texts: What makes a piece of writing good/attractive?

texts:
I am trying to improve my English writing skills. But I don't know what a good piece of written work means and hence cannot set my goal/target. Does using hard/rare words and metaphors makes one's writing good?

P.S At present, I am reading a paragraph or two from a book, then I try to recall the content/fact of the para and then rewrite the whole two paras with the said fact in my own way and then compare two pieces of work. But most of the time I end up mimicking the author. I guess this happens because I don't have an independent perspective on the said topic. Is this a good training method and how should I improve it to avoid the problems I mentioned above.


texts: An American tutor said you should say classma(omit t) rather than classmate in spoken English.  An Irish teacher told me you should never omit t in spoken English, such as but, as it is considered to be illiterate. Who is right? Soulmate deskmate.


texts: "I took her to be my wife." - acceptable?

texts:
I just found this sentence,

  "I took her to be my wife."

meaning "I took her for my wife."

But I could not find this usage in my dictionary.

Is this a common expression?  I can also think of another sentence,

  "I mistook her for my wife."

Can I use these three sentences interchangeably?


texts: This is the watch that I (have/had/--) lost. -- what's the difference?

texts:
I've got a sentence on a learner's site, "This is the watch that I had lost" and now it's puzzling me. What's the rule to use the Past Perfect here? And why should I use specifically this tense?

It's stated, that this sentence is right and well-formed. But if someone replaced "had" by "have":
"This is the watch that I have lost", it would be impossible unless the watch is shown on a photo. Is it right?

Why can't I just use the Past Simple here: "This is the watch that I lost" ?


texts: Is "to stare at something hypnotically" a correct construction?

texts:
She stared at the washing machine hypnotically.

A native English speaker told me that hypnotically was being used incorrectly. He said, "[...] hypnotically isn't used correctly here. What you mean is that the washing machine was hypnotic not that she was trying to hypnotize the washing machine."

Is hypnotically being used correctly here? If not, that's the correct alternative?


texts:
I've come across with the sentence below:

  The appearance this gave of being able to conduct psychotherapy in a
  scientific manner,..., did much to ensure the popularity of Jung's
  associations research, particularly in America.

The general meaning of the sentence is clear. But I don't understand the meaning of "this gave of" In particular.

So, could you tell me please what the meaning of "gave of" is?

The fuller text is here:

  This work established Jung's reputation as one of the rising stars of
  psychiatry. The conceptual basis of his early work lay in the work of
  Theodore Flournoy and Janet, which he attempted to fuse with the
  research methodology of Wilhelm Wundt and Emil Kraepelin. In such a
  manner, he was attempting to develop a clinico-experi-mental method,
  which he termed experimental psychopathology. The appearance this gave
  of being able to conduct psychotherapy in a scientific manner, through
  adopting some of the procedures of the experimental laboratory, did
  much to ensure the popularity of Jung's associations research,
  particularly in America.

From JUNG CONTRA FREUD The 1912 New York Lectures on the
Theory of Psychoanalysis


texts:
Judy wanted to know if the flight ticket to Shanghai was valid.

Can I replace "if" with "whether" in the sentence above?


texts:
If I say that "I have been sick since Tuesday" That would mean that my sickness started from Tuesday and I am still sick.

But if I just say: "I have been sick" without a duration or time expression, can it mean more than one thing depending on context?

E.g. Could it mean "I'm still sick" or "I was sick" depending on context?

In my opinion it should just mean that "my sickness has just recently ended" since it is present perfect tense.


texts:
Michael Swan refers to the whom-clause as "not generally considered correct." In his book, he mentions an example for a 'whom-clause' :

  This is a letter from my
  father, whom we hope will be out of hospital soon.

He says the above sentence will be "more correct"  with who in place of whom.

My questions

Is the the sentence with whom still correct?
I always thought that whom is used in relation to an object rather than a subject, as in:

  She is the woman whom you met at my wedding last year.

Restrictiveness aside, I see no difference between Swan's sentence and the above example. Am I missing something here?


texts:
I have been trying to determine when these can be used:

in the holidays.
my holidays

  I will clean my room in the holidays.
  I am going to Europe on my holidays.
  What do you do on your holidays?

If correct (2 and 3), how would that differ from “on holiday”?


texts:
When I have finished my task, and I need next task, which of following variants is correct?

What the next job?
What next job?
What to do next?
…?


texts:
The following is from Francois, Duc, de la Rochefoucauld's Portrait of Himself:

  I find it difficult to describe my nose; for it is neither snub, aquiline, thick, nor pointed, at least to the best of my belief; all I can say is that it is big rather than small, and somewhat too long.

I understand what is a snub nose, aquiline nose, and pointed nose, but I don't know what is a thick nose. May I ask what it is?


texts: Have words' spellings anything to do with its origin? How to make a spelling by knowing its origin?

texts:
I love watching brilliant kids performing at contests. And, Spelling Competition is one of my favorite shows (no matter which country it's held in).

Check this video.

The kid on fifth minute of the video asks for the origin of the word. And not this kid, I have observed many asking the same. Certainly, it surprises me that they spell toughest words on the basis of their origin.

How does origin help here? In that video, the spelling of the word 'prosaic' is asked and the kid is asking the origin (Latin) and spelling it correctly. Let's guess that the quiz-master said the origin Greek; would have it changed the spelling of the word 'prosaic'?

I'm poor at spelling out the words, I admit! And, I know that the list of advices may go long but then answering here the basic rule and giving out the links will help me. The users here are better in explaining things than books do ;)


texts:
1)What is the brand of your phone?

  It is XYZ.

  2)What brand does your phone have?

  I have a phone with the brand XYZ or

  My phone has the brand XYZ.

Which conversation would be correct while talking about the brand of phone ? I wonder especilally if the second one correct or not.


texts:
I have usually seen sentences written with need to, for example:

  All you need to do is call me for help.

However, I came across a sentence like below in a published book.

  In this case, we only need consider X, Y, and Z.

Is it okay to omit the "to" as above?

Somehow, "All you need do is call me for help." doesn't sound right. What is the rule regarding this?


texts: Inside or insides? How to talk about worrying issues

texts:
consider

  The gnawing at his insides, the tinge of uneasiness, the premonition of calamity that besieged him would not desist.

Questions:

Why the author used "insides" rather than "inside"? Is it grammatically correct?
Is it correct to say: "The gnawing in his inside(s)", or "The gnawing in him" ?

The source is a book you can find it here


texts:
I called him something, so he started walking toward me, furious/infuriated/enraged.

Is there any difference between them? Can I use them all here? Which one of them would you use here to mean very angry?


texts: Correct use of preposition before 'contempt'

texts:
Is it correct to say:

They looked at us with contempt?

Or should we say:

They looked at us in contempt?


texts: Any difference between 'further' and 'pursue'?

texts:
I have finished a fundamental course in cooking at a high school,
and I am going to study an advanced course in cooking at a university.

I ask this question because I am accustomed to using "further" as a verb. When I told my friends that "I want to further my study of cooking at a university, they asked me why I wanted to "pursue a bachelor's degree" on hearing my plan, and this made me wonder if I had misunderstood the usage of "further".

Given that situation, are these two sentences different in meaning?
1. I want to further my study of cooking at a university.
2. I want to pursue a bachelor's degree in cooking.


texts: the indefinite article and post-modifiers of nouns

texts:
China [in Asia] is comprised of 1.4 billion people.
The Grand Canion [in the United States of America] is so big.
[A] horn of a unicorn is very unique.
Which of these brackets are correct and which incorrect, and why?


texts: "The problem is solved with a/the standard method of k-decomposition"

texts: I have ceased to understand which article must be used there. On the one hand (suppose that the mentioned method exists and has no namesakes) it is the method. But on the other hand, there are many standard methods and this is one of them.


texts: Why is "Jingle Bell Rock" but not "Jingle Bell Rocks"?

texts:
The lyrics of Jingle Bell Rock goes:

Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring...

I wonder why the 'bell' in 'Jingle bell rock' is singular yet it's 'rock' and not 'rocks'.
And then why is 'Jingle bells swing' not 'Jingle bell ring' or 'Jingle bell rings'?
Any reason why are the singularity and plurality inconsistent?


texts:
Which one sounds natural to you?

  A) I'm eating milk chocolate.
  B) I'm drinking milk chocolate.


texts:
When to use to before Verb? Please explain considering my below examples.

Example 1

a) They made the child drink the milk.

b) They make the child to drink the milk.

Example 2

a) He asked her to marry him

b) He asked her marry him

Example 3

a) She makes her children learn their lessons everyday

b) She makes her children to learn their lessons everyday


texts:
I have sent some emails to someone but haven't received any reply yet. In a formal/polite letter, I want to tell him that I am waiting for your reply if you have seen the emails. Which one is better

  a)  I'd like to make sure that you have seen my previous emails because I didn't receive any reply.   b) I want to know if you have received my emails since I didn't get any feedback. So please reply.


texts:
What does "counter-reasoning" exactly mean?
I have got trouble finding its meaning in the web or in a dictionary.


texts:
It is strange that it is tough for someone as brilliant as you.

Who is this someone here? Is it some other person who is as brilliant as the person in the sentence?

Or

Is it the same person in the sentence and it is just telling that "it is strange that it is tough for you, because you are so brilliant"? Am I right? If not, then please tell me what is the correct interpretation of the above sentence.


texts:
One should know that trust and distrust are very crucial for any relationship.

If we want to turn "trust and distrust" into one single word, which of the following is a better choice? What is such kind of playing with words called?

One should know that dis/trust is very crucial for any relationship.
One should know that (dis)trust is very crucial for any relationship.


texts: The right noun to describe the fact that something is forbidden by the law and, therefore, is absent

texts:
One of the cornerstones of the social system of the Communist Vietnam was
  the absence of private entrepreneurship.

The idea that is meant to be expressed here is that no one was allowed to have his own private business in Vietnam. However, the word "absence" doesn't seem to convey the concept that it was forbidden. It only conveys the meaning that it was for some reason absent.

So, perhaps, "the illegality of private entrepreneurship" would fit the bill, but it may also be interpreted then as quite the opposite to what is meant to be expressed - like "the private entrepreneurship was illegal in other countries, so the leaders of Vietnam decided to build a brand-new society, where the private entrepreneurship was legal".


texts:
You don't want to know how I get when the month's nearing it's end, and I'm broke.

You don't want to know how I am when the month's nearing it's end, and I'm broke.

Or

You don't want to know what I'm like when the month's nearing it's end, and I'm broke.

Are all the above sentences grammatically correct? I looked up the several ways get can be used, and came across one that suggest it can be used instead of be in certain situations, and I've actually heard people use get as it has been used in the first sentence, so I can't seem to be certain that it's okay to use it that way. Is it?


texts:
He applies a liberal coat of glue, spreading it with a putty knife for
  complete coverage.

In this sentence what is meaning of liberal coat?
It means using glue freely or sufficientrly?


texts: Is the adverb used correctly in this sentence?

texts:
Is the adverb "instantly" used correctly in this sentence?

  At that moment both of them did not see each other's action and Tad was hit by Jim instantly.


texts: Is "Her hair is in a pigtail" (singular) used in British English?

texts:
The British say "Her hair is in a plait" (picture 1) but "Her hair is in pigtails" (picture 2).
Americans say "Her hair is in a braid" (No.1) and "Her hair is in braids" (No.2).
I love the word "pigtail" because it sounds very cute but I am not sure if it is OK to say "Her hair is in a pigtail" (No.1).
Can we say "*Her hair is in a pigtail" instead of "*Her hair is in a plait" in British English?


texts:
I want to explain a situation that happened in my results using an example.

If I say my idea as follows;

  For example, because of merging of two segments shown in yellow colour
  in Fig. 8, disappearing of a relation (or graph edge) relevant to the
  vanished segment and creation of an incorrect relation with
  unrealistic adjacencies occurred.

My question is, can I use "because of" just after "for example" and explain like above?

any assistance please.


texts: Can I say "think down" as an alternative of "look down"?

texts:
You know when someone says "people are looking down upon somebody"

Today I asked somebody "will people think down on my code if I do this and that.."

Is this correct?

Looked for this expression in Google, couldn't find it.

Also, should it be "alternative of" or "alternative to" in the title of this question?

Context: In a programmers forum I asked a question how to do a particular task in my code. They offered a few methods, and I said I disliked one of those "best practices" and I would like to stick with a practice of mine. So then I asked "what if other developers look at my code, will they think down on it" meaning "will they think its badly written".


texts: Who are 'those' and following part of speech in context?

texts:
As I understand 'those' here are 4% from the 1,000 participants. Am I right? If so why do they add 'under dark skies'? Is it necessary to understand why are 'those'? What a part of speech is 'under dark skies'?

  According to the results from the 2014 Star Count, 59 percent of the
  1,000 participants could see 10 stars or fewer within the four
  corners, an indicator of severe light pollution. By comparison, those
  under dark skies — a number that amounted to only 4 percent of
  participants — could pick out 30 or more stars.

Article - England launches 'cosmic census' to combat light pollution
https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/blogs/england-cosmic-census-combat-light-pollution


texts:
In the movie Love Actually, the prime minister asks his secretary to redistribute an employee, I think, because he was falling in love with that particular employee, Natalie.

  Redistribute Natalie.

I can guess from the context that he wants her away to stop himself from thinking of her all the time, but I can't be sure because I couldn't find an authentic reference in dictionaries. However, I found a similar question online though the answers were contradictory and the context was not exactly what I described.

Does he mean give her a difficult task to do (to get her busier), reassign her, relocate her somewhere (so he can't see her at all) or maybe fire her?


texts:
The skin of vampires burns in the light.

  The skin of vampires burns to the light.

The second doesn't sound idiomatic, but I am not sure if it's still acceptable or not. I have rarely heard it, but I think I saw a few people use "burn to the light". Is it correct or not?


texts: What is the meaning of “divest” in this sentence?

texts:
Here is an example that the Longman Dictionary provides to clarify usage of the word “divest”:

  Dad had long since divested himself of anything valuable.

Is this sentence talking about valuable attributes of the personality or just costly assets?


texts: Meaning of "provisions" in waitress job (her duties)

texts:
What other word can I use instead of "provisions" in the context below because i don't understand it:

One of the most common tasks is known as table sweep, and involves visiting every occupied table in an assigned section to replenish beverages, answer questions, and ensure that all is going well in terms of customer comfort. During a table sweep, customers may also have specific needs, such as a change in their order or provisions for additional guests.


texts:
I have a box of chocolates that has a best before date of: "2015 MA 12".

What does "MA" stand for?

May? Or March? Which one?


texts:
I was curious what people call a carbonated (with gas) and non-carbonated (gas-free) beverages / drinks in English speaking regions around the world. I need two fixed terms in everyday English which can be acceptable for both American and British while I guess there should be some geographical distinctions.

For instance, what would you call a bottle of water when it contains gas within and when it does not?!


texts: What is the meaning of "nimbus"? Is it a verb, noun or an adjective?

texts:
From The Shining, by Stephen King:

  Across from them—who knew how far?—an even taller mountain reared into the sky, its jagged tip only a silhouette that was now nimbused by the sun, which was beginning its decline

What is the meaning and part of speech of nimbused?


texts:
This is one of the answer choices given in LSAT exam.

  The music critic challenges the grounds on which the music professor
  generalizes from the particular context of rap music to the broader
  context of musical tradition and individuality.

I don't fully understand this sentence. Does this sentence mean that the professor have his own logical reasons that support him to generalize particular rap music to broader context of music and the music critic is challenging that logical reasons?


texts:
“She is Mr. Rochester’s ward; he commissioned me to find a governess for her. He intended to have her brought up in - shire, I believe.  Here she comes, with her ‘bonne,’ as she calls her nurse.” The enigma then was explained: this affable and kind little widow was no great dame; but a dependant like myself.  I did not like her the worse for that; on the contrary, I felt better pleased than ever.
  (Jane Eyre)

There's an article before worse, yet none before better. Why does the former need an article?


texts: Whether "in" instead of "by" can be used in this sentence?

texts:
Men and women are different by design, not intended to be rivals, but to complement each other.
Men are different from women by design, not  intended to be rivals,but to complement each other.

I'd like to know whether they mean the same and "in" instead of "by" can be used in this sentence.


texts: Is there an idiom that means "something is underappreciated or undervalued"? I am trying to find a nice way to say that something is undervalued or underappreciated, but I can't think of any expression, phrases to mean exactly that.


texts: Should I fill with 'crowd' or 'crowds' in this context?

texts:
In 1863 the first underground passenger railway in the world opened in London. It ran for just under seven kilometers and allowed people to avoid terrible ____ (crowd) on the roads above as they travelled to and from work.

I am wondering if crowd or crowds should be filled here. And why?


texts: What is the meaning of "snuggled up warm" in the following sentence?

texts:
What is the meaning of "snuggled up warm" in the following sentence,

  We were all cosy, snuggled up warm

?

Does it mean "We were all cosy and we snuggled up and we were warm" ?
or
does it mean "We were all cosy and we snuggled up in order to be warm" ?

Can we use the adjective "warm" instead of a noun behind the preposition "up"?

Grammatically, I have thought nouns came after prepositions. But, I often have seen many sentences with adjectives after prepositions. Is there a rule to make a sentence like this?


texts: Why are there two indefinite articles in "the Babymetal craze is a perverse a pop confection but resistance is futile"?

texts:
The following is the subtitle of the article Babymetal: Japan's rockers in knee socks  from The Guardian. In it, I don't understand why indefinite articles appeared before and after the adjective "perverse".

  Fronted by three dancing Japanese teens and sounding somewhere inbetween Skrillex and Aqua: the Babymetal craze is a perverse a pop confection but resistance is futile

By the way, it's futile indeed.


texts: What is a difference between 'kids' and 'children'?

texts: Is there any difference in usage or meaning? or are those exactly same?


texts:
Neither of the twin brothers took their books.
  Neither of the twin brothers took his book.

Which is most suitable?


texts: the use of articles with ing-forms modyfied by of phrase

texts:
Buying of books/selling of books

What article should I use before buying/selling? All examples I saw on the internet have "the" before buying/selling. Why?


texts: Is it proper to say that something from someplace "is" someplace?

texts:
I have heard many people say the following phrases:

  Is that Chipotle?
  This McDonalds is so good.
  Is that Gucci or Prada?

I was just wondering if these phrases are indeed proper, or should one rather say:

  Is that from Chipotle?
  This McDonald's food is so good.
  Is that Gucci or Prada merchandise?

Maybe both the case is such that both are in fact correct, or neither at that rate. Maybe I am not even considering all the possible cases, however I have been wondering for a long time what is the correct thing to say in a situation as such, thanks!


texts: Should I use "were" or "be" in this subjunctive sentence?

texts:
Had the affordable automated machines were available, the safety could have been improved at a minimal cost.

OR

  Had the affordable automated machines be available, the safety could have been improved at a minimal cost.

Which of the above two sentences is correct?


texts: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn / The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

texts:
Is it correct that the book ''The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' has a definite article because the author is referring to specific adventures and not because the sentence has a structure with 'OF' [X of Y]?

If so, could someone provide an example not containing the definite article as the opposite?


texts:
To give a short answer to a question with the verb want, we say:

  Do you want to come with us?
  -Yes, I do.

Is it also possible to say:

  Do you want to come with us?
  -Yes, I want to.


texts: Is this a valid way to avoid repetition?

texts:
I want to avoid the repetition of working in this phrase:

  I feel great working with this technology, and working on challenging projects.

Is the following correct?

  I feel great working with this technology, as well on challenging projects.


texts: BrE. Why do these expressions little/very little; few/very few exist if they are the same?

texts:
I can’t understand these words.
“ he has got little money” and “ he has got VERY LITTLE money”; “ I have got few friends” and “I have got VERY FEW friends”.


texts:
His mother has a sore throat.

He wanted to drink the coconut juice that her mother has been drink.

"You can't drink it. I have a sore throat." she said.

"I want to drink." he said.

  You will get sick too.

sickness can be transmitted through water." mother told him.

Should I add "get" before sick? Is get used correctly here?


texts:
There's a nip in the air this morning.

  The Dog was nipping on a bone.

Is it the same word in both?

I'm asking about this word nip.

I couldn't understand it, and I am looking for more Examples.

Is there another context to this nip  word


texts: Is there any difference between "in matters of," "regarding," "when it comes to" and others?

texts:
When I read press articles, these phrases come up again and again and I am under the impression they all mean the same thing (= about) but is there any difference between these phrases? Here is the same sentence with the different phrases:
1. The British government is no better than fast food companies as far as social legislation is concerned.
2. The British government is no better than fast food companies regarding social legislation.
3. The British government is no better than fast food companies concerning social legislation.
4. The British government is no better than fast food companies in matters of social legislation.
5. The British government is no better than fast food companies in terms of social legislation.
6. The British government is no better than fast food  companies when it comes to social legislation.
The last one sounds better but is it because it is more informal (or so I have been told)?
Thanks.


texts: Do "friend of" and "friend with" have the same meaning?

texts:
We are friends of him.
We are friends of his.
We are friends with him.

Which is right? Do these sentences have the same meaning?


texts:
He looked a forlorn figure as he limped off.
From Dictionary

why in this verb? Is it not look like?


texts: What preposition should be used with "strong"?

texts:
For instance, is there difference in the following phrases:?

  An engineer must be strong of Mathematical Skills.

and

  An engineer must be strong in Mathematical Skills.


texts: Jamie Diamon in his interview in Stanford said “ if I allow spinning to the public, you are going to spin to me” I found spin meaning as confused and several other meanings but I am not sure what does spinning means in this context


texts:
Even though, the line segments are rectified by the orientation,
  awkward short edges are still appeared.
  Therefore, a simplification step is important.

What is the rule to join these two sentences as I want to reduce my word count?

Here is my effort

  Even though, the line segments are rectified by the orientation,
  awkward short edges are still appeared in which a simplification step
  is important.

Can I use a "clause" for this case?


texts: What does "We will have to keep you for future reference" mean?

texts:
A company sent me a job offer by email after a job interview,

  We would like to offer you the position with basic salary of $[number].

  Do let us know your feedback and concern by today.

I've replied at the end of day and want to negotiate the basic salary,

  Thank you for offering me the [position] position. I’m excited about [company] and the contribution I can make here.

  However, the base salary is lower than I expected and I hope there is room to negotiate here. I understand there is gym membership and health insurance coming with the compensation package, however I still feel it is low given that my extensive work experience, plus with higher living cost around the office area than [current hometown].

  I’m very interested in [company] and I would happily accept if you could match with my expected salary. I understand that not everything can be accomplished, but I’m willing to be flexible and find a good solution. I’m confident that I can make valuable contributions to the company, and I hope we can come to a mutual agreement.

And this is their reply after two days,

  Thank you for your reply.

  Unfortunately your expected salary is beyond our hiring budget.

  We will have to keep you for future reference.

What do they mean by "We will have to keep you for future reference"? Do they want to withdraw the job offer? If not, what should I reply? I still want to accept their job offer even if the salary is not negotiable.


texts: "Something is something that for the given something produces something" - is this a correct word order?

texts:
I've been arguing with a colleague about a description for a piece of code. Originally, the message was as follows:

XXX is a macro that, given a component name and a variable name pattern, produces a name of a component-specific variable.

But my colleague thinks that the following would sound better:

XXX is a macro that for the given component name and variable name pattern produces a name of a component-specific variable.

My main question is: is the phrase "for the given component name ..." allowed at that position (i.e. before the verb)? I have the feeling that such phrase is only possible after the object (i.e. "... produces a name of a component-specific variable for the given component name ...") but I've been unable to find any specific rule.
Also, what is the correct grammatical term for the phrase? (Is it an adjunct?).

Finally, if both sentences are possible, which of them sounds better?


texts:
Example:

  French archaeologist Francois Bordes interpreted variations in stone tool remains as evidence of different groups of people who existed in the past. American archaeologist Lewis Binford, however, believed these variations reflected different activities. Who was right? Find out in this lecture on the way scientists interpret the archaeological record.

Is it correct to say it like that? I know you can say find out the way scientists interpret the archaeological record, which is perfect English, but find out on something sounds grammatically, kind of, strange. What do you think?


texts:
What is the meaning of precipice in the sentence below and also the complete meaning of the sentence?

I believe precipice has negative connotations attached  to it- a precarious condition or a situation of great peril. But in the given sentence 'precipice' does not have a negative connotation as far as my understanding goes. If not, what other words or phrases can substitute 'precipice' in the given sentence?

  On Wednesday, Dimitrov beat Murray in a straight-sets quarterfinal, lifting himself to the precipice of his first Grand Slam final.


texts:
Facebook is a prime example and, according to company statistics,
82% of users have more than 100 friends in their accounts.

The Guardian: Cameron's under pressure from the Tory right for being a
softie and, therefore, promised tougher action on the tabloid bad
guys: killers, knife crime artists and squatters.

Usually comma is written before "and" in most cases.  Why comma is after "and" in these sentences?  I think this is because the sentence will be more clear if the reader stop reading (or speaking) for a half second at each comma.  But I am not sure what are grammar rules here?


texts: An idiom describing you need commitment from other people to reach some goal

texts:
In Spanish, we have an idiom: "poner el hombro". The literal translation is "Put the shoulder".

You use that idiom when you are asking for help AND commitment from other people. You are, figuratively, asking them to help you push something in one direction putting their shoulders, with the aim of reaching some goal. You can figure out a group of people pushing with their shoulders something like a big cube, everyone in the same direction.

An example:

  Come on people! We all need to make this recycling project work.
  It is necessary to [put the shoulder?]  if we want to make of this world,
  a better world

What would be a good idiom with that meaning?

PS. I will appreciate your corrections because of my mistakes in this post. Thanks,


texts:
We have broken this rule for 2 years.

Can I use the verb to break in a Present Perfect with a time period adverbial, like I use to stand in the sentence "This tree has stood here for many years."


texts: "It is you who doesn't OR don't want this" - Stuck between 'don't' and 'does not'

texts:
I got stuck while writing this in a post

  "It is you who does not want ...."

While the third person 'it' takes 'does not', when I reveal that it is 'you', should I use 'don't'?

In my final version, it's 'does not'.


texts:
What does "make difficulty" mean? in the following quote from Mansfield Park" by Jane Austen:
If I had made any difficulty about fetching the key, there might have been some excuse, but I went the very moment she said she wanted it."
Does it mean that "I expressed my unwillingness to fetch the key because I felt it difficult to do so?   Is "make difficulty about" an established idiom?


texts:
Which is correct:

  "I'm having a good time here in Italy this week."

or:

  "I have had a good time here in Italy this week."


texts:
I know times can be used in "old times" or "in times of war" for instance, in the general meaning of an epoch.

I'm wondering what is the meaning of "times" in "NY Times", is that just "our epoch in NY", something like news from NY?


texts: Italians/The Italians - using the definite article

texts:
Which one of these sentences is correct:

Italians drink wine;
The Italians drink wine.


texts: Why is Past Perfect Tense used in "This was my third trip to Iraq in 10 years and my second since Daesh had taken over several areas of the country."?

texts:
Why in below sentence writer has used past perfect tense i.e. since Daesh had taken?

  This was my third trip to Iraq in 10 years and my second since Daesh had taken over several areas of the country.

As per my knowledge we can use present perfect:

  This was my third trip to Iraq in 10 years and my second since Daesh has taken over several areas of the country.

Because Iraq is presently in the possession of Daesh.

Or simple past tense here:

  This was my third trip to Iraq in 10 years and my second since Daesh taken over several areas of the country.

Because I think there is no need to explain which event happen first and which second.

Reference link.


texts: After something done OR after something is done

texts:
I would like to know which one is correct.

I will ask the staff to close your previous approval after your new application approved.

OR

I will ask the staff to close your previous approval after your new application is approved.

Thank you.


texts: Is it "you have better places to be at" or "you have better places to be"?

texts:
A suggestion in my class textbook, International Management: Strategic Opportunities & Cultural Challenges, that says,

  "Do not be in a rush, as it is an attack on the face of others. To
  Asians, your sense of urgency says that they are not important enough
  to spend time with and that you have better places to be."

Shouldn't it say "better places to be at"?

You drive a car. That's why you have better cars to drive.

But,

You dream about a car. That's why you have better cars to dream about.

Shouldn't the same logic hold true for the original sentence?


texts: Is “if you are the last one left the office” correct?

texts:
I saw this sentence on a sign in an office:

a) "Please close curtains if you are the last one left the office."

I am guessing that this sentence bears the following implication:
"Please close curtains if you are the last one {who} left the office."
But still, it does not sound quite right to me. Is it correct? Good English or colloquial?

Isn't it grammatically more correct to say:

b) "Please close curtains if you are the last one leaving the office."
c) "Please close curtains if you are the last one who leaves the office."

Please let me know which ones are correct, and what the differences in meaning in this example.

Thanks.

Bonus question: shouldn't it be "the curtains" ?


texts: What is the word for "able to recognize something through limitations placed on you"

texts:
For example, you see a small part of a curtain picture, but from this small part you are able to recognize that this is a "curtain".

Or if your sight is hazy, and you can recognize an object because of its general outline.

My thoughts were on "make out", "discern", or "differentiate". But the last 2 sound more like "recognize from a group of similar looking objects".

So, what's the best word for above case?


texts:
I am confused in below.Could anyone please help me
which one is correct and why ?
"finally,blinds are fitted"
"Finally,blinds has been fitted."
"Finally,blinds have been fitted."


texts:
Which sentence is correct if I'm writing an article and a reader doesn't know how my table looks?

  Currently, I'm sitting at the table and trying to learn something new
  from English.

  Currently, I'm sitting at a table and trying to learn something new
  from English.

From what I know, I can use the definite article only when a reader or listener exactly knows which is the table I'm thinking about. So I would use at a table. But it doesn't sound good to me.


texts: What is this case of using "the" in front of a noun?

texts:
As I have been taught, apart from being a part of a name, the definite article in English is usually used for:

1) things that have already been mentioned earlier in conversation (like in "So you did take care of that mother, but what about the child?");

2) things that can be seen in the moment of speaking ("Look at the driver!");

3) things that are easily understood from the context ("We went fishing yesterday. The weather was terrible!");

4) things that are unique in this world ("The Sun is shining. The air is fresh.")

However, I've noticed that some nouns that don't fall into any of the four categories above are still used with the definite article:

"We went to the forest yesterday and..." - the first phrase written by a forum member in a forum thread. There was absolutely no conversation prior to this phrase and, therefore, there is no context provided yet. So, it automatically excludes case 1 and 3. The readers can't, of course, see any forest, which effectively excludes case 2, too. And there are many forests in this world. So, it's not case 4 either. If so, then what cases is it?

Here are some other examples:

  "For whomever it may concern: please, note that, unlike in Europe and
  the USA, school students in Asia always have their school lunch in the
  classroom."

(Why not "in a classroom"?)

  "Five irritating things that can easily happen to you at the airport:"

(Why not "at an airport"?)

  "This species can be found in any river or a pond. In fact, it can
  also be found in the sea."

(Why not "in a sea"?)


texts: Is using "or" instead of "and" in this sentence a mistake?

texts:
Game theory shows that in a single game, self-interested actors defect
from cooperation when it offers them an extra profit. This risk is
considerably reduced if the same actors play many games. In this case,
players may mutually sanction defection, which then becomes less
attractive. This is exactly the case in a steady power-sharing
arrangement, as it allows actors to develop mutual trust. An
additional advantage for cooperation is found if politics involves
different cleavages for which the opposed camps, for instance the left
or the young, are not the same. This leads to different coalitions
from issue to issue, cementing an important aspect of the ongoing
process of power-sharing: Political actors opposed today on a
particular issue may find themselves as coalition partners tomorrow on
a different issue. Mutual respect and amicable relations even with the
opponent (of today) are the result.
- Swiss Democracy by Wolf Linder

I do not understand the sentence I emphasized. It mentions "opposed camps" then say "for example the left or the young". Think I don't understand is: Is the left and the young are opposed camps to each other? If so why does the author says "or" instead of "and"?
If not, is "left" (or the young) an opposed camp all alone? It is opposed to what?


texts:
Let's say Ryu is now hailed to be the best street fighter overall. Can you say:

  It is not M.Bison or the others who is the strongest, it is Ryu who has championed his way to the top.

This champion thing followed by 'to the top' does make me feel unease, coz it sounds redundant. Is it repetitive or not?


texts: Can we use 'gets' when something is not ready but cancelled?

texts:
I have seen a question asking if we can say

  You can pay when the order gets ready

and everyone said that 'is' should be used. My question is can we use 'cancelled' and make it passive?

  You don't need to pay when the order gets cancelled (by us).

Also what if I say

  You can pay when the order gets ready by us.

Is this correct?


texts: What is the meaning of "might well not be"?

texts:
We have used the verbal system, but what about the musical subsystem of the auditory system of the brain? For many people the activation of this system by a particular kind of music leads to a relaxing effect. Note that the music might well not be a gentle flute. There are people who find a heavy drum-beat relaxing.

What does "might well not be" mean in the above text? What can be used instead of that phrase?


texts: Is it correct to use 'will' twice in this sentence?

texts:
I know there is no general rule of using 'will' twice in a sentence so I want to understand where I can use it

example:

  I will appreciate it if you WILL send me my bag

question:

I can't grasp allowance and forbiddance of using 'will' twice but according to this video I concluded that sometimes it is possible

is it right using of 'will' (twice)


texts:
Several defense witnesses corroborated Sacco’s account of his day off, establishing a timeline of his activities from morning to late afternoon. Carpenter Dominick Ricci said he saw Sacco in the Stoughton railroad station between 7:15 and 7:40 a.m. on April 15.

The source: In Search of Sacco and Vanzetti by Susan Tejada, p. 141.

I would like to ask why there is not used the past perfect in the second clause (he said he had seen). Why is the rule about shifts of the tenses in the reported speech not applied here?


texts: Take your hands out "of / from" your pockets

texts:
Which is proper:

  Take your hands out of your pockets.

  Take your hands out from your pockets.

Is there any difference in American English and British English?

P.S. Also reading the comments - is there a preffered form for singular or plural, or they are the same?


texts: Can someone help to understand this? "The speedup of a program, coming from ..., was derived to be principally limited by ..."

texts:
This post says

  The speedup of a program, coming from using multiple processors in parallel computing, was derived to be ( maybe to a surprise of audience ) principally limited by the very fraction of time, that was consumed for the non-improved part of the processing, typically the sequential fraction of the program processing, executed still in a pure [SERIAL] process-schedulling manner ( be it due to not being parallelised per-se, or non-parallelisable by nature ).

  For example, if a program needs 20 hours using a single processor core, and a particular portion of the program which takes one hour to execute cannot be parallelized ( having been processed in a pure-[SERIAL] process-scheduling manner ) , while the remaining 19 hours (95%) of execution time can be parallelized ( using a true-[PARALLEL] ( not a "just"-[CONCURRENT] ) process-scheduling ), then out of the question the minimum achievable execution time cannot be less than that ( first ) critical one hour, regardless of how many processors are devoted to a parallelized process execution of the rest of this program.

This sentence is so complicated that I have to break it down into multiple parts to make the understanding more easy and clear.

Assume speedup is (actually not, but for simplicity) the decreased amount of time that the program finish a job, for example, the program takes 20 hours before parallel computing, and 2 hours after parallel computing, and then, the 18 hours is the speedup.

Can someone help to understand this part of the sentence? "... was derived to be principally limited by the very fraction of time".

It seems to have following meanings

The speedup is principally limited by something (fraction of time)
The speedup was derived by something (is this understanding right? derived by something? such as derived by pure-[SERIAL])

PS:
This more-clear-and-easy-to-understand-version comes from @djna

  I discovered that the speedup of a program limited by the fraction of time that was consumed for the non-improved part of the processing.

Based on which, I break the OP into following parts:

multiple processors could speedup the computation of a program;
the speedup of a program limited by a quantity s, for instance, the time that the program would take to finish the job would never be less than 2 hours;
the quantity s could be viewed as the time interval that the program has to take for some reason;
A likely reason is part of the program is serial that cannot be parallelized;
following formula gives the more formal definition of the quantity s.

                   1         1
 S =  lim    ------------ = ---
      P->oo        1-s       s
              s +  ---
                    P

S = speedup which can be achieved with P processors
1-s = parallelizable portion

question

Is my understanding right? Is my expression idiomatic and clear?


texts:
What is the meaning of a "unifying" view vs. a "unified" view on something (e.g., a unifying view on the origin of language)?

What is the meaning of a "unifying" vs. a "unified" something (e.g., a unified writing system)?

Google search shows both being used. I wonder if they have enough clarity for formal writing. How does each phrase sounds to native speakers? When should I use which?


texts: What does this phrase by Benjamin Graham mean?

texts: A stock is not just a ticker symbol or an electronic blip; it is an ownership interest in an actual business, with an underlying value that does not depend on its share price.


texts:
But Lily was already up to her ankles in mud, little pools of
  water forming around her feet.

  Everyone was up to his ankles in mud.

I read a sentence of "up to one's ankles in mud" and I found those exmples.

What does "up" exactly mean here?


texts:
Everyone admires her because she studies hard.

If I change this sentence,

  Everyone admires her for her hard studies.

Can I change the verb phrase "studies hard" into noun phrase "hard studies"'


texts:
1) 'Men' have a tendency to believe that 'women' were created for their pleasure.

2) A 'man' has a tendency to believe that a 'woman' was created for his pleasure.

3) A 'man' has a tendency to believe that 'women' were created for his pleasure.

Sentence 1) is an example of generic noun phrase which applies to all men and women.

Do sentences 2) & 3) also carry the same meaning as 1) ?


texts:
“How far is X important?”

Does such a question of the above form mean:

  A) Why is X important/unimportant?

or:

  B) Is X important in reality?

or could it be interpreted both ways?

For example:

  “How far is a knowledge of the past important in shaping your society’s future?”


texts:
For general comparisons note the following(1):

  five times as great

  not

  five times greater

Is it wrong to say "five times greater"? The former sounds rather "equal" to me, means not more or fewer than five times  .

(1)http://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tcdnstyl-chap?lang=eng&lettr=chapsect5&info0=5.24#zz5


texts: How to understand "for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time" in this context

texts:
"Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr Filch's office door. ..." (Dumbledore)

  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

As I understand, it means: it took Mr Filch 460 seconds to tell all those regulations. I'm not sure if I get it right. I don't quite understand the grammar as well.


texts: panel the walls with two layers of metal plate (metal plate or metal plates or the metal plate or the metal plates?)

texts:
panel the walls with two layers of metal plate

metal plate or metal plates or the metal plate or the metal plates or with the metal plate of two layers or two layers of a metal plate or with a metal plate of two layers?
article of the or a/an is a pain in the neck


texts: What to say when we put the dishes on the table for people to eat after cooking?

texts:
OK, after cooking food, we have to put the dishes on the table for people to eat.

  set 1

  /set/  verb (past tense and past participle set, present
  participle setting)

  1 PUT [transitive always + adverb/preposition] written to carefully
  put something down somewhere

  set something (down) on something

  She set the tray down on a table next to his bed.

  Mark filled the pan and set it on the stove.

  set something down/aside

  The workmen set the box down carefully on the floor.

  Remove the mushrooms and set them aside.

  Longman Dictionary

  prepare

  [transitive] prepare something to make food ready to be eaten

  He was in the kitchen preparing lunch.

  Oxford Learner's Dictionary

Do we say "to set the dishes on the table" or "to prepare the dishes on the table"?


texts: Can 'to' be omitted in "honor to be here"

texts:
I heard a woman said in a news program honor be here. I might misheard it but that is why I want to check it here.

Question: can to be omitted in such phrases like, honor to be here, nice to meet you, and etc.


texts:
How we can change the self-made sentence below to imply that they neglected very much:

  They are neglecting their duties.

I need to emphasize and make the level of negligence bolder.
For me it seems to be idiomatic to say:

  They are neglecting their duties very much.


texts:
We have three shapes in my study. We called them trees.  The class of Tree 1 is larger than the class of tree 2 and tree 3. Also, the shape of tree 1 contains the shapes of both tree 2 and tree 3. I would like to compare them and show that tree 2 and tree 3 are contained in tree 1. Here is my try:

  The class of tree 1 is larger than the one of the second and third tree, containing both of them.

or

  The class of tree 1 is larger than the one of the second and third tree and contains both of them.

How can I compare two things and mention the ability of one of them in one sentence?


texts: Is there an idiom for something that is being fought-over?

texts: What idioms describe something that's really popular and is being fought-over by many different people?


texts:
It was a good night for science at the 87th Academy Awards ceremony Sunday night. Julianne Moore won the Best Actress prize for her role in Still Alice, a movie that shines a light on Alzheimer’s disease. Eddie Redmayne took home the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of iconic astrophysicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking, with Benedict Cumberbatch looking on, nominated for playing computer scientist Alan Turing.

What's the meaning of "With....looking on " in this sentence?

The source of this sentence


texts: Polite way of asking for response as soon as possible

texts:
As much this is but a straightforward question,
  it will be a pleasure to be answered as soon as possible.

I am trying to say that since the question is simple enough I wish to get answered as quickly as possible. First, is this sentence grammatically correct? Second, can you suggest a "native" way to ask an urgent response with politeness?


texts:
I played the music song for him on computer.

The size of video was small.

  "It's too small. Put it bigger."

he said.

He wanted me to enlarge the size of video to bigger or full screen.

What the verb should use to enlarge video size?


texts:
I’m reading Kipling’s Kim, ch 2, pg 37 says

  `Beggars aplenty have I met, and holy men to boot, but never such a yogi nor such a disciple,’ said the woman.

What does boot mean here, is it a verb or a noun and what’s the meaning?


texts:
Is the current sentence from CNBC  grammatical?

  Nike has sold out of all of its Kobe Bryant merchandise online, following the tragic death of the basketball legend on Sunday, a spokesperson confirmed to CNBC.

I am referring to the usage of the expression “sold out of”.

Shouldn’t the sentence be:

  Nike has sold out all of its merchandise....

or

  Nike (site) was sold out of its merchandise..


texts: Is there any difference in implied nuances between "make every effort" and "make all efforts"?

texts:
Some dictionaries like Merriam-Webster and The Freedictionary.com define the phrase "make every effort" in them while no dictionaries, including the two, have "make all efforts" in their word lists. Both of them are, however, often seen in newspapers, magazines, email correspondences etc., and I'm wondering if there is any difference in implied nuances between them. For instance, what would be the difference between the following two sentences, if any?

We will make every effort to ensure the safety and quality of our products.
We will make all efforts to ensure the safety and quality of our products.


texts: Can the word "thoughts" be used as singular?

texts:
I was watching BBC the other day and heard the news presenter Sally Bundock ask somebody

"What's your thoughts on immigration?"

I am confused as to how "thoughts" which until now I took as a plural word can be used as a singular word. Is this usage common in English speaking countries? And are there any other similar words which are used thus?


texts:
Fall Of Empires: Rome vs USA (Hidden Secrets Of Money Ep 9)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuOcnGAv4oo

10:24/28:26

  If you're going to trade in a lie, it better be a liquid lie.

A big lie?

A lie that is sprawling?

A lie that is unpredictable?

I googled and found nearly nothing useful.


texts:
CONTEXT

1: There is no denying that Americans are great.(correct)
2: There is no deny that Americans are great.(incorrect)

Why can't I use deny , I know that it is incorrect but what is the justification for this?


texts: "24 hours' notice" or "24 hours notice"?

texts:
Which one is correct?

1: Well, you canceled on Tuesday and our policy is 24 hours' notice for all cancellations.
2: Well, you canceled on Tuesday and our policy is 24 hours notice for all cancellations.

To me personally, the first one makes more sense grammatically. But I've also heard that the second version is how they typically write it on paper forms at hospitals (that's what native speakers say). Could you please clarify my confusion?


texts: Is it correct to say "It's over/ more than/ past 10 pm but you still haven't gone to bed"?

texts:
How do we express time when we don't care too much about the exam time, for example,
"It's over/ more than/ past 10 pm but you still haven't gone to bed" or
"It's almost / nearly 11 pm but you still haven't gone to bed"?


texts:
It gives the greatest ability to manage scan workflows for busy
  departments with features to take the manual steps out of your image
  capture engine.

In this context, does "take the manual steps out of" mean "remove manual steps from image capture engine so that the user can work efficiently"? I am not sure if it means "take steps outside something (which means to take action not in, but outside)" or "take steps out from something (which means remove or take away)".


texts: What does "Round the corner comes the postman" mean?

texts: Round the corner means nearby. However, I have difficulty with understanding the sentence "Round the corner comes the postman". Inversion has happened.


texts:
This question was asked in my examination and the answer is: there is an error in (3). can you explain why?

  If you inform me of Kanika's(1) /arrival time I shall go to(2) /attend  her at the airport(3) /no error(4)

I am really baffled.


texts:
Looking for the meaning of leave as verb, I found the following sentence, on the OALD:

  Leave go of my arm—you're hurting me!

The dictionary says that the meaning of leave go is "to stop holding on to something," and that is synonym of let go.

Can I always replace let go with leave go?


texts:
The Supreme Court’s interim order asking political parties to disclose, to the Election Commission in sealed covers, details of the donations they have received through anonymous electoral bonds is an inadequate and belated response to the serious concerns raised about the opaque scheme.

What does sealed cover mean in this context?

I looked up its meaning but didn't find any thing.


texts:
I would like to know what is the meaning of on the corner office ?.Please help me to understand in this context.

David MacDonald, CEO of Softchoice, a Toronto-based business that helps companies with technology, is another ambitious executive, but he never had his sights on the corner office, he said.


texts: Using Simple Present Tense for general truth in the past

texts:
Okay, I know it may sounds silly but I just can't get this question out of my head.

So one of the functions of simple present tense is to state general truths. Like, "The sun rises from the east," or "Bikes have two tires," or the most simple thing like, "That is a book."
Okay, my question is, aren't events that happened in the past are also general truths? I mean they're already happened so we can see them as facts. So why can't we use simple present when talking about things in the past?

For example. Why we write "WWII lasted from 1939 to 1945" instead of "WWII lasts from 1939 to 1945"? I mean, it's the fact (truth) that WWII lasted (i'm sticking with simple past here) from 1939 to 1945.
I know we have to use simple past tense here but I want to know the reason why we can't use simple present tense.

Very silly question imo, but I'm sorry, no matter how I think (and search) about it i can't get the answer.


texts: This is where her heartfulness come into picture. come to the picture ! what does it mean?

texts:
i don't know the meaning of come into the picture. for example :
This is where her experience come into picture.


texts: past simple vs. present perfect in context

texts:
Here is a story in real life.

I am suffering a software issue. When I launch iTunes, some error shows up. I asked about that problem on superuser. someone suggested me to re-install that software. I did what they suggested but it didn't work. So, I said

  I have re-installed iTunes many times. Bonjour Service never showed up.

Did I use the tense correctly? Should I use past participle, present perfect or some other?

Thanks for help.


texts:
In the report, the police have said the menu was neither displayed nor shared with the police by the canteen Staff upon  their visit

1-upon
2-on

I read this sentence  from a Indian news paper "the Hindu" and I am confused whether to use on or upon, in sentence  they used "upon"  as shown  above in sentence.


texts: A good place for something or to do something?

texts:
A quick and simple question on which construction to use.
Would a native speaker say:

This is a good place for swimming.

Or

This is a good place to swim (in).

Another example:

Do you know any good places for exercise?

Or

Do you know any good places to exercise?

I know that 'a place for...' is a proper phrase, but most examples I could find are followed by a pronoun. E.g. I will find a nice place for YOU to stay at.

So, which types of construction is correct? If both of them are grammatically okay, which one is more common

Thanks in advance.


texts:
Is come apart used for torn clothes and shoes?

In the title which is the correct expression should be used ?

What is the difference between clothes torn and come apart ?


texts: Most people I've come across who were (are?) good at math, were (are?) good at physics as well

texts:
1. Most people I've come across who were good at math, were good at physics as well.
2. Most people I've come across who are good at math, are good at physics as well.

Are both the above sentences grammatically correct?
Do they convey the same meaning?
Would it be a better choice to go with the first one?


texts:
1) With the evolution of international law in the last 100 years, the concept of unrestricted sovereignty has weakened.

Is usage of "has" correct here? Or should we use has been?

  2)I miss him when he isn't around. We have been great friends even before collaboration for this project.

Can we use "were" here insteadof "have been"? If yes, what is the difference in their meaning?


texts: how do I suggest politely to get back to me at a later time?

texts:
I have sometimes the need to tell other people to get back to me at a later time and I don't know how to express that correctly in English
For example, if I'm invited to participate in a project and I couldn't do that before a given date, I tried this:

Thanks for inviting me! Unfortunately, I won't be available until
March 25th; feel free to contact me by then

Is the above correct? Is this understandable for a native English speaker or is there a better way to say that?


texts: Omitted "Because" in "Coming from Alaska, Claude was unaccustomed to Florida’s heat"?

texts:
I think the original sentence is Because he was coming from Alaska, Claude was unaccustomed to Florida’s heat.

Why is because omitted? What is the name of this action? When do we do this?
A good link on this is appreciated.
Does coming from Alaska implies he is from Alaska that is he was born in Alaska? Or it merely says he had been in Alaska before he came to Florida?
What is the name of the phrase Coming..., which is telling the reason?


texts:
Stack exchange is a question asking site

  Stack exchange is a question answering site

I guess both are wrong
.
Anyways i just wanted a word of that sort...

Btw stackexchange has always been best yeh ❣


texts: What is the subject in the object clause?

texts:
A sentence in this the web page confused me.

  What we have in this new administration is for the first time in a very long time is a government that’s not divided.

Maybe we can break the sentence down as below

The root structure:  "A is that B"  (here A is a subject clause, B is a object clause.)

  A = What we have in this new administration

  B = for the first time in a very long time is a government that’s not divided.

(for the first time in a very long time is modifier, B can be shorted as
is a government that’s not divided.)

My problems are clear:

no subject in B----is a government that’s not divided.
how to explain that’s not divided?


texts:
These are the introductory sentences for my essay. It doesn't flow off my tongue - how can I improve it?

Any play is confined to a certain place, be it literally or figuratively. It is in this confinement where the story will unfold and the characters interact.

The word 'confined' must be in there. Here is the question that must be answered: ""Based on the discussion of the idea of confinement in Chapter Four of Introduction to English Literary Studies (IELS), write an essay of at least five paragraphs in which you discuss how the confinement of time and space enables the audience or reader to see more deeply into the nature of Elsa’s character during her visit to Miss Helen. You must make references to relevant aspects of the play to support your answer.


texts:
Mona Lisa was commissioned to celebrate the birth at a baby boy. Interestingly,  there is more than meets the eye. They have suggested that by magnifying lady's eyes under a microscope,  tiny letters and numbers can be seen.

How come it is possible to use root form after preposition or conjunction "more than"?


texts:
Cigarette smoking is harmful to our health.
  Smoking cigarettes is harmful for our health.

  Playing football is beneficial to our health.
  Football playing is beneficial to our health.

Are all the sentences given above correct?
If they are not, please explain!


texts:
Do ____ of you have any money I can borrow?

  a. both    b. either    c. neither

I answer a. (both) but it is incorrect. The right answer is b. (either).

I don't understand. Please help me why a. can't be the answer.


texts: How to ask someone about his/her kinship

texts:
I don't know how I can ask my question properly but suppose there are two girls and for me they look like each other so much..So I would like to ask one of them is that if they are relative ..so What is the natural way to ask that?

Imaginary conversation:

Me: Hi I always think that you and Beth  look so alike.So do you have any kinship relation with her or  any connection on blood with her ? ( I just made up the second sentence )

She : yeah we have...


texts: How should we reverse the twice as ... as?

texts:
I know we can say

A provides twice as much performance as B does

Using the exactly same structure, the coordinating conjunctions, how can I reverse this? Is it OK to write

B provides twice as less performance as A does.


texts: "How many maximum... " or "What is the maximum..."

texts:
I just came across a chemistry question in class which says:

"How many maximum spectral lines are possible if the electron belongs to the 4th shell?"

I wonder if the question is grammatically correct? Shouldn't this be something like:

"What is the maximum number of spectral lines possible if the electron belongs to the 4th shell?"

Is 'how many maximum' correct? Could you kindly explain the difference between "how many maximum" and "what is the maximum". And is there some kind of grammar rules relating this?
And my own example:

How many maximum people can fit in this room?
OR

What is the maximum number of people that can fit in this room?

(I know we can remove the maximum without changing the meaning much but I am wondering how to use maximum in these type of sentences)
Thank you.


texts: Is it correct "It's gone stress already..."

texts:
Is it correct to say the following:

  This is gone stress already...

In a scenario in which I have got rid of my stress and I no longer worry about the thing that had caused it.


texts: As (if) 'He behaved as were he a rich man'

texts:
If I were a rich man...

can be written as

  Were I a rich man...

Is this rewriting also valid after 'as'?

  He behaved as if he were a rich man...

  He behaved as were he a rich man...


texts: A synonymous phrase for "compute statistics"

texts:
which is the appropriate verb relative to "compute statistics"?
I write this but I need a synonymous in order to not repeat the same word.

thank you


texts:
I found a sentence on Google.

  He is some kind of artist,I believe.

In this sentence,I am so confused with the phrase
"some kind of".

  Does it mean,
  an artist he did not know or a good artist?


texts: Which requires he "be" injected with gamma globulin

texts:
He has rare autoimmune disease which requires he be injected with gamma globulin once every 21 days.

Why do we use "be" in the sentence above? What does it mean?


texts: Preposition dilemma: "new to me" or "new for me"

texts:
Very soon I realised that the task was new to OR  for me.

Which is the correct  preposition to use in this sentence:  to or for ?


texts:
Can I change the words' order in a sentence where I use "assign to"? For example:

  "I assign a number to each person."

→

  "To each person, I assign a number."

So is the second sentence correct? and if so, should I use a comma, or should it go without it? I know that if we have dependent and independent clauses, and we change the order we should put a comma, but this is not that case.


texts: "No work is done by NRF ___ weight." Which conjunction (or/and) appropriate in this context?

texts:
The General Question

Which of the following is grammatically correct?

  It's not good for him or her.

  It's not good for him and her.

Using neither..nor or either...or structure is a very safe alternative:

  It's good for neither A nor B.

  It's not good for either A or B.

But sentences 3 and 4 are too stilted for casual day-to-day speaking purposes.

For reasons not obvious to me, sentence 1 sounds more "correct". Maybe because the conjunction or is also used in sentences 3 and 4, which are  very familiar structures.

Specific Context-based Question

Which conjuction should I use in this case?

  NRF of 200 N is acting upwards and weight of 200 N is acting
  downwards. But the object is not moving in either of these two
  directions. Therefore, no work is done by NRF ___ weight.


texts:
Birds speaking to Europe

Climate change is already having a measurable impact on birds in Europe,’ a group of scientists declared in an article describing the first bio-indicator of the impact of climate change on nature in Europe (1). Evidence of this impact on biodiversity has accumulated in recent years: changes in the levels of profusion and distribution of plant and animal species, time-lags of certain events, such as flowering and reproduction, changes to migration patterns… Until very recently, however, there was no indicator with which to demonstrate this at the European level. In order to create this climate impact indicator (CII), researchers combined data from 1980 to 2005 on the diffusion of 122 common bird species across 20 European countries. This data is drawn from the Pan- European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS) project (2) and includes models which predict how each of these species may respond to climate change. A declining trend in the CII can be observed during the 1980s, probably reflecting the influence of cold winters and changes in land use, which prompted a decline in bird populations. Since the end of the 1980s, however, the indicator has not stopped rising, showing that the impact of global warming has surpassed those of other pressures, whether environmental or not. Some bird species have seen their populations increase, while others have witnessed a decline: the problem is that 75 % of the species studied fall into the second category (92 of the 122 surveyed during the study). The most significant threat relates to green- house gas emissions, which have increased significantly since the Industrial Revolution: the use of fossil fuels and deforestation generate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which combine with other major greenhouse gases:water vapour (H2O), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O).

What do they mean with birds speaking to Europe
I know that birds are not speaking to Europe. What do they mean with speaking?


texts: is this use of "convene" unusual but correct?

texts: Can you write: "the International Partnership on Religion and Development which convenes UN agencies, bilateral donors and faith actors"?


texts: Can you paraphrase “ruling ideas of their time” in this passage?

texts:
Hesse’s grandfather Hermann Gundert (1814-1893) had been a Protestant missionary in India, where he also became an accomplished linguist in Dravidian languages. With a sceptical, questing attitude to the faith he was promoting and a scholarly passion for foreign cultures, Gundert became a role model for his grandson. In his 1923 autobiographical essay “The Childhood of the Magician”, Hesse wrote:
This man, my mother’s father, was hidden in a forest of mysteries, just as his face was hidden in the white forest of his beard; from his eyes there flowed sorrow for the world and blithe wisdom, depending on the circumstances, and likewise lonely wisdom and divine roguishness; people from many lands knew him, visited him and revered him.
The difference between Gundert and Hesse is in the ruling ideas of their times. Whereas his grandfather retained a theistic trust in a divine power, Hesse belonged to a generation whose faith in any such power had been shattered by the catastrophe of the First World War. Any transcendent God was dead, and if a saving spirit existed it could only be found within human beings themselves. But for Hesse and much of his generation this was not the rational, world-improving spirit of secular humanism. The spirit that animated human beings was non-rational, at times dark and destructive, and yet possessed of salvific power. Hesse’s spirituality was that of the German Romantics, and like them he often sank into grandiloquent vacuity when he tried to express it.

If I need to translate this text to a different language which of these best fit to substitute “ruling ideas”? “ideologies” ? Or “Prevalent ideologies” or “prevalent opinions”?

My second concern has to do with “...their times” . Does it mean “prevalent opinions in the society of their times”? Or “prevalent opinions of Hesse and his grandfather who lived in different times”?


texts: When should we use a plural verb after the form: the + collective noun + of?

texts:
Here is an article about collective nouns. (link: https://data.grammarbook.com/blog/singular-vs-plural/collecting-the-truth-about-collective-nouns/)

When I read it, I came across something I don't understand quite well.
They are cited below:

The article says,

  "The same collective nouns with prepositional phrases can be used with a plural verb to create a stronger image of many individual components—i.e., the prepositional phrase becomes an extension of the verb"

It also gives three examples as the following:

  The crowd of fans are split between the Yankees and the Red Sox.

  The herd of cows are wandering in the pasture.

  The litter of cats are competing for space to nurse from the mother.

What is an extension of the verb it mentions?

Simply put, does it mean that if we want to emphasize the individuals belonging to a group, herd, or whatever collective noun it is, we can use a plural verb?


texts: Took on the opportunity vs Took up the opportunity

texts:
What's the difference meaning between such expressions?

I took on the opportunity to teach...

I took up the opportunity to teach...


texts: What's the difference between By, and From in this sentence?

texts:
Which is correct
Email received by you and Email received from you.


texts:
She likes ________(to have/having) the birds is as an expensive hobby.

What should we use here ? Infinitive or Gerund? Why?


texts:
We have a city here in Canada named Saint John's. It is always spelt that way; the 's is part of the name (this must be a very unusual case, I'm not sure).

What would be the correct way to refer to something the belongs to it? 'Saint John's' mayor', 'Saint John's's mayor', or ... ?


texts: A general term describing dirt, dust, food scrapes, wood chips etc

texts: Is there a general term in the English language that is all-encompassing when it comes to denoting the stuff you suck up from your carpet using vacuum cleaners? I usually just say dirt, but it feels too restricted. I want a term that will evoke the image of an assortment of mud, sand, dirt, food scraps, glass shards, pieces of plastic and more.


texts:
In one my novels, a separate section is given as Points to Ponder Over. However, no phrasal verb as such (ponder over) really exists. By Oxford dictionary, ponder is a transitive verb. So it cannot be used without as object, so just to have an object, an over(a preposition) has been added?

In oxford dictionary, an example is given as

  She sat pondering over her problem.

Source

But I wonder, why not use just ponder when no such phrasal verb ponder over really exists.

Also sometimes phrasal verbs and verbs have the same meaning, eg- follow and follow up, add and add up,etc. In that case, which should I prefer to speak/write?


texts: another version of "have somebody do something"

texts:
I understand the usage of have somebody do something

However, a post says

  anti-piracy legislation under consideration in Washington has some websites in a tizzy.

There is no "do" there, is this another pattern or just omitting some verb?


texts: Is this inversion kosher? What is this kind of inversion called?

texts:
I didn't want confirmed what I suspected might be true

The adjective and noun seem inverted in this sentence. Is it grammatical? What is this kind of inversion called?


texts: Is it possible to add the in front of adjective for this case?

texts:
I learned that we use 'a' in this sentence like 'on a gloomy evening' and we should use 'article' in front of an adjective like gloomy, whereas we can use 'the' in the phrase like 'in the evening'.
If we write the sentence 'on a gloomy evening', can we write the sentence like 'on the gloomy evening to express specific evening?
Please, tell me.


texts: Is it necessary to use the definite article before the adjective "proper" and a nount?

texts:
Couuld you tell me if it is necessary  to use the definite article before the adjective proper and a nount? For example:

There are really good Englih dictionaries, but they sometime fail to give (the) proper explanation of when to use one word and not the other.
You had better put on (the) proper clothes for the occasion.

In these two examples I am not talking about some specific explanations or clothes. In my experience, it seems, I've always seen the used with proper, so I wonder if it's correct and natural to omit it in my examples.


texts:
On the cover of a scientific journal on Tourism management Studies I like to say this volume is of articles about a particular subject say "IT and Tourism".
How should I put it?

  Tourism Management Studies

  Special Issue: Tourism and Information Technology


texts: Is there a word that means "arguing as in protest"?

texts:
The boy * his mother when he was grounded for not doing his homework.

I am pretty sure there's a word for it, but I can't remember it if there indeed is one. The above example shows how I want to use it. I am pretty sure there's a word, the closest word I can think of is "bickered", but it has a very negative connotation. I want a word that doesn't have a very negative connotation, I want the word to be as neutral as possible.


texts:
Question 1: How do I change this correctly and accordingly to the past perfect tense

example: He have to do that because someone has told him to

possible answer: He had to do that because someone had told him to

Is that correct?

Question 2: Can I use two had in a sentence. Like , can I use "had" on the past action after previous past?


texts: Is it a general statement when talking about "animals" without explicitly using generalising words?

texts:
This post gives an excellent explanation about the difference among “besides”, “except” and “apart from”. Although some other website visitors and I can’t understand clearly the different between except and except for.

  We only use “except for” in statements which are NOT general statements (rule_1) and do NOT come after generalising words. (rule_2)

that post marks this sentence as right

  I like animals except for hamsters (YES)

and marks this one as wrong

  I like animals except hamsters (NO)

obviously, these examples applies rule_2, since there is no generalising words at all.

question

What about rule_1, is "animals" part a general statement?


texts: What do you call a document informing people of an intent?

texts:
There are documents called will, but this document refers specifically to inheritance, but is there a word for a document that's not necessarily legal like a will, that shows people the intent of the person who wrote it? By intent, I mean it in the most general way possible, such that it can also mean what the person meant when he wrote or uttered a certain phrase.

I don't have any clear real-life example for this, because I don't think there's such a word.


texts:
NABBING A DISEASE hotspot is to epidemic control what locking up a serial perpetrator is to crime investigation.

Can I change it to below, and which one is right?

What nabbing a disease hotspot is to epidemic control is locking up a serial perpetrator to crime investigation.
What nabbing a disease hotspot is to epidemic control is what locking up a serial perpetrator is to crime investigation.


texts: Can the word "information" be used with both singular and plural nouns?

texts:
Here is the sentence I'm constructing:

"To begin, you'll need your school ID, username, and password; if you don't already have this information, your school can provide you with them."

My problem is that it looks like I'm mixing singular and plural here; "them" in this context is referring back to the ID, username, and password, whereas "this information" sounds like a singular object.

I know that "information" is considered a non-count word in English which means it can be used as both plural and singular without changing its form, but in this sentence the result ends up sounding weird.

Can I get some input on how I should revise the sentence?


texts: "If you explained what you ___ trying to achieve, I would ..."

texts:
I've written the next sentence

  If you explained what you are trying to achieve, I would recommend a kind of workaround.

and it has raised doubts about the tense I should have used in the highlighted phrase.

The options I see:

you are trying (my conversational partner is now trying)
you were trying (to adhere to the initial tense in "If you explained")

Which one is correct? Can both of them be used?

Thank you in advance.


texts: Understanding "except for a tension in his right wrist that spread down through his hand and all the way up his forearm"

texts:
Breathing deep, he relaxed his whole body, except for a tension in his right wrist that spread down through his hand and all the way up his forearm.

Please help me to understand the above sentence. I can not get it from the word "except" begins.


texts:
From "Been Throwin Money" by 2 Pistols:

You see I'm ballin' on a different level
Flintstones in my watch y'all rock pebbles

I am not sure I understand this lyrics.

You see I am rocking expensive stuffs on a different level. Flintstones are inside my watch. You are all rocking pebbled instead of expensive Flintstones.

Is that what those lyrics mean? How come there are so many words omitted?


texts: Is it right to say, "Ever since I set eyes on you, I was wondering where I had seen you before?"

texts:
Is the

  where I had seen you before

before part constructed correctly? If not, how should it be constructed?
If this incident is being related to another person, we would say,

  Ever since I saw him that day, I was wondering where I had seen him before

wouldn't we?


texts:
I'm a programmer working on some medical software.
I like to name my functions and variables with correct English.
So now I have few questions:

what is the difference between study and examination in medicine?
how could I say correctly referral for/to examination/study/hospital?
what is more correct medical appointment or doctor's appointment?


texts: Which linking verb to use with countable and uncountable nouns

texts:
Here is my example:
"Cloud phone solutions work over the internet, so the only on-site hardware you would ever need (is/are) the phones."

Hardware is uncountable, but phones is countable. Is the linking verb (is/are) relating to the hardware or the phones?
If we turn the sentence around and say "the phones are the only hardware you need" the linking verb applies to the phones.


texts: Can we say "Three times, I hit my head on this lamp" to mean "I hit my head on this lamp three times"?

texts:
Can we say

  "Three times, I hit my head on this lamp."

  "Many times, I hit my head on this lamp."

  "Twice, I hit my head on this lamp."

etc.

to mean

  "I hit my head on this lamp three times."

  "I hit my head on this lamp many times."

  "I hit my head on this lamp twice."

etc.?

Context: Let's say there is a friend of mine in my room and I am talking about how many times I hit my head on the room's lamp in the past.

My opinion: I think we can use "one time" or "once" at the beginnings of these kind of sentences, but I am not sure about the phrases like the ones I gave in the example sentences.


texts: Is the sentence "I am already working on this project and it is almost code complete." grammatically correct?

texts:
I am already working on this project and it is almost code complete.

Is this a correct use of "code complete"? I know that it is a book but I am not sure if this is the right way to say it as a non-native speaker. This is sort of a grammatical question but related to programming.

(I'd say this as  "I'm almost finished coding.")


texts: "the god of the field" vs. "the god in the field"

texts:
Steve Jobs was good at speech. So some people call him

  the god of the field of speech

or

  the god in the field of speech

Which one is correct?


texts: Meaning of progressive: “were seeing” vs “saw”

texts:
(1) We still saw each other a couple of times a month.  (MacMillandictionary.com)
    * I changed the verb 'saw' from 'see'
  (2) They were seeing so much of each other, he was almost one of the family. (Angela Downing, English Grammar: A University Course)

What’s the difference in meaning between selecting progressive, or not?


texts:
Singapore comprises one main island and several offshore islands.

  Singapore is comprised of one main island and several offshore islands.

Are these two sentences grammatically correct and which one better?


texts: The renovation and extension of the building WAS / WERE completed

texts:
I've run into the following sentence:

  The renovation and extension of the building were completed in 2017.

Is the verb to agree with what has been done to the building - or the building itself?

'Was' and 'were' both 'sound right' - although I am more comfortable with 'was.'


texts: Word for a video of a musical performance?

texts:
Is there a word for a video of a musical performance? For example:

  There were a lot of _____ videos on his YouTube channel.

I would honestly call such videos "musical performance videos", but it sounds way too formal and I personally wouldn't use it in informal speech. There must be some kind of slang word used by Youtubers or Twitch streamers, but I am not sure what it would be.


texts: "regardless of" vs "regardless if" vs "regardless of if"

texts:
I am aware of the following correct structure with the of:

  I will carry on regardless of your opinion

Sometimes such sentence is structured as a condition and I then add an if:

  I will carry on regardless of if you don't want me to

I am not sure about this, though, as it feels a bit convoluted and odd to say out loud. It might be incorrect? What about this then:

  I will carry on regardless if you don't want me to

But this suddenly sounds like the opposite of my intention: it sounds like I will carry on regardless, but only if you don't want me to. As if the condition suddenly overrules the "regardless", whereas the original intention was that the "regardless" overrules the condition.

How can I write the sentence in a proper way?


texts:
Some people have claimed that there is an analogy between the world
and a work of art. Overall harmony in a piece of music usually
involves discords which are subsequently resolved; a painting
typically has large areas of darker as well as of lighter pigment. In
a similar way, so the argument goes, evil contributes to the overall
harmony or beauty of the world. This view is also open to at least two
objections.

Philosophy: The basics
What does "so the argument goes" mean?


texts:
I was teaching Japanese to a (possibly American) guy. I gave him a tip, like, "The conjugation goes like this sometimes etc". Then he replied,

Thank you so much! Knowing little things like this makes my immersion smooth. Otherwise, my anxiety issues won't let me continue my immersion unless I figure out the meaning of certain words in certain context.

What would he mean by immersion? Dictionary won't help me.
Thank you in advance.


texts:
I would go out with him but he didn't ask me.

  I would have gone out with him but he didn't ask me.

I think the second one is correct. But what about the first one?


texts:
Following the rules of the gerunds, it should be strengthening at the beginning of a phrase. However, I am not sure in this context. Is it correct strengthening here or should be replaced by strengthen? Furthermore, it should be replaced those by these?

...Furthermore, this master is crucial for enhancing his capacity to research and develop projects related to water, which are required to supply the urgent demand of water for zones with scarcity. Strengthening his knowledge in those topics makes him the best candidate to occupy key positions within the Indian government upon his arrival from the USA.


texts: Is the phrase ' the echo of our sentiment' natural in English?

texts:
I'm confused with the use of the phrase 'the echo of our sentiment' in the following sentence. Is it meaningful and natural in English?

Poetry is the echo of our sentiment.


texts: If a legatee receives a legacy, what is the legacy giver called? Maybe legateer?

texts: I'm looking for a word to describe a person who leaves a legacy. It would be nice to call someone or a group of people that word. Similar to how being a maverick is someone who's different from the rest. I thought legateer would work, but this word doesn't exist.


texts: I win or I won right after the end of a game

texts:
Two kids are playing a game. Right after the game is over one of them shouts happily:

"I won! I won!"

or should he better say "I win! I win!"


texts: "You" have nothing to do with "it" vs "it" has nothing to do with "you"

texts:
To me, it sounds no different at all but I'm not sure of it. Do they have the same meaning?

  You have nothing to do with it.   OR It has nothing to do with you.
  4am has nothing to do with your English level. OR Your English level has nothing to do with 4am.

For second example, I told one of my friend who read the reading practice at 4am as she was awoken and said "Tired 4am voice". I always adore her accent and pronunciation.

I have no idea how to provide my research for this kinda question.
Thanks.


texts: When you are going to formally or politely express your regret

texts:
I would appreciate if you do me a favor and let me know which structure can be used in polite/formal speech in my following context:

  Restrictions and punishments there which violate international human rights norms include harsh penalties for crimes, punishment for homosexuality, execution of offenders under legal age, restrictions on freedom of speech and the press (including the imprisonment of journalists), and restrictions on freedom of religion and gender equality in that country are a matter of the day for international media. However, the state of human rights in that country has been criticized both by its people and international human right activists, writers, and NGOs.
  All being said .......................... that people of that country and the international society do not react to such a government.

a. it's a shame
b. it's much to be regretted that
c. it's so sad that

To me, they all work, but I don't know what structure is used notmally to indicate the speaker's regret when it comes to a polite or formal speech or written context.

I would appreciate it, if you could provide me with a better option if exists for this context.


texts: What does “between 1 in 3 and even” mean here?

texts:
I was reading this article and at a certain point it is said

  President Kennedy even estimated that the likelihood of nuclear war at one point was “between 1 in 3 and even”

that makes it the number 2, clearly, but what significance does it have?

"a likelihood of 2" does not mean much to me, also because the scale it is not specified (2 out of 2? out of 10? 100?)

Is it an idiom with a specific meaning and should I avoid taking it literally?


texts: Term For Someone Who Makes Another Aggrieved

texts: If someone is aggrieved, is the correct term for the party who made them so "aggriever"?  If not, then what term should be used?


texts: Why don't we use past perfect in that case?

texts:
My father, my mother, my younger sister and I got into  my father's '54 Ford to go to Cordoba, where my parents had rented  a house up in the hills.

The three of us started walking down the hill to look at the car, which stopped  at the bottom of hill.

Why not had stopped past perfect like in the first one, both are very similar for me: two actions, one before one after?

Is it because the meaning is clear they started walking obviously after the car stopped  and  that the  walk began just after the car stopped (almost the same time frame)

grammar-quizzes.com/past3b.html


texts: What's the meaning of "justify" in this context and what is it he wants to say here?

texts:
https://youtu.be/mwEXxC_rIHA?t=3m5s

  Tom Lee says that Bitcoin is no different from Facebook or Google.

  If you ask a baby boomer, "Can you justify the value of anything that's a digital business? They probably don't accpet that Facebook, Google, Netflix, Amazon, Apple. (I mean) these are the largest companies in the S&P500. And they're primarily digital businesses built almost purely on digital trust."

I don't get the exact meaning of "justify" here, and thus having difficulty understanding what he says next as well. And I'm also not sure why he mentions "baby boomer"...


texts:
I can hardly wait to cut the cake.
  I can hardly wait for baby coming.

Is "can hardly" correctly used in the sentences above?


texts: Difference between "to occur" and "to happen"?

texts:
From time to time I have an error in a computer system.

What is better to say:

The error happened again yesterday.
The error occurred again yesterday.

Is there a semantic difference between the two sentences?

Does one of the two carry a kind of surprise? I want to express, it is not surprising, it just happened again.


texts: He was telling a lie. Did he tell many lies?

texts: When you say that the boy was kicking a ball. You mean he kicked the ball again and again. When you say that the bus was stopping. You mean the bus started decreasing the speed to cease to move. Then when you say that he was telling a lie. What do you mean.


texts: 'My better days is at the last decade' make sense?

texts:
Does a sentence like

  My better days, at the last decade, have passed by so fast.

make sense?


texts: Difference between this and that as a pronoun

texts:
We use "that" when we refer back to the word/sentence/clause mentioned, e.g, "Do you see that?" (where that refers to the thing which I or you mentioned before).

But we also use "this" to refer back to word/sentence/clause mentioned, e.g, "Will you be present at this enquiry?" (where this refers to the enquiry about which we are talking); or "How will you find this man?" (where this is a man who is not present at the moment).

So what is the actual difference between them in this content??


texts:
the complete phrase is the following

  When hiring someone, start with the premise that attitudes are contagious. Then ask yourself one question: Is theirs worth catching?

Is that some common phrase I am not familiar with? I assume they meant to say is their attitudes worth? Please correct me if I am wrong.


texts: Having something for years correct tense usage

texts:
Suppose I have a thing. I've acquired the thing many years ago but still have it. As far as I know, a correct phrase describing the said situation would be:

  I've been having this thing for years.

And if I use the following:

  I've had this thing for years.

It doesn't imply that I still have it. Am I correct? If so, can I use the following phrase instead of the first?

  I have this thing for years.

Is it allowed?


texts:
Is it correct to say

  We will need a car because we are taking the plane.  (tickets have been bought and we are leaving in 2 weeks)

or is it better

  We will need a car because we go by plane.(same condition as the first sentence

If both are correct let me know the best sentence.

I myself think the first one is better because it has been planned so progressive is better . I think my second sentence is not good I should have written" we will need a car because we will go by plane"


texts: What does "itself" refer to in this sentence? and why?

texts:
why does itself here refer to "urban life" ??

In the Roman world, the public baths were such an important feature of urban life that in the fourth century A.D., there were 856 small baths in the city of Rome itself in addition to the 11 major baths, which were constructed by the emperors over several centuries (and constantly refurbished). Designed

many thanks


texts:
I was reading an editorial in 'The Hindu' and I came across a phrase in the headline:

  A difficult campaign: on the Pakistan elections

Is it correct? 'the Pakistan elections'. I don't know if a proper noun can be used as adjective.

For example, could I say:

  the India elections

in a headline?


texts: Does "We get it, alright?" sound natural?

texts:
Let's say I'm in an Italian restaurant with my family. We do something that doesn't please the owner, so he gets very angry and in Italian he yells at us to leave. We get up to leave. He keeps yelling at us, so I say:

"We get it, alright? You don't have to yell."

Is the emboldened part perfectly natural in the context to mean we understand what you're saying (even though we don't know your language)?
Would it be more natural to say:

"We got it..."


texts: Can the terms 'dude' and 'guy' be applied to women?

texts: I heard 'dude' used to address a woman. I also read in a dictionary that 'guys' could be used to address a mixed or even completely female group of people (but the same doesn't go for 'guy'). What would you say about that? Are these all limitations concerning the words' applicability to females?


texts: The meaning: I don't think he's changed in thirty years

texts:
My textbook says this use of the present perfect has the meaning of the present perfect continuous, as there is an indication of the period (in thirty years).

It also says that changed here can't have terminative meaning, only durative.

But there is a doubt I understand the textbook in the right way.

So what's the meaning?

Is it that he never changed during all those years?


texts: What does the phrase "be over someone's shit" mean?

texts:
Could you tell me what the phrase be over one's shit mean? For example:

The math teacher was over my shit today.


texts:
I hope you can help me with these sentences:

It must have been pretty tough when you started a business

When you started a business must have been pretty tough.

I know sentence 1 can be used correctly, but is sentence 2 just as common or correct?