is used:

But they share common stylistic traits, most notably a tendency to insinuate more than they state outright.
I politely commented that he was right, a lot of people are offended by that term, insinuating that I was among them.
"This gives Schmidt the opportunity to insinuate his desires" into the state’s technology strategy for schools, he said.

In these sentences, can we use imply, instead of insinuate?


texts: Can I use a non-defining and defining clause for the same noun?

texts:
I'm curious if I can use a non-defining and defining clause/phrase in a row for the same noun in a sentence.
For instance,

I sold the ring, an expensive one, that I bought a few years ago. (I intend to use "that" here as a defining clause and "an expensive one" as a phrase for more detail)

I sold the ring, which is an expensive one, that I bought a few years ago. ("which is an expensive one" is for detail, "that" is for definition.)

I know I can combine them shortening the sentence, however what about this kind of usage?


texts: In or on connected with contract meal booking

texts:
I am in a plight of choosing preposition between in and on. I have several instances as follows:

Will free texts be included in/on the phone contract (plan)?
What am I going to get in/on this meal?
How many nights are there on/in this booking?


texts:
What do you call the water that has been used to boil something?

French speakers would say "eau de cuisson".

Even though it is a by-product, it is often re-used, for instance in the case of water that has been used to boil Japanese soba. Wikipedia:

  After the noodles are eaten, many people enjoy drinking the water in which the noodles were cooked (sobayu)


texts:
Which sentences are correct?

  1- The cover of book is green.
  2- The cover of the book is green.
  3- A cover of book is green.
  4- A cover of a book is green.

When should we use a or the?


texts: "The word histology has offered the German scientist Mayer in 1918"

texts:
I'm reading a book now, but since it was written in English by Russian woman, I'm not sure about the level of the English of this book. Let me cite to you one phrase:

  "The word histology has offered the German scientist P. Mayer in 1819.
  The general histology study basic tissues in human body"

I wonder if it should not be as follow (my correction / version in bold):

  "The word histology has offered by the German scientist P. Mayer in 1819.
  The general histology study basic tissues in human body"

The second thing is about the word "study" in this phrase. Is it considered as a verb? if it is, then it should be "studies" (because it refers to "general histology"). and if it is not, then it is not clear sentence ("The general histology study basic tissues in human body")


texts: Difference between verb against used to verb+ing

texts:
Voughan advanced CD 2 he is using verbs like:

  he used to living.. etc...

What is the difference between such use and "he used to live?"


texts: Is it correct to say, ' Please wait, the session was not yet started'

texts:
I am translating from German to English.
The scenario is: A screen sharing session is schedule and is not yet started. Someone tries to join this session.
What is the correct way to ask them to wait with a message?

  Please wait, the session has not yet been started.

OR

  Please wait, the session was not yet started.

OR

  Please wait, the session is not yet started.

Please help.


texts:
Which of the following sentences is correct? And what's the difference?

Have any students in this university  come from Australia to study here?
Has any student in this university  come from Australia to study here?

I think only the second sentence is correct. Can native speakers please answer this question?


texts: Should I omit the subject immediate after a conjunction?

texts:
Consider the following

  A/an and the are articles. They are a type of determiner and they go before a noun.

  A/an and the are articles. They are a type of determiner and go before a noun.

The former comes from Cambridge Dictionary, which means it is definitely grammatically correct. How about the latter? Should I omit the subject immediate after a conjunction, which is, "they" here?

Why would I want to use the second one? Because it is more concise.


texts: What does this sentence "10% studying engineering got PhDs."mean?

texts:
I encountered a problem asking:

  Which of the following is true about women studying in university?
  A: 10% studying engineering got PhDs.

I am not sure what the option A means. Does it mean 10% of women studying engineering got PhDs?


texts: Can you explain about the lyrics put off here?

texts:
Questions about grammatical constructions in the song "If we were a movie" (Lyrics)

  Watching the sunset fade to black, show the names, play the happy song, yeah

Whom or about what she said when she said 'show the names, play the song'?Is it to the sun?

  And I'd be the best friend that you fall in love with.

Here, with whom could also be used in place of that?That seems a bit weird when it is used for a person, instead of whom.

  Wish I could tell you there's a kiss like something more than in my mind.

It means something more than kiss like in my mind.Doesn't the awkward position of words seems like 'more than in my mind,' maybe in heart?


texts: "What really am" or "What I really am" - which is more appropriate

texts:
Which statement is more appropriate?

  Is that what really am?
  Is that what I really am?

And instead of "what", can I use "how" and have the same meaning?

The person saying the statement thinks of himself as something like a coward, then he questions himself. I was thinking "Is that what I really am?" was more appropriate because "am" is always used with "I" but I'm not sure. "Is that what really am?" sounds fine to me too.


texts: Is it possible to use drop by with in/to/on

texts:
Are these possible?

I dropped by in a shop on my way home.

I dropped by to a shop on my way home.

I dropped by on a shop on my way home.


texts: Can "manifest" mean "above, over, highest" and the likes, as in the statement: "you are the manifest, there is nothing above you"?


texts: What is the difference between "I am sorry to miss your concert" & "I am sorry for missing your concert"?

texts:
Here is from the dictionary

  Sorry (adj): [not before noun] feeling sad and sympathetic

  sorry (that)… I'm sorry that your husband lost his job.

  sorry (to see, hear, etc.) We're sorry to hear that your father's in
  hospital again.

  sorry (about something) No one is sorrier than I am about what
  happened.

  Sorry (adj): [not before noun] feeling sad and ashamed about something
  that has been done

  sorry (about something) We're very sorry about the damage to your car.

  sorry (for something/doing something) He says he's really sorry for
  taking the car without asking.

  sorry (that)… She was sorry that she'd lost her temper.

  If you say you're sorry we'll forgive you.

  Sorry (adj): [not before noun] feeling disappointed about something
  and wishing you had done something different or had not done something

  sorry (that)… She was sorry that she'd lost contact with Mary.

  You'll be sorry if I catch you!

  sorry to do something I was genuinely sorry to be leaving college.

This site says:

  When do we use to be sorry to and to be sorry for? Have a look
  at the following sentences, it´s really easy!

  To be sorry to + infinitive = to apologise for a present action

  I´m sorry to interrupt but could you come with me for a second?

  To be sorry for + verb with -ing = to apologise for a past/earlier
  action

  I´m sorry for lying to you, I won´t do it again

I would say:

"I am sorry to miss your concert" means I'n sorry before I do it

"I am sorry for missing your concert" means I'm sorry after I did it


texts:
Here goes example,
"The earliest recorded use of "queer" as a form of homophobic abuse is said to be a 1984 letter by John Sholto Douglas, the Marquess of Queensberry."


texts:
I believe there are some other ways to say "I live alone". Can you provide me with some expression explaining its formality?

What about these:

be on (oneself). (?)
live with (oneself) (?)

Do these kinds of expressions indicate that the person is single or he/she is the only person who lives in the place (maybe he/she meet his/her partner somewhere else?)


texts: "to keep something as a memory" or "to keep something as a memento"

texts:
What is the difference between
 "to keep something as a memory"
and "to keep something as a memento"

First of all, although I think I heard of that usage of the word memory in this meaning, when I looked up a few online dictionaries, I could not see any example sentence given such " as a memory". Therefore, I am not sure if this usage is grammatically correct or idiomatic.

Secondly, does the word memento sound a bit too formal than the word memory for this following example sentence:

  I would like to keep the cup given as a gift as a memento of my trip to your country.


texts: To which part of sentence does "amongst you" refer?

texts:
...for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a
  possession of a buryingplace amongst you. (Genesis 23: 9)

Is the below meaning possible?:

...how much does it cost in your minds? I will pay the cost for it.


texts: difference between past continuous and simple past in this case

texts:
I have another question about the use of the past continuous and simple past.

These are both examples from grammar books, and I want to know why in the first example, the past continuous is used, and in the second, the past simple, because to me two years is also temporary.

  I was working in a shoe shop for a year.

This is what I think: emphasis is on the temporary aspect, hence the use of the present continuous.

  I lived in Brazil for two years.

Emphasis is on the fact that I lived in Brazil, hence the use of the simple past.


texts: Is past perfect continuous mandatory when you mention the duration of an action in reported speech?

texts:
He said "I have been working in the garden for 8 hours" - direct speech.
He said that he had been working in the garden for 8 hours. - indirect speech
Is "He said that he was working in the garden for 8 hours" also possible?


texts:
We heard this sentence in the movie Northmen.

  These weapons are all that are left of men, whom, like you, confronted me.

Which is correct?

I think it should be who and not whom because in the affirmative the sentence becomes

  These men confronted me

which should be replaced by who.
My friend says the replacing pronoun should be whom because it refers to people.


texts: "Tomorrow I die. Tomorrow I die, and today I want to tell the world what happened and thus perhaps free my soul from the horrible weight which lies upon it." by Edgar Allan Poe in "The Black Cat" short story. So my question is what tense is used for "Tomorrow I die" sentence?


texts: Is a simple "context" a good start to ask questions?

texts:
I've seen lots of people begin their questions with a simple "context", such as (What is the meaning of the sentence given below?), (What are the differences among the sentences when "make", "cause" and "tend" are used?) and so on.

I asked some questions in the similar way. For instance, in post Why does she have to call her roommate at work?, I started the question with

  Here is the context ...

The answer to that question reminders me "a matter of politeness".

Is it friendly to start questions with just a "context"?

Is there other more polite ways to start questions?


texts: Would you say "Put the balloon on the stick" or "Put the balloon in the stick"?

texts:
A child can hold a balloon by its stick.
The stick has 2 parts: a straight stick and a conical piece.
The straight stick is put into the conical piece.
The conical piece has a gap or slot where you can slide the knot of the balloon in as shown in the picture.
Would you say "Put the balloon on the stick" or "Put the balloon in the stick" versus "Take the balloon off the stick" or "Take the balloon out of the stick" in everyday conversations?


texts: to get an easy ride = not be punished/have repercussions?

texts:
How I escaped my certain fate by Stewart Lee

  Acres of angry newsprint were generated, much of it about things that
  weren’t even in the show - [...], the 6,000 swear words that never
  were – and frightened white people who imagined immigrants were
  getting an easy ride whenever their faiths were mentioned joined the
  queue of incoherently angry people eager to see the show closed.

The author describes how his opera show was going to be closed by angry Christians who thought that the show was blasphemous.
Does he mean that the immigrants made jokes about Christians and weren't punished for [were getting an easy ride]  them?

As I understand, when there were mentions of white people's faiths in the newspapers, these white people were triggered towards immigrants. Is this correct?

Thanks in advance


texts: What’s the meaning of “the final balance now due”?

texts:
What’s the meaning “the final balance now due”
And what’s the meaning of “due” in this sentence ?
Please describe simple.
Thanks


texts: If someone, previously named John Smith, now changed to Mohammed bin Usman, is there a word to describe such a person?


texts:
First, here's a material that made me keep thinking about this issue in the first place.

http://www.grammaring.com/as-if-as-though

  He looks as if he knew the answer.

He is pretending as if he knew the answer. He is not as smart as he can solve the problem.

  He looks as if he knows the answer.

He is a smart enough to know. Many people expect him to know the answer

Am I right to think this way? I'm trying to figure out how to use 'as if' more precisely.

Thanks in advance


texts: Yesterday, he sent me a few of the books he wrote/ has written.-- difference in meaning

texts:
Yesterday, he sent me a few of the books he's written.

Yesterday, he sent me a few of the books he wrote.

Yesterday, he sent me a few of the books he'd written.

What's the difference between these three sentences meaning wise?
It's pretty obvious that he wrote the book before he sent them to me yesterday, so do we really need to use the unnecessary past perfect?

I'm actually more concerned about first one and second one and what differences they have meaning wise.


texts:
Is it correct to say:

  "If someone was born in the 90s, he's now over 15."

If yes what kind of conditional is it?


texts: What does it mean by "out of sight" here?

texts:
From Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:

  "Three up... two across he muttered. "Right, stand back, Harry."

  He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.

  The brick he had touched quivered –– it wriggled –– in the middle, a small hole appeared –– it grew wider and wider –– a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

  "Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."

'out of sight' means not visible, but here the cobbled street seems to be appearing in front of their eyes. And 'that' here refers to the street, doesnt it? Then how can the street be 'out of their sight' in this scene? I don't understand this sentence.


texts:
The so called postal acceptance rule has had a long but by no means uneventful history. Its genesis is probably to be found in Adams v Lindsell (1818) 1 B and Ald 681; 106 ER 250 but it was not until Household Fire and Carriage Accident Insurance Co (Ltd) v Grant (1879) 4 Ex D 216 that the rule was itself finally accepted. It had, however, already been applied in Australia: Tooth v Fleming (1859) Legge 1152. Even in quite recent cases in the United States, the rule was still being called "the rule in Adams v Lindsell". But once more firmly established ( Henthorn v Fraser [1892] 2 Ch 27), the rule became an important exception to the central principle that acceptance of an offer was not effective until actually communicated to the offeror. Moreover, although the postal system of the late nineteenth century was by all accounts sufficiently reliable and prompt to justify such a gloss on the fundamental principle, the application of the exception was limited to cases in which by reason of general usage or the particular relations between the parties or the terms of the offer itself, the acceptance of an offer by posting was authorised. Further, the letter of acceptance had to be pre paid and properly posted in order to attract the operation of the rule that, in the case in which use of the post was specified or contemplated, acceptance was complete upon posting.

Is the above the same as "explanation of the fundamental principle?"


texts: scan immediate left, next right, farthest right -- are these adverbs?

texts:
For the purposes of this book, I’m using two-space indents for the selector and four-space
  indents for the declarations. Indenting is used to provide clarity. In the real world (or your
  favorite text editor, to be precise), many developers use one tab click to indent the selector, and two tab clicks to indent the declarations and closing curly brace. This might seem arbitrary, but such a layout makes regular searching for rules a whole lot easier. The eye can scan immediate left for comments, next right for the selectors, and farthest right for the rules.

Are these used as adverbs? Like, you scan how? You scan left.


texts: "In motion again" vs "into motion again"

texts:
Example sentence:

  At last, Mark spoke to Mary, setting the air particles surrounding them in/into motion again.

Should it be in or into and why?

"in motion again" 33K Google results.

"into motion again" has 9K.

But I'm sttill a little confused.


texts: What's the difference between "over" and "over with"?

texts:
Example sentence:

  God, she wanted to go home. She wanted this all to be over (with), but she needed to deliver the papers before she could.

How does the meaning change if "with" isn't added? To me, it has roughly the same meaning, but I'm not very sure.


texts:
The word including indicates a part-whole relation. If so, do the following sentences make sense? If including is properly used here, does any other part offend any rules of usage?

  All Skyline computers are manufactured using the best-quality parts, including monitors and CPUs.
  All Skyline computers are manufactured using the best-quality materials, including monitors and CPUs.

I'd appreciate your help.


texts:
Mrs May has succeeded in bringing crime down to the lowest levels since surveys began 30 years ago, on a budget which keeps shrinking. Her admirers say she is set to become the greatest Tory home secretary in modern times — but only if she sets about repealing, rather than augmenting, Labour’s laws abridging freedom of speech. We do live in dangerous times, but the job of the home secretary is to reject as false the choice between our liberty and our security. This, after all, is the Conservative way. (Source)

Are there problems here? If so, what are they specifically? 'The choice...' can be rejected, but how can 'the choice ...' be rejected as false? I tried to Google for help, but this thread is inconclusive.

Footnight: For example, http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1247577&p=6386723#post6386723 explains a meaning, but http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1247577&p=6386784#post6386784 doubts the correctness.


texts: Has the phrase "such as" been used correctly in the sentence "You can make an offer with a phrase such as ..."?

texts:
I usually tend to struggle with the placement of the phrase "such as" in my sentences (I struggle to identify the appropriate times it could be used in a sentence). I was wondering if there is a grammatical rule for it that could help me find the proper placement of this phrase in a sentence.

(I'm always looking to improve on my English; so, I'd greatly appreciate it if you would point out any grammatical mistakes I've made in describing my question)


texts: A comparison between the adjectives "Brutal", "Savage" and "Merciless"

texts:
I am going to write a paragraph about an international disaster. But I have no idea which choice is proper / fixed / better sounding in this context:

The previous Saturday the United Nations Human Rights Council strongly condemned X for its .......... attacks on civilians, in a resolution that was stronger in criticism than the one passed by the Security Council on the same day. By a majority vote the Council asked X to immediately stop its attacks.

a. brutal
b. savage
c. merciless
According to the dictionary definitions:
Brutal = cruel, violent, and completely without feelings
Savage = extremely violent, wild, or frightening
Merciless = having or showing no mercy
As you see, these definitions are so close that a leaner like me can fall into doubt about how he/she should make a distinction between them and find a direct equivalent in their mother language(s).
That was why I decided to bring it up here to ask you for your opinions.
PS. I see no difference between "brutal" and "merciless", but "savage" has a slightly more violence / harshness involved in my mind, which I cannot explain. However, You are free to dispute it.


texts: "We didn’t use to get up early" vs. "We never got up early"

texts:
My friend asked me the difference between these sentences:

We didn’t use to get up early when we were children.
We never got up early when we were children

I told her:

In #1, it means that when we were children, we rarely got up early, we frequently got up quite late. Now, when we are adults, we usually get up early.
In #2, it means that when we were children, we didn't get up early, even once. Only when we are adults, we get up early.

Did I explain them correctly?


texts: Questioning the use of prepositions in these sentences

texts:
I do not know if the prepositions in these sentence are used correctly.

  "She questioned the sense in following that course of action."

and

  "The police questioned the suspect about whereabouts in the date in question."

What do you think?


texts:
Her leg was impaled on steel rod.

  The boy was impaled by steel rod.
   Boy, 10, impaled by steel rod - The Star Online

I am a bit confuse by the preposition used in the sentences above.
These sentences are get from the online newspaper.

What is the sentences above mean?


texts: Interrogative/relative pronouns with accompanying pronouns

texts:
I understand this

What are you asking for?

However, in longer and more complicated sentences, you'd want to put that accompanying pronoun just before the interrogative/relative one. It's a definition of 'intellectual property' from Lexico.

A work or invention that is the result of creativity, such as a manuscript or a design, to which one has rights and for which one may apply for a patent, copyright, trademark, etc.

(from here)
I also kinda understand this type of sentence.

"I need to have your name and address". "What for?"

(from here)
Now let's look at this passage

Who and for what gets benefits in Belarus is known only to one individual. Here lie the problems of those who are included in the inner circle and try to take advantage of their belonging to it. [...] Secondly, it’s unknown when, how, and (1) for what you can be stripped of the privileged status. (2) What for? It could be a whim or slander from a competitor. How? You’re lucky if you get off with only reproof. But what if you end up in prison and broke?

(from here, in Russian)
The first 'for what' jars with the second 'what for'. So I kinda intuitively want to swap the two words with each other in the second instance. Should I do that? And, more generally, how do you use accompanying pronouns with interrogative/relative pronouns?


texts: Are "passive participle" and " Passive voice" the same thing in Modern English?

texts:
The following examples from Wikipedia illustrate what is "passive participle"

  The bus has gone. (Here gone is an active past participle).

  ex_1: The window was broken with a rock. (Here broken is a passive past participle)

Cambridge Dictionary gives these examples

  Cambridge University Press published this book. (active)

  ex_2: This book was published by Cambridge University Press. (passive)

I can't see the difference between ex_1 and ex_2.

Are "passive participle" and " Passive voice" the same?


texts: what does this quote mean from great expectations?

texts: "... "we can no more see to the bottom of the next few hours, than we can see to the bottom of this river what I catches hold of. Nor yet we can’t no more hold their tide than I can hold this. And it’s run through my fingers and gone, you see!"


texts:
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-threatened-yahoo-huge-fine-over-surveillance-212454410.html

  U.S. authorities threatened to fine Yahoo $250,000 a day if it failed to comply with a secret surveillance program requiring it to hand over user data in the name of national security, court documents showed Thursday.
  The documents, made public in a rare unsealing by a secretive court panel, "underscore how we had to fight every step of the way to challenge the US government's surveillance efforts," Yahoo general counsel Ron Bell said in a blog post that will again raise privacy concerns.

First of all, what does that word exactly mean because dictionaries don't seem to have this word listed in them? And could please tell me how the author came up with that word on his own? Like, what are the mechanics of creating nouns like this one out of their verb forms?


texts:
I generally use this sentence at the end my email before signature: 'Please let me know in case of any queries.'

Is this phrase correct to use for closing a mail?


texts:
I want to know the role of "be", the sentence structure of these sentences and meaning:

You are to be congratulated
They are to be married in April
The page was not to be found

what are the differences between sentence (2) and "they will marry in April", sentence (3) and "the page not found".


texts: "do stretching" vs. "do stretches" which sound better? Are both of these grammatically correct?

texts:
It seems like "do stretching" is more commonly used than "do stretches." Is that right? Which one sound better? I want to know which one is used normally.
Plus, are both of these grammatically correct? Or, perhaps do these have some differnces in meaning?

What I want to express is that when I go to the gym, I do some stretches(or stretching[uncountable noun]) for warm-up.

What I have written down is "I start with 5 minutes of walking for warm up, and do some stretching from head to toe then, I begin my strength training."

If there are more parts that sound awkward in the sentence, i would be very grateful to know.


texts: "have too acidic of something" or "have something that is acidic"?

texts:
Tell me please if there is any difference between the two construction. Here is the context:

  It’s important to note that while having too acidic of an environment in your body can have negative health consequences...

  It’s important to note that while having an environment that is too acidic in your body can have negative health consequences...

If these sentences are identical in their meaning, then which construction is more formal and which is more natural?


texts:
A quote from NY Times:

  For the first quarter, the bureau now says G.D.P. grew at a 1.1
  percent rate — after a series of reductions from its initial estimate
  of 2.5 percent.

Why is there no article before GDP? It is an initialism, spelled out letter-by-letter, and I've read that they are generally used with THE. What's more, the reader knows from the text that the country in question is the US, so that's a specific and definite GDP, not some GDP in general.


texts: Possessive Pronouns Usage: Mine, Hers, His

texts:
It's mine

Which is simple and I can use it without any doubt anywhere. However, the below examples with "his" & "hers" are not that simple to me to use in my daily usage. I want to know how a native speaker would say this.

  It's hers

  It's his

Or is it mandatory to use the object name whenever we use "his", "her",....

  It's her pen

  It's his pen

Question update to make it more clear:

I'm not asking about difference or which one is correct. I'm just asking, as a native speaker would you say "It's his" in your daily conversation. Because, for a non native speaker like me, "It's his" without using object name doesn't sound good whenever I say it.


texts:
A man has left his seat and been told to go back to it, which he has done. The man has now left his seat again...
Sir, I'm going to have to ask you again to go back to your seat.
Is the sentence phrased in a perfectly natural way? Is the placement of "again" natural?


texts: "I told he is fine" vs "I told he was fine"

texts:
Which sentence is grammatically correct in case he is still fine at the present time?

I told he is fine.
I told he was fine.

In school, I was told the tense of a subordinate clause must follow the tense of the main clause. In that case, #2 is the correct phrase, but native speakers typically use #1 as he is still fine? This confuses me a lot.


texts: What does "literal realization of an ancient Talmudic pun" mean?

texts:
In literal realization of an ancient Talmudic pun, our students have become our builders.

I've found this sentence here. I can't understand what the author wanted to express by writing it.

I know the meaning of each separate word, but I don't know the underlying (maybe culture-related) meaning of an "Talmudic pun". I also wonder what does realising it "literally" mean.


texts:
Do I use "what" or "that" when I use the construction "not..but"?

  Tell him not all that you know but only that he is eager to hear.
  Tell him not all what you know but only what he is eager to hear.

Or maybe after "not" I should use "that" and after "but" I should use "what"?

  Tell him not all that you know but only what he is eager to hear.

Please advise.


texts: Does usage of "to" depend on the verb or object?

texts:
I give to you a pen.

In the above sentence I am using "to" before the object "you".

I am giving you a pen.

In the above sentence I am not using "to" before the object "you".
In the above two sentences the usage of "to" depends on the verb forms ("give" and "giving") or object ("you").

I give you a pen.
I am giving to you a pen.
I have given you a pen.
I have given to you a pen.

Are the above four sentences correct?
If I want to use "to" in a sentence before a noun or pronoun, what do I have to consider before "to" what I have used or after "to" what I am going to use.
Is it possible to use "to" before an adverb or adjective?


texts: Is this sentence from 'Merriam Webster" dictionaries grammatical?

texts:
I read an example of the word "lump" in Merriam Webster dictionaries which was:

  When we lumped all of our pocket change together, we found that we had just enough a buy a carton of ice cream.

Shouldn't there be "to" after enough in the sentence instead of "a"? I am asking this because I think I am too amateur in linguistics to find a mistake in a dictionary.


texts: What's the best way to remove a single word from a quote?

texts:
I wish to quote from a source, however, the original quote contains an extra the that does not flow with my sentence.

Which is better, describing what the article refers to, or removing it with an ellipsis?

  It is a device, which "assists with opening the patient’s hand [...]
  and compensates for the [patient’s] flexor hypertonia."

or

  It is a device, which "assists with opening the patient’s hand [...]
  and compensates for ... flexor hypertonia."


texts:
Shall I put "will" in these following subordinate clauses?

He will cook as his mother will show him tomorrow.

I will go where she will stay.

Even though she will study in London, her girlfriend will still stay here.

Thanks a lot!


texts:
Let's say a teacher in a class of 50 students, is finding out who cheated on an exam. And then the teacher said that you are (excluded): edited to:not on the list

  Don't worry you are off the list who cheated on the exam. coz' I trust you.

Or

  Don't worry you are out of the list who cheated on the exam. coz' I trust you.

Which is more correct?


texts: Meaning of "to be responsible for being..."

texts:
The external safety unit is therefore responsible for the functions and applications being correct.

What is meant by the sentence above?

The external safety unit is therefore responsible for the correctness of functions and applications.
The external safety unit is therefore responsible for the functions and applications which are correct.


texts:
Can anyone help me answering that? I think the answer is "I had to work" is it right?

I (must work/have to work/work/had to work) late yesterday evening.


texts: Could anyone explain what this sentence means?

texts:
I study English and I can't understand what some of my teacher's questions mean.  For example:

  Q: What role does the image of a slim figure play in different cultures?

Can anyone explain it for me?

Thank you.


texts: Why is "advanced english class" not capitalized in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower"?

texts:
In the following passage from The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Cbhosky, "english" isn't capitalized:

  There is this one girl in my advanced english class named Susan. In middle school, Susan was very funny to be around. She liked movies, and her brother Frank made her tapes of this great music that she shared with us.

As far as I know, English is written with a capital E except for the billiards move. In this book, however, it is consistently written in lower case. That doesn't quite fit the main character's personality, but it still could be intentional (the author is trying to mimic teen speech).

Is this a mistake, or is there any reason why advanced english class shouldn't be written with a capital E?


texts:
Q) If someone didn't help you (on a particular occasion)/has never helped you in the past, can you say any one of the following:
a) You would think he would help me. (implying he didn't help/has never helped me in the past)
b) You would think he would have helped me. (same as above)
c) You would have thought he would help me. (same as above)
d) You would have thought he would have helped me. (same as above)


texts: Meaning of 'as good belongs to you' in a Whitman poem

texts:
Walt Whitman's Song of Myself opens with these lines:

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

When the poet says as good belongs to you, is as good an old-fashioned way of saying as well?


texts:
I happened upon the phrasal verb in the movie Back To the Future. Here is the context:

  Biff: Do you realize what would happen if I hand in my reports in your  handwriting. I'll get fired. You wouldn't want that to happen would you? Would you?

  George: Of course not, Biff, now I wouldn't want that to happen. Now, uh, I'll finish those reports up tonight, and I'll run them on over first thing tomorrow, alright?

I can understand that run on over means to deliver, what I cannot get is what the on adds to the meaning.


texts: He's shown up in my dreams vs he's been showing up in my dreams

texts:
Supposing the speaker wanted to say ‘He’ keeps appearing in his/her dreams, not every day but lately tho and there is a possibility that the speaker will see him again in his/her dreams. I wonder which sentence is correct in this case.

He's shown up in my dreams
He's been showing up in my dreams


texts:
A senior army officer is accusing the Defense Force of being far too
slow to address cases of abuse.  (ABC News)

When the adjective, slow, has its complement with to-infinitive, gerund (or participle), or prepositional phrase like below, what are their differences?

slow to address cases of abuse.
slow addressing cases of abuse.
slow in addressing cases of abuse.


texts:
I have the same question as answered here:
Counting syllables in English words
But for rhymes and their metre. When you look for words that rhyme with "castle", does castle still count as two syllables in the metre? I am not sure if this has to do with right pronunciation and/or accents, but it seems to me that the word that sounds almost as if it would have only one syllable cannot fit into a verse that requires two syllable for the correct metre.
How do you count syllables to write nice sounding rhymes?


texts: Is there a verb in English that means the act of postponing something in detriment of other people?

texts: In Portuguese we have the verb "enrolar", which can be used to denote the act of postpone something, either by keeping silence about it or by giving excuses. It's used when someone is being negatively affected by the delay. Is there any equivalent in English?


texts: "There are a good many scholars ..." is it right?

texts:
In "Seeing like a state" of James C.Scott there is a sentence at the beginning of a paragraph (Acknowledgements xi):

  There are a good many scholars whose writings opened up new
  perspectives for me or provided outstanding analyses of issues that I
  could not have hoped to study so comprehensively on my own.

What worries me is a good many scholars. Is this some type of inversion or ancient English? Is this grammatically right? Why is a here?
I thought that appropriate version would be There are many good scholars. Am I wrong?


texts: Do we use the adverbs "a lot" and "much" with countable actions, for example, "you rubbed your eyes a lot/too much"?

texts:
We often say "you talk a lot" or "you talk too much".
Do we use the adverbs "a lot" and "much" with countable actions, for example, "you rubbed your eyes a lot/too much" or "you rubbed your eyes several times"?


texts: the of in - "More of a world commonwealth?"

texts:
"Business" was much more of a world commonwealth than the political
organisations.

- The New World Order by H.G. Wells
The word "of" confuses me.
According to the Cambridge dictionary, the "of" has several meanings and I can not fit any of them into this sentence:

possession
made of or consisting of
about, relating to

I have two versions of this sentence:

Business can unify the world better than political organisations (can be a better commonwealth)
Business is a world commonwealth rather than political organisation.


texts: Correct use of passive causative structures

texts:
I am asked to write on "things you want to have done".

My interpretation of that question is I have to write on things I want people do for me, not things I wish I had done in the past. Correct ?

Most of the examples I found online presents sentences like this one :

"Thirdly, I should get one of my apartment’s entrance all reconstructed because it is literally falling apart."

  Subject + (modal) + get/have + object + past participle + (by agent).

What I'm wondering is if I am allowed to combine have and get, as in the next sentence :

"Fourthly, in that apartment, the bath tub is also falling apart so I have to get it replaced. "

Is have to considered as a modal so the sentence is in fact a passive causative or is it incorrect to use have to the way I did ?


texts: Is this sentence correct "If did not do my homework I would have to do my home work tomorrow"?

texts:
Currently I am doing my home work. And I just want to know the sentence which is given bellow can fit in this context.
"If I did not do my homework I would have to do my home work tomorrow?"
If it does not fit in the context then what will be the correct sentence?


texts:
my friend calls me and tells that he had a fight with a guy and also said that tomorrow he is going to his home and also told he is going to US by next month.

this is how i write that incidents in my "diary":

  today my friend called me and said he had a fight with a guy and he also told that tomorrow he is going to home and he is going to US by next month.

is that right? if not how to write the above coversation in correct way in passive form.

thanks in advance


texts: There are some non-English dictionaries listing the word "naďve" (notice the ď) as an existing English word, apparently synonymic to naive. Is this a real English word? If so, how did it receive its spelling?


texts: 'which are in stark contrast to' or just 'in stark contrast to'?

texts:
Those clerics, who often have views on life which are in stark contrast to the Belgian lifestyle, have been provoking identity crises in many immigrant youths, making them vulnerable for radicalization.

I was wondering if the sentence above is correct. I'm not so sure about the two parts in italic. Is it better to say "Those clerics, who often have views on life in stark contrast to the Belgian lifestyle..."
and to provoke a crisis? would a native English speaker say that?


texts:
What does "all the Russias" mean in:

  To the Emperor of all the Russias belongs the supreme autocratic and unlimited power.


texts: What does the phrase "slide into first" mean here?

texts:
I heard a phrase "slide into first" in an arcade racing game's description. This was used as the introductory sentence that was followed by speed boosting and drifting tips.

I know the lexical meanings of the word "slide", but none of them seems to fit here.


texts:
Here is a sentence from The New York Times:

  New York Fashion Week officially kicks off on Feb. 8, and along with the usual chatter about the shows comes the showy chatter among industry folk: that under-the-radar label, the luxe sneaker drop, the splashy debut.

What does "drop" mean here? I can't find a pertinent definition. I thought "drop" as a noun means "delivery" or "falling."


texts:
Is there a difference between shapes and figures, or these words are synonyms in terms of geometry?
Thank you.


texts: Is sometimes 'be' to be used instead of 'is' or 'are'?

texts:
As far as the use of be is concerned, is the following sentence correct?

"When all past societies had separately prospered in peace within the local borders of their own solutions, now that they are melting in one big pot an impartial vision is due, whereby common grounds and differences be suitably understood."

Or is are instead of be the proper form?

My problem here is how to express the uncertainty of something that is not available here and now, albeit auspicable in the immediate future.


texts: This is not what I thought it was vs This is not what I expected

texts:
When A close eyes and B send something, then A must guessing what it is after touching. And when A open eyes, then A says

  "This is not what I thought it was".

When I see some youtube, then this is a correct responding. I have a question.

  Why can't we say "this is not what I expected" ? in this situation ? Further, when can we use that "this is not what I expected" ?


texts: What is the correct way to say it? I have heard "chops of pork" is incorrect, but I do not understand why? What is the rule to follow?


texts: the uncomfortable realities of a changing world ... take beyond what any reboot can do for him

texts:
As Frank tries to restart his old profession, the uncomfortable
  realities of a changing world and his worsening dementia threaten to
  take beyond what any reboot can do for him.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1990314/

After I watched the movie, "robot and Frank", I read storyline in the website Imdb, and I'm having a hard time to understand the above sentence. It doesn't make any sense to me.


texts: Sentence completion question (GRE) “writes with all the characteristics of ____”

texts:
It is his dubious distinction to have proved what nobody would think of denying, that Romero at the age of sixty-four writes with all the characteristics of ____.

  Options:

  maturity
  fiction
  inventiveness
  art
  brilliance

The correct answer is "maturity". However, I'm not even being able to understand that the sentence means even after plugging in the correct answer. My first question is, what does the sentence mean after plugging in the correct answer? And secondly, would it be possible to justify why the other choices are wrong?

Photo of question on request in the first comment


texts:
Do you use anymore in the meaning of "no longer" only in negative or interrogative sentences? Will it be grammatical, if I use that adverb in the affirmative sentence?

  I see no possibility of managing this problem of climate change anymore.


texts: What Victorian profanities might Charlotte Brontë be referring to here? (in Jane Eyre)

texts:
Eliza and Georgiana, evidently acting according to orders, spoke to me as little as possible: John thrust his tongue in his cheek whenever he saw me, and once attempted chastisement; but as I instantly turned against him, roused by the same sentiment of deep ire and desperate revolt which had stirred my corruption before, he thought it better to desist, and ran from me uttering execrations, and vowing I had burst his nose.  (Jane Eyre)

  "Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"
   Harry screwed up his courage.
   "I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," he invented. "I - I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."
   Quirrell cursed again.
   "Get out of the way," he said. As Harry moved aside, he felt the Sorcerer's Stone against his leg. Dare he make a break for it?  (Harry Potter)

Those two highlighted parts are very vague and abstract. Would you show me some examples for my better understanding in which specific cases the expressions can be told?


texts: What structure is that - "They are getting more and more applicants wanting to join them"

texts:
In this structure:

  "They are getting more and more applicants wanting to join them".

What is that? Is it the participle? Is it the "get sb doing" clause?


texts:
How to understand?:

Water strikes at the very heart of need.
Meaning of "need" in 1st question.
salty kind... kind of water or what?

Speaking ahead of the trip Mr Smith said: “Water strikes at the very heart of need. To voyage almost 3,000 miles upon the salty kind will make us intensely aware of places in the world that are without adequate supplies.”


texts:
Can we use the word increased as an adjective?

I have found that in many sentences word increased is used as both "has increased" and "is increased", as in these:

  Water level is increased by 1%.
  Water level has increased by 1%.


texts: Can I use "are being " + past participle?

texts:
Sentences with form "are being " + past tense

are they correct form of grammar. And what tense do they represent.

like:

  You are being missed.

Thanks


texts: I was reading a book and I noticed a strange sentence for me. "It was brave of you to help Arthur - and you a stranger". What does "you a stranger" mean? Is it a shortened "you are a stranger"?


texts:
I would like to have your feedback on my pronunciation: https://clyp.it/3d4d5jxh
Your time is greatly appareciated. English is my second language. Thank you!


texts: Past Simple or Past Perfect with "before" and regular action

texts:
"A famous footballer lived in our house before we bought it"

Why is this sentence correct? Is it a regular action in the past?

Why not "had lived"?


texts: How strong is the tone of like or dislike in the phrase "not too fond of"?

texts: Is not too fond of a polite way of saying dislike a little or neither like nor dislike (indifferent)? Or is it used towards something that one likes a little, but is irritated to find others liking it too much?


texts: do you put "doing" with "efforts" or another word?

texts:
I can't be more thankful to all the efforts you have been doing

My question is: in that sentence, does doing make sense? or I should use another word?


texts:
Whose painting is this?

  Whose is this painting?

Is the second question grammatical? Do both questions focus on the same part of speech?


texts: Singular or plural when indicating something unique owned by many

texts:
In the following sentences, which one is correct?

Tom likes dogs with long tails.
Tom likes dogs with a long tail.

There are many tails because there are many dogs. But each dog has only one tail. I prefer the second sentence, but I am not sure if it's correct.


texts: "Fine, fine that" - meaning in a snippet (a story)

texts:
Reading a story by A. Blackwood:

“Singular,yes, these last words of dying men,” the tall man was
saying, “very singular. You remember Newman’s: ‘More light,’ wasn’t
it?” The bookseller nodded. “Fine,” he said, “fine, that!”
There was a pause. Mr, Jenkyn stooped lower over the pens. “This,
too, was fine in its way,” the gentleman added, straightening up to
go; “the old promise, you see, unfulfilled but not forgotten.

They are talking about the last words of their friend. I do not understand what "fine" means in this context.
Also this reference to the Newman's: More Light. What does it mean? I assume they refer to words of another dying man, whose last words were "More light", probably?


texts: Number description for Writing paper, Task 1, IELTS

texts:
Let's say I was given a pie chart saying that the Coca-Cola company sold 17.1 billion bottles in the year 2000.

My task is to construct a sentence that describes the chart.  However, I am forbidden from using the exact number 17.1.  I am expected to replace it with something like "sold slightly more than 17 billion bottles".

Considering that there are a lot of numbers in the task and that I cannot use the same phrase more than once (and if I do, I lose points) my question is about numbers and their descriptions:

How can I say "slightly more than" in other words (=synonyms)?
How can I describe these numbers (in the phrase "sold XXX bottles"):

30.4
25.7
7.0 (very important!)
16.4
20.5

Any extended resources are welcome!


texts: Difference between "on top of" and "over"

texts:
This question used the phrase on top of to describe an overpass over another road. When one of the answers suggested that "over" would be more appropriate because there is space between the bridge and the road, the questioner disagreed. But I can not think of any situation where I would use on top of when there is no direct contact between surfaces (Northeast US English).

For example:

  "The bird is on top of the building," means the bird is perched on the
  building itself.

  "The bird is over the building," means the bird is in
  the air over the building.

Can on top of be used when there is no direct contact between the things below and above? Does this vary regionally?


texts:
I like to know whether expressing, 'is your father name is x'  is right or wrong..

If it is used to taunt a person, for example is your father name is laden, kind of expression.


texts:
What modifications do phrasal verbs make

There are two sentences

  I shaved my beard.

  I shaved off my beard/I shaved my beard off.

What is the difference between these two sentences?


texts:
Can the verb "kick start" be used in this sentence?
Kick-start your skills in just 1 month

Context: Let's say I want to invite somebody to take a 1-month course and improve his/her skills. I want to include this sentence as motivation. Does it sound natural to a native speaker?


texts:
I've been struggling with tenses in conditional clauses, and I do not really understand what tenses should I use in the main clause of a conditional sentence. For instance, my answer to this question "What would you do if you bought something disappointing on the internet?" was the following:

Were it to happen, I would immediately contact the seller and explain why I was (were?) not happy with my purchase, expecting a refund or at least a replacement. In addition, I would definitely write a review, featuring what went wrong and whether I got any assistance or not.

The 2nd conditional has the following structure: If + past simple, would + verb. However, what about the verbs I highlighted in the main clause? Can I use past simple?
I've also found this sentence on the internet:

"Had I known how dull it was going to be, I would not have attended this conference."

In this case, I am wondering whether was going can be used in the if-clause of this type 3 conditional sentence.
I would be grateful if you could help me!)


texts:
Is there an adverb that means at an irregular interval of time? I am asking, because I am pretty sure "periodically" means at a regular interval of time, like roughly 1 hour, even if it can be used that way, it's too ambiguous to my liking, but what if you want to say "at an irregular interval of time" like anything from "1 second to 1 week"?

For example:

  He laughed ___ as he was swinging on his chair.


texts: "Demonstration of a test" – is that correct?

texts:
Is the use of demonstration correct in the following sentence?

  The helicopter had demonstrated all planned tests.

  Source: Article in The Hindu

We usually demonstrate a quality, how one can demonstrate a test?


texts: Using a causative sentence with future auxiliaries

texts:
My confusion is: When we make a causative sentence using the auxiliaries for the future (will, going to, and so on), does it mean that we'll cause the action to happen by someone else or we've already arranged it to happen in the future?
To clarify:

ACTIVE VOICE: Someone will clean the windows for us at the weekend.
CAUSATIVE: We'll have someone clean the windows for us at the weekend.

(Does this sentence mean whether

that we've already persuaded the person to do the action in the
future,
or that we'll make(persuade) them do the action in the
future?).

I think that if we've already arranged the action with the person, it is better to use "going to".


texts: How do you describe the rain coming from the oblique angle in idiomatic way?

texts:
What is non-scientific way of describing the rain fall that does not come down in the right angle?

I know in scientific way that angle is called oblique angle, but I am not sure if that's the way that it is said in everyday spoken English. I mean I don't want my sentence to sound like a text book! Not very formal not informal!


texts:
Which is correct:

  make it as information system for this company
  make it as an information system for this company

I thought the second one sounds better but when I tried all spell/grammar checkers none of them marked the first one wrong.
When 'as' is used like this should it always be followed by 'a' or 'an'?

English is not my first language so pardon me for my mistakes.
I am in the process of making a thesis but stuck in this certain part so if anyone could help I'd be really grateful, thanks!


texts:
What would be the best way to write this sentence:

  This is an example for Steven on how the address would be shown in the popup.

  This is an example for Steven of how the address would be shown in the popup.


texts:
I have read a very short passage from an American textbook which is for elementary school students.

  Has the lad a dog?
  The lad has a fat dog.
  The dog has Nat's cap.
  Nat and Rab ran.
  Rab ran at a cat.

What I couldn't understand is this: “Has the lad a dog?”
I think it should be rephrased to:

  Does the lad have a dog?


texts: What's the difference between these two sentences?

texts:
I felt ill because I had drunk six cups of coffee.
  I felt ill because I drank six cups of coffee.

I think both of them are correct. Do they differ in meaning?

I looked at this question here::

When to use "drank" and "drunk"

That question is about when to use the participles drank and drunk. This question's about whether we do or do not need to use a past perfect in the subordinate clause of a sentence like this. The linked-to post doesn't answer my question.


texts: Which one is correct: 'the Russian government' or 'the Russia government'?

texts: Governments don't have ethnicities so one would think that it's correct to say 'the Russia/US government'. However, I countless times heard people say 'the Russian/American government'. Which one is correct?


texts: Is the usage of "nominal" in the sense of a placeholder OR as pointing to a real thing correct?

texts:
Summary: I am using nominal in the sense of a place holder. Is that correct usage?

Read on for examples and details.

I am a programmer and in my quest to write more readable programs, I am always on the lookout for improving the human side of programming, by making the programs easier to understand for the next person who has to work on them.

With that in mind, here is what I need help with.

We might refer to a specific page on a website "nominally/placeholder" as www.example.com/my/first/page, while on the hard-disk this page could reside anywhere (say, /server/www/example/my-first-page) which I call the absolute-path. The file on the disk could move anywhere, yet the "placeholder" will remain constant. As a person visiting the site, you don't need to worry about the absolute path, but as a programmer you need to be aware of both, hence my question.

The usage of absolute path is well accepted in the programming community, however I wanted to request help with a better word for the placeholder side.
Thanks all in anticipation!


texts:
In terms of time with only hours and minutes, it is fine. However, I would like to know, how to say a time with seconds? Like 11:20:20 or 09:35:05.
Thanks for that~


texts: Is "many of them doing" in this sentence correct?

texts:
The musical scene was a maze of competing movements and slogans, many
  of them claiming to be “new” in one way or another.

I am reading the book Music in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries and on page 106 I thought the sentence above seems ungrammatical according to this answer. To my knowledge that is a run-on sentence and should be connected by a certain conjunction like "and" or "then" or "but" or "either" or others.

  The musical scene was a maze of competing movements and slogans, and many
  of them claimed to be “new” in one way or another.

Another correction is like this:

  The musical scene was a maze of competing movements and slogans, many
  of which claimed to be “new” in one way or another.

But I don't know why it should be "claiming" rather than "claimed"?

I have read this answer, but it seems too sketchy for me to understand..


texts:
What should we use in the following sentence, were or was:

  Our only guide _____ stars.

What is the grammar rule for the usage of Singular and Plural forms of verbs?


texts:
Where is he to go in?
Where is he going to go in?

Do these two basically mean the same?
How is the be + to form usually used? Can you give some simple sentence examples?


texts: Usage of bunch adjectives, not just two or three

texts:
A barely visible shining thin blue transparent layer appears around the bulb.

Here I used 5 adjectives "barely visible", "shining", "thin", "blue", "transparent". Is this correct? Can I add so many adjectives in front of a noun?


texts: What does "complete" mean in this context?

texts:
This offer only applies to the members who make hotel bookings through our travel page
  and complete their travel.

Does "complete" mean finish? Does it mean "this offer only applies to the member who book (...) and finish traveling"?

I read it from a T&C article. I can't find the link.


texts:
I want to distinguish two things:

The teams that work in parallel
The teams that work in series

How should I structure my sentence?

  I want to distinguish between the teams that work in parallel and the one that work in series.

  I want to distinguish between the teams that work in parallel and that in series.

  I want to distinguish between the teams that work in parallel and in series.


texts: "Technicolor bread and butter"? — I'm positively confounded

texts:
From the comprehension book—Secondary English (Book 4) by Sadler Hayllar Powell:

  The following piece of writing comes straight from the childhood of Clive James, the author of Unreliable Memoirs. [...] As you read this extract you will come across some fine comparisons which enliven and dramatize the writing.

    Ron's wreck of a mother used to give us buttered bread with hundreds and thousands on it. It was like being handed a slice of powdered rainbow. They must have been a poor family but I remember my visits to them as luxuries. As well as the Technicolor bread and butter, there were vivid, viscid green drinks made from some kind of cordial.

I'm completely, utterly clueless.

"wreck of a mother" conjures up images of a 'broken' poor lady—in rags, weak, smelly, dirty. But I'm not so sure.
What can "hundreds and thousands" mean here? Icing powder sprinkled on top of buttered bread? That doesn't seem very likely, considering the fact that Ron's family is poor.
"powdered rainbow"? Sounds like multi-colour sprinkles. Again it's not very likely—how can a family so poor afford it? Plus, the book was written a long ago when sprinkles weren't as popular and cheap.
"Technicolor bread and butter" — why a capitalised T? Bread can be 'technicolor' I suppose, but 'technicolor' butter sounds ridiculous. But it might be some food style I'm not familiar with.


texts:
I saw the sentence below:

  Accessibility remains a problem in many parts of the world.

Is it a correct sentence? Because according to dictionaries, "remain" can be used only as an intransitive verb.


texts:
Someone says:

  There are many kinds of things available here.

Is it the same as:

  There are many kinds of things that are available here.

And

  Nowadays, there are only two people (who are) living in this house.

Can I leave out who are to mean the same thing?

Thanks in advance.


texts:
This is actually the continuation of my prior question.
Again, I am now trying to make a question in which readers need to choose appropriate words that are not appropriate as/for antonyms in the question.
For example, the whole current sentence as of now is below.

Now, choose the word(s) that is ( are ) NOT
appropriate for antonym(s) of the words in
the questions. The answer is not limited to one
choice.

extraordinary

A. common

B. exceptional

C. conventional

D. average

In this case, the answer is B. Anyhow, I begin to have a question if the sentence of the very question is correct, where I am wondering which preposition I should use, namely, as or for, following after the word antonym.


texts:
I have the sentence.

  Criteria are initialized a default value

I would like to improve the sentence.

  Criteria must are initialized a default value

Can I write this?


texts: What is "comeback of late?" and age of "I'm OK, You're OK."?

texts:
From "Were Dinosaurs Dumb?" by Stephen Jay Gould:

Dinosaurs have been making a strong comeback of late, in this age of "I'm OK, You're OK."

I know the meaning of every word, but still the meaning eludes me. What is comeback of late? and age of "I'm OK, You're OK."


texts:
Consider this sentence:

  I don't know which kind of filtering they used that can't even be opened by a proxy!

or

  I don't know which kind of filtering they used that even it can't be opened by a proxy!

What is the structure of such sentences? "Which kind of .... that ... even ...."

For another example consider:

  I don't know which technology they used in this mobile set that even works under water.

Is it a correct sentence. If yes what is the structure of it? Is it a relative clause?


texts:
A classmate and I were practicing speaking where he used a saying "the early bird catches the worm", I did hear this idiom though I didn't know where it originated, so I asked

Do you know what country it originates from?

Is this sentence clear and natural?
Should have I said it like this?

Do you know which country it originates from?


texts:
I would like to say something to the effect "if you are not (too) busy", but I would like to sound more neutral. This is why I chose "if you have time" but I am not sure if it sounds right in English in the following sentence:

  It would be lovely to see you if you have time.


texts: Different with or Different from or others

texts:
I want to say a sentence with this meaning: "my book is not equal with your book". Which one is true? and suggest every other forms, can be used?

My book is different with your book.
My book is different from your book.
My book is different of your book.


texts: Wiley publishes by print-on-demand -- publish by print-on-demand?

texts:
Example:

  Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.

There are actually two problems that I have with this excerpt. First, I don't understand how you can publish by print on demand. And second, in the phrase in print on demand, is print on demand being used as a mass noun?