texts:
Does it mean "step/strategy"? I used this link: http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/play_2

  "GIC Pte, the Swiss bank's largest shareholder, said on Tuesday that it was paring its 5.1 percent stake to 2.7 percent. When GIC announced in December 2007 that it would buy UBS convertible bonds for 11 billion Swiss francs -- roughly $10 billion at the time -- the bank had just written down U.S. subprime investments by an equal amount. GIC thought UBS was ahead of the curve in recognizing subprime losses, and a long-term interest would be a good play on the "high growth potential" for wealth management in Asia."

Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2017-05-16/hna-can-avoid-singapore-s-ubs-sour-grapes


texts: She is being poisoned Vs She gets poisoned

texts:
There is no special context or source and I just wondering if there is any difference between these sentences ...

  She is being poisoned.

vs

  She gets poisoned.


texts:
In the movie "The Dark Knight" (2008) by Christopher Nolan, the character Joker, at a certain point, interrupts a party where there's Rachel Dawes (former girlfriend of Bruce Wayne). When he meets her he says

  Well hello, beautiful!

I was reflecting on the correctness of this expression. beautiful is an adjective and is being used either as a noun or the expression "hello, beautiful" is actually a short version of an expression like "hello, beautiful girl". The second option seems to make more sense to me. I suppose this is a common expression or at least not a weird expression for a native speaker to hear.

Meanwhile, I've been using the expression "hi beauty" or "hello beauty" when meeting a girl with whom I have a lot of confidence and which I find very beautiful, i.e. a girl which is considered the "beauty" by definition, or the most beautiful girl. Clearly, this is a compliment and a greeting at the same time.

My question are:

How do you interpret the expression "hi beautiful" in the context I mentioned above?
Does it sound weird for a native speaker to hear the expression I've been using "hi beauty"?
Depending on the interpretation of the meaning of the expression "hi beautiful", this expression may mean the same or similar thing (or not) of "hi beauty", provided this last expression isn't just my invention. How different are the expressions "hi beautiful" and "hi beauty" and when can they be used, in your "opinion"?


texts:
-MENU-

  Sourdough - 4ea

I searched and found out that "ea" stands for "each". Then, regarding the example above, does it mean that this "Sourdough" menu will provide 4 sourdoughs? Or does it mean that each person will get 4 sourdoughs? I think the latter one doesn't make sense, but I want to make sure if my understanding is correct.


texts: Does "travel on the roads around the city" refer to roads inside or outside the city?

texts:
I recently wrote in a comment on https://travel.stackexchange.com/q/117686/51906 :

  A lot of backpacking guides recommend [...] to rent a scooter/motor to travel on the roads around the city.

And this was understood as 'driving around the city'. Considering 'around' can mean both:

  1) located or situated on every side.

  [...]

  3) in or to many places throughout a locality.

Source: Google dictionary

I am unsure whether I constructed the sentence unambigiously.


texts: Why do speakers usually omit 'in total'?

texts: If there are six apples in total, if 'in total' is omitted, it can mislead listeners. For example, if I just say there are six apples, listeners can think there are seven or more apples in total. Is it related to pragmatics or something?


texts: Is there a noun for a man who wrote a best-seller book? Or shall we describe by "this man who wrote a best-seller book"?


texts: using other adjectives with "more in number"

texts:
I wrote:

  If we try to cover these cases and achieve the same precision, we need to use more and complicated rules and this makes the wrapper more complex.

by more and complicated rules, I mean more rules, each more complicated..
did it convey the meaning I want, or is there other way to say this?


texts:
Can the word 'Poison' be used as an adjective?

according to two lyrics, it can be

Poison heart
Poison apple
as far as I know adjective for 'Poison' is 'Poisonous', moreover, I couldn't find the proof (poison is an adjective) in a dictionary
if 'Poison' can be an adjective or modifier- where to find the proof or where to check such cases if not in dictionary, it confuses at times


texts: Withdraw and make a withdraw OR retreat and make a retreat

texts:
Which one of the following sentences would be weird in English?

  The enemy forces withdrew
  The enemy forces made a withdrawal

I know we can say : "The enemy forces (retreated / made a retreat)"


texts: The difference between Compound and attributive nouns

texts:
I was told in some websites the the difference between attributive nouns nouns and compound nouns
is by looking in any dictionary
if there is two noun "like: Cricket ball / apple pie" in a dictionary then it is a compound, if it's not then you have an attributive noun

If this is true,then we have a lot of attributive N become to compound nouns

Any idea about this??


texts:
I learned that present perfect is used with “since” when we talk about duration, something began in the past and continues to the present, with non continuous verbs, like:

  I have known her since I was 5.

I don’t understand the following sentences, can somebody help me?

  He has met many people, since he came here
  I have done a lot, since we last spoke
  What have you eaten, since you got up this morning?

These are not non continuous verbs, are these sentences about duration?


texts: Why is it not correct to use 2 conjunctions in a sentence?

texts:
As the title asks, why can't we use 2 conjunctions in a sentence? For example:

  Because it is raining today, so I go out with umbrella.

It sounds correct in Chinese, but my teacher said that it's incorrect in English, without giving any reason.

Does anyone know the reason?


texts: the exact meaning of "scrape away at" in the context

texts:
When the German army rumbles into town, Provost shows Séraphine scraping away at her canvas, her hymns replaced by the thunder of mortars while Uhde, the "dirty German", is forced to flee.

Source.

I would like to ask what exactly Séraphine did when she scraped away at her canvas. Given the fact that she was a painter I think that she could erase the layer of painting but not sure. I am fimiliar with the phrase scrape away but it is used mostly without the preposition "at".


texts: Is past tense "existed" obligatory in "You could show that the amino acid now existed as a negative ion using electrophoresis."

texts:
From Chemguide:

  Adding an alkali to an amino acid solution:

  If you increase the pH of a solution of an amino acid by adding hydroxide ions, the hydrogen ion is removed from the -NH3+ group.

  You could show that the amino acid now existed as a negative ion using electrophoresis.

Can we use "exists" instead of "existed"? Like this:

  You could show that the amino acid now exists as a negative ion using electrophoresis.

Or maybe even:

  You can show that the amino acid now exists as a negative ion using electrophoresis.

After all, the sentence which begins with "If you increase" is a so-called Zero Conditional sentence (Present Simple in both protasis and apodosis).

P.S. Electrophoresis cannot show that some chemical species existed as an ion in the past. It can only show that a chemical species is an ion right now: the colored patch moves to the anode (or cathode). A non-ionic species will just stay put, in the middle, during an electrophoresis session - no matter what their charge was in the past.


texts: How to understand the "good" in "She hustled you good!"?

texts:
"Zootopia" around 00:36:35/01:48:32

  Nick: [through carrot pen]{by the way, why not "through THE carrot pen"?} "200 bucks a day, Fluff. 365 days a year, since I was 12."

  Judy: Actually, it's your word against yours. And if you want this pen, you're going to help me find this poor missing otter, or the only place you'll be selling pawpsicles is the prison cafeteria. [grins] It's called a hustle, sweetheart.

  [Slight pause]

  Finnick: She hustled you. [opens the stroller, laughing] She hustled you good! You're a cop now, Nick! You're gonna need one of these. [slaps his police sticker on Nick's shirt. Nick frowns] Have fun working with the fuzz! [leaves still laughing]

(https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Zootopia)

A clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZdV-BZUYOQ

relatives: What's the grammar of "You kiss me tomorrow, I'll bite you face off!"?


texts: I had been reading when the phone had rung

texts:
In Indirect speech: He said he had been reading when the phone had rung.
what would be the correct sentence when it is converted into a direct speech?


texts: The use of 'in' or 'of' when referring to a change in role

texts:
It seems to me that the use of 'in' rather than 'of' is better in the sentence below but I am struggling to explain why.

It presents a change in China's role in the Middle East.

or

It presents a change of China's role in the Middle East.


texts: Is it "burning at/on the stakes", "burning at/on the stake", "burning at/on stake" or "burning at/on stakes"? There's an entry for "burn at the stake" on the dictionary, so I am guessing it's correct, but I also see "burn at the stakes" and "burn on the stakes" on Google, so I am wondering if these other versions are also idiomatic, or they're just errors. Strangely, a lot of these unidiomatic expressions are found in books and articles.


texts:
1.Select one of the options from the following.

  2.Select one of the options from the followings.

I thought till now that sentence 1 is right and 2 is not used. But I have seen a recent question with followings in it. The reviewer didn't change the word.

which one of the above is right?
Are both the words used?
Does it vary in British and American english?


texts: Correct usage of "Lie" or "Lay" and their respective tenses

texts:
With English being my second language, it is difficult to remember the correct usage of "lie" and "lay" - especially in the past tense :-)

I know that a "lie" is a fib and that a chicken "lays" eggs, but then we get to lying down it gets murky for me. It is easier to use lying down in a sentence, but when it gets to past tense, then what do you say?

  E.g. "I lay down on the couch and then my dog jumped on too" - is this correct?

Will appreciate a comprehensive answer with adequate examples of everyday usage!


texts: Is 'poltroon' omitted after the word 'made'?

texts:
Here's a sample from 'Jane Eyre':

  I now stood in the empty hall; before me was the breakfast-room door, and I stopped, intimidated and trembling.  What a miserable little poltroon had fear, engendered of unjust punishment, made of me in those days!

After the word 'miserable', is ‘that’, which is a conjunction implying the cause of 'miserable', omitted?
After the word 'made', is 'poltroon' omitted?


texts: Is it ok to say, "Hope we could cooperate with you next time"?

texts:
Is it ok to say

  Hope we could cooperate then.

or

  Hope we could cooperate with you next time.

I'm writing an email.


texts: What's the meaning of fare to , trucks to and produce grown nearby in this sentence?

texts: from delicious restaurant fare to tasty food trucks to grocery stores stocked with produce grown nearby.


texts:
I'm writing an essay where I say "you shouldn't shy away(?) from being yourself."

Formally, it would be "Thou shall not [formal word for "shy away"] from being thyself."

Could anyone please help?


texts: Sentence structure - "the same girl as ~"

texts:
Here's the context.
John saw a girl dancing in a bar 3 days ago.
Jihoon saw a girl studying in the library yesterday.
The two girls are the same girl.
In this situation,

The girl John saw dancing in a bar 3 days ago is the same person as/that Jihoon saw studying in the library yesterday.

Jihoon saw the same girl studying in the library as/that John saw dancing in a bar.

John saw a girl dancing in a bar 3 days ago and the girl is the same person that Jihoon saw studying in the library yesterday.

I've made 3 sentences to understand how to use 'the same~' sentence structure. And I think these are all possible to use and the same meaning. Or is there any difference in meaning? And I think as/that are all possible here, but I do agree that there are some people who stick to using only one of them


texts: How to dissect/parse 'price elasticity of demand'?

texts:
Source: p 90-91, Principles of Microeconomics, 7 Ed, 2014, by N Gregory Mankiw

  [p 90:] [1.] price elasticity of demand =
  a measure of how much
  the quantity demanded
  of a good responds to a
  change in the price of
  that good, computed as
  the percentage change
  in quantity demanded
  divided by the percentage
  change in price

  [p 91:] Price elasticity of demand =
  Percentage change in quantity demanded /
  Percentage change in price

If I rephrased the definition above (to the right of the equal sign), I'd formulate it as: 2. elasticity of demand in response to price. So why does price precede elasticity of demand?
If 2 is right, then did 1 adjectivise or nominialise in response to price as just: price?


texts: What's the exact meaning of this sentence "Now, I can patch us in over here, the landing pad."?

texts:
This is a fighting scene of the movie "Rogue One."

  "They've closed the shield gate. We're stuck here. But the rebel fleet are pulling in. We just have to get a signal strong enough to get through to them... and let them know that we're trapped down here. For that, we have to connect to the communications tower. Now, I can patch us in over here, the landing pad. ~..." (*He have a extension cable to connect.)

I don't see well what the sentence means. especially "patch us in over here,"

patch us (in over here)? Or patch (us in over here)?...

How is he going to do exactly?


texts: Is a hammer used "for driving in" nails, or "to drive in" nails?

texts:
Expressing the function of a thing requires "for doing":

  A hammer is for driving in nails.

Expressing the intention of a person requires "to do":

  I need a hammer to drive in those nails.

If you add "used" to the first sentence (introducing the person), which structure should you use?

  A hammer is used for driving in nails.

or

  A hammer is used to drive in nails.


texts:
Image source: tokopedia.com (image scaled down from original)

Can I call the bags in the image above polybag? Is polybag an English word?


texts:
I need to ask someone regarding a diet programme. He/she has read the book which contains the diet programme. Which one below would be correct:

According to the book, is boiled food recommended over fried food?

According to the book, is boiled food recommended to fried food?

Questions:

While there might be ways to say it in a better way, I would want to know which would be grammatically correct. Chances are both are wrong.

Optionally, feel free to express the same thing in a better way.


texts: "I will be available anytime during the morning, until 4pm"

texts:
I am trying to answer someone regarding my availability for an interview with this sentence:

  I will be available anytime during the morning, until 4 pm.

Is this grammatically correct?


texts: "Assisting delivery of construction program " vs "Assisting with delivery of construction program"

texts:
I recently came across the phrase "assisting delivery of construction programs". Is this phrase grammatically correct?   I would write: "Assisting with delivery of construction programs".

Could someone please let me know which phrase is correct? Or are both phrases are correct and have the same meaning?

Note: This phrase is quoted from a CV. The full phrase is, "Assisting delivery of construction programs and reactive maintenance".


texts: Use of "would rather" with different subjects

texts:
I've read that "would rather" has two different constructions; same subject and different subjects.  Some of the examples have been listed below:

  I would rather they did something about it.

Question 1:  Does it mean "I would prefer them to do something about it" at present moment or in the future?

  Rahul joined Engineering but he'd rather has joined medicine.

Question 2.  Does it mean "He would have preferred to join medicine but he joined Engineering"

  I would rather you stayed at home tonight.

Question 3. Can't we just say "you would rather stayed at home tonight." Without changing the meaning of above sentence?

Source: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/would-rather-would-sooner#would-rather-would-sooner__1

Note: I have read this question "I would rather did it myself" or "I would rather do it myself"? which is a bit similar to my question because both are about "would rather". But all the example sentences and questions that  I have asked in my question are different.


texts:
How I escaped my certain fate by Stewart Lee

  I’ve, I’ve done this before when there’s been a kind of split in the
  room. Usually it creates an atmosphere of bonhomie. But tonight, it’s
  made it worse, hasn’t it? It’s made it worse. There’s a tension in the
  room that’s now ‘the gig is lost’, right? It’s lost.

Full transcript

Stewart Lee tries to "split" his audience during the stand-up show to create a tension. He writes that the tension created this time wasn't created as expected and the show now is lost.

The part that confuses me is that's now 'the gig is lost'.

Does "that's" mean "in other words" or "that it is"? There is no comma before it, so that why I'm not sure what "that's" connects to in this sentence.


texts: Word for someone who studied with me at a graduate school

texts:
What is the English word to refer to someone who studied together with me at a graduate school or a Ph.D program?

I doubt a "classmate" is appropriate to a graduate school.

Maybe a "lab mate" ?  But theoretical researchers don't use labs.


texts: "Internalize someone else's pain into my own pain"?

texts:
Is "you must internalize someone else's pain into your own pain" grammatically correct?
It basically means you not only need to understand other people's pain, but you should also feel and treat the pain as if it was your own.
I have to use the work "internalize", and want to know if the rest of the sentence after "internalize" is grammatically correct and whether "pain" after "own" can also be omitted.
And, dose it mean the same as "you should think of someone else's pain as your own?"


texts: What does the 'to' mean when the word is used in the newspaper?

texts:
I saw the sentence like 'The president to agree with the opinion.'in the news paper.
I can understand the meaning of the 'to' in the sentence.
Maybe I think that 'to' means 'will'.
Am I right?
If I am wrong, What is the right meaning of 'to' in the sentence?
Please, tell me.


texts: Which Sentence is correct?(comparison of adjectives)

texts:
I am going to write a sentence including the word "height". It must mean that one thing is as high as the other one. Which Sentence is true?

"A" has as much height as "B".
The height of "A" is as much as the height of "B".

If you have better alternatives, I would appreciate your ideas.


texts: Complicated comprehension of the sentence

texts:
In his heart every man knows quite well that, being unique, he will be in the world only once and that no imaginable chance will for a second time gather together into a unity so strangely variegated an assortment as he is: he knows it but hides it like a bad conscience. - quoted from 'Untimely Meditation" by Friedrich Nietzsche

It is complicated for me to understand what he is talking about. There is no imaginable chance to be in the world for a second time or something?


texts:
I just come to the U.S. not long ago, and I have trouble finding the names of clothes. Anyways, in this picture:

What are these:

The inner black shirt
The outer shirt
The black shoes


texts: Difference between 'feel' and 'feel like' in this context?

texts:
Let's say I am talking to my friend, and he says

  I feel like taking a week off at work.

and I want to say

  Why do you feel like that/ feel that?

Which of these two expression is idiomatic here? or Do they both mean the same thing?


texts:
Let's say my professor gives me a question in math requiring complicated programming. Then I want to tell her that it is 80% computer work.

Is it correct to say that it is more of a computer task?

Or, do I have to say it is more of a computer task than a math task?


texts: Is "especially so you" correct and idiomatic in this dictionary definition?

texts:
I have never thought I have heard the pattern "especially so [you]..." and when I came across yesterday it did not sound right. Of course if not a typo then it must be correct being in Merriam Webster's so does it sound "good English"-whatever that means?

Some Patterns familiar are:

especially when/where/... you
especially to do/make/...
especially doing/making ...

  slice and dice chiefly US : to divide something into many small parts
  especially so you can use the result for your own purposes
  ▪You can slice and dice the data any way you want.

Source: Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary


texts:
This word is tricky: sixth

Do you pronounce the full six sound and then add the th sound? I find that very difficult especially when talking fast. Surely there must be a shortcut... right? How do you transition from the x to the th?


texts: How to use "from ... to ..." in a sentence?

texts:
In the following sentence I have used "from ... to ..." to describe a range of things:

Plants have contributed to the development of many drugs from common pain relievers like aspirin to medicines for life-threatening illnesses such as cancer.

Is this sentence grammatically correct?  I feel there should be a kind punctuation somewhere in the sentence to help the reader get the point, but I am not sure where it should be! I wanted to mention that some plants have been used to make medicines. Some of them produced drugs that are used to relieve pain, and some others are consumed to treat serious life-threatening illnesses. Is it clear from the sentence?


texts:
The furniture in our classroom ___ uncomfortable.

Should I use is or are here?
I found on the internet things like all of furniture is and house full of furniture is.
But nothing about my example.
Personally I think that correct is is, but website where I found this says that correct is are. So I'm writing here to find out.


texts:
Tom arranged for hand delivery of the document to the school.
for hand in the sentence confuse me.
1.Tom himself arranged delivery of the document to the school.
The action arrange was done by tom himself.
The action delivery of the document to the school was done by others ,not tom.

2.The actions both arrange and delivery of the document to the school were done by tom himself.

Which one is correct?


texts: it is you who has vs. it is you who have

texts:
There is already a similar question here, but it is about forming questions:
Which is the correct question ("Who has" vs "Who have")?

When combining who with you in a statement, which is correct and why?

  It is you who has chosen.

  It is you who have chosen.

who is third-person singular, so it takes has.
you is second-person, so it takes have.

Does the verb to have conjugate with you or who in this sentence? Which one is correct, or can it vary?


texts: When people say "I'm twelve years old in this photo", does it have any non literal meaning?

texts:
As you may have known, the 2015 FIFA Women's world Cup Final will be USA vs Japan again. Anne Hathaway on her blog told the US women's team that "I am 12 in this photo" And this reminded me of a urban slang, "I'm 12 and what is this" on Urban Dictionary. I am very sure that Anne Hathaway is not 12 years old now. She is older than me. I don't understand why she did not write "I was 12 in this photo", but "I am 12 in this photo".

Could you explain this to me please?


texts: How can I guess if some letter in some word is silent or not?

texts: I was thinking about two particular words "Tsunami" and "gnarl". Both of them seems almost impossible to be pronounced by me (the ts and gn part). I guess this is because my tongue is not habituated with pronouncing such constructs. So I can keep "t" in "Tsunami" and "g" in "gnarl" pronouncing as "silent letters" in my utterance. Now the question arises how can I know if a letter in a word is silent or not? Is there any way to guess it if I have no dictionary in my hand at that moment?


texts:
What’s the difference between the two sentences below?
“Acute massive pulmonary embolism.
Embolus meaning a wedge, or in this case, referring to a blood clot.
Pulmonary meaning lung.
And massive referring not to the size of the actual clot but to the sudden hemodynamic collapse.
Acute meaning that he didn’t have any underlying medical issue leading to this problem.”
“Acute massive pulmonary embolism.
Embolus means a wedge, or in this case, refers to a blood clot.
Pulmonary means lung.
And massive refers not to the size of the actual clot but to the sudden hemodynamic collapse.
Acute means that he didn’t have any underlying medical issue leading to this problem.”
I had someone say the first one has a nuance of “in this case”, but another person also said the first one sounded like basic description or someone’s note.
Can you tell me how both of them sound like to you?


texts:
What does Meat for the dogs mean?
it's from  a play called Frankenstein

Victor: I shall need a steady supply of internal organs.
Ewan: Very good, sir.
Rab: Organs!
Ewan: Quiet, Rab. Meat for the dogs. Nothing you’re not familiar with.
Creature: Was this how I was formed? Stolen at night from wet soil? Made out of meat for the dogs? Even I can feel disgust! Will he fashion me a beauty, from this filth? And will I want her, stinking of death?


texts:
What is the right mood for this sentence

  uh-huh. Well, I might watch it.

Is it declarative or imperative, interrogative or none?


texts: I think it is wrong because it should be in passive voice, so "All rights are reserved" is correct. Is it that people are too lazy to make a change even they realize there is a mistake?


texts: The usage of "What weather is it today?"

texts: Is it possible to ask "What weather is it today?" instead "What's the weather like?"


texts:
I come across the following sentence in "The Godfather" by M. Puso:

  Michael sat down and relaxed back into the leather armchair. Hoe thought everything over very carefully. Clemenza was a caporegime in the Corleone Family structure. Don Corleone had made him a millionaire and they had been intimate friends for over twenty years. He held one of the most powerful posts in the organization. What could Clemenza gain for betraying his Don? More money? He was rich enough but then men are always greedy. More power? Revenge for some fancied insult and slight?

My question is what does the last sentence mean? How could fancied insult and slight ever be related there?


texts: I’ve often come across articles saying we should not start a sentence with a conjunction. However, many many times have I seen a sentence starting with ‘But’. Isn’t But a conjunction? Or is it an exception? I’m very confused about what actually is the rule here. Please explain.


texts:
be (all) the better for something

  meaning: to improve as a result of something

  e.g. Their performance will be all the better for a little extra practice.

I would word it just like this, "Their performance will be better for a little extra practice.". or "Their performance will be better with a little extra practice."

Is my adaption OK? Any nuances suggested?


texts: Is there a more formal way to say, "As an added bonus"?

texts: "As an added bonus" seems quite casual. Is there a word or phrase that expresses it that is suitable in a 'serious' essay? For example, "... Thus, equations give us scientific knowledge. As an added bonus, equations are easier to use than their alternatives."


texts:
What is the difference between the following sentences?

  I would prefer to discuss the matter in private.

  I would like to discuss the matter in private.

I am used to prefer used in sentences similar to "I prefer Verona to Rome." In the first sentence there isn't a comparison between two different situations. In such cases, I would use like rather than prefer.

Is there any reason to choose one sentence instead of the other?


texts: Is “by way of conclusion" more formal than "In conclusion"?

texts:
The OP of https://english.stackexchange.com/q/168882/17712 claims that:

  "In conclusion" is common, while "by way of conclusion" is quite formal.

Is that true, or do “by way of conclusion" and "In conclusion" have the same level of formality?

For sure "In conclusion" is more common though:

Google Ngram Viewer: by way of conclusion vs. in conclusion:


texts:
I have provided some sentences below. What's the difference between "if a" and "if any" in the sentences. I think all of them are correct and mean the same thing. I don't know what the difference is. I always use them interchangeably in this kind of context. Can someone please tell me how I should choose the correct word?

1- If a/any student is found smoking in the classroom, he or she will be suspended from the school.

2- As per the new tax law, If a/any house is situated in a metropolitan city, 15 percent tax will be charged on the value of it.


texts: I can't parse this sentence about the meaning of the word is

texts:
I was reading this article about Bill Clinton's statement:   It depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/1998/09/bill-clinton-and-the-meaning-of-is.html

I can't parse this:

“It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is. If the—if he—if ‘is’ means is and never has been, that is not—that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement. …

Can you rephrase it ?


texts: "The article gives / leaves / creates the impression that ...". Are the three versions synonyms?

texts:
Can I use the expressions marked in bold interchangeably in contexts similar to this example:
"The article gives / leaves / creates / generates the impression that a large crowd of people witnessed the experiment, when in reality only the inventor and his aide were present." ?


texts: "X rode Y to school" - is this grammatically correct?

texts: This question is based on https://www.learncbse.in/ncert-solutions-for-class-2-english-chapter-2. To summarize, Haldi is a girl who got  lift from Smiley (a giraffe) to her school. Now, is the sentence "Haldi rode Smiley to school" correct?


texts: Should it be "cower away from" or "cower before" adversity?

texts:
Should the sentence include "cower away from" or "cower before"?

Sentence: "After facing many challenges, I have learned that I cannot cower away from adversity"


texts: Do we use noun or an adjective to describe a thing?

texts:
Today in the morning I was walking with my friend on the street. We came across two buildings which were identical. My friend pointed his finger to the two building and said, "symmetry." What he meant that the buildings were exact copies of each other. So I said to him that he should have used an adjective to describe the similarity of the design of the two building.

He did not agree. Am I correct or he?


texts: Can I take an absence of 'we' as a using of ellipsis in that context?

texts:
1) We hear a song from our past and are transported back to a memory from long ago, albeit a good or a bad one

the same as

2) We hear a song from our past and we are transported back to a memory from long ago, albeit a good or a bad one

link to the sentence


texts:
What is the meaning of "blunder down" in the following sentence?

  Sam blundered down the steps.

Does its meaning depend on sentences?


texts:
● How can I raise the possibilty here(after "I mean")?

  I decided to choose an interesting subject, I mean a topic that you are really interesed in.

● What’s the correct procedure in cases like this?
● What's the rational choice?
● What is the difference between the second and third sentences?

  "... I mean a topic that you might/may really interested in?
  "... I mean a topic that you would probably interested in.
  "... I mean a topic that you are probably interested in.
  Or what else can I say...?

● I would like to know whether the repeated usage of the expressions "interesting" and "interested in" sounds a little weird and awkward or not.

● Does the simultaneous usage of the two above-mentioned expressions with the root "interest" show the speaker's lexical weakness?

● Is there anything you’d like to add or change?


texts:
The usage of the verb muscle in this sentence from an online article sounds strange to me. According the several dictionaries I have consulted, muscle as a verb means to force your way into a place or situation, whereas in this sentence it apparently means to be equipped with muscle. I can only understand it as a similar usage to four-legged. Is my understanding correct? Is it a common usage at all?

  Diogenes, the contrarian beggar-philosopher, is seated before the big storage barrel that he lived in. The figure, wrapped in a swirl of billowing cloak, is powerfully muscled.


texts: Which of these two meanings of "persist" is being used in this context?

texts:
Let me ask a question about the headline of this article.

  As the world's population grows, hunger persists on a massive scale.

Does "persist" in the headline mean "to continue to increase" or "continue to be" or something else?


texts:
Note: make sure you distinguish "make suggestions" & "ask for suggestions"

  -make suggestions: eg: you could stay at home if it rains

  -ask for suggestion: eg: "Where shall I put the vegetables?"

It seems that some resources say "we use shall or should to ask for suggestions, but not can, could, might or may"

Eg:

What shall I do with these boxes?

Where should I put the vegetables?

But, this dictionary talks about "could"

  Could: used in speech to make a polite request or suggestion .... “Where can I stay?” “Well, you could always stay with me.”

They say "could to make suggestions" & they don't say "could to ask for suggestions"

We can use "could" to make suggestions, eg: you could try glue if tape doesn't work

So, in this example

  A: “Where can I stay?”

  B: “Well, you could always stay with me.”

could in "you could always stay with me.” make a suggestion, but see the “Where can I stay?”, it seems that can in this case is asking  for a suggestion.

My question is:

can we use "can", "could", "may" & "might" to ask for suggestions"?


texts: difficulty + ...ing or difficulty in +...ing

texts:
I have seen some phrases such as "difficulty breathing" and "difficulty falling asleep".
Considering that 'difficulty' is a noun, I want to know which compound is grammatically correct;

difficulty + ...ing

or
difficulty in ...ing
such as "difficulty in breathing"

or even
difficult breathing

What are the differences?


texts: Why is it "sat on my stomach" not "sat in my stomach"?

texts:
repeat
  3. (of food) be tasted intermittently for some time after being swallowed as a result of belching or indigestion.
  "it sat rather uncomfortably on my stomach and repeated on me for hours"
  (source: Google Dictionary)

Since "it" here refers to consumed food, shouldn't it be "it sat in my stomach"?


texts: Past perfect and Past perfect continuous

texts:
Please explain to me which is the correct usage.

  Balu had worked in several other States when he decided to work in Kolkata.

Or

  Balu had been working in several other States  when he decided to work in Kolkata.

I think we should use past perfect continuous here but I'm not sure of it. Do we need any more context to decide this?

I've seen many explanations regarding this topic here and also on google, still unsure of which tense to use in which case.

We use the Past Perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the past.

We use the Past Perfect Continuous to show that something started in the past and continued up until another time in the past for a time reference. And it can be used to talk about actions or situations that were in progress at a certain point of time in the past

Do we certainly need time reference to use past perfect continuous?

  If I replace "several other states" with a single state say Delhi shall I use past perfect continuous?

  And one more question is can we use past perfect when the time reference was given in the sentence like "Balu had worked in Delhi for 5 years when he decided to work in Kolkata"?

It's very confusing topic. Could you please shed light upon the subject and explain to me a simpler way about how to use these tenses?


texts: The order of actions (in the example sentence)

texts:
I talked to her before she had arrived.

Could you make the order of actions clear in this sentence?


texts:
They mean roughly the same. "Fine" also means that you are agreeing but not really agreeing.
In the following situations, I think "fine" sounds better ... but I'm not a native English speaker, so I'm not very sure:

I ended up staying at home, which was fine for me.
And now that he'd accomplished that feat, everything would be fine.
I have to leave now, but I'm sure you'll be fine.

Is "fine" better in these examples? Why or why not?


texts:
I want to know what difference in usage these sentences have?

  1)This hair that grows every morning until it touches the floor(original)
  2)This hair grows every morning until it touches the floor

I guess first sentence emphasize that her hair is unique.

If you have to know what was before this sentence you are welcome:

  So today, I'll make myself look as adorable as possible to welcome him again then he 'll cut my hair

Maybe it refers to "my hair" in this sentence


texts: "I have him deliver the letters"/"I have him delivering the letters"

texts:
"I have him deliver the letters."
  "I have him delivering the letters."

Is there a difference between the two? And what exactly does "have somebody do" mean? Does it mean "let" or "get somebody to do something" or "make somebody do something" ? Its never clear to me when seeing sentences with this "have somebody do" construction.


texts: Can the subject be an adjective phrase, adverb phrase, or a bare infinitival clause?

texts:
This is an exercise in Chapter 5 of a textbook by Bas Aarts, English Syntax and Argumentation, 4th edition, published 2013, on page 88:

  In previous editions of this book I allowed for adjective phrases, adverb phrases and bare infinite clauses to function as Subject, and I used the examples below to illustrate these possibilities:

  (i) [ AP Restless] is what I would call him.

  (ii) [ AdvP Cautiously] is how I would suggest you do it.

  (iii) [ bare inf. clause Party the night away] is a nice thing to do.

  However, the italicized strings in these examples are best not taken to be Subjects. Why not? Review Section 2.1 to remind yourself of the distributional properties of Subjects.

I don't know how to answer this question.

If you have the book English Syntax and Argumentation, 3th or 4th edition, please help me to answer this question.
Even if you don't have that book, of course you can help me.


texts:
We often say "burn someone to death" (burn + somebody/something + to + noun)
or
"burn someone alive" (burn + somebody/something + adjective)
The word "black" can be both an adjective and a noun.
Are these valid, "He burned the toy black" and "He burned the toy to black"?


texts: Distinguishing adjective or adverb clause?

texts:
Which one "A" or "B"  shows the relation between the following sentence?

"Feeling somewhat overwhelmed by all the attention he was receiving, the young star decided to take a break and go back to his hotel room."

  A: (adjective clause) "The young star, who was feeling somewhat
  overwhelmed by all the attention he was receiving, decided to take a
  break and go back to his hotel room."

  B: (Adverb clause) "Because the young star was feeling somewhat
  overwhelmed by all the attention he was receiving, he decided to take
  a break and go back to his hotel room."

Notice:
It is not my homework. It was written by English teacher in a website. He only wrote the number 1 in her example and I though that maybe number 2 will be correct as well. The second sentence is written by myself.


texts: Is this sentence grammatically correct to use?

texts:
Could you tell me which one of the following sentences is correct, and why? Or are both correct or both incorrect? If the answer is yes, then please correct me.

She is the reason why I could afford this.
She is the reason why I am able to afford this.


texts: "An actual answer to the question" or "the actual answer to the question"?

texts:
Tell me please which article I have to use in the following context: the indefinite or definite article.

  Why didn't you go to school yesterday? I want to know an/the actual answer.

I have heard native English speakers use an in similar contexts. Do native English speakers use an in similar cotexts because answer is somehow modified   by actual?


texts: Does the meaning of "to allow" and "to enable" coincide in this context?

texts:
The sentence:

  It allows / enables the use of more advanced algorithms.

Is there a difference whether allow or enable is used or are they mutually exchangeable? What are the differences in detail in this and similar contexts?


texts:
What is the sentence structure of "Divergent as the arguments are, It is my firm conviction that..."?

Is it a correct sentence? It seems like an inversion but I can't find this structure online. Thanks in advance


texts: If I dress awkwardly, then is it out of social context?

texts:
The general meaning of "out of context" I know is with the word 'take' i.e. when you take something out of context then it means that it has a chance of being misinterpreted.

As my question says:

If I dress awkwardly, then is it or can I say that I did something that is out of social context?

Does "out of context" here mean "an unsuitable choice of dress"?

It seems to imply that I did something inappropriate.

Here's a picture example [source]:

Its description reads:

  Display what you love, even if it seems out of context. Curiosities in this drawing room belonging to interior designers Philip Vergeylen and Paolo Moschino include two of Paolo's collection of silver tortoises | Soft neutrals with toned down gentle pastels combined with textured, worm wood gives this space a lovely, laid-back feel. Love!

This all seems to imply that "out of context" = unsuitable or inappropriate. So, is that another meaning of it?


texts:
The letter x can sound (most often) like [gz] and [ks]:

[gz] in words like exam, exactly.
[ks] in word like extra, hexagon, etc.

I have found that x is pronounced [gz] whenever it’s in or before the stressed syllable, and [ks] otherwise.

And in a few cases it sounds like [z] when at the beginning of a word.

Do you know other ways of pronouncing this letter? Or other facts that have something to do with its pronunciation?


texts:
Does the following phrases have the same meaning?

work from a studio vs work in a studio
work from home vs work at home

I mean, when can I use the phrase "work from"? What's the difference between "work from" and "work in/at/..."? Can you give me some more examples relative to "work from"? Thanks.


texts: Phrase to state that every process has its advantages and disadvantages

texts:
I am trying to explain how everything has its own advantages and disadvantages whilst not being insensitive as I am referring to the advantages and disadvantages of recruiting foreigners within a company.

I was thinking of using "every rose has its thorn" but I'm afraid that it may come off the wrong way.

Please note that this phrase will be a subtitle, introducing a section which goes into much more detail about the merits and drawbacks of recruiting foreigners. Therefore I am not looking to be overly specific in this subtitle.


texts:
In India,there is a great cricket player named Sachin(he has retired few years back).One of his colleagues (who used to  play at international level along with him)praised him and said following line:

"I always found it difficult to pick you in the nets(practice area) Sachin sir,whether it would be  leg-spin,off-spin,cutter, wrong-un(these four are some terms of the game)."

Why is would be used here?Why not 'is' or 'was'?


texts:
First off, take a look at these two examples please:

Example #1:

  This problem has ailed me for a long time.

Example #2:

  This problem has been ailing me for a long time.

Do you think you could confidently say that there really is a difference, however slight it might be though, in meaning between these two examples? Would you say that the first example gives the impression that the problem has troubled the speaker in the past for a long time, but does not trouble them anymore while in the second example the problem has been troubling the speaker for a long time in the past and most likely still continues to trouble them in the present?


texts: Are commas necessary before and/or after a possessive appositive?

texts:
Which is correct:

It's my daughter's, Mary's, birthday.
It's my daughter, Mary's, birthday.
It's my daughter, Mary's birthday.
It's my daughter Mary's birthday.


texts:
I am writing a formal letter. How should I write it properly? I was wondering if someone could help me with the following context:

  A) We x company has it's office in (the location address of the office)...
  B) We x company have our office in (the location address of the office)...


texts: "Could I loose my money?" What does this mean?

texts:
Could I loose my money?
  Does it mean "asking for permission" or "confirming the possibilities if there is"?

If both are correct then how would I know? What does speaker mean with it?

Scenario I: I am on bike making my way to home.

My Friend comes to me said "There is a riot. Don't go there."

Me "Could I lose my money?"

Scenario II: In a cash counter; cashier already counting someone's money.

Me: "Could I loose my money?"   (so that he can start counting mine)

Is using could in both the scenarios acceptable?


texts:
Can anybody please distinguish the meaning of these two phrases (i.e., in effect and in fact)?
For example, how the following sentences are different in meaning:

In effect, the two systems are identical.
In fact, the two systems are identical.

or,

His wife had, in effect, run the government for the past six months.
His wife had, in fact, run the government for the past six months.

or

In effect, this means we’ll all have to work longer hours for the same pay.
In fact, this means we’ll all have to work longer hours for the same pay.


texts: Meaning of 'defy' in "age-defying youthfulness"

texts:
I know what defy means; but since I'm trying to correctly translate that phrase, I want to know which sense of this verb I should be looking at.
I couldn't figure it out from here.


texts:
In this video about the TPP this occurs:

  If adopted, copyright enforcement measures proposed in the TPP could make the internet intimidating and repressive. Users will be afraid to view, share and interact with digital content. An early version of the tax has the lead and you should be worried about what’s inside.

I can't understand :

  "an early version of the tax has the lead"

A native guy told me "tax of the lead" means "draft of agreement" in this context. Is it true? Why?


texts:
Currently reading this artice, there are lines,

Students who were defrauded by for-profit colleges will have their federal school loans eliminated, the Education Department announced on Thursday.

Students who received partial credits from these universities will also be reimbursed for any payments already made on the loans, again be eligible for federal student aid and have any negative ratings resulting from loan repayments removed by credit bureaus.

Does this mean that there are colleges/universities that gave students benefits aka money for what purpose?
And what is the meaning of the verb "defraud"? Merriam gives the below meaning but it connotes negative meaning to me.

transitive verb

: to deprive of something by deception or fraud

And a there is a positive sounding article that uses the word "defraud"?

Biden's Education Secretary just canceled $1 billion of student-loan debt for about 72,000 defrauded borrowers


texts:
The car dashed against a tree.

  The car crashed into a tree.

I have heard both expressions while listening to the news.

In certain grammar books the first sentence is considered to be wrong and it is mentioned that it is an Indianism.

Are both the sentences correct to the native speakers?


texts: What is the correct verb to go to a university

texts: I'm currently writing a motivation letter for a certain English class and I want to say that I'm looking forward to graduating and going to an English-speaking university. Is that the correct term to use? Going to a university?


texts:
I would like to know if there is any rule of thumb that helps a nonnative English speaker to decide on when to use "the" and when not?

I am aware of many cases. But sometimes I am not sure, for example: "If you have enjoyed the scientific papers, then you are ..." or "If you have enjoyed scientific papers, then you are ..."? Which one is more idiomatic? In both sentences I intend to refer to all scientific papers available. Wait, by the way, should I say "all the scientific papers available" or simply "all scientific papers available"?


texts:
If I see two products that are cheap, for example, if normally each product costs $10 and now one of them (product A) costs $5 and the second (product B) costs $7. Then what will be the correct form to refer to product B price state?

Choice 1: Product B is less cheap.
Choice 2: Product B is less cheaper. (with comparative form)

Now it's obvious that I can use in terms of expensive (for product B) and cheaper (for product A), but my question deals with a situation in which I'd like to emphasis or to focus on the cheapness (since in the end of the day they're both cheaper than normal).

Is it valid at all in English to use one of these couple of words: "less cheap" or "less cheaper"?


texts: Could I use "giving" instead of "to give"?

texts:
Can I say

  ..., giving the example of Minnesota, you would probably pay only half of that

instead of

  ... to give the example of Minnesota, you would probably pay only half of that ?

What is the difference in meaning between "giving" and "to give"? My guess is that "giving" means "if I give the example". Or "to give" is the abbreviated form of "if I were to give"?


texts: Can sometimes be used with a continuous tense?

texts:
Can "sometimes" be used with progressive

Sometimes I drink beer

Sometimes I am driving very fast

With a continuous tense does it mean that the event happens less often than with a simple tense


texts: What means "if the foot popped" in an amorous context?

texts:
At 4:43, a fan Tweeted to ask the guest, Tiffany Young, "did you found [sic] your fairy tale kiss?" At 5.05, Tiffany answers

I think ... I don't kiss and tell.

At 5:27, the female Caucasian host says

I just wanna know if the foot popped. OK?

Tiffany Young starts to answer

My foot

The male host interjects

Has it?

The guest, Tiffany Young, replies

Yes it has.

What does this mean? I'm befuddled because first Tiffany answers "I don't kiss and tell." But finally she answers "Yes it has."


texts:
What is the difference between "new puppy" and "a new puppy"?

Take this sentence for example:

  My brother’s daughter and new puppy are already best buds

What if we add an indefinite article berere "new puppy", how that would change the meaning of the sentence? Like that:

  My brother’s daughter and a new puppy are already best buds

Would that mean that there are more than one new puppy and only one of them is my brother's daughter's best bud?


texts: The usage of would in "when a skeptic would deride their work"

texts:
I'd like to know what "would" exactly means here? Please help me I couldn't figure it out no matter how much I tried. Thanks a lot.

  The Wright brothers didn't become distraught when a skeptic would deride their work.


texts:
I am doing some passive exercises and I can not understand why

It is said that she was the greatest singer of all time.

was made to

She is said to have been the greatest singer of all time.

I am aware that it may be something about "It + passive + that - clause" and/or "subject + passive + to - infinitive" format.
But I can not wrap my mind around why "was" was changed to "have been".


texts:
a) He was feeling sorry for himself, angry he'd lost the job.

b) He was feeling sorry for himself, angered by his poor treatment.

Does a) need the conjunction and as a rule, or is it ok as written like B?

Or should you use ellipsis or em-dash?

He was feeling sorry for himself...angry he'd lost the job.


texts: Is “I have yet to believe you were dead” grammatical?

texts:
Is it correct to say

  I have yet to believe you were dead

If I mean a past event? I mean he was dead but I still dont belive it.


texts: Flowers "are" or "were" commonly used to design clothing worn in the 1960s?

texts:
May I know which sentence is correct?

1) Flowers were commonly used to design clothing worn in the 1960s.

2) Flowers are commonly used to design clothing worn in the 1960s.


texts: Which one is correct: I find/found/have found something interesting

texts:
If I noticed that something was interesting (in the past), and I still think it is so, should I say:

  I find (?) your paper interesting.

Or which tense (find/found/have found) should I  use?


texts: Listening problem : Help me identify the the exact words in this youtube video at time 1:24

texts:
Help me recognize what is being said in the following video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RVGdA9AhrY

At time 1:24 of the video, I can't quite figure out the exact words that are being said...This is roughly what I heard:

....something...   the work   ....something....   created by..

Does anybody knows the correct wordings for this?

Some notes on how I tried to identify the wordings:

I downloaded the youtube video by adding cp in front of the word youtube in the URL so it becomes : https://www.cpyoutube.com/watch?v=7RVGdA9AhrY

And from the selection that appears, I chose the video quality I want to download.

To play the video at a slower pace than the default, I used vlc media player. And to slow the playback, I just pressed [ on the keyboard to have it play the video at 0.26 times slower than normal.

After I finished doing the above and played the video many times, I'm still not certain what words were being said. Perhaps because I'm having difficulty with listening British English, since English is not my native language. But I'm guessing that he could have said any of the following:

1) Whom, the work, it was created by..

2) Who, the work was created by..

3) Who, the work, it was created by..

4) other possibilities...

Which one is more grammatically correct? which one did you heard him say?


texts:
I found this sentence in a blog:

I didn't do tell him anything

In the sentence above, I see that do is the adverb.
Is it gramatically correct to write like that where /didn't/, /do/ and the verb /tell/ in one sentence?

Here's one of other examples:

It says:
.... he really did love ....


texts: How can I improve this sentence about me professionally?

texts:
where would you like to be professionally in ten years?

I wrote a passage in response to this question:

  Since my childhood, and when I get familiar with computer I would like to be a programmer. My father helps me to increase this appetite with buying a computer and provide tools that I needed for learning programming and working  with computer. I joined to group working in programming field that helped me the most to get many experiences. Therefore I'd like open my own computer company for both programming and teaching. This way, I can make enough money and share my experience with everybody who like to be a programmer.

Now I think there are many wrongs in my sentences for example I bold some words

I am not sure if I use right words and grammar. Also, I see several use at with in passage. Is it unconventional?


texts: Does "X and Y are different" only mean "X is different from Y"?

texts: If someone says "X and Y are different.", does it only mean "X is different from Y."? Is there any chance in which it means "X is identical to Y but both are different from others."?


texts: Meaning of Friedrich Nietzsche's famous quote

texts:
Does the second sentence in the following paragraph mean that "success and failure" are answers to the attempts to find out something? If so, does that mean that after a thinker does something as experiments and questions, the thinker will get answers to these experiments and questions?

A thinker sees his own actions as experiments and questions — as
attempts to find out something. Success and failure are for him
answers above all.
—Friedrich Nietzsche, The Gay Science


texts: Are you "making up" a story (to try to deceive me)?

texts:
Are you making up a story (to try to deceive me)?
  Are you fabricating a story (to try to deceive me)?

Which word is most commonly used to indicate that a kid tells a false story as if it were true to an adult?


texts: Is there a word for describing an author or a text that uses a large variety of words, syntax, idioms, figures of speech, etc.?

texts: I am not only talking about people who manages to use a very colorful language, but someone who also uses a large variety of syntax, idioms, figures of speech, obscure grammar rules, etc, as if they wanted to put everything they knew about a particular language in the text they write. Is there a particular word for this? I am thinking there isn't a particular words for this, but a set of words that are required to describe such a text or person.


texts:
Abby ------- such a successful swimmer now if she hadn't practised so much as a child.

won't be
wouldn't be
wouldn't have been
hadn't been

I did a test and I chose #3 but #2 turned out to be correct.

I don't understand why though. I thought this was third conditional and since past perfect was used in the if clause, answer #3 would be correct.


texts:
Consider the following dataset
1, 1, 1, 2, 3

Would you have one duplicate because one value has duplicates?
two duplicates because there are 2 duplicated values?
or three duplicates because the same value occurs 3 times?

If you then remove the duplicate values would you have removed 1 duplicate or 2 duplicates?


texts: Why is it "to be increasing in" not "to be increasing with"?

texts:
I encountered a sentence in a paper.

  Stock-market participation has also been found to be increasing in household education. One interpretation is that education reduces the fixed costs of participating, by making it easier for would-be investors to understand the market’s risk–reward trade-offs, to deal with the mechanics of setting up an account, and executing trades, etc.

While it's well known that a lot of scholarship is produced by non-native English speakers in the academia, this paper was penned by people who appear to be native speakers. (I could include the title and the authors' names if necessary).

I thought it should be increasing with, because it seems the authors are saying stock-market participation increases as household education increases. Googling "increasing in" only gives me results along the lines of "Antibiotic use is rapidly increasing in developing countries." Is the original sentence correct?


texts: is this sentence gramatically correct? Do you think my sentences are too long?

texts:
My first language is Spanish so I have a hard time with my vocabulary or writing grammatically correct. I have to respond to my professor's syllabus with something I liked about it. I think one of the sentences sounds off?
I also was wondering what do you think I should say instead of shy? I am not sure what feeling that is?
What I particularly liked about the syllabus was the description on your principles because you talked about feedback, I think I respond to feedback unwell at times too.
** I think I get discouraged when someone says I did something wrong because even if I find that I happen to make a mistake it is still hard for me to hear others criticize my work.**
I have never responded negatively though because I didn't want to accept any feedback, but more of feeling that I am not getting better. I do try to fix my mistakes as I get feedback. And I agree, I do learn when I realize mistakes.


texts: "He fell (off / from / away / down) the ladder"

texts:
Consider:

He fell off the ladder.
He fell from the ladder.
He fell away from the ladder.
He fell down the ladder.

Are all these sentences acceptable? If so, any differences in meaning?


texts: sense of the preposion "of" in the sentence

texts:
Given:

  "Second  to  KL  in  size  are  the  historic  trading  cities  of  Melaka  and  Penang,  with  buildings dating  back  hundreds  of  years  and  wonderful  unspoilt  districts  where  visitors  can  breathe  in  the romance of the past."

My teacher says Melaka and Penang are the historic cities. But I am confused with using the phrase "the historic trading cities of Melaka and Penang".
I think it means there are historic  trading cities in Malaka and Penang. Melaka and Penang may not be historic trading cities according to the textual clue.

So, are Malaka and Penang the historic trading cities and the second biggest cities according to the sentence?


texts: As "End" and "Finish" has the same meaning, so I am confused in which situation 'End' is used and the same with "Finish". Is there any proper rule to differentiate between these words?


texts: What does 'tempering' mean in the passage?

texts:
The following is the excerpt from Obama's inaugural speech. What does the word, 'tempering' evades me. I look it up in the dictionary, to no avail. What does it mean in the context?

  They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it
  entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows
  through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of
  our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of
  humility and restraint.


texts:
I was watching a movie the other day, and I saw this expression just like that in one of the scenes, the implied meaning was 'for no particular reason'.
The situation was something like this

Guy 1(says) : I am going to X place tomorrow.
Guy 2(asks) : Why?
Guy1 : Just like that.

Since it was some foreign movie with subtitles, so I am not sure if these expression are correct are not.
Is my interpretation of Just like that correct? or Does it have another meaning?


texts: How to correctly place "plaza" in a store name?

texts:
The word "plaza" is actually a Spanish word and had been adopted by major English dictionaries.

My issue is that I don't know how to correctly place the word in a store name. For example, if I want to use the word to name a store which sells bikes and bike accessories, should I name the store "Bike Plaza" or "Plaza Bike"?

I did some searches on Google and saw both usages. I hope to figure out the best usage.


texts:
What is the difference between the following two sentences.

  There was not a moment to be lost.

  There was not a moment to lose.


texts: If you { turned / would turn } down the volume of the TV, that would be great

texts:
If you turned down the volume of the TV, that would be great.
  If you would turn down the volume of the TV, that would be great.

Are both the above sentences grammatically correct?
What difference is there in their meaning?


texts: Meaning of the phrasal verb "clamp down" in cotext

texts:
Here it goes:

  When you clamp down to hold your breath and tighten your trunk muscles, you create a pressure gradient between the inside and the outside.


texts:
a sentence in a BBC Podcast

  And the subject of today' - s show is social media and its impac - t on our daily lives.

I do not clearly hear at that points, please give me some suggestions. It's not very straightforward to me.


texts: I don’t understand whenever I read “as it were”. Could anyone please explain it to me in a plain way along with some examples of how to use it? My English mightn't be as good as yours.


texts: A person lacking money who shows off a lot

texts:
There is a proverb in our language which is used when someone tries to show off and pretend to be very rich and also try to spend much money, and somehow prepare well-brand clothes to keep up with the wealthy elite of the society, but if you know them, you are aware that they are almost flat broke! Actually, such people boast when they have no penny to bless themselves with!
We say: "great boast, but empty pockets to buy something.

For isntance, please imagine a woman who has a lot of debts which should be paid back ASAP, but they try to buy some expensive jewellery.

Is there any current English saying to explain this situation?


texts:
I have to rewrite the following sentence by changing the participle into a finite verb

  Going up the stairs, the boy fell down.

According to me the answer should be

While the boy was going up the stairs, he fell down.

But the answer is

  When he was going up the stairs, the boy fell down.

Are both the sentences same?


texts:
I know I can say

  I would write a letter if I wanted my message to be warm and personal.

But is it grammatical to say

  I would write a letter if I would like to be warm and personal.

I'm confused because this is conditional statement so there should be no would after if (in general) but on the other hand I would like has different meaning than I like/liked.

I'd like to make sure if both sentences are correct.

Thanks


texts: "everyone knew it was a joke" vs. "everyone knows it was a joke"

texts:
In my exercise book, I've found a quite confusing task. In the text, the 2012 Olympics ceremony is described.

  One part of the ceremony appeared to show the Queen parachuting into the stadium. This has helped make her more popular than ever. Of course, she didn't really jump from a helicopter. Everyone ________ (know) it was a joke.

The key states that knew is the right answer and I guess it is due to the sequence of tenses. But I am wondering if it is correct to use knows in such case?


texts: Sentence meaning both with and without much context

texts:
North Korea inspires hate for the west from an early age.

Is this sentence grammatically correct and conveys its meaning properly?
The meaning being the hatred for the west is injected into the children when they're young? If two people are talking about North Korea, and one of them says that sentence, would the sentence hold the meaning it has set out to convey, due to there being sufficient context?

Would it be understood with and without much context?


texts: Difference between words 'stench' and 'stink'

texts:
What is the difference between 'stench' and 'stink', both used as nouns and smells? I want the  olfactory distinction of these words. I am very much aware of the other meanings of stink but that is not what I want.

For example:

There was a stench in the bathroom.
There was a stink in the bathroom.

What's the distinction here?


texts: 2005: The company hosts a (the?) annual meeting of the Petroleum Alliance

texts:
Suppose we have a list of paragraphs reflecting a company's history through the years, and one of them reads:

  2005: The company hosts an (the?) annual meeting of the Petroleum Alliance in Moscow, Russia.

Should we use the or a here?

The meeting is one of the many, and is introduced to the reader for the first time.

On the other hand, in that particular year (2005) there's only one installment of that meeting and the word meeting is postmodified by an of-phrase.


texts:
Source -  The Hungry Tide

  It seemed to him that he had not till this moment been able to see her for the person she was.

I can't understand the meaning and usage of "for the person she was".
Yet I guess it means that "He was not able to see her real self". Am I right? I need the explanation. Thanking you in advance.


texts: "Compare to other firearm, it is...." can I use this?

texts:
Can I use this?

Google for this is hard.
Which subject does verb "compare" point to?
Is the verb "compare" or "compared" or "compares"?


texts:
What is the difference in meaning between these words?

I would use date if I were single, I like a woman, and I want to spend some time with her; let's say that this word is different from the other two at least for me.

A meeting is an event where many people meet, and I may attend the meeting of the National Society for Advancement of Sleep Techniques, say. But if I will participate to a series of events and I have to write them down with a title, should I say Next appointments or Next meetings?


texts:
Another murky subject arose today:

Would like to know, which one is appropriate:

  I am unable to attend the mandatory meeting; I will make up some excuse.

Or:

  I am unable to attend the mandatory meeting; I will make some excuse up.


texts: What the author is trying to say in this paragraph?

texts:
Consider the following paragraph:

  The possibility that such rents were important is, I think, reinforced by many of the institutional features of the colonial era: the carving up of the Third World by the European powers, and the frequent granting of exclusive trading rights to monopoly companies.

What is the relation between the two sentences separated by a colon? What the author is trying to say?

(Just note that by "rent", the author means economic rent.)


texts:
For all of Andrew’s life, Simon had been a contented prisoner of his own contempt for other people, making his house a fortress against the world where his will was law, and where his mood constituted the family’s daily weather. As he had grown older, Andrew had become aware that his family’s almost total isolation was not typical, and become slightly embarrassed by it. Friends’ parents would ask him where he lived, unable to place his family; they would ask casual questions about whether his mother or father intended to come to social events or fundraisers. Sometimes they remembered Ruth from the primary school years, when mothers mixed in the playground. She was much more sociable than Simon. Perhaps, if she had not married such an antisocial man, she would have been more like Fats’ mother, meeting friends for lunch or dinner, busily connected to the town.
  (The Causal Vacancy, by J. K. Rowling)

What’s the meaning of the ‘of’ in the passage? I'm now reading it as:
(1) He is a contented prisoner having the property of despising others.
(2) He is a prisoner contented by despising others
(3) He is a contented prisoner who has the natural disposition of despising others.
(4) He is the prisoner inasmuch as he is despising others but contented

When I read ‘of’, I habitually interpret it to my language’s equivalent ‘의.’ But it has sixteen entries in there, I wonder which would be the one for the context whenever I come across ‘of’. Would you tell me what ‘of’ in above context means?


texts:
What does it mean when we say "sex outside marriage" or sex out of marriage? Is it same as sex before marriage (ie. premarital sex), or does it include having sex with someone while being married to someone else (ie. extramarital sex).

The source of this doubt is a video, which states that it is a woman's choice whether she wishes to have sex before marriage or have sex out of marriage.

Here's the transcript: My Choice by Deepika Padukon.


texts:
In merriam-webster.com/dictionary, "to the detriment of" means: in a way that is harmful to.

  The author or authors of this code dedicate any and all copyright interest in this code to the public domain. We make this dedication for the benefit of the public at large and to the detriment of our heirs and successors.

(from the copyright of sqlite)

Does the dedication action harm to our heirs and successors?
NO, the dedication action do good to our heirs and successors.
How to explain "to the detriment of" here?


texts:
Can a pronoun refer a negative statement or a negative idea?
To explain what I mean, down below are examples I came up with; are they correct?
(1)

A: She didn't get picked as a actress in the movie.

B: How did "that" happen?

that refers to She didn't get picked as a actress in the movie.
(2)

A: My mom didn't help me with my bills.

B: Really? my mom won't do "that" to me.

that refers to the idea of not helping the kid with bills.
(3)

A: My mom didn't help me with my bills.

B: Many parents do "that" to their children. "It" is normal.

that refers to the idea of not helping the kid with bills.
It refers to not helping the kid with bills.


texts: "You ain't no Human." What is the need of "no" here?

texts:
You ain't no Human

What is the need of "no" here?

isn't it already meaning same without "no"?


texts:
Sorry for the naive question, is this sentence correct with two the? Maybe the second one is not necessary?

  Table 10 summarizes the F1 results on the ABC dataset.


texts:
In famous song Still loving you it is said, that "I am loving you". Is it expressed in present continuous tense or not?
And if it is, then shouldn't it be in present simple?


texts: What does 'imaginary' mean in the passage?

texts:
If these ideas is assumed to be about something like soccer rules, why are these rules imaginary, not concrete?

EVOLUTION DID NOT ENDOW HUMANS with the ability to play football.
True, it produced legs for kicking, elbows for fouling and mouths for
cursing, but all that this enables us to do is perhaps practise
penalty kicks by ourselves. To get into a game with the strangers we
find in the schoolyard on any given afternoon, we not only have to
work in concert with ten teammates we may never have met before, we
also need to know that the eleven players on the opposing team are
playing by the same rules. Other animals that engage strangers in
ritualised aggression do so largely by instinct – puppies throughout
the world have the rules for rough-and-tumble play hard-wired into
their genes. But human teenagers have no genes for football. They can
nevertheless play the game with complete strangers because they have
all learned an identical set of ideas about football. These ideas are
entirely imaginary, but if everyone shares them, we can all play
the game.

"Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari


texts: What is an alternative word for saying "A new trend in technology" or "Trending technology". Can you suggest some word that I could use as a title for a seminar


texts:
What do you call a worker who asks me about what I want to eat?

I mean it's not a waiter and it's not a hostess I guess.

And what do they say when there is no any line and they are ready to serve me?
In Ukrainian they say something like "free cash register" putting their hand up.


texts: Idiom/phrase/proverb to describe a poorly conducted case in court

texts: Are there any phrases, idioms, proverbs in english to indicate a situation where a litigant loses his case in court because  of his solicitor's professional negligent in conducting the case in court. The one comes to my mind is hard cases make bad law. But I am not sure whether it is suitable in the present context.


texts: , and they were fond of one another as friends who have come together in early youth "often are".

texts:
SOURCE ANNA KARENINA

  ,and they were fond of one another as friends who have come together in early youth often are, in spite of the difference in their characters and tastes.

What is the purpose of "are" in this text?


texts: Meaning of 'chase ... with a stinger' here

texts:
Here is the context.

  His mother (Bryce Dallas Howard) swills martinis and chases each
  gesture of love toward her son with a stinger. “You’re choosing a life
  of being alone forever,” she tells him when he comes out to her,
  punctuating her initial insistence that she didn’t care with a dagger
  to the heart. “You’ll never be loved.”

Also,what do 'punctuate one's initial insistence' and 'with a dagger to the heart' mean?

Here is the link.‘Rocketman’ Is So Much Better—and Gayer—Than ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’


texts: What's the meaning of "the decadent, twenties feel of the coupes" here?

texts:
All of the women are now drinking champagne out of old-fashioned coupe
  glasses. Occasionally a fussy guest will request a flute, but most
  enjoy the decadent, twenties feel of the coupes.[1]

I know that:

coupe is a "shallow, broad-bowled, saucer shaped stemmed" Champagne
glass.[2]
"feel" here is a noun which means " a quality that something has that
makes you feel or think a particular way about it".[3]
"decadent"  means "having low moral standards and being more
concerned with pleasure than serious matters"[4]

But I cannot understand what's the meaning of  "the decadent, twenties feel of the coupes" exactly? Could you expain it to me please?

[1] An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champagne_glass

[3] https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/feel

[4] https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/decadent


texts:
I often meet "and" being used with adjectives when speaking of a singular object.

He has blond and curly hair.
Instead of: He has blond curly hair.
She is an attractive and young woman.
Instead of: She is an attractive young woman.

Are they correct?


texts:
Science magazine

  Guy Rouleau, the director of McGill University’s Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) and Hospital in Canada, is frustrated with how slowly neuroscience research translates into treatments. “We’re doing a really shitty job,” he says. “It’s not because we’re not trying; it has to do with the complexity of the problem.”

I have some questions related to quotation marks over the bald line.

1) Why writers, sometimes, separate the quoted words into two parts?. Why isn’t it like:

  “We’re doing a really shitty job. It’s not because we’re not trying; it has to do with the complexity of the problem,” he says.

2) Even if the writer separated them, why didn’t he put after the second part  “‘he added after a while,’ or ‘he added’”or any phrase that define the second part of the quotation marks.

  “We’re doing a really shitty job,” he says. “It’s not because we’re not trying; it has to do with the complexity of the problem,” he added after while./ he added.

3)  And the third and last question is: would it matter if the part of speech “he added, he says” preceded or came after quotation marks, like:

  He says, “————-“

  “————,” he says

source could help to understand paragraph construction


texts:
What is a "covering memo" in the following context:

  When G.S.O. has been notified, the new G.S.R. receives a kit
  containing a covering memo, The A.A. Service Manual/Twelve Concepts
  for World Service, useful pamphlets and leaflets, and a literature
  order form.

Source


texts: Is "not only - but just" similar to "not only - but also"?

texts:
Context:

We’ve become unsatisfied, wanting much more than we need, forgetting
the days when it was not only acceptable to wear your mother’s or
grandmother’s wedding dress, but just how things were done.

Which part does the phrase "but just how things were done" contrast with, "the days" or "acceptable"? Is "not only - but just" in this sentence similar to the structure "not only - but also"? If so, shouldn't what follows "but just" be an adjective so it'd be in parallel with "acceptable"?
How can you paraphrase this sentence without using "not only - but just"?


texts:
Which option fits best for the following sentence?

  I utterly ..... your argument. In my opinion you have distorted the facts.

  confound
  dispute
  decline
  refute

For me, decline or refute may work but I cannot find any proper sentence used with them on the Internet.


texts: Why does this not have the perfect tense?

texts:
"You've met Malfoy before?"
      Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.
      "I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared.
  Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says
  Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark
  Side." (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

I suspect to-infinitive needs to have the perfect tense, because their participation in the Dark Side precedes the time when Malfoy’s family excuse. Then why does it not use the tense?


texts:
They knew each other well, the Captain and his wife. They had in
common a certain way of life, an order of priorities and concerns. Their
shared experience of death when they were young had drawn them close
and in their marriage had made precious for them the sense of family that
the birth of a child allowed. Heloise had once assumed that other children
would be born to her, and still had not abandoned hope that one more at
least might be. But in the meanwhile she was so convincingly persuaded
by her husband that the lack of a son to inherit Lahardane was not a failure on her part that she experienced – and more and more as her only child grew up – gratitude for the solitary birth and for a trinity sustained by affection.

because there is no fullstop  after "experienced" can we write the sentence like this:

...that she experienced gratitude for the solitary birth and for a trinity sustained by?

but again it does not make sense to me. Could you write it in other words?
Does "affection" here means: kindness
can we write the sentence like this:

...as she experienced only by affection she could confirm her gratitude for the solitary birth and for a trinity?

Source: The Story Of Lucy Gault by William Trever.


texts: Can I use the phrase "It just so happened that..."?

texts:
Recently I learnt a phrase "it just so happens that....". I would like to know if I could use "it just so happened that..." to refer to a past situation? For example,

  It just so happened that I met him yesterday!

As I searched on the internet, I saw no -ed one. Thanks in advance! :)


texts: What do the phrases 'Mean bugs' and 'Buggy bugs' mean in the picture? Or how should I understand them?

texts:
What is the meaning of the phrases 'Mean bugs' and 'Buggy bugs' mean respectively in the picture below?

I can understand all of them separately. But once they are put together, I am not able to understand them. I have googled the two phrases, but can't find an answer.


texts: The meaning of "Record" in Graduate Record Examinations

texts:
I understand that the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is an admissions requirement for graduate schools in the United States.

What does "record" mean here? Why is it not Graduate Admissions Examinations?


texts:
A)you are not supposed to have read it

B)you were not supposed to read it

C)you were not supposed to have read it

are three of these sentences in the same meaning?


texts: What's the difference between "Once I've graduated" and "Once I graduate"?

texts:
Consider theses two sentences:

Once I have graduated, I will find a job.

Once I graduate, I will find a job.

What's the difference between them?

Of all the resources about the present perfect I've found on the Internet, none talks about using it for a future action, but obviously, I see this use very often in English.


texts: definitional clarity: the university of life

texts:
The following is taken from Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. What does "the person gaining formal qualifications" stand in opposition to? Is the definition considered clear by the standards of educated American English?

  the university of life

  (informal) the experience of life thought of as giving somebody an education, instead of the person gaining formal qualifications


texts: Which conditionals are the following two sentences?

texts:
Maybe it's just me, but I honestly don't care whether he has done any of those things or not.

and:

Maybe it's just me, but I honestly couldn't/wouldn't care whether he had done any of those things or not.

Which type of conditionals are the above two sentences.


texts:
There are two sentences in Badass: Making Users Awesome:

  Always close the floog cover before replacing the Y widget.

  Well, because the Y widget interferes with the floog's op connector.

What does the floog mean? what is floog's op connector?


texts:
See this conversation:

  B: This t.v is $2500.

  A: You can't be serious.

  B: That's how much this t.v costs.

  A: That's too expensive for me.

  B: This television is of very high quality.

  A: You can't go down on the price.

The structure "to go down on something" does not exist in any dictionaries. However,

  we have "go down (on somebody)": (slang) to perform oral sex on
  somebody (= to use the mouth to give somebody sexual pleasure)

I reckon this is some sort of creative use of the "to go down on somebody", so "to go down on the price" means "to ease the price" just like when you go down on someone you ease, please & give pleasure to that person.

What does "go down on the price" mean?


texts:
Source: Russian ruble collapses to 7-month low on weak oil prices

Given the following context, what exactly is an oil contract?

  Oil is the backbone of the Russian economy and the fall of the ruble follows a sharp decline in the price of crude. The U.S. oil contract on Friday dropped below $40 per barrel for the first time since 2009 and on Monday was down another $1.23 a barrel at $39.22.


texts: Can I use the word 'one' with the words 'glasses' 'pants' 'scissors' 'shorts'?

texts:
Notoriously known as 'only plural' nouns (scissors, pants, shorts, glasses)

Question:

  Can I say (take these one glasses (spectacles), scissors, pants, shorts)?


texts: is "to relegate" generally construed as a "neutral" or a "condescending" verb for the meaning of "to assign"

texts:
Merriam-Webster provides the following definitions for the verb "relegate"

  2 : ASSIGN:

  a : to assign to a place of insignificance or of oblivion :

  b : to assign to an appropriate place or situation on the basis of classification or appraisal

(a) & (b) give me a complete different impression of this verb, in which (a) denotes the idea that the thing that is "relegated" is of an inferior quality, whereas (b) is complete neutral as the thing is assigned to an "appropriate" place.

Most other dictionaries (e.g. Cambridge, Macmillian, Collins, all British English dictionaries though) do not even include (b) and define "relegate" as

  to move someone or something to a less important position

To native English speakers, what comes to mind when this word is used, heard or read ?


texts: What's the meaning of "we're doing a good job with sb/sth"?

texts: It's from a piece of news about the trade war. Trump said that they're doing a very good job with China". I know "do a good job" means "do something well". But I feel quite confused about it followed with "with sb/sth". Does it mean "cooperate well with sb" or "treat sb well" or "both sides do something well"?


texts: The meaning of last here in the sentence

texts:
We watched the last of the runners come in.

Can this mean two things?
the last runner or the runners who came in towards the end of the race?


texts:
Is there a word for a pair of numbers like 6 and 8, which are two apart? Another example would be 11 and 13.
Thanks!


texts:
I'm preparing for some competitive exam and I'm reading an English grammar book, in that I encountered a test on lie and lay, but I do have a doubt on two questions, I don't know whether I'm right or not but let me tell you about my knowledge on usage of lie and lay

Lie is always used as intransitive verb in all it's forms:
lie lay lain lying
Lay is used as a transitive verb and also used in passive voice:
lay lay laid laying

Now the two questions and my answers, but I do not know whether my answers are correct or not:

  (Laid,Lain) on its side the child was able to breathe better.

My answer is "lain" because I think there's a need of intransitive verb so obviously it's "lain".

  (Laying,Lying) on its side, the child was able to breathe better.

My answer "lying".


texts:
What are the difference between these two prepositions: "despite of" and "in spite of"?

And what is the general usage of this two: choose in different situation, followed by etc.


texts: Let's say a company has several business segments, including Hardware and Software. When I try to combine both these segments in a sentence, should it be "the Hardware and Software segment are ..." or "the Hardware and Software segments are ..." Or is it better if I write "the Hardware segment and the Software segment are ..."


texts: does such a noun "appropriates" ever exist?

texts:
Your work is all the activities that you do in the course of doing your job and these activities may be seen as appropriates as much as responsibilities.

I am wondering what the bold part means?

What is more, I never managed to find such a word as a noun, let alone its plural form.


texts:
would you explain this quote for me please  :

  "common sense isn't always common practice".- Stephen Covey


texts:
From the book Thinking in Java:

  Encapsulation creates new data types by combining characteristics and behaviors. Implementation hiding separates the interface from the implementation by making the details private. This sort of mechanical organization makes ready sense to someone with a procedural programming background. But polymorphism deals with decoupling in terms of types.

What does that exactly mean?


texts:
1) I found this book the most interesting.

My grammar book says this is wrong and the "the" must be removed and it should be:

  2) I found this book most interesting.

Doesn't the first sentence means , "This book is the most interesting book i have read"? Whatvis the difference in meaning between these two sentences?


texts: "Past Perfect vs Simple Past" expressions

texts:
Although I think they are interchangeable in some usage,
there seems to be a little difference in nuance.

  "I had my dinner already" vs "I have eaten my dinner already"

  "We have met before" vs "We met before"

I honestly can't find the difference between them in both examples.
Can you please tell me what sounds more natural and explain if possible?

Thank you!


texts: absolute structure VS complete sentence after em dash

texts:
Primarily, the banker-customer relationship is that of debtor and creditor--who is which depending on whether the customer's account is in credit or is overdrawn.

I am aware that a complete sentence can be used after em dash, but here is a absolute structure used. I am wondering are there any differences between the two?


texts: Is 'The reason is because ...' redundant?

texts:
[Source:]
  The phrase "the reason is" implies a causal relationship between two events or states.   For example, the reason that the wagon is red is that I painted it with red paint.
  I could also say the wagon is red because I painted it.
  CAUSE: I painted. EFFECT: it [the wagon] is red.

  So ... 3. “the reason is because,” ...
  [=>] 4. The cause of there being a reason is that I painted it. ...
  [=] 5. “I painted the wagon and that is why it is red because I painted it.”

How does 3 => 4 => 5 ? Please show all steps and thought processes? I ask NOT about how, whether, or why this determiner phrase is claimed as redundant; I wish to justify its redundancy.

Afterword: Sorry for misleading, but I might've failed to ask my intended question. I was instead seeking an answer such as the following, from here, which user StoneyB kindly recommended:

  In a similar vein, some claim that because because usually means something like “for the reason that”, you’re really saying “The reason is for the reason that”
  when you say[:] the reason is because.


texts:
"The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean; not to affect your reader, but to affect him precisely as you wish.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson

May, "; not to affect your reader, but to affect him precisely as you wish." seem, maybe, a, "complete sentence"? May there not seem, maybe, a, "do-er", in this? Maybe, like, may there not seem, maybe, a, "noun"?


texts:
Would you show me any difference between these semantically or conceptually?
lending support to his ideas
Supporting his ideas
Thanks


texts:
In the following sentence what is the meaning of judges, is it correctly used?

  The decision comes on the heels of another ordering judges to end the practice of flogging, replacing it with jail time, fines or community service and bringing one of the kingdom’s most controversial forms of public punishment to a close.

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texts: What is the difference between "Thanks much" and "Thanks a lot"?

texts:
A: Can you give me a pen?
  B: Yes, take it.
  A: Thanks much  OR Thanks a lot

Is there any difference between these two phrases?  Which one is preferred to use?


texts: A proverb / an expression to imply: "Enough is as good as a feast" or "Too much spoil, too little doesn't satisfy"

texts:
Please imagine a situation that a person goes too far in doing something and in another task they son't put enough effort!

Or a cook who's making a food and salts a it too much, and the other food that he is preparing is saltless!

Or someone who respects you too much and the other time he / she disrespects you in public and so many other similar situations.

In my language there is a proverbial sentence which can be applicable to all these cases and ao many other scenarios in which a person is experiencing a very high and a very low stand confronting another person/situation! We say: (literal translation)

  Not that salty, not this saltless.

In some translation pages the only sentences I found about this meaning are:

  Enough is as good as a feast.
  Too much spoil, too little doesn't satisfy.

But, I'm sure they are not how a native would convey the  same message through. So please let me know how shall I imply this meaning in a natural way?


texts: How the comma works when I list things on a sentence?

texts:
Every time I write something like:

"She is interested in surfing, snowboarding and skateboarding"

The grammar checker suggests me to fix and add a comma before the end, becoming:

"She is interested in surfing, snowboarding, and skateboarding"

And the grammar checker explains:

The serial comma (also called the Oxford comma) is the last comma
before coordinating conjunction and the final item in a series. Its
use is considered a matter of style and is cause for much debate. Many
style guides require the serial comma, and a few advise against it.
There are times when it must be used to avoid confusion or ambiguity.
For the sake of consistency, we recommend always using the serial
comma. However, consult your style guide if you are uncertain.
Depending on the context, a missing serial comma may cause ambiguity.
Are the brothers named Adam and Jane?
Ambiguous:    We have received RSVPs from my brothers, Adam and Jane.
Clear:    We have received RSVPs from my brothers, Adam, and Jane.
Incorrect:    Make sure to pack towels, sandals, sunscreen etc.
Correct:  Make sure to pack towels, sandals, sunscreen, etc.

I feel this strange, in Portuguese we never use comma in this situation to remove the ambiguity, moreover, it is wrong to use it. Should I use in English?


texts:
The word is at the last line.What does 'public and illustrious' mean?

  This definition excludes
  many individuals usually referred to as intellectuals -- the average
  scientist, for one.

  I have excluded him because, while his
  accomplishments may contribute to the solution of moral problems, he
  has not been charged with the task of approaching any but the factual
  aspects of those problems.

  Like other human beings, he encounters
  moral issues even in the everyday performance of his routine duties --
  he is not supposed to cook his experiments, manufacture evidence, or
  doctor his reports.

  But his primary task is not to think about the
  moral code which governs his activity, any more than a businessman is
  expected to dedicate his energies to an exploration of rules of
  conduct in business.

  During most of his waking life he will take his
  code for granted, as the businessman takes his ethics.

  The definition also excludes the majority of teachers, despite the fact
  that teaching has traditionally been the method whereby many
  intellectuals earn their living.

  They may teach very well and more
  than earn their salaries, but most of them make little or no
  independent reflections on human problems which involve moral
  judgment.

  This description even fits the majority of eminent scholars.

  Being learned in some branch of human knowledge is one thing, living
  in "public and illustrious thoughts, ” as Emerson would say, is
  something else.