texts: Is this a correct use of a participial adjective?

texts:
I write this question intrigued by this topic.

The best and accepted answer states that "functioning relationship" means "a relationship that is working properly".

I did some research. The English corpus clearly shows that using "functioning" as an adjective is acceptable. But it is seldom used in the phrase "functioning relationship", and more often used, understandably, in phrases "functioning machine", "functioning computer"...

Anyway to get to the point, can someone explain to me why/how "functioning relationship" means "a relationship that is wroking properly", and not "a relationship that is causing function" - which would be a logical conclusion of its meaning by observing other participial adjectives (boring homework, annoying noise, thrilling experience)

(Not a duplicate because in the other topic my question is not explained. It is just stated as a fact "2+3=5".)


texts: No possessive pronoun in '[first name] and family' OK in US English?

texts:
Is the following OK in US English:

"Fred lent Tony money for the downpayment on an apartment so that Tony and family could have their own place to live."

Or would I need to add 'his' before 'family', as in UK English?

Thanks


texts: "I have had it for a long time" or "I had it for a long time"?

texts:
Let's say you sold your car 1 year ago.

Would you say:

  I'm sad I sold my car. I have had it for a long time.

Or just

  I'm sad I sold my car. I had it for a long time.

Are they both correct?
I thought only the last one is correct because he doesn't have the car anymore, hence there is no connection to the present.


texts:
This is from one of the LSATs.
"It ill behooves us alleged early film lovers to forsake their insights today.”
I don't understand what's the omitted subject being reduced by "alleged ......to". Could anyone help parse it out, please?
Appreciatively,
Leon


texts:
Keep a tab on the website for any activities.

Keep tabs on the website for any activities.

Which of the two, keep a tab/keep tabs, is the right idiom?


texts: If I am a future teller and made a prediction yesterday about something two days in the future, how do we use tenses here?

texts:
I happened to imagine this particular situation, which is quite unreal.
But I am curious how we use verb tenses to describe the situation.

Let's say I am future teller. I can tell the future.
One day I write down what my girlfriend will say two days in the future. And I tell this to my friend one day later.

I know it is confusing. Let me put it in a simple way like this.

  5/24 - Me writing down the words my girlfriend will say on 5/26.

  5/25 - Me telling to my friend about the prophecy.

  5/26 - The date when my girlfriend says what I have predicted.

My question is here: the conversation happens on 5/25.

  Me: Hey, mate. Yesterday I wrote down what my girlfriend will say.
  Me: Hey, mate. Yesterday I wrote down what my girlfriend would say.

Which one is correct?


texts: What is the bade meaning in direct speech said or wished.?

texts:
Indirect speech :He bade his love good bye.

A) He wished his love ,"Goodbye."

or

B)He said , " Goodbye my love."


texts:
I saw this sentence at the end of an internet article:

  It's bobo time.

Meaning that the author wanted to take his leave now. But what is "bobo" in "bobo time"? Something like bed time? What is the origin of this expression?


texts:
I am looking for the traduction of the french word "terre". Which means the planet earth, the ground and also the material the ground is made of. I don't know how to translate a specific meaning of it, this :

Online translaters give me :

Earth : Google image only shows the planet earth
Ground : I don't know if this can be used to mean the material
Land : I think that doesn't mean the material either
Dirt : I think it means the "material" that make a thing dirty

What is the right translation for this ?

Edit

Example of sentence translated with google:

  Il y avait un tas de terre. There was a pile of dirt.

  Il mit de la terre autour de la plante. He put the soil around the
  plant.


texts:
I'm looking for my notebook. I remember ..... it into my suitcase when I left for work.

Q: Do I always have to fill 'gerund' in the blank?


texts: X's chances of doing or the chances of X doing

texts:
Which one of the following is correct? and which one is idiomatic?

  This is because a proper education will enhance the chances of women reaching high-level positions, consequently, the percentage of female senior managers will increase eventually.
  This because a proper education will enhance women's chances of reaching high-level positions................
  This because a proper education will enhance the chances of women to reach high-level positions................


texts:
A. This company progresses as rapidly as it is impressing all people nowadays.
B. This company progresses fast so that all people are being impressed nowadays.

Which one sounds more natural?


texts: Verb tense error in "Even though I tried to stop playing, I could not stop."

texts:
The goal of the assignment was to write a letter to our school counselor about a problem. I wrote:

  "Even though I tried to stop playing, I could not stop."

My teacher said that the verb tense of this word is wrong. It doesn't seem incorrect to me but it is not my mother tongue so I don't know really well.

What would be the correct verb tense?


texts: Saying "the what" to ask about something I don't understand

texts:
When someone says "the something" and i don't understand that something they said I say "the what" in the idea of letting them know I didn't understand what they said.

How horribly I butcher English by using that construction?


texts: I read that panicky refers to a person who panics. What's the plural of that?


texts: Difference between 'required primarily' and 'primarily required'

texts:
I was reading a scientific article and encountered the sentence 'Lack of A prevents the activation of B, which is primarily required for digestion, and later for the absorption of....', where A and B are some proteins.

What confused me was the usage 'primarily required'. I felt that 'required primarily' would be a better choice. I actually did not understand why I felt that. So I tried to find the difference between the two usages.

I did find some articles that used both expressions, but none that explained the difference, if there are any. Ngrams shows that both are used at similar rates even though 'primarily required' has been used slightly more in the recent years.

What I want to know is, do the two expressions convey different meanings? If so, what is it? Can someone please help me?


texts: I wonder how you'd feel watching the longest continuous play recorded?

texts:
My first question:
Is sentence 2 a more formal expression while senteance 1 is an informal expression because the word about is dropped?
Could we say the sentence 1 has the same meaning as the sentence 2?
Sentence1.

I wonder how you'd feel watching the longest continuous play recorded.

Sentence2.

I wonder how you'd feel about watching the longest continuous play recorded.

My second question:
What is the difference between these four sentences which are a kind of mixture of how, what and about.
Sentence3.

I wonder what you'd feel watching the longest continuous play recorded.

Sentence4.

I wonder what you'd feel about watching the longest continuous play recorded.


texts:
In an article, I read the following line:

  Major-General Bajwa tweeted that between seven and 10 terrorists (as per early estimates) dressed in constabulary uniform, attempted to break into the base early on Friday morning.

To my mind, seven and 10 both show the number of terrorists (as they were not sure about the number before) as the word 'between' is put before seven, but then what is a need of writing seven and 10 in different manner, viz. word and number respectively? Is it a Tweeter's method?

Or it is showing the time when terrorists entered into the base? (IMHO, if we put a comma after seven and 10 then the sentence will show the time when terrorists entered in the base.)

Also, if seven and 10 show number of terrorists, then which phrasing is correct:

between seven and 10 terrorists

OR:

between seven to 10 terrorists

Please guide me as I am confused about this.


texts: How is "one" used in different contexts?

texts:
We Americans sometimes seem to view Canada as a kind of Legoland version of our own country — one in which we see pretty much our own values, worldview, language, and culture, albeit not with the perfect clarity one might find in, say, a mirror or a well-executed still life painting.

What does the first "one" and the second "one" mean? What does the word "still" here mean?


texts:
Ok, we got

everyday: day 1 (on), day 2 (on), day 3 (on), day 4 (on), day 5 (on), etc

Ex: we eat soup everyday

every other day / every second day:  day 1 (on), day 2 (off), day 3 (on), day 4 (off), day 5 (on), etc

Ex: we eat soup every other day

Ok, now I want it as followings:

0-12h of day 1 (on), 13-24h of day 1 (off), 0-12h of day 2 (off), 13-24h of day 2 (on), day 3 (off), 0-12h of day 4 (on), 13-24h of day 4 (off), etc.

How to express every 1.5 days?


texts: Does "in the following section" means only the next section?

texts:
I'm writing an academic paper. I'd like to say that I will discuss the details of this topic later.

How do I describe above in formal way?

I usually write like "as discussed in Section 3". However, sections do not have numbers at this time.

My idea is "as discussed in the following section". But I'm worry whether 'following' means only the next one. If the current section is "Section 1" and the details are discussed in "Section 3", can I still use 'following section'?


texts:
Does the Future Continuous create the idea of a planned action as well as the Present Continuous does?

If I say "I am seeing Jim tomorrow." I think it means that I have arranged it.

It's also OK to say "I will be seeing Jim tomorrow." Does it mean that the action has been planned?

On the other hand, I could say "I think I will see Jim tomorrow."

So, is it planned or spontaneous? If it's planned, how does it differ from the Present Continuous?


texts: "Have a difficult time doing" – is the action accomplished or not?

texts:
I had a difficult time getting sleep.

Does the previous sentence mean "Though having a terrible time, I finally got sleep."?

What about another similar phrase, have difficulty doing: does it imply that the action was eventually done?


texts:
Which sentence is correct?
Do you remember our friend who has transferred to new project?
(To say he transferred to new project a year ago)
Or
Do you remember our friend who is transferred to new project?
(To say his current status)


texts: Can I use "concerned" like this? -- "It detects [something] and extends [something] of the concerned jobs"

texts:
According to: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/concerned

Concerned has the following meanings:

  adjective

  interested or affected: concerned citizens.
  troubled or anxious: a concerned look.
  having a connection or involvement; participating: They arrested all those concerned in the kidnapping.

My sentence is the following:

  It detects [something] and extends [something] of the concerned [things].

I am not 100% sure whether my use of the word "concerned" is correct here. I want to say that it only extends [something] to the [things] that did [something] that was detected. The closest definition would be the third one (involved).

Is it correct to use "concerned" here? Is there a better word?

Edit: The original sentence is:

  A model detects the preemptions and extends the computation time of the [concerned] jobs.

I did not wanted to bring too much confusion with very specific words, but I understand that it might also be difficult to understand without...


texts: Is there any difference in meaning and usage between the phrase "what's come over you" and "what's gotten into you"?

texts:
Is there any difference in meaning and usage between the phrase what's come over you and what's gotten into you? For example:

  I have never seen you so angry. What's come over you?

  I have never seen you so angry. What's gotten into you?


texts: "It would be nice if it rains", grammatically correct?

texts: As you read in the headline, if I say "if it rains, it would be nice", is it correct? It is like a mixture of first and second conditional, but I don't know whether it exists or not.


texts: Describing a section of text on a webpage

texts:
I'm trying to describe some text on a webpage, here is the screenshot(red frame part) and  what I say:

  On the page, under the images album and the three text banners, there should be a section of texts and there should be 3 hyper-links in the text section.

I highlighted the parts that I'm not sure whether they are natural or grammatically correct.


texts: What is the difference between Cryptography benchmark and Cryptographic benchmark

texts:
I read an article in which I saw

  Sandra cryptography benchmark

My question is shouldn't it be

  Sandra cryptographic Benchmark


texts:
To avoid the repetition of using as, I decide to replace it with being:

  As you can see, I find a pleasure in helping community. At the same time, being a person who work in science, I also find the need to do everything productivity and efficiency.

Is it grammatically correct? Can it also work with other verbs (e.g. working in the science)?


texts: Can I use "The sun is falling on me" while describing that there is heat?

texts: Can I use the above mentioned sentence to indicate that the sun rays are falling on me? Or is there any proper sentence to express it?


texts: As a reply: There isn't any - referring to a singular countable

texts:
I know there are plenty of threads about any + singular countable. I believe this one is a little different.

  There isn't a chair here.

If we don't want to use one of these:

  Indeed there aren't any left / there is none left / There are none left

Can we say

  Indeed there isn't any left.

Or should we say

  Indeed there isn't one left.


texts: Relative or object clause: "that knowledge of the truth takes flight as if by magic"

texts:
To be critical meant to raise thought so far above all constraints that, through the perception of the falseness of constraints, knowledge of the truth takes flight as if by magic.

I would like to ask whether you think that the clause "that, through the perception of the falseness of constraints, knowledge of the truth takes flight as if by magic" is a relative or object one.


texts: Is "slung it off far into the distance" idiomatic?

texts:
"Far into the distance" seem to mean "far away". "Slung it off" seems to mean "throw it", so the phrase makes sense, but does it? I rarely heard it being used this way. I am not sure, but "off" might be ungrammatical here, is it? How would you reword it? Are there better alternatives to "far into the distance"?

For example:

  Hercules slung a spear off far into the distance, with his inhumane
  strength.


texts: Is it possible to use adjectives as adverbs?

texts:
I came across these two sentences:

He was standing there proud."
"He is growing up rich."

I think I can understand what each sentence means, but grammatically they don't make sense to me. My understanding about adjectives are that they can only be before the noun or with "be".  I see these kinds of sentences sometimes and have always wondered why. My first question is that in the first sentence, if I say, "He was standing there, being proud." is the meaning the same?  And in the second one, can I say, "He is growing up to be rich."? My second question is whether these ways of using adjectives are common or not.


texts:
A: Rough day?

B: No, it's been fine.

A: OK.

B: You?

A: Fine. It's just been long.

1) This conversation is close to midnight, so the day is almost over. In that case is "it's been" natural?

2) Does "it's just been long" seem weird here without adding something to it or is it OK?

3) Is the whole coversation correct and natural?


texts: There is no place or There is no place in the world

texts:
Given the sentence:

  New restaurants are appearing all over the place.

If I change this sentence using "There is no" structure, the possible answers are:

  1.There is no place where new restaurants are not
  appearing.

  2.There is no place in the world where new restaurants are not appearing.

According to question, I am not sure whether my answer needs to add "in the world" after place or not.


texts:
Do we "learn byheart something" or "byheart something"?

  We learn by heart something and produce it Verbatim.

Some Indian professors of English are using Byheart as a verb.

Is byheart used as a verb in native English speaking countriies and is it acceptable as Idiomatic English there?


texts: Does this imply "I don't think it will be successful"?

texts:
In the dialogue below, does the man think that the coming meeting will be not successful?

(Dialogue)
Woman: "The foreign minister is meeting with the opposition on Monday to try to find a peaceful compromise".
Man: "None of the meetings so far have had any luck.  Think this one could be different?"


texts:
What is the common practice for using articles with size-wise constructions?

When talking about shoe/dress/body size.

To mention some:

  I take (a) size one.
  All of her shoes are (a) size two.
  This time her dress has to be (a) size three.
  You/they are (a) size four (and a half).

Is the article always required here or is it optional?

What role does the article play here?


texts: Is sentence "It don't seem right" correct?

texts:
In the song "In the Army Now," there is this sentence:

  Your finger is on the trigger but it don't seem right

Shouldn't "don't" be replaced with "doesn't"?


texts:
Is it wrong to say that we can use or omit "the" before "best" with an adverb without any change of meaning, but when we use "most" with an adverb, the meaning of the sentence changes?
For example, "You are the best." Or "You are best." "Choose the book you like the best." "Choose the book you like best." "Choose the book you like the most." "Choose the book you like most". No change in meaning.
But if I have an adverb. "She walks most gracefully." Means she walks very gracefully. "She walks the most gracefully." She is compared to other people.


texts: Can we say "x is almost double y" if x is more than y doubled?

texts:
I just read a sentence in an English lesson:

Male winnings were almost triple those of female earnings.
(Talking about male vs female earnings in a golf competition).

However, the graph shows that female earnings were about 500k and male earnings were about 1700-1900k. So, they were more than triple female earnings. Is the word "almost" used correctly here?


texts:
I saw a scene in a TV show where someone asks: What does he do? Here it is: https://youtu.be/lDMOw8c38wU

For me, the letter "h" in "he" sounds silent and the whole question phonetically sounds like [wʌ dʌz i du]. I hear stress only on "What" and "do". I want to know if my observation is correct. I think that in most common situations we use the same stress pattern, like in the context above (in the video). The stress on "he" is only needed when we want to differentiate between more people. Right?


texts:
I'm a student wondering if my English teacher would accept a sentence as grammatically correct. I've read a lot of books, especially old classics, that give examples or instances in the present tense, such as this quote from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings:

  The fact that the adult American Negro female emerges a formidable character is often met with amazement, distaste and even belligerence.

She doesn't use "an adult American Negro female may emerge," but rather uses it in the present tense? Sort of? Am I making sense here?

My sentence:

  The mother who loses one son to Nazi gunfire and one to the white hoods of the Klan sees their deaths as one and the same – meaningless killings caused by a foreign people, fueled by cold hate

Is this sentence grammatically correct?

What is this type of tense called?

How can I improve the title to this question? :)


texts: Use of the word "nowadays" either in the Pr. Simple phrases or the Pr. Continuous phrases

texts:
I've learnt that I should use verbs in the Pr. Continuous form in sentences where I meet words like "today", "this week", "this year", etc.
I'd like to ask if words "nowadays" and "these days" have the same role in phrases as the ones mentioned. They have to, in my opinion, but I see something different in reality. Please, help me understand why they use Pr. Simple forms instead of Pr. Continuous forms in the examples below.

"With online shopping nowadays people expect free shipping".

"...how we save or invest nowadays..."

"Instead of devils it's ghosts that rule his life nowadays".


texts: is "through whom" grammatically correct?

texts:
It is XY through whom we have established non-standard relations with our partners.

I would like to express that thanks to a particular person we gained our goals. Do you find the form "through whom" OK in that sentence?


texts: difference between "A" and "the" when talking about a race

texts:
What is the difference between A and The in the following sentences?

No other animal is as tall as a/the giraffe.
An/the Inland Taipan's venom is the most venomous one in the world.

My grammar book says when we want to talk about a race or a whole class we use the. But still I am unable to decide a or the which one I should use. Can any please explain the meaning of each of the sentences using a and the. And which one do you think is more appropriate?


texts:
“Major Toyama was killed in Tokyo in March 1945, in the line of duty,
  during an air raid.” “I'm very sorry to hear that.” (Kafka on
  the Shore, tr. by Philip Gabriel)

Logically, to hear precedes I’m very sorry in time, and so I’m very sorry to have heard that is more proper to me.

(1) Though we can say I’m very sorry to have heard that, can we also say I’m very sorry to hear that, because to-infinitival phrase’s tense can be conjectured in the context. (2) Or can we only say as the original, and is there some reason it has to be?


texts: Do you use "I face" or "I'm faced with"?

texts:
When you find or encounter some situation (especially bad ones like difficulty or obstacle), which do you say?

  I face some problem

or

  I'm faced with some problem

?


texts: Can I ask "how is she?" in a situation that her husband is dead?

texts:
"How is she?"
  "She is lonely after her husband passed away."

Supposing that there is a woman who lost her husband and a friend of hers I come across. In this case, if I intend to ask if she is sad, lonely, etc about her, can I say “How is she?” It seems plausible, but when I think ‘how are you’ is used just as ‘hello’ remarks, it’s not easy to decide ‘how is she’ is proper or not.


texts: What does 'K' mean in '20K' when talking about prices?

texts: What is the meaning of 'K' in 20K or 30K or 40K when disclosing price?


texts: Difference between "furthermore", "moreover", "in addition to", and "also"

texts:
I have a question about the usage of 'furthermore', 'moreover', 'in addition to', and 'also'.

Dictionaries give "in addition to" as the meaning to all of them.
But what are the slight differences between these words? Which one is more formal?


texts:
I've been translating TV series called This is Us and I didn't understand this part.

Randall is poor father William's rich child. William is staying with them and in this episode, Randall's rich neighbors are reporting William for being suspicious(like, poor guy walking in rich neighborhood) Then Randall comes, apologizes for him. After this, dialogues are like that,

  R: Would you have been happier if I made a big scene?
  You know, got up in Tony's face, had the cops roll up and turn the
  hoses on us?

  W: You ever had a hose turned on you?

  R: Can't say that I have, I'm very sorry.

  W: Don't be. It hurts.

I really didn't understand this "turn hose on someone" part. I searched about this but can someone help me?


texts: Meaning of “characterize it that” in the sentence

texts:
What is the meaning of ``characterize it''??

I am confused what it refers to.

HUTCHINSON Well, I think the test is...

CORN And that's very much a big fight within your own party, whether or not to abide by that litmus test.

HUTCHINSON Certainly, there is some disagreement about that, but [most people characterize it that we want judges who are not judicially activist.] We want judges who will look at the Constitution, interpret the Constitution, apply it to a set of facts, and not reach out to change social policy through every decision that they make.


texts: Difference between the use of 'get' and 'make' in causatives

texts:
In my childhood I was told by my teacher that the causative made with 'get' and 'make' differ. He said that when we use 'get' it gives kind of sense as if the performer is forced to do the thing. Is this write? Is  there any difference between these two:

I made him clean the room.

I got him to clean the room


texts:
The fuel tanks of 4*4 cars are larger than these of sedan cars.

  BBC News: New research shows that human "mini-brains" develop more
  slowly than those of other primates.

  The Guardian: Prehistoric women's arms 'stronger than those of today's
  elite rowers'.

  The Guardian: Chelsea fans live further from their club's stadium and
  go to home matches less than those of any other London Premier League
  club.

I cannot understand why BBC News used "those" in this context. First, "these" is more formal than "those", and second, human are primates so we are not comparing between very different things, and this is even clearer in the other examples. However, an Ngram search suggests that "those" should be used in this context for some reason.

Is it wrong to use "these" in this context?


texts: Usage of would in present to express past

texts:
Scenario:

A customer said there is no issue with their phone but the applications are not working. I reported this to my supervisor.

After some time another member from my team called the customer and asked about the same issue.

Now the customer said the applications are working fine except in specific regions.

Now my supervisor asks me about the new update which he got from my team member. He thinks that the information I gave earlier was wrong.

Question:
Is it appropriate to say: "They would have found it recently" to prove that my information was true?


texts:
Grandma put his toy away.

He woke up and looking for his toy.

"Where is my toy?" he asked.

  "Maybe grandma put it away."

  "Your toy has been putting away."

Do the used of put away correctly?


texts: ordinal numbers modifying uncountable nouns?

texts:
I'd like to know whether it is grammatical in contemporary English to modify an uncountable noun with ordinal numbers.
Is it right to say, "first disobedience" or "second importance"?


texts: What do these sentences mean? From a Movie Review of Bohemian Rhapsody 1

texts:
In a movie review from Time (http://time.com/5440357/bohemian-rhapsody-freddie-mercury-queerness/ ), there are a few sentences I don’t understand.

The sentence is,

  Still, looking for nuance in this kind of big-budget biopic is like
  looking for love on Grindr; it happens, but rarely. Though its
  direction is credited to a gay man—Singer, who was fired and replaced
  by Dexter Fletcher during filming—this movie was made to speak to the
  masses. Its attempt to make Mercury’s story universal isn’t entirely
  unreasonable, either: He was, after all, a superstar. We’re given
  enough to piece together how the otherness he felt as a queer and
  Parsi man positioned him as a champion for outcasts. Bohemian Rhapsody
  dazzles most consistently during its musical numbers, in which Malek
  channels the real Mercury with drool-inducing accuracy. Mercury’s
  charisma was a force of nature, his appeal so widespread as to be an
  objective truth. That the movie really sings when Mercury does makes
  Bohemian Rhapsody ultimately shallow but that’s exactly the point. A
  pivotal scene features Malek’s Mercury explaining to Mary (Lucy
  Boynton) that onstage, “I’m exactly the person I was always meant to
  be.”

Does “That the movie sings” mean that the Freddie in the movie sings? If I’m correct, does the full sentence mean that Malek’s Freddy isn’t able to fully convey the attractiveness the real Freddy Mercury has?


texts: "Shoot, it was a great day to be alive"——What does this sentence mean?

texts:
It is from the Oxford Dictionary, under it's entry for shoot:

  Shoot, it was a great day to be alive.

What does this sentence mean? What is the speaker saying in this sentence?

I am confused by "it was a great day to be alive"; is the speaker feeling happy, lucky or grateful?

What does alive mean in this sentence?


texts:
As "Dad" and "Mom" start with a capital letter if they came as the father and mother's names. Then, is it possible for "father" to be used in the same situation but without capitalizing its first letter?

For example:

  How is father's current health?

I think it is possible to write it:

  How is Dad's current health?

and

  How is my father's current health?

But I remember hearing it in the structure of the first example.


texts: Is there any difference in meaning between "match something with something" and "check something against something"?

texts:
Is there any difference in meaning between match something with something and check something against something? For example:

I am not sure if got all the answers right, so I had better match mine with yours.
I am not sure if got all the answers right, so I had better check mine against yours.


texts: "As if the house were his / And he owned all the mourners now / and little boys besides"

texts:
"There's been a Death in the Opposite House", by Emily Dickinson

  The minister goes stiffly in
  As if the house were his
  And he owned all the mourners now
  And little boys besides

Some meanings as to the lines above:

  In lines 13-16, the Minister is a dominant figure when death occurred.

  The Minister of the Church assures and takes control of the people and situation.
  Everyone listens to him and follows his order.
  He performs the last rites for the death.

I am wondering what the bold part means.

Would you simply show me the concept of the bold parts or the meaning of its?


texts: What is the meaning of "Couldn't we leave before noon"?

texts:
Man: We're planning to leave for the trip at about 2:00
  Woman: Couldn't we leave before noon?

Question: What does the woman ask?

A) If they could leave at noon
B) If it is possible to go by 12:00
C) Why they can't leave at noon
D) If they could leave the room

I think the answer is B but my teacher says it is D. Why?


texts: What is the difference between this/that/so much

texts: What is the difference between "this much", "that much", and "so much"?


texts:
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Line%20jumping
Here in Urban Dictionary,  a person used:

  when you are at a amusement park when you've been waiting in line for a load of time, then someone walks past you claiming that their "friend" is up the line.

So here does "up the line" mean "on the line (or in the line)?  Like: My friend is already on the line.

What will be more common "up the line" Or "on/in the line"
(I know that the language is a bit vulgar..)


texts: Is "we introduce few notation" grammatically correct?

texts:
In my research article, I wrote:

We now introduce few notations.

Then the referees for the paper told me that using 'notations' is grammatically incorrect. So I'm thinking about changing it to

We now introduce few notation.

To me this sounds a bit strange now without the 's' from the notations. I was wondering is this grammatically correct? Thank you.


texts: What is the correct word order in this sentence?

texts:
I was looking at the title of this post:

  To whom does the Islamic State sell their oil?

and it sounds strange to me. Shouldn't the word order be the following?

  Whom does the Islamic State sell their oil to?

Or are both correct? And what is the rule that dictates the correctness?


texts: Interesting usage from BBC .... "a visit that will see someone do something"

texts:
Below is the news from the BBC web site:

  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are in France on a two-day official visit that will also see them attend the Six Nations rugby match between France and Wales, and meet survivors of the terrorist attacks in Paris and Nice.

Isn't there a problem with the relative clause in this sentence as it says "a visit that will also see them attend...".

Who sees them attend the match? The visit? How can a visit see someone do something.


texts:
Which word I should use when I would like to give my opinion  to my manager  politely that what he should do in a certain situation.

I don't want to talk in "I-know-better-than-you" tone  or  in "you-must-do-it" tone .

So here my options I think I can use:

  I suggest you that you recruit more design engineers and focus on
  designing of the new product line.

can I use recommend and advise also ?


texts:
What is  the difference between two these terms?
Are they interchangeably used?
Because when I sometimes look at the dictionary, I see this term, figurative, attached to some words which can be used in a figurative way.


texts:
A phrase like "This is it" is very common, but I've also heard people use "This it is" mostly with a slight hesitation between This and it, perhaps purely for pronunciation reasons.

I'm quite familiar with "This is it". It expresses conclusion of some kind like:

the end of a thinking process
a (final) choice
a last episode

So what is the meaning of "This it is" ? I hope it's something more than just Yoda-speak.


texts: What does "Watermelon makes me clean" mean?

texts:
I am watching a youtube video, "Largest Watermelon? World's Largest Fruit" and there's a comment with many likes saying:

Watermelon makes me clean

What does the word clean mean here?


texts: "He likes writing poems" or "He likes to write poems"

texts:
I think both of the following are grammatically correct, aren't they?

  He likes writing poems.
  He likes to write poems.

but which form is more common in daily conversation use? like + ing or like + to infinite ?

Update:

Is there any different in meaning between them (like + ing and like + to infinite)? when can use each one of them?


texts: Could it be correct to say "make your dream real"?

texts: Could it be correct to say "make your dream real" instead of "make your dream become true"?


texts: Sucking up to somebody vs flattering somebody

texts:
Imagine there is a student who always self-promotes to university professors in order to gain better grades. A friend of his wants to  stop/discourage him from doing that and tell him how unpleasant he finds his behaviour. I was wondering if you could let me know the following self-made sentences mean the same in English:

  Stop sucking up to the professor so much.
  Stop flattering the professor so much.


texts: What is the proper use of "informed that"

texts:
Is the following a proper use of the phrase "informed that?"

"He informed that he is sleeping better."


texts:
I believe in love and hope.
  In jamming out by yourself in your room.
  I believe in having someone tell you
  You're beautiful.
  I believe in miracles.
  I believe in smiling until your cheeks hurt
  and laughing until you cry.
  But above all... I believe in God
  and His unfailing Love.

What is the meaning of you here?
I guess you here refers to you all....


texts: The choice between answers in spoken English

texts:
If I'm speaking to somebody and I need to emphasize that what someone told me is true. What's my best option?

I assure you, she told me the truth!
Trust me, she told me the truth!
Believe me, she told me the truth!
That's a hundred percent she told me the truth!

Apart from those I've proposed are there any other good ways to say this?


texts:
"Everyone around us seems to agree by the way they fiddle with their phones, even without a signal underground."

I consulted the dictionary, but could not find a suitable explanation.
Is there such a phrase as "agree by"? What does "by" mean here?


texts: How can I substantiate grammatically about Much and a lot of here?

texts:
Take a look at these two sentence:

A- I like a lot of milk in my coffee.
B- I like much milk in my coffee.

If B is not correct, is it only because we do not use much in affirmative sentences and mostly we use it in negative and question sentences? Or is there another grammatical reason behind it?

Thank you.


texts: "Shoes mended while you wait/ while you waited or while you were waited?

texts:
What is the correct tense that must be used with while, when main clause is simple past?

1.Shoes mended while you wait or
2.Shoes mended while you waited. or
3.Shoes mended while you were waiting.

(How to decide which tense should be used with time clauses?)


texts: Is this sentences correct "It seems like the output of some process may not be useful stand-alone"

texts:
I am writing a scientific article.
I want to say: "The output of some process may not be useful in itself (or on its own), but it is an important preprocessing step to later stage processes."
Can I use "stand-alone" instead of "in itself" or "on its own" in the above sentence?
I know that "stand-alone" is an adjective, and it may not be correct to use it at end of a sentence. However, I am looking for something that is more natural.
Your help would be highly appreciated,
Thank you.


texts: What is the meaning of "Like the way I feel when I ride my bike fast"?

texts:
What is the meaning of "Like the way
I feel when I ride my bike fast" in the following sentences?
(Source; My Dad Takes Care Of Me by Patricia Quinlan)

  My dad and I talk about more things now. Like the way I feel when I
  ride my bike fast. I told him, "A big kid at school punched me. I
  was afraid to hit him back." "Sometimes I'm afraid of things too,
  Luke," he said.

Does "Like the way I feel when I ride my bike fast" mean "I feel like the way when I ride my bike fast" ?

What does "the way" mean in the sentence?


texts: It has been a month since (...) and a month before (...)

texts:
Is this natural?

  It has been a month since the deadline submission and a month before the program starts.

I don't think it is because you can't say "It has been a month before the program starts", because it doesn't start yet. Someone suggests me that it sounds OK, but in writing the tenses should be the same. Therefore, the correct sentence will be:

  It has been a month since the deadline of the submission and a month before the program has started.

This sounds even more unnatural for me. Because that means you say: "It has been a month before the program has started". Since I don't want to split the sentence, the best way I can think of is using an equivocal contraction:

  It's been a month since the deadline of the submission and a month before the program starts.

It's for the former is it has and for the latter is it is. But I highly suspect that this equivocal will be accepted.


texts: "I would love to if I can" vs. "I would love to if I could"

texts:
I would love to if I can
  I would love to if I could

Which one is right?


texts: he wore horn rims with clear lenses just to look more WASP-y - what does WASPy mean?

texts:
From the movie The Wolf of Wall Street:

  And he did quit his job. Which I thought was a little weird. I mean, I just met this fucking guy. Don't fucking tell Susan. It's none of her business. There were other things about him, too. Like his phosphorescent white teeth. The fact that he wore horn rims with clear lenses just to look more WASP-y. And then, there were these rumors.

I don't understand what that means.


texts: Which one is preferable here- "later" or "after"?

texts:
The situation is that we are meeting at 2 pm and an officer gives an instruction regarding coming on time. In this context, which one of the following is correct?

  If you come at 2:10 pm or later, I will not let you in.

  If you come at 2:10 pm or after, I will not let you in.

If neither is correct, what is a correct way of saying this?

I want to know the difference between 'later' and 'after', so expressions based on "10 min late" etc. are not needed at this time.


texts: Is there an ambiguity in "promoted twice in consecutive years"?

texts:
I want to write the following statement in my resume.

  Promoted twice in consecutive years (2011, 2012) as a top performer in the department.

I want to convey that I got one promotion each in 2011 and 2012, while also subtly bringing to notice that getting promotions in consecutive years is rather rare and special. However, I am worried that this statement could be interpreted to mean that I got 4 promotions. Not sure if "promoted in consecutive years" makes it clear that I got two promotions.

Is the phrase as above okay, or if not, how can I rephrase it to something unambigious? (If the phrase can also be made more "catchy", that's a bonus.)


texts:
For example, one day my roommate came back from tripping on acid down by the river, telling me about a racoon he had seen, dead and frozen, still hanging onto a fallen willow. It had freaked him out because he had not been sure wether it had been alive or dead, but after a while of it not moving  and him not moving staring at it he figured it was dead- still too scared to make sure of it though

Just would like to know why it is not "had figured" as it happened before the roommate came back from this tripping (before RT) but after it had freaked out....

A)Is it because the other verbs in the sentence are already past perfect so it was not necessary to put the last one past perfect.
B)Is it because at RT (when he came back)the sentence was still true(the raccoon was dead)think this is one is a better reason.


texts:
Why do we use 'telling' in the following sentence?

  Was it difficult, telling your mum and dad?

  -Well, yes and no.

Instead of 'telling' could we say 'to tell'?
What's the difference between them?

Thank you.


texts:
I want to ask the following question:

  Do both A and B refer to C?

Is this the right way to do so? I don't know why but it sounds a little unnatural to me.

Is there another way?

Thank you.


texts: Can the verb "hinder" be used to describe good things?

texts:
I am searching words for making it difficult for something to do, and found the verb "hinder", which is defined in LONGMAN dictionary as follows with some examples:

  to make it difficult for something to develop or succeed

  His career has been hindered by injury.

  policies that will hinder rather than help families

It seems that this word is usually used to describe bad things. Can this be used to describe good things, for example, as follows?

  Painting a wooden door will hinder degradation of the door.


texts: Usage of participles indicating the object

texts:
You left them alone, crying for their mama. (Context: Children
were crying not "you")

Is this sentence grammatically correct? I have seen a television character use a sentence similiar to this one above.


texts: "the cost and size of" - plural or singular

texts:
I need the correct verb form in present tense for the phrase "...the cost and size of... decrease". When I google "as the cost and size of" or smth like that, both forms in present can be found: plural and singular.
For example,

As the cost and size of devices falls<br>

As the cost and size of the sensors continue to...

I hope that the use of plural is more correct in this case, but I see also that the common definite article may influence it.
It is for a scientific paper which is written in English (US) addressed globally.


texts:
A: The event has led to the creating of the new plan.

B: The event has led to the creation of the new plan.

I am wondering if the article the is necessary here.

Meanwhile, could you possibly teach me what is the difference between those semantically?

Thanks


texts: What is the difference between "event" and "incident"?

texts:
"Leaving home was a major event in his life." Can I use "incident" instead of "event" in that sentence?
Are they synonyms or not?


texts:
Would it be correct to say?:

  She is bristling at her son.

Bristle at(to show anger) is a phrasal verb in which Bristle means a kind of sound. I've never heard of Bristling sound. I know Hissing sound but not this one. So, would it be correct?


texts: "Could you tell me what wrong is with" or "could you tell me what is wrong with"?

texts:
Tell please which sentence is correct.

  Could you tell me what wrong is with Kate?

  Could you tell me what is wrong with Kate?


texts:
All humans have two rows of teeth. What is proper word for teeth at the ends of the tooth rows?

"Last tooth" sounds strange. As if a person has lost all teeth except one.
"Tooth at the end" - too long.
Is there one unambiguous adjective for such teeth?


texts: Does "a range of" have the same meaning as "a number of" or "many"?

texts: Does a range of have the same meaning as a number of or many?


texts: I'm watching the TV drama 'sex education'. In S01E01, a guy says to his friend 'Everybody is either thinking about shagging, about to shag, or actually shagging, and you can't even jack your beanstalk'. What does 'jack your beanstalk' mean?


texts: one's vs ones; and omission of "the" with superlatives

texts:
Source: My Aussie teacher

  They are the one's nearest and dearest in my life.

Shouldn't it be without an apostrophe: "the ones?"  Because it should be plural(they).
And is it ok that we omit "the" in the superlatives("nearest" and "dearest")?


texts:
Is this correct to write:

  Result of car accident in different date.

or this:

  Result of car accident in a different date.
  Result of car accident in the different date.


texts:
Put the verb into the correct form, past perfect (had broken) or past simple (broke):

  Sorry I'm late. The car ....... down on my way here.

According to the book, the correct answer is 'broke' (past simple).

I agree, but perhaps I repaired my car on my way to a place and that might be the reason why I am late. Could past perfect be used in this context?


texts: heats (context: sport)-- what are those?

texts:
Source: Slow English Podcasts about Australia for intermediate learners of English

Example:

  I and my family were lucky enough to attend the 2000 Olympics when they were held in Sydney.  We drove up from Melbourne in our car. To get tickets to the events, you had to enter a ballot which was held many months before the games.  We didn’t get our first choice of sports, but we were fortunate to get tickets to the field hockey, the Taekwondo and finally a day at the track and field athletics in the main stadium, when heats were being run.

I can't figure out what they mean by heats. Any idea?


texts: Can I say "I am self-conscious about my eyes"?

texts:
"I am self-conscious about my eyes"

sounds like it points to the person speaking twice, therefore making the word "self" redundant. The correct statement to me seems to be

"I am self-conscious because of my eyes" or
"I am conscious about my eyes."

Is sentence 1 correct?


texts:
I completed all the tasks assigned. How to convey this ?

I have completed all the tasks.

or

I had completed all the tasks.

which one is correct ?


texts: "A small question" versus "a little question"

texts: Which adjective should I use with question, small or little?


texts: Question about using "only" in the sentences

texts:
For example I want to say:

  I slept only 5 hours last night

or

  I only slept 5 hours last night.

Which one is correct?


texts:
Katy Butler's Knocking on Heaven's Door: The Path to a Better Way of Death (2013) includes this passage:

  I remembered her attentively setting out thin white bone china cups for my father and me, and a white plate holding six fanned ginger snaps. I remember how, no matter how bady things were going, we'd gather each day at the kitchen table— waiting as the tea steeped, enjoying one another, and simply being alive.

I think I know ginger snap, which is a kind of cookie with ginger in it. But what are fanned ginger snaps?


texts:
A blunder is by definition already a serious mistake, can we use an egregious blunder implying an extremely bad error?

The context:


texts:
I remember you send me photo with her when she was just born

or

  I remember you've sent me photo with her when she was just born


texts: Is using interrogative words such as "why" and "how" unsophisticated or inappropriate for technical writings?

texts:
Whenever I write sentences of the form

  I don't understand why X did Y.

or

  I wonder why she did that.

or

  I would like to know how you did it.

These sentences are actually not good examples of usages of these words "why" and "how" (and other interrogative words) where I find their usage not very sophisticated, but, right now, I can't come up with better examples. However, I am sure that sometimes I have the feeling that using "why" in similar situations to the sentences above doesn't sound very sophisticated. Or, sometimes, it looks like I am using "why" too many times, so I am being repetitive.

Are these usages somehow unsophisticated? Are these words avoided e.g. when writing a scientific paper or any other more technical document? My impression is that they are avoided. Is there a way to circumvent these usages? If yes, how would you do it?

Here, "why" and "how" seem to be used as "adverbs". Is this correct? By the way, would you call words such as "why", "how" and "what" "interrogative words", even if they are not really being used as interrogative words (as in the sentences above)?


texts: What does "it may be offset, however, but the risks of the something" mean?

texts:
I was translating a technical text and came across the following part in bold format. I have two questions regarding this:

  Randomized trials have demonstrated that early ERCP (within 24 or 48 hours of admission) reduces complications, but not mortality, in patients with predicted severe gallstone-associated acute pancreatitis. The benefits of this invasive modality (release of the presumed impacted stone) may be offset, however, but the risks of the procedure, which include an increase in the severity of pancreatitis.

Q1: Is offset here a verb or noun? Does it mean "to neutralize some potential benefits"?

Q2: How should I get "however, but the risks of the procedure". It doesn't make any sense to me. I haven't seen any sentences like this before.


texts: Why does my book say that "to wear a nice dress" is an error in this sentence?

texts:
Ritika decided to get up early (1)/ to wear a nice dress (2)/ and visit her aunt. (3)/ No Error (4).

What is the error in above sentence? My book says (2) is wrong, but I didn't understand.


texts:
she barely had the energy to stomp on the spider, let alone the will
strong enough to care.

Could you please tell me what the object of "care" is?
Also, I don't know it means "she could not care about herself" or "she could not care about the spider".
The fuller text is here:

A scuffling sound caught her attention. She saw a tarantula, body as
big as an apple, scurrying out from its hiding place in the corner.
She got to her feet and used the mop to chase it outside. It was
crueler to send the spider back out into the heat than to crush it
with her shoe. Besides, she barely had the energy to stomp on the
spider, let alone the will strong enough to care. She had trouble
lately doing anything that didn’t result in food or water. The key to
life in this dry heat was conservation of everything: water, food,
emotion. That last one was the biggest challenge.

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah


texts:
I heard this phrase:

  Take me through the mud, but don't drag my family through it.

I wonder what it means. Can anyone help?


texts: "calotype, invented by an (the) Englishman William Henry Fox Talbot" - which article to use?

texts:
I'm uncertain which article to use in the following examples:

calotype, invented by an/the Englishman William Henry Fox Talbot
paper, written by a/the Scottish professor John Dudgeon
a studio founded by an/the American George R. West
In 1859, a/the Swiss photographer Pierre Joseph Rossier (c.1829-1897) took the first photo....

Seeing as Scottish and Swiss work as adjectives, but Englishman is a noun, is there a preference for using one article over another?


texts:
The advancing throng was almost too far away to be visible, but even
as Axel watched, his expression aloof yet observant, it came
perceptibly nearer, the vanguard of an immense rabble appearing from
below the horizon.  At last, as the daylight began to fade, the front
edge of the throng reached the crest of the first swell below the
horizon, and Axel turned from the terrace and walked down among the
time flowers.
Source: Ballard, J G - The Garden Of Time

I was wondering how Axel could turn from the terrace.
I know the following two examples are easy to understand:

He turned back to his work.
He turned away and looked out of the
window.

But I cannot make sense of "turn from".


texts: How to simplify double negative in this answer about the hypocrisy fallacy?

texts:
This fallacy, like most (with the exceptions being fallacies of formal logic like affirming the consequent and denying the antecedent), are not however absolute nor are they strict. By saying they are not strict, I mean merely being able to point out that something can be called a fallacy does not mean that you are not identifying a valid problem with an argument. By saying they are not absolute, I mean that they involve a human judgment as to whether or not the fallacy fits the argument well.

1. Would someone please explain the sentence with the bolded negative words? How can you rewrite this sentence using only positive words, because the sequence of negatives confuses me?

2. Why was this sentence rewritten with a double negative? Why not abide by (easier) positives?

3. What's the general algorithm or procedure, to prune sentences replete with negative words?


texts: How would you say "extremes of the word" with an adjective of qualification?

texts:
How would you say extremes of the word or edges of the word or characters at the end and at the beginning of the word (I don't know which one is correct, if any) using adjectives of qualification?

By extremes or edges of the word I mean, supposing the word is hello, the extremes would be h and o,  but if I have another expression %123awe&, the extremes would be % and &.

It would be nice if we could refer to those letters as extreme letters or extreme digits or edged digits.  Is one of this correct? Which alternatives do I have?


texts:
For Melville it is the early moment in which he reveals the internal battle that bubbles within this rather ordinary businessman. It is equally important that the narrator nearly loses his temper and that he does not do so.

Source

Can you explain to me what is the exact meaning of the phrase "he does not do so in" the context. It seems to me that it confirms the preceding statement but it seems to be a little bit redundant (he does not do so = he does nearly loses his temper).

P.S. He nearly loses his temper. Does it mean that the narrator only rarely loses his temper?


texts: Double negative simple alternative with nobody/anybody

texts:
In Portuguese it's very common to have negative concord, like in the common saying I'm trying to translate:

  Ninguém é melhor que ninguém

Which literally translates to

  Nobody is better than nobody

But I've seen that double negatives are not formal English and even If I were to use in a colloquial context I'm not sure it would transmit the message clearly, which is "No one is better than anyone else."

I was recommended to phrase it like this

  Nobody is better than anybody

But changing "anybody" for "nobody" seems susceptible for negative concord, so I wonder if the double negative would be fine in this case.

Which form is better? Or, is there an even better one?
Would the first translation be easily understood?


texts:
Kevin Pietersen silenced by the ECB as they block a move by Sky to
  hire him as a pundit for the Ashes over fears of his criticism

Above is a headline from a newspaper. I suspect some phrases in it are either incorrectly placed or not punctuated as they should be. For instance, the phrase 'over fears of his criticism' is far removed from the part it modifies, which, I guess, would be 'silenced by the ECB'. Alternatively, it could also be placed in the beginning of the sentence as a phrase.

Is my suspicion correct?

Thanks.


texts:
I didn't like him taking all the credit.

Would you please show me some more other examples in such a way that I could get its concept or construction better?-- although I almost know what this sentence means.

What is more, I am wondering if we must use always pronounce after like or we could use any subject.

Many thanks


texts: Two infinitives in a row: "not to try to kiss her"

texts:
Can I use double infinitive in a sentence like in the second example below?

  My friend: "Try not to kiss her, Manny"

  Me: "Why are you telling me not "to try to kiss" her?"

Is the second sentence correct as it has two infinitives together?


texts:
A1. I still can't speak English.
A2. I can't speak English yet.
B1. *I yet can't speak English.
B2. *I can't speak English still.

As far as I know, A1 and A2 are acceptable English.
But, I wonder, why are "yet" and "still" not perfectly interchangeable?
Is this a matter of grammar, style, vocabulary or usage?


texts: singular or plural: "notice no effect" vs "feel no effects"

texts:
The following is an excerpt from the book titled "On the move" written by Oliver Sacks.

  I was surprised to find, at one point, that I had drunk, in tiny increments, almost half the bottle. I noticed no effect, so I continued reading and sipping from the bottle, increasingly upended now it was half-empty. ...... The bottle was now empty. I still felt no effects; the stuff must be much weaker than they make out, I thought, even though it said "100 proof" on the label.

The singular or plural problem always has me confused. In the above, could anyone please explain to me why the author wrote "I noticed no effect"(not "no effects") and "I still felt no effects"(not "no effect")? Or are they just interchangeable?


texts:
In this sentence below:

“They may be coming sooner than we expected”.

Is the word ‘be’ in this sentence a helping verb?
Is the word ‘coming’ in this sentence a verbal?
What tense is this sentence in?
I think it’s in progressive tense but it doesn’t match up with how any of the progressive tenses are formed so I’m a bit confused.


texts:
What is the handle of a gift bag called in everyday conversations?
For example,
"The strap/strip/string of the gift bag"


texts:
“Why, this article,” I said, pointing at it with my egg spoon as I sat down to my breakfast. “I see that you have read it since you have marked it. I don’t deny that it is smartly written. It irritates me, though. It is evidently the theory of some armchair lounger who evolves all these neat little paradoxes in the seclusion of his own study. It is not practical. I should like to see him clapped down in a third-class carriage on the Underground, and asked to give the trades of all his fellow-travellers. I would lay a thousand to one against him.”

The one in bold is what I have difficulties in.

  clapped down and  give the trades of all his fellow-travellers

Especially, the phrases above in italic may be the reason I'm having a hard time.

Source: Study in scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle


texts:
I understand "appeared to publicly push back against the team" as "appeared to publicly refuse the team." That is, the director-general refuses to accept the team's conclusion of the investigation. Am I on the right track?

Some journalists and scientists called the event a double win for China and demanded more evidence for the rejection of the lab theory. And on 12 February, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus appeared to publicly push back against the team, saying "all hypotheses are on the table" with respect to the pandemic's origins. Meanwhile, media reports have suggested that WHO team members were disappointed about not getting access to certain data, for instance on Chinese patients with respiratory symptoms who may have been some of the earliest COVID-19 cases.

Source:  Science  'Politics was always in the room.' WHO mission chief reflects on China trip seeking COVID-19’s origin
By Kai KupferschmidtFeb. 14, 2021


texts: Why is there no plural 's' after "hundred" or "thousand" in cardinal numbers?

texts: Let's say we have the numeral "12,345". Why is it pronounced as "twelve thousand three hundred and forty five" as opposed to "twelve thousands three hundreds and forty five". Are 's's omitted while pronouncing numerals to make the whole thing more succinct and easier to pronounce?


texts: Using "would" + present simple in a conditional sentence

texts:
While watching a tv-series, I saw this sentence:

  A: I wonder what she will be wearing tonight. Do you
  think she'll be in her high school field hockey uniform? That'd be
  crazy, right?

  B: Yes, it'd be crazy if that's what she wears to a wedding.

I wonder why this usage is fine. Is it fine because "character A" ask whether it would be crazy or not?

Is it okay to use "would" with past simple in a conditional sentence? I thought this would be better with second conditionals as:

  It would be crazy if she wore that to a wedding.


texts: Analysis of "Wendell is here today"; in particular the phrase "here today"

texts:
When I started to analyze this sentence: Wendell is here today. I saw that a linking verb is used and immediately I thought that the phrase which follows must be a subject complement. But while analyzing it I realized that I might be mistaken since after the verb an adverbial phrase is used: here today. So I got confused is it now a subject complement or an adverbial adjunct?
Is in this case the verb is a linking verb?


texts: Is there a word for a person who doesnt share much information?

texts:
Is there a word (adjective) to describe a man who is very sparing in his words and often unclear. He leaves few words to describe a requirement. Often he misses to put references and/or examples in order to better elicit what he wants - and he assumes we can read his mind.
Like concise - but without being clear :)


texts: What's a professional synonym for "would love to"?

texts:
I frequently use the expression "I would love to" when I write e-mails to request things from the other party. As in "I would love to have a call to discuss..." I feel like it conveys humility, expressing that the other party would be doing me a favor by accepting the call, for instance, which is useful for sales.

However, it was pointed out to me that this may not be very professional, because it has the word "love" in it. Are there any similar constructs that can convey the similar subtlety of the expression, while still sounding more professional?

Expressions like "I would like to.." clearly don't make the cut..


texts: When a master at work / When a master is at work

texts:
How to say correctly:

  What the violin really sounds like when a master at work.

Or

  What the violin really sounds like when a master is at work.


texts: I went see his dog (in American English)

texts:
The past tense of 'I go see his dog.' (in conversational AE)

I somehow feel the first one a bit odd but the second and the third sound okay to me. Could anyone please clarify if my way of putting 'I go see his dog' into the past tense is okay? You wouldn't say 'I went see his dog,' would you?

  A: I heard you went to John's house yesterday.

  B: (1) I went see his dog. (2) I went to see his dog. (3) I went and
  saw his dog.


texts: Implicit meaning of 'I am curious to know'?

texts:
Is it implicit that when I say 'I'm curious to know (blablabla)', I convey a meaning that I feel it fascinating? For example,

  I'm curious to know that you started a company one year ago.

Does this sentence imply that I feel enlightened and feel curious after I realised you started a company?

If this is incorrect, when should I use 'I'm curious to know...'? Could you give an example?


texts: What expression could be used in English to say that you want to discuss to the root of the problem directly?

texts:
I would like to know one expression that means the same as "Going to the root of the problem..." Could, you please, let me know the expression and the meaning of it?
Thank you in advance.


texts: Can we use superlative degree when comparing?

texts:
In my academics I've learnt that we use comparative degree when comparing any thing. But I shocked when my friend told me that this sentence is correct.

  The population of Tokyo is greatest among any other town in the
  world.

I suggest greater than any other should replace the bold italics. Please help me.

Also what about greater than that of any other? Is their any subtle difference between the two [I suggested]?


texts:
How do I talk about the sound that leaves make when they break?
Leaves crumbling down by footstep, or leaves in someone's hand being crushed.

  It's the leaf breaking sound.
  It's the leaves breaking sound.
  It's the sound of leaves breaking.

Are any of these correct? Do I have to say differently?


texts:
I read this (below) in "The Hindu":

  The aim of the National Blood Policy formulated by the government bank in 2002 was to "ensure easily accessible and adequate supply of safe and quality blood". To achieve this goal, India should look to reforming its regulatory approach at the earliest.

Now as per the Merriam-Webster "at the earliest means":
used to indicate the earliest possible time when something will happen or be done. In the latter sentence there is no future time specified. So, is the writer misguided?


texts: How to avoid ambiguity in the sentence“This is a little used car”?

texts:
Here’s a sentence which  is open to two interpretations and therefore can’t be grammatical:

  “This is a little used car”.

To avoid the ambiguity of the meaning, would it be enough just to insert a comma between the above two (maybe reversing the position of “used” and “little”) so that it would mean a used/second-hand car that is not large in size?

  This is a little, used car.

  This is a used, little car.

What is the way to emphasize that the car (no matter what its size is) has been used for a short time?

I’m thinking of using a hyphen:

  This is a little-used car

But I’m not sure about whether it would be correct.

Anyway, being read aloud, both “a little, used” and “a little-used” to me, a non-native English speaker, sound pretty much alike.

Are there other ways of expressing the very same ideas in oral speech for them to be clearly understood?

An addition:

Not having received the answer so far, I feel like adding to my question the following:

From what I have been able to gather by now, one of the main functions of hyphens (separating words into parts being kept in mind) is combining separate words into a single word to clarify meanings,  removing ambiguities from sentences. Gluing words together hyphens notify the reader that two or more elements in a sentence are linked.

At the GrammarBook.com site (Rule 5) there’s a recommendation never to hesitate to add a hyphen if it may solve a possible problem of ambiguity. In this regard, might a hyphen gluing “used” and “car” together (“This is a little used-car”) help solve the problem so that the meaning were “not large in size, used car”? If there’s a restriction (@stangdon in his comment says there is) on using hyphens to link an adjective and the noun it modifies,  can’t it be ignored by writers for the sake of clarity?


texts:
This is a "Hot Network Question" from another site that I thought would make a great question here.

  The Joker: "I believe whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you stranger." (Clip from The Dark Knight for context)

I think it's a great line, but what does it mean? And how is it twisted?


texts:
Here is the letter from Pope Pius XII to Hitler:

To the illustrious, Herr Adolf Hitler, Führer and Chancellor of the German Reich!
Here at the beginning of our pontificate we wish to assure you that we remain devoted to the spiritual welfare of the German people entrusted to your leadership. For them we implore God the Almighty to grant them that true felicity which springs from religion.
We recall with great pleasure the many years we spent in Germany as Apostolic Nuncio, when we did all in our power to establish harmonious relations between Church and State. Now that the responsibilities of our pastoral function have increased our opportunities, how much more ardently do we pray to reach that goal.
May the prosperity of the German people and their progress in every domain come, with God's help, to fruition!
Given this day, 6th March 1939, in Rome at St. Peter's in the first year of our pontificate.
Pope Pius XII

I wonder if the marked sentence requires a question mark. To my non-native ear, it lacks the question mark. Yet, I wonder if a higher rule is at work here, such as "there is no need for a question mark in a 'now that' sentence even if it asks a question". I know it sounds silly but I've come across so many things I was taught to be impossible to exist.
And, of course, it may well be a typo which might arise out of the Pope's being a non-native as well, and of miscopying of the letter in the sources I've found it, though latter of which I don't think being highly possible.


texts: Can I have two tensed verbs in a question?

texts:
Which of these sentences is correct ?

  Is taking all your stuffs along with you is clumsy and annoying?
  Is taking all your stuffs along with you clumsy and annoying?


texts: "I'll do it after I finished that" VS "I'll do it after I have finished that"

texts:
"I'll do it after I finished that"

  "I'll do it after I have finished that"

What's the difference here?


texts: Why does this sentence use the perfect past tense?

texts:
I am an esl student. I have read a paragraph from the book The Old Man and Sea and found some tense problems. I don't know if I change the tense to this sentence, will it make sense?

from this

  “I’ve been asking you to,“ the boy told him gently. “I have not wished to open the container until you were ready.“

to this

  "I not wished to open the container until you were ready."

And what is the different between 'I only needed time to wash' and 'I only need time to wash'?　why the word 'need' need to be in past tense.

  “I’m ready now,“ the old man said. “I only needed time to wash.“


texts: Can I use "those" instead of "one of those people who"?

texts:
Is it possible to only use "Those" instead of "One of those people who"
I'm not one of those people who like to talk behind people's backs.
I'm not one of those who like to talk behind people's backs.


texts: Normally we'll use last night when we're talking about yesterday's night, but how about yesterday's morning? Why can't we use last morning so as afternoon? Just like last weekend, last Friday, last meant the nearest time in the past. Then why can't we call yesterday's morning as last morning?


texts:
What article should I use with the word sarcasm?

-Are you serious?
-No, it's [a/the/ ] sarcasm.


texts: Give me a water. Is this expression possible in conversation?

texts:
I know that "water" or "a glass(cup) of water" is the right expression.

But I'm wondering.

If someone says to you that "Give me a water, please.", what would you think that means?


texts:
I have couple of questions.

First, I'm wondering which one of these is correct:

I'll forever be indebted to you.
I'll indebted to you forever.

And second, I'm not really sure how to use "indebted" in a sentence. What's the difference between "indebted for" and "indebted to"?


texts: What is the function/meaning of "thus understood" in this sentence?

texts:
The obvious paradox which makes the thesis of man’s animal origin
thus understood actually serve idealism has already been pointed out by A. Leroi-Gourhan. Haunted by the idea of the ape-man, the
paleontology and prehistory of the nineteenth century and the
beginning of the twentieth century have persisted in the mistake for a
long time.


texts: Is the tense usage in "Bob has tried to help but can't crack the code" correct?

texts:
Context: Alice has some issues with an app. She talks to Bob who is familiar with the app, but he couldn't fix it and refers her to some experts group.
Alice initiates a conversation with the experts group as given below.
Alice:  "Stuck in an endless loop with the app. Bob has tried to help but can't crack the code."
Is the usage of present perfect "has" in th ebaove statement with the given context correct? I'd have used simple past like "Bob tried to ..."
Which is correct and why?


texts: What does "get someone in the guts" mean?

texts:
Does it mean "inspire someone"?

It would be the same thing. It would be, Find a passion, you know - Joseph Campbell said follow your bliss. Find something that absolutely gets you in the gut. Everything else comes if you’re really passionate about it. You’ll work the hours, do what it takes because you love what you’re doing. And you’ll probably live a lot longer.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimclash/2017/04/18/peter-buffett-warrens-youngest-son-says-growing-up-buffett-was-nothing-fancy/#7263da7d6506


texts:
If I have two sentences such as

He is going to Paris next week.
He is going to travel to Paris.

The first sentence is present continuous for future.

My question: What can I call the second sentence in the grammar?

I don't want to get a name like "future" I want a specific name e.g. (future simple - future continuous - and so on)


texts: "If only + would have/could have" conditionals

texts:
If only I had known about your arrival, I would have come to the station to receive you.

But I think there should be could have instead of would have. We use that kind of conditional when we have regret about past.
For example

If only he could have explained( but he wasn't able to) not If only he would have explained. and
If only I had passes the exam, I would have got the car.( but he didn't get the car)

In this sentence i think use of would have is correct.
But i am confused about 1 sentence. Don't know if i should use could have or would have.


texts: Using the future tense in a sentence containing a dependent clause starting with "when"

texts:
Which of the following sentences is correct?

  When we know what she decides, we will see what to do.

  When we will know what she decides, we see what to do.

  When we will know what she decides, we will see what to do.

The reason I am asking is that in Italian I would use the future tense for both the clauses, and I would tend to do the same in English too.


texts:
Yogurt was rated AS less sweet than when eaten with heavier or larger spoons.

Is the underlined AS a preposition or an adverb?  Could you help me clarify it?   Thank you always.


texts:
I just used an expression like this by accident;

  I'll definitely try it when I become not to worry about that.

I don't know why I thought this expression is OK, but I've got curious how frequently people use this 'become to (verb)' form. I goggled it but I hadn't found any usage, so I think it might be an ill-formed English.


texts: "someone will have arrived yesterday" - Future Perfect Tense in the past?

texts:
If they’re following their schedule, they will have arrived yesterday.

Yesterday? But yesterday is not a part of the future? I'm confused now.


texts: Future continuous to emphasize the duration of an action

texts:
This year he (fly) has flown over 60,000 miles for his job. He (work) has been working for Crossinglives & Co. for almost two years now. He (be)
  is sure sure that he (work) will be working for them next year as well

Why not say  will work instead of will be working to emphasize the duration?


texts:
Can we put two adverbs in a row without any "connecting" word in between?

Here's an example:

  I can stealthily physically harm this guy by using my telekinetic
  power.

Is this grammatically correct? And if not why isn't it correct? And how can I fix the sentence?


texts: Why is there no definite article before "Western democracy"?

texts:
In doing so, Mawdudi is not attemping to incorporate the liberal
  values of Western democracy.

Why did the author not use a definite article before Western? Should it not be used though? Since it refers to a specific democracy type, I think it should.


texts:
1-I am sorry if I have offended anyone.

2-I’m sorry if I offended anyone.

Are these sentences grammatically correct ? And the "if parts" refer to past or present ? And if the "if part" refer to past why dont we use these sentences:

3-I am sorry if I'd had offended anyone.

4-I am sorry if I'd offended anyone.


texts:
Let's say you are on a journey to your friend's house. Then before you get there, you come across a dead-end street, which you never thought of, finally, you and your friend meet. Then you say:

  ''Oh finally I got here!, there was a dead-end street I came across before I got here, and I'd never thought there will be one.''

Or

  ''Oh finally I got here!, there was a dead-end street I came across before I got here, and I never thought there will be one.''

Which is correct?


texts: Is "Do you hear the people sing?"grammatically OK?

texts: I'd always thought that they sing "Do you hear the people sing?" instead of "Do you hear the people's song?" in the main song of Les Miserables. Nevertheless, would it be grammatically OK, or should I rather use " Do you hear the people singing?"in this type of sentence?


texts: What is the meaning of the phrase in the following sentence,in bold?

texts: House prices in many parts of the world have been booming for the better part of two decades.


texts: "Where were you yesterday?" vs. "Where have you been yesterday?"

texts:
Can anyone explain to me the difference between

  Where were you yesterday?

and

  Where have you been yesterday?

It seems to me that second question focuses more on the result of the previous day and the first on the sole fact that the previous day has happened.


texts:
If there are two genes that are different by only a single base pair, and a single point mutation happens, why could one be converted into another, not the other? Does the author mean a new, different third gene?

Generally speaking, a single mutation in an existing gene cannot
produce a new gene with a different function. If two genes differ by
only a single base pair, then a single point mutation could convert
one into another. Usually, however, these two genes will be
regarded merely as variants of the same gene, and will have an
identical function unless the mutation is at some critical spot that
renders the second gene non-functional. The same goes for other basic
alterations, such as the deletion or repetition of an existing
sequence. To get a gene with an entirely new function usually requires
many, many alterations, a concatenation of several unlikely steps — a
series of just the right mutations happening either all at once, or
one after another. Unlikelihood multiplies into impossibility. If I
guess the next card you draw from the deck, you’d be impressed but not
amazed. If I guessed ten in a row, you’d suspect a trick because that
would happen only about once every fifty quadrillion trials.

The Ascent of Humanity


texts:
I would like to inquire about the following points related to "touch base":

Is "touch base" an idiom?
Is it formal or informal? For example, in a work environment when the boss say to his employee: I would like to touch base with you. In this case, is it formal or informal.
Can it be used convey good news or bad new? For example:

  The teacher would like to touch base with her students to reward him
  or punish him.


texts:
What does "hog" mean in football (soccer) context?
78 min: Chelsea hog the ball. The clock ticks on. Everton haven’t really threatened to get back into this game.


texts: Different syntax, different meaning: "application field" & "field application"?

texts:
I was wondering about the difference between these two expressions is.

application field (generic)
field application (I think this is specialist jargon in engineering).

Apparently they indicate the same, but I think it isn't so.

Can changing the position of just two words cause a notable difference in meaning?


texts: Usage of prepositions after the noun "support"

texts:
You have been a great support to my mom.
You have been a great support of my mom.
You have been a great support for my mom.

Do all prepositions work here? The first one is correct as it's the original example from a dictionary, but I am wondering if the other two prepositions work.


texts:
Example (Why Is Putin Sending Troops to Syria?):

  Weiss refers to “compelling evidence that Russians have embedded with the Syrian military.” Assad recently told Hezbollah’s TV station that “We have strong confidence in the Russians, as they have proven throughout this crisis, for four years, that they are sincere and transparent in their relationship with us,” and he appears to be right.

I don't understand why it is not embedded in? They're actually supposed to be embedded IN the Syrian military if what the author is trying to say is that Russians have become part of Syrian regiments. It almost sounds like Russians have embedded together with the Syrian military in something, but it just doesn't say what that something is. What do you guys think?


texts: Is there a Russian accent in my pronunciation of "lee"?

texts:
My first language is Russian. I tried to learn American English pronunciation of the word "lee" and other words containing / li / sound, like "delete". When I compared the recording of my voice with the given example of correct pronunciation, they sounded quite different. My pronunciation sounded like / li /, and the correct one sounded like / lɪi / with the sound ɪ being very short.  I believe, that my pronunciation was not correct, but I was told my pronunciation was ok.
I listened to many examples of pronunciation in dictionaries and in YouGlish and I still believe my pronunciation had a distinguishable Russian accent.
I would be glad if any American Native Speakers could confirm one of the two things:

there was a Russian or other Foreign accent in my pronunciation or...
my pronunciation sounded like an American Native Speaker without any foreign accent would pronounce it.

I attached a screen recording video. In this recoding I first press a button and the correct dictionary pronunciation plays, and then I press another button and a recording of my pronunciation plays.
Update: I found an article saying that /iː/ is a diphthong.

Here’s John Wells on FLEECE in Accents of English, 1982:
the general phonetic nature of this vowel could be adequately
represented as /i/, as /iː/, or indeed as /ɪi/, /ɪj/ (p. 140)

Gussenhoven & Broeders (English pronunciation for student teachers,
2nd ed., 1997):
RP /iː/, as in piece, sea, is a close, front, unrounded vowel. It is
typically somewhat diphthongised, much like [ɪi] (p. 95)


texts: I want to ask some grammar from the reading book(six way paragraphs)

texts:
Although he fought the inevitable, in typical fashion, for about a week, he finally die on October 31, 1926.

I don't understand that "he fought the inevitable", as I know "inevitable" is adjective.

But the Mount St. Helens cataclysm was only one in a long time of spectacular volcanic eruptions that have occurred over the past hundreds years, many resulting in far more damage and loss of life.

I have understood what the sentence means, but I feel that need to add noun between "many" and "resulting".

The purpose of the first paragraph is to provide details necessary to understanding the story.

I don't understand "necessary to understanding the story", it should be "necessary to understand the story", shouldn't it?

Thanks for helping .


texts:
We are leaving on tour to Italy tomorrow for 10 days, after that we tour  USA  and Canada for two weeks. When we come back we play Fuzzville in Benidorm. Then some gigs in England, Holland, France, Scotland. Our album will be out on Slovenly next fall

why present is used here? Both are future events
is it because it is an habit to play both festivals and to tour Usa and Canada for the band or is it because are leaving indicates that these events take place in the future


texts: What is a dedicated control/dedicated controller and dedicated attenuator?

texts:
The text tells about music modular synthesis and the above-mentioned words are the tools we use for the purpose of modular synthesis. Here is the paragraph:
So here I have a sound, and I can change the sound a bit. And again, don't worry about what's going on here too much, just like we did before, I can use another signal, control voltage, to change the sound for me. But nothing will happen because this signal is 100% attenuated and we can control this attenuation with the dedicated control for this specific parameter so basically, we can increase the range of modulation with the dedicated attenuator.
So an attenuator will reduce the strength of the signal and will give us more control over how much of the signal we want to let through. But there's another type of controller that allows us also to invert, to flip the signal and this is the attenuverter so let's send this modulation to the timbre this time. And already you can see that the dedicated controller for this parameter starts at the center.


texts: Isn't it wrong to say "dependent clauses can't stand alone"?

texts:
Everyone says "dependent clauses are the ones that can't stand alone." I think that's a wrong interpretation of subordinate clauses. By that logic, even independent clauses can't stand alone. Let me explain:
"Rob went to the restaurant because he was hungry."
Of course, "because he was hungry" can't stand alone. But let's look a coordinating conjunction and do the same thing:
"Rob went to the jungle, and he got lost."
Can "and he got lost" stand alone? No. If you leave out the conjunctions, both sentences can stand alone.
So why do they say that?
In my opinion the difference is best put like this: coordinating conjunctions give more weight to one of the clauses, and that's why they are called "independent clauses". Subordinate conjunctions do the opposite.


texts: Can anybody explain "hold majorities in 33 House delegations" for me, please?

texts:
I don't quite understand this phrase:

"That’s anybody’s guess, but the current makeup of Congress would appear to put Republicans in the driver’s seat. Republicans hold majorities in 33 House delegations, Democrats have majorities in 14, and three are tied. That could change, of course, based on the Nov. 8 results."

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-11-03/what-happens-if-nobody-wins-the-presidency-quicktake-q-a


texts: Elimination of intensifiers and downtoners

texts: Is there any paper/work to prove that elimination of intensifiers and down toner from a sentence keep the meaning  of sentence same?


texts: Can I use "walk with limps" to imply that both legs are in pain or injured?

texts:
I know that, we can say something like

  He had a stiff ankle on the right leg and walked with a limp. (self-made sentence)

Now, I am wondering if can I use the plural "limps" to imply he had to move his legs one after the other to move forward:

  He had stiff ankles and walked with limps. (self-made sentence)

If not, what's the idiomatic way to describe this situation, in which you have to move the legs one by one in a controlled manner so that you can move forward one step.


texts:
________ such a terrible earthquake hit the area, no one can tell how devastating the aftermath will be.

That
Could
When
Should
Because

The answer is 'should'. 'When' is impossibe because if you use 'when' you should change 'hit' to 'hits'.
So I wonder 'if' is possible?

Q1) "If such a terrible earthquake hit the area,~" is this sentence possible? (specially in grammar)

If possible

If such a terrible earthquake should hit the area, ~ (hit = verb root)
If such a terrible earthquake hit the area,~ (hit = past verb)

Q2) What is difference between two sentences?


texts: Nuance : "I'm not scared" vs "I'm not afraid"

texts:
I think there's a nuance between scared and afraid, especially with "I'm not". Ngram Viewer shows that the "not afraid" is used much more that "not scared".

It could be because afraid is more literary and sounds better in books, and Ngram searches books. But I think that:

I'm not scared refers to something specific, scary right now or that has just happened.

I'm not afraid refers to what is coming, what could be scary ahead.

Am I correct?

As I excepted, there are quite a lot of questions about "afraid" vs "scared", but unfortunately most of them are unanswered and none answer my question.


texts:
As a non-native learner, Our 10-line essay on daily routine is full of the word then.

  I get up at 6 o clock in the morning. Then I make my bed and go to the bathroom.
  Then I have breakfast with my family around 8:30. Then I leave home at 9:30.

Blah.. blah blah..

Please tell me about the cases where I should and shouldn't use then.

Thanks in advance.


texts: Can "bed wetting" be said: 'pee your bed' or 'pee in your bed'

texts:
Kids wet their beds. So can't it be:

  He peed his bed.

Or

  He peed in his bed.

What sounds right:#1 or #2? It occurred to me because it's said 'he peed his pants.'


texts: Is the use of the word 'sacrificial' right?

texts:
For an animal which is sacrificed to God, which adjective should be used – sacrificial or sacrificed?

Which phrase is right?

sacrificial animal OR sacrificed animal?


texts: (The) Use of Electronic Devices not allowed in classroom-Needing "the" or not?

texts:
I am wondering if we can omit "the" in the case we want to warn someone against "the use of something?".
For example:

  On an airplane in some countries, (the) use of any electronic devices
  is firmly prohibited.

  In the classroom, (the) use of electronic devices such as smartphones
  are unacceptable.

In this case, "the use" of electronic devices is very ambiguous. What I mean is that we don't how what people are going to use the devices for; they can calling, texting, playing games, or even prohibited dangerous stuff. The range is too far for putting the term "the" in the sentence.

That's just my assumption. I am open and forward to hearing from every one in the forum.


texts: I am confused about a present perfect tense

texts:
Which one is correct in below sentence; I am confuse about "been".

  1) You have been disconnected from black ops 2 server.

  2) You have disconnected from black ops 2 server.


texts:
Can you say:

  "I just hope that, in the country where I have applied to work in the future, is where I will find my soon-to-be wife, so that I won't have any problem as for the long-term relationship issues."

As you can see, I have 2 "where'' in my sentence, is this grammatical?


texts: Preposition selection for "Are you doing anything special ..... New Year?"

texts:
I have another confusing test question:

  Are you doing anything special ..... New Year?"

Possible answers:

  in
  on
  at

If 'New Year' is the period in the begging on the new year then we can use 'in'.

If 'New Year' is the New Year's Day (or the New Year's Eve) the we should use 'on'.

I also suspect that 'the' article should be used before 'New Year'.

Could someone clarify usage of 'New Year'?


texts: I came to realise... the meaning of "come +infinitive"

texts:
When someone says "I came to realise...", I know it can mean he realised it gradually.

Can it mean one day he suddenly realised something? For example,

  One week later, I came to realise that I missed my appointment.

If this is wrong, can I ask how to express the meaning of I realised something very late?

For example, normally people realise they missed an appointment on the day or next day, but I realised it one week later.


texts: What does "sucking on the night as it came"

texts:
A towering, hooded figure was gliding smoothly toward him, hovering over the ground, no feet or face visible beneath its robes, sucking on the night as it came.
—Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

How does one suck on the night? and does as it came mean when it came?


texts:
Question is about the confusion of using word give or take examination or a test for a Tutor and student?
We want to learn the use of Give and Take with respect to Examination;
 a.if we are a student then do we give/take examination?


texts: Single word that encompasses backpacks, baskets, pockets, etc

texts:
What is a good, single word to describe any means of keeping and transporting items?
The word must describe: backpacks, baskets, pockets, purses and plastic bags. Bonus points if hands fit the definition.
I don't think most people would consider a pocket to be a container but I can't think of anything more general.


texts:
Albate I think this issue is pertaining to the standard or slang English, Still I want to ensure if it's related to that or not.

Since I came across many times in movies and some everyday english talks they use the main clause of the 3rd conditional as the next part of a wish clause. The following example could illustrate much easier though.

  i. I wish I could've gone there.

  ii. I wish I had gone there.

Regarding the example, I need to know:

1.What's the difference between two in terms of meaning?

2.Is this variation regarded to the issue of standard/slang English or they totally differ from each other in terms of grammar?


texts: In "the chickens come home to roost" - is "roost" a verb or noun?

texts:
Consider:

  the chickens come home to roost

Is the word roost used as a verb or noun in this idiom?


texts:
What is the name of the paper of the result of the ECG?

I saw someone (non native English speaker) who called it "tracing", I would like to ensure it and to know if there are alternatives for that.


texts: The use of "threaten" here and the meaning of the sentence

texts:
I read an illustrated magazine and find the following sentence along with the illustration. Please help paraphrase, thank you.

  In an age that was only just beginning to flirt with impropriety, there was still employment for this bathing-machine attendant, somewhere on the coast of England 1900. But a new morality threatened.


texts:
Is there any textual usage difference between words like "I've" and "I have", or is it just an accent thing?
e.g.

I've finished my homework.
I have finished my homework.

It's a beautiful day.
It is a beautiful day.


texts: Is it: 'They and I?' Or: 'Them and I?' Or: 'Them and me?' Or something else?

texts:
This is purely for communication via online social media for the proper use of a phrase which I am unsure of its proper structure;

which of the following is proper use:
1.) They and I,
2.) Them and I,
3.) Them and me?

For example: "the only difference between ... and ... is this"

If there's something I'm missing could someone please inform me?


texts: On the meaning of the verb "give" in the phrase "give family histories of something"

texts:
Consider the sentence below.

  They often attributed their alcoholism to connubial stress, boredom, or depression. A large percentage of the women give family histories of alcoholism.

(Source)

I can guess that it implies large percentage of the women afflicted with alcoholism have had a alcoholic person in their family.

I scrutinized the verb "give" in my Oxford dictionary, but I was not able to come across with any definition related to the above context.

Could you please tell me, which definition of the verb "give" has been used in the above sentence?

More Info:

I have checked below definitions, but I'm not able to discern the appropriate definition used above.

  provide someone with something
  make someone owner of something
  put medicine in someone
  cause effect/experience
  communicate
  perform action
  allow someone to do something
  pass illness to someone else
  pay money
  stretch/bend/break etc
  change decision
  use all time/energy


texts: Difference in meaning : Rude of you to say vs Rude of you saying

texts:
Don't you think that it's a little rude of you saying that?
  Don't you think that it's a little rude of you to say that?

What is the difference in meaning between them? and Are they all grammatically correct?


texts: Why is past simple used in this sentence when it happened before?

texts:
Philippe Siegfried called me one day in February to announce that he
  had unpublished titles of his group PANORAMAS. It was Emmanuelle
  Jean-Luc Taccard's wife (LUCAS TROUBLE, TANGO LÜGER ...) who
  passed my contact, I told him that I was looking for unpublished titles for the label.

Why not past perfect for this sentence as it happened before the phone call and it is because Emmanuel had given the contact that the phone call was possible?


texts:
This is from a book

  John turned to the workstation and typed a series of commands.

Why is there an  "a". Is it a plural, right? So, why the indefinite article in this case?


texts:
I ran into a sentence containing involved in and I think in this sentence, the verb should be used in its active form but there are many sentences like this.

  The four-step process involved in the creation of the mural took a year to complete.

Can I change the phrase the four-step process involved in... into the four-step process which was involved in...?


texts:
I just want to know when should I use the following two:

I forget
I forgot

For example, I had to call someone, but I didn't remember to call.

So, what should I use:
"I forget to call you" or "I forgot to call you"


texts: Is it natural and correct to say "let's introduce to each other"?

texts:
Is it natural and correct to say let's introduce to each other? For example:

I am your new teacher so let's introduce to each other.

Would it be better to say

I am your new teacher so let's ourselves introduce to each other?

What is the most natural way to say that?


texts:
Is it possible to use "or not" (clausal reduction) without whether or if?

  I will decide to do it or not. (without whether)

And this type of form

  I will decide to do it or do that.

Are these grammatical?