texts:
First let's consider a few sentences
1) A cow is a useful animal.
1') Cows are useful animals.

(In sentence 1) 'a cow' represents all cows in general)

2) A good student is fun to teach.
2') Good students are fun to teach.
(In sentence 2) 'a good student' represents all good students in general )

These above four sentences are true for any cow and any good student, i guess because 'cow' and 'student' there are generic nouns.

Now my question is -
Suppose the govt has launched a scheme named X and I'm making a sentence like this -
3) "According to this scheme a farmer will get monetary benefits if 'a crop' fails".
 Vs
4) "According to this scheme a farmer will get monetary benefits if 'crops' fail".

Is there any difference in meaning in the sentence 3) and 4) ? In sentence 3) can I say that 'a crop' here represents all crops in general ?


texts:
Can someone help me out in following scenario,

  "I placed my Identity card in home , so i got an temporary card from
  reception"

How do i inform this to my manager through mail?
 Any suggestions ?


texts:
This first master of mine, as I may call him, was a smith, and my principal employment was working his bellows, which were the same kind as I had seen in my vicinity. They were in some respects not unlike the stoves here in gentlemen's kitchens; and were covered over with leather; and in the middle of that leather a stick was fixed, and a person stood up, and worked it, in the same manner as is done to pump water out of a cask with a hand pump.

It's from 'The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano' (1789)


texts:
I'd like to mean a company located in other company adress? I thought the word hosted but it means website.

Thanks!


texts: Do the sentences "I am not here to advocate woman suffrage. American suffragists can do that themselves." contain a rhetorical strategy?

texts:
I had to shorten it in the title, but, Emmeline Pankhurst begins her "Freedom or Death" speech with,

"Tonight I am not here to advocate woman suffrage. American suffragists can do that very well for themselves."

Is this a rhetorical strategy or am I thinking too hard? The only thing that comes to mind is an oxymoron, but I believe that is only used for a short phrase, while this is two sentences.


texts: A word to describe the period from midnight to six in the morning

texts:
There's morning, noon, afternoon, evening and night.

Night is the period of time between the late afternoon and going to bed

Is there a word to describe the period between going to bed and waking up in the morning(or from mid-night to six in the morning).

I searched every corner of Wikipedia without a satisfied word found.


texts:
Rewrite the sentence below using the words in brackets:

  The jacket you bought is very good quality (it/ be/ very expensive).

Should we write it into ''It must be expensive'' or ''It must have been expensive''?
the second one is form english grammar in use raymond murphy (fifth edition) but i think the first sentence is more naturally.


texts: 'Her mother lived to be eighty five.' Is her mother still alive?

texts:
I saw this in a grammar book:

  Her mother lived to be eighty five.

In this sentence is her mother still alive? Or did she die at 85?
In addition, why does 'infinitive' have such a name? For example, it is easy for me to understand why 'preposition' has such a name or what it means: pre-position locates itself pre noun. Infinitive reminds me of 'infinite, infinity'. ^.^


texts: Clarification about the meaning of the bold phrase

texts:
The ideas that guided North Korea - from self-reliance to “military first", were also his own great creation, as much as his father's.

The passage is talking about Kim Jong II. Does the sentence say that the ideas mentioned were created by Kim and his father together?


texts: What is the difference between "setup" and "install" based on computer programs?

texts:
What is the difference between “setup” and “install” based on computer programs?
According to Wikipedia search “setup” directly means “install” on computer.
Edit:
According to Wikipedia search "setup" does not directly means "install".  "setup" is just another word for “install" on computer.

Installation (or setup) of a computer program (including device
drivers and plugins), is the act of making the program ready for
execution. Because the process varies for each program and each
computer, programs (including operating systems) often come with an
installer, a specialized program responsible for doing whatever is
needed for their installation.

but why we use two different words to describe one thing?
While in some cases (such as in Visual Basic 6 where you can create “setup.exe” of your program) “setup” used to define making a program execution ready but also in some cases (such as office programmes) “install” used instead of “setup”.
Are both 100% same or have slight differences?


texts: Can an 'adverb' modify 'nouns/pronouns'?

texts:
While answering to this question here, very interesting discussion took place with CopperKettle.

It's absolutely right that adverbs modify many things, but nouns/pronouns.

But then, expressions such as...

  Almost everyone would agree to this...

and...

  Hardly anyone would do that...

are quite common.

What do natives say about this? Are there any special cases wherein adverbs modify nouns/pronouns?


texts: Can "who" and a "noun" go together or should I use "which"?

texts:
"Who among the following singers is from China?"

I would like to know in the aforementioned question, should the noun "singers" be included or should it be rephrased to "Which of the following singers is from China?"
Can "who" and a "noun" go together?


texts: The difference between "They said that they would" and "They said that they will"

texts:
The following is a part of an article from Mail Online
Twitter, Facebook and email is taking over family life

  The survey also discovered that 43 per cent of children and 33 per cent of adults are taking steps to reduce their reliance on messaging, text and networking.

  But only one in five said they would be reducing the number of text messages they are sending and even less said they will be writing fewer emails.

I'd like to know the difference in meanings between would in "only one in five said they would be reducing the number of text messages" and will in "even less said they will be writing fewer emails".

It seems to me that would and will mean "future at the time when the survey was conducted" and "future at the time when the author was writing this article" respectively. But that doesn't make sense.


texts:
Seat on your hip and pair your feet with no space with no space between edges of your feet.
Seat on your hip and connect your feet with no space between edges of your feet.

Like this picture.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1zonie/4464732309/


texts: What does "had better be regarded as sacrosanct" mean in this sentence?

texts:
I read this in Word by Word by Kory Stamper:

  Memos begin, “Editorializing has no place in definitions,” or
  “Godlove’s psychophysical defs of color names and their references had
  better be regarded as sacrosanct.” Sir, yes, sir!

I get the "editorializing" part alright but having trouble in underatanding what "had better be regarded as sacrosanct" imply? I mean what would happen if they were not?


texts: "Does anyone in your family dislike to cook?" vs "Does anyone in your family doesn't like to cook?"

texts: Is it possible to say "Does anyone in your family doesn't like to cook?" or is it more correct to say "Does anyone in your family dislike to cook?"


texts: What is called an organization where people are looking for a job for a while?

texts:
I am writing a CV in English and I have come to work experience.

I do not know if there is a name in English for this organization or something like that, but in my language a literal translation would be a youth co-operative.

It is an organization/place where mostly students come, let's say the most over the summer or people who cannot find a job in another way. Then, when they get and finish a job, this organization takes a percentage for themselves, and the rest gives the worker.


texts:
Let's say you are a lawyer, and just made a comment on the difficulty of lawyers' bar exam.

  If the bar exam is easy, many would have passed it already.

Is this grammatical? the bar exam is quite challenging, the situation started in the past and is still re-occuring over and over again because many have re-attempted.


texts: What is the correct verb regarding to a participating as a teacher of a course

texts: What is the correct regarding to doing a course? I would like to say that I'm the teacher of a course, but I want to use a verb. Now if I say "I do a course" it can mean that I'm the student there. Isn't it? After some searching I found that I can say "to deliver" course, but I found this source that seems to be against this usage of deliver a course. Are there other options? What about the verb conduct?


texts:
Then she went to sleep, to dream the strange dreams of herl lineage,
  things too fantastic to be worth recording, for she was at the time of
  life when a girl's thoughts turn to fantasy, even beyond Athroonagh,
  and here in Athroonagh her fantasies had strange tales amongst which
  to riot.

This is from "The Story of Mona Sheehy" by Lord Dunsany in 1939.

I can't understand the meaning of the sentence below.

strange tales amongst which to riot.

I am glad if somebody would kindly teach me.


texts:
Excerpted from theatlantic.com:

  If one were to recast The Rockford Files, as Universal Pictures is intending to do, would the Frat Pack actor Vince Vaughn seem the wisest choice to play Jim Rockford, the character James Garner inhabited with such sly intelligence and bruised suavity? Universal apparently thinks so.

I know what bruised and suavity mean individually but not combined, what does it mean?


texts:
1) Have you tried the pills I got you?

2) Did you try the pills I got you?

Is it more common to use the first sentence if it's pills taken daily for a long term effect, or would the sentences be used interchangeably?


texts: What is a correct way to say that you took the metro and drove for three stations?

texts:
I took the metro/underground/subway (train?)
I drove for/past three stations

My station - 1st station - 2nd station - Destination (3rd station)


texts: Using Mr/Miss with first name signifies a close relationship?

texts:
My Japanese friend asked me if the following is true.

Mr. Smith (typical way of calling someone in a formal situation)

Mr. John (signifies that you have a very close relationship by using the first name instead of their last name)

Mr. Smith John (when you want to use the entire name no matter what)

For me, Mr. Smith John sounds more formal than Mr. Smith, and although Mr. John sounds less formal compared to Mr. Smith, I can't say it means the relationship is very close.

What does everyone think about this? Maybe I'm wrong?


texts: Is "follow in" the correct phrasal verb to use in this sentence?

texts:
They stepped into the house and issues followed in. (ISSUES BEGAN)

Is the use of followed in correct in this context? If not, how can I rewrite it with a better phrase?


texts:
I'm translating an article and got stuck with following sentence:

  Let's play that forward with some of the implications and then relate it to computing and communication

Source: Edge, interview with Neil Gershfeld

What does it mean ?


texts: Can I rewrite this as "… students angry have walked out"?

texts:
Students angry that former TV Apprentice contestant Katie Hopkins was speaking at a Brunel University debate have walked out in protest.

(Source)

Is it possible to rewrite the above sentence in this way, moving the starting noun and adjective next to the verb at the end?

  In protest that former TV Apprentice Katie Hopkins was speaking at a Brunel University debate, students angry have walked out.


texts: I have (got) a family: Difference in meanings

texts:
I have never heard of such a subtle difference between "I have got a family" and "I have a family" which seem quite interchangeable to me. Today I learnt that these two sentences have different meanings ("have got" is considered to be present perfect in this use):

  I have got a family. = I have recently acquired a family (=my family is
  young).

More examples:

  I have a car. = I bought my car long go and have been using it ever
  since.
  I have got a car. = I have recently bought a car.
  I have got a cat. Do you see these fresh scratches on my hands?

This difference can be critical for translation so I would like to know if it is really crucial and these two sentences don't have the same meaning.


texts: "Everybody thought we should sell" vs "Everybody thought we should have sold"

texts:
Everybody thought we should sell
  Everybody thought we should have sold

While I was watching the news, I came to wonder about this question.

As far as I know, the tense after "that" should be also the past tense.
(e.g. He told me that I looked sick)

As I figured, in the sentence "Everybody told me that we should sell" the moment everybody told him they should sell was in the past. But why still it's should?

I don't know how to deal with modal verbs when the tense should be in the past form.


texts: Does to reflect on self has the same meaning as to self-reflect, or can they ever be used interchangeably ?


texts: Is "each" supposed to refer to a singular subject?

texts:
Usually "each" is used to refer to every member in the group, so it is followed by a singular verb like:

  Each student and teacher knows that exams are.....

  Each of the buildings is surrounded by high metal fencing.

Now I am not sure how the first sentence in the following examples is wrong.

  Wrong: They understand the personality of each of their children

  Correct: They understand the personalities of each of their children

  Wrong: There were four rooms, each with a wonderful view of the garden

  Correct: There were four rooms, each with wonderful views of the garden.
  This example was copied from Cambridge dictionary

Would you please explain it to me?


texts: Can I say I am C2 if I passed C1 Advanced with an A?

texts:
Cambridge English Scale asserts that, although the exam is targeted at Level C1 of the CEFR, it also provides reliable assessment at the level above C1 (Level C2). See here.

The Statement of Results also specifies it:

  "Candidates achieving Grade A (between 200 and 210 on the Cambridge
  English Scale) receive the Certificate in Advanced English stating
  that they have demonstrated ability at Level C2"

I usually state that I am C2 in my CV, but I want to know to what extent is this a valid official certificate or if I should take an exam targeted at C2.


texts: I wish you had told me that you are/were my son. Which is the correct option?

texts:
I wish you had told me that you are/were my son.
Here you are! I wish you had told me that you are/were here.
I wish I had been told that she is/was/were my sister.

Not sure about the sequence of tenses. Should it be "are" or "were"?


texts: Learnt something at or learnt something in?

texts: If I say, I learnt something at 11th grade, is that correct? Or at should be used only when referring to places or particular dates?


texts:
You should have had more respect for him and for me than to fear what you had feared.

The above statement is from a novel.I couldn't understand what 'than' means in the statement?


texts: Clauses expressing parallel or equivalent ideas should be constructed in parallel form

texts:
For example:

  Incorrect: "In summer, monsoon and in winter..."

  Correct: "In summer, monsoon and winter..."

Similarly, I've been told to correct this sentence:

  "My objections are, first, the injustice of decision; and second, that
  it is unconstitutional"

I think the correct form would be like:

  "My objections are, first, the injustice of decision; and second, it
  is unconstitutional"

But still it doesn't sound fully right. Am I missing something?


texts: 'At your own risk' or 'On your own risk'?

texts:
I think these sentences are grammatical:

  Try this company on your own risk.

  Read on your own risk.

  Watch it on your own risk.

But then...

  Parking at your own risk?

I'm confused using a preposition when it comes to our own risk. If I consider the preposition at emphasizing on parking (a place and hence at) but then here pre positioning is for 'own risk' and not the place (parking).


texts:
In one of my posts (meaning of "stiff") a contributor explains "stiff" as "Lacking grace" and "charm". Actually, he cited that explanation from a dictionary.

Obviously, grace is the opposite, at least, in writing style. And then, what does graceful writing mean?

Cambridge Dictionary gives this definition about "grace"

a quality of moving in a smooth, relaxed, and attractive way

  Joanna has natural grace and elegance.

which describes moving, does not seems for writing

the quality of being pleasantly polite, or a willingness to be fair and honest

  They accepted their defeat with good grace

this one seems to the answer.

approval or kindness, especially (in the Christian religion) that is freely given by God to all humans

which does not seems relevant

a prayer said by Christians before a meal to thank God for the food

which does not seems relevant either

a period of time left or allowed before something happens or before something must be done

which seems irrelevant as well.

So, the #2 definition would be the only choice available, that is, politeness, fair and honest.

Is my understanding right?


texts: Does "virgin plains" make sense in an English poetic composition?

texts:
I want to point readers to the (virgin) plains which have been far from man-made structures, without any changes over the years. In its original Persian version, for virgin I used an adjective which is only used for humans and horses! But I do not know whether or not it makes sense in English to do the same. Surely virgin has many equivalent meanings in Persian like noble, original and gentle not only the meaning on ground of having sex or not.

There are some similar compositions like: virgin prairies, noble plains & noble prairies.

Please write me which of above is best for the purpose mentioned; and if you have a better term I would be grateful to know it.


texts: Difference between "is added" and "was added"

texts:
I need to know the meaning and tense of these sentences:

(A) "This feature is added to the last version."
(B) "This feature was added to the last version."

I can't understand the difference between "is added" and "was added". Is there any difference between these two sentences, or do they mean the same thing?


texts: Can all transitive verbs take to-infinitive clauses?

texts:
“Yet it would be your duty to bear it, if you could not avoid it: it
  is weak and silly to say you cannot bear what it is your fate to be
  required to bear. (Jane Eyre)

It seems ‘your fate to be required to bear’ is a to-infinitive clause
(or non-finite-clause by Bas Aarts:“They would hate [Jim to sell his boat].” ) and the object of cannot bear ; 'what it is' means 'whatever it is' and can be put in brackets. Can all transitive verbs take the clauses as their objects?


texts: What do you call the document containing all of the details of a military mission? I know the "mission briefing" expose the details of the mission, but what do you call the document and not the event where the details of the mission is being put forth?


texts:
I have some difficulties with the use of the word “within” in essays. I know it means “inside” or “in”, but I don’t know in what contexts I should use this word.
“I am in my house” makes sense, but I know that “I am within my house” doesn’t.
Is “within” used for abstract things? “Within your heart”,  “within yourself”...
I’d like to have some examples and situations in which “within” can or can’t be used.
not a native speaker*


texts: What is the word that means "not saying anything bad in any way about someone"?

texts:
I have this sentence where I used the word infringement, and I think I'm exaggerating things a bit by choosing it. Moreover, I want it to mean: not saying anything bad in any way about someone, not speaking of them badly.

The sentence:

  How do I explain my stance without infringement his family and without
  putting myself in an awkward position in front of him?

So, is there a suitable word to put it instead of infringement?

Also, about the word stance, does it mean position? And, does it fit in that sentence?


texts: What do we call "three people who united on a person to destroy something he\she has"?

texts:
Let's say that X is a girl who has a deal with Y, she would absolutely get many benefits of that deal after it comes to its deadline. However, there's A, B, and C who are three people that hate X and want to destroy her deal with Y. X doesn't know about their planning until after a while, so she says:
"It was a _____ all that time!".

I thought of tri-scheme, but I'm not sure if it fits X's situation.

Any suggestion for a word that would describe X's situation?

Update:

1- I found "tri-aggression" and "tri-alliance".

2- I want a term as this one "tripartite aggression", but expressed with less violence.


texts: A famous dictionary that I bought for me and I gave to my son

texts:
That is a famous dictionary. I gave my son it that I had bought for me.

I want to make these sentences into one.

  That is a famous dictionary that I bought for myself and I gave to my son.

Is it suitable ?


texts: "Align with the requirements of the role of an attorney" correct?

texts:
These qualities and skills align with the requirements of the role of an attorney

Is this sentence correct?
I'm having doubts because of the repetition of "of"


texts: Is this sentence grammatical and does it make sense?

texts:
"The key to understanding big data is that data has to be managed so that it can meet the business requirement a given solution is designed to support" (Hurwitz, Nugent, Halper, & Kaufman, 2013, p. 1).

Is this sentence correctly crafted? What does the part after so that mean?

Reference:

Hurwitz, J. S., Nugent, A., Halper, F., & Kaufman, M. (2013). Big data for dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.


texts:
One of the reasons that I am applying for this position is because
  your company is well known for providing continuous professional
  training to employees.

I don't think this sentence is wrong but I feel like having two 'is' in one sentence might make the sentence wordy, or is it okay? Thank you!


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

  a) I came by subway in order to not be late.

  b) I came by subway in order to not being late.

For my non native English speaker ears, both sound natural. Isn't it?


texts:
Shall I say "All the records that I buy in the USA" or"All records that I buy in the USA"

I think the first one is better because it is not all records in general  but only these that I buy in the USA


texts: "... to apply for a visa" or "... and applied for a visa"?

texts:
Here are two sentences:

  Once he got the passport, he went to the Chinese consulate in Toronto and applied for a visa.
  Once he got the passport, he went to the Chinese consulate in Toronto to apply for a visa.

Are the two sentences grammatical, and do they sound natural?

If they are both fine, what's the difference?


texts: “Sound of a heavy rain” vs. “Sound of heavy raining”

texts:
I came across this sentence.

  it is sound of a heavy rain.

So why isn’t this way:

  it is sound of heavy raining.

I used raining instead of rain because, I think, rain fits more into the context, and raining depicts the process of rain coming down.

when do we use articles before rain?

  it is sound of a heavy rain


texts: Meaning of two expressions from a BBC article: "cheesy leftovers" and "taste buds"

texts:
As the Brexit goes to virtually non deal Brexit recently, I am currently reading this article from BBC.
First question: The headline has this

Post-Brexit trade: Pricey wurst and cheesy leftovers

I understand that pricey wurst means more pricey sausages. (maybe referring to Germany).
But I don't understand what "cheesy" means here. Even though I checked multiple dictionaries.
Second question:
The article has this line under the headline

The British food industry could switch to substitute for EU imports, or we could retrain our taste buds to native flavours, including a lot more herring

What do the words "taste buds" mean here? Is there any implication?
(I skipped where I didn't understand and continued reading the rest, but I still can not figure out.)
Thank you in advance.


texts: What is the name for these keys on a computer keyboard?

texts:
Here is a (US English layout) computer keyboard.

There are six keys which are dotted red in the upper right corner. I want to know what to call them in English.

I want to know the names for each of the six keys, not for the characters. There are two symbols or punctuation marks on each key, so would I refer to them together? Can we say press the key which contains two punctuation marks: double quotes and full colon?


texts: Who can tell me the meaning of "the old ball and chain is dead" by attachment? It is too hard to get the meaning of the old ball and chain is dead. I think it cannot be understood by words in general to get the meaning. Maybe it is an idiom.


texts: Can I get an answer from one logic question?

texts: Although only half of a dish is red, can I call it ‘red dish’? Or only when an entire dish is red, can I call it ‘red dish’?


texts: Can personal pronouns be indirect objects?


texts: Term for feeling/emotion when you angry because you have to do some tedious work

texts:
Question:

A word which means something boring that you can not avoid but have to do it on some time intervals

asked about term for unpleasant unavoidable work and tedious is perfect match.

Which word can be used to describe angry feeling because you should do tedious work (like single mother takes care of 5 children or pure emigrant works at low paid fast food restaurant and they ask God why they are so unlucky)?


texts: Use of now when there is no clear "immediacy purpose"

texts:
I know the direct usage of the word now when it pertains to something that is happening in a specific moment of the present (the very present you can say). But what about other situations?. I was writing this essay and I wrote this :

Whereas in the past books were the main source of knowledge, the arrival of the internet has drastically altered the relevance of books, because of the easiness in which such information can now be accessed.

And also this part:

For example, now it is possible to press a button and obtain information that is not only written but also visual and auditive.

Is the usage of the word "now" in the above sentences appropriate?

I think that in both cases "nowadays" can replace "now" and be accurate and correct, right?

Thanks in advance


texts:
I want to use particular case studies to bring out the very different demands that circumstances make on the practice of diplomats.
  I also want to give some sense of the way in which skilful diplomacy, as well as rashness, excessive caution, and clumsiness, can have important ramifications for the fate of nations.

What is the meaning of the sentence in bold? I think there is not any relation between the meaning of the words.


texts:
I have a scenario in which I am asking someone "When she get the accommodation in university?" She said "She will get the accommodation when she will be 22."

Now I want to turn this into interrogative way. I ask to her

  Will she get accommodation when she get 22?
  Will she get accommodation when she turn to 22?

What's the better way of asking this and my way of presenting its interrogation is right?


texts: use of the phrasal verb 'break into' in case of 'emergency money'?

texts:
Longman definition of 'break into'

to start to spend money that you did not want to spend

For example

I don't want to break into my savings unless I have to.
We had to break into our fixed deposits to pay for the hospital bill.

My questions is that

We have different kinds of investments like shares, debetures, equities, gold etc.
So can we use the same logic with these investments to come up with sentences like the following -

We will have to break into all our shares / mutual funds / gold, if we want to buy a house.
I don't want to break into my shares to buy a car.
I don't want to break into my gold to buy a house.

These sentences sound a bit odd to me. What is the correct way to express if I want to return my gold or shares in case of emergency ?

Thanks


texts:
Excerpted from the story the best by Chekhov : “My dear Jailer, I write you these lines in six languages. Show them to people who know the languages. Let them read them. If they find not one mistake I implore you to fire a shot in the garden. That shot will show me that my efforts have not been thrown away. The geniuses of all ages and of all lands speak different languages, but the same flame burns in them all. Oh, if you only knew what unearthly happiness my soul feels now from being able to understand them!” The prisoner’s desire was fulfilled. The banker ordered two shots to be fired in the garden.

Would you please tell me if the bold part is correct and which of the following could be correct? or is there any difference between them?

A. The banker ordered that two shots to be fired

B. The banker ordered two shots to be fired

C. The banker ordered that two shots be fired

D. The banker ordered two shots be fired


texts:
For Example:

  I like this very book.

  I written this very poem with ease.

Can I use the word "very" wherever I want?


texts:
Consider the following:

From none of the documents can it be taken that cats like mice.
From none of the documents it can be taken that cats like mice.

To me, the second Option sounds correct.

However, with

In None of the books are cats mentioned.
In None of the books cats are mentioned.

the second, non-inverted Option seems to be correct.

Can anyone solve the mystery?


texts: What verb should be used to "fill" a poll?

texts:
What verbs can be used to denote that people have taken a poll?
Could one say:

I have completed this poll
I have filled this poll
I have answered this poll

Or is there a better verb?


texts: Could someone help me understand this text?

texts:
[...] Carlos Slim, for example, keeps track of his huge business empire using handwritten notes, which he keeps in a series of meticulously cross-referenced journals.

I didn't understand this part: meticulously cross-referenced journals


texts: The use of "in" & "out of" in the financial context

texts:
Amos communications satellites operator Spacecom Satellite
Communications Ltd. (TASE:SCC) received more than NIS 600 million in
orders in the institutional tender of its bond issue, in which it
planned to raise NIS 200 million. As a result, the company decided to
increase the amount of the offering to NIS 309 million in the
institutional tender.
Spacecom is offering two Consumer Price Index (CPI) linked bond
series, one at a fixed interest rate, and the other at variable
interest. For the Series 10 bond, the company obtained commitments for
NIS 250 million at a maximum variable interest rate of 4.5%. Out of
the orders for the Series 11 bond, the company obtained commitments
for NIS 59 million at an interest rate of 3.5%. The company will set
the final amounts and interest rates for both bonds during the public
tender next week.
-- Source: Investor demand triple planned supply for Spacecom bonds

Can I use "on / from" instead of "in" in the first sentence?
How does "out of the orders" match “for the Series 11 bond" syntactically? Without "out of the orders" it would make a good comparison:

For the Series 10 bond, the company obtained commitments for
NIS 250 million at a maximum variable interest rate of 4.5%. For the Series 11 bond, the company obtained commitments for NIS 59 million...

Is out of redundant here?
I think out of here is in the sense of the following:

6.b. used to say where a person or thing comes from

I got the idea out of [=from] the book.
He had to pay for it out of his own pocket.
That meeting was a complete waste of time. I got nothing out of it.


texts: You will be surprised - which tense is it?

texts: It can't be the future continuous because there isn't ing form. Is it the simple future?


texts: Does English language have a voiceless alveolar sibilant affricate sound [t͡s]?

texts:
This affricate is not present in consonant tables for English language found in my textbooks. I do not trust them too much, because they omit some other English sounds too.
I wonder mainly about English words of foreign origin. There is hardly a language which doesn't have any loanwords. E. g. English has words such as 'pizza' and 'zucchini'. And there are proper names with Z of German or Italian origin, e. g. Vaduz (name of capital of Liechtenstein). I want to ask how to pronounce them in English? Is there an affricate sound? And if not, how to pronounce them correctly.


texts:
I have been reading answers to this question. Someone has written this phrase:

  In the late 90s/early 00s, Java became an extremely popular language
  for server-side business applications

I know we read 90s as nineties. But I am not able to read the bold text above. How do we pronounce it? Something like zero zero iz?


texts: Is there any discernible difference between these two sentences?

texts:
He has been slacking off on the couch just before you got here?
He had been slacking off on the couch just before you got here?


texts: Is there a such thing like "since prior to"?

texts:
This is from a TED talks by Bryan Stevenson (Link to talk).

He says:

  "We're actually projecting in another 10 years the level of disenfranchisement will be as high as it's been since prior to the passage of the Voting Rights Act."

My questions are as follows:

Is there a such thing as "since prior to" in English language?
In my opinion, it seems to make more sense if "it's been since prior to" is
changed into "it used to be prior to".

I'm wondering if the speaker made some grammatical errors, for every single line cannot be perfectly congruent with the grammar as long as it is being verbally delivered.


texts:
I am a bit confused on when to use a or an. I understand "a" comes before a consonant, while "an" is followed by a vowel. But obviously an expression like an significant part is also true (reading an article by some native English-Speaking authors). Can some one explain how is here significant a use case for an?

Its an article here https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288162668_Computational_music_theory. If you download the pdf, just at the beginning of Introduction in the second line.


texts: If you're teaching someone to read and write. What is the most common way to say... a "capital letter" or "uppercase letter". Which would be the difference between them.


texts:
Ellie’s attack leads to Joe’s confession getting tossed, which is unconscionable.

Source: http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/broadchurch-season-two-episode-two-216332

I am not sure how to understand the phrase "getting tossed". Is the meaning of the sentence this: Because Ellie (as the police officer) insulted Joe his confession is open to doubt? (I deduce the meaning on the basis of my knowledge of the plot of TV series Broadchurch.)


texts: Use of definite article, the, before "adjective"- "a million miles from its nearest neighbour"

texts:
In a scale model in which the stars are ships, the average ship will be over a million miles from its nearest neighbour.

Why the writer not use THE before the adjective nearest?


texts:
I've read that idioms are generally an aspect of informal language and also that  some of these idioms can be used in formal writing. 'At hand' is an idiom which I think it can be used in  formal writing (eg. to mean available as in 'the new edition is now at hand') but at the same time it is still an idiomatic expression. So, is it formal or informal?

Thanks in advance.


texts: Paraphrase this sentence about Microsoft acquiring someone's startup?

texts:
" He has managed, consulted for, and founded many ventures in Silicon Valley, which contributed to various game, web TV, and online advertising technologies before becoming part of Microsoft in 2001, when it acquired one of his startups.
"

Could someone paraphrase this sentence? I am confused which become part of Microsoft.


texts: How can I use a simple phrase to express "the location to get one's gift card"

texts:
Like the word style of billing address, I want to find a simple phrase with "xxx address/location" to express the meaning of "the location to get one's gift card"

I tried to create by my own, but something like gift card collect location doesn't looks professional.

Any suggestions are highly appreciate!

================
UPDATED

I want put a sign on my website to make people know where to get(purchased online, just go and get it) those gift cards offline (at some certain stores), so I'd like to write something like: GIFT CARD (collect/pick/get/....) LOCATION: address1/address2/.... more addresses


texts: How do I change "is made of" into an active voice?

texts: How do I change the sentence "this candle is made of natural soy wax" into an active voice? Also, can someone please explain why Grammarly considers "is made of" a passive voice misuse?


texts:
Which one is correct:

1- I am targeting to him or I am targeting him.

2- It appears fine to me or It appears fine me.

i request you to provide justification.

Thanks,
Ali


texts: What is the difference among these sentences

texts:
what is the difference among the next four sentences?

Sentence 1. She didn't get married until she was 35.

Sentence 2. She got married until she was 35.

Sentence 3. She can't leave until she has finished.

Sentence 4. She can leave until she finishes.


texts: What is the nuance between “yet” and “ever” in these sentences?

texts:
Here are the sentences:

  Her latest novel is her best yet.

  It’s one of the toughest warnings yet delivered.

Replacing yet with ever, how does it feel different?


texts: what is difference between weather and climate?

texts:
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy

(Wikipedia)

  Climate is the statistics (usually, mean or variability) of weather, usually over a 30-year interval.

(Wikipedia)

still I didn't find any difference?


texts:
I would like to understand the difference between in the discussion and at the discussion. Could you help please based on my own sentences?

  In the discussion the participants considered the issues related to competitiveness and socio-economic divisions in the European Union.

and

  The participants at the discussion considered the issues related to competitiveness and socio-economic divisions in the European Union.

If I want to mention that someone participated in the discussion, should I use a phrase X in (or at) the discussion (only a phrase, not a whole sentence).


texts:
But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you
  done, my dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool.

  (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

Is ‘done’ a shortened form of ‘who is done’ or a modifier of ‘you’?


texts: Help me understand the meaning of this sentence

texts:
He [the boy] remembered climbing the steps to the stage with his parents, his father by his side that year instead of with the Nurturers, since it was the year that he would be given a newchild of his own.

It is from The Giver. I have read this sentence 10 times and still can't pin it down. What is said there?

My guess is that the boy went to the stage with his father instead of with the Nurturers. The reason for that was that the Father was receiving a child himself. But then why the word parents was used if only the father accompanied him.


texts: How appropriate is "Are you kidding me" in a speech in class?

texts:
Can I say

  Are you kidding me?

in a speech in class or is there a politer way of saying this?

EDIT: Is it okay to use this phrase if I want to express that I'm surprised of a poll?


texts:
spit: [uncountable] the liquid that is produced in your mouth SYNONYM
  saliva

Ok, my little child has just been fed some food. Now, he spat some out onto the floor. I don't want him to step on the food that he has just spat out on the floor.

What should I say "Do not step on your spit!"?

But "spit" (noun) means saliva, not the food that you have just spat out.

Or do I have to be wordy like this "Do not step on the food that you have just spat out"?


texts: do we need to connect both sentences by using past perfect here

texts:
Sorry I saw your message on here too late. I had over 50 orders of Tommy and the commie new 7" to send so I was pretty busy and as the payment of this order didn't arrive I didn't even check it
Can we deduct which action came first :the non seing message or the 50 orders to send.I would say the 50 orders to send. So would it be better to use past perfect (it is because he had 50 orders that he did not see the message) and to connect both sentences
I had had over 50 orders of Tommy and the commie new 7" to send so I had been pretty busy and as the payment of this order didn't arrive I didn't even check it


texts: Don't stay up late when you study your lessons or study?

texts:
Don't stay up late when you study your lessons.
In this sentence, is the use of the phrase "study your lessons" natural? If it is not natural, should I write like the following?Don't stay up late when you study. Thanks in advance.


texts: Change possible habitual actions to indirect speech

texts:
Hi I recently took an exam but got one wrong. However, I think that I'm right and the answer could be wrong.

The question

  The elephant asked, "Mr. Crocodile, will you tell me what you have for dinner?"

( oh, and the elephant's a female and the crocodile is a male :) )

Edit Full paragraph ;

  One day, she became curious about what crocodiles ate for dinner. So she went to the river to find a crocodile. At the river she met a crocodile. The elephant asked, "Mr. Crocodile, will you tell me what you have for dinner?"

I wrote

  The elephant asked if Mr. Crocodile would tell her what he has for dinner.

The answer is

  The elephant asked if Mr. Crocodile would tell her what he had for dinner.

I think what he has for dinner, in this case, is a habitual action so the answer should be "has" , not "had".

(I interpreted the question as " asking for what the crocodile normally has for dinner " is this wrong?)

Besides, the answer sounds like the crocodile already had dinner and the elephant is asking what he had, so the meaning has changed.

I think the answer is wrong, but before I challenge it, I would like to hear professional opinions.

Thanks in advance!


texts:
Each one of the number level is called line or row?

For instance if I want to guide a person to look at certain sentence which is located in the level of number 4 "The grammar of English consists of all the rules etc.".

  "Please, Look at the line / row 4."


texts: Should I use the same tense throughout the sentence?

texts:
In my English exam, I have written the sentence:

  There were always some people who judge the others by their appearance.

One of my friends said that I should use judged instead of judge since I am talking about past. Which one is the correct one?


texts:
I am writing an essay on food wastage. I  was writing a line

The take for granted attitude of people towards food is a very sad reality of todays world where millions of people sleep hungry every night.

Is there any word which I can use here. I have looked for synonyms but none seems to fit here.


texts:
Why is "ourselves" used in this sentence?

They told us to help ourselves.

Does anybody know?


texts: Is it correct to say "Next to the bed are three chairs"?

texts: Is it correct to say "Next to the bed are three chairs" or is it rather "Next to the bed there are three chairs"?


texts: "Speak of the devil and he shall appear"- Why is "shall" allowed here?

texts:
Speak of the devil and he shall appear

First the thing struck me was use of "shall" because "shall" has taken it's place pretty much in language museum. It appears via the Wikipedia article that it is a term originated in middle ages. So I thought "shall" might be possible. But I could not understand how "shall" is being allowed with "he" here. If I remember correctly, I read a rule in English Grammar in my childhood that if a subject in a sentence is emphasizing that he certainly will do something in future, then "will" follows "I" and "We" and "shall" follows rest of the pronouns. Is this rule being applied here? Or it is as it is from it's birth?


texts: What's the difference between "along with", "coupled with", "combined with"?

texts:
the killing cold temperature and the cutting wind combined with our clammy feet

sounds inappropriate.

Should we use:

  the killing cold temperature, the cutting wind, and our clammy feet
  the killing cold temperature and the cutting wind (coupled/along with) our clammy feet

For reference:
We brought a beach tent, set it up on a hard ground that seemed impenetrable. Without a ground sheet or even an earth pad, the killing cold temperature and the cutting wind combined with our clammy feet made us feel like we won’t survive the night.


texts:
Three Pak soldiers are killed across the frontier.

What does 'across the frontier' mean?


texts:
In the sentence "I have been to school today" I don`t understand the use of present perfect, because the state of being at school is over for that day, I am no longer at school. Why not say I went to school today?

To me "today" in this sentence is a definition of finished time, where the past simple is required, like in "I went to school yesterday." It is not about the life experience of having been to school in general, so I don't get it.


texts: present participle use in different ways

texts:
I saw a speeding sedan down the road.

The sedan was speeding down the road.

The first one is an example of the present participle (as the word speeding is linked with the car acting like an adjective) But what about the second case. Is it a use of present participle?


texts:
There is a sentence like:

  The most miserable people, the unemployed, are not the idle people.'

Are the noun phrases 'The most miserable people' and 'the unemployed' in apposition here?


texts: What does "it's really only done at major universities" mean?

texts:
What does the verb 'do' mean in this sentence? I select it in bold.

  The brain is an amazing and complex organ. And while many people are fascinated by the brain, they can't really tell you that much about the properties about how the brain works because we don't teach neuroscience in schools.  And one of the reasons why is that the equipment is so complex and so expensive that it's really only done at major universities and large institutions. And so in order to be able to access the brain, you really need to dedicate your life and spend six and a half years as a graduate student just to become a neuroscientist to get access to these tools.


texts: Difference between "having time to myself" and "having time for myself"

texts:
I do not have much time to myself.
  I do not have much time for myself.

Do these sentences have different meanings because of the prepositions TO and FOR? If there is, then what?

Thank you for the answers in advance. :)


texts:
I used to meet foreigners at work in Taiwan and wanted to express my willingness to make friends with them, but I didn't know what to say or how to express, so I googled on the web and it usually suggested "Will you be my friend?", "Can we make friends?".  Something likes that.

The first one sounds like I am begging for friendship.  The second one sounds like "Can we make a robot?" to me. It sounds pretty weird for me, and bothered me for a long time.

I would like to know what are the proper ways to express the willingness to make friends with a native English speaker.


texts:
The public and critics laughed at Rousseau's flat style of portraying human figures. This was because the paintings did not look real.  Rousseau's style was markedly different from the contemporary mainstream.

Can i use is instead of was here?
If possible,how the uses are different?
If not, why?

It seems confusing to me because the writer assesses the caual relationship at current moment of writing, so is also looks acceptable to me.


texts: Would you explain the function of "with" in the sentence below:

texts:
Using case-control, cohort, and case-crossover analysis, the investigators found that tramadol increased the risk of hospitalization for hypoglycemia by more than three-fold, with the risk particularly elevated in the first 30 days of treatment.

In my opinion, "with" is just a preposition. And after preposition we only need a noun or noun phrase. But in this sentence, it seems that "with" has the function of conjunction. Is it true? would you explain it for me, please!


texts: What tense should be used at sentence «Currently I work as engineer, but I also look for work as manager»?

texts:
What tense should be used at this sentence? Now I use Present Simple, and at the one hand it seems to be right choice, because my work is not attached to a time, but at the other hand something this sentence seems wrong for me. So I need help with it.

Sentence is:

  Currently I work as engineer, but I also look for work as manager.


texts: What do Americans call a person when they cannot remember the right name?

texts:
In contemporary American English, what do you call a person you’ve temporarily forgotten the name of? Let’s suppose the following scenario. What would you use to fill in the blank?

  Bill: Hey, Jack, do you remember our high school days?
  Jack: Yea, Bill. Those were the days.
  Bill: We have a lot of memories together.
  Jack: Heh—do you remember last year's math teacher? Mr. umm. . . you say his name. . . shoot, I cannot remember his name. . . Mr. ____________ . . . Aha! Mr. Smith.

doodah
thingy

My guess is that only option 1 works here.

Is there any other common choice for this concept in AmE? I need to know the most common one.


texts: "Take it easy on" vs "take it easy with"

texts:
What is the difference between "take it easy on" and "take it easy with"? For example, which of the following is correct:

  Take it easy on me.

  Take it easy with me.


texts:
Is

  Susan does not live here,When I first came here three years ago, she has moved to another city.

Or

  Susan does not live here,When I first came here three years ago, she had moved to another city.

is better?
Also,can perfect tense use with "when"?


texts:
Wondering if it is correct to use Future Perfect continuous time in the sentence:
"We will have been eating by 8pm tomorrow, so plz come at 9pm."

Or it is better to us Future Perfect:
"We will have eaten by 8pm tomorrow, so plz come at 9pm."

I'd grateful if someone explains what option to use and why.
Thank you.


texts: *As* he finished his speech, the audience

texts:
As he finished his speech, the audience burst into applause.

Doesn't "as" suggest the two actions happened simultaneously? But they could not happen simultaneously. The audience applauded as soon as he finished hi speech. There is a sequence of actions. So I think "when" works and "as" does not.

What do you think?


texts:
His[Martin Luther] theology challenged the authority of the Pope by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge from God.

Whose belief is it that the bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge from God? Is that the Pope's belief or Martin Luther's?


texts: What is the antonym of "non-stop flight"?

texts: Indirect flight is the antonym of direct flight. However, direct flights and non-stop flights have a  different meaning.


texts:
I have a very quick question. I can't understand whether I should us the definite article with the verb "process" or not.

Context 1: I'm at work and I'm talking to my colleague about what he is doing (processing reports / support tickets). He'll go on holiday soon.

What is the difference between these two sentences? Which is the more correct?

A: Take a break and have fun! I'm sure there will be a lot of time to process reports when you come back.

B: Take a break and have fun! I'm sure there will be a lot of time to process the reports when you come back.

I'm not referring to a particular report but only to all the tons of reports we process in our office, so I would omit the definite article. Do you agree with my choice?

Context 2: I'm at work and I want to reproach a colleague, whose job is to process reports / support tickets. I want to refer to all the reports he that he process in his job, so they are not all the reports everywhere in the world, but I'm not referring only to a specific report.

1) You are making too many mistakes! Please, be very careful when you process the reports!
2) You are making too many mistakes! Please, be very careful when you process reports!


texts: are deaths in 2006 more than total of combat deaths of two world wars?

texts:
According to World Health Organization statistics, over 57 million people died from preventable diseases in 2006, more disease-related deaths in one year than the combined total of combat deaths in two world wars.

Does this mean that 57 million is more than the total of deaths in two world wars?


texts:
Should I say

  I look forward to hearing from you

or

  looking forward to hear from you?

I have doubt because I know that the form of a verb is "to+ infinity" without the addition of the -ing that changes it to become a noun.


texts:
The sentence is:

  She might have fainted three times if she’d seen what you have (seen) today.

Shouldn’t it be what you had seen because of the sequence-of-tenses rule?


texts:
This is a new technology based on Georges Charpak’s research on gaseous particle detection with a multi-wire proportional chamber with which he won the Nobel Prize in 1992.

I'm trying to explain that George Charpak developed this new technology and that he won the Nobel Prize for this discovery. But I trying to write as fluent as possible in this phrase. Is 'with which' used correctly in this sentence?


texts: Is it correct to say "human first" (or "human-first")?

texts:
I'm not native English and some work colleague and me were discussing about if saying human first or human-first is a correct English expression.

For example, we may promote that our company thinks of humans before machines so we might say:

Human first. We prioritize human development, because we love our job. Customer satisfaction starts with our own work happiness.

It's just a sample sentence to provide an use case of human first.

Is it correct?

Thank you in advance!


texts: "...easy enough, except..." Is this correct?

texts:
I heard this line in the movie "The social network". The full line is:

  The truth is she has a nice face. I need to do something to take my mind off her. Easy enough, except I need an idea.

What I know is that the meaning of the word "except" means "not including" or "other than". I am sure he is not saying "something except an idea". How does this line make sense?


texts: "Stay home" or "stay at home" – which is correct and why?

texts:
Stay home.
Stay at home.

When "home" functions as an adverb, it can modify the verb "stay". There are other examples, such as "go home",but there is no expression:

Go to home.

So I wonder which one is correct.


texts:
1.He wanted to know from Johnsy  what had happened to her.

  2.He wanted to know what had happened to Johnsy.

Are these two sentences different in meaning?
I think the listener of  the first sentence could  be Johnsy, but that of the second sentence is not.


texts: What do we call "a person who wears animal costumes"?

texts: What do we call a person who wears animal costumes and stands outside of a restaurant for advertising purposes? They may also represent a team or an organization.


texts: Do types of stripes have specific terms?

texts:
Are there specific words to describe horizontal or vertical stripes (esp. in clothes)?

For example, when I go shopping and I want a shirt with vertical stripes, what should I say?

"I am looking for horizontally striped shirts"?!

Also, I've heard Americans refer to their flags as stars and stripes. Does this mean when "stripes" is used, by default it's considered horizontal?


texts: I am not sure what these types of graph are called, but they remind me of trees, except there is no root, or at least I don't see it. So is there a name for graphs that look like this? I imagine there are several different way to classify it. The more answers, the better.


texts:
Please help me with the phrase " the height of elegance and sophistication " in the context. What does it mean ?
If possible, could anyone paraphrase it into another way to get me understood it better?

  District One is where almost of the city's attractions can be found. Head to the area around Dong Khoi street. Known as Rue Catinat when Viet Nam was part of French Indochina in the early 20th century. It was the height of elegance and sophistication.

Source video: Ho chi minh city vacation travel guide


texts:
I was asked to fill the blank below preserving the meaning of the sentence.

  It was not necessary for him to take any warm clothes, so he traveled
  light.  He ____________ take any warm clothes with him, so
  he traveled light.

I wrote "He hadn't needed to" what was wrong as "He didn't need to" turned out to be correct.

I used the past perfect, as I imagined it like so:
PAST: he traveled; EARLIER PAST: he hadn't needed

In similar topic I've found this:

  You can 'know' something at any time. You can realize something long after becoming aware of it, as 'knowing' requires a conscious thought to realize it. You can only 'notice' something when you're present, there and then, to be able to notice it.

I guess there is a similar case with "need" and "travel"? If so, is there wider explanation how to move comfortably between those verbs like "know, need" and "notice, travel" in past tenses?
This is very confusing when your native language has one past tense.


texts:
In Cyndi's sentence, you can replace “feel” with “am.” “I feel bad” becomes “I am bad.” Since you can make the verb swap, you know that “feel” is a linking verb in that sentence and is describing her state.

Source: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/bad-versus-badly?page=1

I would like to ask about the part "make the verb swap" in the above sentence. I think that the meaning is the same as  "you can swap the verb" but the original phrase seems to me odd. I am familiar with a sentence "like Skydiving makes me excited" but this pattern does not work in my sentence. What does "make the verb swap" exactly mean?


texts: How to tell someone to "experience it to the maximum"?

texts:
What is the most natural way to say something like "put your senses on the maximum level"? Could I say:

a) Breath it in with all of your senses?
b) Pull it in with all of your senses?


texts: Using the genitive with "University of Phoenix at"

texts:
Today, I have a question regarding using apostrophes with long proper nouns such as the "University of Phoenix at Little Rock".

Should I say the following?

  This person is a graduate of the University of Phoenix at Little Rock's communications program.

Is this okay? Should I place the apostrophe somewhere else, or rephrase the sentence completely?


texts: Is it correct to write two "you(s)" one after the other? (see example)

texts:
For example:

  The presents that I'm going to give you you'll have to share with
  your brothers.

Does this sentence sound natural? If not, how could it be rearranged?


texts: Is "the very end" grammatically correct?

texts:
I've come across this news about 'music and love are the only truly international languages', and found this:

  "Towards the very end, the video gets a little shaky as even the person filming starts tapping their foot."

Why use the very end?  The end of something means there is no more.
Is there a difference in meaning between the end and then very end?


texts: Current relevance: "She has broken her leg" vs. "She broke her leg yesterday"

texts:
I've been taught that the Present perfect tense is used when an action happened in the past and it is important now (or when it happened in the past and it is still ongoing).

Though, look at these examples:

Carla can't play basketball. She has broken her leg.

Carla can't play basketball. She broke her leg yesterday

The first example is the same as the second one, but the 2nd example is just using simple past  tense. So, why grammar says that we have to use Present perfect tense when the action has an influence in the present since I can use simple past tense and it would have the same influence in the present! (Like, the first example and the second one have the same influence in the present, because Carla can't play basketball today in these 2 examples)

I've been searching for a while and always says that "it is something that influences the present". But, if I say "She broke her leg yesterday. That's why she can't play" it would have the same meaning. So, that's why I am "confusion".


texts: Parsing this sentence containing a "when" clause

texts:
Consider:

  A premium of 0.2 per cent is to be added to the CIRRs when fixing at bid. Interest rates may not be fixed for longer than 120 days.

(Source)

Why can "a premium" act as the subject for "fixing at bid" in this "when" clause?


texts:
I can't understand the meaning of this sentence:

  You try to get your partner to make the phone call to place the
  delivery order, and your partner does the same thing to you

What's the meaning of "get" and "place" ?
Is that mean: "make your partner to make phone call"?
I can't understand "to place the delivery order" part.

Thanks for any help.


texts: ..dread with a manfiold fear" - manifold? A sentence from an old story

texts:
I would like to understand what "manifold" here is supposed to mean because it does not make sense to me in its usual meaning (marked by diversity or variety; many..), esp. when used with "fear":

Now I began to dread the city about me with a manifold fear: for
apparently the whole business of the people in Malnéant consisted of
preparations for the funeral of this lady Mariel.


texts: Idiom for when you are addressing the wrong issue because the real source of trouble is intimidating

texts:
Kalila and Demna is a collection of fables, and it has a significant influence on Eastern culture, just as Aesop's fables probably does on Western culture. In Kalila, there's a story about a difficult, unmanageable donkey that's ready to kick and hurt anyone. Occasionally, the donkey would throw off the person and the load on it. People, angry at the scary donkey, would hit the saddle in revenge because they can't really hit the donkey. From this arose an expression that translates as

  To spare the donkey, but to be a lion to the saddle.

In other words, to be brave when attacking the weak irrelevant saddle, but to avoid addressing the real intimidating source of trouble. I would use this expression, for example, whenever Mom and Dad have a fight, and then Dad, instead of lashing out at powerful Mom, lashes out at me.

A close English expression that I'm aware of is bark up the wrong tree but the problem with it is that it doesn't suggest cowardice in the person barking up the wrong tree as does the Arabic expression.


texts:
Both of them are Adjectives in the following examples:

  I am sort of disgusting with his flattery.
  I am sort of disgusted with his flattery.

I came up with the first sentence because I saw this:

  Song Yi is sort of disgusting with her obsession with Kim Jun.

I still have one more question as to the part of speech of sort of. I think it is Noun, with the meaning type/ kind. Therefore, disgusting/ disgusted with will be Complement for sort of.


texts:
In an online English test, there was this question:

Choose the correct variant
-I needed to have my hair cut
A) So need I
B) So didn't she
C) But my sister did
D) Neither did she
E) And my sister did

In my opinion, the correct answer should have been "So did I" but it wasn't among the variants. So I choose variant A. I'm not sure if native speakers use "So need I" but it just seems like the only one that makes sense in that question.
However, the answer turns out to be E.
And I just can't comprehend why.
I mean, everything aside, isn't it logically incorrect to choose E in that context?


texts: Whether to use a definite or indefinite article when we talk about punctuation marks?

texts:
Example 1:

Option A: A question mark is used only at the end of a sentence.
Option B: The question mark is used only at the end of a sentence.

Example 2:

Option A: A ? character is used only at the end of a sentence.
Option B: The ? character is used only at the end of a sentence.

Which sentences are correct, A or B? It seems that in most cases people use the indefinite article in such sentences, but from my point of view "?" exists in a single instance; we just refer to this instance here and there.


texts: What is the difference between "Listen my voice" to "Listen to my voice"?


texts: What the most natural way to refer to a dead human body?

texts:
(Sorry for the macabre subject)
I was wondering which of the following is the most natural way to refer to a dead human body in this sentence:

  The detective kneeled down to inspect ....

    1- Mike's body

    2- Mike's dead body

    3- Mike's corpse

    4- the body of Mike

    5- the dead body of Mike

    6- the corpse of Mike...


texts:
What is the meaning of "go in all guns blazing" in the following sentence?

  If you're having issues protecting your property from intrusions,
  don't go in all guns blazing, says Alan Wilson.

Does "don't go in all guns blazing" mean "Do not shoot guns. And be patient" ?


texts:
Which one is correct?

  The provided charts illustrate the information about employment.

or

  The charts provided illustrate the information about employment.


texts:
He popularized a method of releasing from bad eating habits.

is this correct? I am not sure about the connection "method" with "of"


texts:
These two comments were taken from one of our posts here on ELL. I think I had two questions, and the one in the comment was one of them . Would you read and comment please?

  @learner Do you mean that reading John's answer caused you to check
  a dictionary?
  Then "You made me check a dictionary" would be most
  appropriate, but if you want to avoid saying "you", you can avoid using
  a causative entirely and say "I had to check a dictionary" instead.

  Thank you @SB. My questions were duly answered.

For the meaning of duly, Merriam Webster's says: in a due manner or time :  properly

What sense do you understand from my comment to the knowledgeable person who answered my questions? Was my answer appropriate and does it sound natural?
When I was typing the comment I was afraid that the comment would have a bossy tone as if the other person was doing a job. Sometimes after reading more you feel get further lost.

I generally understand the meaning, but not so much as to know exactly when and how to use it other than copying the examples presented in the dictionaries! I hope this post was duly posted to see how far I have gone in knowing how to use it.

Please, bear in mind that I have read some posts in ELU (for example here and here) and this word's entries in several dictionaries including Cambridge, Oxford, The Free Dictionary and Macmillan. I have also checked COCA for more examples.

If my use above was not quite right, how would you fix it but still using duly there. I hope my question would be duly answered!


texts:
In my other post (What does "not as common" mean?) I said

  I guess I've learned it.

Actually I am not sure if I used the right tense.

I was trying to express the following

  I didn't understand that before read the comment. After read the comment, I understood. I got what the answerer is trying to let me know. Based on what I got just now, I am going to state something more.

To convey the meaning above, should I use

  I've learned it.

or

  I learned it.

Are there other better expressions for this situations?


texts: Are you sitting in front of a computer screen or a computer?

texts:
I am sorry but I feel confused by "computer screen" and "computer" alone when I tried to tell my friends what I was doing.
(1): I am sitting in front of a computer screen talking to you with a webcam.
(2): I am sitting in front of a computer talking to you with a webcam.

I am not sure whether (1) and (2) are equivalent, but if they are, then, they will make me confused again: when your computer becomes old and you are going to buy a new one, so how will you tell your parents about this then?
(1): Hi, Dad and Mom, I need some money to buy a new computer.
(2): Hi, Dad and Mom, I need some money to buy a new computer screen.


texts: The word government in colloquial speech

texts: In colloquial speech, does the word "government" refer to the executive political force in a country (especially when capitalized,) or does it always encompass the legislative and judicial bodies as well?


texts:
This question comes from this English lesson video.

  NEW AGE ARTIST7: I can feel what he's feeling ... although it is a frightening feeling, I admire the skill of the artist to evoke such an emotional response. I think the painting is fascinating to look at. Munch has successfully created a composition which conveys a universal emotion, a feeling that can be recognized and understood by all. I can almost hear that terrifying scream. And there you have it!

What does the phrase "and there you have it" mean in the above context? What can be used instead of that phrase?


texts: Is it accurate to use "of" and "from" here

texts:
I am studying the material "A day in the life of Jeff", from eslpod. I came across two sentences which seems not clear to me.

The first one is in episode 8

  I'm going to boil some water. To boil means to make the one of very hot.

The second one is in episode 9

  I'm glad tomorrow is trash day since we have so much trash from moving over the weekend.

For the first sentence, I'm not sure what grammar it is to use "of" here. I am more comfortable with no "of" here instead. What do you think? Another point is, I guess "the one" here means "water", but is it a good practice to use "the one" to delegate "water" which is uncountable noun?

**Correction: I checked the accompany audio and in first sentence, "one of" should be "water". The script is wrong. I'm sorry for my careless mistake. **

For the second sentence, I guess it is better to replace "from" by "for". I'm not sure if it is a typo or not. I also don't understand the logic to use the "over the weekend", because the context tells that trash day is tomorrow which is Friday. Then why it says "over the weekend" here? I understand this sentence this way,

  I'm glad tomorrow is trash day since we have so much trash, produced over weekdays, for disposing of.


texts: When you can recognize someone's character by taking a look on their faces

texts:
Dictionaries say: to be a good/bad etc. judge of something means:

  to be someone whose opinions about something are usually right, wrong, intelligent etc.

Example:
- My sister is a very shrewd judge of character.

We have a term in our language which says i.e.

  I am a good judge of faces.

Connotation:

I usually can recognize the inmost feelings, intents, and the character of anybody who I take a look at their faces.

It implies that the person has experienced ups and downs of life and ran into various types of people so has been qualified to detect a normal person from an evil one.

Does this sentence make the same sense in natural English or I have to say something else to convey this message?


texts: Which one is the closest meaning to the "secured" in the sentence?

texts:
Here is a question.

We have secured discounted rates for conference participants at Hotel Cortiana.

The word "secured" is closest in meaning to
(A)guarded
(B)established
(C)paid
(D)enclosed
I think it's closest in meaning to "guaranteed", so I'm confused about these options which not properly fit the sentence for me.
The correct is B, I really want to know why. I have known and looked up that "establish" is closest to "found", "build" and "accept". The meaning in verb of "secure" is very different from "establish".
Please help, thanks.


texts:
Is "write a diary" natural English? Many teachers say it is incorrect, but the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English online gives the following collocation:

  keep/write a diary (=write regularly in a diary) While I was travelling, I kept a diary every day.

https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/diary


texts: "Harold is booked on a flight leaving tonight."

texts: "Is" is for singular subject and for present tense, if the word "booked" is a past tense, why they use "is" instead of "was"? I agree that "leaving tonight" is a future but the action verb or word "booked" is a past tense.


texts:
What is the difference between "undergo" and "have been through"?

  I have undergone a 10 hour surgery to fix my bone fracture.

  I have been through a 10 hour surgery to fix my bone fracture.


texts: Which context has the word "resilient" been used in here?

texts:
I read a sentence which was:

  In a sense these variations are reflective of the complex processes that shaped early social histories --- through dialogues between dominant traditions and resilient local ideas and practices.

According to Merriam Webster dictionaries, it means -  tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change
But that doesn't fit here for me. So, what am I missing?


texts:
find [transitive] to get back something/somebody that was lost after searching for it/them

  find something for somebody Can you find my bag for me?

  find somebody something Can you find me my bag?

  find somebody/something I wanted to talk to him but he was nowhere to
  be found.

  find somebody/something + adj. The child was found safe and well.

  look [intransitive] to try to find somebody/something

  I can't find my book—I've looked everywhere.

  look for somebody/something Where have you been? We've been looking
  for you.

  Are you still looking for a job?

  We’re looking for someone with experience for this post.

Generally, we know that "look for" means "try to find" and "find" means "successfully get something after searching for it"

My question is that

When to use "find" & when to use "look for"?

For examples:

could you go find Tommy?

could you go look for Tommy?

I want to find a good stone

I want to look for a good stone (does it sound strange?)

But seem we don't use "find" with continuous tenses

"I am finding my book" sounds strange

But "I am looking for my book" sounds ok.


texts: What does "Women like guys who play the dance." mean?

texts:
"Women like guys who play the dance."

What does "playing the dance" mean in this context?

Thank you.


texts: Using "Like" And "As If" In Unreal Conditions?

texts:
1- Why do you talk about him as if he were an old man? (He is
  not an old man.)

  2- They treat me as if I were their own son. (I'm not their son)

Can I use "like" in these sentences above instead of "as if" ? As:

  1'- Why do you talk about him like he is an old man ?

  2'- They treat me like I am their own son.

  3- I feel like I have run a marathon . (I am just too tired
  because I just run one kilometre. So I haven't run a marathon.)

  4- You look like you have seen a ghost. (She is just so
  terrified. She didn't see a ghost.)

Can I use "as if" in these sentences, 3 and 4, instead of "like". If I can, should I use subjunctive mood or not?

  3a- I feel as if I have run a marathon.

  3b- I feel as if I had run a marathon.

  4a- You look as if you have seen a ghost.

  4b- You look as if you had seen a ghost.


texts: Which definition of noun "glare" fits in this context?

texts:
I read a sentence in the chapter "Journey to the end of Earth" which was:

  So there we were, all 52 of us, kitted out in Gore-tax and glares, waking on stark whiteness that seemed to spread out forever.

I could not find any definition of noun "glare" that would fit into this context.


texts:
Assume that A and B are two systems. For example A consumes 3unit and B consumes 4unit of the energy. Now we know to A saves 0.25% in energy consumption than B.I want to draw a diagram and want to type on the y axis. I would like to which of these is correct:

  . . . the energy saving ratio of A to B . . .
  . . . the energy saving ratio of A than B . . .
  . . . the energy savings ratio of A to B . . .
  . . . the energy savings ratio of A than B . . .
  . . .. or?


texts:
In 2005, fiction made up the largest proportion of items borrowed at
  35% with children's books and DVDs equally second at 20% each.

I have two question about this.

The preposition with is followed by a clause without a verb, so why is this sentence correct?
Has an of been elided in "20% each"? Does it correspond to "20% of each"?


texts: What to say when somebody isn't interested in our product?

texts:
Let's say you have a new product and want to send a free sample to a few influencers. How to respond (in a kind way) when somebody rejected you, especially when that person gave the reason why?

I'd like to say thank you for a response, but I also want to say that I understand, and I'm not offended that I was rejected. ( I don't know, something between "Sure thing," "Take care" and "Good luck!"- all of them combined into a few sentences). I'm looking for a "template" kind response in situations like that.

I'd be grateful if somebody came up with an idea how to express what I want to say.


texts: "there has now sprung..." or "there have now sprung..." in H.G.Wells' "The Outline of History"

texts:
I have an article claimed to be a part of H.G. Wells' "The Outline of History". In this article, there's a line.

  So there has now sprung from this beginning two other enterprises, which round off and complete a working statement of the general picture of our world needed by the modern citizen.

In my opinion, it should be So there have now sprung from this beginning two other enterprises since the actual subject is two other enterprises.

I can't find this article in "The Outline of History" the third edition. Maybe it comes from an earlier edition with a typo.


texts: Looking for an English idiom/expression related to trapping

texts: Is there in English language an expression/idiom that reflects the idea that we make something vulnerable to be attacked because we want to trap the attacker ?


texts:
I am aware that "benefit" as a verb means

  to be helped by something or to help someone

for instance, this

  They argued that the tax will mainly benefit the rich.

means that tax is good for rich people.

Consider this

  Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems benefit physicians in reducing workload and improving diagnostic accuracy for medical examination.

which uses the pattern benefit sb. in doing sth.

Is it idiomatic to use "benefit" that way?


texts:
Every Monday and Tuesday afternoon.

Does this mean "every Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon?"


texts: Present perfect continuous and past perfect continuous

texts:
What's the difference between:

[...] who have been dominating the sport for a couple of years.
[...] who has been dominating the sport for a couple of years
[...] who had been dominating the sport for a couple of years.

My main problem here is when to use has, have and had.


texts: Can you be surrounded by two persons or things?

texts:
In the turbofan engine, the core engine is surrounded by a fan in the
front and an additional turbine at the rear.

https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/aturbf.html
The thing is surrounded by two things. One at the rear and another at the front. How does this make sense?


texts: haven't been travelling vs haven't travelled

texts:
Could you please tell me the difference between the two following sentences?
When do I use the first one and when do I use the second one?
Are both of them correct?

  I haven't been travelling for 3 years
  I haven't travelled for 3 years


texts: "My name Pablo it's said" - What is the subject?

texts:
What is the subject in the sentence

  "My name Pablo it's said"

I have a confusion about if this sentence is correct in English and if so what's the subject. How is it analyzed syntactically?


texts:
Suppose the following sentence occurs in a context about a lawsuit, and in the the first sentence of the paragraph that follows, the Supreme Court revoked the ruling. In other words, the ruling isn't valid anymore. I'd like to know whether would make or would have made is correct:

  According to the ruling, merely reading an article online would have made / would make thieves of most Internet users.

I'd appreciate your help.


texts: What is difference between these two styles of writing?

texts:
He was smart and handsome.

  He was smart and he was handsome.

  First looking at the writing, it was beautiful. It was eloquent, mature, and really drew you into the story.

  First looking at the writing, it was beautiful. It was eloquent, it was mature, and it really drew you into the story.

Source of 2nd example

Is there any usage, or meaning differences between these?


texts:
Whether it is the happy childhood memory they both possess or it is
  the intimate relationship derived from their elder generation, Tom and
  Clancy are intersected intimately.

I am not sure whether this sentence is grammatically correct. Is the structure like "whether it is... it is" right?


texts: Are they correct to say "She's got 2 butterfly hairpins in / on her hair" and "She's got a hairband in / on her hair"?

texts:
Look at this picture

Do we say "She's got 2 butterfly hairpins IN / ON her hair"?

Look at this picture

Do we say "She's got a hairband IN / ON her hair"?


texts: Which one is appropriate as the subject of a letter?

texts:
Which one should I use? should I drop the "a" before long-term or not? (this is a subject of a letter)

Subject: Letter of Motivation for a long-term student visa.
Subject: Letter of Motivation for long-term student visa.


texts: Two "Good to meet you" in the movie "Ex Machina"

texts:
.

Two actors say the same script "It's good to meet you" in the movie trailer "Ex Machina".

I think there's difference of two sayings in pronunciation.

  First, an employee "It's good/ to meet/ you, Nathan." (/ means not-linking)

  Second, the CEO "It's 'goodo' 'meechu' too, Caleb." ('words' from my listening)

I feel

These "good/ to" and "meet/ you" imply decency and formality.
Those "goodo" and "meechu" imply frankness, friendship, a little bit arrogance.

How do you think?


texts:
What does 'a bear' mean here as a noun?

  “I say, ‘No, it’s a serious degree, a chemistry degree first and
  foremost. It’s hard work. Organic chemistry is a bear,” the 27 year
  old told the Associated Press.


texts: A metaphor which can introduce an experienced/inexperienced person

texts:
What do you call a half-baked (not quite experienced) and well-baked (well-experienced) person in English?

I'm looking for a metaphorical expression or preferably word, which can explain a person who has or has not experienced ups and downs of life and subsequently not able to decide, act, behave properly when it comes to.

  Don't shout at him. Try not to blame him this much. He's just a .............. young person. I think the only person who understands our son is your father. This is why everyone calls him a....................... [said wife to her husband privately about their son].

The only words that come to mind are:

  1) mature/immature
  2) experienced/inexperienced

Although both pairs work properly in the blanks, but as I mentioned, I need some metaphors to explain such people.
I wonder if you let me know about it.

It could be great if "half-baked" and "baked" could sound natural in this sense. :))


texts: Can "percentage-wise" be used as adjective?

texts:
Good afternoon.

I know all languages have exceptions.

But I can't find any cases where "percentage-wise" which is adverb is used as an adjective.

Since I have encountered the the phrase " identify ........... by one of percentage-wise and optimal gross margin", I am so confused.

How should I interpret the sentence? I think that the sentence means ".. by one of percentage-wise margin and optimal gross margin." but then, "percentage-wise" should be adjective. :< Please help me. Thanks in advance.


texts:
I am very confused regarding the use of What/how/etc. do you think ... as questions.

e.g.:

  What do you think is my name?
  What do you think my name is?

and,

  How do you think it is done?
  How do you think is it done?

and also,

  Does anyone remember how we connected to the server?
  Does anyone remember how did we connect to the server?

Can you please elaborate with grammatical rules?


texts: Ok so, I made a statement she didn't hear me so her response was, "What you said". I told her she was wrong.  Please help us solve this debate. If a person ask the question, " What you said"? Is that correct? I say No, I need some clarity.


texts:
guys.
Could you please tell me which sentence is wrong and which is right?
This question asks to select the wrong sentence and there is only one answer.
However, I assume this question has at least two or more, and yet I can't be sure.

  1. It is stupid of you to do it.
  2. He has no house to live.
  3. She left her vilage never to return.
  4. The box is light enough for him to carry.
  5. I think she has good study habit.


texts: What does “has ever been sent packing” mean?

texts:
I'm currently reading this article, and a paragraph says,

  No president has ever been sent packing. Nixon resigned because he saw it coming. Trump would sooner start a civil war.

What would this bold line mean?

I checked with Merriam Unabridged, it says,

Packing : noun

  1 a :  the act or process of preparing goods for shipment or storage

  specifically :  the wholesale processing of food for market

  b :  a method of inserting into a shipping container with appropriate protective covering, cushioning, or bracing

  c :  the act or process of transporting or being transported on the backs of men or animals

  d :  the therapeutic application of a pack

  e :  an act or instance of assembling in a compact group or mass

  2
  a :  a covering, stuffing, or holding apparatus used to protect, cushion, or brace goods packed for shipment or storage

  b (1) :  a thin layer or ring of elastic material (as paper, rubber, asbestos, copper) inserted between the surfaces of a flange joint to make it impervious to leakage — compare gasket (2) :  the material in a stuffing box which prevents leakage (3) :  a flexible ring surrounding a piston to maintain a tight fit (as inside a cylinder) (4) :  material (as felt, wool, or rope) placed in the sawway of a circular saw to prevent vibration — compare hydraulic packing, steam packing (5) :  caulking]

  c :  a masonry filling (as mortar containing small stones)

  d :  the material used beneath the drawsheet of a printing press

  e (1) :  longitudinal timbers between the hull of a ship and the sliding ways of a launching cradle (2) :  a liner between the frame and a raised strake of plating on a ship to make it watertight

  f :  the arrangement of several structural members (as I bars or struts) on a single pin forming a truss joint

  g :  the filling of a fractionating column consisting usually of loose pieces of solid material (as glass beads or Raschig rings)

None of these seem to apply. Could anyone help me?

Thank you in advance.


texts: Meaning of "partial" in "Partial Data Report" as required by ASME

texts:
I've been translating a document and came across the phrase "partial data report". It is almost certainly used there in the sense implied by ASME.

I asked on a translators' forum and one guy came up with a URL of a form for this report.

Am I right to assume that the adjective "partial" here stands for "related to parts" and not for "incomplete"?


texts: to sign up [using] / [by using] the link in the description

texts:
"The first thousand people to sign up using the link in the
description will get their first two months free."

This is a sentence from a sponsored Youtube video. I saw it and wrote it down. My question is, what is the difference if we place by after "to sign up"?
Someone on the Internet I talked to suggested that adding by could mean that there are other ways to get the incentive, while not adding by could mean using the link to sign up is the only way to get the incentive. I am not sure if my question is subjective to the individual.


texts:
Lenny is strolling around the park, bored, when he notices a squirrel jumping around in a tree. He sits down on a bench to watch it.

Then something else happens somewhere else.

Back in the park, Lenny is still occupied/preoccupied, watching the squirrel with great interest.

Question: Should I use "occupied" or "preoccupied" or do either sound odd here? (I am aware of the difference between the words but I'm still not sure what would be more natural to use)


texts:
I have to write a paper in present tense, but I have few words I do not know how to change from past tense to present.

During the Holocaust Jews and other races faced torture and prosecution and were forced to live in concentration camps.

Could someone tell me how to convert the two bolded words?


texts: V-ing and V-ing is vs. V-ing and V-ing are

texts:
Which following sentence is correct, and why?

Mapping and combining data is hard.
Mapping and combining data are hard.

More generally, I would like to know whether a subject of the form V-ing and V-ing should be followed by a singular verb or a plural verb.


texts: "If time remains" vs. "if any time remains"

texts:
I actually have three questions:

If any time remains or if time remains, which one is true?

For example:

  If (any) time remains we will take a look at that

or "we take a look at that"? (In the latter part of the sentence, should we say we'll or we?)

And my last question is: can anyone suggest any other phrases to express this kind of situation? I mean if I have a number of certain things to do within a limited time, and I'm offered to do something else, how can I express my situation in terms of being able to spare time for things other than my main job? What are the ways of saying this?

With my time being limited, it depends if time permits to do other job requests


texts:
he company _____ the contract because of unfair terms.

  liked
  accepted
  rejected
  signed

I think "fair" means "not enough" so they rejected and not accepted, right?


texts:
Let's say, I have something that I rarely use, but I don't want to throw it away because I think I may need it in the future. So, do I use conditional 1 or 2?
I thought I should keep it in case I needed to use it.
or
I thought I should keep it in case I need to use it.


texts: Is it normal to say that something "Breaks in two"?

texts:
:)
I was wondering if one could say in a poetic way that

  "a seed breaks in two"

...or should one say

  "breaks apart"

or even something totally different?


texts:
I can't think of anybody whom to invite.

  Anybody whom I should invite
  Anybody to invite
  Anybody who should be invited
  No improvement.

This is my exam question and provisional answer key suggested option 3. But I can't understand why other options are incorrect.


texts: Looking for a translation of a German expression "mit an Sicherheit grenzender Wahrscheinlichkeit"

texts:
In German language you use an expression mit an Sicherheit grenzender Wahrscheinlichkeit to say that you are almost one hundred percent sure/certain.

A particularity of that expression is that it has a subtility that I think comes from probability/mathematics; you say that you are not one hundred percent sure, but you can come arbitrarily close to certainty.
The expression also can make someone smile and/or shows a little bit of sophistication in the usage of the German language despite it's somewhat confusing meaning.
A probably wrong but literal translation could be something like with probability bordering/verging on certainty.

I use the expressions almost certain, very sure, pretty sure, etc. in this case, but I wonder....

In English language there is an expression that can come very close to the German expression?


texts:
I stuck in the following sentence:

  Eyes are the most precious organ/s of our body.

We say 'eyes' and not an 'eye' as body's organ. Now, when I say 'Eyes are', do I need to mention them as a singular organ or a pair?

So, 'Eyes are the most precious organs or organ of our body'?

I know the basic rule of subject-verb agreement, but this sentence perplexes me.


texts: English version of the Persian expression "the sunshine (sunlight) on the roof edge"

texts:
There is an expression in Persian.

The translation of which is : "the sunshine (sunlight) on the roof edge";

and the meaning of which is : "the last beams of the sun when it's dusk".

Is there any related English expression for such meaning? ( I need it for a poem).


texts:
Is the below sentence correct? This is the first time, I am seeing two neither in a sentence.

  In the case of a constitutive relation, neither relatum precedes the other temporally, and neither can be present without the other.


texts:
Recent studies suggest that ride-sharing services could do a much better job providing useful information to drivers. For example, one current app provides heat maps... but only when surge pricing is in effect and demand is strong. But it doesn't help drivers figure out how to optimise their business during the doldrums, when demand is poor.

  "poor" most nearly means:
  a) outdated
  b) mournful
  c) modest
  d) weak

I was having a hard time choosing between (c) and (d). The answer is (d) and I guess it makes sense since weak is the opposite of strong, but wouldn't (c) also make sense as well?


texts:
When talking about possibilities in the past, You often use "could have done".

  "She could have gone to the theatre with him."
  "He couldn't have done such a thing!"
  "I could have saved them."
  "You could have borrowed the car from him."

I understand "can have done" is used in negative and interrogative statements.

  "She can't have eaten all the food."
  "Can he have told them all the secrets?"

But I've not seen an affirmative sentence like,

  "She can have gone to the theatre with him."
  "He can have told them all the secrets."
  "I can have saved them."
  "You can have borrowed the car from him."

Why is it? As far as I know, "can" sometimes refers to possibilities as follows.

  "It can be boiling hot in summer."
  "She can be nasty."

Did "can have done" in affirmatives used to exist before?
Or is it still possible but only used in limited contexts?
If it is, when do you use the structure?
If it's not used at all, what do you think is the reasons?
Should I just think of it as an exception or an irregularity?
※. I've already read this link: How often do you use "can('t) have done" structure?
※. One thing added: I looked up 'can' in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English
      (Third Edition, 1974, A.S. Hornby), and here are the examples:

  a. One of the prisoners escaped yesterday; he can/could(=may) be anywhere by now.
  b. He's an hour late; he can have been delayed by fog, of course.

Now I'm thinking "can" really used to express speculations about the past,
and the meaning was more or less the same as "could" or "may".
if the interesting affirmative "can" was still alive in some dialects, I'd love to know about them and to know
whether the choice between "can" or "could" might be a matter of lowering possibility in the dialects.
I really want to hear different opinions on this "can".


texts: How to use weak and moderate in one sentence to explain the relationship

texts:
I have two variables. I examined the relationship between them I found that the association between them are weak to moderate I would like to describe this relationship in General. I do not need to explain them in specific.
I tried this, but feel my sentence is not correct or the structure is not good:
The relationship between X and Y is almost negative (weak to moderate)


texts:
Some studio names have the word studio in the front and some in the back. I wonder if there is a substantial difference in the meanings?

For example, do 'Zen Studio' and 'Studio Zen' have different meanings or give a native speaker different impressions?


texts: The system was extended by/with several new functions

texts:
I would like to know whether the following is correct:

  The system was extended by several new functions.

  Our tool extends the system by a few new functions.

I have read similar questions but could not find a clear reasoning as for when should I choose which.


texts: What does "position" mean in this context?

texts:
I don't quite understand the phrase in bold:
"This is a very high scoring wine from what will certainly prove to be in the top three vintages of all time," he said. "At the moment, we are talking to a lot of people about positions on Lafite because prices have come down so far it really looks like there is a very considerable upside."

source: http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/10/wine-investing-may-be-your-tipple-of-choice.html


texts: How should I use the word 'signal' here?

texts:
Can I use the word 'signal' in the following sentence? If not, how am I supposed to phrase it? I have no ideas.

She told us she did notice that he tried in many times and in many ways to send her signals that he secretly liked her.


texts: What's the meaning of the lyrics of Disturbed: Believe?

texts:
While my English understanding is literally 8.5/9 (that's my IELTS score) the deeper meaning of this lyrics -- perhaps because it lacks punctuation -- escapes me. Of course I understand the individual pieces but it just doesn't come together to form understandable sentences. To clarify, I am not looking for the philosophical or religious meaning of this lyrics, I am after missing punctuation, missing conjunctions and such and / or a tree of subsentences.

  Believe, when you lie
  You will never need to recognize yourself
  To deceive
  To remove all chance of doubt and be received
  With your lie
  The deception is complete when you concede
  And decide
  To reject your lives, sacrificed to me