texts:
It was ... salted the earth around your flower deck.

I wrote the second form "It was me". I have chosen the most "appropriate" answer to this question as somebody who is learning English.
This decision was made on a phonetic basis so it's for sure I made a mistake.

Surely you have a rational explanation to this exercise, maybe a grammar rule, or is it an English expression?


texts: Can an indefinite article be used with plural noun "units"?

texts:
In one of my network textbooks, a text is as:

  The difference is simply a constant 10 units for time greater than 2 seconds.

The article "a" does not seem to be fit with plural "units". Am I wrong? Should it be like:

  The difference is simply a constant which/that is 10 units for time greater than 2 seconds.


texts: What is the difference between 'I will eat an apple' and ' I will be eating an apple'?

texts:
I want to know the difference between future tense and future progressive tense.
For example,  'I will eat an apple' and ' I will be eating an apple'.
What is the difference between two expression in meaning?


texts: What is the difference between "a little late" and "a little too late"?

texts:
Please tell me what is the difference between the following sentences

He celebrated a little early.
He celebrated a little too early.

And

It is a little late to do that thing.
It is a little too late to do that thing.


texts: Aren't they both considered correct? "Yesterday I watched a film" "Yesterday, I saw a film.'


texts:
All I see is a dead crowd and people on their phones

  All I see are a dead crowd and people on their phones

Which one is grammatically correct?


texts: Does the phrase "one time more likely" exist?

texts:
So far I have only found usage examples which show the difference in amount of two things by two or more degree, for example

She earns five times as much as I do.

Smokers are 10 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers, two times more likely to develop heart disease.

I wonder if it is possible to say that X is ONE TIME more likely to do Y.


texts: Simple Past Tense or Past Progressive Tense?

texts:
So, I'm trying to figure out what the correct verb tense for the following would be:

  It's happening again.  However, this time it feels completely different from when it happened earlier...

OR:

  It's happening again.  However, this time it feels completely different from when it was happening earlier...

Both "happened" and "was happening" sound correct in my head to me, so I'm not sure if they can both technically be used here or if one is definitely correct over the other.


texts: Have you explained why you did/have done/had done?

texts:
Let’s say I know my friend has broken up with his girlfriend. I don’t know when, but I know he has. I want to know whether or not he’s given her brother an explanation. What should I ask?

  Have you explained to him why you broke up with his sister?

  Have you explained to him why you have broken up with his sister?

  Have you explained to him why you had broken up with his sister?

My gut tells me it’s the last one, but the more I think about it, the more confused I get.
I think I should use “had broken up”, because the breakup had occurred before my friend would’ve had a chance to tell his girlfriend’s brother about it. Is it important in this particular case?
have broken up also seems ok-ish to me, but I think I should use past perfect to show the correct order of what’s happened.
broke up seems completely wrong as I don’t know when they broke up.


texts:
Is there any slight difference in meaning between the two phrases "A tin of biscuits" and "A biscuit tin"?

I'm not sure but I think there's a tiny difference in their meaning. Like, a tin of biscuits is about to emphasize that it's a tin with biscuits inside, while a biscuit tin emphasizes it's the bin, not the package.

Do you think it's so, or I'm just overthinking and the two phrases are the same, there's no, even a teeny-weeny difference in meaning?

P.S. Why do people say "a bus stop" instead of "a stop of buses"? has already had the answer and is somewhat relative to this question. So enjoy it if you like.


texts: To use or not to use commas in the sentence "The opportunity to be rich, that I always cared about, that generally comes to lucky people has never.."

texts:
I've already learned, in this beneficial forum, that commas are required to list more than two units with the same function.
I would like to ask a question with regards to that.
1- The opportunity to be rich that I always cared about that generally comes to lucky people has never come to me.
2- The opportunity to be rich, that I always cared about, that generally comes to lucky people has never come to me.
Which one is correct?
First of all, I would like to emphasize that the clauses "that I always cared about" and "that generally comes to lucky people" are defining relative clauses and their commas in the second sentence is not about their type, but the comma use for listing.
I think the second one is correct because all of "to be rich", "that I always cared about" and "that generally comes to lucky people" have the same function, defining "the opportunity", so I believe that we need to list them with commas even though there are defining relative clauses there.


texts: For example, gas is countable and uncountable. Then, can 'much gas' always be translated into 'many gases'? Oh, look at that! there's a cloud of many gases!


texts: word that describes advantages being "surpassed" or "exceeded" by disadvantages

texts: For instance, a sports car might have all the technology and power but the high cost is its disadvantage compared to an average car. So "However, the advantage of high technology and power is _____ed by the high cost."


texts:
When I introduce an abbreviation in a title, should I introduce the abbreviation again in the text that follows?

Example:

vs.


texts:
Cursing and swearing, Michael crawled out of the car.

Is it very natural to use 'cursing' and 'swearing' together?

Is it ok to use it as in the sentence without adding what he's cursing and swearing at?


texts:
What is the definition of "somewhere off" not just in this example but also the meaning in general
Example:
Potential infinity refers to a procedure that gets closer and closer to, but never quite reaches, an infinite end. For instance, the sequence of numbers
1, 2, 3, 4, ...
gets higher and higher, but it has no end; it never gets to infinity. Infinity is just an indication of a direction -- it's "somewhere off in the distance."


texts:
I have heard about:

  What's the price of the book.

  What's the price for the book.

Today I have seen a sentence:

  We aim to bring down prices on all our computers.

What are the uses of "on" with the word "price"?

Explain.

Thank you.


texts: Where should a subordinate sentence be placed?

texts:
(1) At the end of the fifth day, Kimberly was so tired that she only felt like going to bed, but she had also acknowledged that too much was expected from her performance, since Cory was expecting an evening of laughs.
(2) At the end of the fifth day, Kimberly was so tired that she only felt like going to bed, but, since Cory was expecting an evening of laughs, she had also acknowledged that too much was expected from her performance.

Which is better, (1), where since Cory was expecting an evening of laughs is placed at the very end, or (2), where the fragment is placed in the middle?


texts: The meaning of running an instance during an online search

texts: What does "Searx ... lets anyone run their own instance" mean? Based on my search "an instance is a single copy of the software running on a single physical or virtual server. If you run two copies of the software on the same physical or virtual server, that counts as two instances." So does that mean one can run copies of a software while searching using Searx? If so, what does it mean exactly? Thank you!


texts: Why "Welcome to take our TAXI" is incorrect and any correct ways can be suggested?

texts:
There is a machine installed in some TAXI cars within China. Whenever a new passenger enters the car, it will play this sentence: "Welcome to take our TAXI!" One of my American friends pointed it out that it's plain wrong. I think it can be because to here is a prep. instead of an infinitive header.

So I am wondering what's the true reason why it's wrong and what's the correct wording to denote the same sense?

The one I can get is: You are welcome to take our TAXI!, but it's a bit different in meaning from the original one.

Any thoughts?


texts: How would you explain 'such a _____' to a student when asked on the spot

texts:
I was teaching a class to native Spanish speakers when a student asked me what 'such a' meant and how he could use it. Having been caught completely off guard I tried my best, gave it a thought and explain that we use 'such a'to add emphasis to a noun as in : 'it's such a beautiful day' or 'you're such a good student' but you wouldn't say 'it was such an ok test' because the adjective just wasn't strong enough. However, I just feel I didn't explain it right...

How would you have explained it?


texts: Is it better to say "I and I alone (am working on)" or "I alone (am working on)" when saying that I am the only one working on something?

texts:
In the context of saying that I am the only person working on something, is it better to say:

"I and I alone am working on...

or

"I alone am working on...


texts: Which phrase should I use to interrupt a person who is speaking?

texts:
When instant-messaging with a friend of mine (born in the USA), I used to say wait to interrupt her because I didn't understand something she said, or because she was talking about something for which she had a misunderstanding.

Every time I said that, she replied as if I said wait for me before moving away from my computer to do something, with the result that sometimes she would move away from her computer. This would not happen in a face-to-face communication, since she would notice I was not going anywhere, and there would not be a long delay between the moment I say wait, and when I say what I wanted to say; with instant-messaging, there can be a delay from the moment I write a message and when I complete the next one.

Is there a better/preferable phrase I should use in these cases?

In Italian, aspetta would be a common, informal phrase to use in these cases, but clearly literally translating it didn't have the expected result.


texts: "haven’t" or "didn't" which one is more appropriate to ask (reminder) someone to do something?

texts:
this question comes from this post.

that post gives some equations and discussion based on those equations.

someone is asking for tag(s) about those equations.

  You haven’t numbered your equations. Which one is “equation_1?”

for this case, which one is more appropriate to ask (reminder) someone to do something, "haven’t" or "didn't" ?


texts: Adverb of time for showing a certain short period in the past

texts:
Sentence A: Where's the ring you had earlier?
Sentence B: Where's the ring you had a while ago?

I want to know what corrections would be made to these two sentences, and which one is better to use (as a native English speaker would say).


texts: Can I use the adjective 'haunted' to speak about a person?

texts:
A person sees ghosts or is under attack by ghosts.

Which one is correct?

My father is haunted.
My father is being haunted.

Any alternatives?


texts:
He is drawing water from well.

  He is pulling water from well.

Which is more suitable in this context?
Is there any suitable phrasal verb for this?

Thank you.


texts: I will not in any case kick the ball or I will in any case not kick the ball

texts:
I will not in any case kick the ball.

  I will in any case not kick the ball.

  I in any case will not kick the ball.

  I will not kick in any case the ball.

I think only the fourth one is wrong, and all of the others seem fine to me. Please tell me if there are any wrong ones (and why), because after looking at them for so long, I just lost my sense of English. Also, please tell me if some of them have to be used with commas like below:

  I, in any case, will not kick the ball.


texts: Is "I >am having< a code which ... " acceptable?

texts:
On StackOverflow I often see this:

  I’m having a code which (does such and such, followed by a fragment of code)

Is I am having a code grammatically correct? I think it is incorrect, and that it should be, I have some code, but I continue to see it more and more frequently.

Is it grammatically correct, or is it a common error? If it is correct, why?


texts: what if I + what, past tense or present tense?

texts:
what's the correct tense here:
Is it "the past tense" or "the present tense"?
"What if I miss the bus?"
"What if I were late to dinner?"
"What if I called her tomorrow?"
"What if I don't understand?"


texts: Does the writer write incorrectly in this paragraph?

texts:
I have a paragraph as follows:

  When you are comfortable, your body will be doing certain things automatically, just like it will tend to do certain things automatically when you are not comfortable. By knowing how you would be using your body if you were comfortable  under different circumstances and then consciously using your body that way, you can make yourself comfortable more quickly.

Does the expression “you can make yourself comfortable more quickly” mean “You can quickly make yourself more comfortable” right? I’m studying English and I was taught that the true English grammar is “make + sb + adj”, not “make + sb + adv”, so the writer write incorrectly “make yourself comfortable more quickly”, right?


texts:
I am wondering about if these sentences are right. Since I use this kind of English in my daily life and this gives the intended meaning to me. But English teacher do not agree with me.

  A. His parents didn't inherit, I think it was anything to him.
  (Intended meaning = His parents didn't inherit anything to him.)

  B. He killed Sally believes it was himself.   yesterday. (He= himself, same person)

(Intended meaning = He killed himself yesterday.)


texts: A space which is good to be in -> A space to be in (?)

texts:
It seems that "a space which is good to be in" is grammatically acceptable (with "in" at the end of the sentence).
"Space" in this example refers to an intentionally designed living/working/public etc. space which is worth being in in terms of one's wellbeing. The "in" seems to be necessary because "a space which is good to be" feels incomplete.

What happens if "which is good" is omitted and only "a space to be in" is left?
Specifically, what will happen to the meaning of the phrase?

Will it make sense?
As a native speaker, will this phrase imply positive quaities of a particular space (e.g. that one actually wants to be in there, for various reasons).
Will it work in situations such as:

an exclamation during an informal everyday conversation emphasizing that one wants to stay longer in a particular living/working/public etc. space: "This is a space to be in."
"Let's create a space to be in" (the intended meaning would be "let's organize this space in a way that it will positively affect those who will be there").


texts: Should it be "it is threatened" or "these are threatened" in this sentence

texts:
India has always professed its desire to have friendly relations with all countries but has been equally firm in safeguarding its interests when it is threatened.

I think the above sentence is correct with it being used for India.

But in my book it is written that instead of "it is threatened" "these are threatened" should be used.


texts: "in months" in place of "for months" on BBC web site. Is it correct?

texts:
I have been reading some news on the BBC web page (at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-37935357), which is about people migrating illegally into USA.

And the text of the news has the following sentence:

"....Josefa, who looks after her daughter's children, has not heard from her in months."

The sentence has the expression "in months", which seems incorrect. But it is a BBC web site, which I think is careful about correct usage of English.

So I wanted to ask. Why does the news text not say "for months" but "in months"? Could it be just a typing error or can we really use "in months" instead of "for months" to refer to a long period time in the English Language.

Regards,


texts: There was a sword and shield by the lion. There were a sword and a shield by the lion. Which of the two is correct? Both sound awkward.


texts: I have made all the changes VS I made all the changes

texts:
I have to write one of the following phrases into a formal correspondence (but not too formal), I was asked to review a document, and then  get back to him when the document is finished

  1) I have made all the changes and filled out the document log in the last page

  2) I made all the changes and filled out the document log in the last page

Which one should I use?

This was the mail that I  received :

.., so now you are ok to go ahead and make those corrections, accept changes and delete all comments. Let me know when you are finished. Can you also please make sure that the document log at the end of the document is complete


texts: "While" and "As" conveying a continuous aspect

texts:
I have noticed that "While" and "As" trigger a continuous meaning of the verb which, however, is used in the default form, so to speak. For example,

I am thinking of my work as/while we speak now.

Basically, "we speak now" means that we are speaking right now, hence, the Present Continuous could be used here. But I see that it is very often when the Present Simple is used. Now my question is whether the meaning remains the same regardless of whether we use the Present Simple or the Present Continuous.
Do the following sentences mean the same?

You may say embarrassing things while you are coming out of anesthesia.  You may say embarrassing things while you come out of anesthesia.
If your car jerks while you are coming to a stop, it might mean that your brakes are in bad shape.  If your car jerks while you come to a stop, it might mean that your brakes are in bad shape.
What are you doing while I sit here watching waves?  What are you doing while I am sitting here watching waves?


texts:
I'm teaching my students how to tell time in New York. We live in India.

  It's easy! Add two and a half hours to our time (IST), and change the _________

Here, what should we fill in the blank?

I want to say change from day to night and night to day!

For instance, if it's 7:30 am in India, adding two hours will make it 10:00 and change the period/time to night. So, it is 10:00 pm in NYC.


texts: Could anyone help me to explain this quote?

texts:
SOURCE  (Walt Disney)

I have read this quote:

  The difference in winning & losing is most often, not
  quitting.

I am so curious for some issue below.

I wonder why "not", as in "not quitting", has comma in front of "not"?
whether is "quitting" present participle or gerund?
Do meaning of this sentence change if "not" is after "is"?
Is "not quitting" reduced form of adjective clause?
Is it possible that "not quitting" comes from "The difference which
doesn't quit in winning & losing is most often"?


texts: Can I use "to demand" with an object, I demand smt. from

texts:
Is it correct to use the verb to demand with an object like this:

  He is demanding my father to pay him $600. (Seinfeld TV show)

I have not seen this kind of usage in the dictionaries. I have found only "an outraged public demanded retribution." But the object here is what they demanded, not the person they demanded it from.


texts: Distinguishing present from future in a conditional sentence

texts:
Consider the following sentences, used in an email message:

  I'm going to be on vacation next week. If you need anything, call me.

It could mean

If you need anything now, call me, because next week I will be on vacation (and may not be available).
If you need anything next week, call me, even though I will be on vacation (I will be available).

I don't see a way to distinguish between these two interpretations, unless there is some context. But this kind of message is often sent without context.

The problem is that the conditional statement uses present simple in the conditional part (as is usually prescribed for a "1st conditional"), regardless of whether the condition refers to the present or to the future. Other languages have different conditional constructions for these cases.

Translating literally from my native language, the way to refer to the future would be "If you will need anything" - but to me it sounds like really bad English.

Are there unambiguous ways to phrase this message with each of these possible meanings in good English?


texts: What does mean "done" in the following sentence?

texts:
Is the "done" meaning "acceptable"?

  In reading done outside class, select a short passage of no more than
  100 words. In the passage, locate pronouns/referring words and their
  noun referents.

In addition, Grammarly website tool (grammarly.com) reports an error to "outside" and says: replace it with "outside of"

Reference: "Delta's Key to the Next Generation TOEFL Test" book


texts:
Is the construction of sentence a) is correct?

  a) This tree was fallen on my bike.

As per my understanding above sentence is incorrect because fallen is an intransitive verb. And the sentence should be

  b) This tree fallen on my bike. (Simple past, Statative)

Or

  c) This tree had fallen on my bike. (Past perfect)

But if I want to tell someone the status of tree, can I say as below?

  d) This was the tree which fallen on my bike.

Or

Should I simply say?

  e) This was the tree which felled on my bike. (Simple past)

Also, it could be passive voice if I use an agent

  f) This tree was fallen on my bike by wind. (passive voice)


texts: What's the difference between ", from which ~" and ", from it ~"?

texts:
You can then open the chest, and from it take as much money as you please.
  You can then open the chest, and from which take as much money as you please.

If no.2 is possible in grammar, what's the difference between the two in meaning?


texts: What is the correct use of "to and for"?

texts:
What is the correct question."Do you want to buy the dress tomorrow for you mom? or Do you want to buy the dress tomorrow to your mom? -
What is the correct sentence? tks


texts: Is each word correctly grouped with words of a similar vowel sounds?

texts:
I have got the following English words. I want to arrange and put those that have similar vowel sounds together in a group. I have already arranged them but I am not sure.

Rift Sick Rich Sieve

Keep Peach leave siege

Tight wife Buy

Hat Man Band Blood

Hate Wait Weight Pays

Hot What Shop Wrong

But Ton

Dark Half Heart Fast


texts:
Are these five sentences correct and interchangeable?

  1) "You politicians are all the same."

  2) "All of you politicians are the same."

  3) "All you politicians are the same."

  4) "You politicians all are the same."

  5) "You all politicians are the same."

I think 4 and 5 are wrong but 1 and 2 are right. Somehow 3 sounds like wrong to me.
As far as I can remember, we can say like "All your friends are the same" instead of "All of your friends are the same", but I am not sure if I can say "All you politicians are the same" instead of "All of you politicians are the same".


texts: "To go in for sport" or just "to do sport"?

texts: At school I was taught that the collocation "to go in for sport" should be used when speaking about doing sport (e.g. to go in for karate). Is it widely-used nowadays?


texts: Difference between 'hope' and 'believe'?

texts:
I was told I can say:

  1) I hope to play a good match this evening.

On the other hand I cannot say:

  2) I believe to play a good match this evening

I was told I can say the following:

  I believe I´ll play a good match this evening.

Why is that? Is there any rule for this?


texts: Could you please suggest appropriate terms for the translation?

texts:
I've been trying to translate some Chinese text into English with the help of google translate. Since google translate sometimes gives very poor translation, I would like to seek your help to determine whether the text is properly translated. The translated text is given as follows,

Generally speaking, multinational companies have large production
scales, and use international division of labor and mechanized
production models to effectively control the production cost,
production speed, quality and output of products. Therefore, the
supply of products is stable, the quality is maintained at a certain
level and there is room for price reduction. All of these are very
attractive to consumers. On the contrary, the development of local
enterprises in developing countries is not yet mature. The production
technology, operating experience and publicity ability are
relatively inferior. The product quality is relatively poor, brand
awareness is lacking, and attractiveness of the products is low.
Therefore, in the local market, industries in developing countries
often lose out to external competitors and face the difficult
situation of losing customers. Their business space is narrowed.

The terms in boldface represent terms whose translations I am doubtful about.
I have several questions.

Is the translation natural? Are there any improvements which will make the passage more understandable?

Could you please provide appropriate translations for the terms in boldface? In the following I will try to explain what each term means.

mechanized production models: the use of machines to allow automation of the production process
publicity ability: the ability of a company to promote its products among customers
brand awareness is lacking: the brand is not popular and customers are not aware of the brand
attractiveness of the products is low: the products do not appear to be attractive to the customers
Their business space is narrowed: Due to the weaknesses of the company, the company can only do business with a smaller group of customers. The space in which the company is allowed to operate is narrowed.

Thank you.


texts: Is it also clear to say "The main diagonal of a matrix is the collection of entries that run from the top left to bottom right"?

texts:
This post says

  The main diagonal of a matrix consists of those elements that lie on the diagonal that runs from top left to bottom right.

Is it also clear when I rewrite that as

"The main diagonal of a matrix is the collection of entries that run from the top left to bottom right"?

Actually, the "collection of entries" is adapted from wikipedia


texts: Should there be a comma in this context?

texts:
Louis XIV, the Sun King

  Thor, the God of Thunder

In this kind of structure, should there be a comma before its nickname?


texts: Should I pluralize the object of a plural subject?

texts:
Examples:

  We can help ensure future shoppers complete their purchase.

vs

  We can help ensure future shoppers complete their purchases.

Another:

  The new law mandates city bikers wear a helmet.

vs.

  The new law mandates city bikers wear helmets.

I believe I was taught that the pluralization of the subject must match the pluralization of the object.  So, "mandates city bikers wear a helmet" would be incorrect, since it would technically imply those bikers were collectively wearing a single helmet. If we really wanted to use "a helmet", we could say "The new law mandates every city biker wear a helmet", since every singularizes biker.

But, common usage would imply both are correct.  What's the proper form here?


texts:
The following scenario is quite common in physics.

I am sure very is ok here, but how about quite? Which is better?


texts: Confusion about the use of 'quite' in 'quite a bit', 'quite a few', and 'quite a lot'

texts:
I have a hard time understanding some definitions and usage of quite in English Grammar Today (via Cambridge Dictionaries Online). The explanation is as follows:

  Quite a bit, quite a few, quite a lot

  We often use quite with a bit, a few and a lot to refer to large amounts and quantities:

  You should ask Mez for some advice. He knows quite a bit about gardening.

(I don't know if he knows a lot or a little about gardening, because of a bit is used here.)

  A: We bought quite a lot of new furniture, didn’t we?
  B: Yeah, quite a bit.

(Do quite a lot and quite a bit suggest the same meaning? Does quite a bit mean "very little"?)

  There were quite a few of us at the meeting.

(What does quite a few mean? Does it mean "very little"?)

  We also use quite a bit and quite a lot to mean ‘often’:

  Do you come here quite a bit?

(Do quite a bit, quite a lot, and quit a few have the same meaning in this context? If Not, why?)

  I used to go sailing quite a lot.

(Can we use quite a bit or quite a few here without changing the meaning of this sentence?)

  Quite + a lot /a bit + comparatives

We often use quite a lot and quite a bit with a comparative adjective or adverb to mean ‘much’:

  We went to Italy when I was quite a bit younger.

(Can we use quite a lot or quite a few here without changing the meaning of the sentence?)

  The new truck is quite a lot heavier than the old model.

(Can we use quite a bit and quite a few here without changing the meaning of sentence?)


texts: Can I say "Can I use your phone a little"?

texts:
As far as I know, the phrases "a little", "a little bit" and "a bit" can be used for meaning "for a short time". So, for meaning "Can I use your phone for a short time?", can I say these sentences?

  "Can I use your phone a little?"

  "Can I use your phone a bit?"

  "Can I use your phone a little bit?"

Context: Let's say my phone ran out of power and I need to look at something on the internet using my friend's phone, or I need to make a call. Or let's say I went up to a random person on the street.

By the way the usage of "a bit" is more common in this kind of sentences in British English compared to American English. Am I right? This is what Oxford Dictionary also says.


texts: Are there some words pronounced in English as in French?

texts: Do you have an example, or several ones, of words that are pronounced the same (or very very close), in English and in French?


texts: What is the difference between functional relationship and functioning relationship?

texts:
What is the difference between

functional relationship
functioning relationship


texts: When do you use this expression 'I am not a fan of '

texts:
I understand the meaning when it is said like

  'I am not a fan of Indian food or horror movies'

Here, you are a fan of things like movies, food etc.

but I do not understand why it is correct to say

  'I am not a fan of negativity'.

'negativity' is not a tangible thing. Can we use 'fan' this way?


texts:
"In its entirety" is an established idiom and has a pattern in its + noun form of an adjective.
It seems that the pattern is a commonly used pattern, e.g. "in its silliness".
From a comment

Left Behind is biblical in its silliness.

However, googling "in its silliness" and "biblical in its silliness" gets nothing definition or explanation of it.
I guess the reviewer is somehow making a complaint upon that movie but I don't understand the exact meaning of it. Can someone help me on this?


texts: What is difference between "accomplishment" and "achievement"

texts: It seems that in my native language is used only one word for translating both words "accomplishment" and "achievement". Are they synonyms? Are there some difference in usage of these words?


texts:
They say

  I'm pleased with your work \ performance (the noun implies duty or
  effort)

  I'm pleased about your wedding \ promotion (the noun is about some event)

Is there a difference in meaning between "pleased with" and "pleased about"?


texts: Can "a one" be an unambiguous substitution of "a [noun]"?

texts:
I want to use "a one" in the following sentence to refer to a single coat:

  I heard that coats were invented for this reason and therefore wearing a one will surely keep you warm.

Does "one" take an article in this specific usage as it can be substituted with "a coat"? And, would it sound unambiguous?


texts:
Anyone know why providing was used here? Is using which provides here correct?

We have a weekly Western Canada newsletter written by our B.C. and Alberta bureau chiefs, providing a comprehensive package of the news you need to know about the region and its place in the issues facing Canada.


texts: How to use the idiom "stop by" with a pronoun?

texts:
I know the meaning of the idiom "stop by" (come over for a short visit) but I don't know to use the idiom "stop by" with a pronoun.

For example, can I say "I'm going to stop by him", or "Please, come to stop by me" or "He went to stop by her"?

According to this site (which contains a lot of example of uses) I suspect that I have to use the preposition "with" since it states:

  Sam may stop by with Peter and Ted, and Roger Ailes wants to talk
  about this idea for a legal show that .


texts:
Please determine which sentence is correct and explain why:-

To give your body the chance to recover, it is also best to alternate exercise days with rest days.

Or

To give your body a chance to recover, it is also the best to alternate exercise days with rest days.


texts:
What is the meaning of "it" in the sentence, "Don't take it out on me" ?
Can I use the sentence without it?
If possible, what is the difference between "Don't take it out on me" and "Don't take out on me?


texts:
I presume 's is abbreviation for is and not the possessive form. If this is the case, why do we use a singular verb with many?

And why time and not times?


texts: What is difference between "projected date " and "expected date"?

texts:
For example, when is the "projected" or "expected" finish date of this project?
Is there any difference? If not, which one is more common?


texts: Do I need the "who" in the following sentence?

texts:
He smiled at this girl. This girl (who) he thought didn't exist in the
  world.

I thought the last sentence sounded strange so I added a who. Or maybe it's unnecessary?


texts:
There is some footage of the Second World War. This is followed by some more printed words.

Is it correct to use 'is followed by' in this context? The sentences are about a video.


texts: Present Perfect and Past Progressive with wait

texts:
Imagine that you're waiting for your friend X and you finally meet him. Is it better to use Past Progressive or Present Perfect here?

  I've been waiting for you for 5 hours.

or

  I was waiting for you for 5 hours.

In my opinion, Past Progressive looks pretty logical because you're not waiting him anymore - he's here, so the waiting is over. However, it seems that I've never seen 'I was waiting for you' in such situation.

Present Perfect, on the other side, seems possible when you're talking to X about your friend Y.

  You know, X, I've been waiting for Y for 5 hours (and I am still waiting because he hasn't arrived yet)

It would be very nice to see what others think about this.


texts: What is the difference between ‘pay attention to something’ ，‘focus on something’ and concentrate on something'?

texts:
What is the difference between those phrasal verbs?

  pay attention to: to listen to, watch, or consider something or someone very carefully
  concentrate on :to give all your attention to the thing you are doing
  focus on: to concentrate on something and pay particular attention to it
  keep one's mind on: to concentrate on someone or something.

I have checked the meaning of them, I think they are the same and can be used interchangeably when referring to give your attention to something.

the only difference is that ‘pay attention to’ is a little weaker in this meaning. Is that right?


texts:
Let's say each city has its own city-wide speed limit.

  The speed limit varies between cities.
  The speed limits vary between cities.

Definition 1 for "vary" of this dictionary reads:

  to be different in different situations

which implies that only one single characteristic, without it belonging to a specific thing, is being talked about, so sentence 1 should be the correct one.

But, definition 1a of the same dictionary reads:

  if two or more things vary, they are different from each other

which implies that two or more characteristics, each belonging to a separate thing, are being talked about, so sentence 2 seems to be the correct one.  What do native speakers think?


texts:
What is the difference between "management" and "administration"?
Despite using these two words under similar situations, I think there are subtle differences between these two words.


texts:
Should an infinitive be treated as a subject or object? For example, in 'I want to know it',
is the 'to know' subjective or objective?


texts:
On the other hand, paper-based books are more difficult to be stored
  \ to store than electronic books.

A research using Google Ngram shows that the passive form "difficult to be stored" is never used but I cannot understand the rule here. Could you please help me to analyse this?


texts: Which is correct? "He went to/for America yesterday"

texts:
Which is correct?

  He went to America yesterday.
  He went for America yesterday.

I think that 2 is incorrect.
Because the preposition 'for' of 2 sentence isn't appropriate to America.


texts: When did you marry? Or get Married ? Why?

texts:
I saw a lesson in English, said in Past Simple the following examples:

  When did you get married?
  When did you graduate?

Now, Why he said at (1) "get married" NOT "marry" like "graduate" in (2). ??


texts: As far as I know, it is not common. However, I heard saying "speak with you later" instead of "talk to you later or bye" sounds rather formal and suits business conversations? Is it correct?


texts: Pin the two ends together, put a pin here(while pointing at it)

texts:
So if the two ends are pinned together using a safety pin, can colloquially the following sentence be used to tell someone who's doing it:

  You have to put a safety pin here (while pointing at the position).

Can it be used to mean: pin the two ends together.


texts: "Thank Fred for something" or "Fred, thank you for something"

texts:
Fred insisted on something, then I did the correct thing. I want to say a thank to him in a public comment (many people can read it).

  Thank Fred for your insistence.

  Fred, thank you for your insistence.

Which one is good?


texts: "have difficulty doing" vs. "have difficulty in doing"

texts:
From Cambridge Dictionary

  She had great difficulty finding a job.

  UK: People with asthma have difficulty in breathing.

It seems that British English puts an extra "in" there while difficulty + doing are acceptable both in AmE and BrE.

Is my understanding correct?


texts:
He sang it in a melodious, quiet voice, with a river accent, and it
  was simple, just «I got a purty little girl, she’s sweet six-teen,
  she’s the purti-est thing you ever seen,» repeating it with other
  lines thrown in, all concerning how far he’d been and how he
  wished he could go back to her but he done lost her.(Jack
  Kerouac, On the Road)

Whenever I meet clauses with ‘how’s, I have no idea how to understand them. Would you let me know the ‘how’s in the case? (the first how seems to mean ‘to what extent’, the second ‘how much.’)


texts: Difference between "format" and "formatting"

texts:
I received an E-mail from LSAC (Law School Admission Council).

  A University changed the way it issues documentation in English. The
  new English documents of the Bachelor of Economics that we received
  from A University is not a complete, literal, word-for-word
  translation written in the same format as the original document in
  Chinese. Please request the university to send a letter to LSAC
  explaining why it has changed the formatting and wording of the
  English document.

What is the difference between “format” and “formatting”?  Why is “format” used in the first case (in the same format)?  Why is “formatting” used in the second case (changed the formatting)?

I find https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/198375/usage-clarification-of-nouns-format-and-formatting not particularly useful as I still cannot understand the essential difference between ‘format” and ‘formatting”.


texts:
Does "ruin the experience" sound informal?
I'm writing an essay and I'm wondering if it's appropriate to use such a phrase.


texts: Which (if either) of these two possibilities is the better choice?

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

Please arrange a meeting for today, 10 a.m. so that we can finalize the plan.
Please arrange a meeting so that we can finalize the plan today, 10 a.m.

To my understanding, if a sentence has date or time, it should be placed at the end of the sentence.


texts: use of "where" like a noun : where to live ; where does he come from

texts:
Where does he come from?

  He didn't let on where he was off to.

  Where to live.

  be where it's at

Even though "where" is used as an adverb or conjunction mostly, it doesn't seem so in the case above but rather a noun as followed by infinitive or refered to preposition. But none of dictionaries says that it can be used as a noun.

What part of speech is 'where' meaning in such cases?
Do they still act like adverb?


texts:
Considering the discussion above, we aim to provide a wrapper construction method ....

vs.

  Considering the above discussion, we aim to provide a wrapper construction method ....

I know in #2 "above" is used as an adjective, what about #1? what is its role?

Which is more common?


texts:
Source

  No sculptor could have created this many works of art in less than a
  year with just a hammer and chisel.

It is a general statement.

Does

  No sculptor can create this ...

have the same meaning?


texts:
The modal verb "must" can express inference, for example,

It must have rained last night, for the road is all wet.

Can I replace this kind of "must" with "have to"? For example,

It had to have rained last night, for the road is all wet.

Note: The reason I ask this question (interchangeability of "must" and "have to" when expressing inference) is because I saw "..., so it had to have worked." in the online comic called "siren's lament" Season 2, Episode 132.

Edit:
The original sentences in the speech bubbles are:
Could it be the kiss worked?
We both have our legs, and you are back.
So it had to have worked!
(The siren curse is passed by kissing a heart-broken person,
but they were trying whether a kiss with the beloved one can dispel the curse.)


texts: Is it correct to avoid using apostrophe in this situation?

texts:
I want to know whether it is possible to avoid using the apostrophe as suggested in the second option? or it should remain the same as it is in the first option?. Since it is the salute, I'm not sure it is correct to use apostrophe to point out that I am referring to the committee of the mentioned scholarship.
1.Dear members of the Agricultural Scholarship's Committee.
2.Dear members of the Agricultural Scholarship Committee.


texts:
Is there passive form to the expression "run over"?

Is it this form:

  "someone can be run over"


texts:
The book "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by By Michael Lewis" says

  The raw disparities meant that only the rich teams could afford the
  best players. A poor team could afford only the maimed and the inept,
  and was almost certain to fail. Or so argued the people who ran
  baseball.

Does argued here mean agree or disagree?


texts: Meaning of sentences talking about falling out of love

texts:
I don’t wanna wait another minute to find out whether you love me anymore

Which one does the above sentence mean? Or other meaning?
1)  I do not want to wait another minute anymore to find out whether you love me.
2)  I do not want to wait another minute to find out whether you love me or not anymore.

Likewise:

  I’m not sure I love you anymore.

1)  I’m not sure anymore I love you.
2)  I’m not sure whether I love you or not anymore.

Another one is:

  Oh! I long for Jeannie, and my heart bows low never more to find her where the bright waters flow

For the above example, can I say “my heart bows low to find her no (= never) more where the bright waters flow.”? (My guess is from the expression of “The army has arrived. We should fear no more.”) (formal English)

And does this mean the following or other meaning?
1)  Oh! I long for Jeannie, and my heart bows low because “I (or my heart?) will find her no (= never) more where the bright waters flow.” (to find = future = will find)
2)  because “I (or my heart?)” have found her no (= never) more where the bright waters flow.” (to find = recent happening or result = have found)


texts:
I found lots of examples of both in dictionaries but cannot see any regularity.

Usually choice of an article depends on whether I mean a specific object or a class of objects.

But what exactly is meant when it comes to "right"? Is it ability to do something or a specific case when I do it?

For example, in the sentence:

  I have _____ right to vote, because I'm 18.

what should I use?

There is the cite on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy:

  A right to life, a right to choose; a right to vote, to work, to strike; a right to one phone call, to dissolve parliament, to operate a forklift, to asylum, to equal treatment before the law, to feel proud of what one has done; a right to exist, to sentence an offender to death, to launch a nuclear first strike, to carry a concealed weapon, to a distinct genetic identity; a right to believe one's own eyes, to pronounce the couple husband and wife, to be left alone, to go to hell in one's own way.

All these "rights" are used with "a".

The first result of the search of "right examples" in Google reads:

  Some examples of human rights include:

  The right to life.
  The right to liberty and freedom.
  The right to the pursuit of happiness.
  The right to live your life free of discrimination.
  The right to control what happens to your own body and to make medical decisions for yourself.

How can that be explained?


texts: Cutaway Past Perfect in Narrative Discourse vs. Past Simple

texts:
A story of a guy who was supposed to pick his parents on time at the airport but he left late.

  I finally finished tidying about 3 a.m. and a few minutes later I
  was fast asleep. I woke up suddenly at 8 a.m.  I had arranged to meet my parents at the airport at 8.30 a.m. but I hadn't set the alarm!

  I quickly set off for Heathrow airport, but it's one of the biggest
  airports in the world! I had no idea which terminal they (arrived/had
  arrived) at!

The last narrative event is had (I don't think it is the setting off), so it is the RT (reference time). At this point of time he brings their past arrival event to represent his current state of not knowing where they are. This interpretation/inference is supported by describing Heathrow as one of the biggest airports in the world which makes it difficult to quickly know where they are.

Before yesterday, which was just a few hours ago!, the criteria of choosing arrived or had arrived wasn't narrative/cutaway perfect way of thinking. Instead it was based on more or less an order of events! What a shame!

Am I right? To all and esp. to @StoneyB because I claim to be his student!

Update:
I forgot to state that the chosen form is had arrived. I haven't slept yet and it's almost dawn!


texts: What does "play-stealing" mean in this context?

texts:
On Tuesday I warned Target Corp. wouldn't succeed copying Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s turnaround playbook. Unlike Target, though, Mcdonald’s's play-stealing plan is likely to work.

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


texts:
If there is any (at least one) of a movie theater, a baseball stadium, and an amusement
  park in that town, I would decide to live there.

I would like to reverse the meaning of this.  My example is as follows:

  If there is none of a movie theater, a baseball stadium, and an
  amusement park in that town, I would decide to live there.

I have consulted a dictionary, but could not find the usage of "none of A, B, and C"


texts: Sentence joined by comma- Is it compound/complex

texts:
i have a sentence

  Dogs bark,crows crow but lions roar.

Is it compound, complex or compound-complex...I think its compound


texts:
So I came across this quote by someone on some website, and it kinda intrigued me.

  Nothing makes a woman beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful.

I was wondering whether there should be a "more" following the "beautiful":

  Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief.

Am I wrong here?


texts:
Please help me understand the difference between these two sentences.

I only meant that your essay "is" less beautiful, but you "can" make it awesome.

I only meant that your essay "was" less beautiful, but you "could" make it awesome.


texts: Difference between "resident" and "inhabitant"

texts: "The town's inhabitants/ residents." Is there a difference when used in this kind of sense?


texts: "It will be the first time he has met her" - is it correct?

texts:
They haven't met before and they are going to meet next week.

So is it right to say "It will be the first time he has met her."? I read it in a Economist article. So I was wondering how is this correct or why is this correct!


texts:
For example:
tell him to be ready at 6 p.m., I will ( pick him up/take him) on the way home.

Which is the correct option?

Could you explain me  and give me  one or two examples, please?


texts:
What is the difference between "should go" and "should get going"?

I read the two links below but I think they seem contradictory to me. The speakers are talking out of their personal usage, and this is perfectly fine. It's only an issue when their personal usage contradicts each other. If there are many speakers would use them in what seems contradictory to me, it could mean that there is no difference in Spoken English, but formal only.

So could you tell me the difference by both, explanation and giving example scenarios/sentences. Here are some suggested criteria to use for comparison I compiled from the two links, but you are encouraged to add modify whatever helps make a better answer.

Urgency of what makes you get going/go (in other words, the reason)
Strength/rudeness vs mildness/softness of the two constructs
internal (i.e under your control)/external (i.e beyond your control)

Note:
You may want to give a prelim answer and then update it from the comments in case you need some clarifications and that might be even better. I didn't give quotes to what seems contradictory because it would make the post long and also to be honest I am not confident that I get the difference clear after reading both. So I thought of starting from scratch. The links would help the reader make clearer answers I believe.

External answers:

ell.Stackexchange.com: “I should go” vs. “I should be going”
Wordreference.com: "We should go / We should get going"


texts:
Please look at the following and tell me what is the difference between them

The rainfall activity has gone down in the past two days.
The rainfall activity has gone down over the past two days.
The rainfall activity has gone down for the past two days.
The rainfall activity has gone down during the past two days.

Now do all the sentences mean that the rainfall activity is still going down at present? i.e., at the moment of uttering these words? Also was the rainfall going down continuously during the entire two day period? Or were there any chances that it didn't happen continuously?

Thank you


texts: Why is the sentence "Please keep the area clean and well organize." incorrect?

texts: I am a tutor working with a student who has made this sentence. I am trying to explain why we shouldn't say "well organize" why we should say "well organized." I have explained it in several different ways but nothing is working.


texts:
"I don't care about any team unless it's England."

Is it correct usage of unless? I wanted to mean in football world cup I just support England and I don't care about other team's winning or losing.


texts:
A journalist asks

  dr. Foutch she said earlier this week
  that the lag in testing was in fact a
  failing do you take responsibility for
  that and when can you guarantee that
  every single American who needs a test
  will be able to have a test

He responses

  no, I don't take
  responsibility at all. because ...

the "responsibility" has been mentioned, does the response need a "the" in "take responsibility"?


texts:
From the sitcom Seinfeld, they were describing a bra in the sentence "You got the cups in the front, two loops in the back".

It seems that in this context "loops" means "straps". Is that correct?

What are other uses of "loops" with the same meaning? General straps like bag handles?

Is it a plural noun and can it be used in the singular form (without the ending "s")?

I don't know if these sources break copyrights, so I don't know how long they will last, but searching for the whole sentence we can find transcripts and videos to that episode, like:

Transcript: http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/TheSniffingAccountant.htm
Video (go to the point 2:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3AMRHXMfjs

EDIT: Added a picture of the sitcom scene. Frank was hanging the bra while he would analyze and describe it.


texts: Could you help me to fix the car? Or without the preposition?

texts:
could you tell me which is the right way to construct this sentence:

  A. Could you help me fix the car?

  B. Could you help me to fix the car?

Or perhaps both? What is the rule that governs the use or the preposition "to" in the sentence?


texts: word for a light "so bright it's painful"

texts:
Is there an adjective expressing the feeling of light that is so bright it hurts in the eyes?

I'm looking for a synonym word that could be used metaphorically as something like "awfully clear".


texts: Correct use of would/used to/simple past

texts:
One of my friends went to a casino. His uncle happened to see him inside.  My friend got worried and told me about this:

  My Friend: My uncle saw me in the casino with John

  Me: What if he saw you in the casino? It doesn’t mean you were playing
  there. you were just accompanying John.

  My Friend: I would keep John's coins on the table. My uncle saw it.
  He thought I would be playing.

I think my friend didn't want to say just  a single action of keeping coin on the table but he wanted to say the repetitive action. Hence he said I would keep John's.......

Is the use of I would keep...... correct in the context?


texts: Is there an idiom for "getting popular"?

texts: I wonder how else I can put that "something is getting popular". Can anyone help?


texts: Does English (proper) allow "sharp ass claws"

texts:
we know what a person means to say when they say "the guinea-pig has some sharp ass claws" but I was wondering if the term ass actually allowed in terms of proper english.

if not, then this statement should be read as "the guinea-pig has some shap ass-claws"?


texts: Can I use 'will' twice in this sentence?

texts:
Is it correct to use will twice in the following sentence?

  Will your books will be available in electronic format?


texts:
As I read at http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kidnap, the etymology for kidnap is

  kid (“child”) + nap (“nab, grab”)

Can an adult person also be kidnapped? Would it sound funny to say so? The definition mentions person, not child, but I'm not sure. (In my language we have a borrowed word kidnapper, but I only heard it referring to someone who abducted children or house pets, probably because the users of the word recognised the kid stem in it.)


texts: In "built to last", is "last" a verb or an adjective?

texts:
Up to my best knowledge, the idiom "smth is built to last" means that smth is durable, of high quality and expected to serve for a long time. However, I cannot understand what does the phrase mean literally. I have two guesses.

The first one: "last" is a verb. The builder expects that smth will last (continue its being) for a long time.

The second: "last" is an adjective. Like "built to the very last age". It doesn't look like a grammatically correct sentence to my intuition, though many English idioms do not as well.

Which is correct?


texts: Hear "an explosion noise" or "an explosion sound"?

texts:
Which word fits more sound or noise in this sentence?

  Suddenly, I heard an explosion sound/noise.


texts: Why we write "Ferguson Case" instead of "Ferguson's case"

texts:
Since Ferguson is a city in Missouri, why don't we use saxon genitive to indicate that the riots that took place there "belong" to the city? We could refer to the city with a possesive pronoun:

  "Its riots lasted over two weeks"

I am not sure if saxon genitive is used with geogrophical places though.


texts:
You can pay the fees now; otherwise, you can pay it tomorrow.

Can I use "it" to refer the plural noun "the fees"?


texts:
Is referring to people as "it" considered rude? I asked this question. I looked this comment:

  The use of Singular they is very common I guess.

Then, Why is used "it" in "Who is it"?
”Who is it” is commonly used on the phone. I think i should use "Who are they".


texts:
Consider this sentence, please:

5 tips to learn English easily.

Q1): Is sentence 1) a complete sentence?
Q2): Is the infinitival clause(in bold) an adjective clause modifying the noun phrase "5 tips" or is it an adverbial clause?


texts: "correspondence with" vs "correspondence between"

texts:
Meaning "correspondence" as "letters" or "exchange of letters" (not similarity), which sentence would be more appropriate (may be there are only subtle differences in style):

  The correspondence of A with B.
  The correspondence between A and B.

I've seen also:

  The A-B correspondence.

Are they interchangeable? I mean when both persons write, not the case "from A to B" or vice versa.

Also, is it possible in this context replace "correspondence" with "letters" (in every sentence)?


texts:
In Spain, we normally use a saying when something always works well, although you try to break this one. The saying is "bomb proof".

I would like to know a similar saying in English.

For example:

I make a program and this passes all the tests that you try and you invent.
I could say "This is a bomb proof program".


texts:
The fields of mathematics and statistics, like Bayesian theory, are largely applied to practical application of information and communication technology, which make me no longer feel the math and statistics boring.

This is part of my motivation letter. My questions are:

1,  Is this grammar of this sentence correct : make sb. feel sth. + adj ?

2, As for the word "boring" in this case, I actually don't want to describe the math and statistics in a negative tone. I just want to express that "math and statistics themselves are not very interesting, but after implementing in the technologies of information and communication, they become interesting".
I also consider to "which make me no longer feel the math and statistics not useful". How do you feel about that?


texts:
“Didn’t you hear me? A bride, Cinder. As in, a princess.”

  “As in, not going to happen. He’s only, what? Nineteen?”

Source

I looked it up, and it seems to mean "for example" or "such as"; but here, I believe it could mean "maybe" or "possible".


texts: "Those were among the few times" in "Hillbilly Elegy"

texts:
English is not my mother tongue. So many times I have problems understanding exact meaning of it.

While I was reading Hillbilly Elegy, I found a word quite confusing.

  I thought about losing my temper with Mom or Linsay, or Mamaw, and how those were among the few times Papaw ever showed a mean streak, because, as he once told me, "the measure of a man is how he treats the women in his family."

What does those mean?  Does it mean Mom, Linsay and Mamaw? Or grandpa losing his temper with them?


texts: When would you use "How" in a meaning similar to "that"?

texts:
Sometimes the word "how" can be used, not to indicate "in what manner", or in any other meaning, but somewhat like "that".

In the question confusing hows: (i) used to express surprise, pleasure, etc. (ii) the fact that, the way that, Ghosty said:

  In the first example on page 109, "how" can be replaced by "the fact that".

    laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would

    laughing at the fact that a wide-mouthed tree frog would

  ...

  Again in the Capone example:

    referring to how Capone was eventually

    referring to the fact that Capone was eventually

and StoneyB said

  How3 has taken on what OED 1, How, 10., calls a ‘weakened meaning’ (I would call it a ‘generalized’ meaning) equivalent to the complementizer that. Three of your examples reflect this use:

    4 ... how it had gone all silver and pointy

    5 ... how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry

    6 ... how Capone was eventually charged with tax evasion

When would you use "how" in this sense, and when would you use "that" instead?

Is "how" more casual and conversational?


texts: From United States of America or from the United States of America

texts:
would you say :
I come from the United States of America
or I come from United States of America ?
same with United Kingdom or the United Kingdom
Thank you for your help !


texts:
I have a question about the verb "mount":

  The picture is mounted on a cardboard.
  The picture is mounted to a cardboard.

Are "on" and "to" different?


texts:
These days, advertisers not only offer free samples, but free cars, free houses, and free trips round the world as well.

Is round a verb in the phrase trips round the world?


texts:
1) we are friend since we were a child

  2) We are friends since we were a child

  3) We are friends since we were children

First of all, I am sorry if these sentences are awkward since I wrote it myself. So, from these three sentences which one is correct if I want to say that my friend and I are friends since childhood?


texts:
I read something said here recently and the person said “I beg pardon”.

I often hear “I beg your pardon”.

So between the two, which is correct?


texts: "Worked the bars and sideshows along the twilight zone"... What does this mean?

texts:
The phrase above is the first line of the Rolling Stones "Before they make me run" song lyrics. Here's the complete verse:

Worked the bars and sideshows along the twilight zone /
Only a crowd can make you feel so alone /
And it really hit home

I never was able to find out what's the meaning of this phrase, none of the possible translations for it in Portuguese makes any sense.

Also: in some sites the lyrics appears with the expression "Worked in bars" in place of "Worked the bars", but I have no clue about which of them should be considered the "correct" one.


texts: What's the meaning of "made my brain claw at my skull"?

texts:
I searched many dictionaries but didn't get the meaning.

Could you please explain it to me?

The full text is here:

The burn was the injury, I reasoned. It made sense to treat it first. I
fetched a pack of ice from the chest freezer on the patio, but when the pack
touched his leg he screamed—a back-arching, eye-popping scream that
made my brain claw at my skull.


texts:
It would be a Hamas rocket heading over onto southern Isreal

Is it grammatically correct sentence?
For me the sentence should be "it would be a Hamas rocket that is heading over onto southern Isreal"


texts: Which tense is suitable for the blank in the following passage

texts:
"I'm having an absolutely fabulous time here on Ischia! I wish you had decided to come with me. It would be even better if you were here. I wish I had tried harder to persuade you to come with me. If only you ________ (change) your mind! I'm sure you could get time off work if you asked."

"Would change" is said to be the answer, but I don't see why "changed" or even "had changed" is wrong here :(


texts: What is difference between had done and had did?

texts:
What is the difference between "had done" and "had did" ?

  John had done this/it

and

  John had did this/it


texts: What to call a list of banknote + quantity

texts:
When transfering cash, especially with large sums or in cashier/accounting jobs you are often tasked with filling and/or signing a piece of paper that is essentially a list of nominal values their quantities which could look like following:

| Value | Quantity |
| ------| -------- |
|     1 |      137 |
|     2 |      102 |
|     5 |      51  |
....
total $ 596

What is this list (piece of paper) called?


texts: Which preposition to use with injury nouns?

texts:
I was reading a Wikipedia page that has this line:

  Christopher Byers had lacerations to various parts of his body

It made me wonder if the preposition on would work as well. Intuitively I thought when people discover a body, they see the injuries such as cuts and bruises on it. It also made me think about other similar nouns: cut, blow, injury, bruise, wound. After doing some research on dictionary sites, Google Books and Google Ngram, this matter has become ever more confusing to me.

Google Ngram suggests that "injuries to" is much more common than "injuries on". But I have found several attestations of "injuries on"

  Autopsy reports showed that the baby had blunt force trauma injuries on the head and neck. (source)

Both on and to seem to follow "laceration", "blow", and "wound" as in these sentences from the Oxford Dictionaries, Google Dictionary and Google Books results:

  ‘Small lacerations on the face usually heal well with this preparation.’

  ‘he suffered lacerations to his head and face’

  "a blow on the head"

  "he received a blow to the skull"

  ‘a wound to the thigh’

  Groups of six trees each were treated with the various dressings, two wounds on each tree being protected while two others were left untreated to serve as checks. (Source)

  Attending to the Wounds on Christ's Body. (It's a book title)

  ‘blood ran from a cut on his jaw’

  ‘He smiles at her and she smiles back then continues to clean the cut on his shoulder.’

  ‘He sustained minor injuries of slight cuts and scratches to his head.’

  ‘She had goose bumps all over her body and a bruise on her arm.’

  ‘They suffered bruises and injuries to their heads.’

Are there any differences in meaning? Which preposition in preferred? Would the original sentence work equally fine as

  Christopher Byers had lacerations on various parts of his body


texts: Does the word “each” have the present or past meaning?

texts:
I have to choose a mistake in the sentence

  "The path was made by the walkers which crossed the mountain each
  summer".

Which letter is not standard English, and why?

  A. was made

  B. which

  C.crossed

  D. each


texts:
The criminals should be punished, not awarded medals.
  The criminals shouldn’t be awarded medals, but punished.

Is there any grammatical mistake in these sentences

I am just being doubtful of using not to make a contrast in the same sentence.

Is using not to make a contrast acceptable in this sentence?


texts: Why does Oxford's entry for the word 'Decadence' have 'W' capital in Western society?

texts:
I was looking for the word decadence and looked in the Oxford Dictionary. Here is the entry

  decadence (n) - behaviour, attitudes, etc. which show a fall in standards, especially moral ones, and an interest in pleasure and enjoyment rather than more serious things.

I got it. But the example reads -

  the decadence of modern Western society

I did not get the capital 'W' in 'Western'.

If you say that Western is always capital when it is about Western countries, I have another paragraph from the BBC with NO capital 'W'.

  It is not clear who created the account, and not everyone finds its satirical edge appropriate. "Why make this page? The whole point of the Rich Kids of Tehran was to show the western countries that Iran isn't how it is portrayed in their media, and now you've made a page showing everyone the exact opposite," read one comment, later deleted.

Do we always write 'W' capital in Western society, Western countries, Western culture, Western ethnicity?

Countering that, The Cambridge Dictionary has this entry for the word 'Western'

  western opinion/culture   a Western-educated engineer   western medicine

Some capital, some not; the same with WordWebOnline!

MM describes no capital letters in any of its entry.

Also, is it incorrect to write both the first letter capitals? 'Western Countries' in the middle of the sentence?


texts: "Don't let him to mislead you" vs "Don't let him mislead you"

texts:
I have some questions about these statements:

  Don't let him to mislead you

  Don't let him mislead you

Are both of the sentences correct?
If both are interchangeable, which one sounds more natural to a
native speaker?
Is there a rule or structure that governs the second example - as that sentence does not have the full infinitive?

Other examples could be:

"Don't let the devil deceive you."

Thanks!


texts:
Do you like getting up early?  (1)
Do you like to get up early?   (2)
(Essential Grammar in Use)

What is the difference between the two?
I guess, in (1) I ask you whether you’re currently enjoying of getting up early.
But (2) is rather difficult. It can present asking either about your futural / intentional getting up or repetition of enjoying (CGEL says to-infinitval has the meaning of ‘repetition’ but I don’t know why –– I want to get some explanation about this in CGEL, p1241).


texts: Left handside, left hand side, left hand-side?

texts:
How do you write 'left hand side' and 'right hand side'?

Example:

  If necessary, select the review language from the language selection box in the left hand side menu bar (by default, the review language is English).


texts: Synonym of "classy" with a negative connotation

texts:
Depending on your point of view, we can take some charactristics as negative or positive e.g. determined -> stubborn, innocent -> naive.

My friends and I are looking for a disapproving word being used by people from low-class in society (probably a slang word) to describe a person who is classy.

For example, you go shopping with your friend and your friend suggests a design shirt and you say humorously,

  I'm not (a) [classy] (person).

  (Needless to say, classy is a positive word and I want a negative equivalent mostly used by people who lead a hard life)

Or someone asks a poor or a homeless guy if he uses dental floss. He answers,

  We're not [classy].

In my native language we use a word which almost means "an obssessive princess" by which we mean you're rich and really careful about your clothes or unimportant things.

Is there any adjective, noun, or even a verb phrase to describe such a person?

(Informal/slang words are really appreciated since we use this word informally in our language.)


texts: Can "wage war" be synonymous with "declare war"?

texts:
I know that "wage war" is an idiomatic expression that the American Heritage Dictionary defines as:

  To engage in (a war or campaign, for example).

and Dictionary.com defines as:

  to carry on (a battle, war, conflict, argument, etc.):
  to wage war against a nation.

My question is: does "wage war" mean also 'declare war" or does it refer only to the development of war operations?


texts:
A line from the movie A.I. Artificial Intelligence grates a bit with "articulated in limb".

  The artificial being is a reality of perfect simulacrum, articulated in limb, articulate in speech, and not lacking in human response.

I am not sure what "limb" means in this sentence. If it refers to human appendages, shouldn't it be a count noun (according to various dictionaries) and be "limbs"? What does "articulated in limb" mean here?


texts:
It sounds like the tutorial is saying

  the correct depth is you want your drywall screw to be flush with the
  paper

cambridge gives these explanations about flush

  When you flush, you become red in the face, especially as a result of strong emotions, heat, or alcohol:

  If you flush a toilet, or if a toilet flushes, its contents empty and it fills with water again:

none of them apply this situation, so, what does flush mean in this sentence "flush with the paper"?


texts: What is the meaning of this sentence of " the yearling " book?

texts:
What is the meaning of this sentence?

  The road dropped below him twenty feet down to a little stream.

I think it means that the road goes down 20 feet (it goes to the decent). You know, what makes me confused is dropped below him 20 feet down. I can't understand this part! Can you explain it please?


texts: For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had [killed you]

texts:
“You got there?[= London] You got Hermione’s owl?”    “We must
  have crossed in midair. No sooner had I reached London than it became
  clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left. I
  arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you.”    “It was you.”
     “I feared I might be too late.”    “You nearly were, I
  couldn’t have kept him off the Stone much longer –”    “Not the
  Stone, boy, you — the effort involved nearly killed you. For one
  terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has
  been destroyed.”    “Destroyed?” said Harry blankly. “But your
  friend — Nicolas Flamel —”    “Oh, you know about Nicolas?” said
  Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. “You did do the thing properly,
  didn’t you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed
  it’s all for the best.”    “But that means he and his wife will
  die, won’t they?”  (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

The sentence is confusing me in three points: (1) what does ‘for’ mean? : it seems that without ‘for’, the phrase can denote the reason of the next clause. (2) which is there?: London, where Harry is struggling with Quirrell, or the situation Harry had to undergo on his own. (3) if ‘for one terrible moment there’ is a condition, there didn’t happened the incident worried yet. Then why is there past perfect, had?


texts: 'as' and 'such as' and their differences

texts:
I read this in dictionary.com:

  as can be used to mean for example ; for instance
  Some flowers, as the rose, require special care.

How this use of  "as" is different from "such as" ?


texts: Is "crawling out of your skin" an idiom?

texts:
I found this sentence in a book about anxiety and how to treat it, but I don't understant the meaning of this expression. Is it an idiom?

  “Doesn’t everyone feel like they want to crawl out of their skin at
  times?”

There are further rethorical questions in the same context: “Isn’t everyone struggling to get a good night’s sleep and wake well-rested?” "Well, doesn’t everyone get shakiness in their hands before a first date?”


texts: I did not see it before you opened the door - Past Simple vs Present Perfect

texts:
I have read the following sentence:

  I did not see it before you opened the door.

Could the Present Perfect be used instead of the Past Simple in the first clause (ie I have not seen it before you opened the door) ? If so, is there any difference in meaning ?


texts:
What do you call the movement associated with the hula hoop? The hula hoop is a popular toy, but I am wondering if there's a particular verb associated with it and a particular noun associated with the movement. What do we call it?

I was thinking of swirl and swirling, but I think it might be too general.

For example:

  He swirled on his hula hoop.

  He was moving his hula hoop with swirls.

None of these sentences sound natural.


texts: Articles: "In the Future" vs "In Prospect"

texts: Why is it that in English we say, "In the future," but we also say, "In prospect"? I know that we can say, "In the prospect of," but we can't say, "This will turn out well in the prospect." HOWEVER, we DO say, "This will turn out well in the future," but we don't say, "This will turn out well in future." I get that we always use the with future, but why don't we always use "the" with prospect? Any answers out there? I have some curious students and I can't figure this one out on my own.


texts: What's the meaning of closemouthed in the context?

texts:
"Tom", Michael Corleone said, "I'm driving down to the city with Kay
  tommorow. There's something important I want to tell the old man
  before Christmas. Will he be home tommorow night?"

  "Sure," Hagen said "He's not going out of town until after Christmas.
  Anything I can do for you?"

  Michael was as closemouthed as his father. "No," he said...


texts:
Which one is correct?

1 I haven't got a salary for this month.
2 I haven't got the salary for this month.
3 I haven't got any salary for this month.
4 I haven't got my salary for this month.

Some say that 1 and 2 are wrong. Can you explain why it is so, if they are really wrong. If 3 is correct, how can 1 be wrong?


texts: What's the rule of using "After" as conjunction in different tenses?

texts:
I am having confusion in this gramatical part.

Which Sentence is correct here?

1/I shall inform you after I have had the news

2/I shall inform you after I have the news

What's the gramatical rule of using after in time clauses,I didn't get any satisfied answer in web.


texts: About experience or experiences and knowledge(s). Uncountable or countable?

texts:
How to decide use countable or uncountable form of word experience?

  Also I have required background knowledge and experience(s) for this
  position.


texts: Why do we use the present perfect instead of the present simple in this sentence?

texts:
I will deal with the report as soon as I have got back from my holiday.

There is "will" which means the action will be done in the future. Why do we use the present perfect in this phrase, "I have got back", instead of the present simple, "get"? The following sentence

  I will deal with the report as soon as I get back from my holiday.

makes sense to me. Can we use both? If so, what's the difference?


texts:
Gypsum boards without taping and finishing.

What does taping and finishing mean?

Materials - tape and finishes
Action - taping the board and finishing the board.
Possibly something else.


texts:
You begin to root for a child to give his teachers or parents a taste of their own treacle by turning around to them and saying (in the same saccharine tone of voice), “Good praising!”

  (from Five Reasons to Stop Saying “Good Job!” By Alfie Kohn)

I have two questions to ask:

1) What is the subject for the phrase "to give"?   Who is doing the act of giving, a child or you?

2) In the phrase "their own treacle", I think, the word "their" refers to teachers' or parents'.

Did I understand it correctly? Could you help me clarify it?


texts: Is it fine to say "I'm filled with energy" instead of "I'm full of energy"?


texts: Difference between “expat” and “migrant worker”?

texts:
In newspaper articles and elsewhere, I have seen the terms expat and migrant worker. Is there any difference?

I've looked up both terms on Wikipedia:

For migrant worker has a UN definition of:

  The term "migrant worker" refers to a person who is engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a State of which he or she is not a national

The term expat, short for expatriate, has different meanings, but can be:

  its broadest sense, an expatriate is any person living in a different country from where he is a citizen. In common usage, the term is often used in the context of professionals sent abroad by their companies, as opposed to locally hired staff. The differentiation found in common usage usually comes down to socio-economic factors, so skilled professionals working in another country are described as expatriates, whereas a manual labourer who has moved to another country to earn more money might be labelled an 'immigrant'. There is no set definition and usage does vary depending on context and individual preferences and prejudices.

Does this mean it's entirely up to the motivation and the type of labour?


texts:
Is there another expression for "I remember something" which sounds more like a native speaker or advanced-level English learner?

For example, something happened before and someone checks with me whether I know that thing. Would I say "I remember that" or some other better native expression?


texts: The difference between Such thing, such a thing, a such thing

texts:
Such thing.
  Such a thing.
  A such thing.

Are all of them grammatically correct? What's the difference between them?


texts: Why is there no "the" before this sentence?

texts:
I read a sentence from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demand:

Demand for a specific item is a function of an item's perceived necessity, price, perceived quality, convenience, available alternatives, purchasers' disposable income and tastes, and many other factors.

Why is it not "The demand for a specific item..."? I have seen phrases like "the quantity of a good".

Demand is the quantity of a good that consumers are willing and able to purchase at various prices during a given period of time.

Are both forms correct? If so, what is the difference between with the and without the?
Does “the” often refer to the word immediately after it or does it sometimes refer to the phrase after it, not the single word? What does “the” do in “the construction of a new house” and “ the theory of relativity”?


texts: Do you use "for" or "on" in this example?

texts:
I have a question concerning the use of prepositions.

Could you say:

"We went to the restaurant for mother´s day."

meaning "to celebrate Mother´s day" or should it simply be "on Mother´s day"?

People do say: "I bought this for her birthday" or "...for Christmas", don´t they?

To say "for Mother´s day" seems to be wrong as in "Repeat this for four times!" instead of "Repeat this four times!",but I am not sure about.


texts:
Sometimes we can see where clause, but I cant find out the difference between where and which clause or if it can only use where clause in some specific situations. The sentences below is two examples I met lately, both of them in which I cant understand the inherent grammatical rules or where clause pocesses a special meaning

  Financial documents showing that you have sufficient funds available.  These must clearly show that you have access to the funds, such as：  where a third party (who is either in the UK or who will be legally in the UK at the time of your visit) is providing financial support to you e.g. a business, a friend or a relative, documents to show they have sufficient resources to support.

  Details of employment or studies where you have stated in your application that you are either employed or in full-time studies.


texts: "This gift's for you" to mean "This gift is for you"

texts:
Is it grammatically correct to write:

  This gift's for you

meaning "This gift is for you"?

Some say that I can't use 's in this way after a noun. After a noun it would be considered as possessive case. I need to be sure as this text will be printed on a T-shirt together with a drawing, and the T-shirt will be distributed in stores worldwide.


texts: What is the difference between "He talks in a confident way" and "He talks confidently"?

texts: Later statement seems concise and commonly used. Do both of these sentences necessarily means the same thing?


texts:
1: What is difference between "much more" or "far more"?

2: Is the incorrect sentence, below I mentioned, really wrong?

3: If so, how should I use "much more" or "far more"?

  Incorrect: Since her husband began playing violin, Molly has become much more expert in distinguishing a tuned instrument from an out of tune one, a Stradivarius from a student rental.

  Correct: Since her husband began playing violin, Molly has become far more expert in distinguishing a tuned instrument from an out of tune one, a Stradivarius from a student rental.


texts: What is meant by "one art stroke at a time" in this sentence?

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

  Whatever the story may be, the psychedelic images that spells joy and positivity are a living testament to the power of one man and his mission to save his home one art stroke at a time.

What does the last part of sentence mean? And, shouldn't there be a preposition before "one art stroke"?


texts: Phonograms and Spelling (Optical, Optimal, etc.)

texts:
I am reading a book which contains phonogram rules for English spelling. For the multiple letter phonogram sound of -ti, it says

  -tall /sh/ used only at the beginning of any syllable after the first one as in the word 'partial'" So the first syllable here is "par" and the second is "ti".

So to say, the -ti is pronounced as /sh/ here. But what about the words which fits this rule pronounced differently, such as; optimal, optical and etc.?


texts:
It sounds correct to me to say.

  She is actually a man.
  (Regardless how weird the sentence is)

But in this situation as we take plural subject.

  they are actually surprises.

It sounds a bit odd like I am using the adverb to modify the noun (surprises), although it's intended for the verb to be.

Can we say

  they are actually a surprise.

Is there any rule that explains what should we use after plural subject + to be, singular noun or it has to be plural? or we can use both, and is this sentence they are actually surprises correct?

And what is the official term of this Noun/prounoun + to be + noun
Thanks in advance.


texts:
It's about an e-mail.

  Please be advise that if the port is the damage, we need to replace the MB.
  Please be advised that if the port is damaged, we need to replace the MB.


texts:
I think marriage is about two equal partners sharing a life together.
  I thought tonight was about us hanging out, what's with inviting this girl?

Here, I'm wondering the function of "about". what's the meaning of "about" here?


texts:
In the sentence

  'The' is one of the most frequently used words in the English language.',

if I deleted the word 'frequently' wouldn't the meaning of the sentence be unchanged? If this is the case, is the expression 'most frequently' right? Wouldn't the word 'frequently' be redundant? I argued with someone that the expression 'most frequently used' is incorrect (or atleast unnecessary).

But Ngrams tells me a very different story. Google search results are certainly higher for 'most used' than 'most frequently used'. But the numbers for the latter are very high as you can see.

I want to know if there is a difference between the two, and if not, which one is a better choice. Thanks in advance.


texts: Why is 'would' used here instead of 'will'

texts:
Someone commented following line.

"This time,a vote for Democrats(or any party) would be a vote for progress;a vote for third front would be a vote for instability and indecision."

I don't think that there is need of 'would' here.Election is going to happen.Nothing is hypothetical.Then why is 'will' not used here?


texts:
In the following question:

  Have you been to Argentina yet?

Is it correct for me to use already instead of yet?

Context:

  Julie: Hi Mum! I've just arrived in Santiago.
  Mum: Santiago? Where's that?
  Julie: It's the Capital of Chile
  Mum: Have you been to Argentina yet? (Already?)
  Julie: No, not Yet.


texts: "A family in China travelled from Wuhan to the city of Guangzhou."

texts:
A family in China travelled from Wuhan to the city of Guangzhou.

Why is there 'the'? Can we use instead:

A family in China travelled from Wuhan to a city of Guangzhou.

OR

A family in China travelled from Wuhan to a city known as Guangzhou.


texts: What is a "cold shelf" in an early 20th century English kitchen?

texts:
I found this term in a novel set in England during WWI. «Look, there is a cold shelf in the larder!» says a woman exploring her new kitchen.
Can you help me understand the meaning of this term?


texts: Is there a single word for "client of a trainer"

texts: How a person could be called with one word when we reference to him as a client of a trainer. (gym trainer).


texts:
Is there a phrase that means "the consequence of which if not abiding to it"? This made up phrase is really awkward sounding, because of the part "if not abiding to it", which is like a parenthetical thought that's necessary, and thus ungrammatical. Is there a way to say this naturally?

Here's an example:

  Her parents forced her into an arranged marriage the consequence of
  which if not abiding to it was death.


texts:
Which of these is correct?

  All I saw was flashes of lightning

  All I saw were flashes of lightning


texts:
"Welcome, Patrick," said Nick stiffly.

  "Live 'uns!" said Sir Patrick, spotting Harry, Ron and Hermione and giving a huge, fake jump of astonishment, so that his head fell off again (the crowd howled with laughter).

"Live 'uns!" seems to be a contraction of something. I can't find it anywhere. What does it mean?

-- From Harry Potter.


texts: what is the meaning of keep it up in this situation

texts:
my manager send me an email asking me to create two documents.

i create them in two days.

i send her these documents and she replied to me Keep it up

what did she mean?

does she imply that i should have done them faster?

does she imply that i have to keep awake for my mistakes?

or something else?


texts: Which modifier to choose when they belong to the same class?

texts:
In my book I'm asked to write a sentence using the following words :

  Taipei is a / lively / city / with huge skyscrapers / modern.

According to my book, which is named Passage and published by Cambridge, the order of modifiers is like so:

  Quality, size, age, type, name and descriptive phrase. Since Shape, color and material can also describe a noun, the order of modifiers can also be like this:

  Quality, size, shape, age, color, type, material and noun.

Now, I can write my sentence in two ways but unsure which is right or if both are correct.

"Taipei is a lively modern city with huge skyscrapers."

OR

"Taipei is a modern lively city with huge skyscrapers."

Both words modern and lively are qualities.


texts:
The original author of the manuscript ___ unknown.

stays/remains

Are both of these words ok to use in this sentence? Is there a slight difference in meaning? Which one is more native, better in your opinion?

P.S. It's a question from my exam. And many students argue about the correct answer. We need help of our English friends. Thanks!)


texts: Shortest way to express "to help memorizing"

texts:
I'm writing a program that accept numbers as parameters. 1 means one thing and 2 means another. So in the help message, I want to express, "to help you memorize/make sense what 1 or 2 stands for, think of" bla bla bla.

Because the help message should be as short as possible, I need to choose the shortest word that clearly express the whole "to help you memorize/make sense what it stands for" thing. So suppose I've chosen a word, or "~" for time being, and ":" expresses the idea of "means", my help would look like,

1: one thing ~ the beginning

If the above all sounds too abstracted, here is an concrete example. Just remember that,

":" represents "means", and
"~" represents the whole "to help you memorize/think of/make sense what it stands for" thing.

The concrete example:

: Do ~ doe, a deer, a female deer
: Re ~ ray, a drop of golden sun
: Mi ~ me, a name I call myself
: Fa ~ far, a long, long way to run
: So ~ sew, a needle pulling thread

Got me?


texts: Is there a verb for the phrase "to pile on the agony"

texts:
I am looking for a casual and/or formal verb for a situation in which people emphasize the bad experiences they have in order to get sympathy and/or advantage from other people.

For example, in a job interview a candidate talks more about how she/he is desperate/needy in order to take the job because she/he has to take care of 3 kids, 2 dogs and 3 cats rather than emphasizing her/his qualifications.

I am not sure the phrase "to pile on the agony" meets that meaning also.


texts:
What's the difference between "will not" and "will never"?

He will not get in.
He will never get in.

Can anyone explain to me which one of the above sentences is correct and why?


texts:
And the classy Oxford feeling of nothing mattering except books and poetry and Greek statues, and [nothing worth mentioning having happened since the Goths sacked Rome.] (Coming up for air)

The placement of the participle phrase confuses me, why is the participle phrase placed behind worth mentioning instead of being right behind the noun nothing?

  Nothing having happened since the Goths sacked Rome worth mentioning.

If the sentence above is correct,
can the sentence be understood as :

  Nothing which had happened since the Goths sacked Rome worth mentioning.


texts: What is more natural for describing last night's actions, past simple or progressive?

texts:
— What did you do last night?
— I watched YouTube. And what about you?
— I met up with a friend and we watched a movie.
— And what did you do before the meeting?
— I roller-skated.

My textbook says that I should use the past progressive if I mention a precise moment (1pm, last night at 9:35, when she arrived). Like this "What were you doing last night at 5 pm", "What were you doing when it started to rain?", "What were you doing when father returned home?).
I wonder whether "last night" (without 9 pm) also counts as a precise moment and I can use the past simple and the past progressive interchangeably for the dialogue above.

— What were you doing last night?
— I was watching YouTube. And what about you?
— I was meeting with a friend and we were watching a movie.
— And what were you doing before the meeting?
— I was roller-skating.

Something seems off for me in the second version.
I think it'b be better like this:
"I had met with a friend and we were watching a movie"


texts: Do "rundown" and "lowdown" mean the same?

texts:
Do they both mean a brief version?
Eg.

  They gave us the _ version of what had happened so far.

And is "break down" related to these words?
Like in breaking down the steps for an activity.


texts: Should "family" be pluralized when talking about multiple people this way?

texts:
Could anyone please tell me what is the difference between the following expressions?

  #1   the friends and family of users.

  #2   the friends and families of users.

Actually, #1 is a line of an article, which is

  Facebook said on Wednesday that it planned to make a series of changes to its news feed algorithm so that it will more favorably promote content posted by the friends and family of users.

(New York Times)


texts: How to talk about the location of a place, which I visited in the past?

texts:
I tried to find it out by myself, but I didn't succeed. Probably, because I didn't really know for what I should search.

I want to talk about the location of a place, which I visited in the past, but the place still exists.

It works the best with an example, I guess. Which one is better:

Our hostel was located in a messy area with many abandoned houses.
Our hostel is located in a messy area with many abandoned houses.
?

My context is the following:

I'm writing a letter to a friend.
I'm telling this friend about our visit in a hostel, which still exists.


texts:
For a long time I wanted to ask whether there is any difference between 'Fist of legend' and 'Legendary Fist', the first being the name of "Jing wu ying xiong" (original title) starring Jet Li.

The movie is 2 decades old but it is still vivid, I wonder why the translators chose 'of' approach, really why? And do these twos represent one thing or there are some nuances.

Also, is above situation the same as:

'Heart of (a) lion' vs 'Lion/lionesque heart'?

And to go deeper, can we coin 'Legendfist' after the "Richard the Lionheart" taking into account 'Ironfist' movie (a.k.a. 'Under the Gun') too?

This 'of' constructions did hit me in Zarathustra's book as well: "pure of eye, and no loathing lurking", in-here going farther as a variant of eye of pureness/purity.

Add-on:

I did my own investigation just to get more confused.
The reason, putting in the mix one more movie translated as Legend of the Fist!!! How this wording fits in the whole picture, NO IDEA!

First off, the sequel spans 38 years from 1972 to 2010.

Probably translators followed the pattern of 1972's Fist of Fury, Fist of Legend being a remake (1994).
Both movies have the first two kanjis identical - 精武門 vs 精武英雄

The first two kanjis are 'Jing Wu' which is the name of the famous Chinese martial arts school.
The third kanji in Fist of Fury is 'GATE' thus 'Jing Wu Gate'.
The third and fourth kanjis in Fist of Legend are 'Fine&Military' meaning 'HERO' thus 'Jing Wu Hero', by the way Jet Li's movie 'Hero' has the same two kanjis 英雄.

Three beloved actors did these three movies (in chronological order): Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Donnie Yen.
Another remake was released in 2010 as Legend of the Fist a.k.a. 'The Return of Chen Zhen'.

Again translators threw dust in my eyes, the original name is 精武風雲 factored to:

The first two kanjis are 'Jing Wu', again.
The third and fourth kanjis in Legend of the Fist are 'WIND&CLOUD' thus 'Jing Wu Storm', because AFAK Chinese denote 'storm' as 'wind&cloud'.

Hope someone will shed light on GATE-HERO-STORM triad and where the LEGEND came from.


texts: Is it "concert of them" or "concert of theirs"

texts:
I was just talking to a friend about a concert I recently attended to and that I'd watch another concert of the same band. Found myself in a tight spot when I tried to put it this way:

  I would go to another concert of them

  I would go to another concert of theirs

Which form is correct? Both of them sound a bit odd.


texts: Is it grammatically correct to use present tense to refer to something happened in the past?

texts:
From a tutorial

  "February 9th, 1964. Beatlemania hits primetime in the United States."

From a post

  At 8 o’clock on February 9th 1964, 73 million people gathered in front their TV sets to see The Beatles’ first live performance on U.S. soil.

Why does the first quotation use "hits" rather than "hit", even though the event happened in the past.


texts:
According to this, a minor sentence is defined as a fragmented, elliptical, or incomplete sentence or clause that still conveys meaning.

But I've always thought that minor sentences were incomplete sentences which could not be clauses as they lack a subject and a verb? (sometimes they have one but not the other);

  Just a minute.

  The more, the merrier.

  No pain, no gain.