texts: Using demonstratives with separable phrasal verbs

texts:
Does a demonstrative pronoun have to go between the main verb and its particle when it's an object? Does it follow the same rule as object pronouns do? Which of the following in each pair is correct? I can't really find a rule for this; it's all about the object pronoun placement!

  Kate dropped off this.

  Kate dropped this off.

  I need to pick that up.

  I need to pick up that.


texts:
1. I've heard this story told in three versions.

2. I've heard this story to be told in three versions.

I am not sure whether the second sentence is grammatically OK. If not, can you please explain to me why.


texts:
I am trying to find the right words for the sentences.

  (1) The book ____ "Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching".

  (2) Charles Dickens writes/wrote in his book: "Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching".

Questions:

(1) The quote is just an example; I want to know how to refer to exact words written in the book, and I need to explicitly quote them as above.

Obviously, "says" fits here. But I am looking for a word whose meaning is closer to "write".

(2) I am curious whether to use the present or the past tense. Does it matter whether the author is still alive?


texts: I am confused about the exact meaning of "running" in this context

texts:
I'm going to start by telling you about the Yellow Plaque scheme, which has been running in Sydney for over forty years.

Does it mean "happening"?


texts:
“Good night,” said Adam. She did not answer him. At the top
  of the first flight he looked back. Her head was raised, and now her
  chin made a shadow on her throat and her eyes had no pupils. His
  room smelled of dust dampened and dried many times. He picked a match
  from his block and scratched it on the side of the block. He lighted
  the shank of candle in the japanned candlestick and regarded the
  bed-as spineless as a hammock and covered with a dirty patchwork
  quilt, the cotton batting spilling from the edges. The porch
  steps complained again, and Adam knew the woman would be standing in
  her doorway ready to spray inhospitality on the new arrival. Adam
  sat down in a straight chair and put his elbows on his knees and
  supported his chin in his hands. A roomer down the hall began a
  patient, continuing cough against the quiet night. (John
  Steinbeck, East of Eden)

Does the highlighted part mean this boarding house has rooms in the first floor as well as the second; and the roomer is in a room in the first floor? What does the ‘down’ mean?


texts:
We, and our affiliates, third party service providers, and trusted
  partners send "cookies" to your device or use similar technologies to
  understand and enhance your online experience with us and through our
  advertising and media across the Internet including Social Media
  Sites, mobile apps, and video games.
  (http://www.mobeegaming.com/PRIVACY.html)

Does the bold part mean "your online experience with us and your online experience through out advertising ..."?


texts:
So far, I thought that 'Do you want to go out for lunch?' has exactly same meaning as 'How about going out for lunch?', as both sentences are giving suggestions.

However, I recently read that 'Do you want' sentence asks listener's simple wish or hope, while 'How about' or 'Why don't you' sentence is giving suggestions.

If that explanation is correct, then how can I distinguish each sentence's meaning? Or can I still use both sentences for giving suggestions?


texts: "Been seeing somebody doing something" vs "Saw somebody has been doing something"

texts:
I've been seeing him posting stuff on his blog
  I saw he's been posting stuff on his blog

Which one sounds more natural? Do they mean the same thing to you? If they both are ungrammatical, how would you express this thought?


texts: Is it correct: 'the requirement of having done something'?

texts:
Is this sentence correct?

The procedure for receiving a passport was simplified: for example, the usual requirement of having lived for five years in the country was lifted.

I'm not entirely sure how I should include the information about what that requirement is without introducing a clause that would make my sentence too complicated ('the requirement that the applicants must have lived [...]').


texts: What does 'fifteen' mean in 'fifteen of the seventy-five-thousand-pound prize money'?

texts:
I have read an article from IELTS:

  We invested fifteen of the seventy-five-thousand-pound prize money to help secure our future.

Does the 'fifteen' in the sentence mean 15% or fifteen thousand pound?


texts:
My friend is writing some documentation and asked me an English question I don't know the answer to. In this case which would it be?

  CCleaner has been run.

or

  CCleaner has been ran.


texts: What is the meaning of 'He rested for final qualifier'

texts:
I was reading some sports news articles and one of them was titled like this

  '(player name) rested for final Portugal qualifier'.

So here now I am not sure about what they mean by that.

Confusion is...

The player was on rest on that match day or he did take rest before that happened so he can perform well in that match?


texts: What does it mean "socials", in high school context?

texts:
Three girls are chatting in the hall of a high school, in the US. At some point, the second bell rings and two girls branch off and head to socials, and the third one walks alone to math class.
What does it mean "socials" in this context? The text doesn't provide further details.


texts:
What are some good alternatives for the phrase "I mean". Or what are some others ways to clear the meaning of what I am saying? For example: "What are you doing? I mean study wise" or "So that is the case! I mean he used to go there, right?".

So in these type of situations and others what are some good alternatives to "I mean" so my sentence doesn't look weird (I mean by using "I mean all the time").


texts: By 2005, ninety countries "had" joined the union. Is it had or have?


texts: Do I have to use the past continuous or the past perfect?

texts:
I’m working on mixed tenses exercises, and this sentence has confused me! I’d like to know whether my answer is correct or not please. This is the sentence:

  “For the first eight years, she worked in the sales department, and .....(to work) there when I .....(to become) the managing director.”

This is my answer:

  “For the first eight years, she worked in the sales department, and she was working there when I became the managing director.”


texts:
Am I crazy? If I am, would I realize it?

Why can't I use will here? I think it is in first conditional form. So will should be used


texts: Is there a way to express the meaning of should?

texts:
In this case, you should try to reason with him, instead of arguing.

Can i replace should with any noun? I can only think of:

  In this case, the right thing for you to do is to try to reason with him, instead of arguing.

But the whole expression sounds awkward to me. Is there a better way to get rid of should by any kind of noun or nominal expression?


texts: How to use "if any"? How would you finish this sentence?

texts:
Is this sentence correct? Is there a better way to say this?

It is debated which method is better if any.


texts: How weird does this phrase sound to your native speaker ears?

texts: I was watching the Eat Sleep Dream English You Tube channel and I noticed this: "The city's immigrants groups". I can think of lots of situations where the qualifying noun it's not in the plural form.


texts:
I often see sentences like:

  This is their best album yet.

Could I say "so far" instead? Or would that require present perfect?


texts:
I wish to express me being late to the office

  i) I have never been this late to the office.

  ii) I this is the most late I have been to the office.

  iii) This is the latest I have been to the office.

The third sentence is incorrect. What is the correct way to phrase it?


texts:
Which of the following sentences is correct?

This car should be used sparingly by whom is concerned with efficiency.
This car should be used sparingly by who is concerned with efficiency.

and why?


texts: What does "For all its gestures at moral authority" mean?

texts:
For all its gestures at moral authority, Miss Americana offers a view
  into the life of someone who’ll never have to work a traditional job,
  and who paid for that privilege by forgoing some of the wisdom
  ordinary folks earn in their teens and 20s. (source: https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/taylor-swift-netflix-documentary-miss-americana-review/)

Literal meaning of the bold part above doesn't make sense at all to me. What does the bold part mean in this context? I couldn't guess at all what this means. Could someone please help me understand this?


texts: is it the first time you {came / come / have come} to France?

texts:
Can a Frenchman say:

"Is it the first time you came to France?"

to English people on holiday in France?

I think it is possible because the action of coming to France is finished: they are in France now. Is it better to use present perfect "you have come"


texts:
I want to know the meaning of these two sentences:

  Something has been done by it.

or

  Something has been done to it.

Are they different in meaning?


texts: What does 'pull at the nails' mean here?

texts:
What does 'pull at the nails' mean here for Jesus?

  We learned that when he was up on the cross Jesus didn’t pull at the
  nails.

Flood Show
by Charles Baxter


texts:
I have been warned. When I decided to end my eight-year stint in Washington DC and decamp to Los Angeles last summer, my friends in the capital looked at me like I had announced plans to eject myself into space. they rolled their office chairs towards my cubicle and pressed their hands to my shoulder at happy hours.
  Los Angeles resident are not like the rest of us, they said. These people were preternaturally tan. They drank their kale. If I moved there with my boyfriend in two, they told me, I might survive. But I should not attemp to date in Los Angeles. Between dark basement beers during my last month in Washington, my friends presented me a phantasmagoria of single life in LA. It looks like skeletal Asian models pair-bonding with balding producers over low-calorie cocktail.

Based on my perception I would say happy hours refers to the time that you do not work at your job although is different from what I read in dictionaries.

When it says they were tan, is it reffering to her calleagues or LA residents?
What does it mean "between beers" ?
What do "pair-bonding" and "balding pruducers" mean?
What does it mean "drink kale" ?

Thank you so much.


texts: I [had]/[have] been in a pretty good mood so far

texts:
CONTEXT:
John to Bob: "I was wondering if you could lend me some money, Bob."
Bob to John: "I've been in a pretty good mood so far, so stop bringing me down with that nonsense."
Chris to Bob: "What did you just say to John?"
Then Bob says to Chris one of the sentences below.
SENTENCES:

I told him that I have been in a pretty good mood so far, and asked him to stop bringing me down with that nonsense.

I told him that I had been in a pretty good mood so far, and asked him to stop bringing me down with that nonsense.

QUESTION:
Are both sentences correct? I'm wondering about the bolded part.


texts: Usage of "simple past" and "present perfect"

texts:
Can anyone please tell me if I should use "past tense" or "present perfect" in an response to the given question asked in present perfect?

Here's the context:

Mom: Subha, I am sorry. Someone has broken your watch. Me: What!! who did/has done that?

I think simple past sounds better.

My grammar book(Practical English Usage written Michael Swan) says that simple past tense is preferable. Look at the third example.


texts: "Back here again in two years" or "Back here again after two years"

texts:
Which one's correct?

  "Back here again in ( ) years"

or

  "Back here again after ( ) years"?


texts: What are we going to do now? / What will we do now?

texts:
I and my friend discussed a grammar exercise related to future tenses like this:

  We seem to be completely lost. What (we, do) _________ now?

For me, 'what are we going to do now' sounds much more natural than 'what will we do now' in this case. My friend asked me why but I had no idea.

I searched on Google about the uses of 'be going to' and 'will' and one of them is to talk about 'intention/decision'. Could I explain to my friend, in that case, it means:

'what are we going to do now?' = 'What do we intend to do now?"
'what will we do now?' = 'what do we decide to do now?"


texts:
This case will show how widespread has been the reputation of this man.

In this sentence there is a subordinate clause:

  how widespread has been the reputation of this man.

The subject of this clause is the reputation of this man. However, it comes  after the verb form has been. The subject and verb have been inverted.

What is this strange inversion. Is it correct?


texts:
An excerpt from Tuesdays with Morrie:

  On one particularly crazy day, a crush of reporters had tried to chase down Andre Agassi and his famous girlfriend, Brooke Shields, and I had gotten knocked over by a British photographer who barely muttered “Sorry” before sweeping past, his huge metal lenses strapped around his neck.

What does sweeping past mean?


texts: What is the right preposition to go with "commonplace" as an adjective?

texts:
I need to know what preposition—other than "among"— I may use with the adjective "commonplace" when it is used thus:

  This knowledge should be commonplace with those who have training in
  law.

  This knowledge should be commonplace to those who have training in
  law.

  This knowledge should be commonplace for those who have training
  in law.

Thank you.


texts: I am writing slides. I want to explain how it works. and I should write how does it work or how it works as the title of one slide?

texts:
I am not sure which one I should use, please help me.
How it works?
How does it work?

Thanks.


texts: What does "instead" mean as in "to instead do something"?

texts:
source

  Nowadays Chinese entrepreneurs are encouraged to instead invest in
  more sophisticated sectors where they hold a comparative advantage.

I'm struggling with "to instead do something".

It means

  Chinese entrepreneurs are encouraged to invest in more
  sophisticated sectors

or

  Chinese entrepreneurs are encouraged not to invest in more
  sophisticated sectors

?

Another example

  The federal official tapped by an outgoing Obama appointee to lead the
  Consumer Financial Protection Agency filed a lawsuit on Sunday
  challenging President Trump’s decision to instead appoint his budget
  director to the post – setting up a Monday showdown at the
  controversial agency.

I don't know Trump's decision is to appoint his budget director or appoint other people to replace his budget director


texts: How to explain repeating words for different subjects

texts:
Suppose I have numbers, letters and names. Suppose further that I would like to store them in matrices, a matrix for each. Then, how could I explain this in a correct English sentence?

  The numbers, the letters and the names are stored in their own matrices, a
  matrix for each.

Is this correct?


texts:
Is "Her usual smile would flatten" natural in English? What does it mean? Does it mean "Her usual smile would disappear"?

“I think the neighbours have it.” My mum was always conscious of her health. Nevertheless, the anxiety in her voice was jarring. Although we were talking by telephone, I could picture what she looked like. Her usual smile would flatten, transforming her face into an ashen mask. “I am scared. If I get it, I have no one. I am alone.”

Source: The Lancet


texts: What is the meaning of "one" in this sentence?

texts:
The sentence, from the Wikipedia article on Thomas Pynchon:

  Indeed, claims that Pynchon was the Unabomber or a sympathizer with the Waco Branch Davidians after the 1993 siege were upstaged in the mid-1990s by the invention of an elaborate rumor insinuating that Pynchon and one "Wanda Tinasky" were the same person.

Would "a certain" fit here?


texts:
Our school chose an arrogant girl as a "prefect". So a kid said:

  Who made you a prefect? You're so snobbish and stuck-up.

Does "make" here sound natural instead of "choose as"?


texts: Should I use "will" or "going to" or Present continuous to describe an upcoming future arrangement that will be held continuously for some time?

texts:
I am writing a formal email to a teacher, the sentence I am sending:

"By the start of next week, we are going to launch weekly online sessions to provide support for our students"

I want to express that starting from next week, we will have online sessions that will be repeated every week till the end of the semester but I am not quite sure about the usage of "are going to" in the sentence.

Am I expressing the the overall sentence correctly?


texts: Grammar: sentence structure with possessive

texts:
The boy has three coats. His coats are in the closet.

According to the above sentences, is this sentence grammatically correct?

The three boy's coats are in the closet.

I know it is wrong, but I do not know why.


texts:
Here is a line from an American drama[Manifest]:
[I ran the tags on the screen caps of the buses that you sent me. The State Police's automatic license-plate reader got all five of them heading south after they left the hangar. The entire caravan registered multiple hits: tunnels, highway on-ramps. Five buses, until they exited the thruway, then one of them disappeared.]
What confused me was the meaning of "hits".
I don't know the rules of American high way driving... Does it mean something like toll stations?


texts:
what is the difference between interrupt and disrupt?
I searched in google :
interrupt :(v) stop the continuous progress of (an activity or process).
disrupt : (v)interrupt (an event, activity, or process) by causing a disturbance or problem.

Could you please provide some examples to understand more easily?


texts: "whose foot you stepped on" — can I say "on whose foot you stepped"?

texts:
I know the following is okay:

  The child whose foot you stepped on is fine.

Can I also say this?

  The child on whose foot you stepped is fine.

I know that we can place prepositions before whom and which, but is the second sentence acceptable too?


texts: What does the verb "indicate" mean in this context

texts:
I read a sentence in "Word Power Made Easy" which was:

  In any case, psychotherapy of one sort or another is the indicated treatment for psychogenic disorders, or for any personality disturbances.

What purpose does the verb "indicate" serve in this sentence?


texts: Should there be a comma before "which meant that" in the following case?

texts:
According to Grammarly's blog, you should use a comma with non-restrictive phrases:

  Jeff’s new car, which is less than a month old, already started
  leaking oil.

And leave it out with prepositional phrases:

  The platform on which we built our program is very stable.

Here's my confusion:

  He forgot the present he had bought for Mary, which meant that he had to go back home a second time.

I have no idea what the bolded past is. A non-restrictive phrase? A prepositional phrase? Should there be a comma before it?


texts: How to use the word "food" in the plural?

texts: Is it correct and totally colloquial to ask someone "What are your favourite foods and drinks?" in order to ask about what different foods and drinks they like, not meaning the dishes? or should one use those words in the singular?


texts: Should I use 'what is the benefit' or 'What are the benefits' in my question?

texts:
What’s the benefit of acknowledging your partner’s feelings according to the book?

  A. It shows him that you empathize with him.
  B. It helps to keep his defenses lowered.
  C. It makes him feel respected and unconditionally loved.
  D. All of the above. √

I'm going to ask my students a question about the book we are reading. But I'm not sure whether my question is correct or not. The answer to the question is D.

I know that when bearing the meaning of ‘an advantage you get from a situation’, 'benefit' is a countable noun. So if someone asks 'what is the benefit…?', can I offer more than one idea?


texts: Is it a little bit unnatural to use visit when talking about parents?

texts:
I live with my wife and son. My parents live 3 blocks away and visit us monthly.

Is it a little bit unnatural to use visit here? They are my parents, not other relatives like aunt, niece and nephews.


texts: What's the name of an eccentric flywheel

texts: What's the name of the part that's placed on axis of a motor that has weight off-center, to create vibrations? Say, phone vibration motors have that.


texts:
What does "obsessive behavior" mean?

I'm a new learner so I'm confused with this words! Do you know what does it mean? Can you give me some examples?

Thanks for helping~


texts: Which word is more appropriate - gratis vs free

texts:
I am looking for a ____ software to help me do something.

Is "gratis" more suitable than "free"?


texts: Does using "can you" change the meaning of a question?

texts: I have been corrected for using "Please, can you tell me exactly what happened?" instead of saying "Please, tell me exactly what happened?"  I was told that using can you changes the meaning of the question.  I cannot find anything that supports their claim.  Can you provide me with the proper usage and why?


texts: What's the meaning of 'pat on the back'?

texts:
I am reading a blog post: https://www.trustgreene.com/blog/2019/4/5/i-am-nobody-and-so-are-you

The article has this paragraph.

  I am nobody. But that doesn’t mean I am not somebody. Or does it?

  I lost my mom when I was 20. My dad when I was 33. I wasn’t the first
  person this happened to and I won’t be the last. I once pissed my
  pants in 8th grade. Again, pat on the back.

The 'pat on the back' has the meaning of praise. (https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/137962/116378)

But I think the meaning doesn't fit with the context as he pissed his pants and that's not a good thing to be praised at all. What is the meaning of 'pat on the back' in this paragraph?


texts: How do you describe when the hem of shirt is coming out from inside the pants?

texts:
When you wear a shirt, you tuck your shirt in your pants. But you move violently and one part of the shirt's hem creeps out from the pants and looks very untidy.

How do you describe the untidy shirt? The goal is to make him noticed and let him tuck the shirt's hem back in again. What I can think of is sentences such as your shirt came out, your shirt is untidy, etc. How do you usually say?


texts:
Which one is correct?

I’m also sort of puzzled. On the videos roaming around the YouTube I’ve seen a dozen times an instance where more than one person was present in a car.

I’m also sort of puzzled. On the videos roaming around the YouTube I’ve seen an instance where more than one person was present in a car a dozen times.

Perhaps both are wrong?


texts: Are these pronouns semantic subjects of to-infinitives?

texts:
(1) Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to
  use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet
  and beckoned them all forward.  (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
  Stone)

  (2) Harry waved madly at the other three to follow him as
  quickly as possible. (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

Do we say that the highlighted parts are the semantic subjects of to-infinitives?


texts: "It is the first time" vs "This is the first time"

texts:
I have a question related to the usage of "it" and "this". Are they interchangeable in the following context and such contexts?

1- It is the first time I have driven a car.

2- This is the first time I have driven a car.

I searched with Ngrams and found lots of results for both.


texts: Adjective for describing a shirt being worn in the wrong way

texts: What adjective would you use to describe the way this shirt is being worn?


texts:
Tomorrow I have an appointment with another person to speak and train English. I want to remind him about this:

  We have an appointment on Wednesday at xx a.m, haven't we?

But it sounds too formal. It's only a private call.

Can you recommend anything?


texts: Which is correct "in its path" vs "on its path"

texts: I want to know which sentence is correct. "It destroyed everything in its path" or "It destroyed everything on its path"


texts:
So I suggested this in class and it was declared wrong with, "What happened to some of those?" as a replacement. Are sentences like the one in the headline strictly wrong or do they just sound bad?

So this is mostly about forming questions with become as the verb.  We had a text about derelict houses that got restored, some of which became museums and activity centres. We then should formulate basic questions based on this text and the headline was the one I suggested.

As stated by my teacher this one is wrong and English speakers avoid using questions with become as much as possible. "What happened to them" was declared the correct version.


texts: use would to express imaginary situation without if

texts:
A native English teacher told me that I cannot use would to write about imaginary situation except when I use if, like this:

  If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.

Is this structure grammatical when write about an imaginary thing?

  Building new sports centres would improve public health.


texts:
I am wondering if the sentence below is correct:

  The company transferred critical 5G technologies to one of its
  partners in order to make it's supply chain more efficient.

Can you also use it without an s to mean the exact same thing?

I hear both of them, so I thought they were synonymous.

  The company transferred critical 5G technology to one of its partners
  in order to make it's supply chain more efficient.

Also, do you need to put an article before, like "the"?


texts: Should I use -ing in the following example?

texts:
In the camp we had to collect wood--an easy task since it was still
  daylight when we arrived. The next part was harder: build/building the
  fire.

Do I have to use the -ing version of the verb? Why or why not?


texts: Does this sentence gramtatically make sense?

texts:
Does the below sentence grammatically make sense?

"As the 3/15 deadline has just come to an end, I was curious to see if you need help with your 4/15 clients. I have a lot of availability and am happy to help."

Question
1) can you say you have A LOT OF AVAILABILITY?
2) can you say "a deadline has come to an end?


texts: When do we use "distemper" instead of "disorder"?

texts:
Please help me. I have searched all the famous dictionaries but still I can't understand when should I use it as a noun(except for political matters) and when to use it as a verb, both in place of disorder(not for painting or a disease).

Is this a common word to use nowadays except for a disease or painting?


texts:
I have often heard people say "pun intended" or "pun not intended" and thought nothing of it at the time. However, last week, someone said "excuse the pun". And that got me thinking. The play on words used was definitely not offensive. So, why would one need to excuse the pun.

Why do people say "pun (not) intended" or "excuse the pun"? Why should pun need to be excused?

[EDIT] :
This was on the "5 Live Science" podcast of 14 Mar 2015.
( http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/fivelive/drkarl/drkarl_20150314-0653a.mp3 )
At 24:07 into the podcast Naked Scientist Chris Smith says:
"Coming up after the news we'll be hosting, excuse the pun, several interviews about the world of parasites."
Why would he ask to 'excuse the pun'? Is this some kind of social thing in Britain or something?
I get the joke. I just don't get the need for him to excuse himself.


texts: How to use "a" or "any" in a question with "is / are there?"

texts:
Is there a difference in meaning and if so which one between:
"Is there A teacher's desk in your classroom?" and
"Is there ANY teacher's desk in your classroom?"
and between:
"Is there PAPER in your study?" and
"Is there ANY paper in your study?"
concerning an object that is expected to be found at some place?
And also, between:
"Are there POSTERS on the walls of your kitchen?" and
"Are there ANY posters on the walls of your kitchen?"


texts:
I'm always having trouble to construct sentences with Present Perfect which ask about events in the past.

I want to ask "During the time that you lived in Siberia did you ever pay a visit to the North?"

How can this be done with "have been to" ?

Have you ever been to the North while living in Siberia?
Have you ever been to the North during your life in Siberia?

I know that I can't use "when" because it implies the Simple Past which doesn't line up with Present Perfect.


texts:
I'm wondering whether "seem / be like much" means "(seem to) cost a lot" in the following.

  items such as paper and pens do not seem (like) much.
  This pen seems like too much.
  This pen seems very much.
  This pen does not seem much.
  This pen is not much.

Any constraints at work?

I'd appreciate your help.


texts: "Are you hearing me" Vs. "Do you hear me"?

texts:
When I learnt English grammar I was told that some of the senses don't get "ing" of present continuous, therefore we should say "I see it now" rather than "I'm seeing it now". On the same logic, "I hear you now" rather than "I am hearing you now". But I doubt it in practice. I want to talk freely but at the same time to be sounded natural. When should people keep the mentioned rules in practice, if any?
For example:
Imagine a teacher in a lecture who doesn't(?) hear his student while he ask him question. Should he tell him:

I am sorry, I don't hear you, so please, speak a little bit loudly.

or

I am sorry, I am not hearing you, so please, speak a little bit loudly.

Kindly, inform me if there should be a difference between formal and informal language in this case.


texts: Idiom request for describing a situation in which people pay attention to their minor problems rather than the fundamental related ones?

texts:
I'm looking for an idiom, proverb or saying that can be used for describing a situation that someone focus on the minor problems in their life rather than the basic problems that have caused those minor ones.

When somebody acts like this, we Iranians would say in Persian:

  "This person is like someone who has lost his horse and is looking for its horseshoes!" (= he has forgotten about "the lost horse" as his main problem, while he knows as long as he doesn't find the horse, the horseshoes will be useless!)

How do you describe this situation in English? Is there any idiom equivalent to that Persian proverb?

I have found "put the cart before the horse", can I use it for describing people who act like this?


texts: What does " measures of magnitude larger" mean?

texts:
What does " measures of magnitude larger" mean in this context?

  In the same way, CEOs need to constantly be thinking about what’s next. This has always been their role. The key change, however, is that we’re enduring shifts now that they are measures of magnitude larger in shorter periods of time.


texts: Can "not only ... but also" be constructed as "not only ... as also"?

texts:
In other languages, the construction "not only ... but also" can be constructed in a different form: "not only ... as also".

Is this also possible in English? For example, is this sentence correct?:

  Not only a solution is possible as, in due time, inevitable.


texts: Confused with which word I should use , "emit" or "emits"

texts:
Increasing number of factories built by the TNCs in different parts of the world also "emit/emits" large quantities of greenhouse gases.

I've read in many articles, factories-emits sounds more natural, can I get some explanations on how this works.


texts:
A ball filled completely with air is said to be inflated.
What do you say if a ball is in a 'not that much inflated' condition? Is there a single word for it?
Are there other words that give the same meaning as that of inflated/'not so inflated'


texts: Help understand 'cannot be dealt with through' in "The errors produced by these systems cannot be dealt with through parameter adaptation"

texts:
However, the approximation errors produced by the fuzzy logic systems, [24], [25], [26], [27], [28], can not be dealt with through parameter adaptation.

I have problem understanding this part :

  "can not be dealt with through"

thanks


texts: What does "the brass" mean, exactly, in military context?

texts:
In books by many different authors I encountered phrases like this:

  He curses the brass for not caring whether he lives or dies.

From context, it seemed to me that it meant high-rank officers, about the rank of general. But sometimes it seems to mean lower (than general) rank commissioned officers, too. Sometimes civilian government officials overseeing army. So what does it really mean? And does it have anything to do with copper and zinc alloy?


texts:
Which is more appropriate in the following sentence?

  "I asked him to not judge her according to (or: based on) her beauty"

vs

  "I asked him not to judge her according to (or:based on) her beauty"

or maybe you wouldn't choose either of the above, but something else?


texts:
support:

  to approve of an idea or of a person or organization and help them to be successful

second:

  to officially support a proposal made by another person in a meeting

They are like and both can mean "be behind someone".

In StackExchange, I often see someone will comment like I second you/your ... to show their agreements to the answer above.

To the case above, can second be replaced by support?
What difference between them?
When should I prefer one over another?


texts:
Is this sentence correct?

  The culling of poultry has been resorted to to save humans.

Can someone give me more examples where two tos are used together?


texts: What is the difference between "The task isn't processed" and "The task hasn't been processed"?

texts:
A project team there are a few tasks. The team manager asks for the status of one from them. What's the right answer?
   The task isn't processed/handled.
   The task hasn't been processed/handled.
Which verb would we use in this case?


texts:
I heard about a conversation goes like

  A: In this stage I can only go R (right), which makes a?
  B: Conservative?
  A: A pirate.
  B: Oh, that makes more sense.

I understand that conservative is also referred to as the right wing. But I don't get the pirate punch.


texts:
I trying to understand this sentence but this sentence does not interpret well.

  "Me time" is an expression which means time we have for ourselves.

How should I interpret the part after "which means"?


texts:
Does the suffix "some", when it comes after a number, conjure up some kind of an orgy?

Here is an example:

  Have you heard that Jim and Tina made up a foursome with Jean and Bruce?

would you ever ask such a question from someone you barely know (considering that you just assume he or she has some idea of what you're talking about)? In other words, is the risk of misinterpretation subtle enough for you to take?

Here I'm not taking into account those who have a so-called "dirty mind" and tend to interpret everything their own way. Instead, I'm interested to know how the majority of English-speaking people (especially those of the United States) would interpret that.


texts:
What's the best question for these answers?

No, he never gets up early.

Has he ever got up early?
or
Does he ever get up early?

Yes, they often go to bed after midnight.

Have they ever?
or
Do they ever?

No, I never play games online.

Have you ever?
or
Do you ever?


texts:
After he had been watching them for a couple of days he told the police everything he found out

Why not had found out as he first watched them then found out and then went to the police.
If you  don't use past perfect, we can think that both actions are happening quite  at the same time which is not true.

May be the meaning is clear enough to avoid past perfect. I don't think so
or may be he found out and immediately went to the police.
Does this kind of phrases work as reported speech "i m going to the police to tell them what I have found"so in reported speech have found becomes had found"

https://www.liveworksheets.com/worksheets/en/English_as_a_Second_Language_(ESL)/Verb_tenses/Present_(perfect)_-Past(perfect)_(2)_bf8998bd

Another sentence seen that I find weird   "I thought he found it last week does it mean i thought that he had found it last week because last week is for the finding not the thinking the thinking came after the finding so past perfect should be better. Am I right here ?


texts: She goes/went to bed before midnight at the weekend

texts:
She ____ to bed before midnight at the weekend. "goes" or "went"

This question was on my English test. What is the correct answer?


texts:
He is the person I thought would come to the party.

He is the person I thought he would come to the party.

Is the second sentence correct and does it have the same meaning as the first one?


texts: "Shoot in something" vs "shoot at something"

texts:
Is there any difference between shoot in something and shoot at something? For example:

  The guy shot a few rounds in/at the car with a machinegun and ran away.

I have definetly heard native English speakers say shoot in something, but what is the difference betweeb in and at in the context. If there isn't any, which one is more common?


texts: What is the difference? "Are you watching" vs "Have you been watching"

texts:
What is the difference between these sentences?

  Have you been watching TV for the last four hours? Turn it off and get
  some exercise?

  Are you watching TV for the last four hours? Turn it off and get some
  exercise?


texts:
When a person looks at light he sees this thing around it and a streak of some sort. What is it?

I found gloom, glow, and flare but am not sure if they are it.


texts: Is there any difference in meaning between "burn a house" and "burn down a house"?

texts:
Could you tell me if there is any difference in meaning between burn a house and burn down a house? For example:

The man went crazy and burned his house.
The man went crazy and burned down his house.


texts: Is it correct to say "I am a student at the Faculty of X in the university Y"?

texts:
Am I saying this right?

  I am a student at the Faculty of X in the university Y.

For example,

  I am a student at the Faculty of Arts in the university of Oxford

I know that, for example, one says: "I am a student at the university X". I am not sure what happens when there is "the faculty of X" in the play. Thanks a lot!


texts: Gerund and its meaning in the sentence, being positioned at the end of the sentence

texts:
I came across this sentence while watching a video on YouTube.

  They learn to read and write the formal English of textbooks, but get very little training listening to - and speaking - causal, conversational, spoken English.
  Source: Get Fluent With 1 Trick - Become A Confident English Speaker With This Simple Practice Trick
  (By EnglishAnyone on YouTube; emphasis added)

What puzzles me here is what sort of connection exists between "get very little training " and "listening". Is there a meaning as in " ...get very little training in listening to..."?


texts:
Could there be an error here:

  French officials dispatched a military unit to secure the site in restive northern Mali where an Air Algerie plane crashed with the loss of 116 people.

"Restive" means, approximately, impatient and fits a person better than an area.  In the example sentence, Mali is an area. So, is the usage in the example sentence wrong?


texts:
In the dictionary

  1 BOOK/ARTICLE/POEM ETCa) [intransitive, transitive] to produce a new
  book, article, poem etc

  He wrote some very famous books.

  Who wrote ‘Harry Potter’?

  I can’t come with you – I have an essay to write.

  write about O'Brien often writes about her native Ireland.

  well/badly/poorly etc written   The article is very well written.

The dictionary also says

  GRAMMAR: Patterns with write • You write to someone: She writes to me
  every month.

  • In American English, you can also write someone: She writes me every
  month.

  • You write someone a letter, note, story etc: Please write me a
  letter soon. ✗Don’t say: Please write to me a letter soon.

  • You write to someone about a subject or an experience: He wrote to
  me about his trip to France. ✗Don’t say: He wrote to me his trip to
  France.

  • Write is often used in the progressive: I am writing to tell you
  something important.

We say "write articles" but I don't think we say "write about articles"

But we say "write about the trip" but not "write the trip"

It seems that we "write a general thing" but "write about a specific story / experience"

But that is my guess, I am not sure

What are the differences between "write something" & "write about something"?


texts:
Is there a specific or maybe a more normal way I can say:

“I couldn’t hold a conversation with her because she kept using her phone”?


texts:
His vote is of no more worth than that of any unprincipled foreigner
  or hireling native, who may have been bought. Oh for a man who is a
  man, and, as my neighbor says, has a bone in his back which you cannot
  pass your hand through!

How to understand the sentence in bold? Where's the subject in this sentence?


texts:
Well, I guess you might think that, but when I saw it back then
  it was anything but boring!

Am I right that "saw (someone) back" is idiom?

Why is but used before boring? Maybe, it should be something like: "...it was nothing boring!"


texts: What does "should" mean in "I should get my assignment finished…"?

texts:
I should get my assignment finished this weekend if I have enough time.

The modal verb should has at least 7 meanings according to the Cambridge Dictionary. What does should mean in the quoted sentence?


texts: What is the appropriate usage of 'that is'

texts:
In this page:
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/11/google-photos-kills-off-unlimited-storage-policy-moving-forward/
the caption under Figure 1 is:

Google is no longer offering unlimited photo storage—except to Pixel
users, that is.

Why is it necessary to use "that is" at the end?
Does it add any extra information to the preceding sentence?


texts: Punctuation in a compound sentence describing two parallel processes

texts:
Do I need a comma at the end of a clause that presents some action that is happening simultaneously with the action that will be described in the main clause?

For example:

  When kids' passive vocabulary is growing, they start
  understanding things and then just naturally want to respond to what
  is being presented or discussed in the class.

Do I need a comma after the word "growing"?


texts: "..subtle in erudite perversities" - how can this be understood?

texts:
I have a trouble deciphering the meaning of the following sentence, from a C.A. Smith story (the description is of people living in an ancient world):

The people were steeped in the crepuscular gloom of antiquity; and
were wise with all manner of accumulated lore; and were subtle in the
practise of strange refinements, of erudite perversities, of all that
can shroud with artful opulence and grace and variety the bare uncouth
cadaver of life, or hide from mortal vision the leering skull of
death.

1."strange refinements" - I assumed this refers to "cultivation" (cultivated ways of behavior), but dictionaries state in that sense "refinement" is only uncountable. Is the meaning different here, then?
2."erudite perversities" - I cannot figure out the meaning here. The meaning could be that the people there are perversely erudite (having all the knowledge they accumulated), but then I guess the wording would be different.


texts:
Over the course of those generations, of course, many more Agta children will continue to hear many more instructive stories: of the sun and the moon — a man and a woman — who fight to a draw in their battle for the sky and choose to cooperate to share the day and the night; of the monkey who became a hero for killing a giant, but was kept wise and humble with the knowledge that all monkeys — even him — must still fear the eagle. All of the stories will merely be make-believe — and all of them will be much more than that too.

Does anyone know what the meaning of "and all of them will be much more than that too." in the last sentence of this context is?

Thank you.


texts: Is it "leave them to me" or "leave them with me"?

texts:
Leave your children with me, I know how to babysit.
  Leave your children to me, I know how to babysit.

Which one of these sentences are grammatical? I am thinking that they are both pretty much the same, but I am not sure.


texts: Should we say "what are your name?" not "what is your name?"?

texts:
My student today asked me why we say "what is your name?" instead of "what are your name?".

I think we should say "what are your name?" since your/her takes "are"!

Please explain. Thank you in advance.


texts: How to write an essay without using 'used to' in following sentences?

texts:
I am writing an essay for an exam where I am getting all the sentences with the word 'used to'. Is there a way I can write it without using it.

For example:

  I used to be reluctant to eat food. My mother used to feel wrong about it
  and then she used to prepare different varieties. I used to try them
  but nothing interesting to me and then she used to scold and made me
  eat.

It seems like my complete essay will go like this with 'used to'. Is there a way to write the above passage without using 'used to' anywhere?


texts: Make out that/make out like- are both useable?

texts:
He made out like he'd read the book, whereas he hadn't.

He made out that he'd read the book, whereas he hadn't.

He made out he'd read the book, whereas he hadn't.

I looked up make out in the dictionary and it said make out that is right, but i can remember hearing people use make out like, I haven't heard anyone use the third one though.
Are all those sentences grammatically correct? Do they mean the same thing?


texts:
Why in some cases condition is used with an article and in some cases with no article?
For example:

  Considering its age, this house is in excellent condition.

  He was in a terrible condition and had drunk far too much whiskey.


texts: What is the difference between "to benefit from" and "to profit from"?

texts: I do not understand when it is more accurate to say "to benefit from" than "to profit from". Are they interchangeable or is there precise context to employ one rather than the other?


texts:
Which one is correct, I got confused:

Am I the only one who this has been happening to?
Am I the only one to who this has been happening to?
Am I the only one to who this has been happening?


texts:
I was watching Dexter series when Vince Masuka said to Debra: "You will have to french me."

So what does it mean?

Thank you!


texts: To do to have something done ... what is the difference?

texts:
A seven year-old Indian girl has complained to the police to have her
  father arrested after he failed to build a toilet in their home as
  promised.

Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/12/12/seven-year-old-indian-girl-tries-have-father-arrested-fails

Why the writer used to have her father arrested not simply to arrest her father?

My guess is that form indicates surprising .. when we should rather use that form?


texts:
If a kleptomaniac is compulsive thief, which term is used for a compulsive liar?

I have searched extensively but to no avail. Is there an equivalent?


texts: When should one use articles with adjective+proper noun?

texts: I've always thought that we don't use articles when the adjective is descriptive as in "Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas". And that we do use them when the adjective makes the proper noun different from its original form as in "The bewildered Smith has arrived" (that is, as opposed to Smith's regular condition). But I don't think that's true, since I'm only guessing. So, what's the rule for that one?


texts: Do I suspect he is regretful now, or I guess he will be regretful in the future in saying "He may regret having quit his job"?

texts:
He may regret having quit his job.

Does this mean

  It is possible that he now wishes he hadn't quit his job.

or

  It is possible that he will eventually wish he hadn't quit his job.

?


texts: What does the slang word "hammered" actually mean?

texts:
I have recently posted a question in English Language and Usage the use of nailed, screwed, and hammered in one sentence. And I used this sentence for correction:

  Can someone be so screwed because someone nailed an argument that made
  him hammered?

Someone commented that my sentence is wrong because I used the word hammered incorrectly. He stated that it means drunk.
However, according to my research about hammered, it can also mean to attack or criticize forcefully and relentlessly.

What does the slang word actually mean?


texts: 'be had' - please explain the meaning and grammar, if any relevant, for this use

texts:
I found this example.

"The lawyer should carry out an analysis and advise on the legal alternatives if the case does not settle, including the prospects at trial and the costs. This discussion could be had with the client both before and during the mediation."

Although the meaning 'be had' can be discerned from the context in which it appears, I have no idea:

what is the general meaning of it devoid of this context?
what sort of rules, if any, does apply here that made use of it in this situation?

Kind regards,


texts:
It seems like the phrase which was used in the following sentence to mean 'to get rid of something' even though given the opposite definition which says it means 'to get something from somebody'

  In this situation, monetarists believe that they only way to wring
  inflation and inflationary expectations out of the economy is to have
  the actual unemployment rate rise above the LSUR, and that means only
  one thing. Inducing a recession.

My comment:
I think this may not a phrase I thought but the word wring's usage became similar to the phrase because of the preposition 'out of' but actually it was meant that  'to get rid of' something  by 'squeezing'.


texts: Any differences in meaning or in use due to commas?

texts:
The country Korea is well known for Kpop.
The country, Korea, is well known for Kpop.
My friend Daniel used to make fun of me.
My friend, Daniel, used to make fun of me.

I wonder which ones are grammatically correct and whether there're differences in meaning due to commas. I think they're all grammatical but there would be differences in use and meaning.

For example, I think 1 seems to be more appropriate to say when people talk about not only Korea, but also other countries. On the other hand, I would say 2 when I'm talking about only Korea because lisnters already know which country I'm referring to, as I'm talking about Korea only.


texts:
What does 'left off at' mean here in 2 different sentences? Is it to mean just 'finish'?

  At the Academy Awards show, also known as the Oscars, talk of the
  #MeToo movement continued where it left off at the Golden Globes.

Another sample:

  I think we left off at me awkwardly fleeing your apartment.


texts: "the roads in Delhi are better than Mumbai". i have seen this sentence in a newspaper which said the above sentence was not correct. please explain is it right or wrong?


texts: Is it polite to say "I want to make sure that ..."

texts:
In a formal letter, is it polite to ask information about dates and cost information by saying something like "I want to make sure that..."?

  Further, I want to make sure the dates of the courses that will not conflict with my other appointments. It would be appreciated if you could supply more details about the arrangements and what cost it would be.


texts: "Give something something free" or "give someone something for free"?

texts:
Tell me please if there is any difference between the following sentences.

  Kate gave me her phone free.

  Kate gave me her phone for free.

If there is no difference, then which one is more common?


texts: What does "it" in "it is prepared to go" refer to in this context?

texts:
Does it refer to inflation or FED?

"Quite how far it is prepared to go will depend on what Yellen noted was an assessment of "the potential costs that could be associated" with a higher inflation target. Such assessment, however, probably will not be ready during her term, which ends in February 2018."

Source:https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-Fed-inflation-analysis-idUSKBN19630N


texts: What does "it" refer to in this sentence?

texts:
I came across the following prompt:

  Enable location services

  You can allow this app to determine your location by enabling it in
  Settings.

Does "it" refer to "determine your location" or "location services"?


texts: Plural possessive apostrophe with hyphen

texts:
I incorrectly assumed the following question involved plural possession. However, even if it did, is it ever acceptable to use an apostrophe for plural possession in a hyphenated word like this?

Pang Xiong Sirirathasuk is a master of paj ntaub, or "flower cloth" embroidery, the most difficult of the century's-oldest Hmong needlework arts.

F. No Change
G. centuries-old
H. centuries'-old
J. century's-old

I was tripped up by all apostrophes among the answer choices and assumed possession was involved and chose H. If plural possession was involved you do want to write out the plural form and add an apostrophe to the "s" like in choice H. However, is it ever appropriate to add an apostrophe to a hyphenated word?


texts: Help to understand "reports Efe news" in this context

texts:
The Pentagon report, published on Friday, said China was developing long-range bombers and "likely" training its pilots for strikes against the US and its allies, reports Efe news.

I am not sure what reports Efe news is doing in this sentence, since it put "The Pentagon report" already at the beginning. Can someone help to explain it?

The full source.


texts: Error correction : The fact that the compact car is better than conventional cars has been proved by its sales

texts:
The fact that the compact car (A)/ is better than (B)/ conventional cars has(C)/ been proved by its sales.(D)

In part C of the sentence the hasn't been used which I think is correct but isn't the the used in part A of sentence incorrect ? I guess the correct sentence should read The fact that compact car is better than conventional cars has been proved by its sales. or is part A correct and we need to correct part C by inserting the before conventional cars ?


texts:
Which verb should I use for sports if I want to mean all type of sport ( winter sport, summer sport, car races, footbal...etc)  In the next sentence

  He is practicing sports all the day, run, football, killing zombies...etc

Which verb is instead of practicing? Playing? Doing?

Thanks in advance


texts:
Make up course, make-up course, makeup course -

I mean something like make up course. I have to include this in my CV and I don't know which version is correct.


texts:
I'm writing a song and there is a line:

  When they got heaven by their sides

I am not sure whether side or sides is correct in this context. Thanks!


texts: How to ask a question about a person's order among her /his siblings?

texts:
In most of the indian languages ,there is a WH question word used to ask about  a person's order among ones siblings . That is if she/he is the first , second or third child of ones parents. How to inquire about the same in English.Can we say?  How manieth child of your parents are you? or situation like as below

What is the order of Donald Trump among the presidents of USA?


texts: When to pronounce ‹s› as /z/ in the middle of words?

texts:
When do you pronounce ‹s› as /z/ in the middle of words? Is there any rule? I also saw there are some differences in articulating medial s between American and British accents. I already know the rule for pronouncing plural s and es.

Is there any case where ‹c› is pronounced /z/?


texts: Asking when someone leaves work or home?

texts:
I need to know the most natural and least wordy way in English to ask what time someone leave work for the day.

Could you please verify these sentences below and let me know if 1) They are actually used by native speakers and 2) if I can improve them in anyway?

And lastly, how do you usually ask this question yourself in everyday life?

A. What time does she usually leave?
B. What time does she usually leave work (home)?

A. What time does she usually get off?
B. What time does she usually get off work (home)?

A. What time does she usually work until?
B. What time until does she usually work?
C. Until what time does she usually work?

Is there a way to ask this via the verb stay?


texts: Why is another "had" omitted in "if my lord had the food, he would have shared it"?

texts:
I watched sadly as my lord Garridan looked out at the withered fields before him from his meager stone keep and cursed the luck that tainted the skies and stopped the rain from falling. The families in his charge would not last the winter, which was always bitter and cold... His own supply of grain was already picked clean; there was barely enough to sustain him for the months ahead. I know if my lord had the food there, he would have shared it gladly, allowing his charges to pay him back in whatever time or manner they could afford...

Shouldn't that had be had had? Is it a case of ellipsis? The story is in the past; it was written after the described events had finished.


texts:
I want to define few terms but not sure how to use denote. For example:

  We use the term XYZ to denote websites consisting of ...

Is the above correct statement?


texts: What is the word that is used nowadays to mean "asylum"?

texts:
I was trying to translate manicomio in English, and I remembered that a friend of mine told me the English word was asylum.

Looking at the OALD, I noticed it is said to be an old use of the word.

  (old use) a hospital where people who were mentally ill could be cared for, often for a long time

Google Translate gives me the following words:

Asylum
Mental Hospital (This seems closer to ospedale psichiatrico.)
Madhouse
Bedlam

I assume that Google Translate orders the words in a specific order, but the fact the first one is asylum confuses me.

What is the current word I should used to mean the place where people with mental ill are cared for?

Notice that in Italian manicomio is also used for a situation where there is a lot of noise, activity, and confusion (i.e. pandemonium, which has also an equivalent in the Italian pandemonio); I guess that is the reason why Google translate suggests bedlam.


texts:
The context: It's like there are two reactions and one has reacted for 6h while the other one has reacted for 20h. But there is no difference between them.

I want to say

  There is no big difference between reacting after 6h and after 20h.

Is this example correct?

Or if could be more accurate to say

  There is no big difference in the results between reacting after 6h and 20h

Or if there is a more accurate and natural way to form the sentence?


texts:
I recently saw someone write

  Married and two beautiful girls

when he meant that he was married and had two children (girls).

I would have rather have written "Married with two beautiful girls" which for a non-native speaker seems really weird (at least in France and the other languages I know more or less) but I know this is the correct wording in English to indicate that you have two children (girls) and not that you practice polygamy.

This said, does "Married and two beautiful girls" immediately conveys the message "I am married and I have two children (girls)"?

I would like to stress the "immediately" part - that is the reaction of a native speaker to this sentence, without analyzing it in details. The correctness of the phrase is also interesting (I do not think it is really correct), though the perceived meaning is more important to me.


texts:
I have normally seen people invert the placement of the adjective and put them after the noun when the adjective is a comparative one:

I have good hair - I have hair better than his

I would like to know whether it is possible to use the comparative and still place the adjective before the noun:

I have better hair than his


texts: "when you do something" or "when you are doing something"?

texts:
Tell me please if there is any difference in meaning between the following sentences.

You are bending too much when you are squatting.
You bend too much when you squat.

The context is a man finishes his set of squats, and he asks a coach for feedback on his set.
What tense is the most appropriate in the context. I have heard native English speakers use the present continuous in similar contexts, even though the action was finished. Can the present continuous be used for general things?


texts: Is this correct: "Jon had gotten up early"?

texts:
I've decided to start a blog (for the first time).

  Ah! I forgot to tell why Jon had gotten up early.

I've never used the word “gotten” nor have I seen anyone use it, but it seems that my usage of that word is correct in the sentence above. If not, please tell me how to use it.


texts: She {would always call/always called} me when we were apart

texts:
Which one is the correct sentence?

She would always call me when we were apart.
She always called me when we were apart.


texts: It was the same deal that deposed president Viktor Yanukovych BACKED OUT OF in November - I don't understand that part in bold

texts:
Source: http://mashable.com/2014/06/27/kiev-ukraine-european-union-deal/

  Ukrainians on Friday gathered in Kiev's Independence Square — the epicenter of the months-long clashes that ignited a revolution — after their newly elected president signed the long-awaited trade agreement with the European Union. It was the same deal that deposed president Viktor Yanukovych backed out of in November, leading to his ousting and bringing the prospect of war to Europe’s doorsteps.

I don't understand how that phrase in a bold font is connected, I don't even understand to what (or whom), to either their former president or the deal. This is very confusing.


texts: Do the following sentences sound incorrect?

texts:
We use 'also' / 'too' / 'as well' in affirmative sentences, and 'either' in negative sentences to give more information about someone or something.

  "Jane speaks French. Peter also speaks French."
  "Jane speaks French. Peter speaks French too."
  "Peter speaks French. He speaks French as well."
  "Jane doesn't speak French. Peter doesn't speak French either."

But do the following sentences [5, 6 & 7]  sound incorrect?  (I think, as per the rules of grammar, they're incorrect, but they sound good to my ears.)

  "You are not a doctor. I am also not a doctor." [Instead of "You are not a doctor. I am not a doctor either".]
  "You don't know it. I, too, don't know it." [Instead of "You don't know it. I don't know it either."]
  "Russian is not easy. English is not easy as well." [Instead of "Russian is not easy. English is not easy either."]


texts: Does the "Simple predicate" include parts of phrasal verbs?

texts:
A simple predicate is just the verb in the complete predicate.

So are the adverbial particles of the verb part of the simple predicate?

For example, "of" in "consist of" is it part of the simple predicate?
Likewise is "after" part of the simple predicate in "look after"?


texts: Is there a difference in meaning and usage between "come", "come in" and "come through" in the sense of something arriving?

texts:
Is there a difference in meaning and usage between come in and come through in the sense of something arriving? For example:

Have the photos I sent you come yet?
Have the photos I sent you come in yet?
Have the photos I sent you come through yet?


texts:
The text is as following.

Ashley writes:

  He (Bruise) pulled out a pair of black sweats, a black shirt, and shoe polish: "I'll rub this on my face, and while I'm down there, you'll be here with the phone."
  "No way. I'm not letting you have all the fun." He pulled out another pair of black sweat and a black shirt: "I thought you'd say that."

And then there is writing of Bruise about Ashley:

  Ashley passed on the shoe polish - she said she'd risk her face picking up a little light.

Can you explain to me what "to pass on" is meaning here:
1) to take shoe polish and use it;
2) to refuse to use shoe polish.


texts: Root for or support (American English usage)

texts:
I had another question related to AmE usage....

I found out in a Dictionary that "support" isn't common in AmE and it is BrE. So is that so? Google Ngram says that "root for" isn't really common..

  Which team are you supporting?

  Which team are you rooting for?


texts: Is the word 'primitive' attributive or predicative?

texts: I've known the word 'primitive' is an attributive adjective. But in a sentence from the school test, it is used as a predicative adjective. The sentence is the following: Forests in Vietnam are still primitive. I'd like to know whether the sentence is correct.


texts: What does "he probably turned a wrong rock" mean?

texts:
I recently picked up this phrase on a Netflix series and wonder what it means specifically. The situation was that a guy got information accidentally and was then chased by hostiles because he was aware of this information. The detective then said s.th. like "he probably turned a wrong rock".
I would assume that it means s.th. like
accidentally getting confidential information or information you shouldn't know of which brings you in a bad position
How would you describe it? And is there any similar phrase you could suggest to describe s.th. like this?


texts:
"If you will only help me in the kitchen, I would cook your favorite meal tomorrow."

'if you help me in the kitchen, I will cook your favorite meal tomorrow."

"If you helped me in the kitchen, I would cook your favorite meal tomorrow."

What're the differences between these three sentences meaning wise?

And, I came across the original sentence here:

https://www.grammarly.com/handbook/sentences/conditional-sentences/9/conditional-sentences-if-clause-future-tense-resul/


texts: Why is it corny to say "I'm sweet enough"?

texts:
Here is a dialog from Snatch, the movie

  You take sugar?
  No thank you, Turkish; I'm sweet enough

I like to use it but an Irishman told me the other day that it was a corny thing to say "I'm sweet enough" and I'm wondering why. He said it wasn't gay, just corny.

If it's meaningless to ask why something is considered daft or dated, then how corny is it to use this, on a scale from 1 to 10?


texts: Is it ok to say "I would prefer not" or "I would prefer not to"

texts:
Ok, see this conversation

  A: I want to drive at night

  B: I would prefer not to drive at night

The above paragraph is ok, no problem

But can B just need to say:

B: "I would prefer not" or "I would prefer not to"

Does it make any sense?


texts: Is this a correct expression in English?

texts:
Once, my friend and I wanted to go to some place, so we took a tram (train)
  to reach this place but we missed our destination twice, forward and
  backward, because we were busy talking to each other.

I want to say that the tram (train) was going forward and passed our station, then it reached the end of the line, and then it went back on the same line and passed our station once again. The problem is that the expression "forward and backward" is a literal translation from my language, and I'm not sure whether it works in English and whether it gives the same meaning. What a native English speaker would say?


texts: Should "individuals" be singular or plural?

texts:
I'm trying to figure out if "individuals" should have the s or no s at the end?

  Commit to Green inspires individuals to participate in initiatives that drive sustainable change.


texts: Which is correct 'once you have given to me' or 'once you give me'?

texts:
Shall I say

I will paypal once you have given to me the price for the book or
once you give me the price for the book.

Think both are correct.


texts:
Along the way, he found his mother's lost purse and leaving his stuff behind, he ran to the purse.

This is not an original sentence but has the same structure.
I think there are two points that make this sentence quite awkward
(although my English native coworker find this ok):
(1) the expression "leaving something behind" and (2) the redudant 2nd purse.

(1) leaving sth behind

I think the expression should be used like

  Along the way, he found his mother's lost purse, leaving his stuff behind, and ran to the purse.

or

  Along the way, he found his mother's lost purse and ran to the purse, leaving his stuff behind.

(2) redundancy

Since the second "purse" is redundant, I think

  Along the way, he found and ran to his mother's lost purse, leaving his stuff behind.

is a better sentence.

What do you think about the revisions I made? Did they make sense or did I make it worse?

Thank you!


texts: Is it OK to use the participle like this: "Today I driven a car"?

texts:
Today I driven a car

or

  Today I drive a car.

Is the above sentence correct? I mean I used past participle as an adjective. I know past participles are used as an adjective but sometimes I get confused when to use an adjective or simple verb.
And tell me which one is correct and why.


texts: What does "of" mean in this sentence? - "Which brothel did you say she worked out of?"

texts:
A: Which brothel did you say she worked out of?
B: I didn't. She works down there, at the back of a hat shop.
From TV show Desperate Romantics


texts: What does "facilitated a crescendo" mean?

texts:
I was watching the British series Sex Education and, in the second episode of season two, the main character uses the phrase "facilitated a crescendo". While I understand the definition of both words, I find it hard to understand how these words work together. Here is the dialogue in which this phrase is used:

  Eric: Did you dot it?
  Otis: uh-huh
  Eric: I knew you had a freshly-fingered glow about you. Tell me everything!
  Otis: So... I think I might have facilitated a crescendo.
  Eric: The big-O? First time round?
  Otis: Yeah.
  [...]


texts: "In what age period" or "At what age(s)"

texts:
Question:

  In what age period do people use the Internet?

Answer:

  7 to 70 / between 7 and 70

Is that the right question for this answer? Or is there a better way to ask such a question?


texts: I ended up with pockets full of 'caine/cane

texts:
In the song "Oh My Sweet Carolina" (link), there's a line

  I was spending money like the way it likes to rain
  And I ended up with pockets full of 'caine.

What is 'caine?
or is it "cane"? shouldn't it be "canes"?
and why "I ended up with pockets full of cane"?


texts:
On this page, https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/verbs-in-time-clauses-and-if-clauses, there is a section called "Making hypotheses" It says: some conditional clauses are like hypotheses, so we use past tense forms. We use past tense forms to talk about something that does not happen or is not happening in the present. One of the examples from that section is given below:

If Jack was playing, they would probably win.

The tense in this sentence confuses me. If I were to rewrite it, I would say, "If Jack was playing, they could/would have probably won. Shouldn't we use the past modal could have/would have here? I am also not sure, whether "could have" or "would have" should be used. As it is a result of the past unreal condition that we are talking about, my choice would be - would have. Could have also sounds appropriate because it is about the possibility in the past which didn't happen. Can someone explain to me how to approach this?


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

texts:
Does it refer to they in the previous sentence, or early human beings?

An additional flaw in these studies was that they assumed early human beings ate mainly the muscle flesh of animals, as we do today. By “meat,” they meant the muscle of the animal: the loins, ribs, flank, chuck, and so on. Yet focusing on the muscle appears to be a relatively recent phenomenon.

Source: The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet


texts:
What do people mean when they say:

  "I don't think it was that bad."

Does this phrase have only one possible correct meaning or use? Does it require further context to be provided in order to understand it?


texts:
Shall I say

  I (heard/have heard) of you through a friend. He wrote to me and
  recommended me to listen to your band.

I think past simple for hear is better because I remember clearly when I received the letter and it belongs to the past. But what puzzled me is that it is also connected to the present. I know the band now so in fact maybe both are correct.


texts: What's grammatically wrong with this sentence?

texts: What is wrong with 'I do have two brothers.' ? I'm doing English grammar exercise and I think that's a correct sentence. But it isn't.


texts: Is my usage of the colon in this sentence accurate?

texts:
From what I understand, one of the functions of the colon, among other things (introducing lists, direct speech/quotation  etc), is to act as a link between two sentences. (A formal version of the dash, if you will.)

Is the usage of the colon in the following sentence good?

  It took nine days for Eugene to consume it all. For nine days, he ate
  nothing but chimpanzee meat. Seated alone at the table in the 'open
  room' he ate: slowly, little by little.


texts:
We always refer to our clients' companies as small, medium or large. My question is which one of these is correct?

  We provide web and mobile solutions to small size companies.

  We provide web and mobile solutions to small sized companies.


texts: {on the margins of} to modify histories or communities?and pls explain the grammatical structure of the following sentence.

texts: The Sinophone world refers to Sinitic-language cultures and communities born of colonial and postcolonial histories on the margins of geopolitical nation-states all across the world.


texts: How can double negatives “has a respectable history as a rhetorical device for emphasis” when they're harder to understand?

texts:
These two quotes contradict. I hate multiple negatives! Waste of effort, time, space, words! I have to stop reading and spend like 15 mins. reasoning to the positive meaning!
But how can double negatives "has a respectable history as a rhetorical device for emphasis" when they can be  "incomprehensible combinations"?
Page 166.

F. Use double negatives sparingly for understatement. The double negative, such as “not infrequently,” has a respectable history as a rhetorical device for emphasis. Although it has fallen out of favor, it may still be employed on occasion as a means of understatement. For example, “not wholly unsuccessful” understates a lack of success, thus emphasizing it, as compared to its affirmative form “partially successful,” which emphasizes a degree of success.

Pg 201

C.WHEN POSSIBLE, MAKE SENTENCES AFFIRMATIVE, NOT NEGATIVE

We understand affirmative statements more quickly and easily than negative ones. In studies of the effects of language on the mind, researchers have found that affirmative statements are psychologically more linear than negative ones. With negative statements, we must first understand the affirmative sense, then negate it. This is analogous to understanding another language by first translating it into one’s own. Avoid these nearly incomprehensible combinations: “not otherwise,” “never unless,” “none unless,” “never otherwise,” and so forth.

Bahrych, Merino. Legal Writing and Analysis in a Nutshell 5th edition (2017).


texts:
Is the conjugation "empiring" correct?

I cannot find references to that in dictionaries...
Still it makes sense to me, as "to empire" is a verb.

So could I say, "this dynasty had been empiring for over a century" ?


texts: Why "... and thus be called" but not "...and thus to be called"?

texts:
In the book A Complete Guide to Programming in C++ by Ulla Kirch-Prinz and Peter Prinz, I encounter a sentence:

  Manipulators are functions that can be inserted into the input or output stream and thus be called.

Would anyone please explain me why it is "... and thus be called" but not "...and thus to be called"?


texts:
Which of these two sentences, if any, are correct?

(I want to use the correct sentence as an introduction for a video, a video explaining my experience taking a beagle dog for a walk.)

What it's like to walk a beagle dog.
What it's like walking a beagle dog.


texts: Using pronoun after conjunction where the subject is the same?

texts:
When you're hungry, and have something in your freezer, you eat it.

When you're hungry, and you have something in your freezer, you eat it.

Is it okay to not use you in this sentence?
If the subject is the same, is it okay not to use pronouns after the conjunction?


texts: What does "Two adults allow at least $35" mean?

texts:
In the following travel guide I stumbled upon the following phrase:

  Art and shopping: Two adults allow at least $35

I can guess that it means that you should take at least $35 if you go to the place or that it's an average minimum for shopping at the place.

But the question is that I don't understand wording of the pharse. Who allow what? Does it have the special meaning which I don't know?


texts: Usage of would while telling stories happened in the past

texts:
I was watching Ricky Gervais's stand up show, and this usage of "would" kind of confused me. Why is he using "would" while telling a story happened in the past? I have seen this usage being used before but I haven't seen any information about this usage in dictionaries.

Context: He is telling a story about his mom's funeral. His older brother told the vicar things that were just lies or slightly wrong to say in the ceremony and when the vicar said these things, most of the crowd started laughing etc.

  -"Every time we thought of it, we'd see Larry go. Like that, right? Then we'd just start giggling, just fits of giggles,
  right?"

  -"My nieces and nephews started crying. I'd come prepared with a pack of tissues. They'd take one and hand it on. Before the funeral,
  I'd taken the tissues out, written on them, folded them back and put
  them in. And each tissue said, "Snivelling f... b..."


texts:
What is the meaning of "what" in this text?

Ctesiphon, indeed, was not to Persia what it had been to Parthia; but
still it might fairly be looked upon as a prize of considerable
importance. Of Parthia it had been the main, in later times perhaps
the sole, capital; to Persia it was a secondary rather than a primary
city, the ordinary residence of the court being Istakr, or Persepolis.

From The Seven Great Monarchies of the Ancient World, vol. 7, chapter 10, by George Rawlinson.


texts: Can I use "as it turned out" without a contradiction?

texts:
Text of an SAT question:

  1) Shoppers in the United States beware—there's a new way to buy groceries, and it's coming to a store near you.  (2) As recently as 1999, only 6% of U.S. supermarkets had self-checkout lines.  (3) By 2003 the number had risen to 38%.  (4) And half of those supermarkets in the survey without self-checkout said that they planned to add the service.  (5) Hardware giant Home Depot was among the first major retailers to use these machines.

  (6) I remember when I first took the self-checkout plunge.  (7) It was a large chain supermarket near my office.  (8) One day I noticed four large electronic units taking up prime space in a prominent corner of the store, beckoning shoppers with the promise of shorter lines.  (9) I was attracted, not fearful.  (10) It's so easy to let the cashier scan the groceries, check the coupons, take the money—was I up to the challenge of do-it-yourself?  (11) I saw myself all elbows and thumbs, fumbling with my groceries and wallet as I battled the flashing computer screen.  (12) Circumstances were driving me to face my fears.  (13) When I at last approached the head of my line, the cashier announced it was time for her break.

  In context, which of the following is the best phrase to insert at the beginning of sentence 12?

  (A)    But as it turned out,
     (B)    In addition,
     (C)    The result was that
     (D)    In most cases,
     (E)    I remembered that

I think the best answer is choice E. "I remembered that" would be a good phrase to insert at the beginning of sentence 12 as this is an event that he recalls. If A. is the correct answer, the narrator intends to say the contrary. But "face my fears" contradicts nothing, correct?

I was told that the correct answer is A. Why is A correct?


texts: Meaning of "Fly all this way to play more basketball"

texts:
[Mrs. Bolton enters the gym to find her son and husband busy shooting hoops]
...
Mrs. Bolton: Boys? Did we really fly all this way to play more
basketball?

[That transcript is from High School Musical 2006. You may want to watch the video here (about 1 minute) to know the context]
Does 'fly' in that sentence mean to move quickly into the air? By the way, I don't understand that question. What does Mrs. Bolton actually ask about?


texts: Meaning of the phrasal verb "pick up" in context

texts:
I have come across it in Crash Course World History. It is at 7 minute and 37 second. Here it goes:

  Without adequate water supplies for irrigation, the cities could not sustain themselves, so people literally just picked up and left for greener pastures.

It seems to me that pick up means to pack one's belongings there, but I am confused because the Machmillan  and Longman dictionaries do not give this definition. Is that some non-standard use of pick up?


texts: Can we use reduced relative forms in formal context?

texts:
I know that I can omit the italic part below in daily speech or casual writing. Is it against formality to omit such things in, for example, an article or essay?

  Research (that is) led by the Museum of London has revealed two more individuals of Asian ancestry, buried among the remains of other citizens of ancient Londinium.


texts: Question about meaning of "how is it going" and "brand new" in following short conversation

texts:
Mary: Hi Burt. How is it going with the new car?
  Burt: Unfortunately, not too good.
  Mary: Why? What happened?
  Burt: My brand new car turned out to be a piece of junk.

Why isn't he just saying my car? why does he say my brand new car?  what is the difference between saying my car , my new car and my brand new car?


texts:
I have written the following sentence, I do not know what is the best place to put the word that. although I just feel version 2 is better.

  Version 1 - Also, I have to mention that (I don't know if this is
  important to you) I may defer the beginning of my programme to the
  next semester.

  Version 2 - Also, I have to mention (I don't know if this is important
  to you) that I may defer the beginning of my programme to the next
  semester.

Thank you.


texts:
Source

The sentence is

  However, as it is said that nothing is the least of all things, that there may be a something less than nothing, shall be my next enquiry.

In above link and paragraph, I found the phrase "a something". As far as I know, we don't usually use "a something". Please explain the usage of "a something" to me.


texts: can vs can't distinction, and can't followed by a vowel sound

texts:
Edit: I am talking about American English, particularly the one spoken in the Western United States
I understood from this post that there are mainly these ways to distinguish between the two:

the -nt in can't triggers pre-fortis clipping so the preceding vowel is much shorter compared to that in can.
the n and t in can't have the same articulatory position and the t sound is usually just glottalized
can is usually unstressed with the bed vowel schwa or the BIT (/ɪ/) vowel but can't is always stressed.

Now I have two questions here:

How would you accurately transcribe can't using the ipa? maybe [kæ̃ʔ] or [kæ̃nʔ]?
The top comment in the post linked above also mentions that if "can't" is followed by a word beginning with a vowel, then the 't' reemerges and gets combined with the next word from syllabification. But when I listened to some samples for the word "can't ask" in youglish, I couldn't hear that supposedly reemerging sound 't' at all. It should have sounded like 'can task' if that t were to reemerge but it just sounded like 'cannask' to me. Here's the link. How would you transcribe "can't ask" based on some of the audios from above?


texts: Different nuance between "on + (Object)'s order" , "by + (Object)'s order"

texts:
I'm taking this money on my uncle's order.

I'm taking this money by my uncle's order.

What is the difference between those two sentences above, and which one would a native English speaker use or widely use?


texts:
Which one is correct?

TilesView had consumed complete screen until I overriden onMeasure().
TilesView consumed complete screen until I had overriden onMeasure().


texts:
The character was intentionally designed to be very charismatic and articulate, his main source of fear being derived from his warped sense of reasoning.

His features contort with obvious pain as he tells his story, his memories of Caroline clearly something he holds precious.

What are the bolded parts of the sentence called, and how do they differ from complete sentences in general and in these examples ?


texts: To maintain the time relation between 2 actions, is it necessary to backshift the first verb

texts:
No,  I received his last email about 12 days ago.  He said that he had not forgotten me  and was trying to find some other stuff.
the second sentence is reported speech:the direct speech was
"I did not forget you and I am trying to find some stuff "
Do you think the tenses are well chosen?
I am not sure for the first one; may be to backshift was not necessary because at the time of reporting it was still true . But the first action of not forgetting began a long time before before the trying so, it is better to maintain the time relation between these 2 actions and  to choose past perfect


texts:
Is "to debate a person" a correct use of the verb "debate"?
I looked up several dictionaries, but did not find such an example.
However, when I searched Corpus of Contemporary American English by "debate him", it returned 26 results one of which is as follows:

  He knows Perot is much better known, and Lamm wants Perot to agree to debate him before the convention, so Party members can get to know them both.


texts:
What's the difference between "lately" and "recently"?

  I've been very busy lately.

and

  I've been very busy recently.

Any subtle differences in meaning?


texts:
I am originally from Poland, but am living in the UK for a long while now.

One of the first "thing" that struck me after my arrival, is that some of the people are referring to themselves in plural when asking for something, e.g. "Give us a hug", or "Pass us that screwdriver, please", even though it is just one person, with no-one else around.

I keep hearing that from people that are born and raised in the UK, and it still sounds plainly wrong to me, so my question is: is it even grammatically correct? Is that just a quirk of the region I'm currently living in (Midlands), or there is a rule somewhere allowing such construction?


texts: Difference between concrete and specific

texts: In my dictionary, concrete means "existing in fact and not merely as a possibility", for example, concrete evidence. I was wondering if concrete in that sense is same as specific?


texts: There's no proof of what {you're saying/you said/you say} - which tense is correct?

texts:
What tense should I use in this case?
Let's say that John and Paul are having a conversation. John claims to know something. Paul doesn't believe him. Which of the following answers is the most appropriate for Paul to say?

A) There's no proof of what you're saying.
B) There's no proof of what you said.
C) There's no proof of what you say.

To my ear, they are all grammatically correct.
A) maybe emphasizes the fact that John has been trying to persuade Paul for some time, perhaps by giving different kinds of information.
B) makes me think that Paul is referring to just a single claim that John made.
C) probably is the most neutral.
Am I correct?


texts:
This war has begun in the context of the crisis in Chavismo politics now marked by the lack of food, medicine and money for the people.

Source: https://thewire.in/171850/venezuela-crisis-populism/

I would have two questions regarding the above sentence:

Is the part "has begun in the context of the crisis in Chavismo politics" defining relative clause?.
I do not understand the usage of tenses in the clause. Why the present perfect? The war between supportes of the Venezuelan regime and its oponents began in the past after all. So I would await simple past.
Why is the past simple in  "politics now marked by the lack of food, medicine and money for the people? "Now" refers to the present and the enlisted problems still lasts.


texts: Usage question: "to come at someone" vs "to approach someone"

texts:
Can I paraphase:

  Jeep was approaching me at high speed.

With:

  Jeep was coming at me at high speed.

Saw usage: to come to somebody, but never to come at somebody (in the meaning to approach somebody).


texts: How to use "A comparison of" in a sentence

texts:
I am writing a scientific paper and I need to use "A comparison of..." as title of a table that illustrates both results.

First experiment: I used the best 200 features.

Second experiment: I used the whole features 500 features.

Which sentence is correct?

1) A comparison of recognition results, where fall is simulated, using either the best 100 features or the whole (376) features.

or

2) A comparison of recognition results, where fall is simulated, using the best 100 features and the whole (376) features.
Any suggestion?


texts:
From wikipedia

  President Donald Trump in 2018 began setting tariffs and other trade barriers on China with the goal of forcing it to make changes to what the U.S. says are "unfair trade practices". Among those trade practices and their effects are the growing trade deficit, the theft of intellectual property, and the forced transfer of American technology to China.

Could I interpret the last sentence as Among A and B are C, D and E? In which, A = trade practices, B = their effects, C = the growing trade deficit, D = the theft of intellectual property, E = the forced transfer of American technology to China.

By that, the speaker conveys an idea that A and B cause C, D and E, is my understanding right?

Is it a common and clear expression to suggest that idea?


texts:
Should it be "in, at or with an exchange rate of 2:1"? I am not sure what the right preposition is for the expression "exchange rate of". All of them sounds fine to me, but I think at least one of them might be wrong.

For example:

  You can exchange a Canadian Dollar for a U.S. dollar at an exchange
  rate of 10 to 7.


texts: Can 'shall' - not should - be succeeded after injunctive verbs?

texts:
“You had this morning a breakfast which you could not eat; you must be
  hungry. I have ordered that a lunch of bread and cheese shall be
  served to all.” (Jane Eyre)

I’ve known that if subject clause has the words like order, its object clause needs to have should plus verb or root verb. How can I understand the coming of ‘shall’?


texts: Is it right to use "throughout" with yesterday or today?

texts:
Are these expressions correct?

1: Throughout yesterday afternoon, the place was noisy because of the event.

2: It was very cold and freezing throughout yesterday.


texts:
When do we say "on a place" instead of "in a place"? I was told that saying "landed on a place" is wrong, why is that? Is there any situation where "on a place is appropriate"?

For example:

  "The plane landed on the appropriate place."

  "The space debris landed on that place."

  "The plane landed on New York."


texts:
A few days ago, I learned about 'enough that~' sentence structure like:

I don't go joging often enough that I would buy a pair of dedicated walking shoes.

And I'd like to know if this sentence is the same meaning as

I don't go joging as often as I would buy a pair of dedicated walking shoes.

Finally, I just want to double check making another sentence, so please let me know if this sentence is right to use.

I am tired enough that I would need to take a nap right now.

I am as tired as I would need to take a nap right now.


texts:
I think in the sentence below, I shouldn't use "due to" as I start it with "One of the main reasons" but I would like to use "due to" because the reason is just a simple phrase. How can I restate this sentence with "due to"

I may say "this is due to ...", but it is just one reason not the only reason.

  As a matter of fact, many native speakers of English have problems with spelling correctly. One of the main reasons for this is due to the complex orthography of English.

Update: I myself find this alternative

  Part of the problem is due to the complex orthography of English.


texts: Substance unfounded inferences - meaning

texts:
While reading the book "Getting to YES" by Roger Fisher and William Ury, I came across this sentence on page 22:

  Another reason that substanssive issues become entangled with psychological ones is that people draw from comments on substance unfounded inferences, ...

I am unsure how to interpret the last part: substance unfounded inferences. What does this mean?

Oxford dictionary defines:

  Unfounded:
  Having no foundation or basis in fact.

  Inference: A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.

And I have thought of two ways to interpret what substance unfounded inferences mean:

Conclusions reached on a wrong perception of the substance.
Conclusions reached without basis in the substance.

Can anyone explain this to me?


texts: "describe as [being] ADJ" - can "being" be omitted?

texts:
Those will be the people that we could describe as being elite.

(Here I use elite for the adjective, but I'm interested in the general case with any other. For example "...as being attractive.")

Do I need being here? Can I just remove it and use the construction as [adjective]? In this case it would become—"...could describe as elite." What's the difference?


texts:
I have to put the word "communications" in a graphic. For design reasons I have to make the word shorter. How can eliminate some letters and make it still understandable, is there any correct way to do that?

(I'm not a native English speaker)


texts: to-infinitival clause expressing a manner

texts:
Experts say the drowsiness many of us feel during the day may not be because we had too little sleep at night, but because we need an early afternoon nap. Humans were made to sleep not once, but twice, and a 10-minute nap after lunch will make most of us feel better.

In the sentence

  Humans were made to sleep not once, but twice.

the phrase "to sleep not once, but twice" seems to mean not a purpose but a manner so that the sentence can be paraphrased as follows:

  Humans were so made that they should sleep not once, but twice.

But, I haven't seen a to-infinitival adverbial clause expressing a manner like this before. Is this use of a to-infinitival clause usual? If so, could you give me some examples?


texts: Can I say "I don't know (someone) directly."?

texts:
I know the phrase "I know (someone) in person/personally." However, I didn't find the word "directly" used with that phrase. Also, I don't find that "in person" and "personally" fit the situation I intend.

The situation:

Note: X, Y, and Z are all females, so I'm going to refer to them individually by "her".

  X told Y about Z some basic and general information as
  Z's name and workplace. Now Y wants to tell her mother
  that she didn't meet, see, or talk with Z. So, Y says:
  "I don't know Z directly, but I know her from X."

In person means involving someone's physical presence rather than communicating by phone, e-mail..etc

Cambridge Dictionary

Personally means if you meet or know someone personally, you meet or know them in real life, rather than knowing about them or knowing their work.

Collins Dictionary

If "directly" isn't proper, I may go with "personally".


texts:
I see that both phrases "in light of" and "in the light of" are used and people considering both to be correct. Look here and here. Also there is a large corpus supporting both phrases usages; you can consult here.
Question #1:

Though both seems to be correct in terms of being used in writings, which one is grammatically correct?

Question #2:

In there any difference in their meaning implications?

I am providing two examples:

I will be happy to look at to them and respond to you in the light of your comments.

Even in light of your comments, I still fail to understand what is the difference between A and B.

Thanks


texts:
As you will see in the recipe section, Lindsay came through
beautifully. The recipes are truly wonderful.

I'm guessing it means something like "did/finished the job". Is that right?


texts:
My husband and I live an active life/active lives.

What is the correct way? I might be wrong but I think I’ve come across both variations of this kind. Can both options be used in a sentence like this?


texts:
As described in the title, I want to know the difference between those expressions.

E.g.:

  Let's hear what he had to say about ...

vs.

  Let's hear what he said about...

Thank you.