texts: Is "a manifestation of " equals "embody"?

texts:
With its distinctive design, the music hall is a manifestation of the wisdom of specialist architectural design institutions.
  With its distinctive design, the music hall embodies the wisdom of specialist architectural design institutions.

Could you kindly tell me the difference bewteen 1) and 2)? Is there any better way to correlate the subject and the object?


texts:
Happiness is a matter of health in body and soul.

The sentence is meant to say that "happiness is defined by health in body and soul".

Does "is a matter of" mean that? Is it idiomatic to use it in that sense? Or any better phrase to use instead of it?


texts: The cardinal directions and prepositions

texts:
Is it okay to use the cardinal directions without prepositions as follows?

East of Peter was red sun rising.

North of him was a big red star shining.

Turning his head west, he saw five stars shining upon his eyes.

Where is Peter?

Thank you in advance.


texts:
I've noticed that in English the verb "come" at times seems to have a function of an aspect of the verb that follows it, but I am not sure.
"but later he came to fund the effort from his own coffers"
What is the difference here from:
"but later he funded the effort from his own coffers"
?
Or:
"Although their output has come to include vault items and remixed mash-ups, the Beatles' "core catalogue", recorded between 1962 and 1970, comprises 213 songs."
What's the difference here from:
"Although their output includes vault items and remixed mash-ups..."
?


texts: How do I translate this sentence and keep the translation free of any reference to the person's gender?

texts:
In Italian, I can use the following sentence without revealing the gender of the person I am talking of.

  L'utente preferisce mantenere protetta la propria identità. (The user prefers to keep [possessive adjective] own identity protected.)

While the grammar gender of propria and identità is feminine, they aren't refering to a female person; so, I can say propria identità when referring (for example) to my aunt, my mother, or my uncle.

How do I translate that sentence and still keeping it gender-free? Do I need to replace propria with her/his own or is there a better way not to make explicit the gender of the person I am speaking of, including changing the sentence from active to passive?

Notice that I could use the plural, in Italian, and make the sentence the following one.

  Gli utenti preferiscono mantenere protetta la propria identità. (Users prefer to keep their own identity protect.)

The sentence would have a different meaning, though, since it is generically referring to all or most the users, not specifically to a user.


texts: Should I write "for which I am interested" or "in which I am interested"?

texts: Do we have to write "it is a field for which I am interested" or "it is a field in which I am interested".


texts:
Symptoms of this illness that warrant a doctor visit include fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as the loss of appetite.

Is the dependent clause "that warrant a doctor visit" is referring to the subject illness or Symptoms. What is the correct verb to use for this dependent clause?


texts: which preposition fits better? "Introduce in" or "introduce into"?

texts:
I want to write that a person implemented the economic system X into the British economy, but I don't know how to formulate the sentence. I need help. Which sentence is right?

"Person Y introduced the economic system X into the British economy."
"Person Y introduced the economic system X in the British economy."


texts:
Are future tenses used in relative clauses?
e.g.

He is a person who(that) will listen to everybody.
He'll work with his brother who(that) will explain evrything to him.

Are these clauses correct?


texts: What does "a fair weather student" mean?

texts:
I read this expression in scrappedcola's comment on this question. I never encountered it before, and fail to translate it. What does it mean?

Context:

  [...] If you have someone [to ask] you should go to them. It could be seen that
  you are only a fair weather student but depending on the circumstances
  changing groups might not be a bad thing.


texts: Is there a more concise way of saying "giving the benefit of the doubt"

texts:
Is there a more succinct way of saying the below?:

  You're much better at giving him the benefit of the doubt than I am.

In context, someone did something which me and another perceived as bad. The other person is more willing to give the user the benefit of the doubt than I am, and believes that the someone didn't mean it.

I've thought about saying "you're much more forgiving than I am", and "you're much more understanding than I am", but both of them imply the someone actually did something wrong, which isn't necessarily the case.


texts: Is it at all correct to say let me by or let me past? If so, is it a common expression or an old-fashioned or rare one? I guess most people would say make way to indicate (maybe a bit rudely) that they want to go past someone who blocks the way. Am I right? Is could you please let me past a good and acceptable way of saying this more politely?


texts:
I found this sentence in a novel set in the 20s of the 20th Century, in England. A mother offers to her daughter her first taste of alcohol. The girl is surprised because it warms her from the inside. Here's the dialogue:

The sweet warmth filled my mouth and slid into my stomach. I laughed.
‘It’s heating me from the inside.’  ‘Warming your collywobbles,’ she
laughed back.

What does 'warming your collywobbles' mean in this context? In the dictionary I found the following definition of 'collywobbles':

an upset stomach
acute diarrhoea
an intense feeling of nervousness

Is she saying to her daughter that she'll soon be sick? Or she'll soon feel strange?


texts:
I need to ask someone how long does their class take time to be finished. How should I say it and which one of the following sentences is idiomatic in English language?

  a) How long does your class take?
  b) How long does your class take time?
  c) How long does your class last?

Bringing up this question I'm going to realize the correct usage and semantic nuance of the verbs "take" and "last".


texts:
I came across it in this article.

  WBA world super-middleweight champion Callum Smith: "If Ruiz wins again I wouldn't be one bit surprised. I do think you'll see a more switched-on Joshua who is more like Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko. It could be boring but I'm going Joshua late."


texts:
Both

  Bob: Who are you?

  Joe: I'm Joe.

Or

  Bob: Who are you?

  Joe: I am Joe.

Is fine.

  Bob: Are you Joe?

  Joe: Maybe I am.

Seems fine, but

  Bob: Are you Joe?

  Joe: Maybe I'm.

Seems a bit weird. Is it correct to say it like that?


texts:
A man was about to leave and said, "Stay well. Stay safe."

What did he mean by "stay well" and by "stay safe"?

Besides I wonder if "Be well. Be safe." means the same.

Is it common to say "stay well" and "stay safe"? if not, what is another way to say that?


texts: Is this sentence correct? "We buy cars for cash "

texts:
Is this sentence correct?

We buy cars for cash.

I read it on a sign outside a car lot. I assume the intent is to say they pay cash for cars but can it also mean they are buying cars in order to get cash?


texts:
I read in some good grammar book that
"Above" and "over" can both mean "higher than":
The example from the book

Can you see the helicopter above/over the palace?

Then below it was written that
We prefer "above" when one thing is not directly over another
The example from the book

We've got a little house above the lake

The question is is the helicopter in the first example directly over the palace or no if both "above" and "over" can be used?


texts: What does 'of' mean in "It's this friend of mine"?

texts:
As such, any uncle of hers would be minor royalty, even if illegitimate. (daum.net)

When I saw this structure, I would thought that the preposition ‘of’ presents a set (=a set of her uncles) and ‘any uncle’ is part of the set. But reading this sentence - “Not me, exactly, no. It’s this friend of mine who has a matter to talk over with her” - from a novel, Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, I would think ‘of’ means ‘that belongs to; that has the property of’. I’m afraid some would say it’s not a big deal. But isn’t it worth to think of, or to be told about from sincere natives?


texts:
I have not seen the case of using the following expressions.

Is/Are there no problem?
Is/Aren't there (any) problems?

Is it possible to make "Is there" a negative question? There are too few Google search results that I got. Are these really used?


texts:
In a post, I wrote

Ngram Viewer shows an opposite result

Where I used it as a singular countable noun.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the use is grammatically correct. The question is whether it is natural. Should I use the plural form, as there are indeed multiple results?

Ngram Viewer shows some results

I'm not sure whether should I consider the result entirely to get a conclusion: which option is more common.


texts:
He turned to the right towards Capel Street. Ignatius Gallaher on
  the London Press! Who would have thought it possible eight years
  before? Still, now that he reviewed the past, Little Chandler could
  remember many signs of future greatness in his friend. People used
  to say that Ignatius Gallaher was wild Of course, he did mix with a
  rakish set of fellows at that time. drank freely and borrowed
  money on all sides. In the end he had got mixed up in some shady
  affair, some money transaction: at least, that was one version of his
  flight. But nobody denied him talent. There was always a certain...
  something in Ignatius Gallaher that impressed you in spite of
  yourself. Even when he was out at elbows and at his wits' end for
  money he kept up a bold face. Little Chandler remembered (and
  the remembrance brought a slight flush of pride to his cheek) one
  of Ignatius Gallaher's sayings when he was in a tight corner:

  "Half time now, boys," he used to say light-heartedly. "Where's my
  considering cap?"

  -- James Joyce, Dubliners

Does talent mean “people or a person with a natural ability to do something well (OALD)” in this context? If so, why isn’t there an article before it?


texts:
When there are three (or more) items in a list, you write it like this:

  The British flag has red, blue, and white.

But do you do the same for a list with two items, with a comma before the "and"?

  The Canadian flag has red, and white.

Or, just

  The Canadian flag has red and white.

Which one is correct? Do different context allow the different forms? Any help would be appreciated.


texts:
I do not fully understand the meaning of the underlined sentences.
In my view, if word GO is omitted, the sentence has the same meaning as previous, for example, The plate went crashing to the floor=The plate crashed to floor.
I think I am wrong, but not sure the difference between two sentences.


texts:
Can anybody please tell me what the difference between some and any is?

Here are two examples:

  Can you please give any advice on that?
  Can you please give some advice on that?


texts: The use of the prepositions "in" and "over" in the context of time

texts:
Tell me please if there is any difference in meaning between the following sentences.

  The team has been awarded more penalty kicks in the last 10 years than any other team.

  The team has been awarded more penalty kicks over the last 10 years than any other team.

Being a non-native English speaker it is undescribably hard to see any difference, so I doubt there is any.


texts:
Habituation is the decline in response to a specific stimulus over time, when that stimulus is repeatedly presented to the organism.

The prepositional phrase in response is adjective and modifies the decline,
to a specific stimulus is also an adjective prepositional phrase, and does it modifies response?

By the way, If the prepositional phrase is acting like an adjective , can it only modify the thing in front of it or can it modify something far from it?

Like the example above,
assuming that  "to a specific stimulus semantically modifies response"    isn't wrong,
grammatically, can to a specific stimulus modify the decline?


texts:
I was preparing answers for the speaking part of the IELTS exam. I used the Past Simple like this "many famous people lived in my country such as
..." (I am talking about the people who died and were famous) but the sentence seems wrong. Can I use the Past Simple without referring to any specific time or shiuld I use Present Perfect?


texts: Word for making a statement, consciously left open to interpretation while maintaining plausible deniability for any interpretation

texts:
As the title says: I'm looking for a single verb to describe the act of making a statement that is consciously left open to interpretation, with the purpose of instilling a certain interpretation within some people, while at the same time maintaining plausible deniability for that interpretation to others.

It's something politicians and other public figures tend to be good at. The direct motivation for me asking is that the act was recently covered in the satirical late-night show Last Week Tonight in a segment on Ivanka Drumpf. However, no term for it was mentioned.


texts: Is the usage of "in addition" correct in the following sentence?

texts:
Is the following usage of "in addition" correct?

  Michael Jordan is the best player among the "4 NBA Pillars", which in addition includes Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson.

The original sentence was phrased as follows:

  Michael Jordan is the best player among the "4 NBA Giants", the others being Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson.


texts: “It” vs. “them” difference between them as an anaphora?

texts:
Why if someone is knocking at a door, do we say:

Who is knocking at the door?
And the answer comes:

  It is me/him/her. Instead of saying: they are her/him/me.

On the other hands,

If someone is in my house, I would say:

  There is someone hiding in my house. please, get them out. Instead of saying : “get it out”.

What I want to know is:

Why do we use “it” as an anaphora for someone, in the first example?

However, we do use “them” as an anaphora in the second example given above?


texts: "Seeing the Grand Canyon was certainly____(an /some) experience." Is experience countable or uncountable? Should I use some or an?


texts: Which one is correct: 'may' or 'could' in the following sentences?

texts:
Modal verbs may be easy for native-speakers but for me (not native) choosing the right modal verb makes me crazy!

  My family {may/could} go camping this weekend, depending on the weather.
  You {may/could} fix the computer yourself if it's a simple problem.
  We {may/could} reach our house in an hour if we hurry up.

So, Which is correct? Why? And are these questions easy for you (native-speakers)? So tricky and confusing for me.


texts:
My questions:

I am not sure which is correct in the following context, among or between?.
Is it correct to use ; in this paragraph?. I do not want to use comma since it was used too many times.

In Nepal, there is a shortage of technology and funding to research deeply on adaptation to the new scenarios resulted from the interaction between climate, society, and water resources ; this is why natural catastrophes as that of 1989 continue to occur.


texts: Does 'Founded ,the club' mean 'The club,which was founded'?

texts:
"The club, which was founded 20 years ago, is more popular today than ever before."

If I express the above relative clause using past participle, which one is correct?

The club ,founded 20 years ago,  is more popular.. or
Founded 20 years ago, the club is more popular..?


texts:
[Batman has just fought off Scarecrow and a group of Batman wannabes]
Batman: Don't let me find you out here again.
Brian: We're trying to help you!
Batman: I don't need help.
Dr. Jonathan Crane: Not my diagnosis!
Brian: What gives you the right? What's the difference between you and
me?
[Batman lowers himself into the Batmobile]
Batman: I'm not wearing hockey pads!
-- The.Dark.Knight 2008

What's meant by Not my diagnosis in this context? I don't get it.


texts: Could anyone please shed light on the meaning of this sentence?

texts:
When he noted that civilization was a "vast edifice of sham, and the war, instead of its crumbling, was its fullest and most ultimate expression.

Although I almost know what the bold part or the sentence means, in fact, I am wondering what is the concept of the bold part- or, what is the relationship between the bold part and the whole sentence overall, semantically.

The "its" refers to "civilization", doesn't it?


texts: "Definitely require to" vs "Definitely required to"

texts:
If you believe that the world is divided into good guys and bad guys, then

  you are definitely need to refine your brain.

OR

  you are definitely require to refine your brain.

OR

  you are definitely required to refine your brain.

Could someone explain me which sentence is correct?

I think "you are definitely required(needed)..." sounds a different meaning because it is likely the second person is required(needed) by the speaker to refine the former's own brain, something similar to "You are hired!" or "You are needed!".

I have found over a million of usages in google with "you are definitely need to" but I am not sure if I can use "you are definitely require to" in that case.


texts:
"Their relationship was based on mutual respect"

Why do we always use "base on" in passive? Can we use it not in the passive?


texts: How to understand the phrase "pick me up in his van"?

texts:
The following sentence is from the Diary of a Wimpy kid 3:

  After swim practice, Rodrick would pick me up in his band's van.

I have two explanations for this sentence:

Rodrick will use his band's van to pick me up. The preposition "in" means using something as a way or a method.
Rodrick picked me up and let me stay in his band's van.

Which one is correct? How to parse this sentence?


texts: "It was a present" or "it is a present" in context?

texts:
Do I have to say it is a present or it was a present when a person owns something and they want to say that they were given the thing as a present. For example:

  Person A: When did you buy the tablet?

  Person B: I didn't. It is/was a present.

Is it even a natural response?


texts: A word/phrase for "the youngest child of a family"

texts: Is there an idiomatic word or phrase for the youngest child of a family? It may somewhat have a negative connotation since their parents usually infantilize them.


texts: Which noun would you use to complete this sentence?

texts:
The professor is always surrounded and approached by
  many students who would like to do research with him. He also seems to
  enjoy such __ very much, and doesn't like other students who don't surround and approach him as often.

Which noun would you used to fill in the blank, to summarize the behaviour of the students that often surround and approach the professor? Thanks!


texts: Does English have an expression for "Straw Enthusiasm"?

texts:
In Polish there's an expression Słomiany zapał which is a play on words, Straw enthusiasm and Straw going ablaze.

The idea is that straw burns with a very bright flame but the fire dies out very quickly. The fire is not sustaining and produces little heat in the long run. Following this metaphor, the expression describes a significant (and very common) vice of engaging in new projects with outstanding enthusiasm only to lose interest in them before they reach their fruition.

Is there any counterpart to this expression in English?


texts: top and bottom layers or top and bottom layer?

texts:
The tower will be constructed using stone and brick as bottom and top
  layer(s) respectively.

Let's suppose there are two layers. Which one is correct here, layer or layers?

According to ngram, out of these two options, "top and bottom layers" was more commonly used than "top and bottom layer". Is that correct?


texts: Why is the letter "e" removed when changing some word's verb form to its noun form?

texts:
I came across a word which was encumber.

Like this verb there are many words  whose noun forms don't include e in that place (before r in that word). Is there any reason behind it or is it just an accepted usage?

For example:

encumber -> encumbrance
hinder -> hindrance


texts:
Which of these would be better:

  I came here from England for my education

or:

  I came here for my education from England


texts: Why is it not idiomatic to say "there is a water leak in the ship"?

texts:
There is a water leak in the ship.

A native speaker told me that the above example is unidiomatic. Why is it not idiomatic to use the above example?


texts: Is "display" an initial-stress-derived noun?

texts:
I'm trying to find out if "display" is an initial-stress-derived noun, i.e. if it is pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable when used as noun and on the second syllable when used as verb.

It is not on the list on wikipedia, but the list claims to be incomplete. Wikipedia also claims that the list of affected words differs from area to area.

I pronounce it as initial-stress-derived noun, but have been corrected a couple of times by one other non-native speaker, who claims that it is always pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Who is right?


texts: Can we omit 'depending on' in 'depending on whether'?

texts:
In this sentence:

  The price varies, depending on whether you book by telephone or over
  the internet.

can we omit 'depending on' and just say

  The price varies, whether you book by telephone or over
  the internet.


texts: Is continuous tense simply whatever tense of "be" + gerund

texts:
In the sentence "He was running.", is this past continuous tense or is it "He was [noun].", where running, a gerund, acts as the noun? It seems much simpler to think of it was the latter, but is there any downside?
Also applies to all the continuous tenses, including perfect continuous: "He had been running." can also be thought of as "He had been [noun]."


texts: How to drop what follows "can (be)" to avoid repetition?

texts:
It is grammatical (I think) to say: "My sister can sing and I also can". But are there correct sentences among the following ones:

Some berries cannot be eaten raw, but blackberries can
Some berries cannot be eaten raw, but blackberries can be
Blackberries can be eaten raw, and blueberries also can
Blackberries can be eaten raw, and blueberries also can be


texts: We're a mile ahead of the restaurant already

texts:
My mom wants to stop at a restaurant. But we had already passed it. So my dad says:

  We're already a mile ahead of the restaurant.

Is the use of "ahead of the restaurant" natural?


texts: Why do we use had not have in had better while the meaning is present or future, not past?


texts: which word sounds natural? (common/usual/regular)

texts:
I google a lot about the meaning of these words, but I could not find out what is the best choice for my sentence?

kings decided in the dictator manner without listening to others' advice. Therefore, deciding quickly without consultation was ....(regular/common/usual)


texts:
Which one is more formal and suitable for an academic context?

Despite being elected to office, she remains first and foremost a writer.

In spite of being elected to office, she remains first and foremost a writer.


texts: The conjugations of two words change completely the meaning of them

texts:
Exist a phenomenon regarding when two words I know the definition when are conjugated means something utterly different, does exist a code that I do not understand native English speakers use to understand word conjugations like "given over" in this context?

I know what means given and over but the combination of the two doesn't click in my head until I search the definition.
Give = grant the right to someone to possess something and have it
Over = at the top
Give over =  to set apart for a particular purpose or use
Do I really need to remember each meaning conjugation?


texts: A and B gives or give? What should I use, singular or plural?

texts:
I want to express that fact A and fact B generate/produce/yield fact C.

However, I want to state that as "A, (together with B), [give/gives] C."

What should I use? Give or gives.


texts:
I was on my way to school and suddenly heard my friend, A, is calling out from a distance:

  Why are you going to school!

  Today is a holiday!

My friend is using two sentences to express this. But if I would like to express it in one sentence how am I to say?

Can I say:

  Why are you going to school as it's a holiday today.

Does it convey the meaning that I want?

Thanks in advance!


texts: Does either have the same meaning: "ther's no point (in)"/"it's no use"?

texts:
Having made a little research previously, made up my opinion that these constructions ("there's no point (in)"/"it's no use") are used in the same way, so that it'd be correct to say:

  There is no point in (it's no use) giving up at all.


texts: Using "thought" to imply a single instance of thinking (not recalling)

texts:
Can the past form of the verb "think" imply a single instance of thinking rather than a habitual way of thinking about something or someone?

I mean this, many times I heard such phrases like "In those days we thought that...", "For years humans thought that...", "I had always thought of him as of..." etc. In all these cases a certain way of thinking that has or had been there for a quite a lengthy period of time consisting of many days is implied. So, it's not like "it suddenly occurred to me", "then it dawned on me that", "at that moment it crossed my mind that...".

I know that such structure like "suddenly" + "thought" is quite common. For example, "Suddenly, I thought of Mary", but in this case it is more an act of recalling someone rather than thinking of someone in some new way.

So, would something like "When we first met and he said to me that he didn't like animals, I thought of him as of a tough guy" be idiomatic?


texts: You tap someone then they say: I saw you vs. I've seen you?

texts:
Imagine you are with your family and you are play with your child by quickly tapping their back. Now if the child has seen you moving should they say to you:

  I have seen you or I saw you

I feel, maybe from my watching experience, saw is the right response but then, does not this scenario better fit the present perfect because what is involved here is only the person who taps and the recent action, not the time (both parties know the time).

P.S. Now I could think of the game hide and seek as another example of this issue


texts: "If you can't love now, you're unable to love even later"

texts:
If you can't love now, you're unable to love even later.

Is the whole sentence and the use of "even" is grammatical here?


texts:
Mr. Louise was asking after the health of my brother who has been suffering from typhoid for the past few weeks.

I have a question about the bold part. Should it be has been or had been?

Case 1: When I'm telling this, it has been a few weeks of my brother's illness and Mr. Louise asked about him sometime during that period. So it would be has been suffering.

Case 2: Mr. Louise asked after his health when it was already few weeks past since the beginning of the ailment. So in this case it should be had been suffering.

Am I thinking right or not?


texts: What do you call the cones used to mark a field for sport activities?

texts: What do you call these cones used to mark a field for sports?


texts:
The quotation below is from Peter Benchley’s Jaws:

“…; the homeowners complained that bums were littering the beaches or disturbing the peace;”

I would like to know the meaning of “bums” in this context. Among its many senses I have found in dictionary, I couldn’t know which one to choose as the most appropriate for this particular context.


texts:
It sound like the tutorial is saying (a video link with a time stamp)

  you can
  completely line a room with foam

Does line mean "segment" here?


texts: What is the difference between the two sentence using auxiliary verb of different place?

texts:
There are two sentences.

You can possibly do this.
You possibly can do this.

I have heard that there are some differences in the two sentences using the auxiliary verb of the different place.
What is the difference between the two sentences in meaning?
Please, teach me.


texts: Can someone explain this joke about the Primer movie

texts:
There is a question on the Science Fiction & Fantasy SE:

  This request comes from a friend of mine...

  She has not seen the movie, but only heard somebody describe it to her. Can anybody help my friend by identifying the story?

One of the comments is:

  please note: identifying the movie may lead to your friend watching the movie, which may lead to your friend trying to figure out the movie, which is the opposite of helping.

Is it kind of a pun? Why is helping the friend identify the movie the opposite of helping? "Identifying the movie may lead to your friend watching the movie" seems very logical to me, it is exactly what she wants, isn't it?

I haven't watched this Primer, if it is important.


texts: "He had been raised a brave man... whom only a native woman made a good wife."

texts:
"Her only son had been raised a brave and respected gentleman in their community, whom only a native woman could make a good wife."

Please, could anyone tell me if this sentence is properly formulated?

My concerns are directed towards the "had been raised a brave and respected gentleman" more exactly the "raised a" part. Shall it be rather... "raised as a" or "raised into a".

As well, the formulation "only a native woman could make him a good wife" can it be rephrased in the above mentioned form, using whom (obviously for stylistic reasons and also for joining two sentences)?


texts:
What is the difference between these two sentences?

  1) If I were you I would not have let him go unhurt.

  2) If I were you I would not let him go unhurt.


texts: Using article "the" for guests and neighbours

texts:
May I check which of the below sentences are correct?
My nephew would become anxious when asked to introduce himself to THE guests and mingle with THE neighbors
or
My nephew would become anxious when asked to introduce himself to guests and mingle with neighbors
The decision on where to build the new homes to accommodate the increasing population will depend on a lot of other factors
or
The decision on where to build new homes to accommodate increasing population will depend on a lot of other factors
How to know "the" should be used in places as shown above? If yes, can explain me why?
I watch certain tutorials online like shown link1link2 and they give a set of rules but this example doesn't fall under any rule I guess
May I know how can I know whether to use "The" for this example or not?


texts:
The monster stands, transfixed, staring at the dead police officer. It
starts jerking at his body as if to check that he really is dead. It
then pulls him out of the chair and starts dragging him across the
floor.

The monster is half human half animal. The intended meaning is that the monster starts shaking the body without pulling it anywhere. Can I use "jerking" and should it be followed by "at"? Or does it sound like the monster can't control its hands?


texts:
The fans and the coaches had really low expectations of the English team which turned out to be a blessing to them.

Vs

  The fans and the coaches had really low expectations of the English team which turned out to be a blessing for them.

Which one is more correct? Blessings to / for?  And could anybody elaborate on when to use to and when use for in situations like these ?


texts: “He Loves.” A Complete Sentence, and Grammatical?

texts:
He loves.

I’ve read some things about intransitive verbs, recently. Can “He loves”. be thought of as a complete sentence, and grammatical?

And, can

  A wind comes.

and

  He has.

be thought of as complete sentences, and both grammatical?


texts: Help doing or Help to do or Help in doing

texts:
... I am sure you don't need any help coming up with new ideas.
  (It is from a tv-series. A is saying this to B ironically because B
  keeps coming up with absurd ideas all the time.)

Is this sentence grammatical as is? or Should it be rewritten as in:

  I am sure you don't need any help in coming up with new ideas.

  I am sure you don't need any help to come up with new ideas.


texts:
How to understand what tense construction must be used in the following case:

  He goes to London the next week.

Present simple is used, because it is plans for the next week.

But why we cannot say

  He'll go to London the next week.

Have a point of the sentence changed?


texts:
This question comes from this ELL post (about putting the word nonetheless at the end of a sentence).

Per Cambridge dictionary, "Nonetheless" should be in the form of one word.

So, is it unacceptable to use "none the less" in a formal expression?

Which one should I use in a formal expression?


texts: What is the difference (if any) between 'try and do something' and 'try to do something'? Do they mean the same thing? Are there any different connotations?


texts: I want as much as you (get)/I want the same as you (get)

texts:
(Two guys are talking money)
Guy 1: What do you want?
Guy 2: I want as much as you (get). / I want the same as you (get).
Is "get" necessary to include here or will the sentences be natural without?


texts:
What is the meaning of "bop the fizz" in this sentence?

What kind of question is it? "hey who wants to go for lunch?" is a different question from "hey could you bop the fizz for Bigclient?"

The sentence comes from https://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/150798 .

Am I correct to think it means "do the stuff"?
Can you use "bop" and "fizz" separately in some contexts where they would keep the meanings "do" and "stuff"? Examples, please.
How colloquial is this expression, especially comparing to "do the stuff"?
Is it characteristic only to some specific English-speaking countries?
Are there any synonyms besides "do" and "stuff" which are at least the same common to hear?


texts: Does the phrase "for your exigencies" sounds natural?

texts:
I faced the problem to find the proper word that could mean "for what you need to do" in this sentence:

  Skint is BYOD system, that means you are supposed to bring your own laptop in order to use the Skint system for your exigencies.

This is the part of the corporative usage guide so I want it to sound as formal as possible, but I am afraid I could use some archaisms.

What do you think?


texts:
"In my neighborhood in Pawtucket, it’s common to run into your neighbors on summer evenings."
-- Curt Columbus, The Importance of Neighbors - audio link

What is the pronunciation of the ‘aw’ in Pawtucket?

/ɔ/

/3 or ə/ (dictionary.reference.com: /pɔˈtʌkɪt/)

I hear (2). If that is so, does the dictionary reference have the wrong pronunciation? Or is there a pronunciation phenomena that /ɔ/ is changing into (2)?


texts:
Tim Cook (Apple CEO) tweeted 2 days ago:

This Transgender Day of Remembrance, we honor those whose lives were tragically stolen by bigotry and hatred. It’s only through love, acceptance and education that we can build a future where everyone is safe to live their truth.

The first sentence sounds rather abstract to me. Does "tragically stolen" here mean "died in the tragedy because being transgender had led to death in those days when some people harbored bigotry and hatred toward the transgenders and killed them"?


texts: Why not present perfect continuous in this case

texts:
Mary has walked to work everyday for the last 6 weeks.

Why not has been walking as it has happened continuously for the last 6 weeks and we can suppose it is a temporary thing

is it because of everyday that indicates the continuity of the action


texts:
Can someone of you tell me if the following sentences is the same meaning or not?

" After she came to Korea, she learned Korean.

She didn't learn Korean until she came to Korea. "

For me, they sound the same..


texts: The meaning of "come off" in "others came off work gangs"

texts:
Southam began injecting prisoners in June 1956 using HeLa cells that
  his colleague, Alice Moore, carried from New York to Ohio in a
  handbag. Sixty-five prisoners—murderers, embezzlers, robbers, and
  forgers—lined up on wooden benches for their injections. Some wore
  white hospital garb; others came off work gangs wearing blue
  dungarees.

— The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

What is the meaning of 'come off' here? Is 'work' an adjective?


texts:
“Weather remained largely ideal across the U.S. Corn Belt last week,
as the polar vortex swept cooler-than-normal temperatures into the
central Corn Belt just in time for pollination,” Morgan Stanley
analysts including Bennett Meier wrote in an e-mailed report today.
“Despite cooler temps, corn pollination accelerated last week.”
Corn for December delivery fell 0.6 percent to $3.8575 a bushel at
5:14 a.m. on the Chicago Board of Trade. Prices fell to $3.8025
yesterday, the lowest for a most-active contract since July 28, 2010,
before rebounding to close 0.9 percent higher. Corn entered a bear
market this month on prospects that a second straight bumper U.S.
harvest will boost global supply.
Soybeans for November delivery slid 0.6 percent to $10.7975 a bushel.
Prices advanced about 1 percent yesterday, snapping a 10-day decline.
The oilseed dropped to $10.65 on July 11, the lowest price since
October 2010.
-- Corn to Soybeans Decline as U.S. Crops in Best Shape Since 1994 [Source]

I think close is used here as an intransitive verb, the same as in 'shares in the company closed at 75 cents'. So why close 0.9 percent higher, not close by 0.9 percent higher? Is snap used figuratively here, meaning ‘to put an end to the downward trend'?
And why on prospects, not in prospects or with prospects? Since there's an appositive clause following prospects, I would think it should be the prospects.


texts: What do you usually do on your day-off? "I usually drive to work"

texts:
What do you usually do on your day-off?

A. I usually drive to work

B. I will sleep all day

C. I usually do not much

D. Nothing much. I always sleep until noon

This is one of the exercises from my handout.  According to the handout the correct answer is option “A”. I am puzzled. I think the correct answer should have been option “D”.

I truly appreciate your help.

Here is the input I got from my friend on why she thinks that option "A" is the correct choice.

"I think the question is in present tense, so the answer shouldn't be future tense as in option "B". It's not option "C" because in the sentence "do" is the the auxiliary (not after it to make a negative sentence.), but it has the adverb "much" while there is no verb".


texts: Is there any difference in meaning with the use of the definite article?

texts:
According to
http://amj.amegroups.com/article/view/4743/html
In the sentence,
"This study was designed to imagine the impact of the antioxidant metallothoinein (MT) on 'the' lipopolyssacharide (LPS)-induced cardiac contractile and intracellular Ca2+ dysfunction."
the study is referring to precisely the impact of MT on specifically the LPS induced ... dysfunction.
The author of the linked article says,
using the zero-article instead of the definite article before 'lipopolysaccharide', the meaning of the sentence becomes that this paper will be looking at how LPS-induced dysfunction will impact MT. So cant use the zero article.
Would you explain me why the definite article is required in the sentence?


texts: Are the commas in "The confusing unmatched bracket, and the fact that it is..." incorrect?

texts:
Are the commas in this sentence correct, and the comma before 'and'?
Is this not a dependent clause  followed by an independent clause thus no comma.

If you look at it as extra information within the commas it cannot be removed due to 'make' instead of makes. So I assume the comma is wrong ?

It sounds fine to read though, but I thought if you can't remove the bracketing information without it effecting the meaning of the sentence, something is wrong with the sentence.

This sentence:

  The confusing unmatched bracket, and the fact that it is a fragment rather than a whole sentence, make this hard to evaluate.


texts: I'm 20 years old, and he is 22 years old. 'I'm 2 years younger than him' is a right sentence. What about 'I'm 20 years younger than him' meaning I'm 20 years old, but I am younger than him.


texts: "I did a few mistakes" vs "I made a few mistakes"

texts:
What is the difference between:

  "I did a few mistakes."

and,

  "I made a few mistakes."

Are they the same or not?

My question is about the collocation: Can I use "made" for the word 'mistake' or not?


texts: Why there are two 'were's in one sentence?

texts:
But, as time went on, it became increasingly obvious that many of the programs were not available, and the ones that were were written in a particularly obscure form of BASIC.
(Probability Theory: The Logic of Science by E. T. Jaynes)

What is the effect of the first were in that were were written in and what is the effect of the second were?


texts: Difference between “most of the people” and “most people”

texts:
a. In this era, most of the young people are impatient and this leads to crime.

My teacher corrected to

  b. In this era, most young people are impatient and this leads to crime.

My question is, when to say “most of the young people”
and when to say “most young people”?

What is the difference?  When should I use most of the vs. most?


texts: What are the differences between "is", "does", and "has"?

texts:
The summer is not over.
  The summer does not over.
  The summer has not over.

What are the differences between using is, does, and has in these sentences? I've tried to find out but couldn't.


texts:
Send at once $3.00 for year's subscription to The Cosmopolitan, $1.00 for year's subscription to The Literary Northwest and 50 cents for a set of memoirs - $4.50 in all - to which add postage on the particular set of memoirs selected.

Source.

The noun, "memoir", is counted as a "set"?

We usually say, "She published a new memoir."


texts:
As you are well informed, in English, when it comes to an unpleasant repetitive event, as a protest or showing your disapproval, you can use the structure:

  Here we go (again.) [Where "again" is optional.]

Now please kindly help me with these questions:

I wonder if "there" can be replaced with "here" without any change in meaning.
Also, I need to know how can I sarcastically as a sign of surprise and disfavor make an interrogative sentence? I.e. can I say:

(There / here) we go again?
or
(There / here) she goes again?

Thank you.


texts: When imagine is followed by if-clause, what interpretation is supposed to be for this clause?

texts:
"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.
"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."
"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"
(Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

When if clause becomes the complement of imagine, is the clause supposed to be interpreted as imagine the assumed situation that they put me in Slytherin?


texts:
Can i use “paid” as an adjective while indicating an amount as is the case with the sentence below ?

  Plastic bag will be paid by 25 cent .

Or would it be better to say:

  Plastic bags will be charged at 25 cent.


texts: Do the verbs "come down to" and "amount to" have equivalent meanings?

texts: The sentence "When it comes down to it, it is not worth the money" has the same meaning as "What amounts to it, it is too expensive" ?


texts: Possessive apostrophe s and definite article

texts:
I wrote:

  The value can be a constant value (numbers or strings), a node’s attribute prefixed with @ symbol...

by a node's attribute I mean an attribute of the node. Did it mean what I expect? How to add "the" if necessary. Note in a node’s attribute, the node is not definite, while I mean a specific node!

The problem is that "a" is for attribute and "the" for node, and l need both of them.


texts: How to differentiate from French "Bon courage" and "Bonne chance" in English?

texts:
In French we distinguish Bon courage/Good courage and Bonne chance/Good luck. But we don't say "Good courage" in english. In English it seems like we say "Good luck" for both.

Although for me, as a French speaker, this distinction is important sometimes.

For example:

When someone tells you he is exhausted and he still has to work very late. To say "Good luck", to me, it sounds a bit strange or tricky. Like "good luck with that". And saying "be strong" sounds over made.

Is there a proper way to make this right in English?


texts:
Link to the YouTube video

Transcript:

  Alright. So, you're probably wondering what the difference between the float, the double and the long double is. Well, the float is the least precise, meaning that it can store the least amount of digits. The float can only store six digits to precision. So, that means that we can only store a number with six digits inside of any float variable.

How do you guys understand that? What exactly does that mean?


texts: What's the function of "that" in the following sentence?

texts:
Notice, that with this meaning, the word is an uncountable noun, so you can only say youth, not youths. (BBC)

Does "that" indicate that the whole part afterwards is the objective clause of the verb "notice"? But why there is a comma between "that" and "notice"?

Correct: only "that with this meaning, the word is an uncountable noun" is the object/complement of "notice".


texts:
This is from a children's book:

  Dazzling coral reefs are just a short distance offshore. Beginning snorkelers can swim without losing sight of land.

Does the second sentence mean:

a. Beginning snorkelers can swim here, as long as they don't swim too far away (not to lose sight of land), or

b. Even beginning snorkelers can swim to the coral reefs. Because it's a short distance they won't lose sight of land.


texts: "I'm saturated" is correct and equivalent to "I'm overwhelmed"?

texts:
Today I was talking to a class mate, and then I told him that we would have continued working tomorrow because today we're saturated, but then he told me: "we're overwhelmed".

Can I say "I'm saturated" to express the fact that I can't bear (btw is bear used correctly here?) something anymore? Is that expression even used? Since he lived in Canada for a few years, I guess "I'm overwhelmed" was correctly used for the situation to express frustration, stress and tiredness.


texts: "I made a request for a letter be sent to you" or "I made a request for a letter to be sent to you"?

texts:
I am more familiar with using the verb form of request with the imperative, e.g.:

  I requested that a letter be sent to you.

How should I phrase a sentence with the same meaning with the noun?

  I made a request for a letter be sent to you.

  I made a request for a letter to be sent to you.

  I made a request for a letter sent to you.


texts: How to ask for a sequence of detailed steps guidance clearly and politely?

texts:
I asked a question just now.

  Please give a specific setting path, from which menu command to submenu command.

I am worried about if I say it clearly and politely.

I meant to express that something like a sequence of detailed steps, something like the following

Clicking the menu command A1
Clicking the menu command A1.1


texts: How to refer to something that makes "noise" where "noisy X" means "unwanted X"

texts:
I wrote

  As another example, the existing techniques usually ignore noisy elements  inside a block that is classified as content. Examples of such elements are embedded advertisements, link to related articles and short snippets or instructions inside a block.

As I checked noisy means someone who makes a lot of noise. Then I look for a word for extra or redundant elements. What are the common words and phrases?


texts:
There is a bridge on the drainage in bad condition.

My child and I walk by.

He wanted to cross the bridge.

"No, it was broken. Don't go there."

What is the exact word to used to describe to condition of the bridge?


texts: What is the correct word-order for the title of a study?

texts:
We have a study about the effects of overcrowding management on patient safety in the emergency department of a hospital.This management is based on a stabilization model.
Now I want to write the title of the paper, but a problem occurs. Which one of the following (or any more suggestion) seems to be more preferable?

  The effects of overcrowding management based on the stabilization model on patient safety in the emergency department: a clinical trial

or

  The effects of stabilization model-based overcrowding management on patient safety in the emergency department: a clinical trial


texts: Why does "Debut" represent the date they played their first match?

texts:
In football, DoB stands for "Date of Birth", which is easy to understand.

On the other hand, "Debut" represent the date they played their first match, why is that? Is that a combination of first letters of some other words? What are they?


texts:
Do these three idioms mean the same thing?

  "to take a stand"

  "to take a side"

  "to take a position"

The context is this: "Wikipedia should not take a side but just share with the readers the different opinions objectively."


texts: solving problems with bed head -- with bed head?

texts:
Source: CompTIA Linux+ Certification Study Guide by Robb H. Tracy (2008)

Example:

  It never fails that a major issue manifests itself while you're away
  at a conference, on vacation, or at home asleep. Without a remote access solution in place, you have to change out of your pajamas, drive in to work, slap yourself three or four times to stay awake, and fix the problem. What a waste of time! It's often said that Linux administrators are more effective at solving problems with bed head while wearing pajamas.

I don't think I fully understand what it's saying. If it means what I think it means, that is, Linux sysadmins are better at solving problems when their hair is untidy, then I don't understand why there is no indefinite article in front of bed head. Why isn't it written as with a bed head. After all, we do say "with a clear head", don't we?


texts:
In a synonym dictionary, I came across the word "inspirit", which is said to mean "enliven".
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/inspirit

However, then I stumbled across the word "enspirit".

I want to ask is this a difference between British and American English, or are there slight, subtle differences in the meanings to these two words?


texts:
I am struggling to understand this. Let's imagine that it's been over 10 years since I started working on something and I want to say that. For me, the following comes to mind:

  I have over 10 years of experience on..

I ask that because most of my searches on google about this ended up with results pointing that this is the case more used:

  I have over 10 years experience on...

Is the first situation incorrect? Can I use both cases? Which is the one more accepted grammatically (for English tests purpose)? Can someone explain me why?

Thanks a lot.


texts:
In official announcements I often hear the phrase "at all times" like in:

Please, keep your seat belts fastened at all times during the flight.

I was looking at ways I can use it and dictionaries say that it means "always" or "continuously", I was looking at examples Longman gave and couldn't understand how "at all times" could mean either of those in these sentences:

He measured CO2 at all times of the day and night. (Here it should mean within)
Neighbours say the animals bark incessantly at all times of the day and night. (Here it should mean throughout)
To help other people at all times. (Here it should mean constantly)
Now she had to consider another person's wishes at all times. (Here it should be everytime)


texts: The reason why these prepositions here are used and why "be" form is used in this youtube information passage

texts:
sentence A: Many YouTube videos will play using HTML5 in supported browsers.

    sentence B: You can request that the HTML5 player be used if your browser doesn't use it by default.

Hello.
The above passage is from a youtube page.
I made the words bold which I am about to ask about.

I have 3 question about that passage.

Question 1)
In the sentence A, doesn't the part "using~" mean a method or a way of playing?
Then, why is "by using" not used instead of "using" there?

Question 2)
In the sentence B, why is "be" used instead of just "is"?
Is there any word omitted before "be", for example, "should" or "may"?
I wish to get an explanation about this.

Question 3)
In the sentence B, why is "by" used before "default"?
I think "as" or "for" are much more appropriate to it.
Or all of them are usuable here?

P.S.
I always thank you so much for your sincere, brilliant helps.
Even a very short, simple explanation is very helpful to me.


texts:
I have two sentences. I would like to know which one is correct.
Please help me to understand.

  "Is the apartment is still available to rent?"
  "Does the apartment is still available to rent?"


texts: What is a very general term or phrase for a course that is not online?

texts:
I'm trying to find the most general term or phrase for the opposite of "online course". When a course is not online, but in a classroom, or anywhere else people interact in the same place, not through a computer, how would I call it?
I'm translating some words used in messages and labels in a e-learning web application used by companies. So, I'm trying to find the right answer for a course, instead of online, took in a classroom or any corporate environment. I choose "Face-to-Face", but don't know if it's the best.


texts:
I have some difficulty in comprehending the meaning of the following quote from an article in Huffington Post

  But for many people, getting better sleep may not be so much a question of getting rid of noise as a question of replacing it with better noise.

My guess:
Getting better sleep is a question of replacing it with better noise. And the question of getting rid of noise is much less important.

The sentence structure in the quote is quite hard for me to understand at first sight. Could anyone provide more insight?


texts: Some people who hate noise should not live in the city. In the attributive clause, who refers to ‘some people’ or ‘people’？

texts:
Some people who hate noise should not live in the city.

In the attributive clause, who refers to some people or people？ Or both have the opportunity?


texts: Using "get" in affirmative and question sentences

texts:
Sometimes I come across the sentences with get in strange (for me) place. For example:

  Does it get boring wearing the same clothes every day?

Why get is here? Can I say different way?

One more example with affirmative sentence I don't understand the difference between:

  This question is likely to get closed.
  This question is likely going to be closed

I'm wondering is there any difference and where should I use "get" such way in affirmative and question sentences?


texts:
When I checked out answers for this question, one of the answers starts by saying :

  While those might mean the same for the laymen, from a medical point
  of view, there is a difference between illness and sickness.

I don't mean, is this sentence offensive; people don't have to know the difference from the medical point of view. But can this word be used in a offensive way to refer to a theory which says most of the people in a country are uneducated and don't care about much what going on around the world is?

How about my sentences– are they correct (no offense intended)

  The laymen in Europe can't say the difference between the Council of Europe  and the  European Council.

  This new tax policy mostly effects a layman's life in bad way, not nobles.

Can layman be replaced with "ordinary people on the street"?


texts: What is the noun phrase whose head is "China"?

texts: What is the noun phrase whose head is China in the sentence "It looks a lot like the China May and I used to see in movies brought to Shanghai from Hollywood."


texts:
A number of people take a show once a day.

'number' is an agent noun of the verb or 'people' is an agent noun of the verb? 'number' means amount but is the subject so I'm confusing.


texts:
My sister had become a zombie and I wasn't far from that condition
  too. So in this particular state she once asked me to feed the babies
  milk while she goes off for a rejuvenating bath. I nodded half asleep.
  Few moments later I heard one of the baby crying. I reached for the
  bottle and put it in his mouth. Dazed I vowed mentally to never
  get married.

Does "mentally" here mean "silently"?
Is "to vow mentally" used in the formal or informal language?


texts:
There are striking parallels between the longevity dividend now in prospect and the gender dividend that became available when many more women started to enter the labour market in the 1970s.
  (from :
  https://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21724750-how-make-most-ageing-populations-joys-living-100)

I guess the sentence means the change of "longevity dividend" and "gender dividend" looks similar. I understand "longevity dividend" means lifespan, and "gender dividend" means the portion of women in jobs. Does it right?


texts:
I really often see phrases when after pronoun or someone's name follow infinitive. Examples:

Alex to confirm with Dan
I to make a text
Peter to develop a code

What does it mean? Is there should be some verb before infinitive? Does some rule exist?

Thank you for help!


texts:
1
The graduate student had nothing in mind except finishing his thesis.
2
The mason will not do any work except giving the order.
Both sentences use -ing of verb finish and give. I know these sentences are grammatically correct.
But I have two doubt here.
1.
What if we use infinitive after except "The mason will not do any work except to give the order". Does the use of infinitive makes it incorrect?

Are these Participle finishing and giving used as a gerund or as a noun?


texts:
Suddenly, three cats went out from behind the trash bins, the black, the white and the gray.

  Ray tried to run away, but the three cats surrounded him.

  "What a little mouse," said the black cat.

  "What a brown, little mouse,"  muttered the white cat.

  "What a coward, brown little mouse," shouted the gray cat.

  The three cats started laughing. Ray took advantage of their laughing and run away to his small hole.

Is took advantage of properly used in the above? or should I replace it with another word (e.g. exploit)?

Update:

I think this expression (took advantage of) doesn't used properly in the above statement because (as appear in the below definition) sometimes it has bad intentions meaning. and Ray don't has bad intentions, He just want to escape.

  take advantage of sth:
  1. to use the good things in a situation.
  2. to treat someone badly in order to get something good from them


texts: Choosing the right word : studying or working?

texts:
This question about when to choose the word work or study:

  Situation 1:

    Adam: "Hey, are you up to going out?"

    Jamie : "Well I wish but I can't. Sorry. Since I have to finish and hand in my project by Monday, I have to study/work for the next few days. Thank you, though."

  Situation 2:

    Jamie's Mother: "Thank you for coming, aunt Beth."

    Aunt  Beth: "It is nice to see you again. So where is Jamie? I haven't seen
    him for ages. He must be a man now."

    Jamie's Mother: "Well Jamie is not at home. He went to Boston. He is studying medicine."

Probably we can use the word work in the Situation 1, but for me when I say "I am working" it sounds like I am using  my body more than my brain. A professor could be working in his/her room I think but it sounds more professional again for me.

So my question is that if both conversations are ok and if we use the word work Would there be a difference in terms of meaning?


texts: Can I say a sentence make sense? And How do I say its comparative degree?

texts:
When I ask the question I find this
Does this sentences make sense?
So, I think we can say a sentence make sense. Then how do we say more "make sense"?
For example, there are 2 sentences about "with concerns".

Racism against Asians is becoming more entrenched in Canada, with
concerns perhaps the sharpest in British Columbia, the country’s
westernmost province known for its diverse Asian communities.

It targets digital users with concerns about unexpected death.

I feel the sencond one is more "make sense" than the first one for using of "with concers".


texts: Is the phrase "Hit-And-Trial" equivalent to "Trial and error"?

texts:
I recall that the phrase "Hit-and-Trial" means "Trial And Error", that is to guess a solution and see if it is valid or not.

I've only a vague memory of reading it in some chemistry book where it was a method for balancing chemical equations. I also found this phrase in a question title on Math.SE :

  Solving questions which appear to be pure hit-and-trial.

The user seems to be English. When I search this phrase on Google I get "Trial and error" related links.

The problem is that I could not find any authoritative reference which mentions the meaning of "Hit-and-Trial". So please tell me if it means "Trial And Error" or not.


texts: "represent ... by" expression to describe a graph axis

texts:
Please consider the following sentence:

  The bar graph represents literacy rates by country in 1990 and 2000
  across six different countries for men and women.

Does using "represents ... by" to describe one of the graph axes sound natural? I have not see such a structure before.


texts: Is it rude to say "I'd appreciate if you could reply as soon as possible"?

texts:
Recently I have emailed my teacher and asked for my transcript. I've thought that I asked for it politely, but my teacher emailed me back that he was currently busy and "your tone was quite rude"

I discussed this with my friend and she said "I would appreciate if you could reply as soon as possible" could've sounded rude.

I thought I was being formal and polite. Does this sound "quite rude"?


texts: Difference between anthropometric and anthropometrical

texts:
I came across the words anthropometric and anthropometrical in the context of clinical studies.
According to en.wiktionary.org, both are adjectives and they are explained as follows:

  anthropometric = "of, or relating to anthropometry"

  anthropometrical = "Pertaining to anthropometry"

To me this sounds pretty similar.

What exactly is the difference between them?
Could I replace one by the other in all cases?
Is there a subtle difference in their meaning that I did not get?
Or is there maybe a difference in usage (e.g. one is more colloquial; one is more frequent in the UK; one is only used in certain context, etc.)?


texts:
My question was edited just now. The editor pointed out that:

  fixing grammar ("toppest" is not a word; I'm guessing you mean "uppermost")

But I find it does exist after searching: it's in Urban Dictionary. Thesaurus.com also tells me toppest exists.

Then, I searched in my local dictionaries, and strangely, nothing about toppest is found.

My Chrome plugin Grammarly also tells me toppest is not a word and wants to change it to most top:

Who is correct?
If toppest exists, how is it different from uppermost?


texts: Can "Got" be used instead of "Do you have"?

texts:
Jeff Kramer: Got any green beans?

  Counter Help: Sure do. Nice and fresh. Do you want mashed potato or French fries?

Source.

I guess in the above context "Got" means "Do you have". Am I right? If so, is that usage of "Got" common in English?

And I think in the above context "Sure do" means "Sure we do". Am I right?


texts: What is the difference between "both" and "both the"?

texts:
Is there any difference between both and both the? For example:

  Both students passed the exam.

  Both the students passed the exam.

  Both windows are open.

  Both the windows are open.


texts: could you define " strip" and "ground zero" and "dirt" in this text, please?

texts:
Harwin has many strip malls with discount shops and wholesale warehouses. Allison Wollam said that the street has a "bargain mile" image among Houstonians (Houston citizens). The Houston Press stated that Harwin was "Houston's shadiest and quirkiest shopping hot spot."

Jenalia Moreno of the Houston Chronicle said that Harwin was "a strip  known by local fashionistas as ground zero for affordable purses, clothing, shoes and jewelry." Moreno also said "If you want name-brand purses, designer sunglasses or other accessories at dirt cheap prices, Houstonians know to hit shops lining Harwin Drive. Consumers buy the goods thinking they're getting a sweet deal — or just give a wink and a nod knowing the products could be fake.


texts:
I saw this sentence on an exam paper: "I'm looking forward for your letter".

I think it's wrong. It should be "I'm looking forward to your letter". I searched on the web. I did find someone said 'look forward for' is possible. So, I'm not so clear about it now. Any thoughts?


texts: Difference between "with the time" and "over the time"

texts:
The situation will get better "with the time".
The situation will get better "over the time".

Frequently, I am encompassing these words. Confused!!


texts:
When making a presentation or writing a essay, I often use words such as "First,...Second,...Third,...Finally,..." .

Could you tell me better words to paragraph sentences?


texts: How to talk about closure of videos, and TV?

texts:
I feel that the word close is used with something which has lid or doors.

Can I say close the TV?
Can I say close the videos?

If not, then what is the proper way to talk about them?


texts:
Consider the following phrases (someone is talking with a friend who is challenging some mobsters):

  If you are not careful, they will catch you.

or

  If you don't be careful, they will catch you.

Is the second option acceptable or usual?
Are they both in according with grammar rules?


texts: "Long-lasted" or "long-lasting" in the mentioned context?

texts:
Individualism lasted from the ancient times to 3 decades ago. Now, should we say

  long-lasted individualism in philosophy

or

  long-lasting individualism in philosophy

The fact that individualism is not lasting anymore makes me think that "long-lasting" is not correct. But then it seems that "long-lasted" is not idiomatic.


texts: Why is the head master not The Head Master?

texts:
Head Master is the Head of an Institute.We usually write The Principal in upper case.

Why is the word head master written in a lower case.


texts: When if-clause is removable in second conditional sentences?

texts:
I know that if a second conditional sentence is about an advise we can remove if-clause. for example:

If I were you, I would by a new phone -> I would buy a new phone

but what about hypotheticals and desires. for example it is possible to remove if-clause in below sentences?

If I were rich, I would buy a big house.
If I eat everything, I would get fat.


texts: Preposition for dialog box, form, display, interface

texts:
I wrote this sentence

  The software consists of a graphical user interface (by /in /on/ through/ using) which the user (performs/ takes/ does) some spelling tests on a given list of words.

The bold words are those that I don't know the suitable one.

What is the correct preposition for things done through a software user interface (Ironically, I myself use through in this sentence of question)


texts: Can nouns license their complements to be followed?

texts:
The spying row between Australia and Indonesia shows no sign of easing, and overnight a powerful minister within the Indonesian government said talks about any future cooperation on asylum seekers have also been suspended, throwing the Abbott Government's turn-back the boats policy into disarray. (ABC.net.au)

It seems like turn-back is a noun. But what I’m wondering is whether nouns can license complements, in this case ‘the boats’, to be followed like intransitive verbs?


texts: Should I use "the rest is" or "the rest are" in the following sentence?

texts:
After eating the sausages, Mary pointed at the cherry tomatoes and
  smashed potatoes and said, "I bet the rest is/are tasty too."

Should it be are or is this case? To me is sounds more natural but are sounds more logical because there "rest" consists of two items?


texts: "Close of losing" or "Close to losing" or something else?

texts:
I want to say something like:

  No one else could be this close of losing the race.

Is it grammatically correct?


texts: Is there a rule to decide whether I should put a determiner before the countable noun "batch"?

texts:
I guess cardinal numbers can be used as determiners, like this example

We looked at the job applications in two batches.

which seems more natural than another variant

We looked at the job applications in batch.

However, some situations prefer to use "batch" without determiners, like this one

However, sometimes you need to create a large number of users or import usernames from a text file. You can use newusers command, which update and create new users in batch.

Is there a rule I can follow to decide whether I should put a determiner before the countable noun "batch", to distiguish those two situations quoted above?


texts: ommiting articles before the expression "rock bottom"

texts:
Can anyone tell me why an article is left out before the expression "rock bottom" despite the word "bottom" being a countable noun? For example:

  My sport career has fallen down to rock bottom.

Would it not be better to insert the article a?


texts:
I read the following sentence in my grammar

  Similarly there are other adverbs which which are also compounds of some a Preposition and a Noun

  example - besides, betimes, today, overboard

I think the bold part is not grammatical. Somebody help me understand this


texts:
Consider that parents whose son is leaving home for the college say to their son:

  Please keep on keep in touch with us when you get to the college.

Is this sentence idiomatic?

How do we say naturally that we want to keep in touch continuously?


texts: What tenses are used in the sentence "He needn't have been anxious though"?

texts: I have found this sentence in a text book so I suppose it's correct, but I'm a bit confused. I thought that when the verb "need" is used as a modal verb it must be followed by a verb in base form.


texts: Introduce your self, is the `could` usage appropriate?

texts:
I was reading the following introduce yourself text while the usage of could cought my attention:

  My name is John. I'm from Russia. My family lives there, in a small city in the south, almost in the border with China.
  I lived part of my life there and part in italy.
  And I came to China this year to study in Peking University, where I'm doing Master in Engineering.
  Here in China I still didn't traveled so much but I visited some famous places in Beijing.
  I was in the Great Wall, in the Temple of Heaven and also visited Forbiden City.
  I'm learning Chinese here and it will be great if I could teach English also.

In the last phrase, shouldn't be better to use "can" instead of "could"?


texts: The meaning of "to the end of days" in this sentence

texts:
Other projects...: Riprore, which focuses on the heart of gangland Los Angeles, where a gruesome discovery sparks a frenetic homicide investigation, but underneath the surface lurks a darkness that leads to the end of days. (source)

My first thought is that "the end of days" refers to doomsday, the end of the world. The sentence talks of a darkness which is destructive and which dooms the city/world.

However, a The Free Dictionary page defines "to the end of days" as forever. By this definition, the sentence means that the darkness is forever and perpetual. Which understanding is correct?


texts: especially + noun at the end of the sentence

texts:
Data shows a rise of problems with mental health due to the internet, especially social media.

Is such construction proper?


texts: Which is the correct gerund clause? 'People's killing animals', or 'People killing animals ... '?

texts:
Which is the correct gerund clause that should be used here?

People killing animals is a bad thing.. or
People's killing animals is a bad thing..
John being late is a bit inconvenient. or
John's being late is a bit inconvenient.

(At the beginning of sentence,Is the subject before the gerund expressed as a possessive noun?)


texts: Why do native speakers use "vent your anger" rather than "erase your anger"?

texts:
Today, I learnt a new phrase:

  vent your anger

That means calm someone down.

But I am confused because the word erase also means make something disappear, so I am wondering if the word vent could be replaced by the word erase?


texts: present progressive impossible with "when"

texts:
Could you explain me why "is cooking" is a wrong answer

  Who is cooking food in your family when your Mom is away? (Incorrect)
  Who cooks food in your family when your Mom is away? (Correct)

If I consider that his or her mom is almost aways at home, so it does not happen very often.
Maybe with when you must have short action so past simple is needed


texts:
The original sentence:

  Unless suitable on other grounds oilfields have not become industrial
  regions; on the contrary the oil industry is marked by a certain
  amount of smell and an element of danger, hence the siting of
  refineries at a distance from population centres.

Is there an "is" in the last part if fully spelled out?

  Unless suitable on other grounds oilfields have not become industrial
  regions; on the contrary the oil industry is marked by a certain
  amount of smell and an element of danger, hence the siting of
  refineries [is] at a distance from population centres.


texts: Alice, who has worked in Brussels and London "ever" since leaving Edinburgh

texts:
Alice, who has worked in Brussels and London ever since leaving Edinburgh, will be starting a teaching course in the autumn.

what does the meaning that the word "ever" added to the above sentence? does the meaning change if we omit it?

Update:

I already checked "ever" meaning in the dictionary. but when I remove the word the sentence sounds the same meaning. as I know, present perfect means: since that time until now. so I think (not sure) no need for "ever" word.


texts: Using "will" vs "would" to express (desire/willingness) in the present

texts:
If I'm in the present time and I'm trying to open the door using the key that doesn't want to go inside the lock. Should I say:
1- The key wouldn't go in.
2- They key won't go in.


texts:
I looked up the adverb “hardly” in a dictionary and there was a sentence as an example:

“The play was so boring, I could hardly keep myself from falling asleep.”

In the above sentence, “hardly” means “almost not”, based on the dictionary. Yet in my grammar textbook it is stated that some adverbs which come in the middle of sentence, usually come between the auxiliary verb and the main verb, if we have an auxiliary verb. For example:

"You've always been very kind to me."

I wondered if it is possible to paraphrase the sentence as follows:

“The play was so boring, I couldn’t almost keep myself from falling asleep.”

I think the later sentence is wrong grammatically, but I don’t know why. Is the later sentence correct? If not, why?


texts:
I was wondering if "An" should be used with obligatory or "A". I understand that since obligatory begins with a vowel I should use "An" but I see people are using "A" more frequently than "An"

To me "A obligatory like" sounds right, as in "a Facebook like".

Also .. Is "and a obligatory comment" correct or is it "and an obligatory comment" ?


texts:
In the following passage:

Understanding what heuristics people use to make these essential metacognitive judgments is essential if we are to understand how people gain and maintain a sense of agency, and, in what that sense consists.

What does "in what" or "in what that sense" mean?
Is it correct grammar to write "in what that sense consists"?


texts: Yet another simple past tense versus past perfect tense question

texts:
The sentence in question:

  Thomas was not sure how it [had] happened. There was no explanation for the preceding events; in fact there was no proof they [had] even occurred. He [had] not witnessed them, but [had] lived in their aftermath.

What is the difference in meaning between the sentences above and the ones below:

  Thomas was not sure how it happened. There was no explanation for the preceding events; in fact there was no proof they even occurred. He did not witness them, but lived in their aftermath.


texts: Are you completely sure anything you have done [is/has been] of your own free will?

texts:
Are you completely sure anything you have done is of your own free
  will?

  Are you completely sure anything you have done has been of your own
  free will?

Might I trouble you to tell me whether both of them is grammatical or not?


texts:
This site says:

We can say "On/in a TV show".

A British English textbook says "In the TV show".

Ngram says there are more "On a TV show" than "In a TV show".

Which one is correct? "On a TV show" or "In a TV show"?

So, American says "On a TV show"? & British says "In a TV show".

There are more Americans than British people & that is why "On a TV show" is more popular, right?


texts: Would a person telling me what he did understand "You did what?" as a request to repeat what he did?

texts:
In Italian, if somebody told me what they did, and I would say Hai fatto cosa? (You did what?), it would be probably understood as I am asking to repeat what they did.

How would You did what? be understood, in English?


texts: Usage of 'having been' 'commas (,)' and 'ensure'

texts:
I recently read this paragraph on a website (https://taiwancanhelp.us), but I'm a bit confused about if the grammar is correct in these two sentences:

"Taiwan, having been isolated from the World Health Organization, knows."

The author used 'having been' in this sentence, even though this status is still true now (being isolated from the WHO).

I thought 'having been' is used to describe something that happened in the past, but no longer in the present?

In this case, shouldn't the sentence be "Taiwan, who has always been isolated from the WHO, knows."?

Or can 'having been' be used in this context, even though what it's describing is still a fact in the present time?

"That is why we are contributing to international efforts by sharing how we have contained the outbreak, kept our schools and businesses open, and ensured masks for all."

This sentence also confused me a bit. The context of this sentence is saying that Taiwan is sharing its strategy with others on how the country has contained the outbreak without shutting schools and businesses, and how the country can secure the quantity of masks for its citizens.

Instead of using a comma, would '...how we have contained the outbreak while keeping our schools and businesses open' or '...how we have contained the outbreak without shutting our schools and businesses' suit the context better? (or not making any difference?)

Also, I find 'ensured masks for all' a bit odd to read. Somehow it feels like some info is missing... I do understand that the author might want to keep the sentence as short as possible for better reading experience, but somehow it sounds strange to me while reading.

Is this a correct usage of the term 'ensure'? If not, how can the sentence be improved?

Ps. This website is a crowd-funded campaign in Taiwan, so I've read the original Mandarin content before it was translated into English (making it hard for me to judge if the grammar will affect people's understanding of the context). I'm just very curious about if the grammar of these two sentences are correct, and if not, will this kind of minor errors affect people's understanding of the context?

Thank you in advance! Hope everyone is safe and sound. :)


texts:
I am having a hard time deciding which tense is perfect with ever. The following are some examples.

1- It is the best goal I have ever seen.

2- It is the best goal I ever saw.

I usually use 'ever' with the present perfect tense. But there are quite a large number of sentences using 'ever' with simple past tense. Is it a difference between British english and American english?


texts:
I saw a train approaching the station. I wanted to tell my friends be ready with their bags to get into the train.
I said:

  Train arrived be ready.

Afterwards I realised that "Train arrived" is past tense which is incorrect to use in present tense.
Should I have said this?

  Train arrives be ready

Please help me with my example I know other option s to say .


texts: "moreover" vs "likewise" vs "in addittion" vs "furthermore" vs "as well" vs "also", When should I use each one?

texts:
While studying I came across this group of adverbs and all seems to mean the same, is there some rule or common usage to know when to use at least some of them?

moreover
likewise
in addition
furthermore
as well
also


texts:
From here:

"With Hurricane Irma’s eye set on the Georgia coast on Thursday, 19-year-old Georgia Southern sophomore Jessica Lewis was getting out of dodge and heading home to Atlanta."

At first I thought it was Dodge, referring to the car make. But the initial "d" is not capitalized. Plus, it would have been "her Dodge".

The noun "dodge" means a cunning move to avoid something, so how could someone "get out of dodge", where dodge is a non-count noun.


texts:
Let's look at the context.
Would you go if she called you?
Yeah. I might go.
Is it correct to use 'might' here rather than 'might have'? I think here 'might' is used as the past form of 'may'. Right?


texts: Is using 'yourselves' in this sentence grammatically correct?

texts:
Even among yourselves there will surely be differences and variances.

Or should I use 'you' here?


texts: Can 'to think' be an ordinary monotransitive verb?

texts:
(Per p  78, A Student's Introduction to English Grammar (2005), by Huddleston & Pullum)
 'ordinary monotransitive' means this structure:
Subject-Predicate-Direct Object-Predicative Complement.

Source: pp 158-159, The Cambridge Companion to Anselm, by Brian Davies, Brian Leftow

  What Anselm describes himself as looking for here[,]
   he believed he had found[,]
  when reflecting on the idea that
  [1.] God is "something than which
  nothing greater can be thought"
  (aliquid quo maius nihil cogitari
  potest). This formula appears early in Proslogion 2, and it dominates
  the discussion to the end of the work.

The bold looks wrong. Should thought  be replaced with a preposition verb or particle verb
(eg thought ABOUT or thought OF)?
Why or why not?

To eliminate the relative clause from the sentence, rewrite [1.] as follows:

2. Nothing greater can be thought something than God.

[2] is wrong. So how's [1] right?

Afterword: I first encountered this syntax here.


texts: How can I apply inversions to sentences that include "because"?

texts:
Which of the following sentences is correct?

Because did I love the dinner, I ate it to my full

Or

Because I loved the dinner, did I ate it to my full


texts: What do you call it when someone searches through your stuff?

texts:
This is one of the things that I don't really know the proper name for, because I've never heard anyone say it, but I know how to explain it.

Let's say a toddler is searching through your backpack, then you tell him:

  Stop -blank- my things!

Can you guys provide more than one expression?


texts: What is the meaning of "leading votes" in the following figure?

texts:
What is the meaning of "leading votes" in "Prop. of Leading Votes Among Eligible Voters" in the following figure?

Is "leading votes" used to tell the number of votes they have obtained in a vote? Or, is "leading votes" used when they are ahead of the vote?

What does  "Prop. of Leading Votes Among Eligible Voters" mean?

(Source: Frauds in the Korea 2020 Parliamentary Election by Walter R. Mebane, Jr. )


texts:
I wonder what would call someone who seems to be unhappy and a bit sad in informal English?
In the state in my question, the person doesn't show tendency in talking to the surrounding people and keeps silent and is quite visible from their appearance (comparing their normal status) that they feel sad or at least not in the mood!

  Example:
  A) What's wrong with you Paul?! Are you OK?
  B) I'm OK mom! (said Paul unhappily.)
  A) But I don't think so son! You look a bit..................

I know two similar terms which based on published definitions can be used properly and interchangeably in this sense. I would appreciate it if you could let me know what do you think about them and how do they sound to you here and in general.

a. down in the mouth.
b. blue.


texts: "The human whose name is written in this note shall die" Is this correct English?

texts:
The English sentence in the title is the quote from the famous Japanese Manga, Death note. Although I am a non-native speaker of English, the English sounds somehow wrong to me. Should "the note" in the sentence be "the notebook"?
How does it sound to you guys?


texts: Can the term "vicinity" become the subject?

texts:
I know that the term "vicinity" is usually used in the form of "in the vicinity of...".  I would like to know whether the term "vicinity" can be used alone without a preposition, for example, as follows:

  The vicinity of my house is under construction.
  The vicinity of your right eye is swollen.


texts: What that means by "I am willing to try the code as is"?

texts:
My colleague and I have been working on a software project. I recently proposed some changes to the code base and requested for his review. He then added some comments as below:

  Now that I see you have created the "keys" list, I can see that the list having items erased from it is not the one being iterated on. I am willing to try the code as is.

The first sentence simply means he now understands the changes that I have made. But I am not sure what the later sentence means. Does it mean he agrees with the changes or does he want to keep the original code?


texts: Glasses referred to as "it", i.e. singular, by a native speaker of English

texts:
I've been taught that glasses (as in spectacles i.e. visual aid) are plural. It's also confirmed by numerous hits on the google (reference 1,
reference 2,
reference 3). In case the multiplicity of the equipment needs to be explicitly emphasized, one can say five pairs of glasses or simply reformulate in an appropriate way.
However, in the movie Come As You Are (about 45'15" in), the following dialogue takes place.

A: I lost my glasses.
B: It's right here. It's right here.
A: I lost my fucking glasses!
B: It's around your neck.

All the characters are native English speakers and there's no reason to make a grammatical error in the plot. The movie is subtitled so it can't be my hearing impediment. I even checked with two alternative sources for subs, all with consistent result.
Naturally, I expected they're right here and they're around your neck. What's up with that?


texts:
The Guardian has recently published an interview with Kurt Volker, who stated that:

“We can have a conversation with Ukraine like we would with any other country about what do they need.”

Source

Why is he using inversion?


texts: How to make this hypothesis in a negative form?

texts:
I'm learning conditional statements in Math and I am tasked to make the hypothesis and the conclusion rewritten in a negative form.
This one is where I have trouble with:

If a polygon has exactly four sides, then it is a quadrilateral.

I'm trying to find a place where to put the "not" or "no" in the hypothesis. I already figure out what the conclusion should look like:

... then it is not a quadrilateral.

How do I make the hypothesis negative?


texts:
"I wanted to invite my friend but I haven't been able to contact him."

or

"I wanted to invite my friend but I wasn't able to contact him."

Which of the two sentences are correct? Pls let me know ASAP.


texts:
Under the siege was the hardest time.
Through the long hard slog was depressing.
Through the wood is the nearest way.
I’ll give you until the next morning.

Are those sentences natural?
I’m wondering if “preposition + noun” could be a noun and used as a subject or kind of like that.


texts: According to Dictionary.com, common has a meaning of "belonging equally to, or shared alike by, two or more or all in question". I want the opposite of this meaning, i.e., not shared. However, I found nowhere in the dictionaries that uncommon has such a meaning. Can it be used for such a purpose? If not, what else can be used?


texts: which is the subject in the phrase "I always believed I was the only one who could make you happy."

texts: Which is the subject in the phrase "I always believed I was the only one who could make you happy."? Is it "I"? Is it "the only one"? or is it some other phrase or word?


texts:
What does 'by' add to here?

  They walked along by the old canal.


texts: Why is the preposition "up" used after verbs?

texts:
Consider:

A man came up to me and asked for a match.
A man came to me and asked for a match.

What do these sentences mean?


texts:
I wonder what this is: who it is and what it is.
Does it mean whoever it is and whatever it is?
And I don't understand how this is translated : “With respect to Western ideals and who it is and what it is we stand for as Americans, Russia poses the most dangerous threat to that way of life,”

Quoted from “With respect to Western ideals and who it is and what it is we stand for as Americans, Russia poses the most dangerous threat to that way of life,” Ms. Page told investigators for a joint House Judiciary and Oversight Committee investigation into Moscow’s election interference


texts:
They ignore our need to obtain a deep understanding of a subject, which includes memorizing and storing a richly structured database. You get people who are great improvisers but don’t have depth of knowledge.

What does "get" mean here?
Some definitions are as follows, but is not easy to find the meaning of 'get' here.

get = become

You use get with adjectives to mean `become'. For example, if someone gets cold, they become cold, and if they get angry, they become angry.

get = start being

Get is used with expressions referring to states or situations. For example, to get into trouble means to start being in trouble.

get= to cause

To get someone or something into a particular state or situation means to cause them to be in it.

get = to cause sb to do sth
If you get someone to do something, you cause them to do it by asking, persuading, or telling them to do it.

get = to cause sb to move there

To get something or someone into a place or position means to cause them to move there.


texts: When making a presentation, do I use "slides" or "foils"?

texts:
Talks are often supported by presentations via a projector (with a presentation program such as Powerpoint).
During the talk, there is often a sentence like "next slide/foil/screen please" or "on this slide/foil you see [...]".

In the past there were two techniques:

output on transparency/foils and presentation via an overhead projector
output on slides (Reversal film) and presentation via a slide projector

In my experience, most presenters use slide in their talks, but some use foil. LaTeX-based presentation tools use also slide and foil.

I have the impression that British speakers prefer foil, and American ones prefer slides.

Is there any rule or is it an individual preference? Or should I use screen like Next screen please?


texts:
I meet my friend every day.
I meet to my friend every day.
I meet with my friend every day.

Is "meet" a transitive, or intransitive, or both?

I'd appreciate your help.


texts:
I lived in Victory Street.

vs

  I lived out in Victory Street.

What are the difference between the above two sentences?
The second one which I read it on the internet. Is it correct?


texts: Any common phrase for "without dying while you try"?

texts:
In Spanish there's a phrase pattern that would translate (literally) as "How to do X without dying while you try" ("Cómo hacer X sin morir en el intento").
Is there any similar concept in English? I feel I've read something like that, but can't seem to find it.


texts:
Entrepreneurs try to delay taking money from investors as long as possible.
  Entrepreneurs try delaying taking money from investors as long as possible.

Assuming (2) is correct, is there any difference in meaning between the two sentences?

ELL contributors have already answered a question about the difference in meaning between "try to open," and "try opening," but I'm not sure if it applies to the two sentences in my question because why would one try to delay taking money for its own sake (not to achieve something else)? And why, for that matter, would one try to open a door if not to achieve something else (to leave a building, to see what's behind the door ...)?


texts:
If a noun clause acts as the subject of a sentence, is it no longer a dependent clause?
For example:

"What he did was outrageous."

I just saw this on a site so I wanted to see if it's true or not.


texts: An idiom describing surprise over a lack in abundance of things

texts:
What idiom in English would describe the speaker's surprise over the fact that there was still some lack in an abundance of things?

In the quote below this expression must be substituted for the words "What on earth is his lack?!?!"

  Did you hear the news? Jefferson was trying to commit suicide last
  night. What on earth is his lack?! He has everything: nice job, beautiful wife, kids,
  a house, a car.


texts: What does 'broad' mean in the following sentence?

texts:
It was inevitable, given the conceptual and empirical content of development
  economics in the mid 1970s, that the early World Development
  Reports painted with a broad brush.


texts:
I saw an advertisement in the newspaper. I want to send an e-mail regarding the advertisement. Should I write it as:

I saw your advert in the newspaper.
I have seen your advert in the newspaper.

If I read the newspaper just a while ago, should I use the present perfect?


texts: When is it acceptable to use "a homework?". As an ESL practitioner, I had to look it up, and found a source which says "a homework" is only acceptable among native speakers. So, should non-native speakers just stick to "homework" as uncountable?


texts:
I read this  question on math.stackexchange.com. I am not sure if it is correct to write coffee shop' using a hyphen in between. Please advise.

Ex:- coffee-shop

Ps:- Can we consider it as a compound noun? (woodshop is a compound noun as far as I know)


texts:
I believe this sentence is grammatically correct:

  Let's have a civil dialogue, to the extent that we're capable of.

Can I replace of to form a sentence like this?

  Let's have a civil dialogue, to the extent that of we're capable.

The reason for doing this is that I'm not a fan of having "of" at the end of the sentence.


texts: see something done/ see something being done

texts:
As far as I know, we use "see something do" if we see an action from the beginning to the end. And we use "see something doing" if we see an action in progress. I wonder about passive form of this usage. Am I allowed to use "see something done" if we see that action from the beginning to the end?

  1- She saw her dragon shot out of the sky.

  2- She saw her friend killed.

I have seen this sentences above in a tv-series(Game of Thrones) . Are this examples above right? or should we use this versions below?

  1a- She saw her dragon being shot out of the sky.

  2a- She saw her friend being killed.


texts: Sentence starting with a prepositional phrase

texts:
This is from a TOEFL practice book:

Of all the lawsuits in the world, _____ in US courts.

A. Filed 95 percent of them

B. 95 percent of them are filed

C. That filed are 95 percent of them

D. Which of them 95 percent are filed

I don't have the answer key, but I see that the best answer is B.(I may be wrong)

However, I feel that all of the four are wrong.

Shouldn't we say "95 percent are filed" ?

Why to repeat "of them" when it had been already mentioned in the adverbial?

Thank you.


texts:
In a British TV show called Ashes to Ashes, about a 1983 cop (broadcast in 2010?) he is describing a suspect who is a comedian. This is the entire dialogue, so I have no more context.

Hardwick used to do the Manchester club circuit. Bit of a draw. Then
it all went tits sky a few years back, quit the day job, took up the
Scotch and Tizers.

I don't know what "bit of a draw" means, and certainly cannot understand "went tits sky".
Does it mean this comedian got popular and then he failed?
Or he started out not so good and went up high, was successful?


texts:
'If he had gone straight to France after the Kentish knight was
  killed, men would have said he feared being slain like the knight. It
  was his duty to show himself debonair to his English people as it was
  De Aquila's duty to see that he took no harm while he did it, But it
  was a great burden! De Aquila, Hugh, and I ceased work on the ships,
  and scoured all the Honour of the Eagle--all De Aquila's lands--to
  make a fit, and, above all, a safe sport for our King. Look!'

This is from "The Tree of Justice" in "Rewards and Fairies" by Kipling.

http://www.telelib.com/authors/K/KiplingRudyard/prose/RewardsFaries/treejustice.html

I do not understand the meaning of this.

to make a fit,

I am so glad if somebody kindly teach me.


texts: What does "to" mean in "A Complete Guide to..."?

texts:
I find it hard to understand what "to" means in this case:

"A Complete Guide to the Google Search Console"

I wonder if it means "about" or "towards". If so, why don't we use "of" to reflect the possession relationship?


texts: Should I say: "Where do you live" or "where do you live in"?

texts:
What is the acceptable way of the two following sentence? (because I heard the both):

  "Where do you live"

or

  "where do you live in"?