texts:
From the book "Elements of Style," if two clauses have the same subject and joined by the conjunction "and" then we do not use the subject in the second clause.

e.g., He has had several years' experience and is thoroughly competent

What if there are more than 2 clauses, does the above rule hold good?

For example, is the following sentence correct?

In 2015 I didn't have the courage to participate, in 2016 couldn't clear the preliminary round, and in 2017 was among the 10 finalists.

Also, can the readability by increased by rephrasing or with better punctuation?


texts:
Unless they will agree to paint the house red, do not hire them.

  I don't want to bother you for a ride to Boston, unless you'll be
  driving there anyway.

I don't understand why both subordinate clauses are future. I thought that it was not possible to use "will" with "unless".

It sounds better to me to say:

  I won't bother you for a ride to Boston, unless you drive / are driving
  there anyway.

and

  Unless they agree to paint the house red, do not hire them.

Why is the future tense used in the examples at the top? Is it because the two main clauses are present and do not relate to the future, so if it wasn't phrased like that, we might think these sentences take place in the present (which is not true)?


texts:
Is there any difference in these uses:

I need a shampoo whose formula is effective in treating hair loss.
I need a shampoo that has an effective formula for treating hair loss.
I need a shampoo with the right formula for treating hair loss.
I need a shampoo which contains an effective formula for treating hair loss.

Are all of these sentences  just different ways of saying the same thing? Are all of them right?


texts: Why is "son" possessive in "I should rather say a very particular friend of your son's."?

texts:
"I should rather say a very particular friend of your son's."

Not "of your son"? Why should I use possessive case in this statement?


texts: Ma'am for mother in a sentence "Yes, ma'am"

texts:
Can we use the word "ma'am" for referring to "mother"?
For example

  Jim Bishop said to his mother, "Yes, ma'am, you sure would."


texts: Active sentence or a passive sentence with distant verb?

texts:
It is recommended to use passive voice in writing scientific articles. Then I have this sentence:

  In this section the algorithm for data extraction using a wrapper, created by the user through the GUI, is described.

There is a distance between the subject and verb which I don't like,
I could say

  In this section we describe the algorithm for data extraction using a wrapper which is created by the user through the GUI.

In this case the verb and subject are closer.

In general, is there any recommendation for the distance between verb and subject. Should I break the sentence down?


texts: Drug trafficking creates a temporal linkage between the fates of communities in the developed and developing worlds, even if the numbers of persons involved is quite small.


texts:
I saw the following question in a book.

Question: What will you do if the teacher is not in the class?
Answer : I am row leader so that's why I will mind my row.

Can you please explain the meaning of "I will mind my row"


texts: gerund-participle clause as adjunct and modifier

texts:
Having read the report, Hyde breathed a sigh of relief.

I have some questions regarding the part in bold.

I know it takes the role of adjunct, but what is it called? A gerund-participle clause, or a perfect gerund-participle clause?
Is Have still an auxiliary for perfect aspect or is it simply used to show which action happens first?
is Reading the report, Hyde breathed a sigh of relief. grammatical?
If I want to paraphrase the adjunct to a modifier of the subject Hyde, which one is grammatical? I think a is ungrammatical but I don't know why.

a. Hyde having read the report breathed a sigh of relief.
b. Hyde reading the report breathed a sigh of relief.
c. Hyde, reading the report, breathed a sigh of relief.


texts:
Isn't it enough to just ask, instead of to ask a question?

Which one should be preferable?


texts:
I have such sentence "Create a session based authentication", and I think that correct way to spell it, is like this: "Create a session-based authentication".

Am I right? I have followed answer for this question as a rule: correct use of hyphens to connect two words.


texts: What's the English saying for "That the ancestors are successful is inferior to that the descendants are successful"?

texts:
There goes a Chinese maxim "前人 强 不如 后人 强".
前人= former generation, ancestor;
后人= later generation, descendant;
强= strong, powerful;
不如= not as good/well as, inferior to, less desirable than.
The sentence literally means "That the ancestors are successful is less desirable than that the descendants are successful."
The maxim reminds you that your future is your children, so you should invest a lot of efforts (like education, discipline, etc.) in your offspring. If they fail, you will fade eventually, no matter how great you are now. Sometimes it's wise to even "sacrifice"[note] your own success for your kids' success.
note: “When I hear people talk about juggling, or the sacrifices they make for their children, I look at them like they're crazy, because 'sacrifice' infers that there was something better to do than being with your children.”   - Chris Rock
I suppose English native speakers share the same wisdom. So please tell me a few common English sayings which convey "that the ancestors are successful is inferior to that the descendants are successful."

The maxim compares whose prosperity is more important instead of greater. That's to say, even if you can achieve more by "investing yourself" than by investing your children, you should still invest your kids.

The Chinese maxim doesn't (at least not directly) refer to the whole society. It talks about "you" (as your children's ancestor) and "your children" (as your descendant).
To ensure your offspring's prosperity, you should, of course, have offspring in the first place. The Chinese maxim also implies this meaning.


texts: Usage of "much" instead of "many" with countable noun (e.g. Americans)

texts:
I found the sentence below in the GMAT exam preparation book:

  However much Americans may agree that the financing of elections with special interest money undermines democracy and that campaign finance reform would produce better government, it has been very difficult to push such measure es through a Congress that has been elected using the old financing system.

The book is based on the American English grammar rules. In the book, the author states that this is a grammatically correct sentence.

But why is the noun Americans uncountable in this sentence? Shouldn't it be many Americans instead of much Americans? If the sentence is grammatically correct how the connotation between much Americans and many Americans differs in this case?

JFYI, Here is how the whole question looks like. The bolded part should be replaced with a choice from the list below the initial sentence to construct a grammatically correct sentence (the initial sentence may be also correct).

  However much Americans may agree that the financing of elections with special interest money undermines democracy and that campaign finance reform would produce better government, it has been very difficult to push such measures through a Congress that has been elected using the old financing system.

  However much Americans may agree that
  Despite agreement among Americans to the fact
  Although Americans agree
  Even though Americans may agree
  There is agreement among Americans that


texts:
I came across this English text below. I'm not sure what the bolded phrase exactly means. I think I've got the meaning of the whole text, but I would like to have some information about that tense. The author could have written also "If you had asked world leaders..".

  If you were to have asked world leaders from only a few hundred years ago which language they thought would become the most spoken language in the world at the dawn of the new millennium...


texts:
"Nobody had a clear idea for what or where they supposed to search."

Does this construction look natural for natives?

I am trying to avoid ending the sentence with a preposition that would incorrectly modify also the adverb where.

Thanks.


texts:
Do these sentences make sense and can I use "keep from" here?

1 She wants to keep everyone from knowing the truth.

2 she wants to make everyone not (to) know the truth.


texts: In the sentence of concern, should I use the plural form of the noun?

texts:
If you like a song, and you think it's catchy, could you say this?

  Songs don't get much catchier than this.

My concern is the plural songs, when people say things similar to

  Life can't/doesn't get much better (than this)"

Unless they're addressing more objects than one, the first noun stays singular.

  My problems couldn't get any worse (than this)"

Here the person is talking more problems than one. So, my question is this, if you like a song, just one song, and you want phrase it like the those sentences i used in the examples, how would you put it?
And, is "songs don't get much catchier than this" even when talking about one song, grammatically correct?


texts: Is it correct to use 'to wait for' in the following context?

texts:
I am very confused about the use of "to be" and didn't find any proper explanation anywhere till now. Could someone please help me understand it? For example, what is the difference between the following sentences?

  It is not acceptable to be waiting for...

  it is not acceptable to wait for...


texts: Use "having" to begin an adverbial phrase

texts:
Is "having" in the following  sentence grammatically correct?

  Having his eyes brimmed with tears, my father beamed


texts: Why has "to" been omitted in "We walk home everyday"?

texts:
I'm studying an English book instruction (Elementary 2). In a grammar part I've a sentence like this:

  We walk home everyday.

but my knowledge says it's wrong and it has omitted "to" before "home" and the right form of this sentence should look like this:

  We walk to home everyday.

Which one is true? It would be great if you explain WHY?


texts: What does this sentence mean "He has miles of jogging and a teleconference behind him"?

texts:
What does this sentence mean

He has miles of jogging and a teleconference behind him

I don't know if it means that he hasn't done those things yet or if they are already done. Or something else.


texts: I felt sick just [ by / from ] watching that

texts:
Which is the correct one?
And if there is not 'just', what would be the difference in using them?


texts:
I have the following sentence:

  Let us recall the functionality of watch - it tells you the time when
  you want to know.

Is it ok to use - here? Or should I use

  Let us recall the functionality of watch: it tells you the time when
  you want to know.


texts: This guy MAKES vlogging HIS LIVING? (Expression)

texts:
Let's say you have seen tons of Youtube videos made by a particular guy. As we all know, there is money earned out of it, then you reacted to his way of earning money and you say:

  Oh my, this guy really makes youtube vlogging his living?!.

Is this a correct expression? Because what I usually see in example sentences is the "make a living" phrase, but it seems to me "his" is more appropriate than "a" in this situation, that's why I've changed it.


texts: "Why are we going on/ in this side" Vs. "Why are we going by this side"?

texts:
Imagine a couple going on the left sidewalk but this side isn't comfortable as the second side is, and then the girl asks the guy beside her "Why are we going ___ this side"? What preposition would be correct to choose in this context?

  "Why are we going in this side?"

or

  "Why are we going on this side?"

or

  "Why are we going by this side"?

I created a photo with an explanation to make my question understandable.


texts: What’s the meaning of “off” in “better off”?

texts:
According to Collins Dictionary

  If you say that someone would be better off doing something, you are advising them to do it or expressing the opinion that it would benefit them to do it, as in:

  If you've got bags, you're better off taking a taxi.
  Their stance seems to be that a baby or child is better off in its country of birth.

What’s the meaning and function of the preposition “off” used after better. Wouldn’t “better” alone suffice in this case?


texts: "which chapter of that book" vs. "what chapter of that book"

texts:
Imagine that, an answer cites a part from a book without telling the chapter.

Should I ask

  "which chapter of that book"?

or

  "what chapter of that book"?

I tried Google Ngram and got no hit.

Google search gives 9 and 10 respectively.

Could someone please give a hint? Thanks in advance.


texts: Idiom or phrase to express too late to be remorseful

texts:
Are there any idioms or phrases to express a situation where it is too late to be remorseful.
I am thinking of the ship has sailed or flogging up a dead horse or look before you leap. But, i dont think it suits the context of the sentence below.
Example:

His action has caused the death of his friend. It is now too late for him to be remorseful.


texts:
Is it "what are the differences or what's the difference" when we compare three things? I am wondering if we can use the singular in the situation when we compare 3 things instead of 2 as we normally do.

  What's the difference between this, that and that other thing?

  What are the differences between this, that and that other thing?


texts:
I will fill water with / by bucket.

Kindly help me with this question


texts:
She was sitting to/on/at his left.

Which preposition should I use in this context? Do they mean the same thing?

I found this post on the difference between "at" and "on", which gave me some clues in answer to my question, but I believe the different context (sitting at a table) requires another post.

On ngram all three seem to be used, though "on" more than the others.

To my understanding, the difference is the following:

Sitting at his left = right next to him, at a table.
Sitting to his left = not necessarily next to him nor at a table (unless known by the context), but near to his left.
Sitting on his left = not necessarily at the same table, but somewhere on his left.

Is my inference correct?


texts: GRE - Primary purpose of the passage about The Life of Charlotte Bronte

texts:
Source

  In The Life of Charlotte Bronte (1857), the first and the most celebrated biography of novelist Charlotte Bronte, Elizabeth Gaskell promoted the long-persisting romantic view of Bronte as having no connection with the rest of English society at a time when industrialization was causing much turbulence, but as having sprung naturally, like so much purple heather, out of the English countryside. Gaskell also portrayed Bronte as irreproachably proper, incapable of "unladylike” feelings or dangerous views; this was at variance with the subversive spirit Matthew Arnold accurately discerned, albeit with distance, deep within Bronte's fiction. While correcting many of Gaskell's errors and omissions at last, even Winifred Gerin's Charlotte Bronte: The Evolution of Genius (1967) failed to discard Gaskell's viewpoint. Feminist have introduced new interpretations of Bronte's life, but it is primarily Juliet Barker who takes into account the larger world that impinged on that life-- the changing England in which old divisions of class and gender were under pressure.

  The primary purpose of the passage is to

  A consider similarities in several studies of Charlotte Bronte’s life

  B defend a particular view of Charlotte Bronte’s life

  C discuss a change in perspective on Charlotte Bronte’s life

  D depict the social environment in which Charlotte Bronte lived

  E portray Charlotte Bronte as an early feminist writer

There are two popular solutions to this question: B and C, which I can't decide between.

I choose B because it seems to me that the author is inclined to believe Gaskell's theory is true. A big trunk of the passage is about Gaskell's theory.

An unofficial answer to the question is C. Honestly I don't understand the meaning of "change in perspective" very well. It's hard to say it is wrong, since the author writes in the last sentence that "takes into account the larger world that impinged on that life-- the changing England..." But it seems to me that Charlotte Bronte didn't change much at that time, as explained in the first sentence of this passage: ...having no connection with the rest of English society at a time when industrialization was causing much turbulence...


texts: The word "exercise" as an uncountable noun

texts:
Swimming is good exercise.
Swimming is a good exercise.

I checked all the major dictionaries and they say that it is uncountable when it means (physical or mental activity that you do to stay healthy or become stronger)
I have seen the following examples:

Swimming is great exercise. (Longman Dictionary)
Swimming is great exercise. (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
Cycling to work is great exercise. (Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)

None of them have used "a" before exercise because they say that it is uncounted here.
They also say that exercise can be a countable noun when it means a set of movements. What I think is that swimming is not a set of movements and therefore 'a' is not placed before exercise.
Do you think that we can use 'a' in the sentence "Swimming is a great exercise"?


texts:
Here's a sentence I made up:

"He seemed to had not understood what I had said to him"

Is this sentence correct? I tried searching for similar sentences by putting quotation marks around 'seemed to had not', and out popped roughly 5-6 results, but that doesn't seem to be that many, especially because some of those could've been mistakes, and I couldn't find any questions like this.

Also, assuming it is correct, if I change the position of 'not', like so:

"He seemed to not had understood what I had said to him"

Would it still be grammatical?


texts: Can we use "either ... or..." after "might as well"?

texts:
Is this example correct?

  I've been fired from my job, so I might as well either look for another job or just sit at home.

Can the construction "either... or..." (or even "whether... or..." ) come after "might/may as well"?


texts: Is "since-deleted" an acceptable formal use?

texts:
I saw this sentence on newspaper:

  "The since-deleted tweet suggested that US travellers who were not attractive enough to be bought drinks in bars at home should not expect that to change while overseas..."

I think the "since-deleted" tweet means that "the tweet has been deleted". What confuses me is that "since" should be bound to a verb "delete" by the dash. I just found "since" can be an adverb, and is this the reason? What if I re-write the phrase as "the tweet has been deleted since"? Is this okay?


texts:
John Oliver said to Dustin Hoffman in a recorded conversation, available in part on Youtube:

  I read today her diary and she had this one line that’s been wrapped around my head.

First I thought he was saying he tried to wrap his head around that line, but that is not what he said. He seemingly said "that's been wrapped/wrapping around my head." I can't be sure if he used the word wrapped or wrapping, although the word given in the transcript is wrapped. Is this expression idiomatic? I can't find any related definition. What does it mean?

Note:

The transcripts provided by CBS and The Washington Post both have wrapped in them. However, as @Canadian Yankee points out, the actual phrase said is probably rattling around my head. I already have my question answered, and I'm happy about it and would be for closing this question. But I think the question did lead to answers and discussions helpful for other people. I, for one, don't think this is the only instance that these two phrases are misheard or mixed up. Not to mention the fact that this mistranscription of Oliver's speech is actually really widespread.


texts: what is the difference between I saw bus is coming vs I saw bus was coming?

texts:
can someone explain to me?
it is right that I saw bus is coming
means I was standing and a bus is coming on the road?


texts: What is the tense of "it's supposed to be"?

texts:
For example,

  I just cleaned the desk an hour ago and it is dirty now. It is not what it's supposed to be.

What is the tense of "it's"? Should it be interpreted as "is" or "was"?


texts: How to wish a sick person to recover from the illness? I'm interested in the expression for informal usage.


texts: Should I use the simple past or past perfect in the following passages?

texts:
My rabbit was probably bitten by a snake. A good theory; however, just because I saw/had seen one today didn't
  mean he was bitten by one in his last hours.

  As far as I could remember, my dog had never chased any birds. He
  was/had been only interested in cats.

This is past-tense narrative talking about past events. I'm a little confused about what tense to use in the bolded parts.

Maybe I'm mixing up things? Should I use the simple past or part perfect in the sentences above?


texts: Is there a good alternative for "passion" in "my passion in some subject is ignited"?

texts: Is there a good alternative for "passion" in "my passion in certain subject was ignited"? I have used the word "passion" just a few sentences ahead in the same article "my passion for certain subject is noteworthy". Thanks!


texts: Reference to help me understand what difference in meaning a preposition creates?

texts:
Is there a reference (dictionary, strategy for using Google) that I can use on my own, to find an explanation of the difference between "Prepare for the powerpoint presentation" and "Prepare the powerpoint presentation"? Looking up the definition in a typical dictionary doesn't make this clear to me.
Or, is the understanding between "Prepare" vs "Prepare for" only achievable by using intuition to understand the difference, by being exposed to huge amounts of the language?


texts:
I was talking to a friend and said:  I also prefer this kind of way.   Should it just be "I also prefer this way."?
I searched it on google, and it seems to appear only in the form of "this 'adverb' kind of way."


texts: What is the word for students under the same advisor

texts: I'd like to know what is the word to describe students under the same advisor in graduate program, e.g. PhD. Students in the same department and/or in the same school year are called classmate.


texts: what are the nouns that can be used to describe something that is out of reach

texts:
What would be another word for the following scenarios?

Similar to high hope, and certainly not a "daydream","fantasy", "delusion" (which conveys a sense of impossibility), with just a little negative connotation of the event being not likely to occur but still "hopeful"

(1) This 27 y/o boy wants to run for a mayor of the city. Most people think it is a noun

(2) You have been an employee of this unit for only 2 years. Now you want to be the group leader that runs this unit? It is like a noun"

(3) This 25 y/o man has been a congressional aide for only 5 years now he wants to run against his boss for the senator position. This is noun.


texts: Employer allows an entitlement vs Employer includes an entitlement

texts:
Employers often offer employees perks in addition to cash wages, for example, membership of a health insurance or company pension
scheme
If they do, they must
ensure
that they are fair in providing these benefits in order to
avoid
discrimination. For instance, if an employer
allows/includes
an entitlement to low-interest loans in male, but not female, employees' contracts, the female employees could take the employer to court on the basis of unequal
treatment

I am unable to understand the difference between which word to use in the given context
Can anyone guide me about the same?
Thanks in advance.
My Approach:
I found some meanings for the words but unable to understand the usage in the given paragraph.
allow --> permit / give the necessary time
include --> add/cover


texts:
Which one is correct-

He did not succeed to get the job though he tried his level best.
He did not succeed in getting the job though he tried his level best.

Book says second one is correct.


texts: Is it grammatically correct? "You can choose which one to show to users either A or B."

texts:
A

  You can choose which one to show to users either A or B.

B

  You can choose which one to show to users whether A or B.

are these grammatically correct if they appear in a document?

if not, How should I write in a document?


texts: "Exemption" of a module in a university course

texts:
If I have a degree in science and I then begin studying another degree in science, the new course might have some of the same units or modules (e.g. basic chemistry, or mathematics) as the old course. Because I've already completed those modules, I might be allowed to skip them.

For a person in this situation, would it be correct to say:

  This person got exemption of basic chemistry course.

I'm not sure whether this is correct usage of the word "exemption." If it isn't, what is an alternative?


texts: "What did you say?" or "What did you said?"

texts:
I was teaching my son and I always get confused which verb I should use, as English is our second language, I asked my son to put the word 'said' in example and he come up with this:

  what did you said?

but know there's something wrong so I come a cross this website, so if anyone is reading this can we say :

I know that we can say "what do you say", but i need to know if we can use "what do you said?"


texts:
Is it legal to use has in the following question?

  Would you tell me please whether either my friend Joey or me has to visit the manager tomorrow?

Or, instead, should I use have rather than has?


texts: What's a common idiom to say someone is strong?

texts:
I have no idea how Americans convey the message that someone is physically very strong in informal everyday English. [In my mother language we say someone has a power of a donkey.]

The only equivalents which I found are as below:

  He is cock strong.
  He is strong like bull.

I was wondering if you could tell me which one sounds natural in English. If none  makes sense, then could you tell me what a native speaker would say to indicate such a meaning to someone else?


texts: Word for something which isn’t spreading and under control

texts:
What could be the words for a scale/mark on a certain part of the skin which is small and not spreading(on any other part of the body) like the word ‘limited’? Example:
“Your psoriasis mark, it’s ‘confined’(add your suggested word here)”


texts: Could you please explain how to use "preposition+ gerund" in a sentence?

texts:
I came across a sentence

  With a view to creating a safe and secure environment for women an armed battalion of women police has been formed in Bihar.

Shall I write it as

  With a view to create a safe and secure environment for women an armed battalion of women police has been formed in Bihar.

Is it incorrect to use infinitive in the latter sentence? Does the meaning of both the sentences is same?

If not please explain me the difference in the meaning of the two sentences.

I've seen many explanations regarding the usage of preposition+gerund in stackexchange still I'm in confusion.

Please explain me how and when to use gerunds with prepositions like "to" simpler way.


texts: When I describe a new leader of a country becoming as such after the previous one is gone, should I use "came to power" or "came into power"? Google Search returns both in big numbers, which makes me think that both are correct, yet with different meanings.


texts: Do all intransitive verbs take a preposition when they used with an object? For example " She smiled at me". Smile - Intransitive verb and me - object.


texts: To penetrate something, but not physically. Can I use "penetrate" figuratively?

texts:
Light and space. These two factors penetrate themselves mutually and complement each other.

I do not know if verb penetrate can be used while describing the features of material. I mean penetrate  not physically but rather metaphorically. Also I had got difficulty with using themselves and each other....


texts: "He is better and superior to me" vs "He is better than and superior to me"

texts:
Came across this question asking which one is correct, four given options are

  1.He is better and superior than me.

  2.He is better than and superior to me.

  3.He is better and superior to me.

  4.He is better to and superior than me.

The answer provided is 3. Doesn't 3 violate parallelism? I think 2 would be more accurate.

NB. The book's answers aren't impervious to mistakes.


texts:
My native English friends often use both of them but I have no idea what they mean by "bathe" and "shower". I take them to mean the same thing. They have other meanings as well, but I mean the act in which you throw water over yourself and make yourself clean.
One of the definitions of "shower" in Cambridge Dictionary is:

to take a shower:
I shower every morning.

And for "bathe":

to wash someone, usually with soap and water in a bathtub:
I had to change the kids’ diapers and feed them and bathe them.

I am really confused. Can anyone clarify

"bathe" vs "shower"
take a bath vs take a shower

?


texts: “get drinks” and “get some drinks” vs. “get the drinks”

texts:
I had the following test question:

“Could you get _____________ drinks when you go to the shops, please?”

A) –

B) a

C) the

My reasoning:

A) “zero article” or “some” – possible, but not very likely, since this idiom might mean a request to imbibe alcohol; it would be better to say “could you buy…”

B) “a” - is out of question, because “drinks” is plural

C) it’s got to be “the”

Correct answer: A.

Is answer “C” ungrammatical?  Can “get drinks” mean “buy  or procure drinks”?


texts: Confused about the meaning behind this sentence

texts:
I have a sentence and want to know its meaning. I was asked to explain the sentence in my words. However, I don't have any idea about the meaning behind these words. Here is the sentence:

  "How do you explain to someone the reason for the failure of reason?
  Words fail, passion fails, reason fails...."


texts: Can 'OK' be replied as a response to some bad news/things?

texts:
Out of various usages, 'OK' when used as a response to someone's statement simply means that we got it.

However, I had read somewhere that one of the theories say that 'OK' was actually 'All Correct!' And this is the truth. In most of the cases when we say 'OK', it means positively okay. Also, if we consider its Greek origin, it means ola kala - It's good!

  She has reached safely ~ Okay!

I felt it a bit odd while replying to the confirmation that one of my friends has died (RIP). The conversation was...

  Yes Maulik, it's confirmed. 'X' is dead ~ Okay

What I needed is a short word, a kinda synonym of 'Ok' because 'all is not correct there'.

So, can Okay be used there? Isn't it a bit rude?


texts: Lack of an article in "looking for work"

texts:
Should there be an Indefinite article in a quote "Looking for work" or that is a correct way to say it?

As I see it, it's just "the way we say it in English" is that right?


texts: What does the format "someone on something" imply?

texts:
In this example:

Barack Obama on food and climate change: 'We can still act and it won't be too late'.

what does “Obama on food and climate change” mean?

Is it a formal way of saying someone's opinion on a subject?
Does it imply the person is a subject matter expert?
Can it be used in a less formal conversation or writing?


texts: Providing Evidence of residency for 3 of the last 5 years - Which are the last 5 years?

texts:
today I was reading on the website this:

Providing Evidence of residency for 3 of the last 5 years

In order to receive funding from SUSI, you must have been resident in the Irish State or the EU/EEA/Swiss Federation for three of the last five years.

Which 5 last years are meant? It never includes current year? 5 years before this current year? or 5 years including this one though it has just started? (what if I was in the middle of this year 2017, would it be included then? or no?)

So the LAST 5 YEARS are:

2017,2016,2015,2014,2013 or 2016,2015,2014,2013,2012??

We never cover the on-going year? just the calendar ones that have already passed or? And does that also apply to months/weeks? - by which I mean that only completed weeks/months are meant by last weeks/months, not the one that is current which is not over yet. Or am I wrong in understanding this?

Thanks for your help


texts: Where - to what place - can make sense in this context?

texts:
"Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud.  "If yeh
  know where to go," said Hagrid. (Harry Potter and the
  Sorcerer's Stone)

The two of them already know they are going to London. Then what does ‘where’ mean?


texts:
So, you ready to bust this case open?

  Source: http://funkyimg.com/i/2MsD4.jpg (movie Bad Boys II)

I don't understand what this meaning.

For (this case open), what meaning word (open) here?

And how to bind (to bust) + (this case)?


texts: Using quotation marks and apostrophe together

texts:
How should I properly write quotation marks and apostrophe in cases like the following ones?

  There are five "McDonald's"s in our city.

  All "7-11"'s in our town were opened within the last ten years.


texts:
What does "to hold on to the past" mean?

Basicly holding on to/onto something means keeping something you have.
So here does "holding on to the past" mean like "dwelling in the past" or something like that?

If it does, is it in positive way or negative way?

Example Context :

  Stop Holding On To The Past. For many of us, holding on the past would
  allow us to avoid loss. Yet mentally tough people know that wishing
  things “could just go back to the ways they were,” is a wish, and not
  reality. They know the past — as great as it might have been — is
  gone.

Thank you


texts: What is the difference in meaning of "dim-witted" and "stupid" in this context

texts: Instead of saying "You are more dim-witted than usual" could I say "You are more stupid than usual"?


texts:
If I'm a teacher and I'm going to give my students an exam tomorrow, Can I say:
 I´m going to apply an exam tomorrow?


texts: I don't understand the structure 'It's really when ~, where ~ .' in this sentence

texts:
I'm reading an article about suicide on the website 'NPR',
but I don't understand the meaning of this sentence.

It's really when the symptoms add up in the mind of that person, where they think 'The way I deal with this is to take my life'.

This is entire paragraph from the NPR article including the sentence for your understanding.

Some of the warning signs would certainly be depression and ... loss of concentration. People not seeming like themselves. Insomnia can be a big risk factor. Other warning signs might include irritability, withdrawal. And the thing that's really critical: Lots of people have those symptoms and are not thinking about suicide. It's really when the symptoms add up in the mind of that person, where they think 'The way I deal with this is to take my life.'

The sentence I don't understand is the last one.
I understand what each word of the sentence means, but I don't understand the structure 'It's really when ~~, where ~~ .'.


texts: What's the difference between "stock exchange" & "stack exchange"( the name of this network of Q&A websites )?

texts:
What's the difference between "stock exchange" & "stack exchange"( the name of this network of Q&A websites ) & "stock market"?

I know that stock exchange means:

  The business of buying and selling shares and the place where this happens ( also called stock market )

And also I searched for the word stack:

  a neat pile of things

But actually I did not find the relation of this word with the name of this website, which is "stack exchange".


texts: I want to know when to able to grammatically omit "that" leading an appositive clause

texts:
She had a feeling (that) this would be the last time

Back in my school, I learnt not to omit "that' when it's leading an appositive clause as in the example, but I've just heard that with or without "that" , the sentence sounds natural.

So, I want to know when to able to grammatically omit "that" or not in this case.


texts:
Hello everyone I was see this in one question Stack Overflow :

  And Voila!

I asked me that i mean ? I looked in internet this definition :

  A way of saying "It's just that simple": In Phone sex as a career, all I got to do is say a few thing and moan ...And Voila! I got money in no time. I don't even have to touch myself either while having Phone sex.

but I don't know in what situation I can use this?  anyone can say me where I can use this?


texts:
Could you please tell me which one is right?
If none of these sentences is correct, what would be the right sentence?

  She has ability to do it.
  She has an ability to do it.
  She has the ability to do it.
  She has ability of doing it.
  She has an ability of doing it.
  She has the ability of doing it.


texts: What is the answer to questions: present occupation and like or dislike school days correct?

texts:
I have to make questions with the following words are they correct? What could be the answer to the second question?

school days_ like or dislike?

present occupation

do you like or dislike school days?

What is your present occupation?


texts: What does *dead* mean in *What do you mean, dead?*?

texts:
In the following sentence, which I encountered when I was learning French on Duolingo (but my native language is not English):

  What do you mean, dead?

In my dictionary, there is no description of such use of dead. The closest one is likely the one equivalent to absolutely.

So what does dead mean in these cases? Does it mean the speaker does not understand what the listener was saying at all?

And also is it considered vulgar to use dead in these cases?


texts: What do you call in English for the words like this 'rotor'?

texts:
Consider the word rotor. Whichever way you read it, from left to right or from right to left, you get the same word.

Is there any specific word for words like this?


texts: the Greek mathematician Euclid -- why do we need a definite article in this situation?

texts:
Example with a context (an excerpt from "The Art & Science of Java: An Introduction to Computer Science" by Eric Roberts):

  What you need to find is an algorithm that is guaranteed to terminate with the correct answer but that requires fewer steps then the brute force approach. This is where cleverness and a clear understanding of the problem pay off. Fortunately, the necessary creative insight has already been supplied by the Greek mathematician Euclid, whose Elements (book 7, proposition II) contains an elegant solution to this problem.

Why do we actually need a definite article in front of Greek mathematician Euclid? Why not simply say supplied by Greek mathematician Euclid?


texts: What exactly A flap is in the context of a cardboard box?

texts:
per this answer

  The bits at the top and the bottom that tuck in to seal the box are called the flaps.

are there 4 flaps in the image shown below?

or the whole top is A flap?

Are these 4 parts also flaps?

My concern is if only the part that could be tucked in called flap, because I had got this answer (exactly the same one at the beginning of this post) originally.

  The bits at the top and the bottom that tuck in to seal the box are called the flaps.


texts: collective noun: "couple" subject verb agreement

texts:
Which sentence is grammatically correct?

how long the couple remain faithful is something questionable.
how long the couple remains faithful is something questionable.


texts:
Would you please take a glance at the links? Would anyone possibly show me what is the difference between them?

sit yourself at the table
set yourself at the table

That is, I am wondering what is the difference between these:

  Sit yourself at the table
   Set yourself at the table

Any help would be appreciated


texts:
What type of sentence is this? Why do we use the Past Participle?

I took this sentence from a game (Call of duty black ops 2).

  Get the party started with a random rotation of Gun Game, Stick and Stones, One in the chamber, and Sharpshooter.


texts:
Is this sentence correct?

I felt the tea hot.

Is felt or feel used like this?


texts: Do Americans pronounce 'are' as 'do' in "What are you waiting for"

texts:
It seems a stupid question, but I already hear American on TV or movies or even songs, say Are like Do in this context

  What are you waiting for

I just listened to it again in this song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJtDXIazrMo

Am i right please? or it is really pronounced as are


texts:
I frequently use then where I might should use than.

For example. My previous question was self-titled:

  Is pretty nice nicer then nice?

And was edited to:

  Is pretty nice nicer than nice?

Have not thought of it before other that it sounds OK and hence used it. Looking up the definition at for example Google I get:

at that time; at the time in question.
after that; next; afterwards.

Where neither fits as far as I can see, (perhaps 1.). Is it completely wrong to use then in this context?

Edit:

Look in the dictionary. OK, accept that, but:

Have a look at for example:

Cambridge example adverb, then

We have a town house, a country cottage, and then there's our villa in Spain.

Common Errors in English Usage, as in it is common?
Number of hits on web-search, e.g. Google, and their content

The amount of effort by numerous people and sources on the subject might suggest the issue is not that obvious in every case. This can obviously be interpreted in several ways in regards to causation.

The example from Cambridge is for instance one that throw me off a bit. (And similar cases might subconsciously have brought me to the dilemma I sometimes face when choosing between the two.)

But; hope I am on the right track now. Then is better used than than both when and then.


texts: Does "Three students were given two notebooks. " mean that each student was given two?

texts:
The three students were given two notebooks.

I created the sentence above in order to describe that one student could not get the notebook.

I am afraid whether this sentence may be interpreted as follows:

  Each of the three students was given two notebooks.

I would like to know how to describe my intended meaning more clearly.


texts: To be friend / on good terms with / to etc

texts:
Imagine a mother who notices that her son has had a problem with one of his classmates who the mother knows him / her well. She wants to discover if they are on good terms / are friends yet or they have broken up. Which one of the prepositions below in the self-made sentences of mine doesn't sounds natural to you:

  Are you two still on good terms / friends to each other?
  Are you two still on good terms / friends with each other?
  Are you two still on good terms / friends together?
  Are you two still on good terms / friends with one another?

For me, they all work, but I doubt if native speakers think so.


texts:
I have this sentence which I couldn't understand the exact meaning.

  "Save insofar as the contract may prescribe"

May I get it in different words please?


texts: How to express this "you are walking on a road and there is a hole in front of you, you accidentally drop 1 of your legs into it"?

texts:
You are walking on a road and there is a hole in front of you, you accidentally drop 1 of your legs into it.

How would you express it?


texts:
When we wanted to use the phrase "it has something to do with x" in affirmative-question form and in possibility sense, is it correct to say:

  Could it be something to do with X?

and

  Could it have something to do with X?


texts:
All the dictionaries I have checked give what sort of music ... and none mentioned what kind of music. That was under the head word music.

On the other hand, COCA (118 and 10 hits for kind and sort respectively) and Google ngrams give by far more hits for what kind of music [do] than for what sort of music [do].

This is an example for the pattern in one of the dictionaries:

  What sort of music do you listen to?

Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary

How do you explain the observation?


texts: The connotation difference between using "the" and the plural form of a word

texts:
Are both sentences below correct when I intend to talk about cotton swabs in general, not a particular one? If so, do they have different connotations?

I am going to introduce a new use of the cotton swab.

I am going to introduce a new use of cotton swabs.


texts: Should the comma in a compound predicate be omitted if the sentence starts with a quotation?

texts:
In the following sentence, should the comma be omitted?

  "Come in!" she said, and opened the door.

My spell checker insists that this is "an unnecessary comma in a compound predicate", but removing the comma makes the sentence seem wrong to me. I searched the web and found multiple pages confirming the rule about omitting commas in compound predicates, but none had examples that contained a quotation. On the other hand, Googling for "hello i said and" (in quotes) yielded multiple examples where the comma was not omitted.


texts: Use of Past Perfect for a state/action that isn't true anymore

texts:
The traditional definition for the past perfect tense is thT it's used to convey that something occured before another action in the past. Here are some example sentences from a website:

  I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai.
  (me having never seen such a beautiful beach comes before me going to Kauai)

  I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet.
  (Me having lost my wallet comes before me not having any money)

  Tony knew Istanbul so well because he had visited the city several times.
  (Him visiting Istanbul comes before him knowing Istanbul so well)

When I look at the other websites, I see similar examples. My question is that can we use the past perfect to describe an active that isn't true anymore. As in:

  John hadn't seen Joe for quite some time.

In the sentence, it isn't clearly stated if an action happens after John having not seen Joe; but assuming John hadn't seen Joe for some time before he saw him in a party yesterday, is the sentence above acceptable?

We have other alternatives for the past perfect, but I think they might not mean the same thing, or might not be correct. For example, if I said:

  John didn't see Joe for quite some time.

or

  John hadn't been seeing Joe for quite some time

I think the first sentence would suggest John still haven't seen him, and for the second sentence, I'm not sure  if we should use "see" in the progressive. Since it's a state verb, it's mostly used in the simple tense, e.g.

  I see a man outside.

And not,

  I'm seeing a man outside.

So should I use the past perfect continuous or past perfect or what?

Edit: Per Katy's comment, it's okay to use the past perfect continuous with "see". But what if it's another word? Consider "to lose". If I said:

  I lost my keys.

I think it would be understood I still hadn't found them. Can I say:

  I had lost my keys.

to mean that I'd lost them but later I found them. And can I do this with, say, "to dye" too?

  She had had her hair dyed red.
  (She had had her hair dyed red, but later she had it undyed.)


texts:
I don't understand the difference between those words.
The Collins dictionary defines executor as "one who executes," and then defines executer as:

executer (noun)
= executor

I use executor for entity which execute commands (for example, names like "SendEmailExecutor" or "ChangePasswordExecutor").
Is there a time when I should use executer instead? Or are they always interchangeable?


texts: Does "decades" have a chance to mean just 10 years or always 20 years or more?

texts:
I wonder what the word decades (plural) mean. For example:

  The friendship has lasted for decades.

In this sentence, does it have any chance that decades mean just 10 years? Or should it always be a multiple of 10 years, and thus 20 years, 30 years, etc...?

Also, can decades mean one of the followings?

19 years (i.e. more than 10 years but not reaching 20)
23 years (i.e. more than 20 years but not necessarily a multiple of 10)


texts:
I wouldn't be a good friend if I'm not honest about it and hide it.

  I wouldn't be a good friend if I wasn't honest about it and hid it.

Which one is correct?


texts: Realize or Realized? Which one is correct?

texts:
is it correct to say,

I didn't realize that you were a cop.
or
I didn't realized that you were a cop.


texts:
slap 4 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to hit a surface
  with a lot of force, making a loud sharp sound

  slap against

  Small waves slapped against the side of the boat.

Today, my son peed his shorts on my chair, then he slapped on / in the pee (not sure "on" or "in"), which made the pee be smeared all over my room & sometimes splashed it into my face (not sure "sometimes" is the right word:

"sometimes" is normally used for a longer period, eg, I sometimes go shopping. But in this specific situation, the period that my son did it lasted about 3 minutes and within that 3 minutes, sometimes (2 or 3 times) the pee splashed into my face).

Do you say "don't slap in the pee to make it be smeared all over the floor and splash it into my face"?


texts: What kind of sentence structure is , "Would that be, If i were a rich man ! "

texts:
What kind of sentence structure is , "Would that be, If I were a rich man ! "

Isn't it incorrect English?

What kind of sentence is it, that is deemed valid to begin with, Would that be

AND

why not put I was instead of I were.


texts: Meaning of the expression "put me on perkies"

texts:
I am reading a book (Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi, for that matters) in which one of the characters wants to have a son with his wife. One day he has a terrible nightmare about the child beeing physically malformed, and recalling it he thinks:

  That dream scared me limp for a month. Maggie put me on perkies because of it.

So, what does the expression "put me on perkies" mean?


texts:
I was wondering wether it's necessary to use definite article before "current" when it is used as adjective.

For example:

  According to (the) current forecast it should be raining.
  Should I disconnect my phone from (the) current charger?
  The Prime Minister in (the) current speech is explaining...

I'm stuck because "current" is an adjective here and due to that fact it shouldn't require any article, but on the other hand all nouns require some determiner or quantifier and maybe we should keep "the" in presented sentences?


texts:
When someone say:

  God loves everyone equally.

What does the word "equally" mean in this context?

  B2 fairly and in the same way: In an ideal world, would everyone get treated equally?

the word "equally" has several meanings, and I don't know which meaning is appropriate.

  C1 in equal amounts: The inheritance money was shared equally among the three sisters.

  C1 to the same degree: You looked equally nice in both dresses.

  › used for adding an idea that is as important as what you have just said:
  Not all businesses are legitimate. Equally, not all customers are honest.

(Cambridge Dictionary)


texts: Meaning of "if not" in "if not [some trait]"

texts:
If I say:

  You are well-established if not dominant in your field

am I saying that you're not dominant or that you are?


texts: What is the verbal phrase for "making a candle stop burning"?

texts:
blow [intransitive, transitive] to be moved by the wind, somebody’s
breath, etc.; to move something in this way

adv./prep. My hat blew off.

adj. The door blew open.

blow somebody/something + adv./prep.
I was almost blown over by the wind.
She blew the dust off the book.
The ship was blown onto the rocks.
The bomb blast blew two passers-by across the street.
blow something + adj.
The wind blew the door shut.

I want to use the structure "blow something + preposition" with "the candles", but I don't know the preposition that express "to make a fire stop burning".

off (preposition) down or away from a place or at a distance in space or time

I fell off the ladder.
Keep off the grass!

used to say that something has been removed

You need to take the top off the bottle first!
I want about an inch off the back of my hair.

away from work or duty

He's had ten days off school.

"off" is a preposition, but the dictionary doesn't say anything about fire, I also think about the adjective "extinguished", but it sounds bizarre.
Can we say "to blow the candles off" or "extinguished"?


texts: Are "a normal birth", "a vaginal birth" and "a natural birth" almost the same thing?

texts:
Are "a normal birth", "a vaginal birth" and  "a natural birth" almost the same thing in terms of meaning, they are opposite of caesarian? Can I use these words interchangeably?

I found those words from a dictionary in Korean. But one of my friends said that "a normal birth" is only used in common. But I think those three words are the almost same and interchangeable.
They all mean giving birth without any intervention like a surgery (caesarean). So I think "I had my son by a natural birth / vaginal birth / normal birth" all make sense. Is that right?

Thanks for your help in advance!!


texts: Published or released? [This book was "released in 1890" or this book was "published .." ?]

texts: What's the difference in meaning between publishing a book and releasing a book?


texts: Selling a copy of the original as original is called "fraud" (idiomatic?)

texts:
Selling a copy of the original as original is called "fraud"

idiomatic or do we need the indefinite article "a" before fraud like "a fraud"?


texts:
Which preposition goes together with "hating" (as a noun)  in the following contexts?

  Ann took Lee's boyfriend,  therfore Lee has hating against / for Ann.

  They have hating against / for  atheism / religions.


texts: a record of the daily high temperature for a month -- meaning?

texts:
Example with a context (Java: A Beginner's Guide, 6th Edition by Herbert Schildt):

  An array is a collection of variables of the same type, referred to by a common name. In Java, arrays can have one or more dimensions, although the one-dimensional array is the most common. Arrays are used for a variety of purposes because they offer a convenient means of grouping together related variables. For example, you might use an array to hold a record of the daily high temperature for a month, a list of stock price averages, or a list of your collection of programming books.

What does a record really mean in the context of that sentence? Actually, I don't think I understand perfectly well what the whole thing is really trying to say. Well, I do understand that it's about collecting temperature data over a period of one month, but as far as comprehension goes, what exactly it is that the author is trying to say is something that completely escapes me. What kind of record is he talking about? The records that a sports star like Usain Bolt has or records that hold information about an individual such as criminal records, employee records et cetera?


texts: How may any liquid in a glass be a potential source of income to a plumber? (A joke I can't get)

texts:
To a plumber, any liquid in a glass is a potential source of income.

The source of the quote (at the very bottom of the page)

I came across this joke and I just can't get it hard as I try. Could anyone help me appreciate its humor explaining how any liquid in a glass and a pipe fitter's potential income may be connected?

Maybe the humor lies in the second meaning of a glass as a mirror, but still, I can't get it.


texts:
I said

They had hardworking personalities. Also she was.

then she said

How about her?

Here, what does she mean by this? I am not a native English speaker but she is.


texts: Multiplication: names of some mathematical symbols

texts:
As far as I know, in Italian mathematics books, the symbol for multiplication can take several forms:

B × 3

B · 3

B * 3 (rare)

I'm not sure of having ever seen case 3 in English books, perhaps because "*" is not used in the English mother tongue in this sense.
Also, in English mathematics books I sometimes see

B . 3

In reference to mathematical contexts, what are the names of the symbols I used in 2 and 4?


texts:
a. He looked at them to help him.
b. He looked to them to help him.
c. He looked at them for help.
d. He looked to them for help.
Which of the above sentences are grammatically correct?
Which are natural?
Many thanks.


texts: Statistics show ,that ....recent figures show,that

texts:
I had a test where i needed to translate from German to English . Can u say "statistics show,that ..." ?

And the other sentence which was marked as wrong : " Recent figures show, that London is growing faster than other regions"

I cannot find my mistake in here ?


texts: Are these "for + nouns" adjectival prepositional phrases or adverbial prepositional ones?

texts:
Consider:

Some "for + nouns" are adjectival prepositional phrases; others are adverbial prepositional ones, but I am not sure which is which in these following examples:

  The pension plans involve very little risk for employers.
  A bank creates a reserve for loan losses.
  How do investors decide on the expected returns they require for individual investments?
  Regulators aim to ensure that ﬁnancial institutions keep enough capital for the
  total risks they are taking.
  Policyholders can often redeem (surrender) whole life policies early or use the
  policies as collateral for loans.
  Many exchanges on which stocks, options, and futures trade use market makers.
  Typically an exchange will specify a maximum level for the size of a market maker’s bid-offer spread.
  The CME has introduced contracts for 10 different weather stations.
  The lesson from these losses is that it is important to define unambiguous risk limits for traders.
  For similarly rated bonds and structured products, the probability distribution of losses are markedly different.

  All the examples are taken from Risk Management and Financial Institutions, 3rd Ed. written by John Hull.

I have no difficulty in understanding these sentences, but it’s not easy to tell whether these "for + nouns" are adjectival prepositional phrases or adverbial prepositional ones.

I would guess this problem could cause ambiguity in some cases.


texts:
In my native language it makes sense when I say a sentence like that:

  Arabic uses the past continuous tense different than English.

Is it  okay to say a sentence like that in English? I'm talking about the comparison in this sentence which are the words (different & than).


texts: What is the meaning of " carrying with it" in this text?

texts:
Repeatedly attacked by Parthia and Persia, it had never fallen; but once, after which it had been soon recovered; and now for many years it had come to be regarded as the bulwark of the Roman power in the East, and as carrying with it the dominion of Western asia.
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/16167/16167-h/16167-h.htm


texts: A word to describe "a shy smile after stupid mistakes"

texts:
Which word can I use to describe a smile which someone gives after making a stupid mistake?

I want to describe the smile of a TV news anchor, when the camera catches her combing her hair.


texts: Help to understand the use of 'need' in this context

texts:
As long as he didn't leave spots of ink on the sheets, the Dursleys need never know that he was studying magic by night.

As I understand, 'need' denotes the sense of "To be under the necessity of or the obligation to". I feel 'would' might fit better for the context. As long as he didn't leave spots ink on the sheets, the Dursley would never know that he was studying magic by night.

So, how should we understand the use of 'need' in this context?

-- From Harry Potter.


texts: May I say "Do we have any meeting >at this time<?"

texts:
For this sentence:

  Do we have any meeting at this time?

Is using at this time correct here, or should I use some other expression in its place? E.g.:

  Do we have any meeting right now?


texts: A community of 'Painters in Crete' or 'Painters on Crete'?

texts: I'm creating a community of painters who live and work on the island of Crete?  Should I call the community 'Painters in Crete' or 'Painters on Crete'?


texts:
What is the difference? Which one is better to use for defining some baggage (not hand one).
Thank you in advance


texts:
I do see that questions about this couple have been posted before (What is the difference between "general" and "generic"?, What is the difference between "general" and "generic"?), and I have read the answers given, but my context being somehow different, I think I need some extra help.
I am translating a text that uses "generic" and "non-generic". The text is about Sappho's poem 31, which you can read here. And the part I'm having problem with runs as follows:
"As in other poems, Sappho combines vividness - the addressee's laughter and sweet voice the speaker's crippling physical symptoms - with reflective distance. The speaker does not just stand back from her predicament in the (lost) final stanzas; the opening scene is (probably) couched in generic language too (1-5), but then followed by a (probably) non-generic statement about the effect on the speaker. Similarly, the symptoms are framed by a generalising clause ('whenever I look at you', 7), but then listed in such detail and with such vividness that they impress themselves as acutely present (7-16)."
And a bit further down, when talking of lines 1-5: "'That man to me seems equal to the gods, whoever sits opposite you [..]'. The definite antecedent [...], combined with the indefinite clause, probably picks out one man from a set of such men and focuses on him: any an who sits opposite you, that man seems to me. [...] The detailed description makes the scene concrete, despite the generalising construction."
So, the questions are: (a) is "generic" identical here with "general" or rather "generalising"? (b) initially, I got the impression that "generic" might mean "typical" here, but probably not? (c) if "generic" = "general(ising)", why is its opposite "non-generic" and not "specific" (which is used further down anyway)?
Many thanks. K.


texts: Omitting articles before countable and not abstract nouns

texts:
Why, in some cases, are articles omitted when there is "and" between certain countable and not abstract nouns. For example:

  cat and dog are not usually friendly towards each other

or

  mother and son feel each other well.

Is there any rule for that?


texts: Is this expression 'does it have most' idiomatic?

texts:
Let's say my friend is eating a vegetable salad, It looks good so I want to what are the vegetables in it, Can I ask

  What(the vegetable) does this(the salad) have most?

similarly

  What does this movie have better, the script or the direction?

Does this construct sound weird to  native speakers?


texts:
It's allowed in English to prefix words with "mid-" when we are talking about middle of something: mid-fall (mid-autumn), mid-1920s, mid-year, mid-week, mid-2016.

Are there similar prefixes to refer beginning and end of something? What are actually the shortest (possibly informal) ways to say, for example, the beginning of the year 2016 and the end of the year 2016?


texts: Using "of" or apostrophe, which is more common?

texts:
Sometimes when I write, for example, "the boundaries of segments", I am suggested to use "segments' boundaries" or even "segment boundaries".

Or "the page's content" vs. "the content of the page" vs. "the page content". Then I would like to know is it always preferred to use phrases with apostrophe or adjective?

For example

  In our terms, they are mainly textual elements within the page content, which serve as the starting point  of a data region (or a data region's starting point ?)  or a distinctive feature within it


texts: The meaning of "standing decision" in this text?

texts:
Brewer and his colleagues identify generalized trust in other nations,
  or international trust, as a key component of public opinion about
  world aﬀairs (Brewer 2004; Brewer et al. 2004; Brewer, Aday, and Gross
  2005). Tey defne this form of trust as follows:

  International trust [is] a generalized belief about whether most
  foreign countries behave in accordance with normative expectations
  regarding the conduct of nations. Citizens with high levels of
  international trust see the realm of world aﬀairs as a friendly
  environment where trust and cooperation among nations are the norms;
  in contrast, citizens with low levels of international trust see the
  same realm as a hostile environment where all nations strive against
  one another for advantage and readily defect from cooperative eﬀorts.
  Put another way, international trust is a standing decision to give
  other nations the beneft of the doubt, an assumption that most
  countries are of good will and benign intentions. (Brewer et al. 2004,
  96)

  Brewer and his colleagues conceptualize this “standing decision”
  as a cognitive heuristic, or information shortcut, comparing it to
  both social trust (or interpersonal trust) and political trust (or
  trust in government). Te former, a generalized belief that one can
  trust strangers (Uslaner 2002), provides individuals with a
  “standing decision to give most people—even those whom one does not know from direct experience—the beneft of the doubt” (Rahn and
  Transue 1998, 545). Te latter, a generalized orientation toward
  government based on normative expectations of its operation, likewise
  oﬀers individuals “a simple decision rule” for deciding how much
  beneft of the doubt to give government (Hetherington and Globetti
  2002, 254).

Is "standing decision" a separate phrase? I couldn't find it anywhere defined. What is its meaning?


texts: Sentence structure: Both + 2 adjectives + noun

texts:
Both American and Canadian culture are...
Both American and Canadian cultures are...

Which sentence is correct?


texts:
I do not want to accuse my teachers by their unknowledgeability and ignorance, because I'm as well as they and even worse. They uttered that word "immanent" is very rare and native speakers do not use it!
However, it's been for 5 years since school as my inventory includes this word, meaning that one quality or thing existing or inherent in object. For example:

To Kim always immanent verbiage, when she starts talking the things she has no clue.

or

The immanent beautyness of Mary makes this home unique.

Do these statements are well-known to you? Do you understand that Kim subjects to Verbosity and Mary's home is unique because she sparkling of beauty she born with it?


texts:
My Boss asked me

Boss: What we can do now?

I: Simple, this time we will not Show this in Our Report.
Or
I: I suggest we don't show this in our report this time.

Which version of my answer is correct?

I just want to say that do not include this information in to report to escape from problem.

I want to use only Do not and I want to avoid following

Will not - It mean in future we will not include

Need not – It mean need of the something

Should not - It mean obligation


texts: How can I merge and shorten the two questions?

texts:
We provide delivery services and we store or register the addresses of people on our system in a way that addresses are linked or related to phone numbers. I would like to merge those to question?

  Would you like us to contact you on the number you are calling from?

  Would you like the delivery guy to arrive at the address that's registered with the phone number you're calling from?

I came up with this but I'm not sure if that's the shortest and correct question :

  Are delivery and contact related to this number?


texts: "coke adds life", is the sentence grammatically incorrect?

texts:
"coke adds life" is (maybe "was") a famous advertising slogan.

I guess I understand the meaning:

  Coca-Cola makes your life better.

However, it does not seem to fit anyone in the following meanings.

  v. add·ed, add·ing, adds

  v.tr.

  To join or combine (numbers) through addition: If you add 5 and 10 and 17, the result is 32. If you add 6 to 8, you get 14.
  To join or unite so as to increase in size, quantity, quality, or scope: added 12 inches to the deck; flowers that added beauty to the
  dinner table.
  To say or write further.

  v.intr.

  To find a sum in arithmetic.

  2.

  a. To constitute an addition: an exploit that will add to her
  reputation.

  b. To create or make an addition: gradually added to my meager
  savings.

source

Could someone please give a hint? Thanks in advance.


texts:
I am studying "Sequence of tenses" using English grammar book and get totally confused. When should agreement of tenses be applied and when should it not?

For example in the following cases it is applied partially:

  I thought that he would tell her that he intended to go to the cinema.

  I was sure he would visit me when he had time.

  Did you think he was right?

In contrast in the following cases it is applied completely:

  I thought that she knew that he had taken the first place in the tennis tournament.

  I thought I knew why they had come.

  I thought I had won the race.


texts: Should "Nordic" be capitalized when used in "Nordic combined" or "Nordic walking"?

texts:
I'm under the impression "Nordic" should be capitalized when it's on its own, as it's a proper noun.

But should "Nordic" be capitalized when it's used in a compound, such as Nordic combined or Nordic walking, which aren't proper nouns?


texts:
It is man who is the best of all creations,_ ?
Here, I think the tag should be "isn't he". But my teacher is suggesting otherwise. He is suggesting it to be "aren't they ". So, which one's the correct one?


texts:
I was told by someone, several years ago, that It is the tool to fasten the bolts is not correct.

I often find the following sentences that are considered correct.

  I will send a technician to fix your car.

  He has a permit to stay here for a week.

Those three sentences contain a noun + infinitive phrase. Why should the first sentence be considered incorrect?


texts: Choosing between Present perfect and Past perfect

texts:
The task is about choosing the past perfect/present perfect/past simple. And I am asking about the part with ‘change’:

  Last week, I (run) __ into an ex-girlfriend of mine. We (see, not) __
  each other in years, and both of us (change) __ a great deal. I (enjoy) __
  talking to her so much that I (ask) __ her out on a date. We are getting together tonight for dinner.

Should I use ‘had changed’ or ‘have changed’? It is confusing me, because by the definition of past perfect - Action is finished, and it is followed in the story. But by the definition of present perfect - Action has finished in past and has an impact today (persons have changed) and it continues (ageing is not stoppable process). I would like more to hear, how to choose the correct tense in those complicated situations, rather than just - ‘Yea, that's the correct answer’.
P.S. For other brackets I used - ‘run’, ‘didn't see’, ‘Question’, ‘had enjoyed’, and ‘asked’. I hope that I am not failing too hard :D Thanks ;)


texts: Relative Pronoun - Whom / Why is "Whom" used in this sentence?

texts:
If all these excuses are not enough, then I want to dedicate this book to the child whom this grown-up once was.

This sentence is a part of the dedication of The Little Prince.

As I know, relative pronoun 'whom' can only be used as an object. But in this case 'whom' is used as a complement.

I don't know why 'whom' is used in the sentence instead of 'who' or 'that'.

Please, help me.


texts:
I am writing a letter for my  friend. Which sentence is correct?

  Every time I look  into your alluring eyes, I melt and get mesmerized by your eyes.

  Every time I look  into your alluring eyes, I melt and got mesmerized by your eyes.

  Every time I look  into your alluring eyes, I melt and am mesmerized by your eyes.

  Every time I look  into your alluring eyes, I melt and mesmerized by your eyes.


texts: Understand (may not): The students may not borrow more than 3 books in one month

texts:
The librarian said:  The students may not borrow more than 3 books in
  one month.

So, Is there a possibility for students to borrow 4 books per month? and why?


texts: What's the word for "been fighting for years"?

texts:
I want to shorten the following sentence by making an adjective out of the phrase "parties that have been fighting for many years now":

"The initiative aims at building trust among the parties that have been fighting for many years now."

I thought about adding "long-warring" parties, but I'm not sure if it's correct.

"The initiative aims at building trust among the long-warring parties."

I'm translating a text and there's a specific number of words I can't exceed.


texts:
I wonder if the following usage is right.

  You should remove the answer being bootless.

Is grammar of the sentence right? If yes, what is the usage of "being" here?
Does it have same meaning with "You should remove the bootless answer."

Additionally, what is the difference between followed "being" usage and following one.

  It has nothing to do with you being woman.

At first glance I thought, it has nothing to do with you are woman. But when I open subtitle of the movie, it is written and said exactly as "being".

I'm a bit perplexed. I know "being" represents passive present continuous tense. However, I don't think the usages are related to it.


texts: Is trough a part of a sink in a kitchen?

texts:
I am confused about trough and sink in the context of kitchen. So I googled and got this (img_1).

Is the red part a trough and blue part a sink?

So, there are 3 troughs and 1 sink in the following image (img_2), right?

updated, the images above is kept to understand comments history.

consider the following image (img_3).


texts: Could + Past Perfect ? "I could had been"

texts:
Is "could" ever followed by the past perfect? For example, we can say:

  I could have been here before he arrived.

but (I think) the following is wrong:

  I could had been here before he arrived.

Is there any situation where we can use the past perfect?

Edit: Are these examples incorrect?


texts: Why "had" in "[something] we would have made had we used [something]"?

texts:
In https://peerj.com/preprints/3190.pdf section 4.3

  SHFs simulate the errors we would have made had we used this
  forecasting method at those points in the past.

The meaning I could understand is change "had" to "when",  like

SHFs simulate the errors we would have made when we used this forecasting method at those points in the past.

I can't understand what is this "had" used for.


texts:
Which expression after "than" is correct in this case?

You may have visited more places in China than me.
You may have visited more places in China than I did.
Or neither above is correct. Then what's the correct sentence?


texts: I know that in English I have to say "don't be shy" or "He is shy" etc. Always (at least for me) it is be + adjective. But I'm looking for the verb (or verbs) which denotes the same meaning and then I can use to + infinitive in the meaning which mentioned above.


texts: What does "be set with something/someone" mean?

texts:
It's from the 18th episode of the 10th season of Friends. Here is the scene. It's at around 3 minute and 44 seconds.

Joey: I'm gonna miss these little guys. It was nice having birds
around again.
Chandler: Hey, you know what? Maybe we should keep them here with you.
Joey: What?
Chandler: Yeah, I mean we've got a lot going on right now. And, plus,
here they'd have their own room.
Joey: I could get a goose!
Chandler: You know, I - I think you're set with the poultry.


texts: This toy is what I know it is. / This toy the thing which I know it is

texts:
I want to know the following sentences are possible.
[Context]
My mother is going to give a present for me. And I know what it is. It is a toy.
In that case, can I say something as below?

This toy is what I know it is.
This toy is the thing which I know it is.


texts:
Anything happens during election can affect the result of election,
  sometimes quite significantly.

I am concerned about the usage of

  sometimes quite significantly

What I want to say express is sometimes it is affected, but not much, but sometimes it can be quite significantly.

Is the sentence above grammatical?


texts: What part of speech is "how" in "He did not know how he ought to behave"?

texts:
This is an example under the definition of how in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

  He did not know how he ought to behave.

The dictionary lists how as an adverb. I understand this is because it modifies the verb behave, but I think it acts as a noun here.

Suppose we change how to the way.

  He did not know the way he ought to behave.

The meaning is still the same, but it looks like the way acts as a noun phrase here.

So, are both how and the way adverbs in this situation or are they nouns? If they are neither, what are they?


texts:
'is' or 'was': Which would be more appropriate in the context?

A few years ago, i visited London. It is/was such a nice place, probably the best place i have ever been to.

I think 'is' should be used because the rest of the sentence is in present perfect tense. But i am not sure.


texts: Should I use a modifier, 'controlled by an operating rod', or a gerund, 'controlled by operating a rod'?

texts:
The crane is contactor controlled by an operating rod.
  The crane is contactor controlled by operating a rod.

Can operating act as a gerund in the first sentence?

Can 'operating rod' be a terminology?


texts:
Are these two sentences correct?

A. Past continuous: We were mainly Scuba-Diving while we were there.

B. Past Simple: Last week we Scuba-dove?


texts:
The subject of this thread was pre-discussed in another thread.  But the original question in that thread was poorly worded, so I had to start a new thread.
My question has to do with a mysterious class of noun phrases formed by appending a prepositional post modifier to a main noun, like:

  [main noun] [prepositional modifier]

Examples include:

  an obligation to his friends
  a commitment to excellence
  a key to the front door
  an answer to that question
  an assistant to the manager

From these noun phrases complete sentences could be formed by inserting a proper form of "be" between the main noun and preposition modifier, with or without a slight modification of the main noun by replacing the indefinite particle with a definite particle, demonstrative, or possessive:

  His obligation is to his friends.
  His commitment is to excellence.
  The key is to the front door.
  This answer is to that question.
  This assistant is to the manager.

For some reason, some of the above  complete sentences are not good English according to some native speakers.  Why is that?


texts:
I always say "mathematics is funny" (ok, maybe many of you disagree about the adjective), but then I noticed that "mathematics" seems to be a plural, like the Greek word from which it derives.

Am I correct in using the verb in singular form?
And are there other words like this one?


texts: The present simple and present perfect tenses in context

texts:
Tell me please which tense I have to use in this context:

  Kate: John, you are going to visit your grandparents this week, aren't you?

  John: Actually, it is not set in stone yet. (OR: It has not been set in stone yet.)

I feel both options might be correct there, if I am right, then what is the difference?


texts:
In his Preface to the Dictionary, Samuel Johnson wrote the following. I'd like to know what "harden ignorance in contempt" and "distinguish desert" mean.

  ... a few wild blunders, and risible absurdities, from which no work of such multiplicity was ever free , may for a time furnish folly with laughter, and harden ignorance in contempt; but useful diligence will at last prevail and there can never be wanting some who distinguish desert; who will consider that no dictionary of a living tongue ever can be perfect, since, while it is hastening to publication, some words are budding, and some falling away.'

I'd appreciate your help.


texts: The present participle used for actions in the past

texts:
I have come across these sentences written in an English blog.

  The doctor, living in this house before us, moved to Australia.

  The doctors, attending a conference on malaria, urged governments to act.

These sentences are meant to mean:

  The doctor lived in this house before us and then she moved to Australia.

  The doctors attended a conference on malaria and then urged governments to act.

Having read these sentences, I got puzzled because I find them ambiguous. For example, if we leave "before us" from the first sentence, we will get:

  The doctor, living in this house, moved to Australia.

Now it's not clear either she still lives in this house or she lived there ONLY in the past.

The same problem with the second sentence: It's not clear whether the doctors are still at the conference or they were at the conference.

Wouldn't it be better to say the following?

  The doctor, who lived in this house before us, moved to Australia.

  The doctors, who attended a conference on malaria, urged governments to act.

Do you find these sentences ambiguous and is it really OK to use the present participle in this case to denote a past action?


texts:
The Nile is one of the longest rivers in the world.

  The Nile is longer than any other river/rivers in the world.

Should the noun river in the second sentence be plural or singular?


texts: meaning of "niggling" in "niggling restrictions and regulations"?

texts:
Which word is closer in meaning to the word "niggling" in the phrase "niggling restrictions and regulations"?

bothering
petty

The verb "to niggle" has two meanings.

More context:

  That this desire is in accordance with justice, it is impossible to deny; but something larger and more constructive is needed as a political ideal, if the victors of to-morrow are not to become the oppressors of the day after. The inspiration and outcome of a reforming movement ought to be freedom and a generous spirit, not niggling restrictions and regulations.


texts:
What, then, are some of the trends that have affected our systemic
  processes of news production and consumption in recent years,
  rendering them vulnerable to (charges of) "fake news"? For one, there
  has been a significant acceleration of the news cycle. People no
  longer get their news once a day, in an aggregated form -- either in
  the form of a bundled-up morning paper or as a late-night news
  bulletin on TV. Instead, news outlets now compete 24/7 for their
  viewers' attention. Second, media markets have fragmented, not least
  due to the emergence of cable television in the 1980s, the rise of
  private TV channels and the gradual decline of bipartisan support
  for public broadcasters such as the BBC.

"bipartisan" means:
of or involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other's policies.

But here that makes no sense that two opposing parties used to support BBC. Does it mean that BBC used to be supported by all political groups generally?


texts:
They are not ever jealous for the cause, but jealous for they’re jealous. It is a monster begot upon itself, born on itself.

In this example, are both of the sentences simple sentences? The first I think is compound. I'm not sure about the second one. Can anyone clarify for me?


texts: I am not sure when I see “data stash” what should I think about it . I saw it on a big billboard in Manhattan Time Square. Checked in the net but nothing relevant appears. I found some info for t-mobile daya stash usage of data not used but I am not completely sure what this means.


texts: Expressing the short time that passed since I received some information

texts:
Let's say something recently happened (Alice called Bob) and a few seconds ago someone told me that Alice called Bob.

What's the most natural way to express this:

I just knew that Alice called Bob
I just realized that Alice called Bob
I just got to know that Alice called Bob (this seems to imply that "I need to know that Alice called Bob" but what I just want is to use the past of "to get")
other possible ways to say?

Thank you
W.


texts: Meaning of the phrase "caught-up" in context

texts:
I have come across it in the 23rd episode of the 5th season of Friends. Here is the context:

  Joey: This is Vegas man! People will pay to see freaky stuff! Okay,
  how much would you pay to see this hand (Holds up his left hand)
  twice? Huh?

  Chandler: (Pause) Y'know, I-I can't really put a price on that Joe.

  Joey: Hey, are you unsupporting me again?

  Chandler: No! No! I support you 100%! I just didn't, I didn't get it
  right away. Y'know now I'm caught up! Identical hand twins! It's a
  million-dollar idea!

At first I thought he said I caught on, which after listening again and checking the transcripts he actually didn't. That would make sense to me as catch on means to understand.


texts: When talking about terms it should be with an article (a/an) before the term?

texts:
When talking about terms it should be with article (a/an) before the term?
For example:

1 What is an urticaria?

or

2 What is urticaria?

Thanks!


texts:
I often use "I write code on my computer." is it correct?

And...

The question is

"I do my report on/in Word.", "I do xxx on/in Excel."

How to use the preposition with the software/applications?


texts: Should I apologize for addressing a female with Ms + her first name?

texts:
I'm not a native English speaker so I wasn't exactly aware of the Mr/Ms + last name rule. I addressed the HR Director of a potential employer with Ms + her first name. My native friend then told me that it didn't make any sense.

In my culture, using the equivalent of Mr/Ms with first name is a sign of respect and doesn't have any negative cultural connotations. Is it a deal breaker to combine her first name with the title Ms? Should I apologize?


texts: What does "should" mean here in these sentences?

texts:
what does it mean when I use "should" with adjectives like (strange, odd, funny, typical, or interesting)?
here are some examples:
it's strange that he should be late. He is usually on time.
I was surprised that he should say such a thing.


texts: Is there an idiom that means "I am compliant with the law/regulations"? I can only think of "I am on the safe side", but it's too general, I am wondering if there's an idiom that's more specific to law and regulations in general.


texts: "A lot of meals consumed are processed" vs "A lot of consumed meals are processed"

texts:
Is there a big difference if I put the word "consumed" before the noun?
A lot of meals consumed are processed
vs
A lot of consumed meals are processed
Are both of the above structures correct?


texts:
Are by now and by this time interchangeable.

He hasn't called me by now.
He hasn't called me by this time.
He has called me by now.

Is the third sentence correct?


texts: When I have to write in the subjunctive mood?

texts:
"It has been suggested that the company invest in new machinery".

"It is essential that every child have educational opportunities".

If I want to write something like the above sentences, how could I know that now I have to write my verbs in the subjunctive mood ? Why we use the subjunctive mood in AmE?

If someone also shows how to make thses sentences rewritten using "Should" as it is used in BrE that will be great.

Thank you.


texts: meaning of the word "impression" in context

texts:
It is from Crash Course World History. It is at 6 minute and 21 second. Here is the context:

  Since looking at the landscape was no longer the same experience, and according to the medical journal The Lancet, "The rapidity and variety of the impressions necessarily fatigue both the eye and the brain", many people turned to reading books on railroads.

I have checked all the meanings of the word impression and I am still struggling to understand what it means there.


texts:
What is the difference between saying "Pleasure to" vs. "Pleased To"
Is it better to use nouns or verbs? What rings better?


texts:
Yesterday I am going to a highway.
And I ask for a lady to drop her at home.
So in that situation I confused between two sentence.

So I wants to know what is the difference between following two term:

  Can I drop you?
  Shall I drop you?


texts: In everyday speech (not technical), what do you call this material / coverage which is used to avoid leaking the roof when it rains and what verb do you usually use to describe what the workers are doing?


texts: Is it OK to use "and" before "gave" in this sentence?

texts:
Few minutes later, Johnson met by Charlie, who bought two vinyl
  records with him and gave to Johnson.

Charlie bought two vinyl records with him & gave to Johnson.

Is it OK to use and before gave in this sentence?


texts: Does the sentence "Taking a short view By Jonathan Berman" sound well in the following context?

texts:
I'm writing a presentation about the systems of the body, and I'm talking about these issues very shortly. So, my question is if I can write in the first page of the presentation the following sentence:

                               Body systems

                            Taking a short view

                             By Jonathan Berman

I don't know how it sounds like, because I'm not English native speaker, and I would like to present a suitable title, that doesn't sound weird.


texts: a capital of a country vs the capital of some country

texts:
My question is about expressions of the form "A of B" when uniqueness of A is guaranteed. Are the following four sentences all okay?

  "Is ABC a capital of a country in South
  America?"
  "Is ABC a capital of some country in
  South America?"
  "Is ABC the capital of a country in South
  America?"
  "Is ABC the capital of some country in
  South America?"

I suspect 3 and 4 are okay because there can be only one capital for each country. On the other hand, I suspect 1 and 2 are okay because there are many cities which can be said to be a capital of a South American country.


texts:
I need you to be here right now.
I need you here right now.

Can we remove "to be" appearing after the verb "need" in this way?
Are the following correct?
To a waiter in a restaurant:

Excuse me, I need some sauce in it.
Excuse me, I need some sauce to be in it.


texts: the sentence meaning of 'you can't feed yourself on the day before yesterday'

texts:
"Let me paint the man like Manet, and the intention of his soul can
  go to the devil."

  "That would be all very well if you could beat Manet at his own game,
  but you can't get anywhere near him. You can't feed yourself on the
  day before yesterday, it's ground which has been swept dry. You must
  go back. It's when I saw the Grecos that I felt one could get
  something more out of portraits than we knew before."

  Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham

Does the sentence mean that you can't feed yourself on the past? What about the ground which has been swept dry? Is it metaphorically saying that there's nothing good left?


texts: She has been oversleeping on or in the train and missing her stops - which is the correct preposition?

texts:
She has been oversleeping on the train and missing her stops.

  She has been oversleeping in the train and missing her stops.

Which is the correct preposition in the sentences above?


texts:
The battle was fought in the field of Plassy, an old city of Murshidabad. [Plassy is a city]

  The battle was fought in the field of Plassy, existed beside the river Ganga. [the field is on the bank river Ganga]

I often get confused to understand what the clause after the comma refers to. Another sentence:

  My father used to visit the children of his family, which is very big.

  He talks about the subject of the painting, hung on the wall.

  He talks about the subject of the painting, which is taken from Bible.


texts:
fit [intransitive, transitive] (not used in the progressive tenses)
to be the right shape and size for somebody/something
I tried the dress on but it didn't fit.
That jacket fits well.
My shoes fit perfectly.
a close-fitting dress
fit somebody/something I can't find clothes to fit me.
The key doesn't fit the lock.

You have a cap which has its diameter which is smaller or bigger the diameter of the mouth of a bottle.
Do we say "the cap doesn't fit on the mouth of the bottle" or "the cap doesn't fit the mouth of the bottle"?


texts:
NYT has an article with the following sentence

  An admissions officer who reviewed his application to Harvard called
  him “the proverbial picket fence”...

Source: ‘Lopping,’ ‘Tips’ and the ‘Z-List’: Bias Lawsuit Explores Harvard’s Admissions Secrets

Can someone explain what "picket fence" refers to figuratively ?


texts: "In town" as the opposite of "in the country"

texts:
Can the expression "in town" (with the zero article) be used as the opposite of "in the country"?

I've found some examples in the Oxford Living Dictionaries, but still not quite sure that the expressions "in town" and "in the town" can be used interchangeably:

  In town, most women do domestic chores and child care while their
  husbands are at work.

  In town particular care is needed because cyclists and pedestrians may
  not hear it coming.

  In town, when you're walking along a road, you don't make eye contact.

  In town is another story, as its massive bulk can make it unwieldy in
  tight parking areas.


texts:
Why was that? Was he the sort of “exceptionalist” phenomenon that transcended explanation—or had we just not found the events obscured by history, the missing piece of the puzzle that might constitute evidence for an explanation?

Source: Ron Rosenbaum: Explaining Hitler, p. viii.

I am thinking about the usage of past perfect ("had we just not found") in the above sentence. I would expect the present perfect – we have not yet found the explanation for the personality of Hitler.


texts:
Can one say

a. I am thinking about that door of the house which is locked.

b. I am thinking about the door of the house which is locked.

c. I am thinking about that brother of John who is a doctor.

d. I am thinking about the brother of John who is a doctor.

?

Does (d) show that the speaker doesn't like that brother of John or not?

Is it disparaging towards the person in question?

Many thanks.


texts: "I like to DO sport" vs "I like to MAKE sport"

texts:
Should I use "do" or "make" when I refer to sport?

  "I like to DO sport"

or

  "I like to MAKE sport"


texts:
Dictionaries say ain't is a contracted form of am not, is not, are not, has not, or have not.

The Cambridge Dictionary gives the following example sentences as well.

  He ain't going.
  "Can I have a cigarette?" "I ain't got none left."
  I ain't done nothing wrong.
  Lend me a fiver - I ain't got no money right now.

Example sentences 2-4 have negative words none, nothing, no respectively in them, even though ain't is already  there to make them negative. Why this double negative ?

Isn't the sentence 1 negative without another negative word in it?


texts: Can present perfect be used to perform habitual in past?

texts:
I got this quiz from faceb**k group (credit to the owner), here's the sentence:

I _______ to school but Ann used to go to school by her bike.
a) was walking
b) have always walked
c) have walked
d) None of the options a), b), and c) are correct.

I'm not sure which one is correct, but i guess c) is appropriate? Since it's a guess, can you tell me if my answer is correct? I was distracted by "always" and I thought it may be related to habitual activity in past.


texts: Using the word "extreme" as outmost point on a graph

texts:
Can I use the word "extreme" to mean the outmost point on a plot?

Wiktionary has the following definition of "extreme":

  Of a place, the most remote, farthest or outermost.

Does that mean I could write something like this?

  Find the line between the two extreme points.


texts:
I did a research study on one important filed. I would like to said that my study is the first study that did two things.
For example: "This is the first study that: 1) applied X method to the Y filed, 2) study the impact of A on B using the X method."
Is my sentence, correct? if not, how to improve it?


texts: So I was all like "Huh? A conjunction?!"

texts:
In idiomatic phrases like I was/am all like "woah!", what is the usage of all? Is it an adverb, modifying the verb to be, or is it a quantifier modifying the interjection conjunction word like?

Corollary: In the example, is like an interjection, is it used in its adjectival sense as expressing resemblance, or is it really (as Dictionary.com claims) a conjunction?

Moon Unit wants to know.


texts: How long did the meeting run vs How long did the meeting last?

texts:
What's the difference between the following sentences:

1 How long did the meeting run?

2 How long did the meeting last?

I found out that according to the collins dictionary run can also mean last
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/run
meaning number 32.


texts: What is the meaning of "everyone can help himself"?

texts:
I read the last part of this answer and can't get what this sentence exactly expresses in the given context.

https://workplace.stackexchange.com/a/57812/26185

(Put them on your desk openly and write a mail that everyone can help himself.)

I would read and understand it as "mail to them that you aren't willing to help them as they can help them selves". But this would a) contradict to the answer's purpose and b) wouldn't even have any pertinence related to the treats.

I also can interpret that it probablly trys to state something like "Hey, if you want some treats, just move your self and get over here to grab it"

but I anyway can't get it how the given sentence could express that (or something in that way, as I still feel like not getting it right).


texts:
Is it correct to put "by the way" at the end of sentence? I don't know it's gramatically correct or not. Sometimes, i use "by the way" at the end of sentence while i'm chatting.

For example,

Do you know? You have to submit this task tomorrow.

And tomorrow there's an exam btw. Don't forget to prepare yourself.