texts: ..the recent national push for accountability,

texts:
I could not fathom the meaning of the last part of the following sentence, which I  highlighted.

  Historically, many groups attempted to maintain their native languages
  even as they learned English, and for a time, some were able to do so
  with relatively little resistance until a wave of xenophobia swept the
  country during World War 1 (Kloss, 1977/1998). Other groups, Africans,
  and Native Americans encountered repressive politics much earlier.
  During the 1960s, a more tolerant policy climate emerged. However, for
  the past two decades there has been a steady undertow of resistance to
  bilingualism and bilingual education. This article provides historical
  background and analyzes contemporary trends in language-minority
  education within the context of the recent national push for
  accountability, which typically takes the form of high-stakes testing.

    This article provides historical background and analyzes contemporary
    trends in language-minority education within the context of the recent
    national push for accountability, which typically takes the form of
    high-stakes testing.

Original text is here.


texts:
I have been staring at this sentence for 5 minutes:

I looked up, though I could not see his face, nor he mine.

"Nor he mine" seems...off to me. Is this grammatically correct?


texts:
call up : to make a phone call to a person or a place

  Call up and make a reservation for eight o'clock.
  Can you call up for me and tell them I'm sick?

In these sentences, I don't know what does 'up' mean?

I (non native) understand what 'up' means in these sentences:

  I looked up at the sky.
  The flag is up.

But when we use 'call up'... What nuance of meaning of the word 'up' is here?
Is it possible to omit 'up'? Would it still be the same meaning?

And these sentences do not have 'up':

  I'll call again later.
  I called the office to tell them I'd be late.

So what is difference between 'call' and 'call up'? What nuance does 'up' take?


texts: Differences between prepositions in and at

texts:
I am with difficulty to understand this prepositions "in" and "at", specifically when it refers to places.

For example, in this sentence, which is the correct and why?

I am IN the beach.

I am AT the beach.


texts: What is the meaning of "put your ass in reverse"?

texts: I couldn't get the meaning of "put your ass in reverse". I've heard this in Pitbull's song: Back up. Please clarify.


texts:
A taxi driver has just dropped a customer off at a building. Before the taxi driver drives off, the police arrives.
Taxi driver - Who are you looking for?
Police officer - His name is James Davis.
Taxi driver - Oh my God, that's the guy I drove here. He just went inside.
Question: Is the highlighted part natural?


texts: "work experiences" vs. "work experience"

texts:
Imagine that, I am the new manager to a team, I need to know about my team members' work history in this company and before this company.

  Last week, I reviewed all the employees' work experiences in my team

  Last week, I reviewed all the employees' work experience in my team

It seems that Ngram Viewer supports both

which one should I use?

could someone make up a situation where the other one is used? for example, if "work experience" is the correct choice for the situation above, in what situation "work experiences" should be used?


texts:
He is a friend of mine.
  He is a friend of me.
  He is a friend of my father's.
  He is a friend of my father.

Which of them are correct?
What is the difference between 3 and 4?


texts: "Complain about" and "complain of". What's the difference?

texts: When do we say "complain about" and when "complain of"? Is the former used in general to say we're annoyed or not satisfied about something, and the latter when we are speaking about ilnesses?


texts: How to ask time using present perfect continuous

texts:
Today, while teaching one of my students about present perfect continuous one of them asked how to ask time while using present perfect continuous.
I want to ask what was the time when he started say playing football.
So far I have come up with 2 solutions to my dilemma

Since what time have you been playing football? or
What time have you been playing football?

or asking "how long have you been playing football would work?
I learned that if asking time one should use "what time"
but since I am not a native I must apologise if I am mistaken.
So my dear friends tell me how am I supposed to phrase the question with perfect grammar?


texts: “Am I misunderstanding” vs. "Do I misunderstand"

texts:
In one of my posts (alternative words to "denote"), an answerer says

  "that" in the example sentence is not strictly grammatical. It should be "who."

And I replied

  per Cambridge Dictionary, "that" could stand for people, it is just informal, not grammatically incorrect. Am I misunderstanding that?

In this context, should I say the one above or the following

  ... Do I misunderstand that?

or something else? Could someone please give a hint? Thanks in advance.


texts:
Today I read a grammar rule regarding usage

In the following sentence

  He informed me that he had gone to one of the minister's residences and stayed there all night

Rule was in such constructions the bold part is wrong and it should be

  .........gone to the residence of one of the ministers.....

That is fine, but if my intent is to say that he had gone to one of the residences of the minister then I think the above construction is grammatical

A similar usage is present in the editorial that I am reading

The lenders have to shoulder a fair share of the blame as the delay in initiating the insolvency process has drastically eroded some of the airline’s key assets, including customer goodwill, its aircraft fleet, routes and landing slots and even its experienced flight crew.


texts: In front of people/to people (around people)

texts:
Does "in front of people" sound natural in English?
.

  It is how you present yourself in front of people.

  It is how you present yourself to people.

(It is how you present yourself when you are around people)

Edited: Is is ----> It is.


texts:
I found this sentence:

  He stopped for a moment, then walked across to the house.

I can't understand the meaning of "across" and the use of "to the".

The context: a man ("he") is hiding in the garden of a house and the owner of the house call him in whispering.


texts:
Which one is correct from the structural point of view? Why?:

  Only once in a blue moon will Mr. Smith let us get out of class early.

or

  Only once in a blue moon, Mr. Smith will let us get out of class
  early.


texts: 'You know how we have ...' vs 'You know we have ...' and present verb for past event

texts:
A: Get this.  You know how we have those clients visiting at work next week?B: Uh-huh.
  A: Well, my boss and I were supposed to take them out to dinner on Wednesday night.  But this morning, she walks into my office and tells me she can’t make it after all.

My questions:

Can I say without 'how' like 'you know we have those clients visiting at work next week?
If the meaning is the same without 'how', could I get more similar examples?
If it's the same, Why is the speaker putting 'how'?
'She walks...' 'tells' are the present tense, the situation is in the past, but the speaker uses present tense. ... why? What is the effect of the present tense in the past?


texts:
I have an assignment that is 30 percent of my grade. Would my teacher say

  This task counts toward 30 percent of you guys' grades or you guys' grade?

And why?

[EDIT includes minor corrections]


texts: "What is his nationality?" "What nationality is he?"

texts:
What is the difference between the below two sentences? Do they express completely the same meaning (from the idiomatic usage perspective of view)?

What is his nationality?

What nationality is he?


texts:
People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to
  the Muggle world. (Harry Potter)

Is the phrase "back to the Muggle world" an adjective or adverbial one?


texts:
Is it correct to say "which country do you like the most?" or is there any other way to ask this question?

Is it ok to skip 'the' in this question? I heard that one should use 'the' when speaking of superlative but I often see the sentences like 'Which do you like most?'


texts: Use of "Having said that" with "However"?

texts:
Is it ok to use "However" with "Having said that" in the same sentence? I think their meaning is the same and it causes duplication. But I have found this sentence in a book.
For example:
Nuclear power has its problems. However, having said that, many people believe it is the energy source of the future.


texts:
I am reading The Elements of Style and get stuck at the word flammable. There is the statement about the word:

  An oddity, chiefly useful in saving lives. The common word meaning "combustible" is inflammable. But some people are thrown off by the in- and think inflammable means "not combustible". For this reason, trucks carrying gasoline or explosive are now marked flammable. Unless you are operating such a truck and hence are concerned with the safety of children and illiterates, use inflammable.

Explanation above shows that flammable and inflammable have the same meaning actually. To avoid the misunderstand, people now use flammable to illustrate the danger, which easily be gotten from the last but one sentence. However the last sentence's meaning is contradictory to this, I think, and some helps or advice are needed here for comprehension. Thanks.


texts:
The following dialogs are selected from The Matrix Reloaded:

Neo: D'you already know if I'm going to take it?
The Oracle: Wouldn't be much of an Oracle if I didn't.
Neo: But if you already know, how can I make a choice?
The Oracle: Because you didn't come here to make the choice, you've already made it. You're here to try to understand why you made it. I thought you'd have figured that out by now.

and

Neo: What do you want, Smith?
Smith: Oh you haven't figured that out? Still using all the muscles except the one that matters. I want exactly what you want. I want everything.

I still have not figured out what Neo has not figured out.
Help me clarify what Neo didn't understand at that time.


texts: If somebody distributes food (without charging for the food) on a festival day and I want to know who provided funds for all that food, is it right to ask, "Who funds all this?"  What about "Who sponsors all this?"


texts:
is it

What subjects did you do in year 12 or
what subjects did you do for year 12?

Thanks!


texts: (Bell pepper, capsicum, chilli, pepper) What's the difference?

texts:
I would like to know the meaning that comes to your mind when you hear the four words as a native speaker. If you don't know the difference between two of the words, please let me know instead of googling or searching a dictionary. I would like to know how native speakers (naturally) think of those words.

It would be better if the answer is based on the American accent.

One more thing, Should I say: "Two pieces of pepper." or "two pieces of peppers" (with an S for plural).

Edit: After reading the related questions in the comments section, I think the word "Pepper" is commonly used by Americans no matter what the shapes are. I guess you say "Bell pepper" instead of Capsicum and I feel that Capsicum is the scientific name (not common). I don't know if u say "Chilli" or maybe you say "Hot pepper" cuz you love saying the word "Pepper".

Thank you,


texts:
I wonder if you could explain me why the following is on practise:

I didn’t consider this information important. (is not used)
I didn’t consider this information relevant. (is used)

Ngram1

It is important information. (is used)
It is relevant information. (is not used)

Ngram2
Is it some grammar rules or idiomatically? How to understand it?


texts: What does "put big bucks behind its growth initiatives" mean?

texts:
Does it mean "they have enough cash to turn their growth goal into reality"?

With McDonald’s's scale and hefty cash flow, it's able to put big bucks behind its growth initiatives. Just look at the success of all-day breakfast, which helped usher in six straight quarters of comparable sales growth at the chain while most other restaurants stumbled, or its McCafe business, which has grown to $4 billion in annual U.S. sales.

SOURCE: https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2017-03-01/mcdonald-s-investor-day-copying-starbucks-is-smart


texts:
Java is, arguably, the most popular programming language in the world, used by millions of developers on almost every kind of computer imaginable. In the past decade, Java has surpassed languages such as C++ and Visual Basic in terms of developer demand and has become the de facto language for certain kinds of development—especially for web-based services.

How do you understand that phrase exactly?


texts:
How do I describe this?

Is this one clear?

  "There is a tear on her face"


texts:
What noun would best describe an 'asker of a question'? Par example on StackExchage it is usual to refer to the asker of a question as on OP, but is there a proper English word for 'OP'?

I am basically looking for suitable alternatives to 'OP' in a discussion on a meta site here. Just to avoid saying 'OP' too frequently.


texts:
The orchestra is to perform its last ever concert/last
concert ever tomorrow night at the Albert Hall.
Yesterday the company announced its first ever fall in
profits.

These two sentences have been taken from the following link.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/ever

I am sorry to say that I cannot understand the meaning of these two sentences. What does "ever" function in these sentences? What does this word (ever) mean? I would be grateful if anybody rewrite those two sentences in different ways without changing their meaning, hence I can easily understand them.

Thanks in advance!


texts:
I found the following in a user review of the movie Kissing Jessica Stein:

The easy chat they have overcomes Jessica repulsion at the whole idea and soon they have become more than just friends. However can Jessica accept the truth herself far less be honest with others.
(Source)

Is the use of "can" before the subject correct or acceptable here? Doesn't it turn the phrase into a question? The correct wouldn't be to say something like:
However Jessica can't accept the truth herself far less be honest with others


texts:
Historically, tailors who make men's clothes have been men, not women.
Can the word "tailor" be used for a woman who makes men's clothes?
Or is there the rule that tailors are those who make men's clothes and dressmakers are those who make women's clothes, and both of these words are gender-neutral?
Thanks.


texts:
Here are the conversation (a quote from The Marvelous Mrs.Masel)

The two characters are preparing for a car to travel, and A is clearing up the backseat of the car.

  A: This car is unkempt, to say the least.

  B: Hey, lady, I could use another hand.

  A: I have to make sure nothing back here gets crushed and wrinkled.

What's the meaning of "I could use another hand"?


texts:
What’s the difference between “my love for you” and “my love to you”?
When is correct to use each one?


texts: Can the collocation "to give an idea" be used in the sense of "to make a suggestion (that's worth considering)"? (For example: He gave me a million-dollar idea.)


texts: What's the definition of space according to this particular use?

texts:
On the dimensionality of odor space (source)

I found an interesting article that used the word odor space. To me this is very strange, because space means a three or two dimensional space, so why is it being used this way and what would be the matching definition for the word space in this particular context?


texts: "From this reason" instead of "That's why" is idiomatic?

texts:
Is saying "from /by this reason" instead of "that's why" is considered idiomatic?

For example:

  "People like to be happy; That's why they agree to pay for it."

Vs.

  "People like to be happy; From / by this reason, they agree to pay
  for it."

N.b. I'd like to know other alternatives for "that's why".


texts:
This is my sentence.

  Religions assert things as fact.

Now I want to modify the object "things" with this phrase "that are not evidently true".

I know I could write it like this:

  Religions assert things that are not evidently true as facts.

But if I want to place the phrase at the end of the sentence like this :

  Religions assert things as facts that are not evidently true.

Would I need a comma between "facts" and "that"? Because if I don't use the comma, I feel that the phrase is modifying the word "facts", which is not what I am trying to do.


texts:
Does it mean "protection"? https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/buffer?q=buffer+

  “Some of them raise money, come out to market proactively before they actually need (it), when they have say 12 months’ capital to go. They come out now just so they have more buffer because people are uncertain about the future capital market,” Liu told CNBC.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/15/china-technology-venture-capital-vc-investment-plunges-in-q2.html


texts: Are articles, numerals and particles separate parts of speech in English?

texts:
This year I had been participating on a website where I learned that English language has eight major or main parts of speech: noun, adjective, pronoun, verb, adverb, preposition, conjunction and interjection. In fact, more than one site states that.

I have nothing against it. Eight is eight. But how about articles, numerals or particles?
For example, let us examine the following words:

1) words a, an, the (all people know very well they are articles);

2) words like "one", "two", "seven", "eighty" etc. (I consider them numerals);

3) words like "even" (even John likes apples), "only" (only you can do this job), "just". Are they particles? If not, what part of speech are they?


texts: Might / May / Could / Would have been able to

texts:
Are they always interchangeable or subtle meaning differences occurred when we prefered one to another?

Here some sentences I came across. Can we rewrite these sentences with keeping their meanings?

  General: We may have been able to save victims, we'll never know.(original sentence)

Possible variations:

  General: We might have been able to save victims, we'll never know.

  General: We could have been able to save victims, we'll never know.

  General: We would have been able to save victims, we'll never know.

Another example sentence :

  If he had worked harder, he may /might/could/would have been able to
  get A at the exam.

Another example sentence :

  I may/might/could/would have gone to university but I decided to get a
  job.


texts: What if someone asks me "May I use the seat?"?

texts:
I was sitting in a coffee shop alone (just with myself). The table I sat had two chair. Then a man came and asked me "May I?", and he pointed the chair which was in front of me.
What should I answer if I meet the situation again? Shall I answer "Is not occupied", or "You can take it"? Or another?


texts: There's a rule saying that in adverbial clauses of time we use a present tense to refer to the future. Is I shall go home after the goods are examined. correct? What's the difference between I shall go home after the goods are examined and I shall go home after the goods have been examined?


texts: Meaning of the sentence "by degrees some fifty adjuncts to that refreshment" from "Great Expectations"

texts:
From the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/d/dickens/charles/d54ge/chapter33.html

  I rang for the tea, and the waiter, reappearing with his magic clew, brought in by degrees some fifty adjuncts to that refreshment, but of tea not a glimpse. A teaboard, cups and saucers, plates, knives and forks (including carvers), spoons (various), saltcellars, a meek little muffin confined with the utmost precaution under a strong iron cover, Moses in the bulrushes typified by a soft bit of butter in a quantity of parsley, a pale loaf with a powdered head, two proof impressions of the bars of the kitchen fireplace on triangular bits of bread, and ultimately a fat family urn; which the waiter staggered in with, expressing in his countenance burden and suffering. After a prolonged absence at this stage of the entertainment, he at length came back with a casket of precious appearance containing twigs. These I steeped in hot water, and so from the whole of these appliances extracted one cup of I don’t know what for Estella.

Below is the sentence about which I have questions:

  I rang for the tea, and the waiter, reappearing with his magic clew, brought in by degrees some fifty adjuncts to that refreshment, but of tea not a glimpse.

Does "bring in" mean "put"?
Does "by degrees" mean "gradually"?
Does the word "adjunct" mean "something that is joined or added to another thing but is not an essential part of it"?
Does "brought in by degrees some fifty adjuncts to that refreshment" mean "gradually put fifty adjuncts in the refreshment of tea"?
Does "that refreshment, but of tea not a glimpse" mean "the refreshment of tea, not the refreshment of glimpse"?
Does the word "refreshment" mean "food and drink"?


texts:
According to Cambridge Dictionary

synthesis

  the mixing of different ideas, influences, or things to make a whole that is different, or new

Is there any related noun that shares the same root synth for the one that "executes" the mix, the agent that creates it. If not, what is the noun that applies to that agent?

Note:
synthesizer looked promising but it was a mirage
[No pun intended with the Ensoniq Mirage synthesizer]

synthesizer

  An electronic musical instrument, typically operated by a keyboard,
  producing a wide variety of sounds by generating and combining signals
  of different frequencies

EDITED: After @JavaLatte's answer, let me narrow the context. Let's say that we are talking about computing. If we have a program that calculates D as

  A + B + C = D

or the more generic

  func(A, B, C) = D

What's the name that you will use for the program? DAggregator does not sound good, nor DCalculator. I love DSynthesizer but the word has been "hijacked" as pointed by @JavaLatte.


texts: Can you give me the meaning of these two sentences

texts:
*He's been the death of many, a poor man "Who's gonna kiss your rosy red cheek
It's gonna be that steel drivin' man"  what does these two mean?   Both come from a gun club song "John Hardy" from the album "miami**

What I don't understand is that in the beginning of the song John Hardy killed a man  only one and at the end of the song comes " he has been the death of many" which means he killed more than one person


texts: "Prompted by" the oil crises of the 1970s

texts:
Prompted by the oil crises of the 1970s, a wind-power industry flourished briefly in the United States. But then world oil prices dropped, and funding for research into renewable energy was cut. Wind Power in the US

What is the Prompted by mean? is it mean "After the oil crises of the 1970s" , "affected by the oil crises of the 1970s"? or maybe because of?

Note: I couldn't match the meanings in the dictionary with the above context.


texts:
Six months later, she had not conceived and her anxiety had increased.

Is it grammatically correct to use past perfect twice in the same sentence?


texts: This crime makes a man liable (for/to) transportation (for/to/till his) life

texts:
This crime makes a man liable (for/to) transportation (for/to) life.

Which are the correct prepositions to use in the above given sentence ? I googled for their usage and found both to and for being used with liable. For second preposition in question for seems best option as only this (transportation for life) conveys the correct meaning which I assume is that transportation for life time other prepositions ( to and till his ) don't convey correct meaning.


texts:
I cant understand the structure (and meaning) of the bold part. Is it right? is it possible to paraphrase it in an easier way? Is the "–" sign used correctly?

The objective of the assessment process is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the patient’s personality dynamics and the relationship among the—what Adler called the style of life.

Matthews, J. (2004). Encyclopedia of Psychotherapy, Volumes 1 and 2. Psychiatric Services, 55(4), 457-458.


texts:
Example (A Moscow of Dancing Feet, Under an Iron Fist):

  There are optimists. Vladimir Milov, an opposition politician, said Russians care far more about the economy than foreign politics, and that the aggressive and nationalistic language only goes skin deep.

What exactly does that mean? Give me your interpretation please.


texts: Is "with a sword" an adverbial of means or a postpositive attributive which modify "the enemy"?

texts:
"He killed the enemy with a sword."

Is "with a sword"  an adverbial of means or a postpositive attributive which modifies the enemy?


texts:
What does the highlighted "just" mean in the following paragraph?

Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he
stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and
twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet
Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat
slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could
just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.  “Good luck, Harry,” he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a
swish of his cloak, he was gone.
-- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Which item do I need to pick up for the just on OALD or other else?


texts: Are there synonym phrases for "It is/was exactly the opposite!"

texts:
The question is quite straightforward - I did not include my research as it only resulted in synonyms for the word "opposite".

The context is that something is completely different to what you expected it to be and suddenly you feel the urge to exclaim: "Oh, that's exactly the opposite".

Or even if you are arguing with someone and they have a completely different idea of what the situation is, so you want to tell them that everything is... well, exactly the opposite, ha-ha!

Thank you for helping me in advance! #NonNative


texts: Is it correct to put "the" at the end of a title, after a comma?

texts:
The title here is "ELDER SCROLLS III: MORROWIND GOTY EDITION, THE".

I think "THE" should be the first word in the title, but it's the last (separated by a comma).
I've seen this with names (contact list in old phones), but I guess that was correct.

Is this correct? What's the name of this form, and why would anyone use this?


texts:
Does "taking fringe ideas mainstream" mean "making fringe ideas mainstream" - that is, the ideas that were less important, or the fringe ideas, were made very important, equal to mainstream in the Trump era?
After consulting some dictionaries, I discovered that it possibly means "receiving fringe ideas as mainstream". I am not sure.

Tracking QAnon: how Trump turned conspiracy-theory research upside down
By taking fringe ideas mainstream, the former US president taught new and dangerous lessons about manipulating social and mass media.

Source:  Nature


texts:
Example sentences:

I want the crate that contains the highest number of apples.
I want the crate that contains the most apples.

Is sentence 2 correct and with the same meaning as 1? If not, is there another shorter way to say the same thing?


texts:
I have just a question since I know that people use the phrase: 1 or 2 or N hours ago approximately but I want to know how big the approximation usually is.

For me, I was using the phrase 1 hour ago meaning that let's say it is 8:40. It would not matter for me how many minutes it is whether it is 40,15 or 59 minutes. For me, only thing that would be important is 8th hour. So if I wanted to say that I came to this shop at 7:00 or 7:15 or 7:30 whatever and current time is 8:40, I would still say: I came to the shop an hour ago by which I mean that I came there any minute of previous hour. So I would mean by that anytime between 7:00 until 7:59.

Is this the correct understanding and approximation that is most commonly used? Because I do not know anyone who would in casual speach use exactly 60 minutes ago when saying an hour ago. Same with days, when I say 2 days ago, I do not mean 48hours ago, but instead before two calendar days.

So my question is. Is it used the same way with hours? If no, then how is it used?

I give you two examples.

I came to the shop at 4:50 now it is 6:15

What would you say? I came to the shop 1 hour ago OR 2 hours ago ?

You purchased something at 5:00 now it is 6:40.

Would you say: I purchased it 1 OR 2 hours ago? (in my opinion 1 hour and 40 minutes ago is too long + a bit weird to me to say it like that.)

Thanks for help!


texts: What is better way to say about a future plans?

texts:
I have a dialogue and need to complete the answer.

  A: Do you fancy playing tennis at 12 o’clock tomorrow?

  B: I’m sorry, I can’t join you at that time

Which is the most preferable answer and which are incorrect?

I have lunch with Mary.
I’m having lunch with Mary.
I’m going to have lunch with Mary.
I will have lunch with Mary.
I’ll be having lunch with Mary.


texts:
What is the difference between plastic and plastics when referring to the things made of plastic?

  The plastics used in food packaging are a breeze to recycle: you just melt them down and reform them
  In exchange for the convenience of using plastic, you also give up something some people hold dear-privacy.


texts:
In the sentence below, can I change which to where?

  We often go to visit our friends in Bristol, which is not very far away.


texts:
Let's assume, before the january 20, votes are announced. Donald Trump is not the president yet. But it's certain that he will/is going to be(I don't know which one to use). We use "be going to" for decided events. But also we use "will" for simple future facts. I can't decide which one to use. It's like to me; I can use "will" because it's a simple future fact, certain. On the other hand, I can use "be going to" because it's an event arranged before; it's decided.
  Which one should we use?
Thanks..


texts: What is the other side of a head of a series

texts:
If I have a series (of orders, of programs..etc) the first element of that series is the "head", isn't it.

How do you call the last element?

For example say you have a series of orders.
And you want to express that the next order is going to be put after the last element of the series to be executed after that last order.


texts: How do I use "contractors" and "contractuals" correctly?  Some of my colleagues believe they are interchangeable and mean the same thing. I have done some research and believe the word contractor is used for somebody that works under a contract and contractual is part of the written contract.


texts: What's the meaning of "tear off" in this sentence?

texts:
I found this sentence describing a motorcycle (The person describing it is very impressed by the motorcycle, finds it very beautiful and magnificent):

  It was mammoth, even at rest it seemed like a street fighter ready for a brawl, as if it wanted to tear off down the road, hovering over the asphalt.

I don't understand the meaning of "tear off down the road". How would you paraphrase it?


texts: How to express "balancing time between several activities"?

texts:
What would be the best expression to say that I have been rather busy and therefore struggling to find time for many important things such as work, school etc.

Something like: I have been trying to balance my time between school, work etc.


texts:
"One may as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb."

What's 'as' here? 'rather than' looks better than 'as' because 'as' seems to be as 'like'.
What's the literal and/or real meaning of the sentence above?
Let's substitute A for 'a sheep' and B for 'a lamb'.
Does the sentence mean:

It's good to be killed for A rather than B
It's good to be killed for A as much as(to the same degree) B, i.e., no difference if killed for whether A or B

?


texts: "advocate xxxism" or "advocate for xxxism"? (where xxxism is an ideology, e.g. Marxism, Stalinism, Maoism, Platonism, Communism)

texts: "advocate xxxism" or "advocate for xxxism"? (where xxxism is an ideology, e.g. Marxism, Stalinism, Maoism, Platonism, Communism, Capitalism, Socialism)


texts:
I can't understand why the author used 'have' instead of 'had', though the context clearly indicate the past?

It was only 50 years ago that humanity began to extend its presence
into space — first with robots, then with animals and finally with
humans. This tentative expansion of our species towards other worlds
has been made possible by the development of technology, which has
finally started to reach a level that can complement and support our
imagination and desire for exploration. However, considering the size
of the universe and the growing number of promising sites on many
worlds where life might quite like to snuggle up, the search has
barely begun. When we finally find life on another world — and we will
— it will be one of the most significant cultural events in human
history, having a profound impact on the question of our origins. It
is not surprising, therefore, to find that such possibilities have
been discussed by every human civilisation and culture, primitive or
advanced, as far back as we have written records. Even before
these thoughts were given a name, such extraterrestrial wonderings
found their outlet through myths, cave paintings, fictional
literature, music and poetry, then later through films and TV
shows.

Goldilocks and the Water Bears: The Search for Life in the Universe


texts: Present Perfect vs Past Simple double time marker

texts:
I need some explanation when to use present or past in such examples:

  In March this year he was seen or has been seen?
  This week 2 days ago he has done it or did it?
  2 days ago this week he was asked or has been asked?


texts: Difference between 'he is gone out' and 'he has gone out'?

texts:
I am confused between

  He is gone out

and

  He has gone out

Translation of both, the sentences mean the same. Can anyone explain which one should i use.


texts:
Someone told me that this sentence is wrong. I considered it but I don't think so.
Is this sentence incorrect please? Why?

  Jaime would help you yesterday but he had to work.

EDIT:
This sentence seems correct to me and it has the meaning below:

  Jaime had the desire/intention of helping you (or he afforded to help you), but since he had to work, he didn't/couldn't do that.

If you think of the sentence as incorrect, how to correct it please?


texts: How do you describe the sound a chair makes when someone is heavily rocking it on the floor?

texts:
How do you describe the sound a normal chair makes when someone is heavily rocking it on the floor? Can I use the verb thump. For example:

  Stop making that chair thump!

For that matter, is it natural to say the following?

  Please don't thump the chair?


texts: What is it all about this usage? would of+verb

texts:
We short men are in big trouble because if we want a shoe that feels decent we feel short and you can’t put in lifts, if you get a shoe with lifts it doesn’t feel comfortable I feel really trapped, that why I cannot believe that there is a god because if there was he wouldn’t of don’t this to me and made me only 5.4″ he or it would of made me to be at lease the regular American height which is 5.8” or taller , its a disaster to be short for a male.

The text is written by a native English speaker. It is the first time I face a usage in which would of + verb is used. Is it grammatically correct? What is the meaning of the parts I have shown in bold?


texts: An annoucer has given a brief description of the play on stage and then announced that the play was to start. How to write that announcement grandiosity. "So... Here it is...." Is a correct announcement?


texts: Is there a better way to say "see someone's dreams"?

texts:
By dream I mean the dreams you experience during sleep. Saying "see my dream" sounds weird, I think "experienced" would be a better word, but even then it sounds awkward.

The following example makes clear what I mean:

  Dreams are boring, but weird.

  You haven't seen my dreams, sweetheart. They're exciting and fun for
  the most part.


texts: Is it highlighted a synonym of stood out?

texts:
I can't use stood out here so I used highlighted. I haven't found good synonyms without the word "stood", I really appreciate suggestions without this word.
.In the subjects I directed, she highlighted for her capacity to innovate and a characteristic curiosity to explore beyond the instruction.


texts: What verb should I use for someone who 'deal with' internal circuits very well?

texts:
I couldn't find out what verb should I use when I want to say

He was good at dealing with machines, and also he could even 'verb' television internal circuits by himself.

In my language, 'manipulate' is the verb we use (when we literally translate it into English), but I'm not sure if it's an appropraite use in English as well,
so I also came up with 'work with', but I guess it's too broad and unclear.
Or how about 'design'? can it also be an option?

To sum up, when someone 'manipualtes' the internal circuits by him/herself very well, what verb can be used? Is 'manipulate' also work in English as well? or what else can be used?


texts: Is it okay to say this: "Do you like to have...?"

texts:
I was just wondering. Is it OK to say this sentence?

  Do you like to have coffee tonight when you get home?


texts: Common features: the eyes, the smile, or the (a?) pug nose.

texts:
A quote from a lang-8 entry, describing a Russian web-project:

  Upload your photo and find an orphan who looks like you. The goal of our project is to show you that there may be a kid in an orphanage who has facial features similar to yours. For example, the eyes, the smile, or the pug nose.

Shouldn't it be

  , or a pug nose.

since the authors of the text cannot be sure that you have a pug nose?


texts: What's the meaning of "death to [someone / some group]" exactly?

texts:
Like saying "Death to the enemy!" or something like that. I understand the basic meaning, I know it's an expression one would use against his enemies, an expression of hate and hostility, but I don't understand the exact meaning.

I know it's a stupid question, but could someone explain it to me? Thanks!


texts: What's the correct way of writing following sentence :

texts:
I'm reading them (documents) as they are being posted.

OR

  I'm reading them (documents) as they being posted.

OR

  I'm reading them (documents) as they have being posted.

OR

  I'm reading them (documents) as they have been posted."

If none of the above, then how?


texts: Do you need a "but" when you use the construction "the more ... because"?

texts:
The hotel had no computers, an absence the more regretted,
  because not only was I completely addicted, but it also turned out that it would rain during the whole weekend there.

I am wondering if the particular expression "the more X" implied that you need to put a but. I suppose so, because then the more wouldn't make sense as I believe it means "the more x than usual".


texts: Could anyone tell me the correct way of sneaking in a verb ''appear'' in the following sentence? The book is likely to be published and (will appear/appears/ is going to appear) on sale pretty soon.


texts:
What is the difference between working on and working at? For example,

  I am working on a farm

or (as in American folk song that goes:

  I was working on a railroad

Do these sounds more natural than

  I am working at a farm.
  I am working at a railroad.

However, I am working at a bank sounds more natural than I am working on a bank.

Just from the above two examples, I can come to hasty conclusion that the difference comes from whether the job is white collar or blue collar.

But I don't think that is true. Can someone explain this?


texts: Why do we use "the" with non-specific noun?

texts:
It seems like there are so many exceptions for articles. Example sentences:

  I don't like going to the theater. I prefer going to the cinema.

I feel like it is not specific but why do we use "the" not "a"?

  I don't like watching TV in the mornings ]

Why do we use "the" for non-specific mornings?


texts:
a) I went to his home and find/found he was not there.
b) I went to his house in the morning, I find/found him lying on ground.
C) I was driving yesterday, and about to give up my search, I find that house.
If sentence is in past tense, then can we use simple form of Verb ?


texts: What is the difference between "Everybody has something to hide" and "Everybody's got something to hide"?

texts: What is the difference between "Everybody has something to hide" and "Everybody's got something to hide" if any?


texts: Doubts with second and third conditional

texts:
I've got some doubts while doing my exercise in second and third conditional.
Could somebody check if it is correct?

Thanks in advance.

Matt doesn't treat Sue well. She won't stay with him.
If Matt didn't treat his girlfriend better, she wouldn't stay with him.
You don't do any exercise. You don't feel healthy.
You would feel a lot healthier if you did some exercise.
The taxi driver had satnav. He found the street easily.
The driver would have found the street if he had had satnav.
Jim bought the wrong size. I had to change the sweater.
If Jim had bought the right size, I wouldn't have changed the sweater.
You get up late. You waste half the morning.
If you got up earlier, you wouldn't waste half the morning.


texts: How many times should a modal or conjunction be used in a single sentence?

texts:
I just got this correction after submitting a writing piece:

Although this task alone would normally require a much more in-depth discussion, it may be enough to say here that supervisors should identify the areas in which they must self-assess, should gather information on whether they have taken action to improve in a particular area, and should evaluate the results or outcomes associated with their actions.

Originally, I only had the first "should." Should there be one appearance of "should" in the sentence or three?

Further down the line, she changes the following:

Supervisors need to determine whether all of the critical development areas were covered, the number and nature of the actions that were taken, and if overall efforts produced the expected results.

to:

Supervisors need to determine whether all of the critical development areas were covered, whether actions taken were sufficient in number and nature, and whether overall efforts produced the expected results.

I was trying to avoid using the modal "should" too many times in the same sentence. The same applies to the second example.

Your help would be greatly appreciated!


texts: Word or phrase to mean 'perfectly accurate?'

texts: Is there a word or phrase in English that means accurate to an infinite level of precision? For example, the measurement of a length that is 'perfectly accurate' records the length down to its final decimal place.


texts: What are some other ways to say: "I expected that to be the case."?

texts:
I need to know other natural ways to say: 'I expected that (=what you just said) is the case.'

Example:

Jessy: Do you know who left that half-eaten sandwich on the table?

Edd: Robert did. I saw him eating there last night, and he was the last person to eat here.

Jessy: I expected that to be the case. This guy is so lazy!


texts: Your item has shipped or has been shipped?

texts:
To my knowledge, as the verb ship is a synonym of send, the correct form should be

  Your item has been shipped.

However on many online stores I see:

  Your item has shipped.

Is this correct? To my understanding, the item is not a subject but an object, so I cannot understand why use active voice here.


texts:
The following is from 'The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival' by John Vaillant

  The taiga was at its winter finest and seemed made for the eyes
  alone: the sunshine was so brilliant, the snow so pristine, the sky
  so depthless, the stillness of the forest so profound that speech or
  motion of any kind felt like an intrusion.

What does 'be made for the eyes alone' mean here?


texts: Usage and meaning of sentences with WISH

texts:
I wish him to believe it.

What is the exact meaning of this sentence? Does it mean “I wish he believes it”?


texts:
The context as blow:
How do you find your new apartment?
The author says it means "what do you think of something"
What do you think of your new apartment?

I have a feeling that this phrase means the way you looked for new apartment.Maybe through online or agent.


texts:
I tried to Google that up but got no hits.
“that's him alright” - what does it mean?
Is it pure slang or there is a dictionary entry explaning that?


texts: When someone's heartbeat is too fast. E.g. more than 100 beats per minute "BPM"

texts:
What shall I say to indicate that my hear it beating too faster than it's normal condition out of emotions, anxiety, anger, stress, fear and some other emotional factors?

What I think should work is as the self-made sentence below which hits lots of google results if you search it:

  My heart is beating too fast / hard.

But I doubt if it is the way I have to say it in common English or there is a fixed-term which can be understood by all English-speaking people.

Meanwhile in my language when because of exercise someone's heart it beating faster than it's normal beat rate, there is a similar but absolutely different construction to indicate this message. What about English language?


texts: what is the meaning of 'later' here or there is any misprint?

texts:
Bose had his eye on the result of the action. When war clouds
hung over Europe, he saw the situation as an opportunity to
take advantage of the British weakness. He believed in seizing
whatever opportunity was available to carry forward the
struggle for freedom. He openly criticised the British for
professing to fight for the freedom of the European nations
under Nazi control but refusing to grant independence to its
own colonies, including India. He had no compunction in
taking the help of the Nazis or the Fascists and later of
Imperial Japan—the ‘Axis powers’ as they came to be called
when the war broke out—even though he believed in freedom
and equality and other liberal ideals and disapproved of the
arrogant racialism of the Nazis and the suppression of
democratic institutions in Nazi Germany (as his writings
show). However, he admired the Nazis and the Fascists for
their discipline. Bose’s supporters point out that his
association with Germany and Japan was dictated by
revolutionary strategy and not by ideological kinship. In other
words, he was just a pragmatist; he was against the Fascist
theory of racial superiority and the Fascist acceptance of
capitalism


texts: How to do exclamatory sentence with a main verb?

texts:
While I know how to make exclamatory sentences with nouns or adjectives (or both together), such as: "what a big animal it is" etc. I don't know how to build exclamatory sentence with a main verb, for example, when I want to show how much I love my spouse: "What I love you" absolutely doesn't sound to me natural. On the other side "How much I love you!" sounds to me a little bit interrogative sentence. So I'm not sure about that.

In many languages, exclamatory sentences with verbs start with the question word "how", but I'm not sure about English that normally use "what" instead as above.


texts:
https://thegrammarexchange.infopop.cc/topic/i-have-never-seen-him-that-drunk-vs-i-had-never-seen-him-that-drunk?reply=663495676387475976#663495676387475976
From the link, I become curious whether the following sentence a) implies ones with before or by now.

(a) I've never heard that song.
(a1) I've never heard that song before
(a1) I've never heard that song by now


texts: Which definition of "can" is relevant to this sentence?

texts:
You have to pass a test before you can get a driving licence.
  (Essential Grammar in Use)

OALD gives the following meaning for can:

(1) used to say that it is possible for somebody/something to do something, or for something to happen
(4) used to show that somebody is allowed to do something
(10) used to make suggestions

Which one is the meaning of can in the example given by Essential Grammar in Use?


texts:
"We try to be nice"  In this sentence " to be nice" us an infinitive clause.
So my question is whether it is an object for the verb or is it functioning as an adjective.


texts:
I'm looking for a simile or idiom that means

  two things might look alike but are in fact way too different.

Something like the opposite of the saying

  A coin has two sides
  There's two sides to a coin

something like

  behind every mask lies a different person


texts: What is the meaning of "a branded soul"?

texts:
I read a sentence in "The Hindu" which was:

  There is too much adventure and wonder meant in this world to sit by the sidelines, no matter how branded soul you may possess.

"Branded" generally means "carrying a brand name". But that doesn't seem to fit here.


texts: Is it correct to say 'someone other than they two'?

texts:
Here's the full sentence:

Sarah was upset that someone other than they two knew where the
treasure was.

I don't even know how to phrase this question, but the phrase in italic sounds wrong and I don't know what it is that is wrong. I've tried to enter this phrase into Google and noting pops up to kind of direct my research. Is this correct, and if it isn't, what's the best way to rewrite this sentence?


texts: "One of the best language" vs "One of the best languages"

texts:
Which one is the correct sentence?

  Tamil is one of the oldest language.

or

  Tamil is one of the oldest languages

 -


texts: Is it a grammatical requirement to put a "do" between "not only" and main clause?

texts:
This video is saying (https://youtu.be/yXJYRlxkfu4?t=592)

  not only
  do I have to end the lesson but also its time to go.

which put a "do" between "not only" and the main clause.

Is it a grammatical requirement to construct a sentence that way?


texts: 'greater in number' or 'greater in numbers'?

texts:
What is the difference, if any, between these sentences?

"African-Americans are greater in number."

"African-Americans are greater in numbers."

I want to say that there are more African-American people


texts: How should this sentence be constructed?

texts:
I know that

  I fully understand your feelings.

is correct but I wondered why we cannot use

  I am fully understand your feelings.


texts:
Can I use stop/keep/deter even if the action is already happening?

For example, if a guy is helping terrorists currently, can I say "we need to stop/keep/deter him from helping terrorists"?

I checked dictionaries but I am not sure if the verbs can be used when the action is already happening.

I asked this question, about Prevent: Usage of a verb, Prevent

And I got a comment that prevent cannot be used if the action is happening. But according to dictionaries, prevent means stop, so I am confusing if I can use stop in the above situation.
And as far as I know, stop, deter and keep mean the same, so I would like to ask those three verbs can be used even though the action is already happening.


texts:
While reading some technical book I faced the sentence:

  Experience has shown that disciplined adherence to this approach can
  all but eliminate resource management problems

What does the all but expereince mean? Didn't understand that construction. I'd guess that it means the same as

  Experience has shown that disciplined adherence to this approach can
  eliminate resource management problems

So, in fact that doesn't affect the meaning at all. But I'm not sure.


texts: What does "The most they can get from her" mean here?

texts:
I would like to know what "The most they
can get from her" means in the following sentences:

It is a few moments before the waitress regains consciousness. She is,
it appears, uninjured, but whatever she has seen out there has struck
her nearly mute. The most they can get from her are low moans,
wordless nonsense.
‘I sent her over to the Folly for a couple more bottles of champagne,’
the head waitress – only twenty or so herself – says helplessly.

Lucy Foley, The Guest List, Chapter 13

This is a thriller novel published in 2020 in the United Kingdom. One hundred and fifty guests gathered at some remote and deserted fictional islet called Inis an Amplóra off the coast of the island of Ireland to celebrate the wedding between Jules (a self-made woman running an online magazine called The Download) and Will (a celebrity appearing in a TV show program called Survive the Night). The wedding ceremony is held at the Folly, which is a renovated castle. On the wedding night, after several times of blackout, a waitress screams outside before entering the marquee, the party venue installed on the island, and guests are now all gathered to see what happened.
In this part, I am wondering what "the most they can get" means.
Is it similar to say "the best thing they can get"? Or "as many words as they can get"?
In short, I am finding it difficult to understand what "the most" means here.


texts: Present continuous when discussing photos

texts:
When I look at the photo, should I say

  The man at this photo is reading the book

or

  The man at this photo reads the book


texts: Is there a term for the instance when soldiers collide in a battle?

texts:
I'm looking for a word which describes that very instant when opposing soldiers, running into each other, collide.

I mean in hand-to-hand combat, like in the medieval times, probably with swords or other such weapons. I am trying to describe the effect/noise/impact the collision would create the first time they collide.

Is there a phrase or a term or a word for that?


texts: Should I use "most important" or "most importantly" in the following case?

texts:
Should I use most important or most importantly in the following:

  When was the last time I stepped in this house? she thought. But most important/importantly, what kept me away from it for so long?


texts: "end" as verb in sentence "President Lincoln hoped that slavery would end when he gave the Gettysburg Address."

texts:
President Lincoln hoped that slavery would end when he gave the Gettysburg Address.

In this sentence hoped, end and gave are verbs. I don't understand how end is treated as a verb. It is not performing any action, nor helping any verb nor it seems linking. Is it an Action, Helping, or Linking verb? If so, how?


texts: 'whenever you are available in your time zone' is correct?

texts:
I'm discussing business with my partner who lives in a different country and with a big gap of time difference.  My morning time is his evening time and vice versa. I want to leave my questions on his Skype whenever they come across my mind, but try to be polite letting him know that he can just get back to me whenever he is available/convenient. Can I say:

whenever you are available in your time zone


texts:
Faye was not bright, but she was far from stupid. She went to the sheriff and got herself cleared. There was no sense in taking chances. She knew something was wrong about Kate, but if it didn't harm the house it really wasn't Faye's business. Kate might have been a chiseler, but she wasn't. She went to work right away. And when customers come back again and again and ask for a girl by name, you know you've got something. A pretty face won't do that. It was quite apparent to Faye that Kate was not learning a new trade.
  There are two things it is good to know about a new girl: first, will she work? and second, will she get along with the other girls? There's nothing will upset a house like an ill-tempered girl.
  Faye didn't have long to wonder about the second question. Kate put herself out to be pleasant. She helped the other girls keep their rooms clean. She served them when they were sick, listened to their troubles, answered them in matters of love, and as soon as she had some, loaned them money. You couldn't want a better girl. She became
  best friend to everyone in the house.
  There was no trouble Kate would not take, no drudgery she was afraid of, and, in addition, she brought business. She soon had her own group of regular customers.
  Kate was thoughtful too. She remembered birthdays and always had a present and a cake with candles. Faye realized she had a treasure.
  People who don't know think it is easy to be a madam-just sit in a big chair and drink beer and take half the money the girls make, they think. But it's not like that at all. You have to feed the girls-that's groceries and a cook. Your laundry problem is quite a bit more complicated than that of a hotel. You have to keep the girls well and as happy as possible, and some of them can get pretty ornery. You have to keep suicide at an absolute minimum, and whores, particularly the ones getting along in years, are flighty with a razor; and that gets your house a bad name.
  It isn't so easy, and if you have waste too you can lose money. When Kate offered to help with the marketing and planning of meals Faye was pleased, al-though she didn't know when the girl found time. Well, not only did the food improve, but the grocery bills came down one-third the first month Kate took over. And the laundry-Faye didn't know what Kate said to the man but that bill suddenly dropped twenty-five per cent. Faye
  didn’t see how she ever got along without Kate.
  (John Steinbeck, East of Eden)

Does the sentence mean that Kate might have been a chiseler until she came in the whorehouse, but not after she came in here? If the answer is yes, do we say reference-times are same and the event times are different?


texts: "A dog" or "the dog" or "dogs" ... which to use when speaking in general terms about dogs

texts:
Could you tell me all the possibilities of interpretation of this sentence.

I like a dog.

I know we should put "dogs".

But sometimes I find some books say "I like a dog."

Or like
A dog is ~~~(general things).


texts: How can I ask the "distance between my position and the position that's required''?

texts:
I went to a job interview and when I was interviewed he told me that I wasn't qualified yet.

I wanted to ask the distance between my position and the position that's required for the job.

How could I ask

how much time should I spend to reach that point?
how far am I to reach your requirement?
...

I think they're not correct. How can I ask this kind of questions?


texts: Publish a paper "in" or "on" a conference proceedings, or journal

texts: Which preposition is more proper, when saying "publish a paper (in, on, ...) a conference, proceedings, or journal"?


texts: Use "Showa" or "Hirohito" in this context?

texts:
Should "Showa" or "Hirohito" be used in the following context, which is in everyday conversation, rather than formal writing?

  before world war 2, schoolchildren went to school on National Foundation Day and made a deep bow to the pictures of Meiji, Taisho and Showa emperors in the gym.

"Hirohito" feels more natural to me, possibly because he was alive at the time being described, and possibly because "Hirohito" is a more well-recognised name than his posthumous name "Showa".


texts: Until now + Past Perfect / Present Perfect

texts:
While watching a TV-series, I saw this first sentence. But ısn't it wrong? I think the second example is the right one.

  Until now, all we have had in common was our bank.
  Until now, all we had had in common was our bank".


texts: What do these sentences mean with "to do something"?

texts:
My hands are wet to write.
He is doing his homework to play.
I have some projects to do to watch movies right now.

Do these sentences mean that:

"the subject is in a condition(wet) or doing something(homework/project) due to which they are not able to do something else(write/play/watch movies)"

Or do they mean that:

"the subject is in a condition(wet) or doing something(homework/project) so that they could do the other thing(write/play/watch movies)


texts:
It's from a play based on Mary Shelley's novel.
What does "if the children breed with the children" mean?

Victor: I don’t know. I have travelled where no man has travelled. I wonder
how far I can go. I can create people, Will! Living people! Look at me, I
breathe the breath of God!

William: And will they reproduce?

Victor: What?

William: Will they have wombs, the females? Will they breed? How quickly
will they breed? How fast is the cycle? How many in a litter? Fifty? A
hundred? A thousand?

Victor: William?

William: And if the children breed with the children? Will they do your
bidding?

Victor: What are you saying?

William: You are their king – will they do as you tell them? Or will they be
bad? Like the one who killed me?


texts:
I have the following sentences.

  Object models are reconstructed in the final step.

  In the final step, two different approaches are basically found: method A and method B.

I am not sure about what the most appropriate way to combine these two sentences is.

  Object models are reconstructed in the final step, from which, two different approaches are basically found: model driven and data driven.

Should it be from which, for which, or something else?


texts:
It seems that the former is US English, while the latter BR English.

What do you native speakers think of it?


texts: Whats the order of adjectival elements before the nouns?

texts: if there are all the elements which can be adjective before a noun, can you give me how should i put them in the right position in order? if there a rule or a good example i can follow?


texts: "I am (on) every Wednesday in the college"

texts:
As far as I remember from my learning, before the name of a day the preposition "on" should be there. For example:

  He'll be there on Sunday. He was there on Sunday.

Then my question if this rule is also valid when the word "every" exists?

For example:

  "I am on every Wednesday at the college."

Or should I omit the preposition "on" from it?


texts: use of present perfect tense in a real life scenario

texts:
suppose, I played football in my childhood. in 2016, I am sharing my that experience with my friends like this way

  I have played football but I have not been able to play  since I  have
  been affected by arthritis.

my explanation:
I have played football- I am sharing my experience without mentioning time.  therefore I use present perfect.
I have not been able to play - I cannot remember when I have stopped playing and I am still not able to play. therefore that past event is related with my present situatuion. hence I use present perfect.
since I have been affected by arthritice- I still  have arthrice and I don't know the time when I have been affected.

please help me to understand whether I am using right tenses  to express a past event.


texts: How to say "does this make a difference?" more formally?

texts:
[Some fact about our component.] Does this make a difference for inclusion in the OtherCompany App Store?

Sounds not as formal as I would like a business email to be. It's passable, I think, but I don't like it. One alternative I've been able to come up with is this:

  [Some fact about our component.] Does this matter for inclusion in the OtherCompany App Store?

But it's not very different.

How could one say this in a business email where I do not know the other party personally?


texts: Should the verb be singular or plural with 'months' 'hours' 'days' etc?

texts:
Three to six months is/are enough for preparation.
Singular verb or plural and why?


texts: What is it called when you're trying to get by and someone is blocking the way?

texts:
This might be a very peculiar question, and I know you all love peculiar questions (hahaha). I'm sure there's an idiom for this but I can't really remember which.

Let's say you're walking on a very narrow sidewalk, and there's someone coming opposite you, when both of you meet each other, one of you has to step aside and give the other person some room so that the other person can come by you and  continue walking, right? Now say  you went either way and you end up going to the same direction the person went and you kept moving trying to give this person some room, but they kept moving to the same side and both of you end up dancing with each other. What do you call that? I swear to God there's an idiom for this!!! It has something to do with the word "dancing" but I can't remember it!


texts: Difference between "are not yet" and "have not yet"

texts:
What is the meaning difference in below sentences using Are not yet and have not yet?

a) “Our lungs have not yet fully developed and we cannot take further pollution through bursting of crackers,“
b) “Our lungs are not yet fully developed and we cannot take further pollution through bursting of crackers,“

As per my knowledge the sentence (a) suggests an action/activity of the development of the lungs and sentence (b) gives an idea of the status/fact of lungs development.
Please help if I am wrong


texts: Does the phrase "sky darkening as daylight ebbs" suggest morning or evening?

texts:
The phrase "sky darkening as daylight ebbs" seems to suggest evening to me. First, the sky's darkening. Also, ebb means gradually decrease (of an emotion or quality) (the best meaning I have found on the net).
However, my book says,

  Indeed, the image suggests the setting sun. This is reinforced by the
  blowing of bugles, which may take place at sunset.

This is the analysis of the poem "The Splendour Falls" by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

  Then, it says that "sky darkening as daylight ebbs" is a correct
  process taking place in the poem when the time is morning.

Do I misunderstand something?


texts:
* The kids offered (themselves) to do the dishes.

(I wrote 'themselves' as object of the verb 'offer')

Can I think 'themselves' is omitted in the sentence?

Even if not omitted, it seems not to be different at all from the omitted sentence.

I just want to know whether it is grammatically correct, even though it looks unnatural.


texts: what's the difference between usages of ''ahead'' in these sentences?

texts:
here are two examples

  3 big reasons why Barack Obama will be remembered as ahead of his    time
  can you tell me ahead of time if you're coming?

one of them means after and one of them means before. I know president Obama has left his office. I thought that It means after his time.

How can I figure out whether ahead means after or before?


texts:
There is a song called "Killing Me Softly" by Roberta Flack.

What does that exactly mean?

Is it good or bad?

Is this song sad or the opposite?

Is she begging to be killed, because she is very sad and the death will finish her sadness?


texts:
Can I use deficiency in this sentence?

"Due to the deficiency of geographical points (stop's latitude and longitude) in the database, the visualization of the route between the related stops was not serviceable since a Polyline in Google maps is a drawn as a straight line between two points and to display the real route in the map  many other points must be added into the database between each two stops."

.


texts:
Which of the sentences below  is correct

Ram called me 2 days later after going Home.
2.Ram called me 2 days after going Home.


texts: 'Have a look at it' or 'take a look at it'?

texts:
If I want somebody to see my work what should I use...

  Please have a look at it
  Please take a look at it

If one of them is wrong then what's the reason for it? Thanks!


texts:
Which sentence is correct?

  We prefer Chrome because it is the most widely used browser. As of 2019, Chrome usage is 50%

Or,

  We prefer Chrome because it is the most widely used browser. Chrome's usage is 50%


texts:
What is the error in the following sentence

We swam up to the drowning man, caught hold of his clothes           before he could go down again and pulled him out, safe to the shore.

On googling I found that catch hold of is wrongly used here, instead get hold of should be used
But according to < a href= "https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.collinsdictionary.com/amp/english/to-catch-hold-of-something"> collins dictionary  they both mean the same.


texts:
It is from this video. It is at 14 second. Here it is:

  Greetings programs, Trace here for DNews.

I searched it on the internet, but could not find what it means. What is it from and what does it mean?


texts:
Question 1:

  Not most people like him.

  Not most of them are good looking.

As far as I know, before the words like "many", "a lot", "some" and "every", we can use the word "not" for not causing any ambiguity depending on what we want to mean. I think we can use it before "most" too. Am I right? Are these two sentences above correct?

Question 2:

Can I also say these:

  Not most of the time I play video games.

  I play video games not most of the time.

I think the sentences in question 1 are correct but I feel like these two here are wrong. I think I have to say "I don't play video games most of the time" even if I play video games quite often (quite often but not most of the time), am I right?

EDIT: In the first question, I mean "Not most people do like him". What In t I mean by saying it is not "Most people do not like him.". I mean, there can be many people who like him, but not most people like him. For example, 50% of people might like him and that's a lot, but that's not most people. If I say "Most people don't like him" for describing this situation, it is wrong because %50 doesn't count as most people. But, John Lawler said that it was wrong to say "Not most people...". So, I don't know what to do


texts:
What exactly does it mean?
What is the difference between:

  I would do anything you asked me to!
  I would have done anything you had asked me to!


texts: Is this sentence correct? How should I frame it?

texts:
Why does every guy has to / have to say that or use that sentence?
Should I use has or have? I can't really figure out the singular or plural.


texts: How to interrupt someone in a polite manner?

texts: What is a polite way of interrupting someone? In other words, what is an appropriate sentence to use when someone is talking and you need to interrupt them to add a point or ask a question because you think if you wait until they are finished you would miss the point?


texts:
Let's say I want to join the following two passive sentences:

  "He was given a book."
  "He was asked to read it."

I am unsure which of the two sentences below are grammatically correct:

  "He was given a book and asked to read it."
  "He was given a book and was asked to read it."


texts:
There is asentence which has confused me a lot.

  Margarine category was recorded least.

  Least recorded category was Margarine.

Which sentence is active and which is passive. I am facing difficulty in finding the mistake.


texts: Is the ellipse made in the mentioned sentence idiomatic?

texts:
Lisa is entitled not to be deceived on X as much as is entitled not to
  be deceive on Y.
  Lisa is entitled not to be deceived on X as much as she is entitled
  not to be deceive on Y.

In the first sentence above, she is dropped. Is such an ellipse idiomatic?


texts:
Someone asked me

What if someone hides their instagram stories from you?

I replied
I'd hide them from my life

Is my sentence right

Does hide mean to make disappear?

If not
What else could I have used here?

Object of preposition from can not be a place like the magician hid(made her disappear) from the stage?


texts:
Is there a different pronunciation for the word "Jews" and the word "juice"?

EDIT: I am referring specifically to the vowels in these words, apart from the ending consonant. It seems to me that the "w" letter in "Jews" makes the pronunciation more tense, but it may be only my impression


texts: How to express "Anonymous" when functioning as a proper noun?

texts:
Quite a few Chinese novels and movies don't name the main character (or one of the main characters) as Mike or Alice or any name alike. Instead, he/she is called "无名氏".
In general, 无名氏= anonymous, nameless, unnamed.
However, when "无名氏" functions the same as Mike, Alice, etc., how to say it in English?
According to my humble knowledge, "Anonymous" (the first letter is capitalized) works. -- I know a hacker organization calls itself as "Anonymous".
Am I right? Are there any examples from English novels and/or movies? (BTW, I have no access to Google books, because I'm in China.)

无名氏 is NOT the author/narrator. By contrast, it is the name (usually the only name) of the character created by the author.
I make some sentences here for your information:
"Jim, Kate and 无名氏 are good friends."
"Mr. Smith owes a lot of money to both 无名氏 and me."
"I want Mr. Black to have a meeting with 无名氏. Could you make this happen, Mrs. Green?"
"无名氏 knows everyone, and everyone knows 无名氏."

"无名氏" is somewhat similar to the X in "X Ray". X Ray got its name, because Wilhelm Konrad Röntgen (as well as anyone else in 1895) knew little about it.
In different novels and films, the ways that 无名氏 gets his/her name "无名氏" may be different. Some is similar to X Ray, some isn't.
There is a REAL and well-known lake called "未名湖" in Peking University.
未= not yet.
名= name.
湖= lake.
So "未名湖" literally = "The Unnamed Lake".
However, "The Unnamed Lake"(未名湖) is the actual name of the lake. And all educated Chinese know it.

无名氏 creates an aura of mysteriousness, while "John Doe" or "Jane Doe", I think, doesn't.
无名氏 when functions as a proper noun (i.e. refers to a specific person)  is an oxymoron (the Nameless is the name) and defamiliarization  (compared to any normal Chinese name, 无名氏 looks very different). That's why 无名氏 creates an aura of mysteriousness, importance and particularity.
"The Unnamed Lake" is widely thought as a brilliant and beautiful name, even the campus of Peking University is often referred as the lakeside of the Unnamed Lake.
There are numerous lakes and numerous colleges in China, but there is only one lake called "the Unnamed Lake". If any other institution named its lake as "the Anonymous Lake" or it hill as "the Unnamed Hill", it would be despised as a lousy copycat.
When 无名氏 makes a general reference to people whose name(s) is/are unknown, 无名氏, just like the English word "anonymous", doesn't imply any unusual feature.
"This poem is credited to 无名氏." In this sentence, 无名氏 may be a general reference or may refer to a certain person (the person). It depends on the context. If this sentence just means because the poem was written a long time ago so the author's name has faded away, then it is very similar to "many nursery rhymes are credited to 'Anonymous' as their composers are unknown" (@JamesK's).
In everyday's spoken Chinese, the word "无名氏" (a general reference) isn't frequently used, because it sounds a bit formal. Instead, we say "The book is written by someone I don't know" or "Deng are talking with a woman I've never met". (@JamesK's)


texts:
From The Godfather:

  Kay said quietly, "I feel so sorry for your father, he seemed like
  such a nice man at the wedding. I can't believe the things the papers
  are printing about him. I'm sure most of it's not true."

  Michael said politely, "I don't think so either."

What does that mean?


texts: Which meaning of "but"? Or just wrongly noted example sentence?

texts:
In the Cambridge Dictionary's article "the icing of the cake", the following example is given:

  I was just content to see my daughter in such a stable relationship but a grandchild, that really was the icing on the cake.

Even after checking all meanings of "but" I cannot figure out which meaning of "but" is meant here. Rather it seems to me that the above example sentence is noted wrongly, and the right notation should be:

  I was just content to see my daughter in such a stable relationship.
  But a grandchild (=having a grandchild, moreover), that really was the icing on the cake.

Is my assumption right/wrong?


texts: Which one is correct: just know, just knew, or have just known?

texts:
For as long as I can remember, I distinguish past tense from perfect tense from the intention of the sentence. If the sentence intends to emphasise on the time, then it's past tense. If the sentence intends to emphasise on the "finish-ment" of something, then perfect tense it is. And past perfect is just the finish-ment of something at time point of reference in the past.

And then I use the rule of thumb that everything with "just" usually is having "perfect" tense somewhere in the sentence, whether it's perfect tense, past perfect tense, or future perfect tense.

My wife had just posted a picture in her instagram saying that:

"Having this phone for a year, yet I just knew my phone camera has automatic flash feature."

I corrected her that she should use "yet I have just known" instead of "just knew" because I think it's perfect tense. But she insisted that this is a past tense because the event of "knowing" is happened in the past.

Which one is true? And can you help give some explanation? Thanks.


texts:
This test is really confusing me. I thought both 'so...as' and 'so...that' are correct structures to be used in cause-and-effect events. However, I can't understand why option 1 is incorrect.

  Climatic shifts are ......... at first from ordinary fluctuations in
  the weather.

  so gradual as to be indistinguishable
  enough gradual not to be distinguishable
  gradual enough so that one cannot distinguish them as such
  so gradual that they cannot be distinguished (correct answer)

I really thank whom can shed a light on this and acknowledge me why option 1 can't be correct.


texts: Do you pronounce words in your head when reading?

texts:
Whenever I read (silently), I hear a voice in my head speaking the written words. I've tried to mute this voice while reading, but have been unable to thus far.

Is this a universal aspect of reading, or a personal development?


texts: What is the difference between "face a challenge" and "face up to a challenge"?

texts:
What is the difference between face a challenge and face up to a challenge? For example:

  The teacher is going to face the challenge of teaching a disobedient class.

  The teacher is going to face up to the challenge of teaching a disobedient class.

Does the second sentence imply that the teacher will have to deal with the class bravely?


texts:
The copy machine is broken. (related audios are linked)

The linked audios have three persons’ pronunciation for ‘copy.’ Which are the materials for TOEIC test that is consisted of three national pronunciations: American, British, and Australian. But I don’t acknowledge which is which. Can you write their IPA symbols down and say how they pronounce ‘o’ each?


texts: Can ‘half the half circle’ be used instead of 1/4 circle? Or what should I say to express this? I guess a half half circle or half of a half circle?


texts: Which one is more natural and correct: "the phone trials" or "the trials of the phone"?

texts:
Which one is more natural and correct: the phone trials or the trials of the phone? For example:

  The phone trials have showed that the phone is ready to be launched.

  The trials of the phone have showed that the phone is ready to be launched.


texts: Event timeline in No Longer human - Is my event order right?

texts:
I've seen this page of No longer human, from Osamu Dazai

  God, I ask you, is non-resistance  a sin? I had wept at that incredible smile Horiki showed me, and forgetting both prudence and resistance, I had got into the car that took me here. And now I had become a madman. Even if released, I would be branded on the forehead with the word "madman", or perhaps, "reject". No longer human. I had now ceased utterly to be a human being.

Unfortunately, I don't know whether my event timeline is right - Because Past Perfect at every 10 words or so confuses me. - , and I wanted to show you to see if it's right.

1st - Horiki showed a smile;

2nd - He wept;

3rd - He got into a car that took him to another place (in which he still is);

4th- Become a mad man;

5th - Be no longer a human;

Have I gotten it right?


texts: Past Perfect Continuous vs Past Continuous difference in meaning

texts:
In my grammar text book there is a sentence describing Past Perfect vs Past Perfect Continuous difference. I understand the difference between those two tenses, but there is another thing that makes me curious. In the sentence below Past Perfect Continuous is used.

I 'd been finishing some work in the garden when Sue arrived, so I didn't hear her come in.

To me, it sounds strange and I want to use Past Continuous there. Is it all right? If so, what is a difference in meaning between those two tenses in that sentence?


texts:
Is the use of "either" in both conversations below, grammatically correct?

I don't like it.

I like it either. ( to mean: I like it, although you do not like it )

And

I don't like it, do you like it either?
Me neither.
Oh, that is great. We are very similar to each other!


texts: Is my analysis correct in "This is a private beach, where its members play balls and take a sunbath when the weather is good."

texts:
Before entering my question,
I have to say that I have already asked a similar question today. However it contains some grammar errors so that it is not very good for a discussion about how to break down the use of "where" and analyze it.
I asked this new but similar question because the previous post has some valuable feedbacks I think would probably be helpful to other learners so that I don't want to close it or delete it.

Now, entering my question:
I am not sure my analyzing the use of "where" in the examples (1), (2), (3) and (4) is correct. Is my analysis correct?
The example (3) and (4) are the ones that sound wrong to me, but I remember some books say "where" can be "which...in/at/from".
My analysis:

(1) This is a private beach, where its members play balls and take a sunbath when the weather is good.

is equal to

(2) This is a private beach, at which its members play balls and take a sunbath when the weather is good.

is equal to

(3) This is a private beach, which its members play balls and take a sunbath at when the weather is good.

might also be equal to this one??

(4) This is a private beach, which its members play balls at and take a sunbath at when the weather is good.


texts: Meaning of confusing phrase - "for as long"

texts:
I found this in an article on Quora:

  What are some disadvantages for companies located in Silicon Valley?

  1-Distraction by all the other startups/silicon valley media
  2-Risk of top employees leaving to join or start another startup; this makes it harder to invest in developing people because on average they won't be around for as long.

I was confused by this part: “this make it harder to invest in developing people because on average they won't be around for as long“?

Specifically, “Won’t be around for as long” confuses me. Is “for so long” a variation of “for as long”?


texts: Taking this point into account/ taking into account this point

texts:
I have read in many dictionaries that taking something into account is the rule for constructing expressions that contain this one. However, in some cases I have seen that taking into account something is also used. So I am wondering if, in fact, both patterns of construction are equally valid in any case.
For instance, are the following two sentences equally valid? I mean, are they both grammatically correct?

Taking into account this point, I would say the statement is false.
Taking this point into account, I would say the statement is false.


texts:
Watching this video, what does the female narrator want to say?
My hearing from around 0:13~

We get to that in a minute. But I do wanna talk about your, integration into the Bulls, Michael Jordan a little bit, coz we saw a clip earlier in the show with that, and, and, look again! From just being even a young pup covering you guys, I used to tell people, they're teammates and the brothers out on the court, but it took a lot of work to get there.

My question is,
What is a young pup? Merriam Free Online gives the definition as

a young dog

I think the "pup" means Jordan here. Am I correct in understanding her speech or is there alternative slang like meaning?
Saying that, what does "young pup" "covering" mean? Does it mean here Jordan was protecting their teammates also?
I am sorry if there is my mishearing but let me thank you in advance.


texts: help me to understand the meaning and grammar structure of this long sentence

texts:
I've been reading the book She Said and get completely confused with this sentence in the book.
Here it is:

She would be required to provide such reasonable assistance as it may request in taking such steps as are prudent to deal with the foregoing to prevent any further disclosure or as the case may be to mitigate such effect.

I was confused from the "as it may request" part. The two "as" in this sentence: which one is preposition and which one is conjunction？


texts: What is the term for the white foam of the wave apart from sea/ocean foam?

texts:
The closest term to what I want to know is, so far, 'Swash'.
But not exactly, because it is a term for 'wave' not ...the foam/the frothy part of the wave. I want to know if there is a term for that white part of the swash. Like, when a wave gently breaks on the shore or hits with a rock and then there's the white froth happening. I'm sorry I feel like I am rambling now;
 (Or...maybe Whitecapping? But it seems to me that is also just a description of another wave form, bah..)


texts:
How can I say something like this:

  It was getting dark. They suddenly understood the danger they were going to face. They ...... trying.

Or

  After the incident, different agencies .... to offer a practical solution.

I don't want to use words like started or began. In our language, we have something like: to fall into scrambling or put into trying Or somehow become like a boiling water to do sth. Sorry if these don't make sense.


texts:
When somebody is playing a piano they occasionaly increase or decrease the distance between their fingers so to reach farthest notes or closest ones. What are these two finger positions and actions called?

Clarification: when the fingers are very close to each other you can play notes that are byside each other. When the fingers are far from each other (depending on the hand) you can play notes that have a larger interval than a second.

Edit: I've noticed "gather" being used to get the fingers closer and "stretch" to get them further from each other. Would that be correct?


texts: "a hundred of applications" vs. "a hundred applications."

texts:
Which of these sentences are correct:

This job position nearly had a hundred of applications.

This job position nearly had a hundred applications.

Should of be there? Why or why not?


texts: What is different between "for" and "to"?

texts:
The place is important for/to me.
  I changed the variable for/to the project.
  I can do to/for you.
  In/for/to this project, I created a new method.

Does it mean any difference?

This bothered me many times.

Wish someone can answer.


texts: I don't understand the meaning of the particles "-off" and "-out"

texts:
I'm a French student and I don't understand the meaning of the particle "off" or "out" often used with verbs... Can anybody help me to understand their meaning?

For example "to phase out" or "live off"

Furthermore, I would like to ask you if this sentence is correct

  I neither understand the particle "off" nor "out".


texts: Help to understand the meaning of a tweet by J.K. Rowling

texts:
I’ve read a tweet of J.K. Rowling:

  Well done on reducing one of the greatest sportswomen alive to racist and sexist tropes and turning a second great sportswoman into a faceless prop

I understand it to mean:

  Well done on reducing one of the greatest sportswomen alive with a cartoon appearing racist and sexist and turning a second great sportswoman into a faceless woman.

Is my understanding correct?


texts: Is "doing a Batman cosplay" idiomatic? Googling it seems to return a few results, but I am not sure if it's idiomatic, because cosplay is a relatively new word and it doesn't really sound natural. Is there a better and more idiomatic way of saying it?


texts:
Below sentence is correct. (I got it right in Khan Academy)

  CORRECT: These efforts led to the creation of one of the most famous and enduring icons in American history—an icon who would have an incalculable influence on American labor and society

I am curious to know: can we use "had" instead of "would have"? What's the difference between them?

Also, they say "is to have" is future tense. "is" and "have" both are present, how is it future tense?


texts: Why do we use the plural of movies in this phrase "We went to the movies last night."?

texts:
I found this sentence:

  We went to the movies last night.

at the following URL: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/movies

Why do they use the plural "movies", why not use the singular "movie"?


texts:
When a space is violated, it is intruded upon. When a law is violated, someone is breaking it. You can violate a religious place by desecrating it. Violating a person is synonymous with raping that person. But what do people mean when they say "I felt violated (by)" or "I feel violated"?

To me, it sounds like someone's feelings might have been hurt severely by somebody else, with the result of that someone being very upset (i.e. "p*ssed off") - but I can't back that up with any of these dictionaries:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/violated
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/violate?q=violated
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/violate
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/violate
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/violated

Am I completely wrong with my assumption of feeling hurt? If not, can someone substantiate that assumption with a reference?

Only Your Dictionary seems to go in that direction:

  to offend, insult, or outrage: to violate one's sense of decency

but to me, that sentence, "I felt violated", is more a reaction of how one was treated (overall, e.g. the manner in which one was talked to), rather than an individual offensive act... Is "feeling violated" used in that sense/nuance?

When would you say "I felt violated"?


texts:
Someone asked me what the difference is between "We are the champions OF the world" and "We are the champions IN the world".
I couldn't really explain other than saying "of" is more commonly used and sounds more final/definitive.
How would you describe the difference in meaning/nuance between these two sentences?


texts:
The eternal angel slept on the grass where a shepherd often stayed,
ignoring all sounds even as the cow grazes.

He stayed there, ignoring all even as the cow grazes often by.

You always ignored people, and I bet you still do, ignoring all people as they pass by.

God slept on the grass, ignoring all even as the cow grazes by.

Is there a way to make it work? Present and past in the same sentence?


texts: Difference between "on doing" / "in doing"

texts:
While reading a book, I saw a phrase which distraced me. ("on entering the door") And I searched the internet for more information on this usage "upon/on doing". Then I found a very competent comment here

As far as I understand, "upon/on doing" make a connection to the main clause but the temporal relationship is not obvious. It could refer to a time before the main clause or after the main clause or even simultaneous with the main clause . What I want to ask you is that:

What is the different between "on doing"" and "in doing" if both "on doing" and "in doing" refers to some point in the process of doing something? Can I rewrite the sentence as I have done in the sentence below?

  1- On entering the castle, he is led to a banquet hall
  where he meets the Fisher King and sits down with him for a feast.

  1a- In entering the castle, he is led to a banquet hall where he
  meets the Fisher King and sits down with him for a feast.

  2- On purchasing the phone, I was assured that this was the
  latest and the best model available there.

  2a- In purchasing the phone, I was assured that this was the
  latest and the best model available there.

  or vice versa:

  3- In running out the door, I slipped on the ice outside.

  3a- On running out the door, I slipped on the ice outside.

  4- In studying with her, I realized she was deeply interested in
  programming.

  4a- On studying with her, I realized she was deeply
  interested in programming.


texts: Which way is correct: "to shuffle cards" or "to muddle up the cards"?

texts:
What way is correct in English:

"to shuffle cards" or "to muddle up the cards"?


texts:
I am building a survey. I found one that uses this scale for asking about frequency of doing something:

1.Very often
2.Sometimes
3.Occasionally
4.Rarely
5.Never

I want to change it to:

1.Always
2.Sometimes
3.Rarely
4.Never

Does the second list of choices do the same purpose of the first list?
I think that sometimes and occasionally are almost the same (especially in my language as I am a non-native speaker and need to translate this survey to my language). Am I right that sometimes and occasionally are the same in English language and these two choices can be merged with sometimes?
The other thing, is very often equivalent to always? Again, because I will need to translate these answers to my language. I find very often is same as always (at least in my language). So can I replace very often with always?


texts:
Reading this article, there is a line,

President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday empaneling a commission to examine possible reforms to the Supreme Court and federal judiciary, making good on a campaign trail promise sparked by his predecessor's tilting of the federal bench

Question 1
What does "make good" mean from the following definitions?

If you make good some damage, a loss, or a debt, you try to repair the damage, replace what has been lost, or repay the debt.

If someone makes good a threat or promise or makes good on it, they do what they have threatened or promised to do.

If someone makes good, they become successful, famous, or rich.

I guess without any support here make good would mean by 2?
Question 2
What does federal bench mean here?
Would that mean possibly the line of judges changed by the former president Trump here?


texts: What is the person who takes minutes in a meeting called?

texts:
What do we call a person who takes the minutes in a meeting?

Is it a minute taker, reporter?


texts: "if not understanding - of it" in a TOEFL question

texts:
Nevertheless, by the middle of the nineteenth century, the rapid expansion of scientific knowledge and of public awareness - if not understanding - of it had created a belief that the advance of science would in some unspecified manner automatically generate economic benefits.

What do you think "it" refers to?
Can you help me to explain grammar rules behind using "-if not understanding- of it"

This is the context:

Until late in the nineteenth century, only a few industries could use scientific techniques or care about using them. The list expanded noticeably after 1870, but even then much of what passed for the application of science was "engineering science" rather than basic science.

Nevertheless, by the middle of the nineteenth century, the rapid expansion of scientific knowledge and of public awareness - if not understanding - of it had created a belief that the advance of science would in some unspecified manner automatically generate economic benefits.


texts: voting public -- is "public" an adjective?

texts:
Example with a context:

  Approximately 60% of Québec's voting public rejected the idea put forth by Parti Québécois leader René Lévesque.

voting is obviously a noun there. But how does public fit into the picture? Is it used as a postpositive adjective?


texts: What does "entwined like minks" suggest?

texts:
I read a sentence in the book Circe by Madeline Miller which was:

  Certainly, from the moment of my brother’s birth, they were entwined like minks.

According to Merriam Webster
"mink" refers either to a mammal or its fur. But what does that have to do with "entwining"? Can it be that mink-fur entwines easily?


texts: Do the phrases "this once" and "this time" mean the same?

texts:
Do this time and this once mean the same? For example:

  I have never allowed you to use my car but this time/this once.

If the phrases are identical in meaning, then which once is more common?


texts: Proofreading- tenses used with word the 'once' in the sentences below?

texts:
1) "I had always thought that once you grew up you could do anything you wanted - stay up all night or eat ice-cream straight out of the container" ( one of Bill Bryson quotes)

2) "My boss is a nice man once you get to know him."(from cambridge grammar today)

Could it be "once you grow up" in the first sentence ?

I doubt the first sentence is grammatically correct but then who am I to question Bill Bryson.I would be grateful if someone can walk me through over this


texts:
Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Prologue:

CHORUS
　　Now old desire doth in his deathbed lie,
　　And young affection gapes to be his heir.
　　That fair for which love groaned for and would die
　　With tender Juliet matched, is now not fair.
　　Now Romeo is beloved and loves again,
　　Alike bewitchèd by the charm of looks,
　　But to his foe supposed he must complain,
　　And she steal love’s sweet bait from fearful hooks.

What does would mean here?  Does it mean the same thing as "wanted to"?


texts: Is this plain form "I requested her hand for marriage from her father" acceptable in general; as opposed to the idiomatic form?

texts:
The plain form which I feel more natural to my tongue:

  I requested her hand for marriage from her father

As opposed to the idiomatic form:

  I asked her father for her hand in marriage

Is the plain form acceptable in place of the idiomatic form; at least informally?