texts:
I read about past perfect is about event in the past before another event in past. so am I correct to use past perfect in this sentence ?

  I found posting about Michelle Branch accidentally and had led me to
  this song [to_youtube_url]

Also I wrote in lang-8 yesteday and the sentence is :

  The thing had brought me to like watching korean movie it was because
  I was out of stock hollywood movie to download.

I used past perfect because I think there is event happened before another event/action.

1) I was out of stock hollywood.......

2) The thing had brought me...........

but someone corrected mine without explanation like this :

  The thing that brought me to like watching Korean dramas was that I
  was out of Hollywood movies to download.

I know mine is incorrect but would you explain why ?


texts: "must not be done" vs "must be not done"

texts:
The latest comments must not be included in the document.

  The latest comments must be not included in the document.

I'm not sure whether the selected phrases are correct? What is the way natives speak that?


texts:
How can we ask for - "To make repayment for expense or loss incurred"?

I have to write a mail to online e-Commerce site as on their site they have mentioned wrong detail/amount for product and I have made extra payment.

So is this sentence correct?

  Please do the needful and reimburse.


texts:
I got confused with this question.

  The train may be late, as ……… yesterday.

  A. happened
  B.  it happened
  C.  happening
  D.  it was happened

Option B sounds correct and natural to me, in fact the correct option is A.

Could somebody tell me the reason?


texts:
Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly
  about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams . . .

  "He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around
  Harry and staring at him. "Light - speedy - we'll have to get him a
  decent broom, Professor - a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven,
  I'd say."    I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if
  we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better
  team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I
  couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks...."

  "Seeker?" he [Ron] said. "But first years never - you must be the
  youngest house player in about –“ “- a century, said Harry,
  shoveling pie into his mouth.  (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
  Stone)

What does bend the rule mean? Does it mean change, adjust, amend?


texts: What collocates with the term login account?

texts:
I would just like to know what prepositions are used with the term login account.

  Do you have a login account for Paypal?

  Do you have login account in Paypal?

  Do you have a login account on Paypal?

Or is there a better word that collocates with the term login account?


texts: Since I have read that could is past form of can and is used for past abilities but for a specific ability we tend to use “be able to” in affirmative sentences though either can be used in the negatives. Hence my question is that why do we generally use “Could” for a specific ability or a situation in an interrogative sentence for eg: “How could he do that to me?” Instead of “how was he able to do that me” or “How could you say that to me?” intead of “how were you able to say that to me?”. Please guys help me out here. Is it a exception or something else.?


texts:
One can be said...
One can say

Would you tell me where/when would you rather use the above phrases?  or is there any difference between them?


texts: what does this "His expression brightens at the treat" mean?

texts:
Can anyone tell me what the following means?

  His expression brightens at the treat.


texts:
I have some question about continuation fragments, or ellipsis fragments:

  source
  In the end the referendum will turn not on calculations of taxes and oil revenue, but on identity and power.

Because "turn on" is a single unbreakable verb phrase, the example appears to break it up by using "turn not on  X,  but on Y" pattern.  Would my following rewrite be better?

  In the end the referendum will turn on not calculations of taxes and oil revenue, but identity and power.

,where I used the "turn on NOT X, but Y" (different from "turn NOT on X, but ON Y") pattern.


texts: Should nouns after "any" be singular or plural?

texts:
While I was answering a question on ELL, I got confused with a comment from a fellow user. After I indicated that:

  "Do you have any idea to prove it?'

is grammatically correct, the OP commented that "ideas" should be used in place of "idea".

The comment befuddled me. I thought until now that "any" should be followed by singular noun and not plural. So I searched Google and saw it's a huge debate going on and there is no end to it. I got no perfect and trustworthy source. So I thought to post the question here.

So what is the right rule? Should singular or plural be used after "any"?


texts:
Can we say

I'm looking for a shop with clothes

For me it's not clear. It indicates that we are with these clothes, like with a friend?
Should be

I'm looking for a clothes shop.

I've done some research, but nothing found.


texts: What are these structures called and how do they differ?

texts:
A long serving member of the Army, he recieved many decorations including  The George Cross, the most fitting conclusion to his distinguished career.

People often pass away because they've simply 'given up', doctor warns as he gives five tell-tale signs to look out for.

My mom always had a love for Stevie Nicks, grew up listening to this for obvious reasons.

What do we call these adjacent phrases in the first two examples and why do they differ from the last example which is missing a coordinating conjunction grammatically?

Why use these instead of connecting them with conjunctions?  Because you can add  'which was' in the first example, and start a new sentence with 'A doctor.' They feel like they're unconnected?

The first two don't 'require' coordinating conjunctions, yet appear like the same sort of phrases as the third example which has just removed 'and'.

By just removing the conjunction are we placing it in the same catergory as the first two examples ?


texts: Making one's own word / opinion the one that counts

texts:
I am looking for an idiom/expression which implies defeating the opponent in a debate / an argument / a discussion and making one's own word / opinion the one that counts.

I know the idiom "have the last word on something (e.g. an argument)", but it sounds a bit off to me here!
whereas it is more about a word that decisively or conclusively ends a discussion; i.e. to me it means: "to say the last word" rather than succeeding to make one's word/opinion the one that counts in an argument!

Example: Amy and Jake can argue with each other for hours because each of them insists on having the last word. Source

Example:

  A) Why do you keep trying to justify your mistakes?
  B) Come on! That's not true!
  A) But whenever we discuss you try to ......................!
  (Needed connotation: he always wants to make his own opinion / demand / word the one that both parties agree with. Even though the opponent does not tend to accept it.)

I was wondering what is the most appropriate idiom in this sense to be used to fill in the blank above?

P.S. I am not quite sure whether I am correct or mistaken about my take on the expression "have the last word"! Please kindly help me with it and let me know if there is any better choice here especially in AE.


texts: "I do love you" or "I really love you" - what is the difference?

texts:
I do love you.

and

  I really love you.

What is the difference between them?

In emphatic sentences ,we use "do"or "does"in present indefinite tense.
So, why we say,  I really love you.


texts:
Then they need to insert a security token, sent to their email address to verify very this.

Is that correct? I want to express that it is to verify exactly the email address just mentioned. If it is wrong, how do I express that without repeating email address again?


texts:
can you please explain what does this sentence mean '  Don't ask me to break because I  since lost my move"?

I think 'since' there is referred to the "starting point of time"  but I am not sure about it.
please check the link below for reference
https://youtu.be/G5srTdVKjDI?t=3m45s

Thank you.


texts: Is there a difference between pronouncing [short u] and [long a] sounds?

texts:
I was taught the only difference between "ʌ" and "a:" sounds in English is that the last one being pronounced durably. Is it really true?

I've been trying to distinguish the difference between sounding the words "last" and "lust". But they both sound the same to me. I tend to consider they to be distinguished only by context. Am I correct? Or native speaker can hear the difference between them?


texts:
what is the meaning of "improve away"?

It is the presentation of a principle
inherent in man's nature, a principle which his wisdom has improved
away until it is wellnigh eliminated altogether, but which crops out again
and again in spite of him —the principle of Spirit as opposed to Matter, of
Soul acting and existing independently of the body which enshrines it.
Long years of denial of aught but the properties of matter have landed
the chief lights of modern science in pure Materialism. To them,
therefore, this Spiritualism is a portent and a problem. It is a return to
superstition; a survival of savagery; a blot on nineteenth century
intelligence. Laughed at, it laughs back; scorned, it gives back scorn for
scorn.

source:http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0301051h.html _ hos by acd


texts:
On the way home, Mom smiles and says, "Good job, Hojin. The concert is over. Move and laugh now. It's okay."

In this context, in the last sentence, 'What does 'It' refer to? Is 'It' a dummy subject which doesn't represent at all?

Move and laugh now. It's okay.
Moving and laughing now is okay.

[Doesn't "It" refer to 'Moving and laughing now' as in #2?]


texts: Is there any difference between "take the initiative" and "show initiative"?

texts:
Could you tell me if there is any difference between take the initiative and show initiative? For example:

Micheal is someone who takes the initiative.
Micheal is someone who shows initiative.


texts: What is the right place to use "I got it working" and "I made it worked" and "It's working"?

texts: I had a situation where I struggled to make my program run. So after a great struggle I got it working. Is this the correct statement I can use here? Or is there any other sentence like I made it work ? I got confused. Is there any other sentence that suits this situation?


texts: "because you told me”, “…told me to" or “…told me so"?

texts:
Could you tell me which one of the following sentences is the most correct and natural?

I quit smoking because you told me.
I quit smoking because you told me to
I quit smoking because you told me so.


texts:
Why western people used to use “left confused” meaning their feeling?

For example

Typhoon Mangkhut left more than 600 sections of road across Hong Kong blocked by strewn trees and other debris, officials revealed on Monday morning.
And commuters were left confused and angry as they tried to get to work during large-scale suspensions of rail and bus services caused by the storm.

The meaning of “leave” on dictionary is not “feel” / “become”, but why use this word to replace feel / become?
I don’t understand (I’m Chinese)


texts: Using "the best of" with uncountable and countable nouns

texts:
Is it correct to write:

  "It is not the best of quality" when referring to, for instance, the quality of a video? (Quality being an uncountable noun)

Can one use "of" in this sentence? (As in "the best of luck") Why/why not?

When using countable nouns one could say "the best of friends", right?


texts: Could you let me know the difference between these two adjectives? In my book they seem to be slightly different(by it's not clearly explained) while on the internet most people say that they've the same meaning, just 'muggy' is more colloquial. Could you enlighten me?


texts: What is the difference among "tiresome", "boring” and "tedious"?

texts:
I looked up these word in http://en.oxforddictionaries.com:

For "boring", the definition is "Not interesting; tedious". That makes me think that "boring" and "tedious" are nearly the same.

For "tedious", the definition is "Too long, slow, or dull; tiresome or monotonous". Again this seems to me that "tedious" and "tiresome" are interchanable while talking about a "task".

For "tiresome", the definition is "Causing one to feel bored or annoyed". I think a "boring" thing also "causes one to feel bored".

So the only difference I could think of is that "tedious" has to be used with "time", but the other two does not have to.

Is there any other difference amoung them? e.g.:

  It is a boring meeting.
  It is a tiresome meeting.
  It is a tedious meeting.


texts:
We have such a sentence:

  I found some people who always wanted to walk in the forests.

Is it correct? I mean the second part has to be in Past Simple or Past Perfect like:

  I found some people who had always wanted to walk in the forests.

Because if "wanted to walk" was happening at the same time as "found" then of course - Past Simple. But we have "always" which points at some experience because it should have some experience to become "always". From this point of view we can say:

  I found some people who had always wanted to walk in the forests.

But at the same time we can say in Present Simple:

  I always want to walk

Though it points at the experience from past to become 'always" and should be Perfect probably:

  I have always wanted to walk

Which on to choose and will it different or what... I am tangled:(


texts:
Employees who will handle an edged object and claim prior knowledge,
  will be required to demonstrate their experience in the safe handling
  of the object.

I looked up a dictionary, and it seems "claim" here means obtain, but I am not sure. Does the bold part mean "obtain prior knowledge"?


texts: We have been dating each other? or We have been dating together?

texts:
In dictionary

  together= with each other

Now, we got the structure "to talk with somebody":

I talked with him.

He talked with me.

We talked with each other.

We talked together.

However, sometimes, we don't need "with" as in "date somebody".

I dated her.

She dated me.

We dated with each other.---> this violates the structure "date somebody" without "with"

We dated together. = We dated with each other.----> this violates the structure "date somebody"

We dated each other.---> this seems ok, but I am not sure.

I don't know whether the "with" in "talk with" is the same as the "with" in "with together".


texts: Question about meaning of "determination" in context

texts:
The search co-ordinator insisted the latest developments should be treated as unverified "until such time as we can provide an unequivocal determination"."We are working in a very big ocean and within a very large search area, and so far since the aircraft went missing we have had very few leads which allow us to narrow the search area," he said.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26908884

I have checked it in Longman and I have my doubts whether its meaning has to do with second or third definition. Here is the link to Longman. Could you simplify it?
http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/determination


texts:
Someone asked me
What is that stain on your shirt?

I replied
It's sand
I might have got it from lying on the beach/by lying on the beach

Which one is correct?

I mean to say that
I might have got it when I was laying on the beach

Which preposition to be used here
By or from?


texts: Can I say 'What words can I use outside of X and Y'?

texts:
Based on the question: *What words can I use outside of "sourpuss" or "Debbie Downer"?

Beside some other misspelling in its full title, I understand what the OP's outside of means, but it sounds to me as if something is coming out of a "sourpuss"! So I edited the title, replacing the word outside of with beside. Soon it was re-edited (from beside) into other than.

Both of beside and other than sound fine to me, but outside of does not.

Is what I understand is correct (that outside of should be avoided in this case)? or it already is a correct usage?


texts:
What does "we owe our careers to having been the scientists"? Does it mean "We have our careers because we have become the scientists (who had the careers)"? It is not understandable to me. The problem seems to lie in two places: (1) Does "having been" mean "having become"? (2)Does "who had them" mean "who had the careers"?

I suspect it’s hard for many physicists to imagine that we are not near the end of our search for the ultimate laws of nature. We have been raised in a culture in which it’s all about having the right answer, and we owe our careers to having been the scientists who had them. But I’ve always had in my head an image of how much more people in the future will know, and how silly our claims to knowledge will look to them. This has probably made me a less effective advocate of my own ideas.

Source:  An excerpt from the Epilogue of Einstein’s Unfinished Revolution
by Lee Smolin


texts:
Which are correct?

  He asked my name
  He asked me my name
  He asked for my name

  He asked my address
  He asked me my address
  He asked for my address


texts:
I have been thinking about the two sentences below to see whether they are natural or not. I am wondering when an infinitive used as an adjective makes sense or sounds correct.

a

The parent just arrived.
The plumber just arrived.

b

The parent will pick up his daughter.
The plumber will fix the toilet.

c = a + b

The parent to pick up his daughter just arrived.
The plumber to fix the toilet just arrived.

Edit:

I am trying to imitate sentences that I have seen in books and on the Internet about to infinitives used as adjectives.


texts: Is the past simple correct in this construction?

texts:
As far as l know using the present perfect in the following  construction is very common. But sometimes l hear some speakers use the past simple in the main clause.

I spent $ 2000 since l came home.

My question is: is it OK to use this construction?


texts:
As an EFL learner I know that the first one is second conditional and the next is third conditional. I just want to explain the meaning of the two sentences to my mother, who is learning English, so that she could get the difference just by reading to paraphrased sentences in simple English. Would you mind just paraphrasing the sentences so the difference in meanings would be understandable?
Should I tell her that in second conditional there is a possibility to buy a memory card, but in the third conditional you do not have a chance to buy it even if you have money now?

If I had money, I would buy an extra memory card to transfer and save data more easily.

If I had had money, I would have bought an extra memory card to transfer and save data more easily.


texts:
Of this most disgraceful imputation we fully acquit Bacon.

archive.org, C.T. Onions, An Advanced English Syntax

What does the highlighted part mean? I guess ‘at the time of this most disgraceful im-putation of me’, we fully acquit Bacon’, it seems not make sense.


texts:
Is there a generally accepted term for the opposite of "encapsulate", as in to enclose something?  If I encapsulate something, and then later take it out, is it "decapsulate"?  "unencapsulate"? something else?
If it matters, the context is computer science.


texts:
A book says:

  There are sixty minutes in an hour.

  There are twelve months in a year.

  There are seven days a week.

Where is the "in" in the third example, is "a year" an adverb here?

Thank you.


texts: Meaning of "They shared the blame for old Hannah’s miserable silence"

texts:
But Lucy knew it would be. It was for ever for the Morells and the
Gouvernets. The Boyces had gone up to the North, Henry said, the house
was under auction. She guessed what that meant from his voice, but he
told her anyway.
"I’m sorry," her papa said. "I’m sorry, Lucy."

It was her mother’s fault, but it was his fault too. They shared the blame for old Hannah’s miserable silence and Kitty Teresa’s eyes gone red and her apron soaking with the tears that streamed on her cheeks and her neck, causing Bridget twenty times a day to tell her to give over. Henry slouchedglumly about the yard.

Is "Share for" the same as "Share with"
?
And does the whole part in bold mean: they talk to old Hanna that was miserably silence and blamed themselvs?
Source: The Story Of Lucy Gault By William Trevor


texts: usage of 'having been + past participle'

texts:
Is it okay to use 'Having been+third form' as the reduction of Passive Relative Clause in Simple Past Tense in order to put more emphasis?

  The actor who was chosen for the role is looking for a suitable costume now

  The actor chosen for the role is looking for a suitable costume now

Is this reduction correct?

  The actor having been chosen for the role is looking for a suitable costume now

(more emphasis on the action of 'being chosen' ?)

and what about these sentences? are they correct?

  The singers who have been selected for the contest are going to rehearse today.

  The singers having been selected for the contest are going to rehearse today.

  Only the contestants who had been considered adequate got the right to compete in the finals.

  Only the contestants having been considered adequate got the right to compete in the finals

Can you make a full explanation about where to use 'having been+third form' ? can we say 'whenever we use present perfect or past perfect' ?


texts: What does the word "spike" mean in this context?

texts:
I read a sentence in chapter "The enemy" in my book which was:

  The surf beyond the beach was spiked with rocks.

For me, no definition of the word "spike" that I have looked for fits into this context.


texts:
I read somewhere:

  Get a Tetanus shot.....

Does "Tetanus shot" mean "Tetanus Vaccine "?

And can "shot" be used for other vaccines as well, like "Typhoid", "Pneumonia" etc.

  Get a Typhoid shot.

Or

  Get a Typhoid vaccine.

If both "shot" and "vaccine" are interchangeable, then what will be more likely to be used by a native, "shot" or "vaccine"?


texts: if there is no "not only", is it idiomatic to say "but also"?

texts:
The lecturer is saying

  It includes how to collect your data, how to label your data, how to
  choose an architecture, but also how to design a proper loss function
  to optimize.

there is no "not only", is it idiomatic to say "but also"?


texts: Can "some day" be used to refer to past time?

texts:
I have looked up the phrase some day in many dictionaries and they all say that this phrase means "at some unspecified time in the future". Still, I wonder if the phrase can be used to refer to past time as well. For example, is it okay to write sentences such as:

  (A) My house was built some day around 1900.
  (B) I saw him some day last month.
  (C) Some day a mysterious stranger called at my house.

(I have found a similar question here, in which one of the answers seem to imply that some day can also be used to refer to past time, but there are no examples provided.)


texts: "help your next ones" instead of "help your neighbours"

texts:
I'm thinking of using the phrase 'help your next one' instead of 'help your neighbour'. On Google.com there are only 8 hits - but all of them on 'native English' websites.

Is the proposed phrase acceptable and, more importantly, intrinsically intelligible - yes or no?

Alternatively, should I better use 'help those next to you' or 'help those who are next to you'...but to me the connotational idea of nepotism etc.


texts: "Until now I have been living in the city for a year" or "until now I had been living in the city for a year"?

texts:
Could you tell what tense I use after until now in the following context: the present perfect continuous or the past perfect continuous?

I have finally moved to the countryside. Untill now I have been living in the city.
I have finally moved to the countryside. Untill now I had been living in the city.


texts:
Is there any English terms that describe:

Achievements that are centered about yourself like; money, car, etc. where it does not necessarily mean selfishness but rather achievements that the majority would like to have.
Achievements that are directed toward the society like; helping disabled people, doing charity, etc without expecting something in return?

I am thinking about self-achievements and society-focused-achievements but I need more eloquent and professional terms for my statement of purpose.


texts: "And as a parent, that was my first thought" - is this wrong?

texts:
(1)
And as a parent, that was my first thought: How is the kid doing, how are the families doing.”
(https://www.hcn.org/issues/52.11/south-education-in-las-vegas-the-burdens-of-remote-learning-rest-heavy-on-working-parents)
(2)
As a parent, that was something I was very grateful for.
(https://www.cantonrep.com/story/sports/2021/03/15/abbey-allerding-north-canton-hoover-ohio-high-school-girls-basketball-resigns/4708489001/)
These two sentences sound weird.
Isn't "as" supposed to refer to the subject when it is at the beginning of the sentence?
Like

And as a parent, "I" ...


texts: In(to) a road/path or On(to) a road/path?

texts:
On the topic of giving directions, I'm not sure whether I should suggest someone to "turn into the right lane / the driveway / Long Road" or "turn onto the right lane / the driveway / Long Road". The answers to this question seem to suggest that as you drive on the surfaces of roads, you should be turning onto them. But an example from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English says otherwise:

"She cycled up the street and turned into Long Road."

And so does a simple Google search. Notice there are instances of "turning left into either lane", "turning into a driveway", "turning left into a multi-lane road" among the results.

A user at forum.wordreference.com suggests that whether you drive in or on a road/path, it could depends on the particular types of roads wherein "the concept of an inside would be apparent".

Is that wordreference user right? If so, what exactly are the types of roads that give you such a concept of "an inside"? When do you turn into a road? When do you turn onto it?


texts:
There are two kinds of artists left: those who endorse Pepsi and those
  who simply won't.

(Annie Lennox)

Specifically, what does "who simply won't" mean?

What's the humor of this quote?

can it be a play on words: "who simply won't" => "who simply wont"?


texts: quoting a sentence in Present Simple: can I change the tense?

texts:
If I quote a sentence in Present Simple (not just paraphrase), should I replace present forms with past forms or leave them as they are?

In other words, what are rules or conventions regarding quoting? Does it mean that I'm not allowed to change anything (otherwise, it would be misquoting) or I can — or even have to — apply the same rules that exist for indirect speech (like, 'he said he would be happy to host a Christmas party')?


texts:
Which of the following sentences is better?

1. Don't follow me, I am too lost.
2. Don't follow me, I am lost too.

Where should I put too when it means 'also'?


texts:
When to use :

1 ) The weather report says it [will be] cloudy all day .

2 ) The weather report says it [is going to be]
cloudy all day .

3 ) The weather report says it [would be] cloudy all day .

4 ) The weather report says it [was going to be] cloudy all day .


texts: Does "Don't talk. Your mouth is full." sound natural?

texts:
He likes to talk while he eating.

  "Don't talk with your mouth full."

  "Don't talk. Your mouth is full."

Does the second sentence sound natural to a native speaker?


texts: Can we say "wish to do something" for things that can only be achieved by good luck or magic?

texts:
Say, Alibaba was trapped in a cave and it was impossible for him to get out of the cave.
Is it correct for Alibaba to say these at that moment?:
-"I wish to get out of here"
or
-"I wish that I could get out of here"
or
-"I wish for myself to get out of here"
or
-"I wish for getting out of here"


texts:
The question from the test:

We have to go. It is time we…
– A. Leave, B. Are leaving, C. Left, D. Must leave.

The correct answer is C. Can you please explain why? What grammatical phenomenon is present in this sentence? (I thought that this sentence should include a subjunctive and so I chose the answer A.)


texts: Why is the -ing form used after 'therefore' in this example ("[...] therefore reducing emissions.")?

texts:
I can't understand why the writer used -ing form of verb in my example after conjunctive adverb "therefore".

However, I know that 'therefore', 'however', 'hence', 'nevertheless', .. are conjunctive adverbs. They have to connect two independent clauses.

I am still confused why we use 'ing' form after adverbs, because we often use 'ing' form after prepositions not adverbs.

  "They could also impose ‘green taxes’ on drivers and airline
  companies. In this way, people would be encouraged to use public
  transport and (they would be encouraged) to take fewer flights abroad,
  therefore reducing emissions."


texts: what does ''it'' refer to in a sentence?

texts:
If I see an article advertised, it is the surest proof I know that the article does what is claimed for it, and that it is good value.

What does the word "it" refer to? Is the word "it" a "dummy subject"?


texts:
I am learning English grammar and I learn the auxiliary verb would. But I have some confusion, please solve it.

Recently I read following couple of lines:

  "The first tool which we would need is Visual studio code editor"
  So in order to expedite the learning process we would be using some tools and software.
  This is just to share that we would not have our Daily MVP Scrum meeting call today as Todd is out.
  Next MVP Scrum meeting would held on 9th Oct. Monday.

My confusion is that whatever rules I have read about would don't fit in the above statements, because the above statements are not following the rules:

They are not a polite statement
They are not conditional
They are not future in past

Can you please make me understand why would has been used in above statements?


texts:
Can I say for example "I’m working as an engineer in company which provide state of the art IT solution."?

I wonder if I can use phrase "state of the art" with nouns like:

IT solution
oil service
financial manager


texts: Use of past tense in situational present

texts:
Is it idiomatic to say this.

  Some people can be grumpy especially if they didn’t have a good night sleep.


texts: He has wasted his time when he was at university. (tense choice)

texts:
Could you please tell me whether the sentence

  He has wasted his time when he was at university.

is grammatical? What seems a little bit confusing is that the the present tense (has wasted) refers to the past time (when he was at university).

Actually what I have is a sentence from an English test:

  He _____ wasted his time when he was at university.

The answers are: "regrets", "shouldn’t", "ought not to", "shouldn’t have". I suppose that the correct answer is "shouldn’t have". Am I right?


texts: Should there be "the" before the website name search in this sentence?

texts:
The site was ranked #2 and approximately #6 in the website name search and local keyword search respectively on Google.

should there be "the" before "website name search"? or should it "a'? or neither?


texts:
Suppose I posted something on social media and i don't want ladies to watch them then can I say like that.

Ladies are instructed to not watch those pics, you may find visual violence or something. Please tell me how to say it grammatically correct it's a kind of warning.


texts: What is the difference between 'truck','lorry' and 'van'?

texts:
What is the difference between 'truck,' lorry', and 'van'? Can I use them interchangeably?
I didn't see them in any context but I am a little bit confused about how to use them.
Thanks for answers.


texts: Reduced relative clauses when a non-progressive verb is used (such as "have")

texts:
In subjective relative clauses, we can left out the relative pronoun and end its verb using "ing". For example:

I can’t find my notebook that contains all my addresses.

I can’t find my notebook containing all my addresses.

But what if the verb does not have a progressive form such as "have", "like", etc. For instance:

I can’t find my notebook that have all my addresses.

Can we use this reduced form?

I can’t find my notebook having all my addresses.


texts:
I am very hungry.

  I am a bit hungry.

What is the opposite of "very"?


texts: Why do we say "look up a woman's skirt" instead of "look under a woman's skirt"?

texts: Do they mean the same thing? Does look up mean "lift the skirt and look" whereas look under would be going under a woman's skirt and looking up? Sorry, it's hard to know what the phrasal verbs exactly mean for a non-native speaker.


texts:
Here are several sentences that a site says is wrong because 'Next week' may mean (1) seven days starting now; (2) seven to fourteen days from now; (3) the upcoming calendar week.

Next week will be sunny and warm.
Give me a call next week and we'll have lunch.
She'll be out of town the week after this, but you can email her.

So, I changed it to make it clear sentence like followings.

The next week after this will be sunny and warm.
Give me a call the next week after this one and we'll have lunch.

However, I suppose 3rd one is right. what's wrong with it?  And are sentences I made right to use?


texts: What is a suitable sentence to use when asking for your eyeglasses prescription?

texts:
As an already existing patient returning to the optician's, how do you ask for your prescription history. Say, you've lost your optical prescription from your last visit to the optician's. How do you, in one sentence, ask for a new one?

Would you say something like: "Could I have my previous eyeglasses prescription?"?

or is this sentence confusing? (I'm not even sure if the  term "eyeglasses prescription" is the correct term to be using here; I don't know what the correct term would be when referring to your eye-test results from a previous visit to the optician's)

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


texts: Definite article meaning some of a group

texts:
There is a rule that when we use the definite article with plural, we imply all the things of that group. I am confused if it can also mean a subgroup of a group.

There are 2 examples:

1) "I love the goods in this shop" - can it mean that I love some of the particular goods among all of them.

2) "I love the books in this library" - the same here, can it mean that I talk about some particular books in the library, not all of them? Or I should have shown it explicitly by mentioning those books with no article in a sentence before this one (like I describe in 3), otherwise it is understood as if I talk about all the books there?

3) As I understand, if I told something like: "In this shop nice tools (mentioning for the first time) are being sold. The tools (2nd mention) are really nice", than it would imply those particular tools but not all of them, correct?

I hope I made my question clear :)
Thanks.


texts: (The) existence of a solution, (the) uniqueness of the solution

texts:
I want to write a sentence like

We consider the equation f(x)=0. We show (the) existence of (a) solution and (the) uniqueness of (the) solution.

I want to know if the above sentence uses correctly "the" and "a". In particular, I don't know if I should put "the" in front of "existence" or "uniqueness".

I know that "the" is specific and "a" is general. But I cannot decide from this which or no article is good for the above sentence.


texts: Should “to be” be conjugated in “I am learning to be alpha”?

texts:
Learning is a present form and to be a future form. But being is a present form. Which is correct in the following sentence?

  I am learning ___ alpha.

Where ___ is to be or being?


texts: Is the "also" in the following sentence unnecessary?

texts:
This is the sentence:

  Ironically, the very thing that killed her was also the only thing
  that remained of her.

If so, why?


texts:
A young girl says that she's got skills of work as a barman from the previous jobs; she says that now she moved to work in Yorkshire; she's quite proficient and now she "can have a fair crack at all sorts".

What does it mean?

Source: this quote is from a book 'New Beginnings' by LimeyLady


texts: How to improve: My parents were expecting a girl but me is what they got

texts:
Any recommendations as to how to make that sentence sound a bit more 18th-century-screenplay like?

"me", as in being a male. (kind of like, they got stuck with me as a boy)

"My parents were expecting a girl but me is what they had to resign/conform with"?

EDIT: (A bit more context)

Andrea: Rene Maria Smith. Rene isn't a name that makes justice to you.

Rene: My parents were expecting a girl but me is what they got. It's the name of a destine my parents would've wanted for me.

Andrea: And in my home, I showed up while my mother really wanted a boy.


texts:
I'm reading the definition of "axis" in oxford dictionary, and I see there this definition:

  An imaginary straight line passing through the centre of a
  symmetrical solid, about which a plane figure can be conceived as
  rotating to generate the solid.

Can you please replace this two word with other once, since I don't understand their meaning?

Note, I generally understand the meaning of the sentence, but I don't understand the meaning of the idiom "about which".


texts:
One of my colleagues recently assessed the critically-ill patient.

A native english speaker was being interviewed by a random reporter. The thing is, do I have to add 'has' in this sentence?(the above sentence was the answer of the native speaker. Anyway, it would go like this:

  One of my colleagues has recently assessed the critically-ill patient.

What winds me up is, there's 'recently' in the answer. Further, as for following grammar rules, mostly the 'recently' goes with 'have' coz you don't know when that had happened, right? BUT, the native speaker in this example had said that, WITH NO HAVE. Why is that? Idiomatic? Pls. Help.

(Edited my 'have' to 'has')


texts:
Looked up the dictionary. It says flow back. Does it mean "come back" here?

  It is an agony that people here are beginning to get used to as time drags on and optimism and hope ebb away. (source)


texts: what does this sentence mean? can you break it into several simple sentences

texts:
Though, I do believe that there will be some who also have a better handle on what NOT to do as a mentor, having suffered themselves.

what does the upper sentence mean? can you break it into several simple sentences. here are the full context:

I think this problem won't go away even if the older generation moves on (ie dies). Academic science is self-selecting those who buy into this system, as anyone else with the sense to avoid this environment will choose to leave. These are the next generation of PIs--selected to be super cutthroat. Though, I do believe that there will be some who also have a better handle on what NOT to do as a mentor, having suffered themselves.


texts:
How would you write these two sentences:

It's quiet at nighttime.

It was a night-time ritual.

Should I hyphen the second sentence (as I have)?

?


texts:
Retrofitted with stabilizing devices, some of which _____its  aesthetics,
  the bridge has been reopened, no longer prone to excessive swaying but
  not quite the breathtaking structure it originally was.

For the above blacks we have three choices and have to pick two of them.

impair
resist
compromise

It seems to me that, impair and resit completely suit  with the blank but ans is given impair and comprmise.

Their explanation:

  Though “resist” makes some sense when inserted into the blank, it does
  not produce a sentence with the same meaning as either of these

Can you explain how they are right?


texts: What's the correct term describing the action of sending a brand-new ship out into its first seafaring trip?

texts:
What's the correct term in English describing the action of sending a brand-new ship out for its first voyage?

For example, if the ship's name is "Elisa", then it would be something like:

  Finally, "Elisa" was ____________ yesterday. Her first point of
  destination is Calcutta.

Which of the following phrases is correct?

lowered on water
let to sail
launched for sailing
[something else?]


texts: When is the phrase "How do you feel today" used in English?

texts:
In my language we say in daily life to health person "how do you feel? " it has the same meaning as in English phrase "how are you? ", but it's just more warmhearted.

In English I'm not sure if it's used the same,  and if it's possible to use this phrase between friends who feel well,  and just want use it in meaning of "how are you" in more warmhearted way,  or it's used in English only when the doctor or other care-providers ask the patient about his health.


texts: meaning of the phrasal verb "lock down" in context

texts:
It is in Crash Course A&P. It is at 7 minute and 52 second. Here it goes:

  An area of your brainstem, called the pons, contains two different centers that lock down your urination control, or lack of it.

I have looked up all the meanings lock down has, but still not sure what the speaker means there. Does he mean the two centers have control over urination?


texts:
Rewrite the sentence below.

  Paulo studies International Law at University of Oxford. (be)

I've been asked for rewriting this sentence with ''be'', which I don't know what it actually means. On other hand, we can rewrite it as

  Paulo is studying International Law at University of Oxford.

Does this stand for ''be''?


texts:
He played twenty days in the last season.
He played twenty days last season.

Last season is the last season in his career in this case.
Are both sentences technically correct? Which one is better and why?
I'm not a native speaker and I'm a bit confused with this.


texts:
I am looking for a word that describes the following person:

  Someone who is involved in a formal conflict, has no obvious route to victory, no plan, no immediate hope of any significant gain; yet is not willing to surrender or negotiate peace (due to ideology or dogma), and would rather attempt any action to (even insignificantly) damage the adversary, even if that was to his/her own peril.


texts: Are "one" and "one's" used correctly in these two sentences?

texts:
Is the following paragraph correct in a formal English article? Or there is a better way to write it? My doubt is about one and one's. Are they used in the paragraph correctly?

Thanks

  One also can design one’s own strategy to show the advantages. This is useful, since one’s users are facing a new way of communication.


texts: When "some of the" should absolutely be replaced with just "some"?

texts:
I've read "some " vs. "some of " and “Some” vs “some of” with adjective but I'm still having trouble figuring out in which cases "some of the" should always be replaced with just "some".
I've encountered this problem when trying to apply fixes from LanguageTool to texts from a game. Including examples with most of the context there is prior to "some of the":

A towering coniferous tree that belongs to the 'Pinus' genus, with the New England species varying from 'P. strobus', 'P. resinosa' and 'P. rigida'.  Some of the branches have been stripped away...

This wattle-and-daub wall has some of the wooden strip lattice in place...

This binder details the scheduled maintenance for several plumbing systems throughout the facility.  However, some of the log sheets seem to be filled with

This massive antique book documents dances from all around the world in great detail.  A perceptive reader could learn a lot about defensive footwork from some of the war dances.

This hefty binder contains a multitude of diagrams and technical specifications for various electronic materials.  Some of the diagrams use symbols you've not seen before

This textbook details the military history of ancient China, with a particular focus on the nature of historical arms and armor.  It also details some of the equipment used by other cultures

You were an avid fencer, starting with foil and moving onto saber, then épée.  You competed nationally and dabbled with some of the historical fencing weapons

I've talked to some of the traders who have been there

Some of the others in the shelter got stung

There are much more where these came from and I'm not looking for solutions just to these ones but for a rule of thumb to quickly decide whether the change is absolutely required.


texts:
Are people saying the 'glory details' or 'gory details'?

I thought it is the 'gory details', but I found many examples saying the 'glory details' from here as well.

What's the correct one?
Or should I ask, What's the correct context to say them?


texts: Are "be in tune with" and "understand" interchangeable in some situations?

texts:
In my other post (the grammar rule of "against my hearing you"?) I said

  If it was "against/prevent I hearing you", I would be in tune with the meaning.

I am aware that "be in tune with" means "having a good understanding" and I was trying to express

  If it was "against/prevent I hearing you", I would understand the meaning clearly.

and I used "be in tune with" to convey that meaning.

Do they mean the same?

In other words, are "be in tune with" and "understand" interchangeable in this kind of situations?


texts: Please anyone explain what is the difference between English and The English language?

texts:
Between the three sentences

English opens the the window upon the world's knowledge.
English language opens the the window upon the world's knowledge.
The English language opens the the window upon the world's knowledge.

I think first one is more appropriate but can the remaining two sentences imply same meaning?

If not what is their meaning?

Are they grammatically correct? Please explain to me.


texts: The restaurant is in an **inconvenient** location

texts:
The restaurant is in an inconvenient location.

Does the sentence mean "the restaurant is not located nearby"?


texts: How about using gerund when saying the first-?

texts:
In 1993, she became the first African-American woman to receive the Nobel prize in literature.

If recieving is used instead of to receive,  how does it sound?


texts: What is the most related title to this description?

texts:
I want to make a video that aims to teach Arabic. I'm gonna teach sentences that are neither formal nor slang. They're casual or normal sentences. Also, those sentences are practical so they don't exist in literature or old books. They are the sentence that people usually use in their conversations with family, friends, or in the street.

What's the most relevant title to the description above:

Learn real Egyptian Arabic sentences.
Learn the most common Egyptian Arabic sentences.
Learn daily life Egyptian Arabic sentences.
Learn Egyptian Arabic sentences spoken in the street.
Learn daily-life most common Egyptian Arabic sentences.

Which one is the best? Do you have any other suggestions?


texts: How do we capitalize a hyphenated adjective which starts with an abbrevation in the beginning of a sentence?

texts:
I am really confused right now and I can't seem to find a straight answer to this question.
I was writing an essay and I am stumped on the correct capitalization when it came to starting a sentence with an abbreviation that is hyphenated. For example:
CT-guided treatment....
or
CT-Guided treatment...


texts: "As if we were are ..." What does it mean? Present or Past?

texts:
I happened across this expression "as if we were are..." I would appreciate if someone simplifies the meaning & illustrates the tense?

Here is the context: After just one phone call or e-mail from our boss or a family member that elicits a strong emotional reaction such as anger, frustration, fear, anxiety, sadness, guilt, suffering, or shame, we turn on the primitive fight-or-flight nervous system, causing us to react as if we were are being chased by a predator.

From the book: Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza. Also, I checked google and found out that there are other people who use this expression, I checked using google dorks:

intext:"as if we were are."

So I don't think it's a mistake.


texts:
"I was ten years old"
What is the meaning of the above sentence??
Does it mean that I was ten years and my eleventh year is running? or I am 10 years completed?


texts: Can "considerable distances" be an adverb?

texts:
I came across these sentence:

Even modest cattle herds required plenty of land and considerable mobility. To acquire such land often required moving herds considerable distances, even from summer to winter pastures.

By grammar analysis I think "considerable distances" should be an adverb, but it looks noun to me, I find in dictionary that "long-distance" can be an adverb but not "considerable distances".
Can we paraphrase "adverb phrase"(not sure how to name the grammar of adverb long-distance) to whatever we want? Or considerable distances is not an adverb here?


texts: Word to describe a very negative, pleasure-killing person

texts:
I would try to find some more words or expressions to describe a person who is always being negative and brings down the mood of other people.

As far as I can tell, there are "a sourpuss" and "a Debbie Downer". Can I use other words or expressions?


texts: How to explain that some phrases sound more informal/casual in a business context than others?

texts:
I am having a hard time phrasing my question in just one sentence, so I'll try to give it some context. I work in an non-English speaking country, so my colleagues tend to use phrases that are non-colloquial.

This is not such a big deal, except sometimes they use phrases that could be misunderstood. For example, a colleague made a graph of mobile phone calls per person and named it "Customers who talk on the phone a lot". Another made a graph of customer service calls per person and named it "Rate of customers who call customer service a lot"

I want to articulate to them that the phrase "talk a lot" has other, possible negative connotations (e.g., excessive talking) and that a (marginally) better title would be "frequent users of mobile phone calls" or "Frequent callers to customer services" (if anyone has alternative suggestions that would be great!) Is there any grammatical/linguistic basis that I could refer to when I bring this up?


texts: "If I (went/will go) to the past with a time machine"

texts:
Should I say "I went to the past" because a word referring to action in the past have to be in past tense? But I hear some people say "I will go to the past.".
So which is correct?


texts: Hyphens after Abbreviations and Foreign Letters

texts:
Are hyphens used correctly in the examples below? In other words, is there a rule in English that either requires or allows these hyphenations.

In my area of research, there is what is called the completely decomposed finite topology. Most sources write "the cdf-topology" to refer to this topology. Is this a correct hyphenation? Would it be correct to write "the cdf topology"?
Some source writes "the cdf-, finite and cdp-topologies", where cdp is an abbreviation for completely decomposed proper. Whereas, others write "the cdf, finite and cdp-topologies" or "the cdf, the finite and the cdp-topologies". Which one is correct, if any?
Some sources write "a -cover", where  is the Greek letter tau, used to refer to the topology the author is considering. However, all sources I have seen write "a Zariski cover", where the Zariski topology is named after the mathematician Oscar Zariski. Even when some mathematicians start with "let  be the Zariski topology", later they write "a -cover". Again, is the hyphen used correctly? Would it be correct to write "a  cover"?

I have to confess that while I am asking for a rule (not only an aesthetic opinion), I do not know what constitutes a rule in English. So, I would be helpful if you could elaborate why the answer follows a rule, and not only an opinion.


texts: Pronunciation of "neural" in an American accent

texts: I am trying to pronounce the word neural in an American accent. I found it like nooral. Is that correct? Or should it be like nywral? or something else?


texts: If I said: "I had an assignment to complete for yesterday" what tense am I using?  (Esp 'for yesterday' bit)


texts: Difference between "NEVER" and "EVER" and their proper usage

texts:
I am confused when it comes to using NEVER and EVER in some sentences. Will you kindly help me out? I have actually tried to look up their meanings in the dictionary, and I understand some of their functions; however, when I encountered the following statements, I got confused as to whether they are correct, or whether some of them are incorrect. Here they are:

It's nothing like anything I have ever seen before.
It's like nothing we've ever seen before.
She's nothing like any woman I have ever met before.
It's nothing like anything I have never seen before.


texts:
We commonly use the past perfect in reported clauses where the reporting verb is in the past. Cambridge Dictionary

I noticed it is common not to follow the above rule:

  HSBC also pointed out it managed to increase market share in Hong Kong and Singapore. BBC

Why don't they use past perfect?


texts:
By "generic term" (not sure if this is the right term) I mean a word that can refer to any member on the list (like the word "fruit" would be a generic term for the following list: apple, orange, papaya, mango, pear).
What generic term would fit in here the best? I can't think of any by myself:
(I need something more specific than just "options", "things" or "entities")

Thanks to which one of the following four __________________  you can
still reach even the farthest end of the world while living on a
remote island or far up in the mountains?

travelling programs;
streamlining of air travel;
advancement of the internet;
healthcare system;


texts: What is the meaning of this senctence:Excellent answer. Delusions of grandeur. Folks have been institutionalised for less

texts:
Can an atheist at least agree that existence is a mystery that is bigger than all of us?                                                       You’ve got it backwards. It’s religious people who try to fill the mysteries of the universe with beliefs based on nothing emprical. Where atheists say “I don’t know” religious people say “It’s God.” Atheists are comfortable with not knowing everything. They know humans are infinitesimal specks in the universe. Religious people think the entire universe was created for and about them. Talk about grandiosity.
Comment:Delusions of grandeur. Folks have been institutionalised for less lol


texts:
Man: I ain't going down. There's too many things down there out to get
  me.

  Man 2: True say. Bare police, crazy gangsters and fucked-up monsters
  down there.

If I were in Man 2, I would say Its true.
But Man 2 says different & sounds very stylish, I want to know exact type of grammar is used?

This dialogue is from "Attack the Block (2011)".


texts:
I have a question. I was speaking with someone and I wanted to tell them that I like to share bed with my pets. How can I speak about this in the past without making mistakes. Can I say my cat slept with or next to me a few nights ago..or does it have a different meaning or is a mistake to say it this way?

I am really stuck. I would appreciate an answer.


texts: What is the difference between ing form verb and verb in meaning in this paragraph?

texts:
Can I replace the verb+ing form sentences below with verb form sentences?

If I replace it, It's like

The 9.0-magnitude quake triggered a tsunami that devasted northeastern Japan, killed nearly 16,000 people and caused a nuclear disaster at Tokyo Electric Power's Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

Are the sentences impossible?
Then, what is the difference between two expressions in meaning (killing vs killed, causing vs caused)?


texts: I don't know the meaning of " this is that"

texts:
A: What is this photo about?
  B:This is that he told me something.

I don't know the meaning of the sentence above.
What is the meaning of the sentence like " This is that he told me something." in this sentence?
 Please, tell me the meaning.


texts: Is 'to make ~' the complement in the sentence?

texts:
Or, is it used as the meaning, 'Used to indicate something that is due or destined to happen,' as listed in the Oxford Dictionary?
I think the latter better fits in the context.

Of cultivated crops, cereals were of the greatest economic importance
in the Mediterranean region in ancient times, just as rice was the
basic type of food in East Asia, and Indian corn and quinoa in the
Americas. Since wild plants were necessarily self-seeding for their
survival, the early Neolithic farmers favored individual plants that
had developed suicidal mutations that prevented the pod from opening
naturally and scattering the seed. Thus they were able to harvest
their crops without losing grains, and could later separate the seeds
from the pods. Similarly with animals: those that exhibited juvenile
characteristics were favored over the strong, and bred to eliminate
their wild characteristics. This ━ the earliest form of genetic
manipulation by humans ━ was eventually to make a significant
portion of Mediterranean flora and fauna dependent on human assistance
in reproduction and survival: at least as sobering an innovation as
the genetic modification of foods that is being debated at the
beginning of the twenty first century.

Ancient Technology


texts: Why (on TV) "That is after the break!", but not "Those are after the break!"?

texts:
On TV, it happens usually on shows where a lot of issues to be covered later in the show are given shortly at the very beginning. So, before they start with moving into full stories (e.g on the NEWS), they give each of the headlines in a few seconds each and then they start the actual news in details, with full stories. So far so good.

But before they move to the full stories in details, there is usually a short-break. So, the whole process goes like this;
EVENING NEWS WITH JAMES
(James starts reading the headlines quickly)
1- The man who stole...
2- Unemployment rates have been...
3- The accident on the....
4- An old lady who was...

(and he finishes by saying) THAT IS AFTER THE BREAK!

So, my question is why does newsman say "THAT IS AFTER THE BREAK", when he listed a lot of stories, not one story. We know that there are a lot of stories to be covered and all of those stories will come one after the other. So, he obviously means ALL OF THOSE STORIES LISTED in the beginning will come after the break.

And, if there are many STORIES to come (which mean plural), why does he not say "THOSE ARE AFTER THE BREAK" or "THESE ARE AFTER THE BREAK!?

Regards,


texts:
The sentence is "He advised that she be placed in the one available incubator."
Could somebody explain why there is she be placed? is it passive voice?


texts: Do these sentences for recommending others to search on Google, sound patronizing?

texts:
And are they natural? In what situation will you use it?

Why not google it?
Why don't you google it?
I think you can google it.
You'd better google it.
I'd google it if I were you.


texts: Present Perfect- How to determine time interval?

texts:
I have two questions

If I'm talking about life experience how can I determine the time interval? For example: "I've seen this movie many times before, I don't want to see it again" or "I've eaten sushi before, it's really tasty" so what's the time interval for these examples?
I just want to know if I understood this well or not. When I say "I've taken a lot of beautiful photos since I bought this camera" so this is an unfinished action, and its interval starts when I bought the camera until now, and it will continue to the future. Is it correct?


texts:
I want to say that I did something in a certain way and when I tried to do that with another method it didn't work.  I wrote:

  So I tried the same in this other method and it didn't work more than in my first attempt.

Is the sentence correct? Is the position of 'more' correct?


texts: Can we use the word "actually" over phone for a business call?

texts:
Can I use of word actually in the following scenarios for a business call.

1) Actually we are calling from so and so company.

2) We actually develop mobile applications for business. Do you wish to have one?

Does it sound professional?


texts: Sentence Construction: "Which players will be part of a squad today?"

texts:
I have situation wherein out of the two sports team I'm in a dilemma which players will be a part of their respective teams. The players may or may not be a part of their respective teams due to various reasons.

Is this correct gramatically "It's really difficult to judge which players will be a part of squad today (talking of both the sides).

Is there a better way of saying so?

P.S. The sport is cricket.


texts:
According to Cambridge dictionary, assert as a verb means:

1- to say that something is certainly true.

2- to do something to show that you have power.

However, assert in neither meaning match the following text:

  Furthermore, most reenactors assert an educational import to the performance, and to develop their roles many pursue archival research with a rare dedication.

What does assert mean here?


texts: I just realized that we should say "bison are this and that" without the plural "s". I've checked its definition in a dictionary and it's a countable noun. I've seen in a textbook "Bison are..." and on the same page in the same textbook "Chimpanzees are..." so what am I missing?


texts: pluralize or not "How was your thanksgiving holiday(s)? "

texts:
Is it proper to ask

  How was your Thanksgiving holidays?

Because we had 5 days of holidays and Thanksgiving day was one day among those.

Do I say:

  How were your holidays?

Is the usage of holiday singular or plural?


texts: I will not stress about it or i wouldn't stress about it

texts:
Whats difference in this
I won't interfere or i wouldn't interfere
Is there any difference


texts:
When somebody is patient/sick (what is the difference?) when we see him and we want to make him feel better?

For example :

I hope you getting better soon.
I hope see you good soon..

Which one?

Any better words in such this cases?


texts:
Could you please help me understand the following sentence:

  The family declined time alone.

It doesn't make sense to me. Thank you.


texts: is there a word describe an emotion that is happy with luck?

texts:
Is there a word describe that i am happy on my mind, cause I thought i was so lucky.

For example, in a class, the teacher picked a person to answer a very difficult question. when she picked someone not me, I am so happy that it is not me, and thought that i am really a lucky person. But I just thought it on my mind, did not express and share with others.


texts:
Big is an adjective, which can not modify the verb dream. Can we use big here?

  She dreams big.


texts:
What's more idiomatic in the following contexts? If needed, or "If it's needed".

Here are some examples that I came across:

  I have an insurance for my country only. But I can buy another
  insurance for abroad. If needed / if it's needed.
  You can go there tomorrow by yourself. But I can come to help, if
  needed / if it's needed.
  They can send you more products, if needed / if they're needed.


texts: Why does the following sentence use "have finished" even though the tense is present?

texts:
I have a very puzzling question about English grammar.

I am thinking of taking a vacation when I have finished all the job.

The tense of the sentence is as present. In addition, the author even mentions something that would happen in the future.
However, "having finished" is being used.
I thought it should be...

I am thinking of taking a vacation when I will have finished all the job.

Would you please give me a grammatical explanation about this?


texts: is it idiomatic to say "Please spare your gut for dinner"?

texts:
This is one of my child's problems. That is he often eats cakes, snacks, etc before main meals (lunch, dinner) and therefore he has no appetite when coming to lunch / dinner.

My mother tongue is Vietnamese and we often say "Please spare your gut for dinner" (translated from Vietnamese into English). I am not sure it is ok to say like that. Native people may have some common / idiomatic expressions in this situation.

Note: I saw this expression by chance in the dictionary "Don't spoil your appetite by eating between meals."


texts: Can I say 'I'm picking up' meaning 'My health is getting better'?

texts: The verb 'pick up' has a meaning "improve" so, provided there's an appropriate context, I think 'I'm picking up' can mean "I'm convalescing". However, one of other senses of the word is the opposite, "to contract (an illness)". So can I or can't I use that phrase the way I described it?


texts: Permission is required + infinitive clause

texts:
Is there a correct and natural way to construct a sentence starting by "Permission is required" that contains both the action that requires permission and the person who would do the action.

For example, is this correct and natural: "Permission is required for him to do something"?


texts: Which of the following is correct: She will visit her friend soon or She will be visiting her friend soon

texts:
Which of the following is correct:
She will visit her friend soon
Or
She will be visiting her friend soon


texts: use of comma before a clause starting with for

texts:
Do I use a comma in the following sentence:

Driving is only a means to an end, for most people.


texts: Could have Usage ( did it or didn't do it )

texts:
I know I could have done it much better but sometimes there are no second chances.
  I have had many chances where I could have done something really cool but didn't do it because I was too scared.

This is the explanation I got:
The phrase "could have" is used to mean that somebody was capable of doing something, but he actually didn't do it.

Please read the below line:

  The best thing I could have done was what I did
   or
  I did the best thing that I could have done

Here, I want to understand what is mean by "could have".
1. Does it mean the person was capable of doing it but actually didn't do it.
2. Does it mean the person was capable of doing it and actually did it.
3. Does it mean the person was capable of doing it but it doesn't matter whether he did it or he didn't do it.

I think the 3rd option is correct.


texts: How to understand "upon signing accept something"?

texts:
I'm reading a document and there is a sentence which is:

Reviews and Authorisations
The people listed have reviewed this document and [upon signing accept] the obligations and conditions set out below

I don't understand the part inside brackets.
I understand upon doing something, but the word accept is a verb, not a noun. How am I to understand it?


texts: What is the correct response for a question mark?

texts: People regularly respond to my messages with single question marks.  They do not use their words, so I do not use mine, and I do not think anyone has ever followed up.  Does it just mean "This is a response, la-la-la-la, Elmos's response?"  Thank you very much!


texts:
Repeat the steps for the next weekly report until the monthly report
  has been completed.

  Repeat the steps for the next weekly report until the monthly report
  is completed.

I'm having a hard time choosing which is correct. Please help me. Thank you.


texts:
Someone has told me recently that "A as soon as B" does not imply that B will be complete before A starts, but rather that both events will take place at the same time. Example:

  He will speak as soon as he finishes eating.

I have always understood that the subject will start to speak right after he finishes eating. According to what I have heard recently, the subject will start to speak while he finishes eating. Which one is the correct meaning?


texts: When the teacher is already in the classroom, how to point him/her? "The teacher/teacher/our teacher or ..."

texts:
When the teacher is already in the classroom, how to point him/her in a more polite way? "The teacher/teacher/our teacher or ..."

  Teacher wrote something on the board in the session before last.

  The teacher wrote something on the board in the session before last.

  Our teacher wrote something on the board in the session before last.

Or something else?


texts: Isn't it wrong to use the word "homage" as a countable noun in this book?

texts:
I came across this line in the book Ship of Theseus(p.14):

  It's just an homage to his writing.

（the hand-written notes filling the book's margins are printed and an inseparable part of the book.）

I've never seen the word "homage" being used as a countable noun before, and having got an "an" before it?

Isn't it wrong to use the word "homage" as a countable noun?


texts:
Shub was a pale, shuffle-shouldered man with little puzzled eyes and a
  huge spread of shapeless nose.

  -The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler -

What kind of shoulder is that?


texts: What is the difference between "electric", "electrical", and "electronic"?

texts:
Looking at all the adjective forms, I wonder what is the differences between "electric", "electrical", and "electronic"?

I get so confused and want to know the usage.


texts:
I'm surprised I couldn't find a clear and precise answer for this on the net. Some guys claim that the difference is only a matter of AmE/BrE English, while some other guy has suggested this example on a forum as to explain the difference:

  a) You would have to turn round the bend and drive straight for 200 meters before you arrive at the gas station.

  b) Please turn around and let me see your back. (A circular movement around a fixed point)

I wonder who is being correct? Just recently, I myself had learned about "turn round" in my English book too, and it denoted the same thing as the case "a" above (changing the direction, while driving, in order to get back to somewhere.)


texts: Imagine i'm walking in the street starting looking for a florist and i come across one straightaway. Should I say or think: "How lucky!" or rather "How lucky for me! or How lucky I am? Is there any other phrase that would be more appropriate and colloquial to say in this situation?


texts: The use of the word 'only' under complicated situations

texts:
I read that question:
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/5615/different-usage-of-the-word-only

Then I'm wondering how to represent following situations in the short sentence using the word 'only'.

'He' can speak English, French, Chinese, etc...
But at that time, 'He' speaks in English but no other language.

I suppose: 'He speaks only in English.'

'He' can speak English but no other language.
Therefore, 'He' speaks in English at that time too.

I suppose: 'He speaks in English only.'

'He' can speak English, and 'He' cannot speak the other languages.
But the average person in this situation can speak 2 or more languages.
'He' is the only person who cannot speak 2 or more languages in there.

I suppose: 'Only he speaks English only.'


texts:
I want to write in my blog edit like below.

Example -

  You will make edit like below -

  One to Tow

Is correct?


texts:
In the movie Groupers, there's an exchange like so (about 73'55" in).

Now, will you please turn off the spigot?
Ooh, that's racist.
Spigot is not racist.

As I googled spigot, it's a faucet/tap providing a water flow (which is a part of the scene of the conversation). I also googled why is spigot racist but got no relevant hits, as far I could tell.
How is spigot interpreted to be racist? I've never heard the word used in the official sense before, let alone as a bigot and derogatory racist expression.


texts: I would like to understand the term 'understood' as it is used in grammar

texts:
When I was an elementary school student in Montréal, we were taught that some words or phrases did not need to be spoken or written because they were 'understood'.

Another OP on site asked a question that included this as an example:

  Who is your favourite footballer and cricketer?

I would like to say, Who is your favourite footballer and who is your favourite cricketer?"  The part in bold type is understood.

However, I cannot find a definition for what I call understood. Is there another name for this in grammar?


texts: I don' t get the meaning of the sentence in bold clearly in this context?

texts:
Twain has survived his celebrity, as will Hemingway, and for the same reason: They wrote wonderful books. but both writers have been admitted to the canon despite the off-putting aroma of publicity that surrounds them.

Dose it mean that they were accepted by law (their works were excellent) despite the fact that publicity just was annoying to them?


texts: What mistakes am I committing on this text, and how should I improve it?

texts:
It's been a long time since I checked my English, and I feel like I might not be sounding like a native or it's too flat, I'd like to know what is wrong with the following comment (even slight mistakes, or if it doesn't sound like an American native English speaker), and how I can improve it:

  I've been bombarded by a lot of people saying that Angular was lighter than jQuery on some tasks, and I set out for testing Angular's performance and I've been quite unsatisfied with it, but people still hammer on that, that's why I asked for facts, and I know that here on SO, I would find solid and backed up information, not just opinions


texts: Which is correct, "he was already dead" or "he already was dead"?

texts:
How should I say, "he was already dead" or "he already was dead"?

The second way does not sound entirely correct to me, but I couldn't find a rule stating that it is wrong.


texts: What period does in the last 2 hours cover?

texts:
I was just wondering, what is the most normal way of interpretating in the last two hours.

If somebody asked you: What have you been doing in the last two hours?

What events from what time period would you mostly cover in your answer if it was already 19:40?

  A. I would mention all important things since 17:00 until 19:40(now)

or

  B. I would mention all important things since 18:00 until 19:40

(because 40 minutes can be understood as almost hour, but I am not sure if people would count it if it is not full 60 minute hour yet)

  C. I would mention all important things since 17:00 until 19:00

Personally, I would go with choice A. But I am not sure if this is the most common way people use it. It might seem that it is almost 3 hours (2h 40m) but so far it is still just 2 hours + some minutes because i would say in the last 3 hours ONLY if 3x60m was completed and would not care if it was more than 3 hours but it still would have to be less than 4 hours.

Does somebody understand me? Which is the most common way of understanding?


texts: Could you help me listen to what this guy is saying?

texts:
I linked the video   starts at 30secs
I've found the script of this episode.
The script says

  "It's amazing. I mean, I really, really, seriously appreciate that."

That's what Louis says to Mike.
But to me, it doesn't sound like 'really, really'.
I can't even catch the words.
It sounds like mumbling and he has a lower voice.
 Not clear to me. (I'm an English learner.)
Is he really saying " I really really seriously appreciate that."?


texts:
"Am I missing something?" or "Am I missing anything?":
I can see how there is a subtle difference in the meaning but is one of these idiomatic?


texts: Is this a correct way to use "in your name"?

texts:
Suppose someone's name is Hermione. If I say, "I didn't realize you had/have 'ONE' in your name."
Is this correct English? What I want to say is, " I didn't realize 'ONE' was/is part of your name", but can I use "in your name" to mean that? Because it's literally...in her name?
The dictionary says that "in someone's name" mean 1. formally registered as belonging to or reserved for someone. and 2. on behalf of someone.
But can I use it like this too? As in, "I didn't realize you had/have 'ONE' in your name."?


texts: If clause sentence which one is correct from these two sentences?

texts:
First question

I want to show that in the future or present it's not possible for him to bend the knee

  Even if you want to bend the knee you will not be able to do that
  Even if you wanted to bend the knee you wouldn't be able to do that

Which one is correct and why?

Second question

  Back then, if I wanted to have it, I would get it
  Back then, if I had wanted to have itm I would have gotten it

Which one is correct and why?

Third question

Can we use the second structure of if clause to speak about some thing hard to be true but in the future?


texts: What is the passive voice of "you have completed the assignment", is it "The assignment have been completed by you"?


texts: The use of the present perfect and the past perfect in context

texts:
Tell me please which tense is the most apt to use in the following context.

  Rob, do you often drink soft drinks? I haven't thought about that.

  Rob, do you often drink soft drinks? I hadn't thought about that.

I heard native English speakers use the present perfect in similar contexts. But wouldn't it be more grammatically appropriate to use the past perfect. Because Rob hadn't thought about that before the other person asked him a question. If both sentence equally correct, explain me why please.


texts:
When speaking about a university that has great a research department, where all of the students are fascinated of research and development, what is the best expression to describe this?

Maybe there is a great research-spirit? Is this correct English and are there better possibilities to express this quality?


texts:
Which of the two following sentences is more appropriate?

Children ate the three remaining cookies.
Children ate the remaining three cookies.

In the sentences, the is article-determiner; three is number-determiner; remaining is adjective; cookies is noun;

Similar question has been asked here and this website also gives sufficient details on the order of determiners in a noun phrase. According to the rules mentioned on these links, the first sentence seems appropriate.

But I checked with many of my friends and they told me that second was right.


texts:
When talking about searching something in/on the dictionary (e.g. meaning of word), should I say

I searched on the dictionary or I searched in the dictionary?


texts:
Which of the following sentences sound more natural?

I learned to raft on holiday.
I learned to go rafting on holiday.


texts:
How paradoxical that the world’s greatest chefs have all been men!
  Cooking would clearly seem to be a field that lies exclusively within
  women’s realm, yet the annals of cookery are replete with masculine
  names: Brillat Savarin, Ritz, Diat, Larousse.

I have two questions for you:

1)Why did the author use "that" after the adjective "paradoxical"? we have the examples "how big is the house" or "how good you are at learning languages" without having "that".

2) What is the difference between "Cooking would clearly seem to be" and "Cooking clearly seem to be"?

Source: 1100 words you need to know


texts:
I am not sure if "to employ" means "to have someone on the payroll" or "to put someone on the payroll." Is it ambiguous? Consider the following sentence:

The company employed 20 plumbers last week.

Does it mean that as of last week, the company had 20 plumbers on the payroll, or the company hired 20 plumbers (i.e., put them on the payroll) last week?


texts:
Consider the following two sentences.
1. He must either work or starve. (either...or)
2. He must work or starve. (or)
What is the difference between the two sentences?


texts: They might/could be considered New Year’s resolutions

texts:
As I went through my financial and travel records for 2007, I realized that as usual I had made a great many mistakes. I’d like to help you to avoid making the same mistakes, so here they are. They might be considered New Year’s resolutions. Or they might be called Lessons Learned.
When it comes to travel, do not trust...(https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/business/09every.html)

Q: Can I replace the "might"s with "could"s?


texts:
To my ear these sentence pairs mean exactly the same thing, and the word have seems redundant and unnecessary. Is there a nuance that I'm missing?

  The study was about people who have struggled with alcoholism.
  The study was about people who struggled with alcoholism.

  The participants have walked three miles.
  The participants walked three miles.


texts: What does the phrase "run on to" mean here?

texts:
Here is a sentence from a text describing a football match:

  You can play the ball along the floor for your winger to run on to.

Any suggestions on the meaning of the phrase "to run on to" here?


texts:
Success is a number/numbers game.

I was going through a novel where I found this sentence using numbers but success is a single entity that is singular. How can we use plural (numbers) here?


texts: Does a "double yes" mean surprise or impatience?

texts:
In my post here:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/44643775/how-can-i-write-multi-line-code-in-the-terminal-use-python/44643976#44643976

I answer my own question, there is a comment here:

  Yes yes, that's right! plus one for that

The double yes means what here? Does it mean in favor of it?


texts:
I often the use-cases where 'due to' is followed by the article 'the', but I cannot find whether this 'the' is grammatically compulsory or not on the internet. Can anyone comment whether this is a grammar rule, or not a rule but just a common usage?

For example, "due to complex hardware and software designs". Should I use 'the' after 'due to' in this case?


texts: Why does the question start with "who" not need "do"?

texts:
Who told you that ....

Why does this kind of question not need "do"

  Who did tell you that ...


texts:
The man, from the country, is just one of my close friends.
  The man from the country is just one of my close friends.

I'm curious to know whether there are any subtle differences in meaning or in use.
I suspect number 2 could be used when I want to clarify who's the man I'm referring to among the men we've already known or talked about, but if it wouldn't be confusing who's the man I'm indicating, then, I think I don't need to add commas. I mean if there was the only man who we have just talked about, there's no need to restrict the information of the man by adding "from the country" without commas, but I'm not sure whether my understanding is getting to the point, and could you please bring out or make up some sentences in which preposition phrases starting with "of" can be used as examples for teaching this topic?


texts:
Could you tell me what is right:

  Dinner is the most substantial meal of the day

Or

  Dinner is the most substantial meal of a day

I think the first one is correct, but we don't talk about particular day that's why I doubt. Because we talk about all days and that's why we shoul use 'a day'
Pls help


texts: Which is correct: "no issues", "not an issue", "some issues", or "some issue"?

texts:
Is the noun "issue" used in singular form, or is it fine to use it in plural form?
example:

no issues.
not an issue.
I had been facing some issues in the past which now are resolved.
I had been facing some issue in the past which now are resolved.

Which one is correct?


texts: Should I need to put an article before proper noun- in the following case?

texts:
Normally I know that it's incorrect to put an article before proper nouns but in this case I doubt whether I need to put an article before the proper noun.

The context is:

  "The main difference is that (the?) Atlas has no body, unlike the rest of vertebrae"


texts: What does it mean to "pin a badge" on something?

texts:
Original sentence was:

Linux Foundation Wants to Pin a Badge on Secure Open Source Software

Thanks


texts: What does "lest anything think" mean here?

texts:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/vi/dictionary/english/lest?q=lest+
And lest anything think Nike is pulling back from physical retail even as its digital business explodes, the company said it's full steam ahead with the new stores it was already planning to open, including two New York stores in the next two weeks, the CEO said.
Source: https://fortune.com/2020/09/23/nike-q1-ecommerce-results-covid-19/


texts: What do we call a person who works to avoid prison?

texts:
I will take for example a person who has been sentenced to go to prison and if he wants to avoid it, he has to deal with socially useful work for a certain period of time as a substitute.

How do we call this person or what term to use?


texts:
I have a sentence:

  Please show me the right way so that I can do that rather than take blind action.

Is this sentence grammatically correct?
Can I use instead of to replace rather than? If replaced, the meaning of this sentence is changed?
What is the difference between rather than and instead of? Can you show me some examples to distinguish them?


texts:
When to use the verb "discuss" vs when to use the abstract noun "discussion"?

  Our discussion last night was positive.
  What we discussed last night was positive.

I'm more interested when to use abstract nouns vs its verb form. I hope I'm explaining this right.


texts:
When did the school start?

When does the school start?

-- Which of the above looks absolutely correct as per the grammar rules.


texts: apropos -- is this a common word in English?

texts:
apropos

Is this word part of your active or passive vocabulary? Do you ever use it at all? If yes, could you please give me some real-world examples related to how one would use this word in conversational English? I assume this is not a very common word to use, but at the same time it's very difficult to make sense of the definition lists they've got in the dictionaries because all the definitions there seem to be slightly different from one another.


texts: How to express these sentence in Present and Past?

texts:
Am I right between Present and Past?

1/ Do you want me to turn on/open the fan? (Present)
If the fan has number to work, Can I say , In what number you want me to put?

2/ Did you want me to turn on/ open the fan? (Past)

In what number you wanted me to put?


texts:
I saw this sentence:

  This could be asked on Web Applications.

I thought i can replace this sentence with following sentence:

  You could ask this on Web Applications.

but they may have differences. What's the difference between "ask" and "be asked"?


texts: "Tidal waves are the result of an abrupt shift in the underwater movement of the Earth". Are 'shift' and 'movements' synonyms?

texts:
My book explains that "Tidal waves are the result of an abrupt shift in the underwater movement of the Earth".

It seems to me that the words shift and movement have similar meanings in this sentence. Could you explain the differences of those words in this context? Thank you.


texts: how to create economies of scale for a city?

texts:
would anyone possibly explain through a vivid example how the size of a city could create such an economies of scale?

In addition, I am learning English. Would you tell me your priceless explanations in more simple ways?

The size of a city creates economies of scale for things such as energy generation, recycling, and public transport.


texts: The most idiomatic word for this context?

texts:
Members of group A cannot trust group B, or they hardly can trust group B.

  There is a _______ on the part of group A to trust in group B.

I initially used "problem" for that blank. Then I thought of "difficulty". What is an idiomatic suggestion for that context?


texts:
The research engineer Whitney Sample in the following video says "It keeps me in PUS-PECTIVE." Is it perspective or prospective, i am confused here

See exactly 4:23 minute of the video in the link; http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2014/03/20/spc-vital-signs-3d-printing-wrex.cnn.html

What does it mean? I mean perspective means a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something; a point of view. and prospective means expected or expecting to be the specified thing in the future, according to the Google search engine dictionary. But I don't know how to match either meaning to the context in the video.

Finally, in the above line I asked But I dont know how to match . How to replace this phrase with appropriate words?


texts: Where is the main clause in "Like when I put a dead goldfish into Dr. Green's fish tank"?

texts:
I admit it. I did a lot of things when I was younger that maybe I shouldn't have. Like when I put a dead goldfish into Dr. Green's fish tank.

My question is

Is "like" a conjunction word in the sentence in bold?
Should the sentence in bold have the main clause? If it should, where is it?


texts: Use of "and" when describing two situations for one noun

texts:
Which is correct:
If the location had not been in a severe terrain and had not been in the evening ~
or
If the location had not been in a severe terrain and in the evening ~
The second one sounds better without repeating "had not been" but the first is more precise.


texts: "Remove the auxiliaries from the sentences": Why were my answers wrong?

texts:
This exercise is from "Writing Better English" by Ed Swick first edition (page 18, exercise 1.8 - No. 14 & 15) . The original question is: remove the auxiliaries from the following sentences and rewrite them appropriately. Maintain the same tense as in the original sentences

  I have wanted to see Grand Canyon.
  My nephew hadn't been able to repair his car yet.

I know when we want to add or remove auxiliaries, we should use the same tense as the original verb. So I wrote the sentences (without auxiliaries) as follows:

My answers

  I have seen the Grand canyon.
  My nephew hadn't repaired his car yet.

But in the answer key, the answers are

  I see the Grand canyon.
  My nephew didn't repair his car yet.

Which one is true?
Why (in the answer key) is tense of the original verb not the same as verbs when we had auxiliaries? (Sentence 1 is using the present perfect? And sentence 2 is using the past perfect? Right?)


texts: Does "at the margin" mean "however" in this context?

texts:
“London will remain a major financial center,” he said. “At the margin there will some shift to other financial centers in Europe.”

If not, what does it mean?

source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-06/forget-paris-singapore-seen-as-best-business-hub-after-london


texts: Starting a sentence with the phrase "I say"

texts:
Should I put the phrase "I say" at the beginning or end of a sentence and do I need to use a comma before or after the phrase?

I mean, should the sentence be:

  I say, Hillary for president!

or

  Hillary for president, I say.

Which sentence is correct?


texts:
SOURCE

The following sentence is from the online Longmans dictionary.

  He found it increasingly difficult to read, for his eyes were failing.

Is the part of sentence "it increasingly difficult to read" a noun phrase as an object? I know the sentence is correct but what is the role of "it" and its relation with the following part of the sentence.


texts: Can I use "although... + main clause + so/but..." construction?

texts:
For example

Although he has eaten a big steak, he is stilling eating, so he must
be extreme hungry.

and

Although he has eaten a big steak, he is stilling eating, but I have
no more food for him.

The matter is, both although and so/but are conjunctions and are exclusive for each other, but what if I put a main clause between them?


texts: What does it mean by 'felt right into the corner' here?

texts:
Harry enjoyed the breakneck journey down to the Weasleys’ vault, but felt dreadful, far worse than he had in Knockturn Alley, when it was opened. There was a very small pile of silver Sickles inside, and just one gold Galleon. Mrs.Weasley felt right into the corners before sweeping the whole lot into her bag. Harry felt even worse when they reached his vault. He tried to block the contents from view as he hastily shoved handfuls of coins into a leather bag.

  Harry potter and the chamber of secrets

I guess 'right' here is just an adverb (as in He walked right into the trap), so what does it mean by 'feel into the corners' here??

Is it an idiom to express one's feelings? Cause Mrs.Weasley felt something.. or did she just literally feel the corners (of the vault inside)? But it doesn't make sense to me, either. I cannot picture someone feeling the corner..(???) Can anyone help me with this?


texts: "look at something from a side" or "look at something from aside"?

texts:
Here is the context:

  I have looked at you in the the dress from the front, and I would like to look at you from a side/aside.


texts: Which conditional if sentence should I use in this situation?

texts:
A: I can know the future. You better not to call the police.

  B: If you really knew the future, you would know that I've already
  called the police.

After googling, For speaker (B), I excluded conditional Zero and one. I chose conditional two as it is hypothetical but I'm not sure about that. Would help me, please? Should I use any continuous tense or something?

  B: If you were really knew the future, you would know that I've already
  called the police.

I need the answer to be colloquial American. There's no need for traditional rules. Thank you,


texts: Paraphrase a clause that I don't understand

texts:
I don't understand the "that she meant what I think she did" part:

  I really hope... that she meant what I think she did.

Can it be paraphrased to clarify this?

Here is the fuller context:

  My heart was beating so fast. I rolled over, I felt so... I don't know, nervous? After a minute she put her arm around me, and was so close, and whispered in my ear, "I really like you." I just nodded my head and I really hope she could tell. I really hope... that she meant what I think she did.


texts: which one is better when I tried to ask the photographer edit my photo?

texts:
When I take a photo and there is some hair in disorder, how should I ask the photographer to edit it for me? Should I say

  "Could you edit those hair in disorder for me?"

or

  "Could you erase the tousle for me? "

Which one is better?


texts: What's the difference between finite clause and infinite clause?

texts:
What does infinite clause mean and which features differentiate it from finite clause?
I know so far that finite clause is inflectable while infinite clause is uninflectable. But I need some examples to explain this theory to me.

And what is the role of complement here? Is infinite clause always a complement of the finite clause?


texts:
Is it possible to use them in the same sentence? For example,
I can swim, but today I am not able to, because I have hurt my leg.
Many natives find the sentence not idiomatic. What do you say?


texts: The need FOR (the other + verb) -OR- The need OF...?

texts:
Is this sentence correct?

  This specific ability to care for others before the need for the other to
  recall that he is living... too.

Context:
this sentence is used to illustrate the meaning of the "caring for others"'s concept.


texts: How can I differentiate between prediction and intention when I use "will"?

texts:
He's sick. He will see a doctor

I don't know is it a prediction or intention?
What's the crucial point between prediction and intention when I use "will"?
I need a cut line to differentiate between the two ideas.


texts: A better way to say "at the infringement of which"?

texts:
Require users to get a proper permit at the infringement of which
  they will be put into prison.

I am pretty sure it's not grammatical, or is it? Anyway, is there a better way to say this? I can't think of a better way, but there has to be.


texts:
I am a English learner and I still don't understand why the auxiliary verb "to do" doesn't appear with the verb "to have".

Is it wrong to say

  "She doesn't have brown hair"?


texts:
If I want to answer negatively this question,

Is science any thing other than logic applied to the manifested existences?

Should I say I think not or I think no?


texts:
What is the difference between a material and a concrete noun??
Are 'Promise, truth, lie and comment' countable Abstract nouns??
What others examples can be given for the same.


texts: Is "4min egg" with no spacing between the number and abbreviation correct?

texts: Is this kind of abbreviation correct usage (e.g. 10sec pause, 12h race, 10yr lease, 6day penalty)? Or must these examples read "4 min egg, 10 sec pause" etc,?


texts: What does 'but next time I wish to get a word in' mean?

texts:
I had a coffee and conversation with a person couple of days ago and today I received following message from him today.

  Hi, thank-you for coffee & conversation. Coffee was good, conversation was even better, but next time I wish to get a word in! Thank you and regards.

What does  "... but next time I wish to get a word in!" mean?  My understanding is that it means he wants to say something next time.

Does that mean I did something wrong? Does that say something negative about me? Does that give the feel that I didn't let him speak enough?

Update
I did pay for the coffee for both of us. When I first read the message i thought he wants to buy me coffee next time but then i re-read the message and realised that it doesn;t make sense. Could it be the mobile phone's auto-correction feature over-correcting what he intended to say?


texts:
Who suggested you to do that?

Who suggested you do that?

I suggest you do go there tomorrow./ I suggest you to go there tomorrow.
He suggested I deal with the matter at hand discreetly./ He suggested me to deal with the matter at hand discreetly.

We don't use the preposition to, using sentences where we're talking about how someone suggests/suggested someone does/did something, right?