texts: "in which people study" or "where people study on"

texts:
Should it be:

  Campus is a place in which children study.

or

  Campus is a place where children study on.

Which one is correct, or are they both incorrect? Why?

Is there a better version?


texts: Every student has a mark and I want to refer to the students with the highest mark, with the second highest mark, and with the third highest mark. Can I simply say "the students with the highest 3 marks"? Or should I say "the top 3 students in mark"?


texts: A sentence problem about the conjunction "still"

texts:
Some place great emphasis on mechanical guarding. Others stress safe work practices by observing rules or regulations. _____ others depend on an emotional appeal to the worker. But, there are certain basic ideas that must be used in every program if maximum results are to be obtained.

the options for the blank is
A. Some; B. Many; C. Even; D.Still

the correct answer is D.still.

Can you guys explain why choose "still" instead of "some" ? Thanks in advance!


texts: WEIRD -- meaning (a new political catchword)?

texts:
Usage example with a context:

  It’s impossible to miss that European fans of Putin increase in number the farther you travel from Russia’s borders. Closer to Russia, the sort of far-right activists who agree with a lot of Moscow’s critique of the West’s WEIRD problem are intensely anti-Putin, out of fear; they know the Kremlin has no place for them in their plans for a New Europe, free of Atlanticism and the United States.

Another example:

  The volunteers who are bearing so much of the defense of Ukraine’s East include many right-wingers whose views on the WEIRD West are indistinguishable from the Kremlin’s, but they know that Putin does not want allies, he seeks vassals. They are acquainted with what control by Moscow means.

I think this is a newly-coined term that's now being widely used, especially in the media, but it's very difficult to find anything about it online. Has anyone here heard of this word before? Do you know what it means? If so, please share your knowledge.


texts:
In situations like this one (neither I know if this sentence is gramatically correct, nor I know who is Merkel):
"In her campaigning, Ms Merkel never pretended to be a dissident or an oposition activist in the GDR."
Are there any other similar forms like maybe "to had been"(idk if it even exists)?


texts: What is the meaning of "sure of my claim to be its author" in the following sentences?

texts:
What is the meaning of "sure of my claim to be its author" in the following sentences, (Source: PRACTICAL ENGLISH USAGE BY Michael Swan )

  So many people have helped me to write this revised edition that I am
  no longer totally sure of my claim to be its author.

Does it mean "So many people have helped me to write this revised edition . Therefore, I don't think of me as its author any more" ?

I try to understand a sentence(=>sure of my claim to be its author) by changing from phrase to clause. Is there anything wrong?

  So many people have helped me to write this revised edition that I am no longer totally sure of my claim to be its author.

  =>Many people have helped me to write this revised edition so that I am no longer totally sure that I claim to be its author


texts: Why did Yahoo write "by the end of 2016 January", instead of "by the end of January 2016"

texts:
I was trying to do something with Coletto Calendar, but it just did not let me continue to use it. Some time later, I received a notification from Yahoo:

  To our valued customers...some reasons why Coletto Calendar did not
  work... Therefore, the Coletto Calendar application will no longer be
  offered by the end of 2016, January.

Is it a formal way to write the date this way? But it made me think I could continue to use it until the end of 2016 in the first place.


texts:
How do you refer to these circles by tea cups? Suppose, I want to say an office boy, how should I say it precisely. I'm stuck because I don't want to call it as 'spilled' tea. Nor do I refer them to drops of tea. Those are tea rings by mugs/cups.  Are they stains....so clean this tea cup stains? Cup stains?

  Hey, could you please clean this _________________?

I'm talking about this

Is there any term for that? How do natives say this?


texts: Confusion about use of "to" after "told" in passive voice

texts:
The active voice is
Will she tell us the truth ?

The passive voice has two options

Will the truth be told to us by her ?

Or

Will the truth be told us by her ?

I.e. will "to" follow us in passive voice.
It feels right to include to in passive voice.

Is this also correct?

Will the truth be told by her?  Can we ommit "us" assuming that this is directed to people referred as "us"


texts:
Please help me figure out the meaning of the phrase "swirling vortex at the stage’s end" in the following text (not available online):

As you move peacefully along, stars of different colours will distract you away from the main path. Follow them and you’ll be led to special artifacts.
Just Collect these and take them to the swirling vortex at the stage’s end.

I am not sure if the word "stage" is used figuratively or literally here.

The text is from the description of the game "Little White Rocket". Here is a description of the game from a different source:

Little White Rocket is an inexpensive tappable toy, where each touch launches your craft along a path of stars, some of which aren't visible until you get close or complete a particular orbit.

Thank you for your time.


texts:
Is "out of form" a British phrase is sports?

Like:

  (S)He's a bit out of form.

And does this sound fine:

  You need to get in form.

  You need to get back in form.

  The coach says I need to get in form.

And is it different from:

  I need to get my form right.


texts:
Why is along came used in this way in the following sentence?

  Probably back in some previous biology course, you learned that snakes evolved from lizards and that the first snakes weren't venomous and then along came more advanced snakes, the venomous snakes.

What is the differences between come along and along come? Is it inversion? What is the meaning? How could I use it?

I know several ways of using inversion but I have not seen anything like this.


texts: How does the possessive apostrophe work in "it's"?

texts:
I am under the impression that we use the apostrophe to describe ownership. Someone would say "This is Jennifer's coat" to mean that the coat belongs to her, as opposed to, for instance, "Jennifers are people who enjoy arranging flowers" implying there are more than one of Jennifer.

However, I have been told that if I were to say "It's coat" I would not be saying (for instance) "The monster's coat" but rather I would be saying "It is coat".

What is the difference here? Can you explain how the apostrophe works in greater detail?


texts:
Sometimes in archaic books and in different scrolls, books and texts in old games I meet the letter "s" resembling a sail (Wikipedia article here calls it the cursive form).

Is it still used in present day English and do people write it this way?

Is it much less popular than the standard shape?


texts: Which definitions of 'positive' and 'negative' apply?

texts:
negative liberties: that
  is, individual subjects were entitled to do whatever was not forbidden by the law.
  ...
  ... There
  was, however, an alternative forum capable of challenging the substance of English law,
  and one that was based on the assumption of positive rights rather than negative liberties.
  That forum was the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

Source: p 44, The English Legal System 2012-2013, Gary Slapper

Here, I guess that positive = expressed, publicised. From the stated definition, negative = implied, implicit, tacit. Am I right? Yet do these meanings consist with the dictionary's:
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/positive
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/negative?


texts: Using will and would to talk about future

texts:
a) Ok sir, I will send you that file tomorrow. (Definitely)

b) Ok Sir, I would send you that file tomorrow. (Probably)

In above sentences can we use Will interchangeably and imagine the meaning given in bracket?

Sentence a) Indicate that I will definitely send him file.

Sentence b) Indicate that I would send him file if I found It.

I am aware that would is mainly use as past tense for will but my question is for future tense.
Can we use Would to talk about future?


texts:
For this sentence:

I have trouble solving the problem.

Is solving the problem a complement or an adjunct?
What if the sentence is I have trouble in solving the problem ? Is in solving the problem an adjunct ?


texts:
Is the word "uncle-in-law" commonly used when talking about the husband married to your mother's sister?

Or is this person typically still called your "uncle", even though the person is not a blood relative?


texts: due to technical reasons or for technical reasons

texts: Please suggest me what is the right or the most natural case of using phrases "due to technical reasons" and "for technical reasons"?


texts: What does "elaborate a point from one St. Patrick's day to the next" mean?

texts:
I am studying for the GRE, and this sentence came out:

  The professor's volubility knows no bounds; he could talk through a hurricane and elaborate a point from one St. Patrick's day to the next.

I can understand the part before the semicolon, but I don't clearly get what the rest of the sentence means.


texts:
I have a question about "be published from" here:

  A report published Tuesday from Angus Armstrong and Monique Ebell of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, a private think tank, estimates Scotland would face twin deficits in its first year: a budget deficit of over 6% of gross domestic product and a current-account shortfall—the balance of trade in goods and services with net interest payments—of a similar magnitude.

Would "be published by" be the same as "be published from"?


texts:
Excerpted from poetryfoundation.org:

  And so, in its dark-glass way, “If—” reflects modern uncertainty after all. It’s a masterpiece of timing, of structure, of rhetoric (the genre that Yeats pointedly contrasted with poetry). But the more you read it, the more you hear a countersong beneath the assurance. In that long series of perfectly balanced clauses, you hear a mounting fear that the child won’t succeed. The sentence keeps building; the number of required conditions keeps growing. Maturity starts to seem like a very big “if.”

What is dark-glass way?


texts: what is a better phrase than "is there a problem with that"

texts:
Is there a better way of saying

"is there a problem with that?"

I feel that this phrase is a bit disturbing to some people, is there a better way of asking this question in a nicer friendlier way?

An example would be:

  Person A: Have you used the water on the table?
  Person B: Yes, is there a problem with that?

Another example

  Person A: You once said that no one is allowed to do so, but now you are doing it?
  Person B: Yes, I changed my mind, is there a problem with that?

A final example:

  Student: You solved this question in the tutorial, but in the exam, you ask us another question.
  Teacher: Yes, that is true, I usually do not repeat my questions in the exam, is there a problem with that?

How would Person B sounds a bit nicer?


texts:
“You mean it is only twenty dollars?” (audio linked)

I hear /ˈtwəni/ for twenty. I can see that in /ˈtwenti/, the /t/ sound has been weakened, in the audio. However does he weaken the /e/ sound, too,  into schwa, /ə/? If it is, do you expand the use of schwa even to this word?


texts:
Here is a quote from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind, 2005 film.

  Too many guys think I'm a concept, or I complete them, or I'm gonna
  make them alive. But I'm just a fucked-up girl who's looking for my
  own peace of mind.

She said "I am a concept" and I really don't know what she meant.

Concept means in web-dictionary " A concept is an idea or abstract principle."

I do not understand why she was using the word "concept"

It doesn't make any sense given that the all definition at English dictionary at all.

Could you please help me understand?


texts: can we use ''adverbs of frequency'' with other ''expressions of frequency''?

texts:
I know it's odd but I've been wondering if we can use adverbs of frequency with other expressions like once a week or twice a month.  Examples:

  I often go swimming twice a month.

  I hardly ever go shopping every day.

what about these situations:

  I take a shower every day

  oh, really. I hardly ever take a shower every day ( I want to say that there are conditions that I take a shower every day but It hardly ever happens)


texts: Confusion about structure of a sentence- "I personally wish to be away from this kind of discussions with team."

texts:
I personally wish to be away from this kind of discussions with team.

Is the above statement grammatically correct? or should I say

  My personal wish to be away ...

or it should be structured differently?

P.S.:

Am I confusing between adjectives and adverbs?

Am I making a mistake in structuring the sentence?.

It would be helpful if someone sense my mistakes from the sentences above and advise me how to improvise better writings.


texts:
Is/Does the file exists?
Are/Do aliens exist?

I think I should use do, but there is some case I should use is? Also, does that mean something if I use is?


texts: Can I use "and" to express the relationship between cause and result in a sentence?

texts:
I made this sentence up:

  "You should go with us tomorrow. It might be a good movie and bring you a happy movie night."

Should I use "and" as a conjunction in the sentence?

Good movie brings you a good movie night. They can be a cause and result relationship, however they can also stand alone. I believe I can just take either part of it. For example, "You should go with us. It might bring you a good movie night."  It doesn't change the sentence meaning much.

If there is another better way to say it, please let me know as well.


texts: What is the meaning of "killing" when facing a difficult gaming level?

texts: My friend was playing a game, but it was to difficult to complete a level. But after so many tries, when she did, she said "Yayyy! I did it, this level was killing me!" What does "killing" mean here?


texts: Is it right to say 'a marriage proposal to me from my beloved'?

texts:
Is it right to say:

  I was very excited when I heard a marriage proposal to me from my beloved ?


texts: Is there any differences between "there is no way to do something" & "That's no way to do something"?

texts:
See these sentences

"There is no way to speak to her" & "That's no way to speak to her".

Are they the same or different?


texts: "Does someone of you know" vs "Does some of you know"

texts:
When I want to ask my friends if they know the full name of one of our teachers, then what is the correct way to do so?

  a) "Does someone of you know the full name of our chemistry
  teacher"

  b) "Does some of you know the full name of our chemistry teacher"


texts: Is the grammar of the sentence "What did you keep busy yesterday?" correct?

texts:
How is it similar to the question "What kept you busy yesterday?"
Which one is correct and wrong? Also, please explain the rule of the wrong sentence.


texts:
I just realised that I am not entirely sure what the difference between Past simple and Present Perfect simple is.

  The place where Michael Phelps was awarded/has been awarded eight gold
  medals has been transformed into an enormous waterpark.

The answer key says that the only possibility here is was awarded. Why?


texts:
Why is the following sentence correct: "The forum was a success as it had generated a plethora of ideas."

Why is the sentence, "The forum was a success as it generated a plethora of ideas." not correct.


texts:
According to one definition of "pick on", it's,

  repeatedly single (someone) out for criticism or unkind treatment in a
  way perceived to be unfair.

pick on meaning

But another translation I get to Spanish it's

  meddle with someone

one has a connotation of being unfair, and the other doesnt, though, in translations, sometimes part of the meaning is lost.

Does the verb "pick on" always have the unfair connotation to it?


texts:
Again, thank you for helpful support.

Now, I became a "patron" of a singer, and I asked a question before about her song.

She says,

  Welcome to my new Patrons, and to the old ones, thanks for sticking around. :)
  We're hovering right around $400 a month, so I figure it's time for me to invest in some percussion instruments!
  I want to build a little "kit" and I'm asking around for advice on what to include. Shaker, tambourine, cabasa, cajón... if you have any input or expertise, I'd appreciate it!
  I don't have any real percussion training, so I'm looking for things that will be easy for me to use.
  Certain months I would also like to put the $400 toward hiring a real drummer, depending on what songs we want to do and what they call for! This can be complicated because I have to hire a drummer, find a place to record drums (it takes a lot of mics), and maybe have someone mix drums for me as well (I don't have much experience in making them sound good). That's why I've set the goal so high on this one.
  Interested to hear what you all think

I input the whole sentence. (which I don't like somehow).

What does certain months mean here? Also, I don't understand who they are when she says "what they call for!"


texts: To learn about a concept intuitively and visually, is it clear and idiomatic to ask that `what does the concept look like`?

texts:
The question comes from this post.

Assume I haven't seen this figure before and I want to learn about eigendecomposition intuitively and visually.

Is it clear and idiomatic to ask that what does eigendecomposition look like?


texts:
The phrase which I can't understand is:

  This knowledge, like so much of my
  self-knowledge, had come to me in the voice of people I knew, people I
  loved.

I've problem with the meaning of "voice".

There are some meaning for the word "voice" in Oxford Dictionaries:

the sounds that you make when you speak, or the ability to make these sounds.
the quality of sound you produce when you sing.
the right or ability to express an opinion, to vote, or to influence decisions.
an opinion or wish that is expressed.1

I think the last one (an opinion) fits with the phrase but I am not sure.

So, Could you please tell me what the meaning of "voice" here is?

The full text is here:

From the moment I had first understood that my brother Richard was a
boy and I was a girl, I had wanted to exchange his future for mine. My
future was motherhood; his, fatherhood. They sounded similar but they
were not. To be one was to be a decider. To preside. To call the family to
order. To be the other was to be among those called.
I knew my yearning was unnatural. This knowledge, like so much of my
self-knowledge, had come to me in the voice of people I knew, people I
loved. All through the years that voice had been with me, whispering,
wondering, worrying. That I was not right. That my dreams were
perversions. That voice had many timbres, many tones. Sometimes it was
my father’s voice; more often it was my own.

Educated by Tara Westover


texts: How do you translate the pluperfect subjunctive in English?

texts:
"I may have carried the box but at the time I had back pains"

I'm trying to translate the pluperfect subjunctive from Latin into English using the verb 'to carry' but I'm not sure if this makes any sense.


texts:
What's the difference between the following

1.You will have received it by Monday.

2.On Monday, you will have already received it.

What is the difference between the two? To me both are different ways of telling the same thing.

Thank you


texts: based on MAC address -- why not "based on MAC addresses"?

texts:
Source: The Illustrated Network—How TCP/IP Works in a Modern Network by Walter Goralski (2009)

Example:

  Bridges operate at the data link layer and normally deliver frames within the same broadcast domain based on MAC address.

Asked a friend of mine who's a native English speaker from America and he said that the sentence is fine as it is, but what exactly makes you as a speaker of English say it in that particular way? Why not, for example, just say based on MAC addresses?


texts:
I was trying to say I wish I would not be like what I look like now (I mean not  in terms of appearance but actually attitude), but I was not sure how to gather the grammar that would fit together correctly.
Here is the dialogue:

person A: I'm a web user.
person B: Great.
person A: not sure if it's great.
person B: why?
person A: I'd never wished to.
person B: you have to say, I've never wished to.

So, which one is correct, "I'd never wished to" or "I've never wished to"? and why?
Besides, I wanted to know what I am wrong about and what specific thing I should pay more attention to, while I'm speaking or maybe writing.


texts:
I hear from different sources that a resume should not have the title 'RESUME'

Can any one please clarify this formality please?


texts: Is “mortise & tenon joints” a good way to describe these parts?

texts:
I have a pair of corner connection parts(shown as pictures below)

As you can see, there is one with a protruded head and the other one with a receiving cavity.
What is the best and correct way to name them?

male / female connection part

or

mortise & tenon joints


texts: When prepositions are consecutively used in sentences

texts:
There is a sentence.

the image of green consumerism as associated in the past with more
eccentric members of society has virtually disappeared.

It meant

The image of green consumerism has virtually disappeared. Because
the image was related with eccentric members of society in
the past.

Or

The image of green consumerism related with eccentric eccentric
members of society in the past has virtually disappeared.

I don't know how to translate sentences. When prepositions are used like that 'as associated in the past with more eccentric members'
I do not get what 'with clause' decorates in the sentence.


texts: Why is this sentence not in the subjunctive? "If you draw yourself, how would it turn out?"

texts:
If you draw yourself, how would it turn out?

Someone said it should be like "If you were to draw...", but why? I'm not troubled with the "were to" sentence. I'm just quite confused by the fact that "If you draw..." is wrong.


texts: Could you tell me "consult your advice" is correct or not?

texts:
I see a lot of articles or pubic advertisements saying “consult your doctor/lawyer” instead of “consult somebody’s advice”.

Does it mean “consult somebody’s advice/opinions” is a wrong expression, or it is not a natural expression even if it is grammatically correct?

For example: I would consult your advice for this matter. This sentence is right?

I googled this phrase, the only reliable result shows it was in a 1947 document. It is eliminated by the modern culture?


texts: An adjective to describe a ball that bounces back from the ground really well

texts: I have a ball that is not bouncing back from the ground too high because it doesn't contain much rubber in it. And I also have another ball that is made either of rubber or resin of some tree. This second ball bounces back very very high. How can I describe this second ball? The ball is very "jumpy"? Or what?


texts:
What does "snooze like a lump" mean?

I heard it in a movie description to describe a scene of a man sleeping soundly. I can't find anything on the Internet that indicates "like a lump" is idiomatic. Or did I hear it wrong. I am putting the audio clip here (uploaded to an audio sharing site Clyp) for reference.


texts: (did not listen) vs (was not listening) (past simple vs past continuous)

texts:
Miguel came to the presentation but he seemed very distracted and he
  __________ (not/listen) to anything that the speaker said.

This is an exercise on practicing with the form of the past continuous from Macmillan's The Business on Google Books. Knowing that sometimes we can use past simple instead of past continuous, and assuming the continuous version is apt for the example, what would the reasoning/clues be?

One could argue in favor of the past simple by saying, the example has (came, seemed, said) all in the past simple, and so it makes sense that "to not/listen" should be in the past simple "didn't listen" especially when it is in the middle of these verbs (or actions). Also "speaker said" implies that we see the situation as a whole a completed action or alternatively everything happened in the presentation as finished actions or events in the past, and not as activities in progress.

However, one could also say that the form "didn't listen" is used when someone didn't want to, and therefore the correct usage is "wasn't listening" because this is how we express the situation of not giving attention especially with something long like a lecture/presentation. Moreover, the verbs are not sequenced by "then" to warrant for a narrative and hence use past simple.

There is the possibility that either tense is perfectly fine. This happens when describing past activities that take a stated period of time, for example, I was working from to 7 AM to 7 PM yesterday. This is because we could see the activity as a completed action or event. As such, both tenses are possible. But then again, what are nuances?


texts: Is the following sentence grammatical & natural?

texts:
The fastest way to discourage individuals from leaving their waste unrecycled is that they be informed it is against the law.

Isn't it better:

  ...is to inform them it is against the law.


texts: Continuous form of verb after "provided/providing/as long as/so long as"

texts:
In my grammar textbook, under the section dedicated to  provided/providing/as long as/so long as it is stated that they act as conjunctions. So, can we use –ing clause after provided/providing/as long as/so long as? for example, is the following sentence grammatically correct? If not, why?

It takes about 20 minutes to drive to the airport provided going by taxi.


texts:
My sentence is "Water lily has many uses. Be it as an ornamental or as a food source."
Is that acceptable? Please help! Thank you.


texts:
I have clients whose parents and grandparents would say things like,
  ‘Don’t show yourself up’ because they wanted to be a performer, ‘Don’t
  ask for a discount, it’s embarrassing’, ‘Don’t work for yourself, you
  will have no job security.’ If you were meant to be like your parents
  and grandparents there would be no point in you being here, and if we
  didn’t challenge other people’s beliefs, opinions and convictions life
  would never advance.

  Peer, Marisa. Ultimate Confidence: The Secrets to Feeling Great About
  Yourself Every Day (Kindle Locations 2909-2912). Little, Brown Book
  Group. Kindle Edition.

What does the sentence mean? 'Work for yourself' seems to mean something I can't guess.


texts: Shorter phrase or word to say `the day before yesterday`

texts:
Is there any phrase or word to say 'the day before yesterday' but shorter?

It seems very explicit say 'the day before yesterday' and in other languages there are sentences and words with this meaning.


texts: (Train / Subway) Station Vs (Train / Subway) Stop - Difference between (AmE / BrE)

texts:
Is there a difference between a (train / subway) station and a (train / subway) stop in the US?
Is there a difference between UK and US?

E.g. what do you call it in the US and in the UK subway system:

  The train will stop at next (stop / station). (In a train route and not underground system)
  The next (station / stop) is e.x. "XYZ" (In underground transportation system)


texts:
Is using this phrase in such a structure acceptable? (Just like "instead of somebody doing something".)

  I won the game in spite of you making an effort to stop me.


texts: He is a straight man = he is honest, keeps his words (possible usage?)

texts: Checked the dictionaries, so one of the meanings of straight is honest, but can we use it for a man/woman as in my  question above?


texts:
How to understand the phrase: "This is where it starts to get tricky."?
or "It is where it starts to get tricky."?


texts: How to memorize 5500 English words within the shortest time?

texts:
I am considering to appear for GRE. For this purpose, I have bought a vocabulary book containing 5500 words.

It must be mentioned that I work 12 hours per day and thus I have limited free time.

My questions are:

What major factors apply rapid study?
Is learning by vocabulary an effective technique to prepare specifically for GRE test?

If so, how many days would be a realistic target?
If not, what are learning techniques which enable me well prepared within the shortest possible period of time?


texts: What is the difference between the words "over" and "here"?

texts:
I've noticed that sometimes English speakers use over similar to here, e.g. once me and my friend saw a girl walking he said call her over -- here it seems like he meant call her here. In another instance, my friend said bring it over(sheet), here he meant bring the sheet here, because when I couldn't understand he said bring it over here. On another occasion I was told come over and when I didn't respond he said move to my side.

So, to me both over and here seem to have same meaning. What is the difference between over and here?


texts:
This dictionary says

  blow: 2 a : to create a current of moving air by breathing

  [no object]

  She blew on her fingers to warm them.

  He was blowing on his soup to cool it off.

  [+ object]

  She blew air into the balloon.

But other dictionary says

  blow: 3 AIR FROM YOUR MOUTH [intransitive, transitive always +
  adverb/preposition] to send air out from your mouth

  blow (something) into/onto/out etc

  She blew onto her coffee to cool it down.

  He blew the smoke right in my face.

So, we say:

She blew on or in his face?


texts:
Is it true that the possessive form is not used for a noun which is being compared to by "that of" or "those of"? For example:

  ... making your products or services different from and more attractive than those of your competitors'.

Also, could I use the possessive without using "that of" or "those of"? For example:

  Lincoln's party is better placed to win the election than Roosevelt's.


texts: Compound nouns and phrases: Is there a difference between using "woman" or "female"?

texts:
I saw a flyer yesterday which had a bold part as Society of Women Engineers

I thought to myself why it's not Female Engineers and the follow up question about the difference between Female and Woman when making the compound names.

Is there really a difference in connotation?


texts: I have seen that I get confused word like "buy". So if someone says "Buy car" is this like "I'm selling a car"? And if im right, "I buy car" means "I bought car" is that correct?


texts:
Today, I came to office without Id card and hence took temporary staff pass. I just need to inform my HR on this by email which sentence I should use out of these two.

  I have forgotten my id card today.

or

  I forgot my id card today.


texts:
Can "as soon" be used by itself in a sentence? For example:

  Finish your work and leave as soon.

Is this a complete sentence?


texts: Question regarding simple/compound/complex sentences

texts:
We read about these three classes of sentences. For example,

It is too hot to go out without an umbrella. (Simple)
It is so hot that we cannot go out without an umbrella. (Complex)
It is very hot and so we cannot go out without an umbrella. (Compound)

My teacher then (around a decade back) pointed out the "too-to" structure in simple sentences and a "so-that" structure in complex sentences. He added that casual sentences like I am so busy or I am too tired are wrong and in each of those cases, we need a very, as in, I am very busy or I am very tired. His logic was that so or to need a that or to for meaningful completion, going by the examples above.

Is he correct? Does modern English deem I am so busy to be suitable or valid in formal contexts (say in written English or the English taught at schools)? Is It is too/so hot and so we cannot go out without an umbrella a valid compound sentence?


texts:
Is it OK to say the following to somebody who is going to work on a bike?

  “Have a nice ride to work!”

How can I wish someone a good time while he/she is on her way to work?


texts:
In this sentence, which conjunction sounds more natural?

  This paper investigates one of these less known but/and yet/yet highly revealing statements.


texts: "Get along", "Compromise", "Put up" and "Cope with"

texts:
I wonder which choice works in my sentence and which one doesn't and why?

I never forget the time Sam fought the BBC's reporter when he offended Sam by saying those words! I think as a diplomat, he has to be able to ......... annoying remarks.

1. Put up with

To accept or continue to accept an unpleasant situation or experience, or someone who behaves unpleasantly:
Example: I can put up with the house being messy, but I hate it if it's not clean.

2. Cope with:

To deal successfully with a difficult situation:
Example: It must be really hard to cope with three young children and a job.

3. Get along with:

To deal with a situation, usually successfully:
Example: I wonder how Michael is getting along in his new job?

4. Compromise with

Compromise as a noun means: a situation in which people accept something slightly different from what they really want, because of circumstances or because they are considering the wishes of other people.
[This meaning fits well with my needed concept; but dictionaries did not provide me with a similar meaning in verbal form of the word "compromise" and it was why I just brought up the noun form meaning.]

So as you see, it was why I thought all the listed options  above work in this specific case! But I don't know (if I am correct,) how each phrasal verb changes the meaning of my scenario. It is sort of a question that really gets me often into trouble. I wonder if you could help me with it.


texts: Are these two interchangeable? personally I never heard anyone saying tomcat


texts: Is it correct that we use "be" instead of "do" after "would"?

texts:
for example in the following sentence she can not do any useful thing.

  She wouldn’t be any help, would she?

Is it true that we can not use "do" after "would"?


texts:
Is it wrong to say:

  Happiness awaits for you?

Is it totally wrong to put ‘for’ after awaits ?


texts:
What is the difference between the two sentences below?:

They have arrived back home.
They have arrived home.

Thanks for the answers!


texts:
Say we have an acronym or abbreviation like SSH (Secure Shell). What is the correct form of the following phrase?
1) An SSH console
2) A SSH console

I tend to use the first because it "sounds" right. However, a reader of the phrase could expand the abbreviation and read "an secure shell" which obviously sounds wrong!
Is there a definite rule for this or the choice is made based on the sound of the phrase?


texts: Does this sentence make sense? "What are you saying stinks?"

texts:
There are two men talking.
One man smelled a fishy smell and grumbled about it.
And the other man didn't smell it.
So the second man said, "What are you saying stinks?"

Is the sentence "What are you saying stinks?" correct in this situation?
Or in this situation, we should say "What are you saying the stench comes from?" or "Where are you saying the stench comes from?"


texts: Where is my apartment located vs Where is located my apartment

texts:
Which of the following is more suitable?

  Where is my apartment located?
  Where is located my apartment?


texts: Difference between "capital", "investment" and "asset"

texts:
My question comes from these sentences,

  Research has also found that the impact of ICT capital is greater in an organization when there are higher levels of investment in intangible capital. This includes R&D, firm-specific human capital, and organizational structures.

The Cambridge Dictionary definition of "capital"

  money and possessions, especially a large amount of money used for producing more wealth or for starting a new business:

and the definition of "asset"

  something valuable belonging to a person or organization that can be used for the payment of debts:
  A company's assets can consist of cash, investments, specialist knowledge, or copyright material.

Definition of "asset" in Macmillan Dictionary

  something such as money or property that a person or company owns

Definition of "investment" in Cambridge Dictionary

  the act of putting money or effort into something to make a profit or achieve a result

Reading all these makes me feel investment is money you put into a company or project; asset is something of value that's in there already. But capital seems to mean both? And in my sample sentences, they are almost interchangeable (except for human capital, this one I have no doubt about)?


texts: Is a moving stress possible in numbers with -teen?

texts:
Does the stress depend upon the word that follows or precedes the number with -teen?

i.e. Is it correct to say THIRteen pages instead of thirTEEN pages?


texts:
When one thing is based on another, we can refer to one of them using the word "underlying". For example, if object A is based on object B, we can say:

  the underlying B

What are good ways to refer to the other object, A?


texts:
None of the 14 firms are going to be sold by the government.

is going
no improvement.
I think option 2 is correct but in the answer key it is option 1.
Now, I am confused with the use of none of the


texts: you will usually see cats dancing to the beautiful tunes sung by him meaning

texts:
you will usually see cats dancing to the beautiful tunes sung by him

i want the meaning of this line but could not find yet i have know idea about this phrase meaning
Questin is you will usually see cats dancing to the beautiful tunes sung by him?


texts:
Why do you making fun of my speaking/speech?

Which sentence is correct or both and why?
I could not find any examples of using word "speaking" in this context.


texts:
What is the meaning difference in below sentences?

a) Police are yet to arrest anyone for murder.

b) Police have yet to arrest anyone for murder.

according to me Sentence a) gives status of the case and sentence b) gives Idea that police have not completed the action of arresting till date.


texts:
When entertaining a young child who is learning English, I heard some people asking her

  What is it?

when pointing to her finger.

I was surprised because I always learned to ask

  What is this?

when pointing something (or that is there is a need to differentiate the distance, or in general separate the items).

Their rationale was that the answer will be "it is a finger".

Is the question "what is it?" correct when pointing something?

Bonus question: is there a (ideally - strict) grammatical rule for this case?

Note: I hoped another question would be a duplicate but the context is different (though it implies that there is no problem with "What is it?")


texts: "The final major anatomist was Galen, active in the 2nd century"?

texts:
I am reading a book at the moment, and I came across this sentence:

  "The final major anatomist was Galen, active in the 2nd century"

I am not sure if the word "active" is correct or not in this sense. And if it is correct, should it not be "The final major anatomist was Galen, who was active in the 2nd century"?


texts:
The things you want to create is can only be complete when pigs fly.

I just read the above sentence on the internet, which is to demonstrate how to use the idiom when pigs fly. I don't think it is correct, because there are two verbs in the main clause, is and be. But when I check it in Grammarly.com, it turns out that the sentence is ok. So I need your help.


texts:
Is the following sentence correct? Or is there a better way to frame this sentence?

  'She/He is not available'

Can the word 'available' be used to state the availability of a person? or is it restricted only to state the availability of things?


texts: The term for putting wallpapers on the walls

texts: Do you call it "to glue the wallpapers" as we do in Russian or do you use some different verb?


texts: I don't understand "the nearest" in this context

texts:
This is the first scene of the documentary, where thousands of penguins are facing into snow storm.

  Narrator : Imagine our world without sun.

  Male Emperor Penguins are facing the nearest that exists on planet Earth - winter in Antarctica.

  BBC Planet Earth

I feel like there has to be something after "the nearest", like "the nearest winter that exists on earth . . .", Is it allowed to omit some words like this in English?

And second, I don't exactly understand the meaning of "the nearest" here.
Does it mean "these penguins are the first ones to face the winter"?


texts: The interpretation of the general reference

texts:
Often when we use the zero article article, we talk generally. When we use "the" - we talk about something specific. I asked the similar questions but now some ideas struck my mind and I wish to clarify the matter.

1) "I like music on my player" - can it mean that I like any music I upload on my player because that music is good?

2) "I like the music on my player" - only that music, that is on my player at the moment of speaking, or it can also mean that I like any music I upload there (a changing set)?

The idea of a changing set is not very clear to me. Can "the + noun (pl)" be a changing set?

I'd appreciate any help. Thanks!


texts:
Who will you voting for in the Lok Sabha Elections 2014?
Whom will you voting for in the Lok Sabha Elections 2014?

Which one is correct, and why? Please explain in detail.


texts: Different between "It is/was / has been"

texts:
When I watched some websites, I noticed there are three different ways to describe that they have released something.
But I don't know where is the difference, or there is no difference in this case.

  New product is released.
  New product was released.
  New product has been released.


texts: What's detailed difference between "special" and "especial"?

texts:
I've searched on Google and on ELL for the difference between special and especial, so I already know the meanings of the words are similar, but I wasn't able to find a detailed explanation of the difference.

Also, no data even the merely similar questions in ELL; so I posed my question about what just out of my curiosity and thirsty of knowledge.

Can you please explain in detail the difference between special and especial?


texts: Is General American Accent the only choice If I want learn an accent through the Internet that is understood by everyone?

texts:
I am learning English. Please stop telling me accent is not important. If I want to understood by everyone I need to learn an accent. I know no matter how hard I try, I will never sound perfect. But learning 80% is enough for me.
Everytime anyone say they want to learn Received Pronunciation, people will tell them not to learn it, as it sounds posh. So I think I should learn modern version of RP, but there is not enough resources on Youtube to learn it.
So is General American Accent the only choice for a non-native speaker who learn English through the internet?
Is it OK to learn General American Accent? Does a non-native speaker speak with a General American Accent sound ridiculous?


texts: Should it be "the number of" or "the numbers of" when assigning n numbers to n groups?

texts:
I have 3 groups with 3 different number(s) of subjects in each one. Should I say

  The number/numbers of subjects in groups 1, 2, and 3 is/are x, y, and z, respectively.

I presume that since I have 3 groups, the subject should be numbers.


texts:
The following is a subtitle of an article titled Why I refuse to text message:

  I don't care how convenient it is, or how many friends pity me for my decision. I'm holding out -- here's why

What does hold out mean above? I've looked it up in the dictionaries, but none of the definitions provided seem to fit the context.


texts:
Someone has contacted me on the phone. After I hang up I call someone else and says:

They/They've just contacted me.

Should it be "They just..." or "They've just..."?
What is correct? What is natural?


texts: Difference between "fathom" and "understand"

texts:
I saw the word 'fathom.'
In my language, it has same meaning as 'understand.'
Is it really same? What is the difference between fathom and understand?


texts: Question based on the paragraph above it

texts:
I had an English exam today, and none of the answers below seems right. However, if I had to choose one, I'd choose B.
But, I had to answer 15 questions and  this was the only one that could have a C answer, so I chose C.

I think it might be implied that one "can chow down on junk food" whether he likes it or not, so he has to eat junk food. And then, it is argued that this happens because vegan diets are "low in calcium, iron, vitamin D" and so on.
What do you think?

The paragraph is:

  Being vegan doesn't necessarily mean you're eating healthy. You can chow down on junk food - and miss out vital nutrients - whether you eat meat or not. For example, vegans diets are  naturally low in calcium, vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. If you are following a vegan diet it is important to include protein from foods such as nuts, seeds, beans and pulses. Of particular note are lentils, chickpeas, tofu and soya versions of milk and yogurt. Other good sources include cashew, pistachios, chia and pumpkin seeds, buckwheat and quinoa. At the same time, some vegans products contain a lot of coconut oil, for example, which is high in saturated fat. That said, it's easy to get the right food balance as a vegan, but you need to be aware of what you're eating - good advice for omnivores and herbivores alike."

The question is:

  "What does being a vegan mean?"
  A. eating healthy and nutritious meals
  B. paying attention to the food balance
  C. having to eat junk food at times
  D. casting aside prejudices about meat.

Thank you!


texts: Are /s/ and /z/ really distinguishable at the end of a word?

texts:
I know /z/ is voiced and /s/ is not, but many times I heard /s/ when it should be /z/.
For example, the word "yours", according to IPA, should be pronounced yourz /jɔːz/, but I almost always heard *yours /jɔːs/.
YouTube Video 1
YouTube video 2
Even in dictionary which is supposed to pronounce clearly and properly I'm hearing /s/ rather than /z/:
Yours - Merriam Webster
Another example is this/these, the <s> in "this" is pronounced /s/ while it's pronounced /z/ in "these", but in the dictionary:
This - Merriam Webster
"These" still sounds like /s/ to me. (I could hear it pronounce this & these a little bit different, but they are all within the category of /s/ to me.)
It's really frustrating they keep telling me it should be /z/ but I keep hearing /s/. What happened here?


texts:
Your shoes are shining:

  You must have mended your shoes.
  You must have your shoes mended.

This was the question given in an examination.

Most students and some teachers found the question difficult because of the structure.

I don't think this is a difficult question for students whose mother-tongue is English. However, I would like to clarify my doubt.

My question is:

Do students of native English speaking  countries find the sentences difficult like the students In India unless the structure is explained?


texts:
Perhaps my favourite thought in the book - certainly the one that resonates with me most - is the passage where Anne talks of longing to have a dress with puffed sleeves, a desire which, of course, Marilla will not even entertain. Anne declares that she will just imagine that her dress has puffed sleeves, which works very well until she arrives at Sunday school. ‘They all had puffed sleeves. I tried to imagine mine were puffed, too, but I couldn’t. Why couldn’t I? It was easy as could be to imagine they were puffed when I was alone in the east gable, but it was awfully hard there among the others who had really truly puffs.’
-- Introduction by Lauren Child, L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

It seems like subject "I" is missed after as, and the as-clause is, so called, the real subject of the sentence. Is this right?


texts:
Have him know I miss his talks.

What does talks mean here?


texts:
Consider, please, the following sentence:

  At the period to which Dreams belongs Kant had no contentful answer to
  this question, and indeed he did not do so until his Critical period.

I wonder if it should be "he did do so" or simply "he did so" instead?


texts:
They criticized my plans to become a musician.

Does this sentence mean the same as
They criticized my plans about becoming a musician.?

Or, does the sentence mean that they want to become a musician?

And what about this?

Researchers criticize plans to change Dutch research organization.

Do they criticize plans about changing the research organization? Or they want to change the organization so they criticize some plans?

I'm confused. Can anyone help me understand what the sentences mean?


texts: Noun vs. adjective as a modifier? "molecule structure" vs. "molecular structure"

texts:
I cannot tell the difference regarding definition between compound nouns and nouns preceded by an adjective.
For example:

  River pollution is a serious environmental issue.

  River pollution is a serious environment issue.

or

  What is the molecular structure of water?

  what is the molecule structure of water?


texts: If you manage to have fixed/have managed to fix your laptop by tomorrow, we can have the lesson even tomorrow

texts:
Is the sentence below correct?

If you manage to have fixed your laptop by tomorrow, we can have the lesson even tomorrow.

Or is it better to say,

If you have managed to fix your laptop by tomorrow, we can have the lesson even tomorrow.

If both of them are correct, what is the difference between them?


texts:
When you ask someone how they are feeling when they have a broken arm, does it make sense to ask

  Do you feel any better?

It feels like this is used more when they have a cold. So I'm wondering if I can say

  Is your broken arm better?

Or

  Is your arm better?

I can probably ask "how is your arm," but I want to know if I can use my two examples above. Thank you!


texts: Disambiguation of "Let me know when the task is completed."

texts:
The sentence "Let me know when the task is completed." could have two meanings:

Let me know the time that the task is supposed to be completed.
Once the task is completed, let me know it.

Which of them makes more sense?


texts: "In" or "On" when talking about the "last couple of days of someone's career"?

texts:
As far as I understand in English you use "on", when talking about days, but is it still correct to use "on" in a sentences like the below one?

He has been running for four hours per day on average for 60 days in a row, but only 1 hour 20 minutes per day on the last 15 days of his career as a marathon runner.

or should we use "in" here?

He has been running for four hours per day on average for 60 days in a row, but only 1 hour 20 minutes per day in the last 15 days of his career as a marathon runner.

Which one is grammatically correct? Do we still use "on" here? The second sentence looks better to me, but I'm not so good at grammar. Can someone help me here with the explanation?


texts:
Everyone want their homes to be in the centres of cities

Is this correct usage or is there any alternative way to convey the same?


texts: Phrase to use instead of "Could you please"

texts:
Is there a phrase that can be used in place of

  Could you please

in a formal letter? I have been repeatedly using "Could you please look into", "Could you please let me know" and was wondering if there is something else I can use.


texts: How can you parse the syntax of the sentence?

texts:
The sentence I need to parse:

  "Had" is the Past Tense of the verb to "have".

I can see that "Had" is the subject. But what part of the sentence is the predicate?

Am I right thinking that "Past" is the attribute of the sentence?

What is "of the verb to 'have'"? Is it the object?


texts: Of me or for me?It took quite sometime of me to messaged you

texts:
It took quite sometime of me to messaged you.
I was wondering if it's ok to say "of me" or "for me"


texts:
What kind/kinds of food and drinks can I have in China?
My favorite food is egg/the egg?

For the 2 sentences above, which words would you choose?


texts: What's the way how to properly put a question to a given words?

texts:
I've just taken an online test where I didn't get scores in several tasks. So, I was wondering if this is because of my mistakes or there is an issue with the test.
Could somebody take a look and correct me if there is something wrong with my answers?
Thanks in advance.
Put the questions to the highlighted words.

We often meet them.

Answer: Whom do we often meet? (or maybe "Whom do we meet often?")
I'm not sure if I should use who or whom here. And also, don't know the I placed often in the correct place.
Put the questions to the highlighted words. Pay attention to the position of the preposition:

She listens to the lector very attentively.

Answer: Whom does she listen very attentively to?

Our colleagues are ready for your questions.

Answer: What our colleagues are ready for?

My friend often discusses his problems with his groupmates.

Answer: Whom does my friend often discuss his problems with?


texts:
Can everyone be used for non living objects as in the following sentence

  Everyone of the films you suggested are not worth seeing.

It looks weird but I found it in a book.


texts: Use of the definite article in "America the Beautiful"

texts:
How do we explain using the definite article for adjectives in "the beautiful"?
Is it possible in Poetry?
or is it possible in titling as in newspapers if I am not mistaken?
I think it is equivalent to "The beautiful America", but I would like to know if there are any grammar rules I do not know of.


texts: Is this sentence correct? “I forgot to brought my money”

texts:
I forgot to brought my money.

I am an English teacher but I got stranded in this sentence. I know (or I least, I think) it’s more common to say:

  I forgot to bring my money.

but I can’t explain why. Or are both verb tenses correct?


texts:
I'm looking for one word which describes what a student who missed classes needs to do in order to complete his missing.

For example if he missed biology class he needs to seat with the teacher and study this missed class together with her and then he get the mark for this missed class. Someone -who isn't native English speaker- told me that it's called "rework". But I looked for it in some dictionaries (such as Merriem-webster) and I didn't find such definition.

A Ukrainian university that uses this term: "SCHEDULE of reworks of missed classes"


texts: Preposition phrase serves as the subject complement

texts:
To hold any kind of resentment is like taking rat poison and waiting for the rat to die.

In the sentence, "like" is a preposition followed by gerunds. The preposition phrase "like taking rat poison and waiting for the rat to die" serves as the subject complement. Am I right?


texts: I'm telling them/I'll tell them/I'm going to tell them

texts:
Are these all natural to your native-speaking ears?

If you don't pay me right now, I'm telling them what you did!

If you don't pay me right now, I'll tell them what you did!

If you don't pay me right now, I'm going to tell them what you did!


texts:
Is it

  It is a disruptive kind of move.

or

  It is a kind of disruptive move.


texts: Why do people say "a bus stop" instead of "a stop of buses"?

texts:
We can say a cup of coffee and a coffee cup, both of them make sense. Also, it's fine if we say a bus stop, a crowd of people and a story of passion, but...

  ...Why does it sound weird when it comes to a stop of buses, a
  people crowd and a passion story?


texts: Take something from upstair or from downstair

texts:
what is the correct daily english when we want to get someone to "take something from upstair or from downstair or from high position". Can we say " Hi Dear, can you please help to take "something"down from the room/upstair" or " Hi Dear, can you please help to bring "something"down from the room/upstair"? As I know "Bring Down", "Bring Up" , "take down" and "Take up" has it meaning, for example : Bring Down - To cause the failure or defeat of someone or something.

Please advice.


texts:
Im designing an award certificate but not sure how to word it.

  Option 1. Certificate of Entrepreneur of the year.

vs.

  Option 2. Certificate for the Entrepreneur of the year.

Do I write "Certificate of" or "Certificate for". Can someone help pls.


texts:
The Autopilot feature is designed to allow Teslas to cruise highways without drivers steering, braking or accelerating.

Source: Mosher, Alexandra, “Tesla drivers play Jenga, sleep, using Autopilot in nerve-wracking videos,” USA Today, July 1, 2016

Is it possible to change drivers to driver's in the sentence above I found on the Internet?


texts: Couldn't understand the phrase "as is the punishment such denial of freedom constitutes"

texts:
I am reading the book "Vocabulary for Writing at University" by Jeanne Godfrey and I came across a sentence that I have had a hard time to understand:

This principle of removing people who harm society is a generally agreed function of prisons, as is the punishment such denial of freedom constitutes.

I think this sentence is trying to say "denial of freedom serves as a punishment", but why would the author express it in this way? And why is that the verb "constitutes" goes to the end of the sentence without an object? Is it common to write in this way?


texts: Phrase to express activity in landing a job

texts:
In addition to Use of "gain employment" expression? :

I'd like to say that former students landed jobs at great companies. At the the same time I'd like to express their efforts/actions and active attitude to it. So they were not only hired, but found those jobs and employed themselves. What are the best phrases for it:

landed jobs
got jobs
gained employment
employed themselves

Are there any extra variants?

In addition: ngrams results - is it relevant now?

To the answer: yes, they succeeded in their job finding. Some of them run their own business. So "actively networked" is good to describe the process. However, I'd also like to express the result. I fell that "employed themselves" is not the best choice. Neither "gained employment" - gain employment is fine there, if you're talking about being employed in general, at some time in the future


texts:
Is it time the institutions peddling fashion’s next generation followed suit to address what’s not working?

This is just a part of a sentence and I am confused with the sentence structure. Can somebody parse this as "who does what" since this will be very clear to me?


texts: Is there an actual reason behind the author's using the number four in "value meal number four"

texts:
This is from a book [1]:

  Here, the choices of efficiently standardized America are not available. The most popular restaurant has honey-stung chicken on the menu instead of value meal number four.

Would you please tell me if that bold part is a pun or something? Is it meant to evoke something? Is there an actual reason to use the number four or it's just a random thing?

[1] Miller, David. AWOL on the Appalachian Trail (p. 46).


texts:
I wrote:

  I want to say that the Iran’s stance over Israel is not univocal. Some could be idealists, or there could be a benefit for some others of this opposition. On the other side, there are politicians who seek a more pragmatic position toward Israel and the world.

Is it a correct usage of it? Is it used more as a single adjective or in an adjective phrase, such as "univocal voice"?


texts:
Question: Can you mix in present tense with past tense to mean that something said in the past is still happening?

For example:

  David told me last year that it was still very common for people in this town to eat hotdogs daily.

I am not sure if I should use it was or it is very common. If I say this sentence to somebody right now, it sounds as if it is no longer very common this year that people eat hotdogs daily.


texts:
I had been aware of this band for a few years, but did not get hooked until I heard this song.

Just would like to know if past perfect is here to emphasize the length "for a few years" and the change "I get hooked". Could it be possible to use past simple?

  I was aware of this band for a few years, but did not get hooked until I heard this song.


texts: Whom did she invite or Who did she invite?

texts:
Whilst in most cases, I'm clear using who or whom but this is one of the sentences bothering me!

  Whom/who did she invite?

Whom did she invite looks very very natural to me. The general rule (this will work in most of the cases, no exceptions please!) I remember is... be yourself in that situation, and if 'I' fits, it'll be 'who' and if 'me' fits, it'll be 'whom'.

Some examples where this rule works as a breakthrough...

  Whom this matter is concerned to? - The matter is concerned to me and not I so whom!   Our madam wondered who broke the glass - I broke the glass and not me so who!

That way, She invited me and not I so it should be - whom did she invite, shouldn't it? Also, if you take it other way - She invited him and not he.


texts: "Given that apartheid fell so recently and..."

texts:
I came across the following sentence but I could not understand its structure and meaning and how the word given functions there.

Is it similar to the sentences which begin "having said that"?

  Given that apartheid fell so recently and its legacies survive in
  huge disparities of wealth, education and land distribution, what is
  truly surprising is that the monument has survived for so long.


texts:
Person 1: ...and we also work at the same place.
Person 2: She work(s) at the same place as you?
Person 1: Yes.
Should the "s" be included or not?


texts: Why there's no article in the phrase "hurl into corner"?

texts:
I see the phrase "having this book hurled into corner of the room by the suspicious reader" in "No Story" by O. Henry. Why there's no article near the word "corner"? Is it a kind of abstraction? Is there a subtle meaning in it I can lose site of as a foreigner? Or maybe it's similar to 'get into bed, go to school', is it? I mean, is the word 'corner' considered as a routine place here and, on this basis, any determiner for it can be hurled into corner?
p.s. By the way, is the last sentence correct?


texts: “potential good {noun}” vs “potentially good {noun}" vs “good potential {noun}”

texts:
A good candidate

But what if the candidate has the potential (n) to be good?

Should I say

  A potentially good candidate

or

  A potential good candidate

or

  A good potential candidate

In No.1, the adverb potentially modifies the adjective good. In No.2, the adjective potential modifies the noun – candidate while in No.3, the adjective good modifies the noun phrase potential candidate.

Are all three sentences  correct or is one of the three “more“ grammatically correct?


texts: Paraphrasing the pharase " ... has alarmed the ex-Soviet republic. "

texts:
Crimeans voted on Sunday on whether to break away from Ukraine and join Russia in a referendum that has alarmed the ex-Soviet republic and triggered the worst crisis in East-West relations since the Cold War.

From Euro news

I wonder whether the words "ex Soviet republic" refer to Russia or Crimea or Ukraine or Kiev.

I also wonder what "alarm" mean.

My try is :

  The referendum has scared the Crimea that had been a ex part of ex Soviet republic.

Other Possible interpratation:

  The referendum has caused a potential fear in Russia (that is ex Soviet republic)


texts: Thanks vs Thank you vs Thank you so much?

texts:
What is the correct way to say "thanks" to anyone in any situation?

Does it make any difference depending on context or situation?


texts:
I am still confused with the following pattern.

  "x is not as y as z"

For example,

A: x is not as stupid as y.
B: p is not as small as q.

Which are the correct interpretations?

A': x is smarter than y.
A'': x is more stupid than y.

B': p is greater than q.
B'': p is smaller than q.


texts: Is there an idiom related to the idea of a "bad omen"?

texts: I am thinking there's an expression or an idiom that means something along the line of "This is or might be a bad omen to bad things about to come about." It doesn't have to exactly mean that, but it must be something we can pretty much use in the same context.


texts: Meaning of "village is synonymous worldwide"

texts:
What is the meaning of "village is synonymous worldwide" in below context?
I understand meaning of synonymous is "same in meaning" but could not understand its meaning here.

This seaside village is synonymous worldwide with this unsolved shocking case.

Source of information is here: https://youtu.be/3prCCJIhIKA?t=140


texts: When to use determiners after a preposition?

texts:
As far as I know, while using a countable noun you should put a determiner before the countable noun. But some examples confused me.

  A type of metal button ("button" is a countable noun)

  A case of bee sting ("sting" is a countable noun)

  Determine a type of a lesion

  There was the case of a landlord vs tenant.

Why we don't use a determiner before the nouns in the first two examples; however, we use a determiner before the nouns in the last two examples ? When don't I have to use a determiner before countable nouns ?


texts: What is the meaning of this sentence? Is it normal to say this or is he scolding me?

texts:
I wrote in one of the social platform that

  " It's dangerous to talk to strangers, but it's perfectly okay to
  marry one."

(In my country our parents search for a boy  , in some places girls see the boy in the marriage itself as their parents decision is the  final ).  So a guy commented that

  "Isn't this point a bit overrated these days?"

What does that mean ? . I just saw his comment  and didn't reply back. I don't know what to comment back ... please help me.what should I comment?


texts:
Which way is correct to say "technologies websites" or "technology websites" and why?

By a technology website I mean a website that contains some information about technologies


texts: When to use 'The tyre of my car blew' and 'The tyre of my car burst'

texts:
Apparently - the use of both looks the same to me. But there has to be a difference that I am not able to figure out.

My understanding is that when a tyre bursts, it makes a loud sound.

But I am not sure that applies to 'blow' because the dictionary definition of blow (a tyre) by Macmillan is

  if a tyre blows, or if you blow it, it bursts (so it does not necessarily makes a loud sound, does it?)

Could you please explain if there are differences in their usage or they could be used interchangeably ?


texts: An expression meaning doing long and hard mental work resulting in extreme mental fatigue

texts: There's an idiom "work one's fingers to the bone" literally linked to manual labor, and I am looking for the like colloquial, idiomatic or slang expression referring to hard mental work. The one that I'm familiar with, rack one's brain, doesn't seem to quite fit my request.  Although it does mean to think long and hard to recall or think of something, it does not reflect the almost total mental exhaustion as compared to the fingers' skin and flash worn out and torn by the hard manual work. Could anyone kindly suggest anything corresponding to what I'm looking for?


texts: difference between was always been vs It has always been

texts:
It there a difference between these sentences?
It was always been my intention to play for  for Team GB vs It has always been my intention to play for  for Team GB


texts: How to introduce the method used in a research

texts:
Which of the following sentences are correct? why? and how to make it proper?

  Our approach to dealing with the problem A was of method B.

we can also introduce method B as follows:

  Our approach to dealing with the problem A was by using/employing method B.

Thanks for your help.


texts:
When I read about the two famous grammar books - The Cambridge Grammar
  of the English Language, A Comprehensive Grammar of the English
  Language, I happened to across a very interesting sentence below.

  What are you doing in there? (source)

The questioner wanted to know what part of speech is there,adverb or noun? Which is it?


texts:
In the following sentence can I use either of the two? step/pace and until/til

  It took exactly twenty-five paces(steps) from the office door
  until(till) her desk.

What sounds more natural to the native ear?


texts:
I would like to know if the following sentence is grammatically correct

  I propose you that we do this.

Could you offer an explanation if it's not grammatical correct?


texts:
Can I use “How to” instead of “How do I” when I ask a question? And will it be grammatical?

I often notice some English learners use “How to” when they ask a question.


texts: What is the difference between using or not using the verb "do" in this sentence?

texts:
We do live in a busy world full of distractions.

or

We live in a busy world full of distractions.


texts: Difference between "if only" and "only if"

texts:
What is the differences between "if only" and "only if" ?
What is the use of each  in the sentences? Are there any specific rules for their uses?

"I could get more work done if only there weren't so much noise."
"We will manufacture these handbags only if we can obtain the right leather."


texts:
This question was asked in my exam:

  The food basket contained (A)/ a dark chocolate, an eclair and a pastry (B)/neatly wrapped in foil paper. (C)/No error

They gave part (B) has an error, but what's the error in it?


texts: Why doesn't the noun 'code' take any article?

texts:
The following quote from "The sorcery code" by DimaZales:

  Blaise was sitting in his study writing code.

lacks either the definite article or the indefinite article.

I wonder why? Is there anything I'm missing? Is the gerund that can take a direct object without the article?


texts:
Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning

I don't know the meaning of that sentence.
I searched "never do without doing".
That means you should do something, but I can't get it.


texts: The police arrested two people early this morning. Why simple past and not present perfect?

texts:
I've realized that I don't really use the present perfect and simple past correctly. My main problem is that when doing exercises I've found the explanations to be (sometimes) forced.

Some of the rules for using present perfect are:

Connection to the present
Recently completed
Imprecise time reference

Yet, an example like

  The police arrested two people early this morning.

uses the past simple. If it was from a news channel I would find it to be correct, but if I were talking, why not use the present perfect?

I could be scared by this, so it has a connection to the present. Plus this morning could be interpreted as recently completed which is imprecise.

The reason given for the answer to this exercise is that it's a finished action (which I also find silly, because finished actions can also be expressed with the present perfect).


texts: Usage of "avert the sound" in a sentence

texts:
I'm describing the usage of carpet. Is the phrase "avert the sound" used correctly?

  A carpet could be used to avert the sound produced by the hard things falling down to floors.


texts: What's the difference between 'shot' and 'shot at'?

texts:
There are two sentences like this.

The hunter shot at the bird.
The hunter shot the bird.

Maybe I think that 'shot at' in number 1 sentence means that the hunter shot the bird but missed it. whereas hunter in number 2 sentence succeeded.
What's the difference between 'shot' and 'shot at'in meaning?
Please, tell me the difference.


texts: Do anything you want or do anything you want to do

texts:
Recently, I came across a piece of news. It was about girls being sold off for marriage by their parents after reaching  a certain age and how they were not allowed to live as they pleased.
After watching it, I felt so bad for the girls.
So I decided to never to do it to my would be wife (or wife  to-be? What ever you call it).
So in a hypothetical situation ( as I have not planned to get married yet)
if my would be wife asked me if I would treat her the same way and in an attempt to letting her know that I won't,  what my answer should be?

A. You are free to do anything you want to do. Or

B. You are free to do anything you want.

Is To Do necessary in the first sentence? And

Do both have different meaning from each other?


texts: Meaning of "churches were places of sanctuary"

texts:
The crowd was thrilled. The clapping of
  10,000 hands caused Quasimodo’s only eye to
  sparkle with joy. “Sanctuary! Sanctuary! ” the
  mob repeated.
  Esmeralda opened her eyes and looked at
  Quasimodo. For a moment, she was horror
  stricken at the sight. But she realized that she
  was safe. Even gypsies knew that churches
  were places of sanctuary. Escaped prisoners
  could avoid their punishments as long as they
  stayed inside.
  Quasimodo quickly closed the door and
  carried Esmeralda to the bell tower. There, he
  held her up to the sky. The people in the
  crowd below again greeted him with applause.
  And again he shouted, in that voice he rarely
  used and could never hear, “Sanctuary!
  Sanctuary! Sanctuary! ”

Dose it mean:  every churches has a safe room and
 as long as guilty persons are inside that room are safe?

Or it just mean that churches are sacred places?


texts:
Which of the following two sentences is grammatically correct? and Why?

  I am giving CAT this year.
  I am taking CAT this year.

Thanks in advance.


texts: How can I describe the sound when an apple hits the floor?

texts:
In my story there is a scene where someone uses magic to drop an apple to the ground. What word can I use to describe that?

Edit: Since some people have asked me to clarify a bit, the scene goes like this.

A non believer sitting under a tree asks a mage to show proof that magic exists. The magician proceeds by dropping several apples from the tree.

Thunk.(the first one falls).

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. (3 more).

Thunk. (The last one falls on the head of the non believer for good measure).

I think thunk sounds really weird here so I am looking for an alternative.
I'll also clarify that I'm by no means a writer and I'm just writing a story for an assignment. If you have any criticism of the blurb I showed here then I'll be happy to hear it.


texts: Please help me with a sentence in someone's lyrics

texts:
I came across a web site and the web site was playing an American band's song.

Here is the lyric that makes me confused:

  I wanna know have you ever seen the rain?

I am wondering why the singer wrote this sentence, is it grammatical?
And I am wondering Why it was not written this way:

  I wanna know if you have you ever seen the rain?


texts: What does the phrase "sliding in and out of drifts" mean here?

texts:
Please help me understand the meaning of the phrase "sliding in and out of drifts" in the following sentence from the description of the game "KartRider Rush+" (not available online):

You should give those thumps a warm-up before each race in the game, they’ll need to be in shape for all that sliding in and out of drifts.

I know drifting is a driving technique where the driver intentionally oversteers, with loss of traction, while maintaining control and driving the car through the entirety of a corner. I am confused by the words "sliding in and out" here.

Here is a description of the game from a different source:

The kart racing sensation enjoyed by over 300M players worldwide is back and better than ever with more style, more game modes, more thrill! Race with friends or just play it solo through a variety of gameplay modes.

Thank you for your time.


texts: Can a person be described as "dishonest but scrupulous"?

texts: I am trying to comprehend the difference between the usage of "dishonest" and "unscrupulous". I understand unscrupulous refers to a person who is unprincipled, and dishonest is a person who is not honest. So can there be a person who is dishonest but scrupulous? I am thinking of a person like Robin-hood.


texts:
Which is better to use "in" or "with" if I mention a resolution of a clock?

i.e.

  The clock is available with a resolution of milliseconds.

or

  The clock is available in a resolution of milliseconds.


texts: How to chose between the present perfect and the preterite form of a verb?

texts: In the situation in which I want to say to someone on seeing them again after many months that I could not wait to see them again, should I say: "I missed you so much." or "I have missed you so much."?


texts: How to change them from active to passive?

texts:
I m student to learn English and my teacher wanted to change the two sentences from active to passive:

1-They were teaching her English two years ago

2-Ali stayed at home to sleep because he was tired.

My Answer is

Her English was being tought two years ago.

is this right??

I can't solve the second sentence because  there is no object.

Any help ... thanks


texts: "to love + participle to + verb vs to love +ing" difference in meanings

texts:
Is here any difference between:
1. I think she loves being active.
2. I think she loves to be active.


texts:
I want to express that a computer is rarely updated, and that I am in doubt that there will be any update at all. I would like to say it this way:

  The computer is unlikely to be updated, if any.

Now the sentence sounds me wrong because it seems as if "if any" would require an amount to be explicitly stated, as in this sentence:

  The computer is unlikely to receive any update, if any.

So I wonder whether the first sentence is correct or I should resort to something like... "if even at all"?.


texts: How many complements are in "I ask you to clean the room"?

texts:
How many complements are needed in the below sentence?

  "I ask you to clean the room."

This sentence above has one complement or two complements?


texts: Single-word vs. phrasal verbs: When to use the latter, and is the former more formal?

texts:
When can we use phrasal verbs instead of verbs?

For example, 'look back' is a phrasal verb. And the verbs 'recall' and 'remember' have the same meaning as that phrasal verb. 2. So when can we use 'recall' instead of 'look back'?

Can we say verbs are a bit more formal than phrasal verbs?


texts: Grammaticality of the invented sentences

texts:
Which one would be better for Question A?

B1 or B2? Are both grammatical?

  A: Do you love it that he will resign?
  B1: Yes, I love it.
  B2: Yes, I love the situation.

Which one would be better for Question C?

D1 or D2? Are both grammatical?

  C: Did Rumor have it that he will resign?
  D1: Yes, Rumor had it.
  D2: Yes, Rumor had the situation.


texts:
There were fringed bolero jackets in abundance and multiple rose-bedecked references to the so-intense-as-to-hurt romantic aesthetic of Frida Kahlo. The closing gown was painted by Romero Britto as a tribute to the trailblazing Mexican artist. (source)

Google seems to show this is not a thing. But then what does "closing" mean here?


texts: Adjuncts in front position: Do they provide the reason behind the main clause's action?

texts:
I'm having an argument with a friend about the role of predicative adjuncts in front position and whether they modify the reason behind the action in the main clause.

Examples: "Tired and sleepy, she ate a banana" and "Upset, the children had daubed paint on the walls."

From what I was able to gather from The Cambridge Grammar and various other sources, the adjunct in the first example makes the sentence entail that she had been tired and sleepy, and the second that the children had been upset. Predicatives supplement subjects and objects. I think that's pretty much all there is to it. My friend argues that these adjuncts actually give the explicit reason for the actions the subjects perform, as in she ate a banana because she was tired and sleepy, not that she was tired and sleepy and/when she ate a banana.

Who is right in this case? Are we both wrong? Thanks!


texts: "No sooner..than" passive voice construction

texts:
I am confused as to what the passive voice of the "No sooner.... than" construction would be. For example: No sooner did he reach the station than the train started
In my opinion, the answer might be " No sooner was the station reached by him, the train started"?


texts: A boy ran into a chair & made the chair fall off, can we say "you fell the chair"?

texts:
fall [intransitive] to suddenly stop standing

  She slipped on the ice and fell.

  A tree fell, just missing his car.

  fall + adv./prep. I fell over and cut my knee.

  The house looked as if it was about to fall down.

Now, a boy ran into a chair & made the chair fall off, can we say "you fell the chair"?

I know that the verb "fall" is not a transitive verb. So, we can say "The chair fell" but we can not say "I fell the chair".

What is the equivalent expression of "to make the chair fall"?


texts:
Can I start a sentence with "Just that", like:

  It tastes good. (it's) just that it's too expensive.

Can I drop the "it's" at the start? If not, what's a good substitute that sounds casual and friendly? "Although" and "However" sound too formal in my opinion. Or are they?


texts:
Can I say :

  A flask is upside down conical  in shape.

  The letter M is upside down the letter W in shape.

  The product is shaped like the letter V but upside down.

  The product is shaped like upside down the letter V.

I think upside down is adverb so I was wondering how it sounds when it is used in this way?


texts: Difference between adjectives and participle adjectives in english

texts:
In the following sentence I have to identify participles.

  Michael, bereft of his son Luke, died of a broken heart.

I think there are 2 participles  bereft, broken

But the answer was just bereft


texts: Is there a word for a person that other people listen to?

texts: I need to know if there is a word for someone who people like to listen to his/her speeches, talks, lectures, etc.?


texts: Consultation: "uncountable noun" or "countable noun"

texts:
I have a question related to usage of the word consultation. Can you please tell me if I should use singular or plural  form of the word in the following context?

Consultations require a personal visit. I will not be able to respond to questions over phone, text message or email.
Consultation requires a personal visit. I will not be able to respond to questions over phone, text message or email.

As a tax consultant, I want my clients not to call me or message for any query. If they want to talk to me they must come to my home. So which of the following sentence sounds natural?

Can anyone who knows the language well please answer my question?


texts: Is it better to match the tense in this case

texts:
As you have cancelled my order ,don't change anything .But if you can let me know why you cancelled it that would be nice .

What do you think of the use of past simple is it justified? I think so because
 for the second cancelled  I don't mind if it has an effect on the present where as in the first one it has a present relevance, but may be it is better to use the same tense for both (past simple or present perfect) as it is the same action


texts:
Which one is right out of the following?

  We can really do what we were pretending to do

  We can really do what we've been pretending to do


texts: Which one is right 'sale was increased' or 'sale increased'?

texts:
I have seen in some books authors write sale was increased, while others write sale increased. What is the difference between the two, and please explain why?

For example,

Sale increased in the UK from 2000 to 2005.
In 2005, the sale was increased in the UK.


texts:
Does this phrase use the is to form correctly?

  Another thing that company could do is to provide free coffee at work.


texts:
Doing some exercises in advanced grammar book by Cambridge I faced several odd examples:

  I've got to pay the money back by the end of the month.

  I've got until the end of the month to pay the money back.

The book prohibits the usage of by in the second sentence whereas the usage of by in the first seems obvious. I'm kind of struggling to understand which semantic difference the usage of until adds to the second example. And why I can't use by out there.

The other pair

  I put on an extra pair of socks. Until/By then me feet were freezing cold.

  I stood outside the cinema for an hour. By then my feet were freezing cold.

The book prohibits the usage of Until in the second sentence. I cannot understand why and the semantic difference between those two sentences.


texts:
Lay

  3 [+ object] : bury

  They laid him in his grave (Merriam Webster Learner's Dictionary)

  Lay:

  to bury

  They laid him in the old churchyard. (Dictionary.com)

Take this sentence as an example.

They laid/buried him in the old churchyard.

What is the difference between "lay" and "bury"?


texts: Meaning 'Their house was small for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles'

texts:
I can't understand the meaning of this sentence from Wonderful Wizard of Oz:

  Their house was small for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles.

I check my vocabulary: Lumber is a derivative of a tree, but  the expression above is unclear for me. Particularly this expression: house .. for the lumber to build it had to be carried.


texts: "No one had told Smith about {there would be / there being} a lecture the following day."

texts:
No one had told Smith about __________ a lecture the following day．
A．there would be
B．there being

Could you tell me why teachers suggest the correct answer is B rather than A? I personally prefer A, as A is clearer than B for me to understand the context.


texts: What does "I have a spare" mean in school context?

texts:
It's morning; a girl is at home on a school day because she'd been suspended. Suddenly, a friend of hers appears at her house to give her some homework. To explain why she's here during school time, se says:

  "I had a spare so I tought I'd drop it [the homeworks] off."

What does "have a spare" mean exactly in this context?

Just to provide more context: later, the girl that brings the homeworks says:

  I have to go. I'm supposed to be doing my online math.


texts:
I saw Tom back at the last gas station.

Why 'back' is here? Is this again? or the gas statin is at the back?


texts:
I read some sentences including "raw proof" but I can't find out what it means.

  She is giving raw proof that we are slaves to our society.


texts: Difference between `Must` and `Must be` in a sentence

texts:
Which one of these lines is correct?

  After close browser, session must be expire.

and

  After close browser, session must expire.

Actually, what's the difference between the usage of Must be and Must?

I also read this question.

[UPDATE]
I found a better sentence:

  Session should be expired after closing the browser.


texts:
A little background info, one of my favorite bands is doing a world tour next year. I live on the East Coast and all their concerts on the East Coast are in July, August and September. I am going to be in Greece those three months. So, if I was to write a sentence where I am disappointed about that, how would it go?

Of course,  all the concerts on the East Coast had to be on the same dates as my trip to Greece

Or

All the concerts on the East Coast are on the same dates as my trip to Greece.

Or

All the concerts on the East Coast are happening while I am traveling to Greece.

............................

If you have a completely different way to word it, I am all ears :)


texts: The relation between two variables and one another variable

texts:
How can I point out the relation between 3 variables? I want to point out the relation between (A, B) and (C). e.g., in the relation bellow, C depends both A and B.

C = 2 * A + B

Is the phrase bellow correct?

the relation between A as well as B and C


texts: With or without "would", what's the difference?

texts:
I have been struggling with the "would" for quite a long time.
I know most of the basic ideas of would. But there are too many "extended usages" that always confuse me.

I found this article from EnglishClub which is very helpful for understanding "would."

But still, I can't figure out what could be the difference without using the "would."

For example (sentence after the '→' is what I thought was "the same" meaning):

  would for desire or inclination

  I'd love to live here.  → I love to live here.
  Would you like some coffee?  → Do you like some coffee?
  What I'd really like is some tea.  → What I really like is some tea.

  would for opinion or hope

  I would imagine that they'll buy a new one.  → I can imagine that they'll buy a new one.
  I suppose some people would call it torture.  → I suppose some people can call it torture.
  I would have to agree.  → I have to agree.
  I would expect him to come.  → I expect him to come.
  Since you ask me I'd say the blue one is best.  → Since you ask me I have to say the blue one is best.

  would for presumption or expectation

  That would be Jo calling. I'll answer it.  → That must/will be Jo calling.
  We saw a police helicopter overhead yesterday morning. | Really? They would have been looking for those bank robbers.  → Really? They may have been looking for those bank robbers.

I just can't understand WHY it should be "would" rather than other word or without using "would". What is the difference there?

I really wish there is some sort of "core concept" that can help me to understand "would" once and for all.

Thanks!


texts: Can "east and west meet each other at some points"?

texts:
This is my sentence:

  East and west meet each other at some points and even give hugs to each other.

I am not sure if this is a correct usage of meet and point to convey the meaning, which is:

  East and west act/react the same about some special matters sometimes.

I searched for the exact sentence and didn't find it, then I tried to look in dictionaries for the word point:

  3  [countable] a particular moment in time
  at this/that point:

  At that point we all got up and walked out of the room.
     at this/that point in time:

  At this point in time we can't afford to hire any more people.

And:

  4  [countable] a particular place

  We'll meet at a point halfway between here and your hotel.

  A point where three different countries meet


texts: "behave like us" vs "behave like we (do)"

texts:
Consider a sentence:

  They behave like us

Why do we use "us" here? Should it be subjective pronoun "we" as it is a subject of implied verb "do", i.e.

  They behave like we (do)

Which one is correct and why?


texts: are these present perfect a good choice in my text

texts:
"My parcel is at last in France!!! unbelievable!" did I say today.
I did not expect to receive it any more, since it was sent 2 months ago. I have thought "It is lost for ever".
However, I have checked on my computer at least once a day  the state of it, hoping it has changed but unfortunatly it has not. Until today!
I could not believe my eyes when I read on my computer that the parcel was in France.
I am not sure about the choice  made for these 2 verbs (think and check). I chose present perfect because my thinking of loosing the parcel and checking my computer began at the same time in the past and  lasted untill today and occured more than once . So I think it is a good choice . I am less sure about "has  changed" and "has not"but the change happened only today so


texts: Reply to someone going on a summer holiday

texts:
If my friend say "I am going to a beautiful island this summer holiday."  Can I say "Enjoy youself"?

Is my reply proper?


texts: Is the construction "from then on ... until now" correct/idiomatic?

texts:
Example sentence:

  He had an accident. From then on, he couldn’t talk to me, nor could I listen to him
  anymore. Until now.

I guess it's grammatical and idiomatic. But I'm not very sure due to the change of tense in the same paragraph.

(Or maybe a more natural construction is: From then on ... And it's the same now?)


texts: Difference between "access" and "entry"?

texts:
Consider：

He gained entry into the building.
He gained access into the building.

Any difference in usage or meaning?


texts: Grammar of: "I'll make you sorry you did this"

texts:
I'll make you sorry you did this.

Is this any kind of idiom? I think it should be like "I'll make you sorry for what you did", but either cases give tons of Google search results.


texts: What is the difference between cycle and “circle”?

texts: I’m Chinese, and it’s hard for me to distinguish the difference between the terms cycle and circle. Both of them mean round and circulation as far as I understand, but what’s the difference?


texts: what is the meaning of "went off" in the context below?

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Edmond halley, another famous astronomer, was born in London, England, in 1656. He studied astronomy at Oxford  University until  1676, when he went off to study the stars and planets of the southern hemisphere. Later He compiled his data in a book.

does it mean"when he finished university he continued to study about stars and planets of the southern hemisphere"?
or it mean " at university he studied the stars and planets of the southern hemisphere"


texts: mixed conditional: present-tense in the if-clause and "would" in the main clause

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I have seen quite a few mixed conditionals, and I'm wondering whether the following is correct:

  a. If John is in Tokyo now, he would be in a coffee shop.

If the above is correct, how does it differ from b?

  b.  If John is in Tokyo now, he will be in a coffee shop.

Note that in both sentences, the speaker does not know whether John is in Tokyo now. In other words, John may or may not be in Tokyo now.

Next, consider the following:

  Humans have always hoped for infinity, since it would/will be an awfully lonely universe if we’re the only planet with its porch light on.

How does "would" differ from "will" in this case?

I'd appreciate your help.


texts:
I have online students studying English with me. A small number of them ask grammar questions. Sometimes the best answer I can offer is that I don’t know but will find an answer. Sometimes I’m stumped, so I’ve decided to come here for answers.
One of my students is reading a fictional blog about a lady who has a grandmother who has a sister named Dia. She asked why the following sentence has the word ‘had’ even though Dia is still alive. “She even didn’t know her grandmother had a sister.” I don’t know the grammar rule here, so the best I could say was that I’m sure ‘had’ is correct, and that because ‘has’ feels okay to me, some people must use ‘has’. In fact, because Dia is still alive, using ‘has’ makes much more sense to me.
Though I’d be happy to have a direct answer, I’d also like to know what books or websites I can turn to to find my own answers to grammar questions. Seems to me this one is a particularly advanced question, though I welcome someone telling me otherwise.
Thanks very much, Troy
:)


texts: Word(s)/phrase(s) for "making you seem smarter than you really are"

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Are there words (or phrases) that mean "makes it seem as if you are smarter/more educated/more refined/etc. than you really are" (while you know you are not)? For example, like a word suitable to fill in the following sentence.

  I'd like to have a ______ saying on my profile page. What comes to your mind?

UPDATE: Sorry, it seems my question was somewhat underspecified. What I wanted is not expressions that have "deceiving people" meaning, but what suggest "it's felt like the doer is trying to be smarter than s/he is" kind of nuance. Of course, it sounds jocular rather than serious when you use it to yourself like in the example above. Please point out if my English is still unclear.


texts: Can I substitute "stress" with "emphasize" or "accentuate" in the following sentence?

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The sentence is:
"I cannot stress enough how much music matters in my life."

Can I replace stress with emphasize or accentuate?

Are there any differences among these three synonyms; stress, emphasize, accentuate?


texts: The verb for setting upper limits is "cap", what is the verb for setting lower limits?

texts:
I think "cap" can only be used for setting upper limits but not lower limits, any idea for the verb for setting lower limits?

Example:

The mortgage rate is capped at 3% for three years. <-> The upper limit of the mortgage rate is 3% for three years.

The lower limit of the mortgage rate is 1%. <-> The mortgage rate is [what is the verb?] at 1%.


texts:
Example with a context (Object-Oriented Design in Java by Bill Mccarty and Stephen Gilbert (1998)):

  If you remember your first programming class, this might set off a light bulb. Before the advent of structured programming, back in the days of "iron men," when "big-iron" was not merely metaphorical, computer programs were largely monolithic—they had no procedures at all. Thus, when a programmer needed to execute a piece of code in another part of the program, an unconditional branch was used; such branches were called gotos. As programs got larger, the typical path of program execution began to resemble a large web. Such code became known as spaghetti code, code that was difficult or impossible to understand and thus difficult or impossible to maintain, fix, or change.

Big iron is a slang expression that computer-savvy people use to describe those large mainframes that were used by first computer scientists during the dawn of the computer era. But who were those iron men the author is talking about?