texts: Should it be "I went to hot springs", "I went to a hot spring", or "I went to the hot springs"?

texts:
What's the correct alternative?

For example, you're visiting a new city and you wanna check out a place where they have hot springs. But you're not mentioning the name of the place to the person you're talking to.

Example sentence:

  Mary went to __ with her girlfriends.

If all of them are correct, what are their difference?


texts: The use of being when explaining grammar

texts:
I am aware of the general usage of "being", which suggests a temporary state, such as "He is being angry".

However, I am a little bit confused in the following specific context.

An English teacher uses "being" in her classroom in this way.

  "simple past" is to mention a past event when we are being specific about when it happened

  "present perfect" is to mention a past event while we are being unspecific about the moment it happened.

Why did she use "being" in that specific context? Is it because she was teaching grammar?

Could someone please give a hint? Thanks in advance.


texts: Can we use past simple without giving the exact time?

texts:
Can we use past simple without giving the exact time. For example.

'I will tell you how I learned English through self-study.'


texts:
Cue, as defined in Merriam Webster:

  Definition of cue

  1

  a : a signal (such as a word, phrase, or bit of stage business) to a performer to begin a specific speech or action That last line is
  your cue to exit the stage.

  b : something serving a comparable purpose : [HINT] I'll take that yawn as my cue to leave.

I feel CUE has the similar meaning as HINT in this case. Can we say:

That last line is your hint to exit the stage.
I'll take that yawn as my hint to leave.

I am not sure if these two words have some overlaps in meaning. Or sometimes they are interchangeable in some circumstances?


texts: The form of the verb in attributive clause when the subject in main clause is "I"

texts:
For example, which of the following is correct?

  I am a teacher who likes teaching.

or

  I am a teacher who like teaching.


texts: What does a sentence/title take (from 'em', 'en', dashes or 'colon') at the end while describing the list or some content?

texts:
I often find it confusing using something at the end of the sentence or title that describes a list or content below it.

The sentence example:

  Here is the list of services we provide (':', '--' or '-'?)
  [The list of services here]

The title example:

  Enterprise mobility (':', '--' or '-'?)
  [The enterprise mobility content here]

Note: While describing the 'sentence example' and 'title example', I used colons above.


texts: Combined past continuous and past simple usage

texts:
In one ESL exercise the sentence "They were whistling while they worked" is given. There is no other context given.

I am wondering why the word 'whistling' is in the past continuous, when one would expect it to be the shorter and more emphasized action when compared to 'worked'. I'd expect something more along the lines of "They whistled while they were working".


texts: "To read this book later" or "To later read this book"

texts:
There is a dialog between two persons, and they are discussing some book owned by third person. Which version is grammatically correct: first, second, or both?

  To read this book later -- ask John.
  To later read this book -- ask John.


texts:
Please tell me, why can I not use There is and There are in the way I feel it based on my anticipation of the items listed?

What is wrong with saying:

There are a box of chocolates and a couple of bottles of wine on this table.
There are a cat, a dog and two birds in this picture.

What if all the objects in the list are perceived as a single plural object?

Doesn't English grammar allow me to render whichever list as a mass?


texts: Is it right to say, "I wish to know how good your pick up on French is, since you are working in France." Can we use the phrase "pick up" as a noun?


texts:
I am to report this to the police.

What is the correct explanation of this sentence?

a) It is a single future obligation for me to report. (Like, I must report this to the police)

b) It is my regular obligation to report. (Like, I have to report this to the police every day)


texts:
Do I need to use any in the following sentence? Does any change the meaning of the following sentence?

  If you have (any) questions on the subject, feel free to ask me.

As an English speaker would you leave any out?


texts: What is an act of cutting off useless words?

texts: I am looking for a verb (idiom?) that means an act of making speech/writing more terse/concise/laconic. Is there any?


texts: "You just keep quiet and be good". Why isn't the verb "to be" "are" in this sentence?

texts:
I read this poem about the environment from my English textbook

The word 'be' in the sentence "You just keep quiet and be good" makes me confused. Why isn't it "are" to have subject-verb agreement?

  MUMMY, OH MUMMY

  "Mummy, oh Mummy, what's going to happen

  If all the pollution goes on?"

  "Well the world will end up like a second-hand junk-yard,

  With all of its treasures quite gone.

  The fields will be littered with plastics and tins,

  The streams will be covered with foam.

  Now throw those soda bottles over the hedge,

  Save us from taking them home."

  "But Mummy, oh Mummy, if I throw the bottles,

  Won't that be polluting the woods?"

  "Nonsense! That isn't the same thing at all,

  You just keep quiet and be good.

  If you're going to start getting silly ideas,

  I'll take you home right away.

  Because pollution is something that other folk do,

  We're just enjoying our day.


texts: Which one is correct, "in the USA" or "in USA"?

texts: I want to know, what are the differences between "in the USA" and "in USA"? When to use "the" before a nation's name?


texts: Subject-complement agreement - a member of a committee vs members of a committee

texts:
I wonder if there is any difference between the following two sentences?

They are a member of a committee.
They are members of a committee.


texts: Difference between "disband" and "disperse"

texts:
The police disbanded/dispersed the mob.

According to my textbook dispersed is correct.
I wanna know why disbanded is wrong or is it that dispersed is more appropriate? If so, then why?
As disbanded also means the same - cause to break up.


texts: On the evening news vs. In the evening news

texts:
Why the word news takes different prepositions in the following sentences?
Our school was mentioned in the news.
I heard it on the evening news.
Do native speakers say in the evening news? If yes, are they different in meaning?


texts: grammar of "keep your seat belt fastened while seated"

texts:
I understand the meaning of the phrase "keep your seat belt fastened while seated" which you can see in the aeroplane written on the front seat.    But I absolutely can't figure out the grammar of the phrase, of the part "while seated".   Can anyone explain why this form of verb is used? Doesn't it sound strange to a native speaker?
As far as I understand there are several things in this phrase that confuse me:

Subject :  If the subject is missed in the last verb (to seat), it should be the same subject as in case of the first verb (to keep) or of the second verb (to fasten). But to seat is a causative verb, so it's not true.
Voice :  It seems to be active, but it should be passive.

Thanks in advance!


texts: Tell me about the school you want to go. vs. Tell me about school you want to go

texts: Which  one  is  correct? If  both  are  possible, what's  the  difference?


texts: "Life has meaning" vs. "life has a meaning"

texts:
Could you tell me what kind of meaning the use of a adds to the following sentence?

Life has meaning; it's just we can't it figure it out yet.
Life has a meaning; it's just we can't it figure it out yet.

I'm sure both sentences are correct as I have seen both life has meaning and life has a meaning used. I can't figure out the logic behing using a before meaning.


texts:
For some reason, it sounds a bit off to me. I know that shoes are plural, but they come with a pair, which singular.

What shoes are she wearing?

OR

What shoes is she wearing?

Which one is correct and why?


texts:
I still can't fully understand the usage of past participle.
I wonder which one of the following sentences is grammatically correct and if both are correct,
what differences would there be.

  As he was left unattended with no medical help for hours, John had already been dead when his crew finally found him in the lowest basement.

  As he had been left unattended with no medical help for hours, John had already been dead when his crew finally found him in the lowest basement.

  Being left unattended with no medical help for hours, John had already been dead when his crew finally found him in the lowest basement.

  Having been left unattended with no medical help for hours, John had already been dead when his crew finally found him in the lowest basement.

Thank you!


texts:
Is there any difference in meaning with and without commas?

  My daughter, so pure, didn't know what I was speaking about.
  My daughter so pure, didn't know what I was speaking about. (A comma is removed between daughter and so)

If I had only one daughter, would be sentence 1 only correct?


texts: Difference in the meaning between "Sinbad takes a barrel" and "Sinbad takes a barrel with him"?

texts: What is the difference in the meaning between "Sinbad takes a barrel" and "Sinbad takes a barrel with him" ?


texts: "Sense of Calm" vs "Sense of calmness" & "Works are" vs "work is"

texts:
I came across a sentence

  his works are invariably imbued with a sense of calm and serenity

Now in my opinion (for which I do not have any concrete reason) it should've been "sense of calmness". Apart from this should it be his work is invariably?

Am I wrong?


texts: What is the meaning of the sentences I have mentioned down below?

texts:
Yesterday I was watching the soccer game and there was english commentary from Peter Drury on Lionel Messi once Messi scored a goal against Napoli. I couldn't grasp what Peter Drury said fully. So can anyone please help me comprehend what he actually said. The following sentence is what I got from what he said. Can anyone please correct it for me.

"He is just a conjurer. A ripper up of reason. A dream machine. A perennial scissor of the day. Just another Lionel Messi gem."

What is ripper up of reason if what I heard is right ?
What is perennial scissor of the day if what I heard is right too?
OR
Please correct the parts for me where I didn't hear them right.
Here is the link of the HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO. The part I mentioned starts at 4.51 minutes in the VIDEO.
https://hofoot.uprafa.com/player/html/ycYlrBPrMhPoa?popup=yes&autoplay=1


texts:
I’d rather do it myself.
  I’d rather have done it myself.
  (The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, p.108)

Is there any regret in the second sentence for not having done it, or is it neutral?


texts:
Can I use the word "Workaholic" in formal writing?

for example:

  Workaholics may neglect their families and friends.


texts: Might I enquire of you what "cut toward" means?

texts:
I was about to run toward the goal so Mark could pass the ball to me,
  but he looked me off. So instead I fell back and let Jenny cut toward
  the goal. Mark passed to Jenny and she scored!

Although I'm not sure of it, I'd conjecture that that would mean  "moved speedily toward". Would you tell me what that means?


texts: DIfferentiating between "do" "does" and "did"

texts:
I have difficulties using do, does and did for interrogative phrases.

In this phrase,

  Does anyone of you speaks fluently English?

I want to ask if someone inside a group of people speak fluently English. Or would it be,

  Do anyone of you speak English fluently?

Which one is better? How do I ask?


texts: "Finish a book" vs. "finish with a book"

texts:
Could you tell me if there is any difference in meaning between finish a book and finish with a book? For example:

When I finish the book, I can lend it to you.
When I finish with the book, I can lend it to you


texts: Should names/original nouns go in the introductory clause or main clause?

texts:
At first, I wrote this:

  Clutching his striped tie, sitting on the couch, Mary waited for Tom
  to come out from the bathroom.

A native speaker changed that into this:

  Clutching Tom's tie, sitting on the couch, Mary waited for him to come
  out from the bathroom.

My logic was that, if you don't mention Tom in the main clause, you end up with "Mary waited for him" if you take out the introductory clause(s).

What's grammatically correct in this case?


texts: Is "deliverer" an common/acceptable alternative of "delivery boy" or "delivery guy"?

texts:
Someone told me that "deliverer" sounded strange. However, deliverer seems to be synonyms with "delivery boy" and "delivery guy":

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/deliverer

  to carry and turn over (letters, goods, etc.) to the intended
  recipient or recipients: to deliver mail; to deliver a package.

Would it be weird, though, for example? Call a McDonald's delivery guy a "deliverer"?


texts: Why we use 'no sooner' instead of 'not sooner'?

texts: I think 'not sooner than' is a right form and 'no sooner than' seens pretty odd to me. Does anyone know where the phrase 'no sooner than' came from? Is it just a tradition?


texts: Omitting "to be": "I want left alone." versus "I want to be left alone."

texts:
I have been reading an internet serial for about a year, that is written by someone I believe to be a native or near-native English speaker (like myself), but I have noticed a recurring pattern of sentences that don't scan fully and was wondering if this is perhaps a dialect, stylistic choice, or misunderstanding.
For example, the author will write "(the cat) Floofy would want fed and petted", which I take to mean "(the cat) Floofy would want to be fed and petted". The author also writes, on multiple occasions as it is important to the plot, "I just want left alone", again omitting to be, which makes me think that this is either a constant misunderstanding or dialect. Personally, I think the second sentence scans better and feels almost natural, which I think is because I read it as "I just want leaving alone", but this has bugged me for a while. Is it correct English? A dialect I've never heard?
I am confused because this author has a perfect understanding of English everywhere else. Searching online has not yielded any help, any ideas?


texts:
Can a sentence have no verbs in it?

If I say "I went for a run yesterday" then I am using a verb (to run) but if I say "This is a door" then am I using any verbs in that sentence? You can argue that 'is' is a verb cause the verb 'to be' can be argued as 'to is' but that would be incorrect. An example where I can't see any verbs would be the first sentence of this page. 'Can a sentence have no verbs?'This sentence seems to have no verbs but still I am doubting if it doesn't have any verbs.

In short, does every sentence need a verb and if doesn't is it grammatically correct?


texts: Confused about the expression "I dwell confined"?

texts:
In the Amazing Spiderman movie, Dr. Curt Connors said:

  "I might be free to cast off flesh wherein I dwell confined."

What's the meaning of “I dwell confined” in this context?


texts:
Much later, he was eventually found by a Shinra agent, lying on the
ground nearly dead in a secluded desert area in Nevada and taken in
into a secret sacred headquarters in Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan.

I rarely see this phrase being used like this. I am wondering how grammatical and idiomatic this is. I understand this phrase to mean "accepted into" "let in into" followed by any location.


texts: Which of these pages are correct- "Trust Jake with" Or "Trust with Jake"

texts:
Do these sentences have the same meaning?

These are the people I trust Jake with.
These are the people I trust with Jake.

Which one means:
"I can trust that Jake is safe if he was with these people."


texts:
When talking to someone, and he doesn't listen to you, even though you repeat it, do you ask him:

"Do you went deaf?" or "Did you go deaf?" or "Do you became deaf?"


texts:
Here it is:

  Power cleans are not like squats or deadlifts, movements that can be ground out to a bone-on-bone finish through perseverance and hard work.


texts:
With awakened being a transitive verb requiring a direct object, in the sentence

  He was awakened by a loud crash.

is “he” both the direct object and the subject of the sentence?

The sentence was given in this answer as an example of “awakened” as a transitive verb with a direct object. When I looked at it, as if to conjugate, I saw "he" as the subject, so not a direct object, but passive.


texts:
Last month, I got my cellphone bill and it cost too much.

Does the highlighted part make sense and sound natural in English?


texts: A look of secret relief came over their dim faces, for he had towered above them like a statue in silver and bronze [brɒ̱nz]. "Thought maybe you warn't [= wasn't] coming," mumbled Reuben. "Ah! been for a sharp walk!" he half-shouted. "A sharp walk."


texts:
I would like to use the word reference as follows but I could not find enough example sentences on the Internet.

For example, your company was awarded with a certificate such as ISO9001 and you say

  This certificate is a primary reference to manifest that the standards
  of hygiene in your company is sufficient to produce foods.

or another example could be

  Certain scores taken on TOEFL exam is primary reference for
  universities to prove that a student's English skills are sufficient to participate in
  classes in courses taught in English.

What I mean by "primary reference" is that it is the most trusted or the first asked/wanted or the most well-known document in its field such as ISO certificates for companies or a TOEFL exam result for academic institutions. Is it wrong to say that? What else can I use?


texts: Subject complement or prepositonal object

texts:
In this sentence:
" This is an adventure to me"
/an adventure to me/ is the subject complement.
I'd like to know the function of " to me" . Is it a post modifier of " adventure"? Or is it a prep. object? ( which seems improbable since the verb in the sentence is intransitive)
Thanks!


texts:
Can I use both Present Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous in the same sentence?

  Apparently the army had been trying to advance last night but has been stopped by the enemy.

The reasons:

Present Perfect - The army has been stopped and didn't try to advance again.
Past Perfect Continuous - The attempt preceded the stop. A past action occurred before another past action.


texts: Which one is correct? "Why is art a culture" or "Why art is a culture"?

texts: I'm just a little bit confused today. If I were to ask a question, would it be "Why is art a culture?" or "Why art is a culture?". Is there a difference? I'm thinking the correct one is the former but I'm not sure if you can put "a" after the subject?


texts: Can I use "Welcome" to accept a suggestion?

texts:
Is it correct to say:

He is very welcome to your suggestion


texts: subjunctife or infinitive what is the difference?

texts:
Is there a difference in the meaning between:

  I would prefer you to do that.

  I would prefer that you do that. (more polite)


texts:
Normal times, I'd be sporting an erection.

Source: Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

The Definition from Cambridge Advanced Dictionary is:

  sport(verb) - to wear or to be decorated with something,

It does not correlate with this sentence.


texts: slight difference between always and all the time

texts:
I've heard from some people that "always" and "all the time" are not always interchangeable. I have written down a few sentences below.

(1a) Tom always writes novels at this table.

(1b) Tom writes novels at this table all the time.

(2a) They always go to math class with advanced calculators.

(2b) They go to math class with advanced calculators all the time.

(3a) I always enjoy working with you.

(3b) I enjoy working with you all the time.

In my examples, I think (1a)/(1b) and (2a)/(2b) mean the same meaning in their pairs. My non-native speaking friends think (3a) is OK but (3b) is wrong.

What is your opinion?


texts:
I woke up at 8 today, that means I slept for only 6 hours last night.

Vs

  I woke up at 8 today, that means I slept  only 6 hours last night.

Sleep vs sleep for? Which one is correct? I often hear people saying "I slept x hours." Is this correct? Or is For necessary?


texts:
We use has with plural person as well as non living things. (please correct me, if I'm wrong) and we use have with singular person like I, we, you, they.

I often find sentences like;

  Though poverty is still rampant in India, economic growth and commercial development have served to reduce it substantially over the years

Why do they use have and not has?


texts:
He put a fat white hand on Drioli's arm and began to push him firmly to the door.

  That did it.

"Take your goddam hands off me!"


texts:
Consider:

Two units are headed your way.
Two units are heading your way.
Don't get me started!
Don't get me starting!

Is there any difference in meaning?
And I don't see why passive voice is used here. I would think they have similar meaning here.
Help me to clarify!


texts: Can someone explain the expression 'daring me to challenge him.'

texts:
I'm not quite understand the meaning of the expression 'daring me to challenge him' even though I know the translation of words from it. Could some explain what it means in the next phrases?

  ‘He looked me in the eye practically daring me to challenge him.’

  ‘He took a step towards me, brown eyes daring me to challenge him.’


texts:
I have to write one of the following phrases into a formal mail

  I would like to know if you can provide an adaptor for the (name of the equipment) for testing these two type of sensors :
  I would like to know if you can provide an adaptor for the (name of the equipment) to test these two type of sensors :

Should I use 'for testing' or 'to test'?


texts: "I decided the target for our firm IS TO BE TO provide better services."

texts:
Suppose I wrote the following:

  I decided the target for our firm is to be to provide better services.

Would this be correct?


texts:
I focused my type-A personality on going to all the exercise
  classes at the gym. (Context: She is talking about how exercises has
  changed her life. Before that she was a pretty asocial and miserable)

What does "on going" mean in this sentences? I think ıt is misused. I would use "by going" here.


texts: "Accustom someone to sth" Vs "make someone get used to sth"

texts:
In order to discover the semantic difference between these two words, I need to figure out how the following sentences differ in meaning:

  Try to make your child get used to healthy foods.
  Try to accustom your child to healthy foods.


texts: When should I add an adjective behind the noun?

texts:
When should I place an adjective after the noun it modifies?

For example:

  "I can beat you with my eye closed"
  "I can spend the whole day undisturbed at the warehouse."


texts: If something is left out from the final version of a movie or anything else, how do you describe it?

texts: If some piece of a movie script or videogame content is left out, not included in the final cut/version, what attribute could one use? 'Discarded' or something?


texts: Has the word mate always at least some sexual context?

texts:
Mating is the term used for sexual activity, mostly for animals. Is there anything wrong with mate?

My mate could mean my sexual partner, but I've heard that in less obvious contexts, such as someone was talking about his roommate (a man), himself being declared heterosexual. I was a bit embarrassed by this word, but I haven't asked.

So, does mate always imply at least a bit of sexual context?


texts: Can 'that' be used instead of ' since' and 'as'?

texts:
I found this sentence in Cambridge dictionary -
I never get to see her now that she works somewhere else
Does "that" mean "since" here ?
I checked a few learner's dictionaries but could not find its meaning in this context.


texts: What is meaning the "wound" in this sentence?

texts:
I don't know what is meaning the "wound" in the sentence.

Three men dressed for business travel in jeans and dress shirts loaded backpacks into the trunk of a black coupe and wound their way through the center of a major European city.


texts: The structure of this sentence, "someone I know to be dead"

texts:
The whole sentence is

It showed someone in the castle. Someone I know to be dead.

I think it is the same as this

Someone who I know to be dead.

and this.

I know someone to be dead.

Is it correct? and Is "to be dead" an idiom that expresses state of someone/something?


texts:
In US English should I say

  You have already activated more sites than your license allows

Or

  You have already activated more sites than your license permits


texts:
Is there a word of phrase for 'pronunciational etymology', which refers to pronunciation origins and change over time for a particular word?

E.g. What is the ____ of the word 'one'?


texts:
According to Macmillan "tap into" means "use" or "get some benefit":

  tap or tap into [TRANSITIVE] if you tap something such as someone’s ability or a supply of information, you use it or get some benefit from it :
  Are you tapping your staff’s full potential?
  Several other companies were already tapping this market.

Or tap into can mean "to understand and express something":

  tap into something to understand and express something such as people’s beliefs or attitudes : the senator’s ability to tap into the American psyche

Considering the main meaning of tapping as "to touch someone or something gently", where do the above meanings for tap into come from?


texts:
How many of you people who 20 years ago doubted now go back and stop at the words he said. We never appreciated what he told us and called him a crazy and mad man, but he foresaw everything we did not.

Is stop at correct or something else used?

Other example

  How many of you now look back and stop at this man's words. He was right and we were wrong. Wish we would have listened.


texts: Is there any difference between "be about" and "means"?

texts:
For example you can say:

  True love is about wanting happiness for the person you love.
  True love means wanting happiness for the person you love.

Is there any difference between two sentences semantically?


texts:
Please imagine your doctor orders you some laboratory tests and you go to a pathology laboratory. The secretary asks you how can we help you? You respond:

  I must get a (blood / urine / etc.) test.
  I must have a (blood / urine / etc.) test.
  I must give a (blood / urine / etc.) test.

As a test I examined blood in all three structures and got some hits, but the problem is that I don't know which one is natural in this case.

I would appreciate it if you could help me find the best choice here.


texts: Use of 'still' in present continuous tense

texts:
John is still reading the book.

The above sentence looks odd to me. The use of 'still' in present continuous tense is not correct I guess? Right?


texts: Long-distance movement and Inversion in embedded questions with wh-words in situ

texts:
As I know, we can say:

  He asks whether she bought what?
  He asks what did she buy?

But we cannot extract "what" from the embedded question introduced by "whether":

  What does he ask whether she bought?

Thus I wonder if we can do so from the question with inversion:

  What does he ask did she buy?


texts: What is the antonym of "feasible" for this context?

texts:
A. Business is feasible and may be accepted if the BC ratio is greater
  than 1.

  B. Business is unfeasible and may be rejected if the BC ratio is
  less than 1.

Can I use non-feasible instead of unfeasible?


texts:
What is acceptable form sentence in the spoken English?

  1) I will see you in another time

or

  2) I will see you at another time


texts:
Does it mean Prevent?
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/lock-in_1?q=lock+in+

“The biggest lesson we learned from the global financial crisis was to not abandon stocks because that’s how we lock in losses,” Hooper said. “Maintain disciplined, long-term asset allocations.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/25/trade-tensions-are-a-bigger-risk-to-stocks-than-coronavirus-invesco.html


texts: How articles work in the expression 'I would like to buy ..'

texts:
I am not sure how to use articles in the expression ** I would like to buy**. For e.g.

I would like to buy an ipad.
I would like to buy a box  of chocolates.
I would like to buy a can of beer.

However If I want to use just the brandname itself, should I use any article, for e.g.

I would like to buy (any article?) Budweiser.

or In case of jeans/shoes, Obviously this works

I would like to buy a pair of shoes/jeans.

But what would be the construct if I drop a pair, does it make sense

I would like to buy jeans/shoes.


texts: "The quiet, damaged hot guy" — Order of adjectives

texts:
Say...

  I know a guy named Frank.

  He's hot.
  And, he's quiet.
  And, he's damaged.

Someone doesn't know Frank and asks me, and I say in reply:

  Oh, he's Frank. The quiet, damaged hot guy.

This order of adjectives sounds the most natural to me. "The damaged quiet hot guy" or "The hot quiet damaged guy" sound ridiculous to me.

Why?

And I suppose adjectives "quiet" and "damaged" here describe "hot guy" as a whole.

I recall being taught a formula for the order of adjectives in 5th grade. But I don't exactly remember it. It is something like, "Adjectives of Taste before adj. of quality before etc. etc"


texts:
I will do smth before I get my master's degree
I will do smth before getting my master's degree

I think that both variants are right.
But what is the more idiomatic for you?


texts: What is the name / term of this symbol, half tick half cross

texts:
My teachers sometimes put this symbol in my homework.
Does it have a name or term in English?


texts: Backshifting: past simple to past perfect

texts:
Whenever I happen to report a sentence that's originally in the present perfect, I switch tenses accordingly, transforming it into the past perfect. My problem though focuses on the backshifting occuring in utterances that utilize the simple past. I know that I do not have to switch tenses when the sequence of events is clear and obvious, as in:

  He told me he had an accident on his way to work.

But does the same apply when no additional time frame is provided?

  He told me he had an accident.

Or should I use the past perfect there for the sake of brevity? Is there any instance in which one form is more prefered? Or do sentences like:

  He said he went on a trip to Japan.

and

  He said he had gone on a trip to Japan.

have exactly the same meaning?


texts: what does ground mean in "a lot of **ground**"?

texts:
It sounds like the video is saying (link with a time stamp corresponds the following)

  So we use this a lot of the times when we're talking about body parts, tools, or instruments;
  things that help you do things.
  Okay, so we've covered a lot of ground here.

cambridge dictionary gives this explanation about ground

  the surface of the earth or of a piece of land

  to connect a piece of electrical equipment to the ground with a wire

none of them fits this case.

what does ground mean in "a lot of ground"?


texts: What does "make of it what you will" mean?

texts:
What does the verb phrase make of it what you will mean? I know what make of something and what you will mean. I have difficulty understanding their combination.
Examples:

I have asked what the next possible opportunities are for scholarship
applications. They say it will not be before middle of next year or if
the student is in the country .... make of it what you will. Hard
times remain.
‘The beauty of it is that you can make of it what you will.’
‘I have no wish to weary you with the case I have made in the past,
but make of this what you will.’


texts:
Are these correct uses of AS:
"What do you do AS a job?",
"What do you do AS A leisure/sport activity?", "What do you do AS sport activitiES?"

meaning: "What job do you do?", "What leisure/sport activity/activities do you do?"


texts: Is "short" extraneous and ungrammatical in "short abbreviation"?

texts:
Abbreviation: Meaning "a short form of a word or phrase"

See for example the following original sentence;

  We generally use the abbreviation 'MP' instead of writing out 'Member
  of Parliament' in full.

What if someone says "short abbreviation" in the above sentence, would it be extraneous and ungrammatical?


texts: How should I say more polite in such situation?

texts:
Recently, my downstairs neighbor always slam the door, and that is so annoying. Which of the following utterances should I use?

  The noise from you slamming the door is so loud. Could you be more quiet?

  Could you quit slamming the door? It's so annoying.

  Could you just stop slamming the door? Frankly, that is making so much noise as I study in my room.

By the way, are my examples grammatically correct?


texts: past simple vs past continuous (Interrupted event)?

texts:
What's wrong with this sentence ?

Last night ,I was being a little sleepy when my friends called me !

according to this article : FUNCTIONS OF THE PAST CONTINUOUS

  to describe an unfinished action that was interrupted by another event
  or action, e.g. "I was having a beautiful dream when the alarm clock
  rang."


texts: Which is correct - "doesn't made you happy" or "won't made you happy"?

texts:
Which of the following is correct?

  If it doesn't made you happy in the end, is it worth it?

  If it won't made you happy in the end, is it worth it?

Is there different meaning?

What I'm trying to say is: think about what you are doing, if you don't feel happy in the end, is it worth doing?


texts: What do you call a fundamental question long time not-answered on a scientific basis?

texts:
I mean such general questions as

How did the Universe form?
How will it evolve?
How did the life origin?
etc.

These have been mind-boggling questions, that are only now gathering enough observational ground to be scientifically-answerable. And what do you call that? (an adjective or even better a noun)


texts:
I'm writing answers to an assignment of a certain course that I have, and I wrote the following:

  This is possible because in this environment multiple programs of different users can run illusionally at the same time.

What I want to say is that the programs do not actually run at the same time, but there's the illusion that they run at the same time. Yes, this is related to multiprogramming and multitasking for those of you curious :)

Is there an adverb in English which allows me to express that?


texts:
Is this a legitimate sentence:

  I look bad like you.

Maybe with a comma after "bad"?

I'm aware of the alternative "I look as bad as you." - just curious.


texts: Why a " sentence" without predicate can stand alone?

texts:
In the sentence below:

Five days ago the Evertons left San Francisco in order to extend the family's Mexican history and patch the present onto the past. To find out if there was still copper underground and how much of the rest of it was true, the width of the sky, the depth of the stars, the air like new wine. To weave chance and hope into a fabric that would clothe them as long as they lived.

For the sentence in bold, I do not comprehend why it can stand alone ending with a period even if there is no predicate but a infinitive plus a restrictive relative clause. And also the meaning of this "sentence" just elude me completely.


texts: What's meant here by "awoke to such sense as he had left"?

texts:
In "The Song of Flying Fish" by G. K. Chesterton, someone was telling an old story, saying:

  which happened not in India, but outside an English barrack in the most modernized part of Cairo. A sentinel was standing inside the grating of an iron gateway looking out between the bars on to the street. There appeared outside the gate a beggar, barefoot and in native rags, who asked him, in English that was startlingly distinct and refined, for a certain official document kept in the building for safety. The soldier told the man, of course, that he could not come inside; and the man answered, smiling: ‘What is inside and what is outside?’ The soldier was still staring scornfully through the iron grating when he gradually realized that, though neither he nor the gate had moved, he was actually standing in the street and looking in at the barrack yard, where the beggar stood still and smiling and equally motionless. Then, when the beggar turned towards the building, the sentry awoke to such sense as he had left, and shouted a warning to all the soldiers within the gated enclosure to hold the prisoner fast. ‘You won’t get out of there anyhow,’ he said vindictively. Then the beggar said in his silvery voice: ‘What is outside and what is inside?’ And the soldier, still glaring through the same bars, saw that they were once more between him and the street, where the beggar stood free and smiling with a paper in his hand.”

Does "awoke to such sense as he had left" mean "he completely realized what happened as the beggar left him and entered the building already"?!


texts:
I have the following sentence.

  In the reconstruction, setting a stable parameter matching with
  entire scene is hard to achieve.

According to my understanding, the subject is 'setting a stable parameter'. Do you think it is possible to use a phrase as a subject instead of one single word? Is my sentence correct?


texts:
I build my first project according to the web page http://symfony.com/doc/current/book/page_creation.html step by step.

Am I using according to correctly in my sentence?


texts: Meaning of the verb "scale" in the context of weightlifting

texts:
It is from this video. It is at around 1 minute and 32 second.

  We cannot get around overhead pressing, but we want to make sure even when we do that, we do it properly and we actually have a way we can scale the weights when we do it.

Does scale mean the to be able to press the weight all the way up?


texts:
When somebody asks you for something and you give it to them, which expression is correct or more common?

eg., My little sister plays with toys and she wants to give one of her toys to me. So what should she say? 'here you are' or 'here you go'? which one is correct?

What is the difference between them?


texts: Present perfect vs present perfect progressive: "Ann has gardened all afternoon" vs "has been gardening"

texts:
Are these sentences correct?

  Ann has gardened all afternoon. She has planted a lot of rose bushes.

Can I also use here the present perfect progressive for example instead of saying "has gardened" can I say "has been gardening"?


texts: Is it a Shakespear's quote or does that quote come from Shakespeare?

texts: I was in the seminar the other day and the speaker quoted a line. I wanted to ask a question - so can you tell me which one of the above would have been appropriate ? Is there any difference ?


texts:
Which is correct? Let's look at the conversation. How person B should finish the sentence?

A: I want to buy a T-shirt, but I don't know which one.

B: The...

a) The first one and the last one is okay.
b) The first one and the last one are okay.
c) The first one and the last ones are okay.
d) The first and the last is okay.
e) The first and the last are okay.


texts: How to understand "Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot." in this context?

texts:
...... "No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

  Harry was rubbing his forehead.

  "I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps
  hurting -- it's happened before, but never as often as this."

  "Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

  "I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning... it means

  danger's coming...."

  Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.

  "Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as
  Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out
  how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's
  not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch
  for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

The phrase "worked up" means agitated or excited. I don't understand why there isn't any conjunction that has been used between the two clauses:"Ron couldn't get worked up", "it was too hot". My best try would be: Ron couldn't get himself excited, because it was too hot there.

What does that sentence truly mean in this context? Why is there no conjunction?

-- Excerpted from Harry Potter.


texts: Can "fascination" convey its right meaning in this sentence?

texts:
I wrote this sentence as follows.

I learned that my utter fascination lies in computer science.

I want to use this sentence to express my love and passion in computer science. But I know that “fascination” has another meaning as “glamour”. So I am not sure whether this sentence can be misunderstood as “my glamour come from computer science.”
So if there does exist ambiguous meaning, which sentence can I use to convey my initial meaning?


texts: “Was” or “were” in sentence where no noun subject exists

texts:
I can't figure out if the below sentence should use “was” or “were”, since I'm not sure what the subject of the sentence is. Is the sentence incomplete? How do I handle this kind of sentence, where no nouns or pronouns are present?

  Knowing how to jump and being able to run was / were crucial during my high jump career.


texts: Can I use passive voice with to instead of by?

texts:
Can I use to instead of by in this passive sentence?

It has been known to him.


texts:
I learned that "I feel a toast coming on" is equivalent to "I propose a toast".

I'm curious about the grammar of the phrase "I feel a toast coming on".

S1 feel S2 V+ ing equals to S1 feels that S2 is coming?


texts:
I need to translate an item from a questionnaire: “My parents were too drunk or high to take care of the family.”, but I don't understand the part "... or high to take care ...". How to understand the word high in this phrase?

P.S. I assumed it is a slang, as is mentioned here, but I was not sure.


texts: "I" is the only pronoun in English that is always capitalized. Is it correct to write it non-capitalized? Are there historical reasons beyond that rule?


texts: When to construct sentence without Is and Was?

texts:
"Those,who killed in the accident, were residents of our area"

Is above sentence construction is correct? is it in Active voice? Is World killed is as adjective?

If I Construct below sentence can it be correct? Is it in Passive voice ?

  a) "Those who were killed in the accident were residents of our area"

  b) "Man who are killed in Georgia sentenced for decade-old Delaware murder."

I found these kind of constructions in news paper:

  Three members of tourist family killed in accident

(thenews.com.pk)


texts:
I stumbled upon something a bit unsure when writing a short instructional sentence as below;

  On arrival of a luggage, keep the luggage in the storeroom and notify the receiver of it.

By the bold-faced phrase, I meant when a luggage has arrived here, but I'm not sure this 'on something of something' structure is commonly used.


texts:
The subjunctive mood is the verb form used to express a wish, a suggestion, a command, or a condition that is contrary to fact.(cited from http://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/subjunctive_mood.htm)

What does the adjective clause(in bold) modify? Does it only modify "a condition" or modify "a wish, a suggestion, a command, or a condition"?


texts: Would saying "who is this" in normal tone be rude in an occasion not on the phone?

texts:
I am not a native English speaker; I am not sure how to interpret such an event. For example, suppose I approach my friend to say hello; suppose he is together with someone I don't know; suppose this someone says "who is this" in normal tone to us. Then should I assume that this someone is not a friendly one? Or is it just a way to start a conversation popular for young people?

Knowing the underlying implicit rule is not just about I-assuring-myself thing; I do not hope I misuse this phrase to offend someone else unknowingly to myself :).


texts: How to understand the structure "And protect them she did:＂?

texts:
A quote from ACT english test passage:

And protect them she did: When workers went on strike, Jones secured food donations and temporary living arrangements. Where companies prevented the formation of unions, she fought for workers’ right to organize.

For starters, I am totally confused by the grammatical structure of the bold text, not like inversion or imperative and with two verbs not in aggreement with tense.
Furthermore, I think colon can only be used when the former sentence is complete; in this case, however, "she did" is obviously imcomplete: she did what? So I figure colon is imappropriate here.
Any explaination is sincerely appreciated !


texts: Elliptic sentences with two auxiliaries (e.g. "I would (have).")

texts:
I can contract my sentence when I contradict a statement or reply to a question.

  A: I would not trust him.
  B: I would. ( I would trust him.)

But in the following sentence, must it always be “would have”, with have? How often are B1 and B2 used?

  A: If he had asked me that, I would not have answered him.
  B1: I would have.
  B2: I would.


texts: Removing 'is': which of these sentences is grammatically correct?

texts:
The program that performs Tagging is referred to as PoS Tagger and belongs to the group of Natural Language Processing (NLP) applications

The program that performs Tagging referred to as PoS Tagger and belongs to the group of Natural Language Processing (NLP) applications

In the second sentence, I removed the is after Tagging, and it still sounds correct to me?
Which of these sentences is grammatically correct?
Thank you.


texts:
Additional calculations suggest that teacher effects on college going and wages may be as much as three times larger than that predicted based on test scores alone. As such, more than half of teachers who would improve long run outcomes may not be identified using test scores alone.
  (The Boston Globe)

Can one use as such at the beginning of a sentence as to say therefore in the same way the journalist did in the piece above?


texts: Can "people with confusion" refer to people that are confused?

texts:
I need to refer to a specific group of people that are feeling confused like me.

According to my research, "with confusion" is used when dealing with confusion as an illness but not a feeling or state. I wonder what is the correct preposition to use before confusion to indicate it as a feeling/state, or if, by any chance, with is the correct one?

  But then the people with confusion such as me suddenly approached us.

I would like to preserve (if possible) the order and type of the words used in the sentence which is one of a translated poem.


texts: More than one could achieve by just VS. couldn't simply be achieved just by

texts:
I was watching an anime a few minutes ago, and an apprentice described his master's god-like power. And he said:

  "Master please, your power is more than one could achieve by just training'' (from the anime)

Compared to:

  "Master please, your power couldn't simply be achieved just by training'' (from me)

My point here is, as for the context, are they both can be considered as related?


texts:
How thieves broke into Hatton Garden vault. BBC

because the Broke in is a phrasal verb, Shouldn't we say:

  How thieves broke in to Hatton Garden vault.

Update:

An example on broke in to:

  Daniel Wallace, 33, and Kacey Adams, 34, broke in to their home in London Road, Halstead, in April 2016. BBC


texts:
Example with a context (Riots in Baltimore over man's death in police custody):

  The riot broke out just as high school let out, and at a key city bus depot for student commuters around Mondawmin Mall, a shopping area northwest of downtown Baltimore.

Why do you think high school is in the singular form instead of the plural—high schools? high schools actually makes much more sense since there are usually many schools in a city. Or could it be that it's used in a mass noun kind of sense?


texts: Should I write "Only when ... I" or "Only when ... did I" in the following sentence?

texts:
Only when my mental capabilities returned, like a slow-motion boomerang, did I absorb the implication of the situation.

Do I need the "did" in the sentence above? Why or why not?

Long ago, someone told me I needed to write "did" in these situations. However, I checked on Google books and some don't include it:

  Only when my mother would bother herself enough to bring me some tea or draw me a bath would they start to go away.

Source.


texts: When do we use a bare infinitive with recommend

texts:
We highly recommend this record be listened to loud.

We'd recommend you to book your flight early.

Why do we use a bare infinitive for the first and not for the second


texts: Do we say: One of the symptoms may be "difficult breathing" or "difficulty breathing"? Can the word difficulty be used as a modifier? Thanks for help. Jakub


texts:
Look at the sentence, please:

  She reminded me of a sonatina by an old Italian composer with its wistfulness in which there is yet an urbane flippancy and its light rippling gaiety in which echoes still the trembling of a sigh

  (Source: Somerset Maugham, Cakes and Ale; or, The Skeleton in the Cupboard).

I don't understand why the word ‘still’ is placed after the verb ‘echoes’.

One guess: is it an inversion? Instead of ‘in which the trembling of a sigh still echoes’ we have this order. Does it mean that in such case the words ‘still’ and ‘echoes’ go to the beginning of the phrase and change their places?

Thanks!


texts: "Had not seen anyone" or "had not seen nobody"?

texts:
I am a research paper writer with more than 3 years of experience. In a recent story of mine, I have the sentence:

  The girl had not seen anyone while she was walking a long and dark street.

Then, a teacher from one school wrote to me saying that I made a mistake and the correct word to use would be nobody. I insisted that there were no mistakes, but many people supported him.

Please, maybe the rules have changed and I am missing something?


texts:
Is there a difference between "shoal water" and "shallow water"?

I also heard a term "low water". Does it carry an equal meaning or is it closer to "low tide"?


texts:
We can say "I want to buy a new dress", but can we say

  "I want to shop a new dress" ?

What's the difference between those 2 utterances?


texts:
In an semi-unrelated post, I saw where someone had said “In this case the indirect object is placed before the direct object because it is a pronoun.” in reference to the sentence “I gave him the book with the red cover while you were out of town.” He said, “Had it been a noun phrase, it would be placed after the direct object:
‘I gave the book to my dad.’”

Is this correct? I do not understand.

P.s. I didn’t take the suggested question link because this is exactly using the split phrasal verb. Therefore, I am asking something different.


texts: 'you really are worth it' or 'you are really worth it'

texts:
1) Yet, self-worth should have nothing to do with looks and everything to do with an innate feeling that you really are worth it

2) Yet, self-worth should have nothing to do with looks and everything to do with an innate feeling that you are really worth it

I read a text that used the first sentence but I'm almost sure that the second sentence is correct as well. Am I mistaken?


texts: The meaning of the answer to the disjunctive question

texts:
There's the question:"Nobody is getting a rise this year, are they?"
  If to answer "No, they aren't", it will mean that the salary of those people will remain the same.Everything is clear here.
  But if to answer "Yes, they are", what meaning will the sentence have?Will it mean that all those people will get a rise or will it mean that only some of them will get?


texts: A noun between an article and an auxiliary, and a verb between an auxiliary and a noun

texts:
Suppose I have the following two cases somewhere in an English text:

... the (article) + WORD (?) + can (auxiliary) ...
... can (auxiliary) + WORD (?) + cats (noun) ...

Is there any possibility that WORD in the first case is not a noun?

Is there any possibility that WORD in the second case is not a verb?

If yes, give me an example please.

(And sorry about the unclear title, but I cannot find a better one)


texts:
Is it:

I'd like to work for Coca Cola or for Pepsi.

or can I also say

I'd like to work for Coca Cola or Pepsi.


texts: What is the most appropriate phrase for touching i.e. a dog or a horse in a gentle manner? My first guesses are 'to pet' or 'to fondle' or 'to scratch'. Anyway, the other meanings of those words let me conclude, that there need to be more appropriate words.


texts: How to tell someone "you don't understand my mean" politely in English?

texts: When does someone not understand my mean, how can tell I it politely?


texts:
I was having fun in another stackexchange when I found this sentence :

  I wan't a plausible explanation why farmers can't out-compete the hunter gatherers.

Context is here : https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/58436/is-it-possible-to-have-a-planet-unsuitable-for-agriculture

But even with the context, I can't figured out what wan't means. Did it means want or want not or both ? Wikitionary and yahoo were no help.


texts: What is the difference between 'satisfied life' and 'satisfying life'?

texts:
I have found 'satisfying life' is more frequently used than 'satisfied life.'
What is the difference between them?


texts:
Mr. Johnson has been taken in for more than 20 years by this con artist.

Does this mean that this con artist has been duping Mr. Johnson for 20 years?


texts:
These are a defining and a non-defining relative clause :-

  (A)  He deleted the picture that upset me.

  (B)  He deleted the
  picture, which upset me.

Could you please explain the difference in meaning of these sentences?


texts:
I want to link the logic of some event in the future with some event in the past.

  "If the shop worked tomorrow, the owner would have come back yesterday."

Is it proper English?
If it is, then what about the next sentence?

  "If I didn’t call the police, the murderer might have got away"

Is it correct, if I am talking about the past? Or should I use the past perfect "If I had not called the police" ?


texts: Can we use "for example" when we want to give two or three examples?

texts:
As title. I've read a previous post Why is 'for examples' wrong? in this site. It seems to me that when you want to give more than one example, you should not use the phrase for example. But I saw a sentence from my dictionary:

  Many countries, for example Mexico and Japan, have a lot of earthquakes.

So, can we really use "for example" when we want to give two or three examples? Or "for examples" is somehow possible?

Thanks!


texts:
Two days before the case was down for hearing the advance reporter of an important syndicate obtained an interview with the Duke for the purpose of gleaning some final grains of information concerning his Grace's personal arrangements during the trial.

  from The Unkindest Blow, a short story by Saki

What is the difference between the advance reporter and the reporter?


texts:
The long hot summer has led to a serious water shortage.
The long hot summer has led to serious water shortages.

What is the difference between these two examples? When can we use "shortages" in contrast to "shortage" in sentences?


texts: Call somebody over VS Call over somebody

texts:
As far as I know, the structures "call somebody over" and "call somebody over somewhere" are correct. How about "call over somebody" and "call over somebody somewhere"? Can we use these too?

For example, are these sentences interchangeable?

"I called over John."

and

"I called John over."

And how about these two:

"I called over John to my place."

and

"I called John over to my place."

Are these interchangeable?

Note: You can see the meaning of "call over" here. On that dictionary, one of the example sentences is "Call over the waitress", and that makes me wonder if we can also use the call over somebody structure.


texts: Meaning of "I was mad that one year" in a birthday message by Will Smith

texts:
I have just read a great post by Will Smith containing that sentence (I was mad that one year) but I do not understand its meaning. Is "That One" similar to "that first"?

This was taken at your mom's house 20 years ago. That's a long time ago!!! So I decided to do some math...
I have sung happy birthday to you 20 times and I have bought you 19 birthday presents (I was mad that one year). I have watched you blow out 693 candles (737 after tonite). I've told you "I love you" at least 8,285 times. And of the nearly 3.96 Billion women on the planet - there is only 1 that I want to spend the rest of my life with.
Happy Birthday, my Love!


texts: Is there a phrase like "fill me in" for remind me?

texts:
I looked for synonyms, but strangely enough there's nothing that sounds like "fill me in", but I swear there was a phrase like that, which meant "remind me".

https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/remind

Ex:

  Can you _ me _ on what I said yesterday?

  Can you _ me _ on what I wanted to do yesterday?

  Can you _ me _ what happened here last night?


texts: Is there a natural way to say "the purpose is that I want to work with you"?

texts:
I'd like to say to boss in the interview like this

  the purpose is that I want to work with you.

How to get a natural expression?
I'm not sure whether it makes a sense or not.

Also,

  I think the your new device has a lot of possibilities to achieve more responsibilities of mine

Is this making a sense? If not, how to get a natural expression?


texts:
Virtual thumbsticks on both sides of the screen control movement and viewing, while set buttons cover the standard FPS controls (shooting, reloading, switching weapons, etc).

Source: http://toucharcade.com/2014/09/03/bioshock-review/

Are they buttons which you can put (set) anywhere on the screen? Or maybe buttons which are grouped (in a set) in some way? Or are they something else?


texts: Why has the preposition been moved to the end of the sentence?

texts:
The school is surrounded by big trees and grassy fields that the children use to play football on

I've come across it in the school Olympiad, so I don't think it was wrong.

In this example, the sentence wouldn't be correct If the preposition was in the beginning as i think, so it is a bit confusing for me.


texts: Is it possible to say 'start living for future'

texts:
I write a poem.
How it's better to say:

  Because today is your chance
  To forget about your past and start living for future.

Or

  Because today is your chance
  To forget about your past and start to live for the future.

Or maybe some other variant.


texts: "as of next month" vs "as of the next month"

texts:
Despite having studied English for years, I don't yet know the proper usage of the article 'the' fully.

This sentence is from Cambridge Dictionary:

  As of next month, all the airline's fares will be going up.

Would it be wrong to say "as of the next month, ..."?


texts: Why do I need to use "to sing" in "I was expecting him to sing"?

texts:
1: I was expecting him to sing a song.
2: I was expecting him that he will sing a song.

Is there any rule that states to put ' to ' after 'expecting someone' for something?


texts: "(Noun) the sh*t out of this" — What nouns work?

texts:
In the recent feature film The Martian, Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, has to figure out a way to grow food on Mars when it's never been done before in order to survive until he can possibly be rescued, he says

  In the face of overwhelming odds I'm only left with one option:
  "I'm gonna have to science the shit out of this"

It's very clear from the context that he uses the idiom X the shit out of it to mean 'X it to an excessive degree'.

However, science is a noun but in this case is being used as a verb.

If a verb is used in the phrase, it's obvious:

  Pound the shit out of this
  Engineer the shit out of this
  Flatten the shit out of this

Some other non-verbs that seem to work:

  Orange the shit of this - (unofficial pastime at Syracuse University)
  Caffeine the shit out of this - (add more than enough caffeine)

[NB: Apparently, if you can figure out a noun which does not work in verbing,
you should   IMMEDIATELY   buy a lottery ticket! ]

However, other non-verbs that don't seem to work:
>Bird the shit out of this
Door the shit out of this
Mud the shit out of this

Is there something special about the nouns that do work versus ones that don't?
Is there a specific name for it?


texts: Broad knowledge, is what my friends are proud of me

texts:
I have two sentences:

  Broad knowledge, is what my friends proud of me.
  Never stop asking question, is what my advisor values me.

Many people say that they are wrong in grammar, but I can't see where these wrongs are. Can you point them out? Thank you so much.


texts: Why not present continuous or "going to" for these events?

texts:
This week, we are going on a trip to Europe.  First, we will stop  in London for five days. Then we  fly to Rome for two days.  After that, we go  to Vienna.

Why not present continuous if all has been planned before (hotel, plane ticket):

are stopping, are flying, are going

or going to

are going to stop  then (going to) fly, (going) to go


texts:
His eyes are/were so blue that I thought they were like diamonds.

I envied him because he has/had blue eyes

Which is right in each sentence?
Each verb indicates constant fact, so doesn't have to maintain verb agreement?


texts: What is he saying in this video 1:25-1:35

texts:
I am watching
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bZjzFC0jzU
he is saying " I bought all of my friendship Oli last night and I still have money in the bank"
when I check definition of Oli
Oli is a sweet guy and the one of the best people you can ever have in your life,
but I am not sure how to translate it into this sentence.


texts: How to politely tell your senior that what they told is wrong?

texts:
How to politely tell someone whatever they told is not correct according to me?
Is it okay to say "let me know if I am wrong?" after explaining them about that concept?


texts: Gift Message: "for learning" or "to learning"

texts:
I want to send a gift to someone. She loves learning. Which version of the following looks better/correct?

  To learning and knowledge!

Or

  For learning and knowledge!

Note that learning and knowledge is what we share in common.


texts: Is it correct to say imbued in the following sentence?

texts:
Can I just say
I am imbued to see this show - such as - I am inspired to see that ?


texts: Chapter, sections, etc. in capital letters?

texts:
Should I write "headers" like chapter, section, etc. with capital letters?

I think I have seen both; therefore I am not sure.

As an example, if I write something and want to refer to a specific chapter/section (they are numbered):

  "As we have seen in chapter/section [x]..."


texts:
"Well, you knew Roxanne was fixing to get married," Gladiola begins. Sarah stares at her. "You mean Missy," she says [...] (The New York Times)

If I'm not wrong, in the sentence above I observe that "fixing to" works like the quasimodal "going to", speaking of future intentions.

Question are: Are "fixing to" and "going to" always interchangeable? If not, when can we replace one with each other?


texts: How to pronunce "ght" in English properly?

texts:
I'm Italian and I have a pronunciation problem with the sound "ght". How could I pronounce it properly?

I have a problem to pronounce this sound in the word "laughter" and other words like that.


texts: to do and doing; on a person/to a person

texts:
I think it would be wrong to do that to a person.
or
I think it would be wrong doing that to a person.
(That here means uninformed or non consented medical procedure)
Question:

Does it matter if I use to do or doing?

To a person or on a person?


texts: Noun + Past Participle = Present Perfect?

texts:
From The Blister Exists by Slipknot:
chorus:

  I am the damaged one
  All my life and the damage done

The question: why the damage done? As I understand, sometimes past participle can give some qualities of adjective to a noun or object. For example:
I saw a broken door yesterday. We can ask: "What door"? "What exactly is the door?" or "What door did you see yesterday?... a broken door..
And, could you explain the sense of "the damage done" and is it possible to say "the work done" or smth else


texts: Simple past, Present perfect Past perfect

texts:
Can you tell me which form of the following sentences is the correct one please?

Imagine two friends discussing the gym...

  I was in a good shape before

I assume that it's not correct because simple past is used for a finished action in the past, at a specific time. And being in a good shape it's not an action..

  I have been in a good shape before

This sounds ok to me, because it's "change over time".

  I had been in a good shape before (I broke my leg)

If it would have had a simple past at the end I believe this would have been the correct form.

I think this is what the theory says, but I've seen for many times people using past perfect without specifying a simple past and I don't understand whether it is correct or not.


texts:
In the sentence "since May it has only rained once," when did the rain occur?
Did it only occur after May (e.g. in June)? Or did it occur anywhere in the period between May 1st and now?


texts:
he did say he is going to be late

( I know this a correct )

But can I use instead of "is going to be late":

  he did say he is gonna be late


texts:
how to pronounce "butlerof" in american english?
is /bɑːtlerɑːf/ true?

  Mrs. Jencken's mediumship was interwoven in the texture of her daily
  life. Professor Butlerof says that when he paid a morning social call
  on her and her husband in company with M. Aksakof he heard raps upon
  the floor.

from http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0301051h.html


texts: How to ask a question about whether an item is "in stock" or not

texts:
Let's say I want to buy a specific loaf of bread called "Blocky". How should I ask the question about whether the store has it "in stock".

I tried "Do you have a Blocky loaf", but I am not sure if I am right.

Thanks.


texts: Usage of due to, being and given in the front of a sentence

texts:
I am writing a technical report and my idea is to say;

  Man-made objects have specific regular shapes, so that similar
  property can be seen even from building roofs and roof corners.

As I feel the above expression doesn't have academic sound, I modify it as follows

  (1.) Due to the regularity of man-made objects, regular shapes can
  also be seen from building roofs and roof corners.

  (2.) Given a regularity for man-made objects, regular shape can also
  be seen from buildings roofs and roof corners.

I prefer to start the sentence with Given, Being as I saw texts in many text books do so. But now I feel, If I follow my 2nd option then it entirely change my idea. Actually I confuse now.

If you could suggest how my idea convert into academically sound manner, it is very much appreciated.


texts: What's the meaning of "while the bands play" in this sentence?

texts:
It's all I can do to sit still while the bands play. I can’t believe Mirror Boy was in the system. I don’t know if he was when he died or not. (The Ghost Files, by Apryl Baker)

Who's "thinking" here is a teenager who can see ghosts. She and the kid she's talking about are foster kids. Considering one of the comments, it's probably a metaphor. But I can't quite grasp the meaning.


texts: Is the word "crud" considered a euphemism for sh*t?

texts: Some people have been saying the word "crud" since it has a same meaning for shit or sometimes crap (depending on if it's a swear word or not). So, I'm wondering if the word "crud" is considered a euphemism for the word "shit".


texts: What is "to hire the locale"? I thought "to hire" was only used with people

texts:
I am listening to a conversation between a woman and a manager of party hire company. They are talking about food, music band, car parking etc.
I have to answer the question "How much will it cost to hire the locale?"

Could you explain what "to hire the locale" is, please?

I saw the usage of the verb "to hire" in regard to people. As for me, it is strange to see this verb with an inanimate resource.

Google does not show examples of the usage of this phrase.
It is an IELTS listening training.


texts: What do you call bracelets you wear around the legs?

texts: This is a bracelet, and it's jewelry worn around the arm, but what about jewelry worn around the legs? What do you call it? Is there a particular name for it, or do you just have to call it leg-jewelry?


texts: "He nearly died doing it." meaning in this context?

texts:
"... in the end he managed to Apparate out, even though he'd never passed his test. He nearly died doing it. Everyone thought it was a really good story, but I was the only one who realized what it meant - ..."

  Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince

I think the sentence "He nearly died doing it" could mean:

He nearly died while doing it(Apparated out).
He was trying very hard(probably at any cost) to Apparate out.

I don't know which one is correct. What's it supposed to mean here?


texts:
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/hermanmelv108817.html

  There is no quality in this world that is not what it is merely by contrast. Nothing exists in itself.

What does this mean?


texts: Is there a word or phrase that means "use other people's wifi or Internet service without consent"? I think some people are able to use other people's wifi without consent even if they're password protected, is there a word that means exactly that? I don't know any word used to say that.


texts:
Hypnosis means making something sleep in some sense, but what does hypnotically disturbing mean in this sentence?

  Yet the story Juniper tells that I found even more hypnotically disturbing was that of the discarded flotsam now bobbing in the oceans.

source:theguardian


texts:
"They were not like the prostitutes in old desi films, buffeted and beaten by life"
 Sorry I know I used a term here that isn't appropriate but I need to know the meaning here.
And I'd like to know if this is an actual phrasal verb or an expression? Could someone please elaborate it more by using this in a few more sentences?


texts: Wanted to not make / Wanted not to make / Didn't want to make

texts:
Which one would you choose in conversation? And I'd like to know the subtle difference. I would really appreciate it if you could help me.

  I wanted to not make a mistake.
  I wanted not to make a mistake.
  I didn't want to make a mistake.


texts:
A word may consist of consonants and vowels
The word may consist of consonants and vowels
Words may consist of consonants and vowels

And is it alright to say "put a definite article" or shoud I have to say "put the definite article" because the definite ariticle means the only one, "the".


texts: Meaning of the word "certifications" in "our ability to implement and maintain best-in-class security solutions and certifications"

texts:
From a booklet issued by a company that promotes its cloud computing services to potential clients:

  Many customers’ security posture actually improves when they move to the cloud. In the cloud, you have have a better look into the state of all your infrastructure. Our customers benefit from our ability to implement and maintain best-in-class security solutions and certifications.

Does it mean that their security solutions receive certificates, and that the company maintains these certificates through regular testing?

Or does it mean that the company's staff earns certificates in the cloud security sphere by attending education courses?


texts:
A girl was feeling sleepy(as she'd just woken up.)She's talking to her friend. So her friend asks her to pick up a glass of water,and :

Throw it on your face.
Splash it on your face./Splash your face.
Spill it on your face.
Pour some water on your face.

What should be used "#1 or #2(with that or option) or #3 or #4?
So what should be used?

And an additional note: What should be used:Splash your face or Splash water on your face?


texts:
The children made so much of noise in the classroom that it disturbed the teacher.

Can I use "too" instead of "so" in this sentence.
If no, how can I rewrite this sentence with "too". Thanks in advance.


texts:
Murtogg: What we doin' 'ere?

Mullroy: The pirates come out, unprepared and unawares. We catch 'em in a crossfire... send 'em down to see Old Hob.

resource: "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" 105:51 out of 142:14

quotes: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325980/quotes/?tab=qt&ref_=tt_trv_qu


texts:
For example：

  Ever since he was five, he learned to ride horses.

Does "learned riding" also work here?

Which is more proper or what is the difference between "learn to do <something>" and "learn doing <something>"?


texts:
Source: Englishtown Lesson

  Stuck for an angle for a story, Lukas took himself out onto the streets and let himself be inspired by the people and things around him.

What does "stuck for an angle" mean in the above context? What can be used instead of that phrase?


texts: "generally speaking" or "speaking generally"?

texts:
I’m not convinced—and, speaking generally, no one should be
  convinced—of anything not supported by hard data.

Wouldn't the phrase "generally speaking" sound more natural in the above sentence?


texts: Do these sentences have different meanings?

texts:
Imagine someone bought you a gift and you say :
"Thank you but

A) you didn't need to do this.

B) you needn't do this.

C) you didn't have to do this.


texts: Can we put an interrogation mark after a question that's in the middle of a sentence?

texts:
I know the sentence is overly long, but I saw authors do that too, but the question is not if this is bad style, the question is whether it's ok to nest the question in the middle of the sentence and still finish the question with an interrogation mark.

  I saw her and I thought she would be the one, that being said, do you
  think she could be of any use if she doesn't happen to be the chosen
  one, because I think she could compromise us by revealing who we are?


texts: Does 'precede ' mean sometimes 'prepare the way for'?

texts:
I was reading a historical-political text when I came across a sentence that I am incapable of understanding completely and exactly. What has caused me some bewilderment is the exact meaning of precede. I know the meaning of this word in general. Collins Dictionary  has defined it so:

  If one event or period of time precedes another, it happens before it. [formal] Intensive negotiations between the main parties preceded the vote. [VERB noun] The earthquake was preceded by a loud roar and lasted 20 seconds. [be VERB-ed + by] Industrial orders had already fallen in the preceding months. [VERB-ing] Synonyms: go before, introduce, herald, pave the way for.

Times, Sunday Times says:
because one thing precedes another, it does not mean that one causes the other.

  May Day began on the streets of Chicago in 1886, and was celebrated in Havana and other Latin American cities as early as 1890. Organized labour proved to be an important force in the Americas, even if it was usually kept subordinate. The US New Deal marked a confluence between enlightened liberalism and the industrial working class, which succeeded in organizing itself during the Depression years through heroic struggles. Samuel Gompers may have epitomized the parochial craft unionism which preceded the New Deal, but he was a formidable negotiator on behalf of the skilled workers that his movement represented, and was honoured with a monument in Washington that exceeded any bestowed upon a workers’ leader in Paris, London or Berlin.

What does this verb in this particular text mean? Does it mean that parochial craft unionism has caused the New Deal, in other words,  paved  the way for it,  or that it simply came before it in time?

I have already asked this question on ELU, and they told me that this question is suitable for this from.


texts: What's the meaning of this sentence? (I'm confused by the sentence after the comma)

texts:
What's the meaning of this sentence ? (I'm confused by the sentence after the comma)

To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom, in the pursuit of truth as
in the endeavor after a worthy manner of life.


texts: Have a sore throat vs having a sore throat

texts:
I am having a sore throat.
vs
I have a sore throat.

Similarly,

He is having a heart attack.
vs
He has a heart attack.


texts: Is this correct? "How do you not be too hard on yourself for realizing you tolerated poor behavior in a relationship?"

texts:
This is the title of a post I saw on Reddit

  "How do you not be too hard on yourself for realizing you tolerated
  poor behavior in a relationship?"

and I was wondering if "do you not be" was correct. It sounds a bit odd to me, shouldn't it be; e.g

  "How can you not be too hard on yourself...?"

or

  "How can you try not to be too hard on yourself...?"


texts:
Sometimes I'm not sure whether I should use "the" in a sentence.

Descriptive noun + name

In math:

Option 1: Point A is equidistant from lines l and l'.
Option 2: The point A is equidistant from lines B and C.

In another context:

Option 1: I find drawing A nicer than drawing B.
Option 2: I find the drawing A nicer than the drawing B.

In my opinion, option 1 is always better. Am I wrong? Are there similar constructs where "the" should be used?

Product

Let's say there is a company called Samtec building a text editor.

Option 1: Samtec text editor is faster than competing products.
Option 2: the Samtec text editor is faster than competing products.

Which one is the best?

Thanks for your help!


texts: "If all goes well,..." VS "If everything goes well,..."

texts:
I have the following sentence:

  If all goes well, I'll graduate in June.

Is it correct? I have never heard the words "all goes well" before. Maybe "everything goes well" would be better choice?


texts:
I have had a quick first talk with a company at which I have applied for remote work and I kept browsing their website when I came across this:

  Supportive. Friendly. Being there for one another. No crickets when asking for help.

Source and context

In that section of the blog article, the writer is talking about the values of the company.

What does "no crickets" mean in this context? Is it a common phrase? I haven't found it in TheFreeDictionary.com or dictionary.com. The closer entry I found was:

  (informal) not cricket, not fair play

I understand the sentence, because of the context, as conveying the idea that there should be no avoiding helping others. But the exact meaning of "No crickets when asking for help" evades me. "Don't be shy when asking for help"? "Do not hesitate to ask for help?"


texts:
He was detected with brain tumour or he was detected with a brain tumour. Please correct the sentence. How to use the article and what’s the difference between two sentences?

Thank you


texts: at stroke of midnight, at the stroke of midnight and on the stroke of midnight

texts:
BREAKING: This is the video of vandal defacing @KingJames mural at stroke of midnight this am in #Venice. Video from @BabyBluesBBQ surveillance cam.  @Lakers @NBCLA.

I doubt the usage of at stroke of midnight, which I think it should be at the stroke of midnight instead.

I also see on the stroke of midnight in dictionaries. So, I am wondering what's the difference between at the stroke of midnight and on the stroke of midnight? In my opinion, at the stroke of midnight seems to make more sense because at denotes a point of time. Any thoughts?

The full source.


texts: "They seated themselves (?) either side of Harry"

texts:
In Harry Potter III, my attention was caught by the following construction:

  Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other, and when they got
  into class, they seated themselves either side of Harry;

Why the preposition "on", or maybe another one, was not put before "either side"?

At first, I was thinking that the answer may be connected with the transitivity of the verb "seat", which was used here instead of the intransitive "sit" / "sit down". But then I searched for another examples in HP. That's what I have found:

  He and Hermione sat down on either side of Ron
  They went to sit down either side of her.
  the Bulgarian Beaters <..> had landed either side of Mostafa
  <..> and settled themselves in chairs on either side of him.

I see virtually no difference between "on either side" and "either side". Am I right? Can I use them interchangeably in speech and writing?


texts: Wondering if you could help with my perception of the words "crude" & "literally" & "toss" & "over" in the context below

texts:
HRW says the use of barrel bombs has "terrorised" Aleppo in recent months. The bombs are crude devices, often made from oil drums or large gas bottles, packed with explosives and bits of metal, that are literally tossed over the side of helicopters.

What does "crude" mean ? Does it mean "natural"? ( based on what I saw in dictionaries about crude oil )
My perception is that when the writer writes: ...that are literally tossed over the side of helicopters, he or she really means: ... that are in large numbers fell into ground from the side of helicopters.
Am I right?
Does the word "literally" here means " focal" or " in large numbers" ? Or something like that?
Does the word "over" means "from"?
Does the word "toss" mean "thrown" , "fell" , something like that?


texts:
The thing is the tranlation of "what for" and "why" have completely the same meaning in my native language. I'm interested in is there any difference between them in English.

That is, coudl you provide and example, if any, where these two constructions have the different meaning?


texts:
I am having a problem trying to fully understand the use of barely and hardly in the following sentences.

There were barely any women at the party.
There were hardly any women at the party.
There were scarcely any women at the party.

I understand that "scarcely" and "hardly" can be used interchangeably here. However, I'm not sure about barely.
Are those sentences correct? Let's say there was a party with 20 men and only 2 women. I generally would use hardly as the dictionary says it is often used with the word "any". I was asked a question if the word "barely" would be suitable in this context and I couldn't find a clear explanation.
I know the meaning of all those words but couldn't find an example that would compare their use in this particular context.
Can you please advise?
Thank you! :)
Kris


texts:
Which one of the following is correct?

  What does this word mean? I checked it in the dictionary but ...

  What does this word mean? I checked it on the dictionary but ...

Is there better way to say it?


texts:
1) Mike sees Christina is looking at Alex

  2) Mike sees that Christina is looking at Alex

I read some suggestion saying don't use 'that' frequently in writing and try to avoid it where ever possible. So I removed that in the 1st sentence but I'm not sure whether it's really correct in this context.


texts: What does this mean - "I meant if you could provide us with your references."?

texts: I am actively interviewing for a job in USA and my recruiter asked me to send him some of my references. I did not understand what it meant and asked him do you mean to send email-ids of persons who can refer me and in response to that he said - "I meant if you could provide us with your references." What should I do? Should I share contact details of my references?


texts: What to call "a liquid that you can use to wash your hand without water and to prevent germs" in general?

texts:
Look at this picture

They are tubes of liquid that you can wash your hands without water.

How could you wash your hands when you were in a place that has no bathroom or no water?

People have invented some sort of liquid that you rub on your hands to kill germs, but you don't need any water to wash your hands like you normally do with soap and water.

Do we call it "dry hand wash" or something like that in general?


texts:
I'm watching The modern family S1 episode 7 studying English. I'm not native speaker, so please understand my poor English skill. I've found like an idiomatic sentence. it is as follows,

phil : this is the great room, although "great" hardly seems to do a room like this justice.

phil is a realtor, and he is looking around a model house with his potential customer.
What i can't figure out is in bold. I think saying that is like "great" doesn't seem to fit with this room(cuz it's way better). and I think the sentence is okay without "like this justice".
so What does "like this justice" mean?


texts:
He is taller than I. →correct
He is taller than me. →incorrect

Is it possible to use object me?
They use object with another case.

I am taller than him.(object)


texts:
Does the earth revolve, rotate or go (a)round the sun?
What is the correct expression?


texts: Syntactical problem? Musk's tweet "I Am Become Meme, Destroyer Of Shorts"

texts:
Here is a quote from Elon Musk's tweet:

"I Am Become Meme, Destroyer Of Shorts"

I have never come across such an expression as "be+ become." As far as my syntax knowledge goes, V+ing has to be used after the verb be in order to construct present continuous, or it could make sense by simply delete "am" from the sentence.
So, is this because I have some dead zones in my grammar, or Musk makes a syntactical mistake?
————————————
Also, another question is what does "destroyer of shorts" mean？


texts: Why "interference" has pronunciation of "/... fɪə .../"?

texts: We speak "interference" as: /ɪntə'fɪər(ə)ns/. However, I do not understand why we don't say it as: /ɪntə'fɜːr(ə)ns/? Just like the word "infer". Why do we pronunce differntly about "fer" part in these two words?


texts: What does "offering" mean in this sentence in The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry?

texts:
On the first page of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry:

Serviceable-enough Dahl offering, though Lambiase questioned whether a professional housewife could successfully cook a leg of lamb in the manner described—i.e., without thawing, seasoning, or marinade.

I can't find the verb in the first part of this sentence. I looked up all key words in dictionary and still don't understand the word "offering".

Thanks in advance.


texts: What is the difference between 'a' and 'the'?

texts: How can you know when to use a and when to use the? I do not know how to do and my teacher only says that one is here and one isn't. What does this mean? I want to know how to use "a" and "the" when talking about an object. Thank you.


texts: Will and would for "has the capacity to"

texts:
Source (Longman's English Grammar, 20th Edition 2003)

page No 247

I've read in Longman English grammar.pdf that will and would can suggest 'has the capacity to' and would is more tentative than will-

For examples:

  That container will/won't hold a gallon. (definite)

  That container would/wouldn't hold a gallon. (tentative)

My questions:

In what kind of context the second example sentence fits best ?
How the second sentence with 'would' expresses tentativeness ?
Can't we just say "That container doesn't hold a gallon or That container holds a gallon without using will or would ?


texts: What is the meaning of "She glanced mechanically at the house oppiste" in the following sentences?

texts:
What is the meaning of "She glanced mechanically at the house oppiste" in the following sentences (Source: Of human bondage by W. Somerset Maugham),

  The day broke gray and dull. The clouds hung heavily, and there was a
  rawness in the air that suggested snow. A woman servant came into a
  room in which a child was sleeping and drew the curtains. She glanced
  mechanically at the house oppsite, a stucco house with portico, and
  went to the child's bed.

?

Does it mean "A woman servant came into a room and drew the curtains. She glanced through the window of the room mechanically at the house that is opposite (===> the house opposite is not the house with a room in which a child was sleeping but another different house in which a child was not sleeping) ?

Whose house did a woman servant look at? Did she look at the house with a room in which a child was sleeping? Or did she look at someone else's house, not the house with a room in which a child was sleeping (==> figure A) but someone else's house(==> figure B)?


texts: There are many glasses which were not made from broken glass. They are just made this way. Can I call them 'broken glass'? If not, should I just say 'glasses'?


texts:
I saw the following sentence:

  Sale ends October 10.

To me, "Sale ends on October 10" would sound a lot better.

Which one is correct?


texts: Grammar and rearranging hyperbaton in 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'?

texts:
https://english.stackexchange.com/a/184742/50720 exemplifies with The Rime of the Ancient Mariner:

  The rock shone bright, the kirk no less,
  　[1.] That stands above the rock:
  The moonlight steeped in silentness
  　[2.] The steady weathercock.

  And the bay was white with silent light,
  　[3.] Till rising from the same,
  Full many shapes, that shadows were,
  　In crimson colours came.

1. What does That refer to?

2. Is The steady weathercock supposed also to be 'steeped in silentness'? I recognise this as poetry, but what's the phenomenon here called? Why's there no conjunction linking The steady weathercock?

3. How do you determine/deduce the correct (re)order of words in the 3 lines after [3.]?


texts: Does the phrase "over to" mean "on" here?

texts:
Could anyone please confirm that the phrase "over to" simply means "on" in the following sentence from the description of a game app:

Want more?
Tap over to the games category


texts: How to realize "group of" is plural or single?

texts:
This is my first time to rise question and I'm a newbie in English.

I have some question about "group of"

  The group of students is going to Tainan tomorrow.
  A group of students show an interest in being medical technologists.

How to realize the group means the plural or single?
It's confuse me.


texts: Why are there three pronunciations for the plural "-s"?

texts:
I know all the pronunciation rules for the plural -s endings. After a voiced sound, it is z, after an unvoiced one it is s, after s, sh, ch it is iz. In phonetic notation, respectively, /z/, /s/, /ɪz/.
Some examples to illustrate what I said above:

Word, hill, king, queen + S: wordz, hillz, kingz, queenz
Book, drink, hat, cup + S: books, drinks, hats, cups
Bus, dish, beach + ES: buses, dishes, beaches: here the "es" is pronounced /ɪz/

I was explaining it to someone and they asked me why there were three different pronunciations for the -s. I said it was "hard to pronounce".
It is hard to pronounce an S after a D. Surely, it can be easy for some, but generally hard.
Is there any compelling reason why there are three different pronunciations for this?


texts: Words invented or redefined by one person

texts:
What do you call a word that was invented or redefined by someone, but only used by that one person?

I think "neologism" is the general case, but I am not sure if there's a word for a neologism that's specifically used by only one person, or rarely used by anyone else. Is there any related word?

For example:

  This philosopher uses a lot of _____, which makes him impossible to
  understand.


texts:
I have some doubts about the word "but" in this sentence:

  It is incomprehensible for all but most knowledgeable people.

I guess it means something is incomprehensible for all people except most knowledgeable people. Can you explain fully?


texts: What does "put someone on his/her back" mean?

texts:
In the TV show House of cards, angry President Garry Walker finds out his vice president, Frank, has been betraying him possibly to replace him as president. Garry says to Frank:

  From this moment forward, I don’t want to hear your voice. I don’t want to see your face. And if I do, I will put you on your goddamn back.

I suspect it is a figurative way of saying I will kill you, or maybe hurt you, but I'm not sure.


texts: Can you replace "come to think of it with "thinking of it"?

texts:
I've already used "thinking of it." Example:

  Thinking of it, maybe I shouldn't knock on that door.

I made a Google Books search.

There are similar phrases but I couldn't find a sentence that starts with "Thinking of it,"

So maybe it's not a common phrase? Still, can I be used to replace come to think of it? Or there's a better option?


texts: Use "In this regard" in this specific context

texts:
Note that for the above theorem no specific assumptions are made on subjects 1 and 2. In this regard, the following result can be given.
  Result: ....

'Result' can be seen as a corollary (of the theorem) in which some assumptions regarding subjects 1 and 2 are made.

Is the above usage of in this regard correct ?


texts:
(1) [ Members of an organization / Members of the organization ] may arbitrarily interpret what is not mentioned in the code of conduct, namely the silence, so long as they do not violate the written code of conduct especially when they have (2) [a particular situation / particular situations ] to which there is no item or rule to apply.  In other words, they may make the unethical decision that they take an action when it is not evaluated and rather unethical, which is called "Loophole Ethics".  (I wrote it myself)

(1) Which of the two should I choose when I meant them in general?
(2) Which of the two should I choose when I meant one particular situation, understanding the subject is plural.

Could you help me clarify it?  Thank you always.


texts: What's the difference between "to deny a request" and "to decline it"?

texts:
From time to time I have seen my requests about miscellaneous services denied (as shown to me by text), and on Meta we have "status-declined" as a tag to bug reports and feature requests.

How is it different when people say a request has been denied or it has been declined? Is the opposites of those two words both approve?


texts:
In dictionary,

  make somebody/something do something: to cause somebody/something to
  do something

Ex: make me sleep

But how to negative "sleep"?

"Make me not sleep" or "Make me not to sleep"?

"Make me not sleep" sounds strange

"Make me not to sleep" sounds good but seem grammar is not ok


texts: When you're going to indicate that usually the wealthy people are mightier

texts:
There is a proverb in my language which says:

  Whoever's house has a bigger roof, they will have more snow on it.

Meaning that the especially wealthy people are mightier. I know two proverbs here, but I have no idea which one sounds more idiomatic to an AE native speaker:

  A great ship needs deep water.
  A big head has a big ache.

P.S. I am looking for a common proverb. I would appreciate it if someone could help me find out if they are natural. If not please tell me what I have to say instead?


texts: which kind of part of speech does the following phrase function as?

texts:
I am not the type of woman who sits home waiting for a man

I expect that the phrase "waiting for a man" functions as an adjective modifying the woman here. But sometimes, in such a case, it makes me think "waiting for a man" functions as an adverbial modifying the "sits home".


texts: However intelligent (you may be/you are?), you cannot succeed without hard work

texts:
This is an sentence improvement question from an exercise with the bold part to be improved from  the given options. The actual sentence given is

  However intelligent you may be, you cannot succeed without hard work.

Among the given options you are is an option. Does using you are in place of you may be makes any difference in the sentence ? Is it any how better ?


texts:
I used this link: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/constituency#constituency__17

  Kamens (1977) suggests that the major function of a college or university is to redefine novice students as graduates who possess special qualities or skills. The value of the status transformation is negotiated with important constituencies through constant references to the quality and rigor of educational programs. The significance of the conversion from novice to graduate is validated by structural characteristics, reputation of faculty, success of former students, or appearance of the institution.

Source: https://books.google.com.vn/books?id=iRArDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA286


texts: What does "with both classmates and teachers" modify? How to parse this sentence?

texts:
We worry about our friendship with both classmates and teachers.

Is the phrase with both classmates and teachers a complement of "our friendship" or a modifier?


texts:
I am conveying the work status that I witnessed to my boss. I have doubt in below sentence

"SS top and trolley wheels are to be attached" or "SS top and trolley wheels has to be attached"

I am actually having a problem in visualizing the  has, have in the sentence. I just seeing and using them based on the grammar, rule but I could not actually visualize the sentence. is there some technique or something should I practice to remember?


texts: Do I have to refer to the participants in the main body of research report?

texts: In my research paper, I took interviews from people. So in the main body in which there will be different headings, I have to compare the answers and then form a conclusion (under each heading). Do I refer to the participants in each heading?


texts:
A line from the film Michael Clayton:

  Barry's taking over on U/North. We got a lot of grovelling to do.

Barry is an associate at a law firm, and U/North is a case/client. I would expect take over a case/client. Google Books show a limited number of instances of take over on, most results false positives. Is "take over on" idiomatic/commonly said? Is on here a preposition or part of the whole phrasal verb?