texts: "public transport" vs. "public transportation"

texts:
Buses are the main form of public transportation
  Buses are the main form of public transport

Which one is correct?


texts:
I would like to know how to use "if needed", "if necessary" and "if any".
Like can I say "Please give me advices if needed"; "Please give me advices if any"?
But I find these two a bit awkward. Please help improve the sentences and explain the use of the three phrases.


texts: "No sooner had" vs "as soon as" vs "scarcely had"

texts:
No sooner had we sat down, the phone rang.

  As soon as we sat down, the phone rang.

  Scarcely had we sat down, the phone rang.

Is any difference in meaning among them? Are they correct grammatically?


texts:
My sister doesn't know whether tomorrow can be a holiday for her.

This is a sentence improvement question asked in my exam. Which of the below given two options is the correct answer ?

A) My sister doesn't know whether tomorrow will be a holiday for her.

B) My sister doesn't know whether tomorrow is a holiday for her.

For me both sentences convey same meaning but I can't figure which one to choose as answer.


texts:
From wikipedia:

  Carbon dioxide levels reached astounding heights and the sea levels elevated. Plants such as plankton became "glassy" and temperatures increased.

What does glassy mean in this context? I found several definition but am not sure which one apply here:

  Of or resembling glass. (Oxford Dictionary)
  Having little animation :  dull, lifeless (Merriam Webster)

Are the plant turning into glass (akin to vitrification), or are they just dying?


texts: "I have been 'verb-ing'" vs. "I had been 'verb-ing'"

texts:
A. I have been studying English for one year.
B. I had been studying English for one year.

Could one who hears those sentences argue that "A" case implies "and I am still studying it" whereas "B" case implies "and I am no longer studying it"? If so, how are different in time frame the following sentences?

I worked in Colombia for ten years when the manager sent me to Italy.

I have been working in Colombia for ten years when the manager sent me to Italy.

I had been working in Colombia for ten years when the manager sent me to Italy.

Please, consider that the real situation is that I worked in Colombia from 1963 to 1973 and, for some reason, 1, 2 or 3 must  be written today.
However I'm under the impression that only the "3" case is grammatical or, in any case, correct in reference to the real situation, although "1" case seems to be salvageable deleting the preposition "for".
Can anybody explain?


texts: What do you call the "practical classes" that med students have at hospitals?

texts:
Maybe they are called practices? Example sentence:

  My practice at the hospital lasted forever. I arrived home around
  midnight.


texts:
1) Australia has won the World Cup Cricket.

  2) Australia have won the World Cup Cricket.

Which sentence is correct?
Also, I would like to know more contexts where 'country has' and 'country have' are used.


texts: Can I omit "who was" in the following sentence?

texts:
He examined her, making her feel like a patient (who was) about to
  receive a bad diagnosis.

Can the who was be omitted? Why or why not?


texts: Is "to finance hotel investments" clear?

texts: I want a title which mean providing the necessary money for investing in hospitality development. Does to finance/financing hotel investments refer to what I want to say?


texts: Is it correct to say 'I am moving these elements *earlier* in the list'?

texts:
I am coding and have some elements in a list. Now I want to move a couple of elements so they appear before.
So form [a, b, c, d, e, this, that] i want "this" and "that" to show before: [a, this, that, b, c, d, e].
I want to explain this and wonder if 'move earlier in the list' is an appropriate way to use 'earlier'.
I know early stands for near the beginning of a period of time, an event etc., and earlier is its comparative, but I don't know if a situation of 'positioning' works here. If not, what good alternatives can I use for this?
Note I can say 'move elements to the left', but seems a bit too specific and, for example, wouldn't work if in a right-to-left writing context.


texts: “Many a student has passed the SAT examination”

texts: How can this be a correct statement? , I am confused about the “Many a student” part. Using “Many” & “a” together doesn’t make sense to me.


texts:
Consider these two sentences:

  1) It is powerful enough to cover most scenarios of content extraction.

  2) It is powerful enough to cover the most scenarios. (or better the most possible scenarios).

I think in the sentence 2, as I cut the rest of the sentence, I can use "the" to restrict the scenarios to the context of the sentence.

Is my analysis of using "the" here, is creditable?


texts: How to say “vollschwitzen” (German) in English?

texts:
It was just necessary to explain to somebody in English why I am not wearing the team shirt of my national team although they play this evening. I don’t want to wear it right now, because the weather is quite hot outside. If I did, it would be full of sweat this evening and smelling. I will put it on later.

Is there a single verb in English which could be used in this context? In German I could just say:

  Ich will das Trikot nicht vollschwitzen.

and vollschwitzen means to make some clothes full of sweat over time, which implies it will smell bad. Is there a similar verb in English, so that I could just say something like:

  I don’t want to ... my team shirt.

Maybe a colloquial one? If there isn’t, how could I say this more elegant / in a shorter way?


texts: After a long time your friend has messaged you; how do we sarcastically respond to it?

texts:
After a long time your friend has messaged you. How do you sarcastically respond him/her?

In my opinion, I may say, "Now only you remembered me. what are you doing these days?"


texts: Is it correct to say or not? How to make question sentence?

texts: Could you please explain to me whether it is correct to say "The book used to be called differently" or it is better to say "The book was called differently"? If the first one is correct then how to make a question sentence from it? Thank you in advance!


texts: When I first read the sentence in blue bracket, I subconsciously regard "with rows of smaller ridges" as a modifier of "spines". Now I realize that it makes more sense to think it modifying "ridges." So is it more reasonable to put the modifier closely after the thing being elaborated, so it'll not confuse people?


texts: When should the phrase "If X were to do X"?

texts:
I am wondering what the phrase imply, because I am unsure whether I am using it correctly in writing.

As far as I know, "were" is used we talk about a theoretical situation. However, I am thinking it does not imply logical necessity as with "is".

Take the following two examples:

  If you were to insure this is done properly, you need to be equipped
  with this.

  If you are to insure this is done properly, you need to be equipped
  with this.

The second sentence implies necessity, but the second seems awkward at best, because the two parts doesn't seem to match.


texts: Is it correct to say both "to buy" and "buy" here

texts:
I'm wondering if the second buy is natural in the following:

  It is easier to buy soft drinks and processed foods than buy fruits and vegetables in this country.

Would it be more natural to precede the second buy with to?
Or would it be even more natural to say "Soft drinks and processed foods are easier to buy than fruits and vegetables in this country"?


texts:
There was rice enough for all four of them.

  There was enough rice for all four of them.

Are these two sentences different in meaning as to the position of "enough"?


texts:
There is a lot of information to process.
There is a lot of information to be processed.

Any grammatical difference? Both feels the same to me.


texts:
Do we congratulate people for their achievements only, or does one congratulate them on occasions like Christmas too? Can one say?

  Congratulation to you on Christmas!


texts: Language logic about singular and plural groups

texts:
I try to help some people with basic English, and I'm not able to explain why "Everyone" takes a "s" with the simple present verb, and why "People" takes no "s".

I explained "Everyone" as a group, and group means a plural, but have a singular form. Example: a football team.

But with "people", my explanation get confusing. How to explain it, considering the students ask for a logic, if they are learning from a language with a very different logic.

In linguistics, how is it called?

PS: why there is no "indefinite pronouns" tags, nor "linguistics" tag?


texts:
Tell me please which word I should use in the following context.

  The man is trying hard to change the country for the better. May/let he succeed!

What I want to convey by the word are a wish or hope. Does those have identical meanings in that, if not, then what is the difference?


texts: Best way to write a sentence with repeated structure

texts:
Consider the three following options:

This problem cannot be solved on a small computer, but can be solved on a big one.
This problem cannot be solved on a small computer, but can be on a big one.
This problem cannot be solved on a small computer, but can be – on a big one.

Which of these is preferred? Or maybe neither, and smth else instead?
I'm assuming that the first one is grammatically correct but I personally don't like how it sounds. To me, the last version looks best. But native speakers told me that it sounds awkward.


texts: using "of" in case of separate ownership of the same kind of thing singular/plural choice

texts:
I am bit confused of the singular or plural choice when it comes to the belonging relation of two things when using the X of A and B.

I'd like to express that A and B both own the same type of uncountable or singular countable property. A naive example wound be

  The climate of country A and the climate of B is/are(?) different.

Does the contraction affect the choice?

  The climate of country A and B is/are(?) different.

How about the property is countable but A and B each has only one.

  The president/presidents(?) of country A and B is/are(?) different.


texts: prepositional pattern with choice of prepositions ("to" vs. "for")

texts:
Now I am learning about prepositional patterns, but I have questions about when to use proper prepositions.

Here's question sentences

I gave a book to John.
I gave a book for John.
He brought a chair to her.
He brought a chair for her.
send a letter to Steve.
send a letter for Steve. (wrong)

in these two sentences, my teacher told me that to John in sentence 1 means goal, whereas for John in sentence 2 refers to Benefactive or proxy.

sentence 1 and 2 seems okay to me, however, sentences 3 and 4 confused me.

I think meaning of sentence 3 and sentence 4 which interpreted as Benefactive are same..
I don't get difference of underlying meaning.

Also, I don't know the reason why my teacher just said sentence 6 is wrong..


texts: How to change this sentence below to passive voice?

texts:
Jill's parent are making her study hard.
Is my version correct? -
Jill is being made study hard by her parents.
Should it be like this? - Jill is being made to study hard by her parents.


texts: what does "precious little room to manoeuvre" mean here?

texts:
Among the cases under consideration, high marks go to the diplomats of the American Revolution whose realism compelled them to think and act in terms of power, rightfully eschewing ideology and moral principles.
There was, in fact, precious little room to manoeuvre, and the fear of failure was a constant companion.


texts:
It's from the movie Tenet

Michael Crosby: I gather you have an interest in a certain Russian national.
Protagonist: Anglo-Russian. So I have to watch my step.
Michael Crosby: Indeed. He's tapped into the intelligence services. I've warned them he's feeding them rubbish...

What's the meaning of "tapped into"? Does it mean that he is an agent of intelligence services or he is just helping them?


texts: What does Cookie Monster say in this song?

texts:
I like this song "Sesame Street: Smarter, Stronger, Kinder Song".

but I can't understand what Cookie Monster and the girl sing from 0:10 to 0:16.

Please help me.

I hear

  the girl: Kind at home when you play

  Cookie Monster: Try the cherry get carry everyday

I think that's meaningless and wrong.


texts:
What's the difference between "travel through time", "travel in time"? I am wondering if both mean the same thing or can be used to mean the same thing as "time travel".

For example:

  He traveled through time to see his dead brother.

  He traveled in time to see his dead brother.


texts: How to understand and explain phrase "to line city coffers"?

texts:
I was watching this video and faced a problem: I don't know how to understand the phrase "to line city coffers"? I've faced that phrase at the end of the following long sentence:

"The problem's actually a bit worse than this 'cause we're not just sending
poor kids to prison, we're saddling poor kids with court fees, with probation and parole restrictions, with low-level warrants, we're asking them to live in halfway houses and on house arrest, and we're asking them to negotiate a police force that is entering poor communities of color, not for the purposes of promoting public safety, but to make arrest counts, to line city coffers."


texts: "A better future tomorrow" vs "a better tomorrow"?

texts:
I need to write something like this on a poster:

Save (the?) Environment Today

For a Better (Future) Tomorrow

Basically I want to say: Save environment (resources) today so that we can live better tomorrow or something like that, as it is World Environment Day today.

Is future unnecessary or important or would have a different meaning here?

Also, do I need to put a the before Environment?


texts: "leave others with dying geese" meaning in the context

texts:
When people fail to respect the P/PC Balance in their use of physical assets in organizations, they decrease organizational effectiveness and often leave others with dying geese.

This is from the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I don't understand what dying geese is referring to here. Can someone help me?


texts:
I've seen this at many places, that people who know very good English (even native speakers of English) write "Hello" followed by a full stop. My confusion is that the use of the full stop indicates that it is a sentence, but a sentence must have a verb in order to be called a sentence.

  Hello.

doesn't have any verb in it but has a full stop. So, is it a sentence or not? If it is a sentence, why does it not have a verb in it, which a sentence must have according to the definition of a sentence? If it is not a sentence, why is it ending with a full stop?

Examples That I Have Observed

Hello. How are you?
Hello, Johnny.
Hello? Who is there?


texts:
I read some sentences which used "all are come". Is this correct formation?
Consider the following examples:

a) "All are come to office today" (Meaning Status)
b) "All have come to office today" (Meaning completed Action)

In the above example I feel sentence b) is correct.However If he is gone and they are gone are correct then can we use He is come and they are come in English?
Correct me if I am wrong.


texts:
I slap him.
He is slapped by me.
if he is slapped (by me).

what is the different between if he is slapped and if he gets Slapped

Are they both correct?


texts:
Please, pour the wine _____ my cup.

  a) in  b) on c) onto d) into  e) over

which preposition would be appropriate here in the gap?


texts:
Teacher called these students difficult to control.

In this sentence, there is no "to be" between difficult and students, which somehow so strangely led me to thinking that using adjective complement "to control" after adjective "difficult" is wrong. Is it OK to use adjective complement when there is no "to be"?

Another example.

  Students were called difficult to control.

So, are those sentences grammatically correct? Thank you so much in advance.


texts: What's the difference between "be up to" and "get up to"?

texts:
Recently, I know the Word "get up to".
It just means "do something."
But I still don't understand the difference between "be up to" and "get up to".

For example,
When I want to ask what you did yesterday, I say

What were you up to yesterday?
=What did you get up to yesterday?

When I want to ask what you're doing right now, I say

What are you up to now?
=What are you getting up to now?

When I haven't seen you for a long time and ask what you have been doing recently, I say

What have you been up to?
=What have you been getting up to?

When I want to ask what you're gonna do tomorrow, I say

What are you up to tomorrow?
=What do you get up to tomorrow?

Am I right?
Thank you for your help.


texts: The placement of an intensifier put between the syllables of a three- or more syllable word for emphasis

texts:
Playing an online lexicogrammar game, I met the word "unbelievable" written with a swear word "f_cking" inserted between the first and second syllables:
"un-f_cking-believable".

I understand that it is done for emphasis, but I don't understand the placement of the intensifier f_cking:

Why wasn't it inserted before the stressed syllable as goes the explanation of the mistake I made?  Are there any exceptions to the rule? Has it anything to do with the negative prefix un-? If yes, is there's more to it than that that I should bear in mind using an intensifier between syllables?


texts:
I've read this expression in a context that makes me speculate it means something along the lines of "having sex", but I believe it's supposed to be a more intimate expression.

Since I couldn't find something online that proves my speculation true, I decided to post my question here. Thank you in advance.


texts: Why gerund cannot be used with plan as a direct object?

texts:
I've seen lots of answers that it isn't correct to use "to infinitive" instead of "gerund" with "plan", but not seen any answers explaining why.
To my way of thinking, these sentences below seem to sound all natural.

I've planned travelling to the US.
I've planned to travel to the US.
I've planned on traveling to the US.

I guess this is just because 1 is far less used than the others.
Whether your guesses would be wrong or not, I want to hear your opinions.


texts:
What does the author mean by "base passions" in this sentence? Following sentence is from book "Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina"

  Philosophy titans such as David Hume thought that base passions powered moral decisions.

Collins dictionary directed me to a page with a number of definitions of base, noun, which might be relevant here:

  2A  conceptual structure or entity on which something draws or depends
  2.1A  foundation or starting point for further work
  4A  main or important element or ingredient to which other things are added

Way down at the bottom, after entries for the verb, for phrases, for rhymes, for the etymology, and after an advertisement, I eventually discovered  definitions for base, adjective:

  1 Without moral principles; ignoble
  2 archaic Denoting or befitting a person of low social class

I cannot tell which of these meanings is intended.


texts:
Jean-Michel lived like a flame. He burned very bright. Then the flame went out , but the embers are very hot. They are being stoked in an exhibition.

Stoke means add coal to a fire.
In here , is "stoke" a reference to "the embers are very hot"?

Does "being stoked" mean his artworks are getting displayed in this exhibition?


texts:
I would like to know if "in rain" is correct in English. For example, in the film Blade Runner there is the famous "Tears in rain" monologue (and by the way there is a vangelis' song with the same name). But it seems it's usually "in the rain".
PS: For information, it is for an "artistic purpose", so it is not a problem if it is not common as long as it's OK.


texts:
Source

  In English, Landa then notes that his papers state that all of the
  Jewish families around LaPadite's region have been accounted for,
  except the Dreyfuses, who have vanished completely in the past year.

I never saw comma after "for".

Does this make sentence correct?


texts:
On his second Monday morning the door to Jack Buggit’s office gaped.
  Inside, Buggit himself, a cigarette behind his ear, leaning back in a
  wooden chair and saying “hmm” on the telephone. He waved Quoyle in to
  him with two hoops of his right hand.

The Shipping News by Annie Proulx

It sounds like Jack Buggit signals Quoyle to come in with his hand, but I don't get the meaning of 'two hoops'.


texts: Meaning of 'Incoherent fire dissipates all contingency'

texts:
I found the sentence 'Incoherent fire dissipates all contingency' on a webcomic here WARNING, Adult material, NFSW.
I get that the comic is about metaphors, but i cant understand what that sentence means, or what metaphor it relates to.

Any suggestions?


texts: perfect tense whose reference time is future

texts:
“It just doesn’t seem fair,” Eve said. “It was the other driver’s fault.”
“If it was anybody’s fault,” Denny said, “it was mine for being where I could get collected.”
This is something I’d heard him say before: getting angry at another driver for a driving incident is pointless. You need to watch the drivers around you, understand their skill, confidence, and aggression levels, and drive with them accordingly. Know who is driving next to you. Any problems that may occur have ultimately been caused by you, be-cause you are responsible for where you are and what you are doing there.
(Garth Stein, The Art of Racing in the Rain)

There’s a perfect tense in the highlighted part. I guess it might be expressing that the cause is prior to the problem that may occur in the future. Is this what the perfect mean?


texts: What does it actually mean by specified time?

texts:
My friend told me that

  I've visited America when I was a kid

Was wrong because ...was a kid is a specified point in the past. He said I should use

  I visited America when I was a kid

How could when I was a kid is a specified time in the past? It's obviously unclear.


texts: Which is the correct sentence and use of the of the word spend/spent

texts:
$13,000 - average domestic spent by Kuwaiti families per month.

$13,000 - average domestic spend by Kuwaiti families per month.


texts: Does the past perfect tense make sense in this sentence? "Sent from an "is" to a "was" before he'd had his breakfast."

texts:
From the movie Lucky Number Slevin:

  (He was) Relegated to the past tense. (He was) Sent from an "is" to a "was" before he'd had his breakfast.

The context is Morgan Freeman's character is telling another person how his son was killed in the morning, before breakfast. The use of past perfect tense here doesn't make sense to me, because it contradicts what the past perfect tense is used for. (e.g. When is the past perfect exactly needed?) Either "before he had his breakfast" or "before he would have his breakfast" seem better options. Does the past perfect tense read fine to you? Why?


texts: provided that or provide that (providing that)?

texts:
Page 6 in this source: http://www.fanniemae.com/resources/file/ir/pdf/stock-info/series_s_12062007.pdf

      In  particular,  our  outstanding  subordinated  debt  securities  provide  that  during  any  period  where  interest  payments  on  those  debt securities are deferred, dividend payments on our equity securities, includi
      ng the Preferred Stock, may not  be paid.

It is provide that here.
In the dictionary it is provided that or providing that.
How to understand it?


texts:
Can somene help ? I am still struggeling on "rejected,refuses and decline"

How should the following espressed in common English ?

Our proposal / offer was rejected or declined / refused by or from the customer/company ?


texts: ', and' to separate up to 3 adjectives and 1 verb in the case of one sentence

texts:
I'm just wondering how to separate 'to be + adjective(s)' and 1 verb without making a sentence confusing. I try to avoid confusion by adding a comma before 'and' (', and'). However, I'm not sure if this is appropriate for academic writing or is grammatically correct. I'm also not sure what this structure, if existing, is called.

I give some examples below to clarify my question:

1) The reason I like Sarah is because she is kind, generous and loves reading books. (No comma)

2) The reason I like Sarah is because she is kind, generous**, and loves** reading books. (With comma)

3) She is kind and generous, and loves reading books

4) She is kind and generous and loves reading books

Thank you!


texts: I don't understand this phrase "They came to his help"

texts:
They came to his help

I found this sentence while I was studying English in my English grammar book.

And my book said it meant:

  They came to help him

But I don't understand what it means when I read this sentence without an explanation.

When I read I wanted his help this sentence I can understand.

I want to know why it means  They came to help him like this!


texts: The part of zipper slider which you grasp to pull

texts: What's the name of the part of the zipper you grasp in order to unzip the zipper - specifically, the small dangling part that sometimes snaps off if the zipper is poor quality, making you unable to open or close it?


texts: What are the expressions used to say when one graduates with the highest grades?

texts:
I graduated at the top of my/the class

  I graduated first in my class

  I graduate with honors

  I graduated cum laude

I found the above expressions on google, but I'm not sure whether they mean the same thing. If not, what are the differences? Are some of them more formal than others? Or used in British rather than American English?


texts: Is "constructed of" synonymous with "constructed with"

texts:
The above comes from a Wikipedia article:

  It was constructed of woven layers of curtains and wood, and richly
  furnished with valuable materials taken from Egypt.

I am wondering if "constructed of" means the same thing as "constructed with". I am not sure if I am crazy, but it sounds wrong. Is it? What do you think about it?


texts:
I am still confused about the "had it not been" structure after reading so many related threads.

When describing, say Elon Musk, about his drive and passion (which he has been having), which of the following sounds right?

  A. Had it not been the strong desire to help humanity colonize mars, he
  would not have been so dedicated.

  B. Was it not the strong desire to help humanity colonize mars, he
  would not be so dedicated.

  C. If it had not been the strong desire to help humanity colonize mars, he
  would not have been so dedicated.

  D. If it was not the strong desire to help humanity colonize mars, he
  would not be so dedicated.


texts: Meaning of the essay topic: "CSR is no longer an initiative"

texts: I have been asked to write an essay on the topic: "CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility) is no longer an initiative". What does this phrase, 'no longer an initiative' mean?In other words, What does this essay topic mean? What do I have to write about?


texts:
I took an English test the other day, however, our English teacher contested the "where'll" I have used in the following sentence:

Where'll they go? Not far away I hope.

After then doubting myself, a quick search has directed me to a dictionary page where where'll is listed as a normal contraction.

I plan on confronting this teacher about it as I have heard from other students that the teacher tends to do things "her own way".

Thanks in advance!


texts: How should I understand the word 'bum' in this title

texts: There's a popular YouTube channel called LittleBabyBum. What's 'bum' here? Is it like, buttocks? Or a homeless person? I've found out that the couple who run the channel nicknamed their kid like that. Is it considered an ok nickname for a child?


texts:
In the example given in Band Name Grammar, does it interfere if the use of the article is indefinite or definite?  For example, "a band are playing" has the same grammar rule as "the band are playing "?

In my point of view, the group noun is what allows you to choose either singular or plural, depending on the interpretation of the same noun. But does it also have anything to do with the article?


texts:
Sometimes we say time adverbial clause without any preposition or conjunction like:

The last time I went to a coffee shop, I ordered a cup of americano.
The first time I went to a club, I was very surprised how noisy and dark it was.
The moment we laid eyes on each other, we fell in love.

Then, how about these?
I saw a girl studying at a coffee shop really hard. And about 2 weeks after I'd seen her studying at the coffee shop, I saw her dancing at a bar a week ago.

The night I saw her dancing,

The moment I saw her dancing,

I was attracted to her.


texts: The contextual meaning of "would" in the sentence

texts:
What is the meaning of 'would' in the following sentence?

  It's not what we would have expected from a professional service.


texts:
Which sentence is the most natural?

I visited Tom and Mary's school.
I visited Tom's and Mary's school.
I visited the school of Tom and Mary.


texts: "To back" vs. "to back up" in meaning of "to support"

texts:
Both verbs seem to mean the same thing: "to give support to someone or something". Is there any difference between the verbs?

Also, are there any cases which I can't use "to back (up)" instead of "to support"?


texts:
I know "could use" means "to want" or "to need" but, if I wanted to write the past version of

  I'm sure I can use this tool

then, do I have to avoid using

  I was sure I could use this tool

and rephrase into something like this below?

  I was sure I would be able to use this tool


texts: True, false, or not given: there are three main kinds of identity theft

texts:
Please, reason before looking on the answer or my arguments so you don't become biased.

I'm studying for a test and there is this passage (content taken from British Council study material):

  Identity crime is a generic term used to describe offences in which
  someone uses a fabricated or fictitious identity, a manipulated
  identity (the alteration of one’s own identity) or a stolen identity to
  commit a crime. The third of these, identity theft, knows no
  geographical boundaries and is on the increase as more people conduct
  business and social interactions over the internet.

There is this statement:

  There are three main kinds of identity theft

that should be classified as either, true, false or not given.

The correct answer as per the answer sheet is

  False

although I think it is

  Not given since it enumerates 3 identity crimes but never say whether there are more or not. Note that it enumerates 3 identity crimes, not 3 identity thefts.

Real question: Is the answer sheet correct?


texts: Is this an incomplete sentence? (from The Great Gatsby)

texts:
Over the great bridge, with the sunlight through the girders making a
  constant flicker upon the moving cars, with the city rising up across
  the river in white heaps and sugar lumps all built with a wish out of
  non-olfactory money.
  -- from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

1) Is this an incomplete sentence?
2) Does the author write it like this to make it more poetic and lyrical?
3) Does "over" in "over the great bridge" mean above the bridge?


texts: Can a website be considered as a "place"?

texts:
I'm working on a text for a website and don't know, if it would be a mistake to use this phrase:

  Website.com is the place where the World Meets!

I googled it to see if anyone used similar phrases but couldn't find any. Is "place" possible or should I go for something else like "spot" / "hot spot" etc.?


texts: What tense should come after "It was the first time"

texts:
I guess the direct answer is "past perfect", but I don't understand why. Given the following sentences:

  Newsweek: It was the first time my son had ever seen a homeless
  person

  It was the first time my son had ever given me a gift.

The moment in which my son did these actions was at the same moment in the past in which the rest of the story took place.  I cannot see two points in the past, I think there is only one point. So why I should use past perfect with this expression?


texts: paper specifications and procurement -- what does that mean?

texts:
Example with a context:

  Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has been a valued source of knowledge and understanding for more than 200 years, helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their aspirations. Our company is built on a foundation of principles that include responsibility to the communities we serve and where we live and work. In 2008, we launched a Corporate Citizenship Initiative, a global effort to address the environmental, social, economic, and ethical challenges we face in our business. Among the issues we are addressing are carbon impact, paper specifications and procurement, ethical conduct within our business and among our vendors, and community and charitable support. For more information, please visit our website: www.wiley.com/go/citizenship.

What does paper specifications and procurement really mean?


texts: "As people at all levels of French society began to feel more of a stake..."

texts:
As people at all levels of French society began to feel more of a stake
  in France's future, the power of the masses was starting to be tapped
  unlike ever before in history.

http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/napoleonic/context.html

Wouldn't it better if it was written  in a way as below ?

As people at all levels of French society began to feel (of ) more (that)
  France's future is AT stake, the power of the masses was starting to be tapped
 unlike ever before in history.


texts: A person who can see the past of others (or himself)

texts: What do we call a person who can see the past of the others (or himself), i.e. he is some divine person and does not make false claims of knowing the past.


texts:
More often I see people use the words soil and dirt interchangeably. Is this correct? I often held that dirt as generic. Dictionary also suggests a generic definition: anything that makes something unclean (including mud or soil) and the use of dirt in place of soil is a US phenomenon.
Is it a standard usage?


texts: What's the meaning of "sink through time"?

texts:
Could you please tell me what the meaning of the phrase is?

  I sank through time.

I think it means "she(the speaker) wasted time she had" but I amnot sure.

The full text is:

A week after the wedding I broke up with Nick—callously, I’m ashamed
to say. I never told him of my life before, never sketched for him the world
that had invaded and obliterated the one he and I had shared. I could have
explained. I could have said, “That place has a hold on me, which I may
never break.” That would have got to the heart of it. Instead I sank through
time. It was too late to confide in Nick, to take him with me wherever I was
going. So I said goodbye.


texts: Difference between board of directors, management, and administration

texts:
I cannot tell for sure which one to use with different organizations and enterprises. For example, with a sporting club:

  Manchester United's management/administration/board of directors.


texts: "the first time", "the last time", "the next time" followed by a adverbial clauses of time

texts:
When "the first time", "the last time", "the next time" are followed by a adverbial clauses of time, can "the" be omitted? Can "first time", "last time", "next time" be followed by adverbial clauses of time?
Does the following sentences sound natural to you, native speakers?

"The first time I came here, I had the best night’s sleep for months."

"first time I came here, I had the best night’s sleep for months."

"Last time I took my pulse, it was a bit fast. "

"The last time we moved house there were very few breakages. "

"He looked much worried last time I saw him. "

"Do look me up the next time you’re in London. "

"Next time you go shopping, throw in a few extra fruit and vegetables."

Thank you very much!


texts:
This is the character I did last week.

Would it be correct for an artist to use "did" in the sentence above?

She is talking about the (game) character as an assignment she finished last week.

Personally, I'd use the verb "to create"...


texts:
Three pieces of bamboo are connected.

The bamboo is used to measure the height of roof.

Can the word "connected" be used for bamboo?

How if I use the word "to assemble"?


texts:
I've found this sentence in a Straightforward intermediate student's book (p7):

  "I never miss." Mitty is holding a heavy automatic and the crowd believe him

Shouldn't it be like 'the crowd believes him' ?


texts:
1).What will you do if you find a suitcase with $10,000?
2).What would you do if you found a suite case with $10,000?

I know that first sentence is normal and second sentence is hypothetical and imaginary. But as I am non native speaker I am bit confused about their usage.
Question1: Can we randomly ask this question to our friend or some other person we know in the normal relaistic form like sentence 1 or we can’t use sentence1 as finding suite case with $10,000 is unlikely and this is a hypothetical case?
Question2: How does a listener think differently for these two different forms of questions mentioned? Does asking him in sentence1 form, makes him to expect finding suitecase with $10,000 , as sentence is not in hypothetical form?


texts: Should use present perfect tense or the past tense for this sentence

texts:
My father gave me \ has given me my name.

Well the action "giving my name" happened and finished in the past, but my name has never been changed since that time so the action still affects on the current situation.

Which tense should I use?


texts:
By means of these addendums the Contractor granted significant Advance Payments to the Subcontractor in order to encourage the Subcontractor for completing its works as soon as possible without having any financial problem. However; in return for the Contractor’s this approach, unfortunately the Subcontractor has failed to fulfill his obligations under the Subcontract Agreement...

Can I use the phrase "in return for" as is used above ?

I would like to hear from native speakers since it is a big discussion at where I am right now.


texts: What's the difference between convenience food, ready-made food and ready food?

texts: I'd like to know the difference between convenience food, ready-made food and ready food. I'm not sure, but I thought they are all interchangeable. I can warm them up in the microwave and eat instantly. Is there any difference between these three? And some people say "ready food" and some say "ready-made food". Are they refering to the same thing?


texts: I know words, I have the baddest words, but I'd like to know exactly how bad the word "pussy" is. When it's referring to women's genitalia, and when the word is being discussed as opposed to used, how much is it censored? Is it enough to put it in quotation marks, or does it get its vowels asterisked and/or get the "f word" treatment?


texts: If it is necessary = If need be. How 'it's necessary' could become 'need be' here?

texts:
[If it is necessary = If need be]
 How 'it's necessary' could become 'need be' here?

+or does 'be' simply mean 'to exist' in "If need be"?
(Can I use it in formal writing&speaking?)

+Is there any example like this, where a sentence could have a somewhat short form that has the same meaning?


texts: What is the meaning of the term "beggage"?

texts:
This phrase I heard recently in an airport in the US. I didn't completely understand the announcement, which she first mentioned "begs" which I understand, as in to beg for something. But then she said "Unattended beggage may be damaged or destroyed." I heard it many times, so I remember, this is exactly it. Is it the same meaning, begs and beggage? If so then what is the meaning to destroy the begs?

Thanks!


texts: How should we understand this conversation about the use of the phrase "you do you"?

texts:
Person: "Dude, I just dropped, like, 20 bucks on a scooter.
Person: "Cool, you do you."

While I tried to google the usage of the phrase "you do you", I bumped into the example above. I don't quite get it. The conversation doesn't seem to make sense to me. Maybe it's because I don't get the exact meaning of the first sentence "I just dropped 20 bucks on a scooter"? But indeed it looks pretty straightforward. Can someone help me to understand the conversation? What's it all about?


texts:
I know that "online" means a person is reachable over the Internet.

Can I say "staying online" while speaking about phone calls?

Example:

  Thanks for staying online. (Thanks for not hanging up with me).


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

texts:
I don't understand the meaning of "that" in the following sentence:

  Sociologists are, for the most part, interested in the same things that other social scientists are interested in, and that they are, however, not as limited in the scope or focus as are the others.

I would be grateful if someone could help me understand this.


texts:
I have just read the following sentence in an article from the "The Guardian" newspaper:

  The crisis that toppled Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales, last month has settled into a political conflict rather than a struggle on the streets.

What does "settle into" mean here? https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/settle-into says that it means (1) "to become familiar with a new way of life, place, or job" or (2) "to make yourself comfortable in a place because you are going to stay there for a long time", but I don't see any of those meanings in the above sentence.


texts: Article usage in "Scientists have discovered the evolutionary causes of (the) allergy" / ".. allergies"

texts:
Imagine the first sentence in a news report:

  Scientists have discovered the evolutionary causes of allergy.

Could we write:

  Scientists have discovered the evolutionary causes of the allergy.

According to the Longman Dictionary, allergy can be used as a count noun as well as a noncount noun, so by adding the we are creating a generic noun phrase, similar to this:

  Scientists have discovered the evolutionary origins of the dog.

However, I feel that the allergy is not a good choice.

Maybe diseases are too "personalized" to fit in "definite generic" constructions?

P.S. I suspect that allergies might be wrong too. Am I right? Well, not that I feel it personally; I just remember a passage from Quirk et al.'s "Comprehensive Grammar" (Unit 5.52) where the plural noun phrase in "Nora has been studying medieval mystery plays" is indicated as not truly generic. I wonder if the plural might be okay here. The more I think about it, the more I get confused.


texts: When is a participle put before a noun, and when after?

texts: What is the difference in meaning when a past participle is used before or after the word? For example, I have put on a torn shirt, and I have put on a shirt torn. What is the meaning of these sentences?


texts: Aside from 'disappointment' is there a term for that negative emotion when the future you're dreaming didn't turn out well?

texts:
People before the two world wars hold an optimistic attitude towards
the future as evident in their films and literature—then a major war
broke out in 1914, and another in 1939.

I want to know, if there's a word (aside from 'disappointment') for that kind of sad feeling when the future you're dreaming didn't turn out well as expected.


texts: "Creating a state of positive feedback." What does this mean?

texts:
This is an excerpt from Wikipedia about Black Friday.

  Similar stories resurface year upon year at this time, portraying hysteria and shortage of stock, creating a state of positive feedback. (Source)

I thought this part "creating a state of positive feedback" means retailers started to set up some measures to prevent these hysteria ...
 And my friend said that she understood this part as some retailers are posting false positive reviews.

What does it really mean?


texts: "reset the north direction of my life" meaning

texts:
The 7 habits have taught me profound truths that transcend because they are based on principles. They have helped me see what I cannot see.  In every situation I can use the principles and paradigms associated with each habit, think over and reset the north direction of my life.

The phrase seems to be used metaphorically, but I'm not sure what it means exactly.  Is "the north direction" referring to the right direction?


texts:
I am writing some message to introduce my manager to my friend, but I am stuck at this sentence:

  He is a big boy. His previous job position was serving as a sales
  manager in a famous local bank.

I am not sure why I added serving as in the sentence, I have came across some web sites and I saw they using serving as in some example sentences.


texts:
I have a question about the usage of the phrase "as it happened."  When I googled the phrase "euro 2016" around July 3, 2016 in the pacific time zone, this headline from the British newspaper The Guardian came up:

  France 5-2 Iceland: Euro 2016 quarter-final – as it happened

What is "as it happened" supposed to mean in this context?


texts: Disjunctive question on the word "dislike"

texts:
You dislike math, do you?
You dislike math, don't you?

So confusing. Which one is right?


texts: Do we say "If you don't obey your teachers, they ask you to face the wall or a wall" when we talk about it in general?

texts:
This often happens in some Asian countries where children need to obey their teachers at school.
Now, you are talking to your child in general and you are not talking about a specific school or a specific wall.
If I applied English grammar rule, I would say
"If you don't obey your teachers, they ask you to face a wall" because we are not talking about any specific wall.
But "face a wall" sounds pretty strange to me.
But If I say "If you don't obey your teachers, they ask you to face the wall", then it may break some grammar rules because people may ask "what specific wall are you talking about?"


texts: Where to look for this grammar style? She grew up "listening" to that song

texts: When we say "She grew up listening to that song" instead of "She grew up while she was listening to that song", which grammar rule are we applying?


texts: Several questions about participle clauses

texts:
Good evening guys!
Reading Gold Proficiency Maximiser, I found this chart worth discussing.
I have several questions about it, so let's start:

1. Nobody having any more questions to ask, the meeting came to a close.

It is said that the subject of the participle clause is usually the same as that of the main clause. I'm used to this "usually" thing, but it would be strange if it were an exception right after they wrote the rule.Does this sentence have two subjects "Nobody" and "the meeting" or I'm wrong?

2. Generally speaking, women perform this task better then men.

Again, as it is written:"In some common expressions,however,the participle clause can be given its own subject".The question is, it seems to me that "women" here is the subject,but how is it given to the participle clause if it is in the main clause?

3. Wanting to catch his attention,she whistled shrilly".

Why is "having wanted" incorrect despite that they wrote that all of the (wanting to),(wanted by) and (having wanted to) are possible to use. And one more thing, could you give me an example of "wanted by" in a sentence together with its meaning?


texts:
What is the meaning of "the one three blocks" in the below sentences?

  Good but not as good as the one three blocks away.
  Just in case the one three blocks down isn't close enough.


texts:
So just a quick word about color coding, I will use certain colors for
certain purposes during this series of videos so it will be easier to
follow.
Now, don't pay too much attention at the moment to what clocks are or
modulation, we will go through everything soon enough but, for
example, I will use red cables when dealing with audio, blue for
clocks gates and triggers, and so on.
To choose a color, basically, we just have to grab a cable again and
again until we get the color we want.
This might change in future versions of VCV, but the idea is still the same, just having certain colors for certain purposes so it's easier to follow and see what goes where.

What does "grab a cable" mean in this context?


texts:
These jeans are […], you need to iron it.

  After the washing machine, the clothes are […]. You have to iron them.

What adjective would you fill in the gaps with? My dictionary gives me wrinkled, creased, rumpled, and crumpled.


texts: How to construct sentences about reunion

texts:
I went to the high school reunion for the first time and met my old friends. When I describe this event using time expression, what sentences are appropriate?

  1) It was the first meeting since the graduation.
  2) I've seen them for the first time in 20 years / in a long time.
  3) I saw them after 20 years / a long time.
  4) It's been a long time to see them.

I always wonder which sentence is the most appropriate grammarwise and also sounds natural. Could you help me?


texts: Should I add an preposition before "the day before yesterday"?

texts:
Should it be

  "The day before yesterday we went to a supermarket and (we?) bought beef and chicken"

Or it should be

  "In the day before yesterday we went to a supermarket and (we?) bought beef and chicken"?


texts:
Could you please tell me which should be the preferred choice in US English for the past tense form of "grind"?

  It was freezing cold, yet the shooting ground on for days, making most of the actors on set tired.

Is this correct usage?


texts: on a sewing machine or by a sewing machine

texts:
Mother made our clothes on a sewing machine.
  Mother made our clothes by a sewing machine.

Which is better, by a sewing machine or on a sewing machine?
I found both usages in google.

So I want to know "the way of sewing clothes" can be expressed "by sewing machine".


texts: Should I use 'Told' instead of 'Said' in the following Indirect Narration Speech?

texts:
My classmate said to me,"Good morning,You have finished your homework".
  My classmate wished me good morning and told me/said that I had finished my homework.

which is appropriate to be used?


texts: "was acquainted with" or "have acquainted with"?

texts:
I can not decide which one is correct or more accurate for using.

  I have acquainted with structure of remote control in primary school.
  I was acquainted with structure of remote control in primary school.

I prefer the second one but is it correct to use perfect tense here?


texts: call it -- what does this term mean? Context: I can't. I'm calling it. I'm calling it

texts:
Source: The Martian (2015) starring Matt Damon

Example:

  I have doubled my battery life by scavenging Rover 1. But if I use the heater, I will burn through half my battery every day. If I do not use my heater, I will be slowly killed by the laws of thermodynamics. I would love to solve this problem right now, but unfortunately my balls are frozen. I can't. I'm calling it. I'm calling it.

What exactly do you think that means? Is this a variation on the expression call it a day?


texts:
"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing
  something for Gringotts[bank]," said Ron. "Did you hear about
  Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose
  you get that with the Muggles - someone tried to rob a high security
  vault."   Harry stared.   "Really? What happened to
  them?"   "Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught…” (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

Does ‘them’ indicate those who tried to rob the bank by the proximity rule,
or those who are working for Gringotts? – ‘happened to’ is confusing me to tell which is right.


texts:
Does "already straining under a massive backlog" mean "already suffering pressure/being strained under a massive backlog"?

The prospect of large numbers of migrants entering the country during a pandemic could create a strong public backlash for Biden. A renewed influx would also put pressure on immigration courts already straining under a massive backlog of asylum cases.

Source: New York Times tweeted just now


texts: Difference of ''as if '' , '' like '' , ''as ''

texts:
1) He acts like he doesn't care about anything.

  2)He acts as if he doesn't care about anything.

  3)He acts as he doesn't care about anything.

What is the difference between three sentences in meaning . I think first and second sentences mean the same . But third one is different from them . I think it means that he acts in the way he doesn't care about antything ( it doesn't make sense in my oppinion). But what I couldn’t understan is whether like used like both “ as “ and “ as if “ in general.  Can you explain difference ?


texts: S+V + past as in the "The bullet whizzed past"

texts:
I know what "the bullet whizzed past" means,
but I'm not sure about its grammar or syntax, that is, what kind of element in the sentence 'past' is.

Is it the abbreviation of the full sentence, the bullet whizzed, being past?


texts:
What does had his brow in his hands mean?

  It sounded like a very troubled forty-year-old man, a man who had had
  his brow in his hands a long time.

Testimony of Pilot
by Barry Hannah


texts: They shot at me/They were shooting at me

texts:
A: Are you sure they're the enemy?
B: They shot at me./They were shooting at me.

Are these interchangeable in every way?

Are they equally natural in the context?

If it was repeated firing, would the past continuous be more natural?


texts: Is 'no more' used to mean 'dead' in English?

texts: Do the English or the Americans use no more to mean 'dead'? For example, do they say "He is no more" to mean "He is dead"?


texts: Use of articles with the parties of a contract

texts:
Translating a public-offer contract, that is, a contract wherein the first party, usually a company, offers the second party, any interested person, to conclude it under the conditions specified therein, I used "a" writing about the second party because it seems to be "one of many". For example:

  CompanyName LLC complies with laws during providing the services for a client.

because it provides the services not for the one specific client but for every of them, and also not "the services for the clients" because it doesn't provide them simultaneously to all the clients since those don't use the services suchwise (all together).

But in several provisions, it becomes necessary to indicate that some action is regarded to be taken by the specific user, for example:

  The contract becomes concluded between a client and CompanyName
  LLC right after completing the registration process by the client.

So, writing about the second party, should I better always use "the client" meaning "You", or it's all right with "a"?


texts: "The pain is less now than it was 5 hours ago" or should it be "lesser"?

texts:
The pain is less now than it was 5 hours ago

Shouldn't it be "The pain is lesser now than it was 5 hours ago"?


texts:
"Is he serious?!" VS "Is he being serious?!"

Which phrase is correct?

The context is: Jack makes a silly mistake and John replies, out of frustration, to everyone else in the room:

  A: "Is he being serious?!"
  B:  "Is he serious?!"


texts:
I remember coming across usage of "what" in place of "that/which". Is it very old usage or some dialect, or maybe it's plain wrong? One phrase I remember a hundred percent is:

The secrets what lie within.


texts: Compare with "be exposed to" and " be exposure".. give examples please

texts:
What is the meaning difference between "be exposed to" and "be exposure". Especially I can't interpret the meaning of "exposed to". When and how should I use it?

I saw a sentence about it recently. It was:

  It just opened up a new world to me. I'd never been exposed to other cultures, and that trip gave me my first taste of the world outside my country

Which word(s) can be used instead of exposed to?


texts: How to transform a sentence in present perfect into it-cleft construction?

texts:
If I transform a sentence in present perfect into it-cleft construction, for example,

He has inspired me.

which pair of tenses used in both matrix and subordinate clauses are correct? or neither.

It was he who has inspired me.
It has been he who has inspired me.


texts:
This kind of devices (have/has) become very popular among the young.

Which form of to have is used in cases like this?


texts:
I'm a software programmer and writing a CV in English now. How can I describe my experience correctly?

programming IN Java
or
programming WITH Java

Java is a programming language.


texts:
In "The Worst Crime in the World" by G. K. Chesterton, Sir John was talking about his son who just left the country:

  “Some people I never heard of, called Grunov, have been pestering me, of all people, about his whereabouts,” said Sir John; “and I’ve just come in to send off a wire to tell them that, so far as I know, he’s living in the Poste Restante, Riga. Even that has been a nuisance. I came in yesterday to do it, but was five minutes too late for the post office. Are you staying long? I hope you will pay me another visit.”

How can someone live in a Poste Restante? Or he just meant live in somewhere close to the Poste Restante?

And why was this phrase written with Capital letters?


texts:
As has so many usages that sometimes I can't find the exact meaning of it or what function it serves.
I don't think as in the passage has any meaning other than and, and I failed to locate its meaning in dictionaries.

The conventional view of the proper relationship of the government to
the media, as it developed in the United States, is well known to us
all: the free press is generated by private citizens independent of
government censorship and control. By logical deduction, this means
that media and communication are, in effect, a function to be provided
by profit-seeking businesses competing in the marketplace. The First
Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees this freedom, and as long
as the government keeps its hands off the media, a society’s flow of
information and ideas will be safe. Without government intervention, a
healthy media system will invariably rise from the rich soil of
political freedom. Let the government intervene, no matter how
well-intended the intervention may seem, and alarm bells should go off
in the minds of all liberal and right-thinking people. The government
and the private media are by nature in conflict. To paraphrase the
immortal words of Thomas Jefferson, if a society could have either
media or government but not both, the sane choice for free people is
media.

Who Owns the Media: Global Trends and Local Resistances


texts: How to explain when one event affects something else, and then something else again

texts:
This might be a strange question.

I want to compare something happening at the moment with another thing done a little earlier, and again with something done even earlier, etc.

So, I guess I should use the terms "current", "previously". Is this correct?

As my original post might be confused the reader, I am adding my problematic sentence as;

  When a mis-match arises, then the previously fixed edge should be
  fixed again with respect to the current edge and the edge before that
  with respect to the previous edge etc.

My confusion is how to mention the one before previous value, and the two before previous value, and so on.... any way to say this. Any rectification on my sentence please?


texts: the meaning of 'be strung out on consonants'

texts:
The psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihalyi wrote in his book Flow, “It
  is not the skills we actually have that determine how we feel but the
  ones we think we have” (emphasis added).

  When I first encountered that sentence, I reread it four or five
  times, convinced that it must be a misprint, or perhaps
  Csíkszentmihalyi was strung out on consonants. He seems to be
  advocating a delusional outlook on life.

  The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner

What does the bold part mean? I looked up the dictionary and found 4 meanings of 'string out' but couldn't make sense out of it when putting them together with the 'on consonants'.


texts:
This is from an article in The New York Times.

  Mr. Moon has been pressing Pyongyang for months to send a delegation
  to the Winter Olympics his nation is hosting next month. The proposal
  was effectively ignored until Mr. Kim used his annual New Year’s Day
  speech to signal he was “open to dialogue” with the South to discuss
  easing military tensions on the Korean Peninsula, as well as to
  sending North Korean athletes to join the Games.

Do we need 'to' before 'sending' here?  The reason I am asking is that I read the last part:

  he was “open to dialogue” with the South to discuss easing military
  tensions on the Korean Peninsula, as well as (he was “open to
  dialogue” with the South to discuss) sending North Korean athletes
  to join the Games.

If my way of reading is right, then I thought there shouldn't be 'to' before 'sending'.


texts:
Does the phrase "logistically very difficult" sound correct in the following fragment?

  Given that it would be logistically very difficult to conduct the experiment


texts:
If I am asking someone what he got for his birthday, would it be

  "What did you get?"

or

  "What have you got?"


texts:
There is an assumption I made in my paper which has no real world application to back it up. Hence I call this assumption as "artificial assumption" to indicate that this assumption is not natural, it's man-made.

However, when I google this term online I found no match at all, and it makes me think that native speakers never use this term.  So, what words will you use to describe what I want here other than "artificial assumption"? Thank you!


texts: Question about meaning of "cultures the world" & "over enjoy" in this passage

texts:
Diet fads come and go so quickly that many of them are gone before we’ve really even learned what they are. One diet that has remained constant at the forefront, however, is tea. Cultures the world over enjoy teas in a variety of different ways. Recently, the health benefits of tea have become a common topic of discussion, and many health companies are boasting a number of diet products that use tea as a main ingredient.

Could you simplify the highlited part in simple English,please?
When saying cultures the world... , does it mean all cultures and people in the world enjoy tea a lot ?


texts: Passive "led" followed by ("into" and gerund) or ("to" and infinitive)?

texts:
Which of those two sentences is correct?

  People were led into thinking that method X was beneficial for Y.

or

  People were led to think that method X was beneficial for Y.

Perhaps you also have an explanation why one or the other is correct?

EDIT

It is safe to assume that all words unrelated to the question (words that are neither the preposition after "led" nor a form of the verb "think") are correct and there is no need to point out that those could be incorrect, depending on the context of use.


texts: Does "did" act like "indeed" in answers?

texts:
From the anime, Naruto:

  Father: Hinata, I heard your mission was a failure.

  Hinita: Yes, it did fail.

That means it was indeed a failed mission. Am I correct?


texts:
How do you call this:

Sandwich bun or bun sandwich?


texts: How do I pronounce the possessive form of 'case'?

texts: Is it "The case' closure" or "The case's closure"? How exactly do I pronounce it?


texts: Shorter words needed; can I say "observed caves"?

texts:
The caves that are used for observation

Can I just say "the observed caves"?


texts: What would I call something (figurative or not) that ameliorates the understanding of an abstract topic?

texts:
I am looking for an English equivalent to the German "anschaulich, veranschaulichen".

Illustrate or illustrates feel most appropriate to me, but according to some dictionaries visual or figurative are more common or approriate.

Consider these two specific cases:

  If I indeed have a picture, graph, etc. which can be used to describe the abstract topic.

or

  If I do not have a specific graph, but would still like to describe the topic as "illustrative" as one easily can imagine something more tangible regarding the topic. For instance, "an illustrative/figurative(?) solution".

The NGram viewer seems to say that my impression is incorrect, and that illustrative is widely used. But is this actually correct?


texts:
Here's a situation where I'd like to say something.

  I'm talking to a person that I ever first met, and I'm saying I'm planning to go to America next march. So, I'm going to have been studying English for one year more from now on when I go there. And I hope we 'get to be close' for that time period.

Q. I'm not sure which one is right between get to be close' and 'will get to be close'. I think 'Getting to be close' is a state in the future, so 'will get to be close' is better than the other?


texts: What's the meaning of "floor discussion"?

texts:
What's a floor discussion in the following sentence?

  Promptness is necessary so that, by the time the Conference opens,
  your material will have been compiled for use in a report, a panel
  discussion, a workshop, a floor discussion, or a committee agenda
  item.


texts:
1.In 1582, scientists pointed out that the calendar was 10 days behind the sun

  2.By the year 1582, scientists pointed out that the calendar was 10 days behind the sun.

I wanted to know the difference between "by the year 1582" and "in 1582".


texts: By the word I get the answer, though it was not direct explanation

texts:
I’m wondering if there is an equivalent English word for this situation.
I think over and over about a topic, but can’t find out what the meaning is; muttering ‘Cudgel thy brains no more about it, for your dull ass will not mend his pace with beating.’ Then, without any further expecting for improvement, I remind an image, for now I don’t have any particular thing to do, which is given by a pundit. And through it, I finally get the answer for the first question: hooray, that’s it!
    Put the case that an East Asian religious trainee is given this short word after his question, “What is the Tao?”, to his teacher: “Poo!” The ‘poo’ may be like “Truly I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country,” I think. The word for the ‘poo’ is called “화두”[hwa-du]. Unfortunately there are no proper translations for the word in my dictionaries.
p.s. This is from an experience that I got, through an image (chart 1) , a good answer (chart 2) for my question.

chart 1

chart 2


texts: What exactly is the difference between under the sea and in the sea?

texts:
I know that "under the sea" means someone is under the sea surface, which is equivalent to being submerged under water. If that's the case, are there any differences between "in the sea" and "under the sea"?

For example, a person is scuba diving. What is the difference between:

  He is scuba diving under the sea

and

  He is scuba diving in the sea

Another example:

  The fish is in the sea

and

  The fish is under the sea

One more example:

  The submarine is under the sea

and

  The submarine is in the sea


texts:
Is use of "for example" in the following sentences correct grammatically and conceptually? If it is not , kindly suggest ways to make it clearer.

  In all of turbomachineries, there are different kinds of losses as
  follows:

  · External losses

  · Internal losses

  External losses are not computed by CFD methods and are, for example,
  losses in bearings and gears.

I want to say that losses due to bearings and gears aren't included in computations by CFD method. It is better to start the sentence with "External losses" after writing:

  · External losses

  · Internal losses


texts: Why do natives sometimes use "would" instead of did in simple past questions? I can't find the rule about this anywhere. I hear such questions like "Why would you call the police? " or "why would he do this?" From content I know that it is not about repetitive past actions.


texts: Are the two sentence different or which one is better?

texts:
I wrote a paragraph as follows.

The experiments proved that the proposed framework A is ﬂexible enough to optimize many models. For example, in the XXX dataset, MetricXX of A is 1, which is 10% greater than that of B.

Then I wrote two kinds of sentences at the end of the paragraph. The XXX in the sentences refers to one kind of conference that the paper was submitted to. The paper is in the discipline of computer science.

Finally, I was the lead author in a paper I wrote summarizing this work, which was submitted to XXX.

Finally, I wrote a paper summarizing this work as the first author, which was submitted to XXX.

I do not know which one is better. I think the meaning of the two is same. Maybe the second one is better because its word number is less or it is more comfortable to read?


texts: A word/phrase opposite in meaning to "fait accompli"

texts:
What is the word or phrase opposite in meaning to fait accompli. For your reference the meaning is given below. I would prefer a foreign word but any can do.

  fait accompli
  French fɛt akɔ̃pli/
  noun
  a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it.
  "the results were presented to shareholders as a fait accompli"

I want the word to be used in a particular context for instance an event that many people are glad has happened, many wish a different event to replace it. Like an event in the past that has bittersweet memories associated with it.


texts: How to appropriately arrange this description

texts:
I wish to describe a theorem of somebody X and also the statement of the theorem, and my first attempt is something like a theorem of X that gives a lower bound of ... . Then I immediately realized that such description will induce some confusion about the antecedent of that. At length I reached the formulation a theorem that belongs to X and that gives a lower bound of .... It is, however, sounds no idiomatic and annoying. So I wish to know the optimal way to present what I wish to present.

Moreover, is there any general rule guiding the usage for relative pronouns with possible multi-antecedent?

Thanks so much.


texts: How to express that something was very difficult: with great/a lot/much difficulty?

texts:
I found these sentences in a book, which one is correct:

1.He escaped death with great difficulty.

2.He escaped death with a lot of difficulty

3.He escaped death with much difficulty.

If all these sentences are correct which one is better? Can we write a sentence that is better than these three sentences without changing the meaning?


texts: Can I say "no sooner than in the first week of May"?

texts:
I will start no sooner than in the first week of May.

Is that correct? I am not sure because I could not find any similar sentences with weeks or months.
I would like to say that I cannot start until the first week of May.


texts: Verbs that are used when you want to dress somebody else

texts:
In both of the groups below:

  Group 1)

  Could you dress the children?
  Could you put on the children?

  Group 2)

  I bathed her and dressed her in her new clothes.
  I bathed her and put her new clothes on her.

I think both the latter sentences of each group are awkward and the verb used in them (put on) does not work in this sense.

But in the group below:

  Group 3)

  I can’t bend. Could you dress me in my socks?
  I can’t bend. Could you put my socks on me?

I think the first one is a bit odd and not natural.
Do you confirm my conclusion from these all?


texts:
what is the difference between "chase" and "chase down"??

chasing a daydream

chasing down a daydream

I think there is no difference in meaning.


texts:
Minus its prop, the gesture seems overlarge.
And in the corrido waltz ''Nacho Verduzco'' (minus its story of drugs and guns), John Sherba's violin, [...]
It looks like a capital letter R, minus its vertical leg, and with two added horizontal lines through the [...]
Enter a flamingo, static and probably plastic, minus a lawn, just as the potato is minus its couch.

The sentences above show that "minus", meaning "without" can appear.
Question are: Is it common this usage of "minus"? If so, what are the cases in which "minus" is not interchangeable with "without"?


texts:
The only time one of my children had been ill was like that.

She was comparing the way one of her children had been ill to another child when she says like that as a reference to her own past experience.

I'm not sure whether she means that only one of her children had been ill before, or that more than one of them had been ill before as it is worded very loosely and could be interpreted in a few different ways. Is she stating that she has more than one child or that more than one of her children has been ill before when she says 'one of my children'?
What do you think her meaning was?


texts: What does "would have done" mean when it's not in subjunctive mood?

texts:
Source

  Levana would have known right away who you are, although I doubt
  anyone else has figured it out yet, and Levana will try to keep it
  hidden as long as she can.

There is no "if", so it's not in subjunctive mood right?

Does it mean "Levana probably has already known ..."?


texts: The Questions which are easy to understand” vs “The easy-to-understand questions”

texts:
What do we call the following kind of adjective?

I saw a text similar to the following

  the easy-to-understand questions are so important to make our decisions!

I have two questions regarding this kind of grammar!

1) What do we call the highlighted kind of adjective or modifier?

2) Isn’t this kind of adjective as equal or the same as relative clause?

I mean this kind of sentence can be put in the following order and still gives the same meaning!

  The question which are easy to understand are so important to make our decisions.

Or

  The questions, easy to understand, are so important to make our decisions.


texts: By tomorrow, by 2050. Do such adverbs of time require perfect tenses?

texts:
For some reason different Grammar books show a lot of examples of Future Perfect with such adverbs of time (by tomorrow, by next year, by 2050). It may give the impression that you only use such adverbs with the Future Perfect verbs.

"By tomorrow, he will have left Paris." Future Perfect.
BUT: "Tomorrow, he will leave Paris." Future Simple.

or

"By 2050, scientists will have found the cure for cancer." Future Perfect.
BUT: "In 2050, scientists will find the cure for cancer." Future Simple.

In the wild, I've come across examples such as:

"Do you think you can deliver it by tonight?" Present
Simple.
"I will have a lot of money by tomorrow" Future Simple.

So what's the matter?
I'll even go so far as to ask: Is it grammatical to say "I will do my homework by tomorrow" or "I will leave Paris by tomorrow" instead of "I will have done my homework by tomorrow" or "I will have left Paris by tomorrow". If it is, what's the point of using Future Perfect with such adverbs of time?


texts: Am I reading this wrong? Or is my understanding anachronical?

texts:
I started reading this short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, What to Do About It, published in 1933. And the story starts with a character trying to free a wheel from a tirelock:

  [...] he continued to sit in the middle of the dirt lane and try to wrest a 1927 tire-lock of its prey.

Immediately afterwards we know the car is his and he's been using a "chisel" to unlock the wheel. And we are supposedly given an explanation of how the car came to that state:

  He was not a burglar—he was a doctor and this was his car and had been for some months, during which the "rubber on it" in salesmen's jargon had endured beyond modest expectations. Turning into the lane from the main road he became aware that the rubber had yielded gently to the pressure of time, thus accounting for the innacuracy of the steering wheel.

Afterwards, he finds a "gong" (which seems to be some kind of device to screw bolts in a wheel), and he uses it to struck the chisel onto the tire-lock:

  Bill adjusted the chisel and the gong—it was curious thing he had found under the seat that [sic] he thought of as a gong because it gave out a ringing sound—and struck a discouraged blow. To his surprise the lock yielded [...]

So I'm left very confused. I don't know if the problem is whether I don't understand the story, the words, or maybe history. If he has a flat, how does the wheel end up with a tirelock? Maybe they used tirelocks to secure the cars while they were repairing them in the 1930s? Should I ask this in a history forum?


texts: What's the meaning of "there has been an exhale"?

texts:
The following sentence is quoted from NBC NEWS. When being asked about the mood in the West Wing of the White House, the journalist said:

Well, in talking with some of the staff members here, you get the sense that there has been an exhale. The mood is certainly quiet. And many have not been in the offices. We expect that the president might get some more fresh air today.

What does "there has been an exhale" mean?

Update: I didn't notice that there is a mention of "the president's chief of staff got Covid" before the conversation, so Colin's answer of "everybody has been holding their breath" is definitely correct. Sorry for the confusion.


texts: Parse these three "could have + past participle" constructions

texts:
The following parts are taken from PEU1 122.7 & 123.5:

  Could have + past participle is sometimes used to talk about past events which are not
  certain to have happened (like may/might have- see 339.7).

  Who sent those flowers?- I'm  not sure.  It could have been your mother.

and

  Could have + past participle can refer to present situations which were
  possible but have not been realised.

  He could have been Prime Minister now if he hadn't decided to leave politics.

  We could have spent today at the seaside, but we thought it was going to
  rain,  so  we decided not to.

I'm wondering whether it is possible to substitute "could be" for "could have been" in the first two examples and unreal "could be spending" for "could have spent" in the last one?
I think the replacement would bring no difference, but I'm not sure.

1. PEU = Michael Swan's, Practical English Usage.


texts:
The meaning here is that they are big, enterprise-scale switches and routers.

Example

  That's the reason why I have some serious switches and routers.

vs.

  That's the reason why I have some high-end switches and routers.

Is there a difference between serious and high-end? And which fit this context better?


texts:
I don't fully understand the use of "so" at the beginning of a clause.

We can use "so" at the beginning of a clause with "say", "hear", "understand", "tell", "believe", and a number of other verbs. This structure is used to say how the speaker learned something.

It's going to be a cold winter, or so the newspaper says.
Mary's getting married. ~ Yes, so I heard.
The Professor's ill. So I understand.

I can get all that there has been asserted but for the bold part.


texts: "I have not always been teaching to pupils from this age"

texts:
A teacher that has not yet retired but is going to  soon  says

I have been teaching for 15 years now, this year my pupils are 12 years old but I have not always been teaching to pupils from this age

I was wondering if present perfect continuous is a good choice or shall I use present perfect simple (i don't think so because the situation is still true and there is a chance that the situation will be  true until he retires  )or past simple (but as he is still teaching i don't think it will match


texts: "....Up ahead" what is it called when preposition followed by another?

texts:
I met a friend of mine at the crossroads up ahead.

What is the meaning of this phrase? What is it grammatically called when a preposition followed by another?


texts: Confused over passive-voice - future simple or future continuous?

texts:
The book report will be given by Mary to the class.
Reconstruct the sentence in the passive form.
a) Mary will be giving a book report to the class.
b) Mary will give a book report to the class.

Which one would you choose? The passive form is (be)+past participle but to me a) also sounds correct?


texts: Is there a word for the "unutterable" feeling when listening to a beautiful song?

texts: When I listen to a beautiful piece of music, for instance Quizas by Andrea Bocelli, I am feeling something is under my skin, moving. I don't know if there exists a word to express such a feeling.


texts: Present or past when the thing doesn't exist

texts:
A: Did you ever have the orange sherbet at Johnny's Icecream Shop? It's a shame the place burned down and no longer exists.

B: I used to. All the time. I liked that a lot. What a pity.

Would it be possible to use like instead of liked because even it is something he won't be able to do anymore and belongs to the past, he probably still like it at the time of speaking and will continue to like it


texts:
The fastest way to learn to relax around famous people is to have repeated exposure to them, but that is far from practical and easier said than done if you afraid of them to begin with.

What does "to begin with" modify in this sentence? Does it modify “that is far from practical and easier said than done” or “you afraid of them”? And If i have to rewrite it, can I write that " The fastest way to learn to relax around famous people is to have repeated exposure to them, but if you afraid of them, that is far from practical and easier said than done early on"


texts: What adj. could be used to describe something that is overly rational, at the expense of reason?

texts:
I came across this sentence:

  Marriage is -- first and foremost -- a societal institution, which is why it is only natural that it would primarily be formed in a magistrate.

I find this argument to be overly-simplistic, because it appears to ignore all the cultural background of marriage as an institution. But if I had to describe this argument, I would like to use an adjective that draws attention to its "rationality". I'm not really sure how to describe it. To me the argument seems too focused on being rational (i.e. based on cold hard logic), and in doing so it ignores the more humane aspects of marriage, which in my opinion is un-wise.

That's how I feel, and that's what I'd like to communicate.

Is there any (probably uncommon and advanced-level) adjective that would help me communicate my thoughts? A bit longer expressions are also fine, it doesn't need to be one single word. I'm just looking to expand my vocabulary.


texts:
My question may seem curious, but some books from which I learn English grammar contradict each other. So I'm interested: is there a formal specification of English grammar?.

By specification I mean an official document completely describing English  grammar which I can refer to in any controversial cases.

P.S. If it's possible, please point out my grammar errors. :)


texts: "Ever since I was a kid playing football, to my recent meeting with Lionel Messi, I have always been a huge Messi fan."

texts:
Ever since I was a kid playing football, to my recent meeting with Lionel Messi, I have always been a huge Messi fan.

Can I use 'ever since' and 'to' like this?


texts: How do you say this math expression in English (UK)?

texts:
(3x + 1)2 - x2

How do you say it?

So this is pronounce ‘bracket three x plus one bracket square minus x square?


texts: Is 'to undefine' something a valid phrase?

texts:
I'd like to say: 'My goal is to undefine the existing variable.'

I'm using 'to undefine' as opposed to 'to define' phrase. However the dictionary on macOS cannot find the 'undefine' word.

Is this a valid phrase?


texts: Do native speakers often use relative clauses?

texts:
Do native speakers use "relative clauses" much when speaking?

For example:

  "The bag he is carrying is very heavy."

or

  "Have you seen the photos Ann took?"

Do native speakers often talk like this?


texts:
I read a novel that throw me a term "searching look". Basically, the story goes like this:

The captain was thrilled to go on board to the lifeless spaceship to find a treasure inside. Alex told the captain that as long as they can find out what happened to the previous ship crews, it will be worthwhile. The captain gave Alex a searching look and say "Don't worry, we will."

What is searching look means?


texts:
I finished my studies and then I have become/became a teacher.

Another post regarding present perfect. Is it sufficient to use just past simple in the sentence above? Let's say that I am talking about events that happened a few years ago but I am still a teacher. I tend to apply here the rule related to present perfect that asserts that this structure is used "to indicate that a state of affair prevailed throughout some interval stretching from the past to present".


texts: Meaning of 'pound' in "felt a fury that was not his own pound through his body"

texts:
Harry had given a cry of pain; his scar had burned again as something flashed across his mind like a bright light on water. He saw a large shadow and felt a fury that was not his own pound through his body, violent and brief as an electric shock.

  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

What does 'pound' mean in this context? I've looked it up in free dictionary. But I don't know which definition fits.


texts:
sell-out, sell out or sellout?
I see all three forms on Google Books, but I am wondering if one of them might be incorrect, or if all three forms are accepted by English linguists.
I think only sellout and sell-out should be correct, but I am wondering about the third form.

He's a sell out," shouted Belial as they sat in his Range Rover
smoking more weed.

Testimonies of Favor and Compassion - Page 27
Randy Rembert · 2010


texts:
The sentence: "In this article, we outline the most telling features in light of these three main directions that in which Wi-Fi technologies are advancing."

What is "that" here. Is it a relative pronoun? If then, why they used two relative pronouns. What is the difference between just "in which"?


texts: What's the natural way to ask about the current degrees of the weather?

texts:
What's the natural way to ask about degrees of the weather?

Can I ask: "What's the temperature?" or "What's the weather like now?" and people will understand I'm asking the degrees?

Asking "How many degrees of Celsius are now?" or "How many degrees are now?" are natural? Or maybe another way to ask appropriately what I want.


texts:
When a specific date is used as subject or object (instead of time adverbial), should I use present tense, or tense based on the date, or tense based on other context?
For example,

Today is 4/17. 4/7 ____ 10 days ago.

Today is 4/17. 4/27 ____ 10 days ahead.

I am under an impression that 'was' is correct for #1, but for #2 'will be' sounds strange to me.
When the date is used as the object, it is even more confusing to me:

The deadline ____ 4/7, which ____ 10 days ago.

The deadline ____ 4/27, which ____ 10 days ahead.

Again I have a feeling that for #3 I should use 'was' because the subject (the deadline) is something happened in the past, however, for #4 using 'will be' suggests the deadline is not yet finalized at the time the statement was made.
Enlighten me please!


texts:
The wrappers can be used to gather information from similar websites and integrate [it] into an XML document.

Does integrate necessarily need to be followed by "it" in this sentence?


texts: Why need 'from' in "from whence his large yellow eyes glowed in the darkness"?

texts:
Harry and Sirius were both laughing; Mundungus, who had toppled backwards off his chair, was swearing as he got to his feet; Crookshanks had given an angry hiss and shot off under the dresser, from whence his large yellow eyes glowed in the darkness.

  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I think "whence his large yellow eyes glowed in the darkness" is just fine. Why should we need 'from' here? Any thoughts?


texts:
I'm confused about questions with 'Are there' and 'How many'.
First:
I have two questions and two answers during the interview from my textbook.

'Are there many offices?' - There's one head office and there are four other offices in the UK.
‘How many offices are there?’ - ‘There are three in Britain and two in the United States.’

The questions are different but the answers are almoust the same! Why?
Second situation:

‘How many offices are there?’ - ‘There are three in Britain and two in the United States.’
'How many sites are there in the UK?' - 'There's the head office, the other offices, the store branches and our warehouse.'

The answers are different but the questions are the same! Why?


texts: "This is a picture of page that I don't understand + it"?

texts:
I have a picture of a page that in it there is text that I don't understand.
Should I say the pronoun "it" in the end of the following sentence or not?

  "This is a picture of page that I don't understand it"

or

  "This is a picture of page that I don't understand"


texts: I am in a library and the librarian is asking me if I want to check this book out? The book is on my table. Is this some common expression check something out = investigate ?


texts: How can I describe being temporarily stupid?

texts:
I am looking for a word/phrase that means "being temporarily stupid/silly" and fits in these situations.

  Situation A Some guy solves a math problem using a very complex method, and some other person shows him a very simple solution. The guys then says: "Oh! Right! I just ___(requested word/phrase)."

  Situation B Someone is calling a friend using his/her cellphone, and suddenly yells "Where's my phone? I can't find my phone!" And we can say this person is ___(requested word/phrase)

  Situation C Husband gets ripped off but doesn't know about it, and wife shouts: "What were you thinking? Did you ___(requested word/phrase)? How could you fall for that crap?"

  Situation D Someone wants to say something but immediately forgets, and he/she mocks himself/herself: "Oh I just ___(requested word/phrase)"

To those who know about Chinese, I am looking for a translation of 脑袋短路. I've asked this on our Chinese site, but the answers there had some controversies. One option is "blank out", which works for D but not the other three. Other options include "brain glitch", "brain fart". But google search tells me these refer to mental illnesses rather than just being temporarily stupid.

Thanks for all the answers that are already here! It seems that there are more ways to express this than I have thought. So if you have a new idea please feel free to add an answer or comment even though I've already accepted one. Due to the possibility that a single word may not work for all the four situations, a specific answer to only one of them is also welcome.


texts:
I don't understand the bold part, please tell me about it?
Perhaps there is a retired plod with a 50-year-old duty roster that can give us a more definitive idea of how officers then spent their time.


texts: Why "short of a six pack" means someone is stupid or missing common sense?

texts:
I looked up in the urbandictionary

  One Short of A Six Pack

  A term used to describe a person who is not all there. A person
  missing a marble or two - a few percentages off from being full blown
  retarded.

Another similar slang:

  two cans short of a six pack

  adj. stupid or crazy; not "all there." oh man, look at this two cans
  short of a six pack

But I don't know how the means(missing common sense or stupid) comes froms short of a six pack. So could anyone please give me some hints about that?


texts: Difference between "After all, ...?" and "... anyway?"

texts:
I am unable to differentiate between the meaning conveyed by the following two sentences:

  After all, what is so hard about Quantum Field Theory?
  What is so hard about Quantum Field Theory anyway?

I want to confirm whether they do convey the same meaning or there is some difference between the meaning conveyed by the two. Thanks!


texts: 'Item' vs 'Product' - Meaning different?

texts:
'Item'  vs  'Product'

When I sell a thing(physical) What word should I use?

Curious exact different


texts: Whose or who? Help please in understanding the difference between them. What's the use of it?

texts:
Can you please help me understand the difference between using whose and who
And why in this sentence whose is useful?

  whose umbrella is this?  Is it your mother's?

  The choices were

Who
Who's
Whose
Whose's

Thanks so much for help!))


texts: What is your idea about this advertising note

texts:
I need to advertise a medicine. I am going to write a sentence to advertise it. I have written the sentence in my question in the following way. What do you think? Did I wrote it properly or I have to change it's construction or phrase:

(The name of the medicine)
The / a reliable choice for prostate cancer

Which article is required here?


texts: Spelling: "number", "enum(b)erate", "num(b)erator", and so on

texts: Why has the English language preserved the letter "b" in the word "number", but not in words like "enumerate" or "numerator" or "numerology" and so on?


texts:
What are the differences between these questions:

Do you come?
Are you coming?

Which is the more correct usage?

If I first say "It's late. I'm going home now," which is the correct form of this question:

Are you coming with me?
Do you come with me.


texts: "Steel grade identification / confirmation / inspection"

texts:
If a company writes in a catalogue that all steel delivered at its pipe-producing plant undergoes testing to ensure that it is of the proper grade, and lists several methods for testing, what is the best way to name the paragraph?

  Steel grade confirmation
  Steel grade inspection
  Steel grade determination
  Steel grade testing

I googed all and only several dozens of results came up, so I thought a native speaker might advise me on this count.


texts: What kind of rule for using (gerund+infinitive)?

texts:
sentence:

  Keep me from having to mingle (I have never seen such construction gerund+infinitive. The only two cases I know is I'm used to doing, I'm looking forward to seeing - we can treat it as an exception)

question:

  What rule can I exert to explain this case?


texts:
"Humans love being appreciated and enjoy this"
Wold it be correct if I used 'so' instead of 'this' like example below?
"Humans love being appreciated and enjoy so"


texts: “Around here somewhere” or “Somewhere around here”

texts:
Imagine someone has lost something and he/she is anxiously looking for it everywhere. you as a witness of the whole story decide to cool them down. You are going to ask them not be worried just because you saw the lost thing somewhere near the place they are looking for it.
I was wondering which construction below is more correct to be said and why?

a) It’s around here somewhere.  [Once a native one told me this is the correct version of this sentence.]
b) It’s somewhere around here. [While, this option sounds much more correct to me.]

Please let me know about them.


texts: Is 'The driver was standing by the car smoking a cigarette ' a reduced participle clause?

texts:
OP: The driver was standing by the car smoking a cigarette as they emerged from the house.

In the sentence above, may I change it into "The driver was standing by the car and was smoking a cigarette as they emerged from the house." without affecting the meaning?

I consider it a usage of participle clause reducing. Because I saw a usage like "she arrived home and left the shoes on in the container = she arrived home, leaving the shoes in the container", and the poster says that when two actions have the same subject, then the second action can be reduced to ING form.

Does the OP's sentence is actaully equal to what I think? and if so, shouldn't the comma be left before the first action "smoking a cigarette"?

I can slightly notice that it might be a adverbial participle clause, like "I can bolt down all the burgers using my mouth" but I personally think it is not the same thing.

Plus, when it comes to reduced participle clause "and left the shoes=leaving the shoes" I mentioned before, is it confined to only the past tense? Can I use it in simple present or past continuous or future tense or present perfect tense and so forth? For example like "she has been studying and has been answering the question = she has been studying, answering the question" "she get the money and go to the club = she get the money, going to the club" or something example like this.


texts: a finished activity in the recent past - present perfect simple vs present perfect continuous

texts:
I have been studying about 'present perfect continuous' and found out that we use the tense to talk about a finished activity in the recent past. (source)

e.g., I’ve just been cleaning the car. (The car is wet and clean.)

  And I also found out from the same source that we use the 'present perfect simple' to talk about a finished event or state in the very recent past. (source)

e.g., Niki and John have just come back from a week in Spain.

So can I conclude that for a finished activity or event in the recent past, I can use both 'present perfect continuous' and 'present perfect simple'?

If they are not completely interchangeable, please explain the differences.
And I am sorry for my bad English.


texts: "This pair of shoes is too dirty." When we mention the shoes again, which pronoun is more common? It or them?

texts:
This pair of shoes is too dirty. _______, please!.

  A. Take them away
  B. Take it away

This is a question from my English exercise book. The answer is A, but I think B also makes sense. Because them corresponds to shoes, it corresponds to pair.

Am I right?

If I am right, which one is more common, A or B?


texts: Usage of object pronoun with the verb "buy"

texts: In the sentence "I'll buy her a present", why can't it be "I'll buy a present to her"? If both are correct, is there a reason to why it is more common to see the first one?