texts:
How can I encourage a person to suck up even to the meanest of people, when doing so would benefit the person sucking up? In Arabic, an expression draws this image:

  If a dog has something you need, address it as 'master'.

Unlike in western cultures, dogs are generally and sadly undesirable things here, which explains why dog is used as a swear word.

I'm not looking for an English expression that exactly mirrors this, but the closer the better.

Here's an example of how I intend to use the English expression:

  Husband: My stupid manager has declined my request for a pay rise. I've been working with him for over 10 years. I know he doesn't like me because I don't suck up to him like everyone else. A new hire gets paid more than I do. Would you believe that?!

  Wife: .....


texts: Provide an Explanation or Offer an Explanation?

texts:
I know that offer an explanation is more frequent. But I think I have heard Provide an explanation in some cases. I want to know where to use offer and where to use provide.

For example:

  He didn't ...... an explanation for his behaviour.

  He .........ed an explanation for the math problem.

I think I heard offer for the first one and provide for the second one. But what is the exact distinction between this two?


texts: What is the most common way to say that my birthday is tomorrow?

texts:
I have encountered the following three structures, but I'm not sure how common are they for native speakers?

Tomorrow is my birthday.
Tomorrow will be my birthday.
It is my birthday tomorrow.


texts: How to use modal verbs in the past tense speaking of future possibility?

texts:
everyone.

I learn English vocabulary and write sentences about my life using new words. But I have a problem. I can't write one sentence so that both grammar and meaning are correct.

Some context to understand what I mean:

1) I want to say that in the future I'll have a business.

2) But also I want to add a type of business which I can't say exactly so I can only guess that it's not something like a small shop or cafe. I want to add some possibility of what type of business I would set up.

If I say it in the present, I'll say like "it might be a big company" or "it mightn't be something like a cafe".

But I write about what I thought in the past.

So, I write my past story and want to say that I had some future possibility of setting up a business in the past.

I think I should use modal verbs to express possibility but how I can use them in the past tense speaking of the future time.


texts: The verbs to request an ATM card from a bank?

texts:
What is the verb to request and get an ATM card from a bank in US Eng. ?

Such as I request, apply, or fill the form? Then the bank give, issue, or make an ATM card to me? Thank you very much!


texts: What’s the meaning of “could” and “would” in this text explaining grammar rule?

texts:
After looking up “would” and “could”, I couldn’t find any relevant meaning in the use of would and could in this text, which I found on a British Council page:

  You could go on in the same way. You would use past tense forms to talk about something which happened ten years ago. So tense forms in reports and summaries in English are the same as in the rest of the language.

What if I use can and will? Is it ok?


texts:
He scratched his finger and his finger's skin was a little peeling off.

  "I scratched my finger. My finger's skin is peeling off."

Is the word "peeling off" describe well as the image?


texts:
The hill above the river dominated the landscape, which was
  predominantly flat and barren.

I am wondering if above means "next to and at a higher position relative to". Above can mean a lot of things, but when talking about geographical landmarks and features, does above pretty much always mean "next to and at a higher position relative to"?


texts: What does ''sun-dappled yoga pose''and ''hour 11 manning the deep-fat fryer'' mean?

texts:
It's an article published in NYT about a psychological issue (living at the moment). Here's one of the paragraphs that I have a problem with:

  So does the moment really deserve its many accolades? It is a philosophy likely to be more rewarding for those whose lives contain more privileged moments than grinding, humiliating or exhausting ones. Those for whom a given moment is more likely to be “sun-dappled yoga pose” than “hour 11 manning the deep-fat fryer.”

What does the last sentence mean?


texts: What is the role of would in "Why wouldn't he stop?"

texts:
In one of the Chronicles of Narnia movies Susan is saved from bear that is about to attack her when Trumpkin shoots it. Susan is surprised as she expected the bear to be friendly and thought it was playing a game.

  Susan: Why wouldn't he stop?

  Trumpkin replies: I suspect he was hungry.


texts:
What does "someone or something casts a shadow on someone else's heart" mean?

For example, can I say a potentially deadly disease cast a shadow on my heart?

Thanks!


texts: today is their birthday or today is your birthday?

texts: On twitter appears “today is their birthday” at the profile of the person who is getting old in the day. Why “their”? Doesn’t their means about they? Why not your? Or its birthday?


texts: Connotations—are they to some extent instinctive?

texts:
I've noticed that many synonyms are often not very alike. Yes, their core meaning is the same. But there are many differences in mood or tone. Often I understand  the kind of meaning it will have by the sound of it.

Here's how I interpret two synonyms 'happy' and 'glad'

Being happy reflects a positive attitude or nature as a general overall feeling. Just feeling the wind on my skin makes me happy. Life going on peacefully and smoothly makes me happy. Being carefree makes me happy.
Gladness requires more of a benefit to oneself. You're usually glad because something was done. It eases your life in some way or it simply makes you feel happy. Either ways, it was beneficial and that makes you glad.

"Skinny" and "Slender"

Skinny has a sharp tang. It adds to the quality of being thin sometimes a certain sexiness and sometimes (mostly in Old English) an unhealthy and unattractive connotation.
Slender has the same basic meaning as 'skinny', but it paints a more graceful and eloquent picture of thinness. I automatically associate slenderness with a refined sense of beauty.

I have never learnt it anywhere but still whenever I see these words being used, that is how I understand them. Why is it that way?

I know all of it looks very confusing. It does to me too. To be honest, I hardly understand what my question is myself. Hopefully, somebody will be able to sort this mess out and identify what I'm asking.


texts: Experiences I have had vs experiences I have had before (tenses)

texts:
When someone asks you this:

  Question: Do you like love songs?

  Answer#1: Yes I do, because sometimes I relate to the song's lyrics, especially the experiences that I have had before.

To

  Answer#2: Yes I do, because sometimes I relate to the song's lyrics, especially the experiences that I have had.

Is there any differences between the two? And why do they have to include before? (mostly at the end of a sentence/statement) When it is obviously in the past?


texts: When a country exploits other people / countries

texts:
I know that exploit  means: to use someone unfairly for your own advantage / benefit.

for instance as far as I know, one can say:

  That boss exploits his employees. (meaning that he takes advantage of them and does not pay them sufficiently.)

But what about a country which takes advantage from a country to its own end? How would a native say the following sentence:

  That country has exploited lots of / many African and Asian countries for centuries.

Is the bold verb above the word you would use here? I would be thankful if you help me with it.


texts: "The donated books to ~" vs "The books donated to ~"

texts:
Is there any difference in meaning between,

  "This is about the donated books to our library"

and

  "This is about the books donated to our library"?

In the following problem, is it only the meaning making "donating" the right answer?

  Please read the following guidelines for [donate] books to our library.

Isn't it a presumption, though it's very likely that way, but is there any grammatical reason not to say "donated" here?


texts:
Fungi are a diverse and important group of microorganisms.
  Fungi is a diverse and important group of microorganisms.

Which one is grammatically correct?


texts: Is "You are so beautiful girl" incorrect?

texts:
You are so beautiful girl.

I have read/used this sentence and it looks okay to me.

Nevertheless, the grammar rule of 'placement of adjective' says that After how/so/too, the adjectives go before a/an as in "She's too polite a girl to refuse."

Having this said,

  You are so beautiful a girl -is correct!

What do you think?


texts: "The same applies for time" or "The same applies to time"?

texts:
I am wondering whether it is legitimate to use both "The same applies for time" and "The same applies to time" in the sense of "The same is true for time".
I would be grateful for your help. Thank you in advance.


texts:
There are two men by the gate who keep a watch on it.

In the above sentence is there a problem?
One of my friends doesn't agree with the construction.
He says: 'who' should immediately be after the person mentioned. Yet, I believe 'by the gate' is the complement thus has nothing to do with 'who' in this sentence.


texts: Does using harder English help gain more respect during conversation or in writing?

texts:
It is always taught to use simple English in day-to-day life and I follow it carefully. As a student in IT sector, I use simple English myself as this particular industry does not revolve around beautiful English, rather the core subject only. In my spare time, I write articles and ebooks for various clients through a website. But it is my personal observation that, not only non-native people, but also native people are more inclined to those articles which include most of the so-called sophisticated words. They reject those articles easily which use simple and normal English; yet makes no delay in accepting articles with hard English.

Thinking from non-native mindset, using harder English can help getting more respect as it shows the knowledge level of the speaker in a foreign language. However, I can not see any logic for native people to be inclined to harder English. Is this phenomena an exception? Or it has some base?


texts:
It is from this article. Here is the passage:

  On its work on the Skripal poisoning, Bellingcat says investigators searched images on several online search engines, contacted former Russian military officers, browsed photos of a military academy yearbook, searched specific terms online, and scoured leaked Russian databases.

Does on mean according to there?


texts:
Please help me with below sentences which one is correct to say?Or is there any specific condition where I can use both?

a) He asked me to call you hence I have called you.

b) He told me to call you hence I have called you.


texts: The difference between 'beneath the sea' and 'under the sea'

texts:
I've been trying to wrap my head around these two.
So, here are the two relevant examples of usage (from Cambridge Dictionary and a YT video):

When we use under, we mean that one thing is touching or covering something else:

  The wreck of the Titanic still remains under the sea.

We use beneath when we talk about things which are at a lower level than something else:

  She hid beneath the water. (= the surface of the water)

Also, beneath is less common in everyday speech.

So, is there a difference in meaning between 'beneath the sea' and 'under the sea' itself? If that depends entirely on the context, then, could you give some examples?


texts:
The songs I have listened to(present perfect tense) (To my understanding, it refers to the song i  recently listen to,no matter I still listen to or not.)
the songs I listened to(past) (the songs that I used to listen to in the very far past, but no long listen now)
the songs I were listening to(past continue) ( this refers or imply the moment i were listening)
the songs I listen to(present) (it refers to now or recent. is it same meaning with the presents perfect tense?)
the songs I had listened to( this one I am not sure at all)

How's the meaning difference of these sentences above. I am confusing about the meaning and pictures of it presents.


texts: What does "the hubris of the defeated" mean?

texts:
I saw a movie "A Beautiful Mind".

In the movie, a person said "hubris of the defeated" to a person who lost a game.

In the language I use, it appears to mean "the statement uttered when a person lost a game, battle, etc., and the person is thinking that he should have won, and is frustrated".

Is that a correct interpretation?

I appreciate if the answers were written using basic words.


texts: "get an illness" or "get illness", which one should I use in speaking?

texts:
I guess both "get illness" and "get an illness" mean ‘catch an illness’.

according to Ngram, "get an illness" seems more widely used in writing, how about speaking?

the weird thing is, "got cold" is more widely used than "got a cold".

I cannot even deduce a rule. should I put a "a/an" in speaking?


texts:
On my another post ("be of something unpleasant" vs. "be unpleasant") I said

  I've seen lots of guys using the expression of something (7 hits). I am trying to understand what does that mean.

where I am trying to survey that that kind of expression is not seldom so that my question would be valuable in general.

In this context, should I use "I've seen", "I saw" or "I see"?


texts: Why is 'of' used in the following sentence istead of 'to'?

texts:
It ill behooves you to speak so rudely of your parents.

How does using 'of' changes it's natural meaning?

Could you give me more examples of such type of sentences?


texts:
a. Jane talked to her sister in London on the phone.

b. Jane and her sister in London agreed about when to meet.

c. Jane's sister in London is a nice person.

Do these imply that Jane has more than one sister?

In other words, does "in London" modify the preceding noun restrictively?

======================

d. Tom was talking to his employees dressed in three-piece suits.

e. Tom and his employees dressed in three-piece suits paid me a visit yesterday.

f. Tom's employees dressed in three-piece suits were a little rude to me.

Do these imply that Tom has employees not dressed in three-piece suits?

In other words, does "dressed in three-piece suits" modify the preceding noun restrictively?


texts: Sentence improvement : through the proper channels vs through proper channels

texts:
Which among the following sentence is best to choose considering it is asked in a MCQ pattern based exam ?

Your complaint must be made through the proper channels

A) through proper channel

B) through proper channels

C) with proper channels

D) no improvement

Given options should replace just the bold part of the sentence.

C is grammatically wrong. A is also wrong as it changes meaning here. (Changes channels  to channel). I am confused between option B and D. Do we need use here the article the or not ?


texts: What does "the circle of the stars" mean?

texts:
When I removed into the country, it was to occupy an old-fashioned
  farm-house, which had no piazza—a deficiency the more regretted,
  because not only did I like piazzas, as somehow combining the coziness
  of in-doors with the freedom of out-doors, and it is so pleasant to
  inspect your thermometer there, but the country round about was such a
  picture, that in berry time no boy climbs hill or crosses vale without
  coming upon easels planted in every nook, and sun-burnt painters
  painting there. A very paradise of painters. The circle of the stars
  cut by the circle of the mountains. At least, so looks it from the
  house; though, once upon the mountains, no circle of them can you see.
  Had the site been chosen five rods off, this charmed ring would not
  have been.

The Quote above is from Herman Melville's The Piazza, and I thought the expression was a bit perplexing. When I read circle of the stars I think of an empty circle formed by stars, but that's not what the author meant, so I would like to know if there's any figure of speech involved and what it's supposed to mean exactly.


texts: Because Lisa had been a gymnast , she knew the importance of exercise. (still a gymnast?)

texts:
Because Lisa had been a gymnast, she knew the importance of exercise.

Q: Is Lisa still a gymnast now?


texts:
Confusion strikes again, and now my question is about the grammar logic between these sentences.

Sometimes I see something like this.

  The presentation is revealed.

and sometimes I see something like this:

  The presentation was revealed.

Now, I know that both sentences are correct but the real thing that I want to know is which sentence is correct based on current situation I'm currently in and the grammar logic between the two.


texts: What would "waiting" and "for" be in in terms of parts of speech in this sentence?

texts:
So you have come? I have been anxiously waiting for you.

"Waiting" in this sentence will be a noun or a verb?
I believe it is a verb because it the person is doing something here i.e. waiting for the other person to come. Additionally, “anxiously” has come before it which is an adverb so I think waiting will also be a verb.
However, sentences like "years of waiting" are listed as a noun as per Google. This has confused me a little bit since in this sentence also, the person must be waiting for some time like maybe hours or this could even be days or months and so on.... So, could anyone specify why exactly it is not a noun here and is a verb here?
Also, please tell that what is "for" in terms of parts of speech here? Will it be considered a preposition or a conjunction here? It will be a preposition, right?


texts: What does "on numerous house-calls" mean?

texts:
What does on mean here?

Dr. Fischer had resisted accepting money from the poor woman on numerous house-calls.

Does it mean after?

Would you kindly paraphrase the sentence?


texts:
Is it true that in America people pronounce the double t as d?

Bottle as [bodl]?
Hotter as [hoder] with a short er?
Better as [beder] with a short er?


texts: What is "one play out in cars, kitchens etc.." here?

texts:
What does the phrase in bold mean?

  When Mr. Hampton looked into his rearview mirror he saw his daughter sending a text message on her cellphone. “Katie, you shouldn’t be texting all the time,” Mr. Hampton recalled telling her. “Your friends are there. It’s rude.” Katie rolled her eyes again. “But, Dad, we’re texting each other,” she replied. “I don’t want you to hear what I’m saying.” Mr. Hampton turned his attention back to the freeway. It’s a common scene these days, one playing out in cars, kitchens and bedrooms across the country.

Source: The New York Times


texts:
We distinguish in order to separate or keep things apart which might otherwise be   confounded.We discriminate with the further view of showing where in their differences  consist.
 Hence discrimination must always be nice, particular, and exact, dissecting, as it were the  things discriminated. distinction maybe exact or not, minute or tough, broad or nice.

I cannot really get what these explanations mean. Would anyone possibly show me their meaning, especially by some example?

Any help would be appreciated.


texts: "I personally favor in-person over online courses." or "I personally favor in-person courses over online."

texts:
Which of the following sentences is correct?
In fact, I'd like to know the position of adjectives and noun is correct or not. "in-person"  and "online" both are adjectives for "courses", now I'd like to know which arrangement of words in the following sentences is correct.

I personally favor in-person over online courses.
I personally favor in-person courses over online.


texts:
In Friends TV show series there's a conversation between Carol and Ross:
Carol: I cant speak for Emily but Susan is in a loving, commited relationship.
Ross: Carol, so were we.

I think Ross should have said : Carol, so we were.

Am I wrong? Why Ross said: so were we.


texts:
The sentence is

  Something in her tone reminded me of the other girl's "I think he killed a man," and had the effect of stimulating my curiosity. -
  "The Great Gatsby", F. Scott Fitzgerald

If I rewrite the sentence as "Her tone reminded me of the other ...", does it have the same meaning?


texts:
Source

  Now, it so happened that Maggie owned a horse which had been broken
  in but was still a bit wild.

Honestly, I have no idea about the meaning of break in. Maybe it stands for being almost domestic, but still a bit wild.

Didn't find anything useful in dictionaries.


texts: Dropped "when" in "Remember a time you ate an apple"

texts:
I am reading a sentence that seems weird to me:

  Remember a time you ate an apple.

In this sentence it seems to be missing a "when".

  Remember a time when you ate apple.

Can you tell me how the first one is correct?


texts:
Have I used the correctly as to refer a whole species?

Like the ant, the bee lives in a group. Its nest is called a hive that is made of wax.


texts: a word close to "loss" with less severity

texts:
I see the example sentences for the word "loss" here and there, and it sounds like that it is used mainly for referring to these two cases: In case that a great grief will follow up, like missing the opportunity to keep in contact with someone, or when someone passes away, and another case in which the topic is usually about money. I'm not sure if I'm right, but if I am, my question is that what word or phrase can substitute "loss" in cases that we're neither talking about a great damage, nor the topic is money. To shed some light on my question, I give an example:

  My parents warned me that I mustn't become friends with him or else I'd make a loss.

Here, as you see, my parents are concerned about the bad influence that I might fall under, and the destructive effects that this friendship can have on my future.
Assuming that I don't want to use the word "regret" do you think there's a phrase or phrasal-verb close to this meaning that I can use?


texts: What does "note" mean in "~ said in a note"?

texts:
https://www.apnews.com/0e6900537abf41348a48fc64c69085ae

  Brazil’s health ministry says deaths from dengue fever in the last six months have risen 163% from the same period last year.

  The ministry said in a note Monday that heavier rains and higher temperatures have been contributing factors. It added that dengue has cycles and that the numbers of cases were lower the past two years.

I looked up the dictionary but I'm not sure which definition fits the "note" here. Most of the definitions are related to written/printed texts, but then it doesn't make sense if one said "in a note", so I guess note here means something else.

Or does it mean "a brief comment or explanation" (definition 3-b)?


texts:
I've seen phrases like "in the dark" and "in darkness" in many examples so far:

"I turned off the light and lay in the dark."
"All the lights went out and we were left in the dark."

"His face was in darkness."
"The lamp suddenly went out leaving us in darkness."

But can I replace "in the darkness" with "in the dark" in the following sentence?

"He was sitting alone in the darkness" (I came across this sentence in OALD).


texts:
Kindly consider these two situations:

First:

  A. I'm hungry.
   B. You should eat something! There's a restaurant down the road.

Also this one:

  A: The streets are noisy. But just around the corner, you can find quiet places.

The previous situations contain those two expressions (down the road) & (around the corner), which mean (very near).

Generally speaking, could they be used interchangeably (Are they equally the same)?


texts: "On my father's belly is the best place to sleep."make sense?

texts:
I want to know if the sentence

  On my father's belly is the best place to sleep

makes sense.

Can preposition phrase On my father's belly be subject in the sentence?


texts: Can relative pronouns be omitted in some regions?

texts:
“I guess it was Cal asked Lee.” (Aron, born in California) . . .
  . . . “That’s a smell could raise me out of a concrete grave.”
  (Adam, born in Connecticut) (John Steinbeck, East of Eden)

In the ‘it is’ or ‘there is’ constructions, relative pronouns can be omitted, says my Korean grammar book. In this context, is the second sentence an example of regional dialect?


texts:
Which is right:

I would like to know when exactly the results will be posted.
I would like to know exactly when the results will be posted.
I would like to know when the results will be posted exactly.


texts: Tense for habit with unfinished time period

texts:
"I have watched TV twice a week this year."
And
"I have been watching TV twice a week this year."
What is the difference between the sentences above? Can they mean the same? Is either of them not correct?


texts: How to ask if someone will contact A instead of requesting that they actually contact A?

texts:
A man said me we should contact to A.
And I thought does he want to contact with A by himself?
So I asked :

  Will you contact with him?

I didn't want to say 'So can you contact?' I just want to say 'So you will gonna contact?'.

I mean... I didn't request him to contact A. Just I wanted to know whether he wanted to contact to A by himself or wanted me contacting to A.

I think 'will you' is not appropriate to use in this case. But also I think 'gonna' is not polite.

So in this case, what word should I use?


texts: Is there any difference between "one other" and 'another'?

texts:
I'm wondering if there is any difference between "one other" and 'another'.

E.g.

  There's one other person I'd like you to meet.
  There's another person I'd like you to meet.

I feel that "one other" might put more emphasis? Is there any difference indeed? Or they are completely interchangeable?


texts:
What is the difference between "in the lake" and "on the lake", meaning-wise? It seems that "in" and "on" are different in terms of denoting a watery surface.

But also, could "on the lake" mean something is there around the perimeter of a certain lake?


texts:
Well, I'm stuck on some sentence construction. So, which of the following pairs of sentences sounds better to you?

  I am writing in response to your advertisement on your website.
  Regarding your Network Manager opening in Southampton, I would like
  to apply for that position.
  I am writing in response to your advertisement on your website. I
  read about your need for a Network Manager in Southampton and I
  would like to apply for that position.

Thank you in advance for your help.


texts: Here, is 'for' optional? and 'so' is exactly the same as 'so that' and 'in such a way that'?

texts:
Here's a context.

  I ordered a product and it was delivered two days ago. But the design of the product was not what I had in mind. I asked for the restaurant's name to be printed larger than this and the restaurant's phone number was supposed to be written on the bottom, so customers could see it to make a reservation.

Q1. Here for is optional?

Q2. Here, so is the same meaning as so that, in such a way that and I can use whichever I want without changing meaning?


texts: Meaning of "its lead and place" in Kipling's Poem

texts:
THE SAILOR:
    I tell this tale, which is stricter true,         (25)
    Just by way of convincing you
    How very little, since things was made,
    Things have altered in the shipwright’s trade.

  In Blackwall Basin yesterday
    A China barque re-fitting lay;            (30)
    When a fat old man with snow-white hair
    Came up to watch us working there.

  Now there wasn’t a knot which the riggers knew
    But the old man made it---and better too;
    Nor there wasn’t a sheet, or a lift, or a brace,          (35)
    But the old man knew its lead and place.

This is a poem by Kipling.

I do not understand what the last line means.

  But the old man knew its lead and place.

What  does  it mean?

I am glad if some one kindly would teach me.


texts: What is the right past tense usage of a verb "Learn"?

texts:
I have a doubt for a long days.Today I got a chance to clear it.

What is the right Past tense usage of a verb "Learn"?

Is it Learnt or Learned?


texts: What's the difference between so, and because in this sentence?

texts:
We live near the sea because we like to go to the beach every day.

There's a mistake in this sentence, that I have to correct it, so my first try is  to go ==> going.   but, my friend told me that I was wrong, it should be because ==> so. So I don't know whether I'm right or my friend is right. What's the correct answer for this?


texts: can I use "although in most of .." or should I omit the in?

texts:
i the below use correct ?

  We can see that although in most of the times telling the truth is the best choice it's not always so.

or should i say

  we can see that although most of the times telling the truth is the best choice it's not always so."


texts: Could `pass` mean this "A pass something, say, a ball, to C, through B"?

texts:
section 5.3.1 of the book "Deep Learning with Python" by Francois Chollet says (coding comments)

  Pass data through convolutional base

please ignore the context, which is a piece of program language code, and does not affect the discussion here.

my understanding about the verb to pass is

  A pass passes something, say, a ball, to C, through B.

So, the coding comments could be

  A passes data to C, through convolutional base.

and I intend to discuss A and C with other developers.

the question is

is my understanding about pass right?


texts: Please explain the difference between 'on-the-job training' and 'on job training'

texts:
I know the phrase 'on- the- job training'. But, I am confused with the use 'on job training' in the following sentence. Please explain the difference between them.

  We have really turned our back on job training.


texts: Does the expression "a less number of ... than" is correct?

texts:
The number of applications that my new PC can execute at the same time
  is less than the number of applications that my old one can execute.

I revised the sentence above I created more simply as follows:

  My new PC can execute a less number of applications at the same time
  than my old one.

Could you advise me on whether the usage "a less number of ... than" is correct.


texts: Gerund vs infinitive: He lay in bed planning (to plan) the days to come

texts:
I'm confused about gerund and infinitive in this sentence. Please understand me.

  He lay in bed planning (to plan) the days to come.

In that sentence, planning is correct. But I think "to plan" is correct.

I'm waiting for your answer. Thanks


texts: I saw 'way back,' 'way up' 'way down' 'way out' kind of things. Then can I say 'road in,' 'door out' and so on?


texts: A neutral expression to understand that more cannot be done at a late stage?

texts:
I sent an informal inquiry about an open position in a certain field of research. The application deadline was rather soon (less than one week), so the response was essentially "please apply if you are interested but we cannot give other advice at this late stage".

How would I respond to this? Something like

  Indeed, the application period closes soon. Thank you for the quick reply!

or just

  Thank you for the quick reply!


texts:
Here is a bit of context.. I will be proactively emailing a few of our users asking if they are facing any issues using the application.

Which is more appropriate / gramatically correct phrase in this context?

  If you face any issue then let me know. OR Let me know if you face any
  issues.

Thanks in advance for all the answers.


texts: What is the difference between "might be" and "would be"?

texts:
To me both might and would appear to have similar meaning. E.g. consider the following sentences:.

  I think taking some rest after work would be good.
  I think taking some rest after work might be good.

The only difference I see is that would sounds more assuring than might. That is, in #1 speaker is more inclined to accept the fact that having some rest will be good, but in #2 speaker isn't sure about it. In #2 it is like 50/50, it can be good and it cannot be.

So, what is the difference between would and might?


texts:
Do normal native English speakers say The problem is/was due to the increased amount of traffic.?

In general, I would like to know if is/was due to is a common expression or there's a more natural one?


texts:
Why is there no definite article before loss and lack in examples 1 & 2, before people in 3 & 4, and before lands in 4?

I'm suffering from loss of blood.
New parents are suffering from lack of sleep.
I know people who have seen ghosts.
I'm so sorry for people who live in lands where there are no May flowers.

In these sentences loss, lack, people, and lands aren't referring to general concepts, they are specified – so why we don't see definite articles before them?


texts: Low-down vs lowdown as noun vs adjective

texts:
In an online CPE mock test I was given this question:

The princess's nanny's autobiography really gives the ____ on the life among the royals.

The correct answer was "low-down" which I did choose.

But I'm having a trouble understanding why an "adjective-spelled" word is used in place of a noun.

I might be wrong, but "low-down" is an adjective that means: mean or unfair whereas "lowdown" is the noun that means: relevant information.

Is there no difference between spelling this word with a hyphen or without one?


texts: Either most people or most of the people

texts:
Is the following sentence wrong

Most people are afraid of swine flu these days

I google it and it says most of the people should be used instead of most people. But I think most people is also correct because it refers to a majority of people


texts:
Is this correct if I say,

  I like everything else than winters.

instead of,

  I don't like winters.

if I want to exaggerate the dislike for winters.

I have read that "than" can be used after adjectives or adverbs but in this sentence there is a pronoun I think.


texts: "he said no to anything containing sugar" or "he said no to everything containing sugar"?

texts:
In short
  Sugar is the root of every disease
  So we should avoid it
  A man had cancer at the age of 45
  and he just said no to any thing
  containing sugar and carbonated
  drinks and now is aging 45 and never
  became ill in these 20 years and just
  got minor flue once.
  Moral
  We should quit sugar..

  *now is aging 75

I don't know which sounds more correct but I think the latter is the one to go with.


texts: Do the following sentences mean the same?

texts:
1) The sun has been shining all day.

2) The sun has shone all day.

I know that the two analogous statements:

1) We have been living in Brazil for ten years.

2) We have lived in Brazil for ten years.

have the same meaning that we lived in Brazil for 10 years and we are still living there.
So,the statements at the top ought to have identical meaning.


texts: In the sentence "I'm happy that you're happy."

texts:
I came across this line; "I'm happy that you're happy" in movie.

What does 'that' mean here?
Does 'that' in here have the same meaning as 'when'?

I in no way thought that 'that' would address this kind of meaning.


texts: Modern substitutes for saving your (presence / reverence)

texts:
Edited:
I wonder in modern English what we can say prior to uttering something that might sound offensive or disapproving to the person/people you're talking to?

I know two phrases:

  Saving your presence, .... [continue of speech]
  Saving your reverence, .... [continue of speech]

As far as I am concerned, they both mean "with all due respect" or "no offense intended" or "pardon the expression." They are a placatory and deferential expressions and are very, very old-fashioned.

Can we say:

  You are excepted.

Or

  The present company excepted.

I wonder what would a polite person say in both formal / informal situations?


texts:
I wrote this sentence

  Then the extracted content is refined by adding or removing the node content to or from it.

I used "to or from" in respect with "adding or removing", is it correct? Are there other methods? Should I always obey the rule or sometimes I can just mention one preposition, the last one for example:

    Then the extracted content is refined by adding or removing the node content from it.


texts:
Can I use "This way" to say my intention from the previous sentence? Are there other ways to do that?

  In particular, we employ the textual delimiters and semantic cues within a web page to locate the data of interest. This way, we try to simulate the way a human user scans a web page top-down or bottom-up to find a specific data in the page.

As for the Tags of this question, I don't know what such words called (the words to relate two sentence, like: however, in other words, as a result....)


texts: What is the word for the concept of present, past and future?

texts:
I like this explanation from Wikipedia:

  Thus tense refers to temporally when while aspect refers to temporally how.
  (Wikipedia | Grammatical Aspect | Modern Usage)

But normally dictionaries say tense is 'forms' as:

  tense (grammar) any of the forms of a verb that may be used to show the time of the action or state expressed by the verb
  (Learner's OED)

If it's about forms, then how do you call the concept of the present, past, and future, itself?


texts:
I am seven times as old as your were when I was old as you are.

  I was as good as you are.

  I will go as well as him.

  I was eight times as good as you are.

  go as fast as you can.

Except for the 3rd, I wonder why the as is required in these kinds of sentence or sentences. Why can't I say, I was good as you are. How is the as acting actually?

Reconstructions:In the first, the as can be replaced by in and in the third, I was good like you are.


texts:
I'm trying to come up with a proper verb that fits in the following sentence

  The suggested solution to protect the store is to stream video the place live.

My question is Is "stream video" actually a verb? I know it is possible to rewrite the sentence or one can use surveillance camera as an alternative but I'm looking for a verb rather than paraphrasing the whole sentence.


texts: (The|A) stor(y|ies) about James and Susie?

texts:
This question may seem too basic, but after reading through 3 grammar and usage guides, I still can't find the sufficient information on this distinction.
Consider these phrases with their different uses of articles.
The question is simple: how do I interpret them differently and correctly?

(1) the story about James and Susie.

I know this can mean 1., but what about 2. ?

One particular story about James and Susie (not just any story about them)
A story about James and Susie (not just any story out there)

(2) a story about James and Susie

Is this one OK? If meaning 2. above is OK, how does this one differ from (1) in the same sense?

(3) the stories about James and Susie
(4) stories about James and Susie

Could (3) and (4) both mean all the stories about the two or only (4) can do so?


texts: Correct Sentence construction for Wh Question

texts:
Is the Asking questions in below format is correct?

a) Where you brought all these vegetables from?


texts: "regardless of your belief" vs "regardless of what you believe in"

texts:
I wonder if these two phrases are the same in terms of meaning:

"regardless of your belief" and "regardless of what you believe in"

  Regardless of your belief, you have heard or asked this question or questions like this and of course you have not reached a conclusion!

  Regardless of what you believe in, you have heard or asked this question or questions like this and of course you have not reached a conclusion!

By the way, does the following sounds normal?

  "regardless of your any kind of belief"


texts: I would be thankful if you + did/do/could do?

texts:
There are three structures that I remember but can't say if they are correct or say the differences.
I would be thankful if you could tell me!

  I would be very thankful if you spend your time on this.
  I would be very thankful if you spent your time on this.
  I would be very thankful if you could/would spend your time on this.


texts: Is it "have always overcame" or "overcame"?

texts:
I was wondering when should I use "have always overcame" and "overcame." What is the difference between the two?

Which one of the following two is correct:

  Hard work overcame the difficulties, and the business expanded.

  Hard work have always overcame the difficulties, and the business expanded.

The context is in an autobiography discussing how the author has become one of the most successful men.


texts:
According to Cambridge dictionary
We don't use lately for single events that happened recently

I had a strange experience lately. (wrong)

But in my grammar I found a sentence

I had a letter from him lately. (if my grammar book is right)

(nothing else is given about this sentence it is just an example)


texts: Why do we say "I have been sick since yesterday." and not "I have gotten sick since yesterday."?


texts: How to analyze this sentence - "I have to wait for I don't know how long."

texts:
I know the following sentence is correct:

I have to wait for I don't know how long.

If we shift "for long" part like this (see #2), it will be incorrect. Right?

I have to wait for how long I don't know.

I think that sentence #2 is incorrect.
While analyzing the correctness of sentence #1, it's said that its constituents are moved out of their natural position. And when they are placed in their natural positions, the sentence will look like the following:

I don't know how long I have to wait for.

So far it's good. But I have always known that when constituents are moved they are moved entirely, not in part. For example consider the following sentence:

He must play the match.

"He" is the NP, Auxiliary verb is "must", and VP is "play the match". So if we move the VP to the head of the sentence, we have to move entirely, like sentence #5, not like sentence #6:

Play the match, he must.

* Play, he must the match. (INCORRECT)

QUESTIONS:

A. How sentence #1 is correct?

B. If sentence #2 is incorrect?

C. If sentence #1 is the modified form of sentence #3, how to analyze it? How the constituents of sentence #3 is moved? When I analyze it myself I see not the entire constituents are moved, rather a part of it is moved. So got confused.


texts:
I understand what these two words mean. However, when I construct a sentence using these two, I become confused what my sentence actually means.
In particular,

I am restricted to the basement area. (Does it mean I should only be at the basement area or I am not allowed to go there?)

People always work overtime, limiting them to take part in leisure activities. (Did I express clearly what I want to say? I think it means "they are only allowed to take part in leisure activities)

People always work overtime, limiting their time to take part in leisure activities (I think this is correct)


texts: Difference between "in search of" and "in search for"

texts:
I am in search of cheap labour.
I am in search for cheap labour.

how do you know which preposition to use?
is it collocation?


texts: What is the correct order in the phrase " If I just could get...." or " If I could just get..."?

texts:
I want to know the correct order of the words just and could in phrases like

  If I just could get without any trouble I would appreciate it

or

  If I could just get ...

Which part of grammar deals with these stuffs?


texts: It depends on the rule(s) you "broke" vs. "are breaking"

texts:
I guy just joined a company, he asks one of his colleges:

  Question: "Is our boss lenient or strict?"

  Answer: "It depends on the rule(s) you broke. If you're just being late at work, it doesn't matter at all. If you fail the contract with our VIP, you better find a new job."

Should I use "are breaking" or "broke" here?


texts: A movement up and down when hovering over the ground (slight and significant)

texts:
What do we call the movement when a hovering object slightly changes it's horizontal position all the time (because the airflow value changes or the power to engines changes)?

I mean imaging a helicopter that has two turbines on its sides (hovercopter). It lifts when the turbines work fast and dips when they work slower. But the turbine power isn't constant so there is always a slight change in the rotary motion.

What if the movement changes significantly. For instance when such a hovercopter travels along an uneven plane? When there's a rise it lifts by an almost exactly the same height as the rise itself. When there's a deepening or a hole it dips by an almost exactly the same depth as the deepening or hole. Would this action have a different name or would it be the same as for a slight change?


texts: explain the grammar of "have had to" in the sentence

texts:
here is the sentence

"We've had to order a part that's only made overseas and it will take few days to get here"

but why not just "we've ordered a part......"

Does it mean the obligation has already been done?


texts:
It's your brother's MR. T PUPPET, which of course is kept in the apartment with a sense of profound humorous irony. But as usual with your BRO's exploits, this is no ordinary irony, or anything close to a pedestrian TIER 1 IRONIC GESTURE which is a meager single step removed from sincerity. This is like ten levels of irony removed from the original joke. It might have been funny like eight years ago to joke about Mr. T and how he was sort of lame, but that was the very thing that made him awesome and badass, and that his awesomeness was also sort of the joke. But in this case, the joke is the joke, and that degree of irony itself is ALSO the joke, and so on.

The first line is easy to understand; after that, I can't make a head or tail out of it.

Source: http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002348.


texts: Can 'phase' be used where the number of "stages" is unlimited?

texts:
Can the word "phase" be used instead of "stage"? It seems for me that "phase" means one of a limited set of phases, but in my case the number of stages is not limited (may be any natural number).

  At any stage a computer program is run.

Can instead be said:

  At any phase a computer program is run

?


texts: Meaning of "on the other end of the spectrum"

texts:
I have come across this phrase a lot and upon searching it, I did not find any definition of it in any online free dictionary I consulted. Does it mean "on the other hand"?

Example: On the other end of the spectrum, in Switzerland, characterised by Yates as taking an active approach to the treatment of [...]  (From Linguee)

Another example: As rapporteur, I have consulted widely on this issue and examined every option from one end of the spectrum to the other. (From Linguee)

Can anyone tell me what it means?


texts: Naming a bonus in a betting game creator

texts:
What can I name the bonus that a betting game creator extra adds to the total stakes from his/her credits?

On this gaming website, a member can create a game with options for other members to place stakes on, and if the game creator wants to attract more players, he/she can add extra credits to total stakes in the game by deducting his/her credits in his/her account balance, so that winner(s) will get more credits after the game ends. How to name this bonus?

Because there are other bonuses on this website, e.g. Referral Bonus, thus I would like to name the bonus provided by a creator to distinguish different bonuses.

For examples:

  Referral Bonus: When a member builds a new active downline member.
  Recommendation Bonus: Share a link with your code to a betting game on this website to recommend people bet and attract more credits
  placed from people than other recommenders.
  Raise Bonus(?): A betting game creator adds extra credits to the total stakes from his/her credits balance so that total stakes will be higher and attract players.

What can I name the bonus that a betting game creator (dealer) extra add to the total stakes from his/her credits? Raise Bonus?


texts:
I have to write a CV in english for an application for a Master's degree programme. I want to write "Emphasis: pure Mathematics". How shall I write "pure Mathematics"? Like this, or "Pure Mathematics"?

How do I write Mathematics in a running text? Always with capital M? And am I enrolled in the Bachelor's programme mathematics oder Mathematics? Is it B.Sc. Mathematics or B.Sc. mathematics?

Thanks in advance :)


texts: What does "take a nap between the snoozing lion and lamb" means?

texts:
This phrase is from the below paragraph in the book Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert M. Sapolsky.

  The book has a number of personal roots. One is that, having had
  blessedly little personal exposure to violence in my life, the entire
  phenomenon scares the crap out of me. I think like an academic
  egghead, believing that if I write enough paragraphs about a scary
  subject, give enough lectures about it, it will give up and go away
  quietly. And if everyone took enough classes about the biology of
  violence and studied hard, we’d all be able to take a nap between
  the snoozing lion and lamb. Such is the delusional sense of efficacy
  of a professor.


texts: "Agree with the writer", but "Agree to/with this answer"?

texts:
If a someone wrote an answer to a question asked by someone else, and you found the answer given matches your opinion on the points discussed. However, there are little things you do not find right to you.

You don't want to say I disagree with the writer on these points or I almost agree with the author. What you want is to focus on the answer objectively and do not mention the writer.

I know you can say I agree with someone, but I wonder if I agree with/to this answer.


texts: Meaning of "for stem cell interventions"

texts:
"The U.S. direct-to-consumer marketplace for stem cell interventions has been out of control, with hundreds of so-called clinics proliferating across the country," he said.Washington Post

What does "for stem cell interventions" mean here?

I know the direct-to-consumer marketplace, but I am not sure what is "stem cell interventions" here.

When I looked for intervention, longman said:

  the act of becoming involved in an argument, fight, or other difficult situation in order to change what happens Longman

But still I do not get it, especially "for". What does it mean?


texts:
"Roll down the window"

  "Pull down the window"

What word to be used for turn the window up or down as the car windows are controlled by switches?


texts:
Is "Perfect at" a viable expression? As in is it grammatically sound/idiomatic to say something like:

  I am perfect at Maths.

In the same way you'd say someone is very good at it?

I have been using this construction for as long as I can remember, so it has reached a point where it just rolls off my tongue. However, I was surprised when I couldn't find any examples of its usage in dictionaries. If it's not what native-speakers would say, then how can you rephrase it so that it retains the same meaning. Many thanks


texts: Difference between "which are you" and "which you are"

texts:
What is the difference between these two sentences?

  Which bike are you using?
  Which bike you are using?


texts: What is the Difference between will resume and will be resumed?

texts:
Are these two sentences grammatically correct and does the meaning is same?

Here are the two sentences using will resume and will be resumed.
What is correct here? Also, is it true that will should always be followed by be?

  1) Or it was like I can come to New Zealand on family visitor visa again so that after completing 1 month 2 weeks, my residential visa application process will  be resumed.

  2) Or it was like I can come to NZ on family visitor visa again so that after completing 1 month 2 weeks, my residential visa application process will resume.


texts:
I know that the standard construction with "this is the first time" is the Present Perfect.

  1) This is the first time I have driven a car.

But what if the action is still in progress and I am still driving talking on the mobile phone? Is it correct to use "the Present Perfect Continuous"?

  2) This is the first time I have been driving a car.

Or maybe there might be some other examples where the Present Perfect Continuous would fit it.


texts: There is no rain "in the street" or "on the street"?

texts:
When talking about raining outside in / on the street. Which preposition should I use, in or on?

  There is no rain in the street. (meaning that it is not rainy now in the street)

or

  There is no rain on the street. (meaning that it is not rainy now on the street)


texts: Why not use "from" to replace "with" in the sentence"He suffers terribly with his feet."?

texts:
He suffers terribly with his feet.

Why not use the preposition "from"?

What is the meaning of "with" here?


texts:
We'll be late!
We'll late!

You'll be so tired in the morning.
You'll so tired in the morning.

It will be very pleasant for you.
It will  very pleasant for you.
I'll be all right.
I'll all right.

To what is be pointing, in the above sentences?
Are those sentences correct without be?
adding 4 sentences which doesn't contain will.

You're not big enough to be a soldier
How's it feel to be four, Meggie?
He was supposed to be at the forge all day.
I was brought up from my cradle to be a priest

To what is be pointing, in the above sentences?


texts: Use "it" to describe something in a general tone

texts:
I am not a native speaker of English. I wonder whether using "it" to talk about something in a general tone is weird. In the example down below I use "it" to talk about "a tiger", not any specific tiger. I don't know if it is correct or not. Maybe it is grammatically correct but sounds weird.

For example:

  Kid: What is a tiger?

  Me: A tiger is a large animal that feeds by hunting other animals. It is ferocious and smart..........


texts: Why is there no agent in these present perfect passive sentences?

texts:
Which tense has been used in below sentences?
Is it Present Perfect (Passive) Tense? If so, then why is there no agent?

Below activities are not done by someone. Activities have happened in the past and have present impact.

  At least two hydropower stations have been flooded at the site, forcing them to shut down.
  The water level in my city has increased up to 10 feet, due to heavy rain.
  My father has been injured in a car accident.
  Villages around the area have been cut off from the outside world, because there is no electricity.


texts: What is the meaning of "-er-" in sentence?

texts:
I am reading a book in which I see this fragment:

  . . . but he has —er— ideas what ideas . . .

What is the meaning of —er— in this sentence?

And what is the — that appears before and after some of those words?


texts: The sentence in bold seems unclear to me

texts:
In these books written to edify and instruct American boys, success was the goal to strive for, and success was to be measured by rising above the station one was born into, or, to put it more baldly, by doing better than one's father. If your father was a butcher, you should own the meat market; if he sold shoes, you should manufacture them. The trouble was that this process of outdoing one's forebear, generation after generation, was simply imposible. Only in a society of consistently rising expectations, like that of nineteenth-century America, could it have taken hold as  an ideal to be sought, and only in a  society determinded to cling to outmoded values could it have continued to exert its power in the following century.

I don' t understand the meaning of this sentence clearly and I don't know why this sentense is begun with "only".

Dose it mean that in these society this kind of way of thinking gradually effects and in a society of consistently rising expectation it show its effect soon?

Correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks in advance.


texts: "A, B or C" or "A, B, or C" or "A or B or C"

texts:
"A, B or C"
"A, B, or C"
"A or B or C"

When there are three options: 1, 2, 3, where A, B, C are nouns or noun phrases,
I'm wondering which is the best writing style.


texts: Relancer un client (recontact a customer about a quote for which no anwer was received)

texts:
In January, companyA asked companyB for a quote (request for proposal).
In February, companyB sent the proposal to companyA.
In March, no news.
In April, companyB recontacts companyA to find out what has happened with the quote, and whether it is a lost case, or just taking time.

How do you call step 4 in English?

In French, the verb would be "relancer le client".


texts: The structure of the sentence is strange, but it has been written in the book

texts:
In this book, by "the state" we mean whatever information is available to the agent.

Hmm....... I've never learned about this sentence structure.
Is the above sentence equivalent to the following sentence?

In this book, "the state" means any information available to the agent.


texts: "In", "of", and "to" are prepositions that can follow change, but how do they differ in use?

texts:
I have a vague idea of how the three prepositions should be used after the word "change", but I cannot extrapolate a rule regarding their usages.

For example, I can write sentences like the following ones:

  I had a change of heart.
  There was an apparent change in her attitude.
  He turned on the air conditioning, which caused a significant change
  to the room temperature.

However, I am quite clueless as to whether the three prepositions are interchangeable in most cases. What is the "rule", if there is any, that makes "in" appropriate and "of" inappropriate in certain contexts?

For example, why a change of government, but not a change in/to government? Why a change in the weather, but not a change of/to the weather? Why a change in the patient's condition but not a change of the patient's condition?

I was hoping that perhaps you can help me untangle this puzzle. Many thanks.


texts:
I know the difference between everybody and everybody else, but can sometimes everybody implies everybody else?

For example

  She didn't know what she said was a faux pas until everybody else stopped talking and looked at her strangely.

Can I say everybody only to imply everybody else in above sentence?
Is it understandable but strange, or is it just fine and normal, or totally unacceptable?

BTW, in my native language, it's perfectly fine just to say "everybody" to me.


texts:
PERJURY. -- Perhaps, now that Mr. Mark Twain is before the people as a candidate for Governor, he will condescend to explain how he came to be convicted of perjury by thirty-four witnesses, in Wakawak, Cochin China, in 1863, the intent of which perjury was to rob a poor native widow and her helpless family of a meagre plantain patch, their only stay and support in their bereavement and their desolation. Mr. Twain owes it to himself, as well as to the great people whose suffrages he asks, to clear this matter up. Will he do it?

Source: http://twainquotes.com/Galaxy/187012c.html

I am a little bit trapped in the passage in bold in the excerpt above. Is this a relative clause where the "intent" is connectet to "perjury"? If so, why the word "perjury" occurs in the subordinate clause? Why not just "…the intent of which was to rob…"?


texts: Never in the present perfect and the past perfect

texts:
After another grammar repetition, I started thinking about adverb 'never' in the present participle and past participle.
The rules say that using 'never' in the tenses is possible, but what is the difference in meaning? For example:

  He has never visited this museum.

And

  He had never visited this museum.

Doesn't the perfect tense mean that the action is completed before saying?


texts:
-- Shall we go for a vacation?
-- Let's __ a time for it.
A. make B. find C. get D. fix

I narrow the answers down to "make" or "find", and I prefer "find", but there is "make an appointment". What do you think?
I also wonder if "time" can be used as a countable noun? I thought it was always uncountable. I would have said "let's find some time for it" instead. What would you think?
Thank!


texts: "If you weren't guilty, you wouldn't have gone on the run." or "If you had not been guilty, you wouldn't have gone on the run."

texts:
If you weren't guilty, you wouldn't have gone on the run.

When I first read this sentence, I thought that it should have been written like the below one.

If you hadn't been guilty, you wouldn't have gone on the run.

This is because my understanding about the sentence structure of past unreal condition is like:

If ... past perfect ..., ... would have + past participle ...

If the two sentences are not interchangeable, then would you explain how different they are?
p.s.
I have noticed a similar question raised at "If they were Vs If They had been", but it doesn't answer my question, so I put my own post this time.


texts: Making a comparison using "like" or "as"

texts:
I don't make wrong decisions, like Mary.
  Like Mary, I don't make wrong decisions.

When we are comparing A and B, Is there is a difference between using Like before and after a negative clause?


texts: An idiom describing a young adult moving out of parents' house

texts: Is there any idiom in English likening a person reaching adulthood and moving out of his/her parents' house to a bird leaving the nest made by its parent birds? If not, what idiom in English would commonly describe a young adult moving out of his/her childhood house (the house where he/she was born and grew up)?


texts: Difference between "I know where I stand" and "I know my place" and their interchangeability

texts:
I shouldn't have talked back to him. I know where I stand.

I shouldn't have talked back to him. I know my place.

What's difference between the two sentences and the difference between I know where I stand and I know my place? In contexts like this, are they interchangeable?


texts: How to parse this sentence? "Prices then gave way to concern driving activity will be reduced for days to come."

texts:
I am having a hard time parsing this sentence from a Longman Dictionary page:

  Prices then gave way to concern driving activity will be reduced for days to come.

It seems a run-on sentence. Is the subject of the sentence "prices"? Then the verb is "gave way to"? What is the sentence's object then?


texts: What does 'interior' mean in "restrained, closed, interior face"?

texts:
Taken from City of Bones book:

  He bore little resemblance to the handsome boy in the photograph, though his eyes
  were still black. His face was not what she had expected: It was a restrained, closed, interior face,
  the face of a priest, with sorrowful eyes.

I've looked up it's meaning in several places, though, found nothing regarding features or face expression. Does it bear the same meaning as closed and restrained : not showing emotions? I also wonder if it's a metaphor and not how interior is normally used.


texts: "This book and this pen" or "This book and pen"?

texts:
How do we use the determiner "this" if we want to identify more than one thing close at hand?
Should the determiner be used for both nouns or just with the first one? For example

  This waterfall and fountain are among considerable features of the park

Or should "this" precede both "waterfall" and "fountain"?


texts:
I am study English now and all this present perfect/perfect progressive thing just blows my mind. Here's the situation:

"She's been in London for five days".

I can't understand from this sentence, is she in London now? Or does it mean that she's been in London sometime in her life (but only for five days)? How can I distinct those two meanings and how to say them properly? Is it about "been in/been to"?

Thank you for answering.


texts: shall I put "will" in these two following sentences?

texts:
Shall I put "will" in these two following sentences?

Students who (will) graduate tomorrow will work in the factory three years later.

Police should make sure if there is(will be) terrorists tomorrow.

Thanks so much!


texts:
There a customer can order dishes that he would not be able to enjoy had the restaurant not established a menu on the basis of recipes, ingredients, and practice in preparation.

Could anyone tell me what does the sentence in the box mean?
Is it grammatically correct?

Source:


texts:
He treated me with the/a bitterness with which some old prisoners treat the new ones.

What to use in this sentence?


texts: difference between call a taxi and hail a taxi

texts: I used to think 'call a taxi' means calling a taxi using phone or cell phone app. On the other hand, on the street, it seems I have to hail a taxi than call a taxi. Is this suitable usage?


texts:
I heard this line in a film's audio description:

  There are numerous photos of Tris on his bedroom wall, including a cut-it-up 1940s poster featuring both Nick and Tris with the slogan "homies forever".

Google search results don't seem to suggest "cut-it-up" poster is a thing. The poster in the film is an ordinary poster with a photo of Nick and Tris embedded in a wall background, like the ones found in Google Images. The closest description I would use is cutout.

I am not sure if I heard it wrong. I am putting a recording clyp here for context.


texts:
The country that will end up destroying itself is the U.S..

The country that will end up destroying itself is the U.S.

Does it take an extra dot at the end or not?


texts: What's the meaning of "should" in this context?

texts:
This is the 3rd verse in Ben E. King's song Stand by me:

  If the sky that we look upon
  Should tumble and fall
  Or the mountains should crumble to the sea
  I won't cry, I won't cry
  No, I won't shed a tear
  Just as long as you stand, stand by me

In the 2nd, and 3rd line, what does the usage of should mean?

Does it mean "If the sky that we look upon, are supposed to tumble and fall" "Or the mountains are supposed to crumble to the sea"?


texts:
Time: 2 P.M.

Location: Hilton Hotel

Date: April 7th

Weekday: Sunday

What is the correct grammar?

See you 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 7th, at the Hilton Hotel.

See you on Sunday, April 7th, at 2 p.m. at the Hilton Hotel.


texts: we look forward (for / to) your presence

texts:
Which one is the correct sentence in the below?

We look forward your presence with hope and great happiness in the joyous event of our marriage

We look forward to your presence with hope and great happiness in the joyous event of our marriage

We look forward for your presence with hope and great happiness in the joyous event of our marriage


texts: What word should be used to describe a FREE TRIP?

texts:
Does 'FREE TRIP' make you think a trip that you don't have to pay or an unscheduled trip wherever and whenever you want to go?

Is there a more exact expression that describe a FREE TRIP without the meaning of non-pay trip?


texts: How to say you "better than someone at doing something?"

texts:
How can I describe one person who is better than someone else at doing something?

I'm talking about difference in skill level, I guess. For example, two people do the same activity, but not necessary at the same time.

I don't know in English but in my native language, beat someone at doing something is a way of saying "much much better at that than someone".

Please give me some examples with different verbs.


texts: Tenses agreement when construction hypothetical sentences

texts:
If I bought that book, it would be so I had something to give to you on your birthday.

Is the above sentence grammatically correct? Or would "have" be a better option than "had"?

I asked the same question before,and got pretty satisfying answers,but it still didn't clear my doubt as to whether it is okay to use the sentence,or not.
So,is it?
Would it be grammatically correct i kept that entire sentence to the past?

And your help will be greatly appreciated.


texts:
Difference between "much, many, a lot of and lots of"

What is the difference between them?

Are they synonyms or not?


texts:
What is the most correct way to say:
1 there are other job positions -
2 there are others job positions -
3 there are others jobs positions -
4 there are other jobs positions -
5 there are others jobs positions -
?


texts: the meaning of 'faintly' in 'a faintly comical figure'

texts:
I've come across this sentence in the entry for comical in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

He is a faintly comical figure who fears being made fun of.

Is faintly in the sentence positive or negative? In other words, does it mean he is a little comical or barely comical(not comical at all)?
Thank you.


texts: Countable/Uncountable Nouns (Use of "some")

texts:
My grammar book says I can say "I've seen some good movies" but couldn't say "I've seen good movies".

What is wrong with second sentence?


texts: What does "ongoing" mean in "There is an ongoing investigation"?

texts:
What does "ongoing" intends to say? Is it just something that is "in course"?. For example: There is an ongoing investigation.

Is it ongoing because the investigation is happening in this moment? or is it also related to the frequency of the action?


texts: Recognition 'for' or 'of' in the context of 'Certificate of Appreciation'?

texts:
I'm writing text for a certificate. I see both the examples. Which one is proper? Also, is the other one incorrect?
Example of "recognition for valued participation"

Example of "recognition of valued participation"

This is what I'm writing
Certificate of Appreciation
presented to
Mr. X
in recognition for/of delivering exceptional performance for the year 2014/15

Certificate of Appreciation
presented to
Mr. X
as the
BEST SPORTSPERSON
in recognition for/of being the most active and versatile performer in sports

Or it is something like recognition for followed by a NOUN and recognition of for to be verb or some verb.


texts:
I am learning English with Duolingo.

One example sentence is:

  The forks are on the plates.

Another one is:

  I have her fork in my plate.

What's the difference between "in the plate" and "on the plate"?


texts: Is it correct to say "On vacation till forever"?

texts:
Is it correct to say

  "On vacation till forever"

or should it be the following?

  "on vacation forever"


texts: How to understand the following context?

texts:
I found a sentence: "The children had smeared peanut butter all over the sofa.".
Does "all" in the sentence mean all the sofa or all the butter?


texts: How to change an interorgative sentence from active to passive

texts:
Are you going to sell the book?

I change it as follows :

  Is the book going to be sold

My friends said it's not the correct answer
Please help


texts: What is the difference between "become sensitized" and "become sensitive" in the enclosed text?

texts:
I wonder what the difference between "become sensitized" and "become sensitive" in this context?

With time to appraise the ostracism episode, individuals become differentially sensitized based on (i) the specific needs that are thwarted, (ii) their own individual differences, and (iii) their assessment of who ostracizes and why.

Why is not just "become differentially sensitive"?
Here is the whole paragraph if it helps to understand it better:

To be ostracized is to be ignored and excluded. How does ostracism affect individuals? Considerable research has now shown that the initial (reflexive) reactions to even the most minimal forms of ostracism are painful and distressing. Fundamental needs of belonging, self-esteem, control, and meaningful existence are thwarted; sadness and anger increase. These effects emerge despite individual differences or situational factors that should lead logically to easy dismissal. With time to appraise the ostracism episode, individuals become differentially sensitized based on (i) the specific needs that are thwarted, (ii) their own individual differences, and (iii) their assessment of who ostracizes and why. These differences lead to need-restorative behaviors that range from being overly socially attentive and susceptible to influence to being aggressive and antisocial.


texts: Meaning of the words "lay at the outer fringe of"

texts:
Please read the context below:

the claimant was the owner of a bridge damaged when it was hit by a
lorry due to the defendant’s negligent driving. The claimant, Network
Rail, was obliged to compensate train operating companies who were
unable to operate a service until the bridge was repaired, and sought
to recover this cost from the defendant. This was recoverable but lay
at the outer fringe of recoverability.

Would you please let me know (1) what the words "lay at the outer fringe of recoverability" mean in this particular context and (2) what the words "at the outer fringe of [something]" mean in general?
Many thanks.


texts:
I'm writing my essay about corruption and I've come to a sentence into which I'd like to put an adverb, but I'm not sure about its place.

  Corruption also can relate to unjustly gaining advantage over other people...

Should I place it before the verb and after to as in Split Infinitive?

...or should I choose the following sentence?

  Corruption also can relate to gaining unjustly (?) advantage unjustly (?) over other people...

...or should I use the adjectival form of the adverb as here:

  Corruption also can relate to gaining unjust advantage over other people...

Thanks in advance.


texts:
I am going to a business trip and my boss wrote an email saying

  Hope you are doing well.

What does that mean? And how to reply?


texts: Can you say "I dare say yes" when someone asks you a question?

texts:
When someone asks you a question that requires a yes or no answer, Is it grammatically correct to say:

I dare say yes?


texts:
Do these sentences sound natural and likely:

  I'll never give you a chance to complain.

  I'll never give you a reason to complain.

Do these sound fine?


texts:
What is the difference among the following three sentences?

  Both Apple and Google must remove the app.Apple and Google both
  must remove the app. Apple and Google must both remove the
  app.

To me the third sentence seems a bit strange because it does not satisfy any grammar rule.


texts: Difference between "difficult to believe that the situation {would/will} return to normal"

texts:
While reading a newspaper, I found this sentence

Even if an argument is put forward that many of today's excesses do not reflect long term reality, It is difficult to believe that the situation would return to the previous normal.  (source)

I learnt that would is used in hypothetical sentences. What is the hypothetical situation here?? What happens if we use will instead of would here??
For example:

Even if an argument is put forward that many of today's excesses do not reflect long term reality, It is difficult to believe that the situation will return to the previous normal.

So what is the difference between these two sentences???


texts: meaning of "concentrate" in one sentence

texts:
I got a trouble in understand this sentence

On short time scales, clustered cage jumps concentrate most of the nonaffine displacements.

In my opinion, this sentence means clustered cage jumps constitutes most of the nonaffine displacements on short time scales.
I know concentrate means to gather, to focus, to make purer. But I can't find one explanation to match the above sentence. I wonder if I misunderstood the meaning of this sentence.


texts: What's the meaning of "within x of something"?

texts:
What's the meaning of " A is 2 hours within of B " ?
Is it correct? "A-B=2 hours or B-A=2 hours" .
Assume A: my estimate distance from home to the bus station and B: the actual distance from my home to the bus station


texts: Meaning of noun and verb with and without 'that' in between

texts:
"Lips that touch mine"
vs
"Lips touch mine"

The first one is a book title. I'm wondering what's the differences between the 2 sentences. 'that' seems to me that it emphasizes the word 'touch'. Is that true? Are there any other differences in meaning?
Would it be the same if there wasn't 'mine'?

Many thanks


texts:
I wrote this sentence

  Suppose that a user wants to eliminate the navigation links from the page sidebar. She may employ the link density feature in a rule to distinguish this part. (BUT ?) When this rule is applied to the page, all such elements will be (are?) removed, regardless of their location in the page, even if they are inside the main content.

I feel if I use but I can make a contrast between two succeeding sentences. as something surprising happened. Is it natural?


texts:
Sorry for asking such a question... When a limit represent max number of an object, for instance, max number of domains, subdomains...

We say:

Domain limit
Subdomain limit

or

Domains limit
Subdomains limit


texts:
Which one do you think is appropriately stated? Or which one sounds better?

  Speed up customer service, while you grow your restaurant.
  Speed up customer service, while growing your restaurant.


texts: What does "he’s looking between Charlie and Jules" mean here?

texts:
I would like to know what "he’s looking between Charlie and Jules" means in the following sentences:

‘So Charlie boy,’ Johnno says, ‘tell us. How did you two first meet?’
I think at first he means Charlie and I. Then I realise
he’s looking between Charlie and Jules. Right.
‘A millions years ago . . .’ Jules says. She and Charlie raise their
eyebrows at each other in perfect unison.
‘I taught her to sail,’ Charlie says. ‘I lived in Cornwall. It was my
summer job.’

Lucy Foley, The Guest List, Chapter 12

This is a thriller novel published in 2020 in the United Kingdom. One hundred and fifty guests would be gathering at some remote and deserted fictional islet called Inis an Amplóra off the coast of the island of Ireland to celebrate the wedding between Jules (a self-made woman running an online magazine called The Download) and Will (a celebrity appearing in a TV show program called Survive the Night). The day before the actual wedding day, Hannah, the wife of Charlie (Jules' friend), arrived at the island and is now at the dinner party for the rehearsal dinner with only some selected guests. And during the party, Johnno, Will's friend, asks Charlie and Jules as to how they came to meet each other in the first place. At first, Hannah thinks the question is directed to Charlie and herself, but soon realizes that it is for Jules and Charlie.
In this part, I wonder what "between" means in particular.
Does it mean that Johnno really saw the air between Jules and Charlie, or shall I say, looked towards the direction where the two were standing?
Or perhaps that, Johnno saw Jules, and then Charlie, in an alternating way? (These are just my guesses.)


texts:
It is such a good place ____ everyone wants to visit ___ it is well-known
  all over the world.

  A. which; that　　　B. as; as

  C. as; that　　　　D. that; which

It seems that "place which" is supposed to connect "is." So, the only choice I can choose is D. However, I think none of them is correct. How do you think about it?


texts:
A wettable surface may be termed hydrophilic, and non-wettable surface may be termed hydrophobic. Can I rewrite this sentence in the following way?

  A wettable surface may be termed hydrophilic, and a non-wettable surface hydrophobic.

Is the above sentence right? I have another query about the usage of as in the above sentence. If I introduce an as in the above sentence, please tell me what will happen.

  A wettable surface may be termed as hydrophilic, and a non-wettable surface can be termed as hydrophobic.

Is the usage of as in the above sentence wrong? If it is wrong, please let me know why it is wrong.


texts: Trouble changing a complex sentence into a simple sentence

texts:
How do I change this complex
sentence
into a simple sentence?

He knows that time once gone is gone forever.


texts: "It had to be (someone) vs. "it had to have been (someone)" when drawing conclusions

texts:
It's said that the grammar structure had to have done can be used instead of must have done when drawing a conclusion about a past event. For example:

You said somebody played the piano 6 pm yesterday. It had to have been Kate. She always does.

But, I've heard people say it had to be instead of it had to have been, it seems, in the same way. For example:

You said somebody played the piano 6 pm yesterday. It had to be Kate. She always does.

Is there any difference in meaning between it had to be and it had to have been when drawing conclusions about past events?


texts: The songs (playing / played) in the background were composed by Bob

texts:
a. The songs playing in the background were composed by Bob.
b. The songs played in the bacground were composed by Bob.

I want to know which sentence is correct. Some say 'playing' is right but some say 'played' is right (we are not natives). Sometimes it is confusing for us (non native) to use '~ing', or '~ed' forms.

So, what is correct? or both are possible? I'm really confused by this question. I would be pleased if I got the answer. Anyway, thank you for reading this post.


texts: what is " ' s " in the sentence in bold?

texts:
And he gave the boy his belessing. The boy could see in his father' s gaze a desire to be able, himself, to travel the
world- a desire that was still alive, despite his father' s having had to bury it, over dozens of years, under the burden of struggeling for water to drink, food to eat, and the same place to sleep every night of his life.

Is " ' s" here "is" ? if it is "is", is there special grammer that follows  this rule --> "to be verbs(am, is, are)+having+pp+to+simple verb " ?
Could anyone explain me when we use this structure?

Sorry if I made some mistakes, my English is not perfect.
Lots of thanks for your help.

This text is from the book named " The Alchemist" by "Paulo Coelho"


texts: Is using "not have a drop" correct in this context?

texts:
Is this idiomatically correct?

  Those feelings kept gnawing at me so I had to turn to alcohol to soothe my nerves even though I have not had a drop in a while.


texts: Plenty of similarities isn’t it.? Or Plenty of similarities aren't it? Which expression is correct when we are comparing & referring to some 20 or more pictures?


texts: What do you call a person who checks if everything is all right?

texts:
Talking about roles for people, what do you call a person who is in charge of checking or verifying that every part of a procedure is working okay?

I was thinking "reviewer" but it does not sound quite correct to me.


texts: Say "Her face is triangle" is wrong or right?

texts:
Ok, if I say "Her face is triangle*".

I believe that the sentence is wrong logically because "triangle" is never an adjective but a noun. The face is a face and thus can not be a shape, right?

I think it is ok to say "Her face shape is a triangle*" because "triangle is a shape". A face shape is a shape, so that sentence is OK.

But if we say "Her face is square*", then that is OK because "square" is an adjective with the meaning "having a square shape".

I don't understand why we have "Square" (noun) & "Square" (adj), but "Triangle" (noun) but no "Triangle" (adj).

However, Google returns with 440 results for "Her face is triangle".

And saying "Her face is  triangular" is OK right?

I ask this question because I am not sure whether I am correct.


texts: Can someone help me with the sentence structure here as I cannot understand

texts:
It would be great if you would not be here around for a while.
Is this sentence correct?
This is I guess if clause or conditional clause


texts:
Can I use present perfect tense with past continuous tense.

  I have got  my credit card stolen  when I was shopping. I haven't got(ten) it back yet.


texts:
In an English textbook I come across an exapmle without any context

  He went to Africa and never came back

What does it mean?
We use Present Simple + never when we are talking about a habit, a repeatable routine action. But in that sentence there is not these actions. So we should use Present Perfect to convey the sense, should we?

  He went to Africa and had never come back

  He has never been to London


texts: "On the Oscar night" or "on Oscar night"?

texts:
Plenty of inspiration to go around on Oscar night.

Or

  Plenty of inspiration to go around on the Oscar night.

Which one is correct? Or both are correct? And why?


texts:
1) When I was taking an English course, the teacher once corrected me saying:

You shouldn't write don't, write do not!

Since then, I only write don't in informal cases: email to a friend, here, etc.
Do you think is it all right to write don't in a cover letter (for instance)?
Shall we write Do not if we want to make a good impression as saying that we have an excellent level of English, or all of this doesn't matter?

2) Another question is about the usage of Would like and 'd like.
In grammars and websites about English language on internet they always say:

  I Would like = I'd like

Then, when is the time to give examples they use 'd like in most cases.

E.g I'd like a cup of tea

Today I was doing a grammar exercise and the key answers usually have alternatives to include short forms - has not (or hasn't) etc. - but for would like there were not alternatives, the answer should be 'd like.

Is it old-fashioned to write:
I would like a cup of tea (?)


texts:
But this close relation between revolutionary sentiments and the needs of the Jewish striving for emancipation hasn’t escaped the attention of the Russian, as of some other governments. It therefore hates and persecutes the Jews as much as the revolutionary tendencies, and does everything in its power to incite and intensify hatred of Jews in the population.

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/04/29/semi-a29.html

I am not sure if I understand the bold part of the sentence. Does it mean that the Russian government was not the only one that saw the "relation between revolutionary sentiments and the needs of the Jewish striving for emancipation"?


texts: What is the exact meaning of the following sentence?

texts:
I am not English native speaker, I am Italian.

I couldn't understand, I am confused.

What is the exact meaning of the following sentence in simple English?

  "Later, a member of the exchange was not required to be a member of
  the clearinghouse if it could arrange for a clearinghouse member to
  assume responsibility for the nonmember’s obligations to the
  clearinghouse."

Which one is "to assume responsibility for obligations": a clearinghouse member or a member of the exchange?

  Only in 1925 did the CBOT form the Board of Trade Clearing Corporation
  (BOTCC), a true CCP that became the counterparty to all transactions
  on the exchange. With the creation of BOTCC, members of the exchange
  were required to purchase shares in the clearinghouse, and only the
  member shareholders were permitted to use the facility. (Later, a
  member of the exchange was not required to be a member of the
  clearinghouse if it could arrange for a clearinghouse member to
  assume responsibility for the nonmember’s obligations to the
  clearinghouse.)

  Members were also required to post their margin deposits with the
  clearinghouse. In the event of a member’s default, the clearinghouse
  would take responsibility for settling the defaulting member’s trades.


texts: "The notion of a", "The notion of the", or "The notion of"

texts:
I'm going to do a conference about, let's say, radishes. In this conference, I'll let the attendees question over whether radishes exist or not.
Which title should my conference have between those 3, and why?

The notion of the radish is misleading
The notion of a radish is misleading
The notion of radish is misleading


texts: Use of "preoccupied" to refer to a future time

texts:
I won't be able to attend the event as I am already preoccupied with
  some personal work for that day.

Is this sentence correct? I read preoccupied is for past. So how can I make this sentence right (if it's wrong) with minimal modification to point to a future time?


texts:
The only other piece of furniture was a bargueno, elaborately
  ornamented with gilt iron-work, on a stand of ecclesiastical design
  roughly but very finely carved.

  Maugham, Somerset / Of Human Bondage

aren't these antonyms?

  roughly but very finely carved.


texts:
Do the following sentences mean the same and can I use them interchangeably? And can 'that' be omitted in the first sentence?

1- I said (that) I would go to the meeting on August 25, 2017.

2- I said, "I will go to the meeting on August 25, 2017."


texts:
Do these have the same meaning?

Giving a 20-minute speech standing up for the most hated man in the world in a second language is really brave.

Giving a 20-minute speech to stand up for the most hated man in the world in a second language is really brave.


texts:
Is the following question-response pair natural?

  A: What's the deadline?

  B: By May 3rd.

I know "by" is redundant, but redundancy does not mean unnaturalness.
Is the reply natural with it?

I'd appreciate your help.


texts: Difference between "belong to" and "belong with"

texts:
I was listening to some of Taylor Swift's songs and one song is titled "You belong with me". I include part of its lyrics:

  If you could see
  That I'm the one
  Who understands you.
  Been here all
  along.
  So, why can't you see
  You belong with me. You belong with me.

What is the difference between to belong to and to belong with? Is there any difference in their meaning?


texts: Could you help me find a proper adjective?

texts:
The car park was deserted. It was empty/abandoned.

I think that both r acceptable but I have to decide one.I think abandoned is better, What about your opinions?


texts: Understanding “haven’t got very far” in this sentence

texts:
When I saw this sentence, there seems to be something  weird to me. I got this sentence from Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries, entry number 17.

  I haven't got very far with the book I'm reading.

'Got' means 'to arrive', by the way

Firstly, why does this clause use forming of present perfect?

Second, Does this sentence need the expression of 'very far'?

I don't know exact meaning of it.


texts: "Plug the fan in and switch on at the wall" - meaning of "switch on at the wall"

texts:
From an instruction page to a bladeless fan model:

  Plug the fan in and switch on at the wall.

Is there a typo of some sort? What can they mean by "switch on at the wall"?

I know that usually one first plugs in an appliance, and next switches it on. Judging by the picture, the ON/OFF switch is located on the fan's base. Thus it's unclear what they mean by "at the wall".


texts: Which subject does the participle phrase refer to in the sentence?

texts:
Small wonder, when he would fuel himself with seven pints of lager and his “magic” Coke, swigged from a litre bottle topped up with vodka, to “get his nerves in shape”.

I have a question about this sentence from an article.
Is the bold part a further explanation of the "lager and his magic coke" or the "magic coke" only?


texts: The meaning of "The use of English is by no means endemic to English-speaking countries."

texts:
To me it has two entirely different meanings and I am not sure which is correct.

1st possible meaning: The use of English is prevalent in not just English-Speaking countries but also in non-English-speaking countries.

2nd possible meaning: The use of English has become inevitably common in English-speaking countries.

The first meaning makes more sense to me, but the second one is proposed in the book as the rightful translation.

I saw this sentence somewhere in a book alone, which means there was no sentence before or after to elaborate the author's intention. The book was explaining the meaning of the word "endemic", which as far as I know means prevalent, native and indigenous.

Edit:
Or probably a third meaning would be: The use of English in terms of its origin is not native to today's English-speaking countries


texts: Understanding "and" connecting adjectives modifying noun in the plural

texts:
Stackoverflow is a question and answer site for professional and enthusiast programmers.

I believe

  for professional and enthusiast programmers

can naturally mean "for programmers who are both professional and enthusiast". Can this phrase mean, on the other hand, "for both professional programmers and enthusiast programmers" (the latter doesn't have to be professional)? If it can, which is the preferred interpretation?


texts: "A boiled egg in the morning is really hard to beat" - explain the pun please

texts:
It's from The Last of Us video game:

  A boiled egg in the morning is really hard to beat.

I don't get it.

Here are more puns if somebody is interested. I managed to understand the rest of them though.


texts: Use of "that" in "the meaning is that of a noun"

texts:
I don't understand "the meaning is that of a noun" here

In compound nouns using the gerund, it is clear that the meaning is that of a noun, not of a continuous verb

I don't understand the structure of this fragment. Please explain how it works.


texts: What a native speaker would say in the below case?

texts:
I was at the supermarket, and the cashier asked me, “how many bags do you need?”

I was about to say, i need the number of bags enough to include all my stuff. But, unfortunately, ahe didn’t understand me. Ao i said, “i just want four.”

So, what would a native English speaker say in this case?

  I need as many bags as enough to contain all my stuff.
  I need a number of bags to accommodate all my stuff.
  I need many bags to have all my stuff.

I am struggling with english for many reasons and one of them is using words what are used only in writing and, at the same time, sounds weird when are used for speaking, especially when I do communicate with English native speaker.


texts: What does exactly "You'd be a great artist" mean?

texts:
When sombody tells us about their abilities, I know we can suggest them about the jobs. For example this sentence:

1.You would be a great artist.

I know it's a suggestion, but I want to know what exactly does would mean here? What fuction does the would have?
I myself think that it suggests an unreal fact conveying "you could have been an artist till now." or "You could be an artist, but you are not." is it correct?

What about this sentence?

2. I wouldn't recommend becoming a teacher.

Isn't it originally conditional being "If you asked me, I wouldn't recommend becoming a teacher." ?


texts:
Are these correct sentences and can they be with or without "by"?

  A child is someone who can call a duck a goose.

  A child is someone who can call a duck by a goose.


texts:
I am reading the book about the Simpsons, and I am stuck on this part of the text:

'The Simpsons had long produced finely crafted storytelling that gave each of an episode’s principal characters something to do and wrapped up every plot thread. Those elements were left by the wayside in several Season 9 episodes, mostly as a way to skip over plot holes and cram characters into bizarre situations.'


texts:
There are 2 subway lines on the map parallel to each other shown horizontally. How to descibe the one which is below of another.

  You should take the line at the bottom

  You should take the down line

So confused. Thanks


texts: Why are a few letters named nothing related to how it is pronounced?

texts:
Why are the names of these letters so different from how they are actually used in words ?
1. F - there are no words that start with an "F" that use the pronunciation "ɛf".
2. L - there are no words that start with an "L" that use the pronunciation "   ɛl"

Similarly, M (ɛm), N (ɛn), H (etʃ), R (ɑr), S (ɛs), W (dəbəlju), x (ɛks), Y (waj) and Z (zɛd). Apart from Z, which can be pronounced as 'zi', why are the names so different from how it is pronounced in words ?

Examples for other alphabets with words that have the same (almost) pronunciation as its name :

Ace, Beware, Cease, Deep, Eagle, Genes, Ice, Jail, Keratin, Oath, Piece, Queue, Tea, Unisex, Veal, X-ray.


texts:
I am trying to rephrase the following sentence to remove the "with" at the end but I am unable to find a way. Can someone please help me out?
Thanks
Sentence: The poet uses the king to portray ideals which he agrees with.


texts: Is there a rule which may indicate us when to use "BROAD" and when to use "WIDE"?

texts:
Could anybody tell me please if there is a rule which may indicate us when to use "BROAD" and when to use  "WIDE?

1st example: I know it is correct to say "broad daylight" but is it wrong to say "wide daylight"?

2nd example: "world wide"  is correct, but what about, "world broad"?

3rd example: "Wide-awake" is correct, but could "broad-awake" be also  correct?

Dictionaries are unable to explain this or if there is a rule. Can you help please?


texts: Plural or singular in "There (is/are) one cinema and two hotels there now."

texts:
The exercise is to pick the correct verb in the following sentences:

  Last year there (was/were) two cinemas and one hotel on Apple street.

  There (is/are) one cinema and two hotels there now.

In the first it's definitely "were". What about the second?

Context: this exercise was given to elementary school kids in an English class in a non-English speaking country. The teacher said that the correct answer is "is" becasue the part of the subject immediately following the verb is singular "one cinema". Is this true?

I know that this question is very similar to "There is" or "There are" a man and a woman?. But I still would like to ask it for this exercise, intentionally constructed to be confusing.


texts: Is this correct to use "tell" in this following word?

texts:
"Please tell Mr. Anderson to turn on his system"

Is this is the right sentence to request our senior person to let other person to turn on that person's system?

Please mention what is the difference between ask and tell?