texts: Subjective or Objective pronoun in this case?

texts:
I have recently been considering the correct use of "I" and "Me" in this particular case; Someone posted a picture of themselves, standing next to a celebrity, on a social media site, with the caption "[Celebrity name] and I". As the poster is a friend I was about to correct this to "[Celebrity name] and Me", but the more I thought about it the less certain I became.

I am usually good with "I" and "Me" and I understand how to use the handy rule of thumb to remove the "other person" to see if the sentence still makes sense. But in this case, there isn't much of a sentence to remove. However removing the reference to the other person would leave the caption as "I", which seems wholly wrong to me. But then I remembered that there is a style of speech where a person can refer to themselves this way- "'Tis I Sir!"...

So realising I needed to understand more about the use of the personal pronoun, and having no prior education is the finer detail of the English language from a grammatical rules perspective (that I can remember!) I went looking.

I found out about the Subjective and Objective case that defines this use and tried to apply that knowledge to the problem. However given the original caption I couldn't figure out whether the personal pronoun is the subject or object. I imagined the caption expanded into two sentences:

"This is a picture of [Celebrity name] and me"
"[Celebrity name] and I are in this picture"

How should I correctly parse "[Celebrity name] and I" to determine whether the personal pronoun is the subject or object, and whether, strictly speaking, "I" is allowed due to the older speech style or not?

Use of "I" here seems like a hypercorrection to me, but am I right or am I missing some subtle rule given the brevity of the sentence?


texts: expression with a modal verb meaning a past strong possibility

texts:
It is likely that he went there yesterday.

I want to paraphrase the sentence above using a modal verb. Which of the followings is the best?

  0) He will have gone there yesterday.

  1) He would go there yesterday.

  2) He would have gone there yesterday.

  3) He should have gone there yesterday.

  4) He ought to have gone there yesterday.

Or, is there any better way?


texts:
Few would nominate Fistful of Dynamite as Leone's greatest film, though many might herald it as his most underrated. Leone did not intend to direct it and did not bring the same concentration to the film that he did the others. By this time Leone had entered the last phase of his career, a 20-year Puccini-like period of vacillation during which he found it very difficult to settle on a project and pursue it with confidence and efficiency.
  (Source)

Can you tell me why the past perfect is used in my excerpt. Leone entered the last phase of his career after the mentioned movie (Fistful of Dynamite) having been realized. Could it be sufficient just the simple past?


texts: When something unexpected happens in a film, can it be called a "reversal"?

texts: Let's say that we're watching a film in which a good guy is trying to track down a serial killer. At the end of the film we suddenly realise the the good guy is the serial killer! Can we call this a "reversal" in the sense that it is something not expected,or the opposite of what was expected? If not, what is the suitable word?


texts: I understand the meaning intuitively, paying a price too high, or pay a high price, but it puts “a” after the adjective. How does the grammar work here? What is this grammar called?


texts: What does “articulate experiences” mean?

texts:
Here is the context (from here):

  At the time, Japan was emerging as a center for Pan Asianist ideology.
  The Pan Asianists wanted to rectify what they saw as an unjust
  international system. Some wanted to articulate the experiences of
  non-Western people. Others wanted to establish Japan's leadership in
  Asia by pushing Western powers from the region.

I know what words articulate and experience mean in isolation, but I'm struggling to figure out what is the message conveyed here.

Maybe it is about "them wanting to disseminate, spread information about the poor, underprivileged circumstances the asians were subject to throughout the colonial period"?

I don't know if we should interpret articulate as disseminate or spread, though.

Thanks!


texts: "I wanted to say" is it because the lecturer made this video in the past and the audience necessarily watch the video later?

texts:
It sounds like that the lecturer is saying

  i wanted to say

is it because the lecturer made this video in the past and the audience necessarily watch the video later?


texts:
Direct:

  John said, "Do you know if Tom plays cricket."

Indirect:

  John asked me if I know if Tom plays cricket.

Is it correct grammartically and in terms of spoken English?

Thanks in advance.


texts: Is this some kind of Inverted sentences? "Circling the star Alpha Centauri, ages ago, was a planet unlike any other in the heavens -- Cybertron."

texts:
cited from Transformers:

  Circling the star Alpha Centauri, ages ago, was a planet unlike any other in the heavens -- Cybertron.

Is this some kind of Inverted sentences? Is the follow version, rewritten by me, has the same meaning?

  Cybertron was a planet that was circling the star Alpha Centauri ages ago.


texts: What's the difference between starting questions with "was" and "had"?

texts:
Examples:

  Was God dead as Nietzsche had said?

  Had God died like Nietzsche said?

(The context is past-tense first-person narrative.)

What's the difference? And why?


texts: make a living out of / off (of) / from / by & live off (of) / on

texts:
Are all these phrases interchangeable as I think?

Examples:

I make a living out of my small business.
I make a living off of my small business.

a. I make a living off my small business.
I make a living from my small business.
I make a living by my small business.
I live off of my small business.

a. I live off my small business.
I live on my small business.

or maybe,

a. I live on my small business income.


texts: Does "walk in" here just mean "enter someplace"?

texts:
The full text is from the lines of a comedy TV drama:

  Because fathers never really know who their daughters are. They don't want to know, do they?

  It would be terrifying to know who they are and what they do, and because they don't really know any of this, sometimes they can just walk in unexpectedly,and, suddenly, it's like, "Hey, you're a whore. Who knew?"

My question is, does "walk in" here just mean "enter someplace" like enter his daughter's room and says something...?


texts:
I always had a doubt using the word through; basically I would like to say this sentence:

  Thanks Alex for all the money saved through your tips.

Is the use of the word through correct in this sentence?

NOTE: I want to keep the sentence unchanged; if there's anything to be corrected, it must only be the word through.


texts:
It rained the whole week except on Sunday.

In this question is the word 'whole' an adverb? Or since the word 'week' is a noun, will it become a determiner?


texts: I take careful/ caution attitude or I am an attentive?

texts:
I am writing my English resume, but my grammar seems not correct,

  I take a careful and cautious attitude toward the work and handle it properly.

How can I make a sentence more fluently?

Should it be:

  I take careful/caution attitude

Or:

  I am an attentive


texts: Meaning of "no more that better part / purchased, but at the cost of all things here."

texts:
I'm afraid I don't get the last two lines in At Last by Christina Rossetti:

  Many have sung of love a root of bane:
    While to my mind a root of balm it is,
    For love at length breeds love; sufficient bliss
  For life and death and rising up again.
  Surely when light of Heaven makes all things plain,
    Love will grow plain with all its mysteries;
    Nor shall we need to fetch from over seas
  Wisdom or wealth or pleasure safe from pain.
  Love in our borders, love within our heart,
    Love all in all, we then shall bide at rest,
    Ended for ever life's unending quest,
      Ended for ever effort, change and fear:
  Love all in all;--no more that better part
      Purchased, but at the cost of all things here.

Love is no more a "better part that is purchased by someone"? The whole sentence kind of fails to dovetail together for me. Why is there this "but-clause"?

I don't need literary interpretation, just a basic lowdown on "who did what". For instance, is "purchased" used as an adjective here, describing "better part"? Or is "better part" the agent of the verb "purchase"?


texts:
I'm preparing for academic IELTS by writing some essays and then correcting those using a grammar correction app.
In the following sentence,

If governments will find ways to effectively minimise corruption and
to demonopolise the market, ...

The app suggests using "de monopolise" instead of "demonopolise". Is it a critical mistake? Is there any difference in terms of meaning or tone?


texts:
I searched 2 sentences below,but I am still confused when I choose to or when I choose for.what difference between them in the aspect of grammar,meanings etc.? Could you explain that to me,please?

1.There will be ample choices for eating at fine restaurants or eating at home this summer.

2.You don’t need to bring anything. There’ll be sandwiches to eat and juice to drink.


texts: What is the English word for a graduation award?

texts:
I was wondering if there was a specific word for this particular type of plaque/award? It's given to college graduates, to commemorate and represent their degree.
I think it's mostly just called award/plaque, but I was looking for a better word to describe this particular object. Thank you!


texts:
I have the sentence

  I'm taking £50 in cash.

Edit: I found it in a dictionary from the article about 'cash'.

But there are so much meanings of the verb 'to take' that I can't find exact definition of this 'take'! Could you help me to find it, please?


texts: What does "clever" mean in the phrase "clever face"?

texts:
I know that clever means intelligent or made in an interesting or effective way, but what does a "clever face" mean?

More context:

  The goblin was about a head shorter than harry. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very long fingers and feet.


texts: Describing two people who are absolutely disproportionate in size

texts:
I need an idiom / expression / simile in AmE which can indicate a major difference between a couple / two people when they are not at all similar in size (when one of these two is much smaller than the other one.)
I.e. how would you describe two people (e.g. a couple) which are absolutely disproportionate in size?
If I'm not mistaken, there is a Turkish idiom which says:

They're like an elephant and a chicken.

I was wondering how would an American convey such a message in everyday speech?


texts:
Does "crucible" here mean "a place or situation in which people or ideas are tested severely, often creating something new or exciting in the process" (Oxford Dicts)?

The End of Faith articulates the dangers and absurdities of organized religion so fiercely and so fearlessly that I felt relieved as I read it, vindicated, almost personally understood… Harris writes what a sizable number of us think, but few are willing to say in contemporary America… This is an important book, on a topic that, for all its inherent difficulty and divisiveness, should not be shielded from the crucible of human reason.

Source: The New York Times Book Review


texts: How to write a letter to change my travel information

texts:
So, I was writing a letter to change my departure date and time for a bus trip, and I was so confused about this grammar structure. Since the staff already asked me to confirm the dates/ times I wish to change my booking to, Do I not have to mention the word ‘date’ and ‘time’ again but can just say like

  I'd love to change it to July 6th, 15:30pm

Or would it be better for me to mention them again and say like

  I'd love to change my departure date to July 6th and the time to 15:30pm

What would be the most natural way to reply?


texts: How does 'nothing if not' mean 'at the very least; certainly'?

texts:
nothing if not =
  at the very least; certainly

How does  the juxtaposition of nothing + if + not produces the above definition on the right?
What semantic notions underlie and connect the left-hand and right-hand sides?
I ask not about this phrase's definition which I already understand;


texts: Are being (something) just yet VS. are not (something) yet

texts:
In English, there are many ways to express an idea but the context is still the same. Let's say you are playing DOTA(an online game), and the shoutcaster has just said this:

  "player A and player B are a bit low on damage between the two of them, because neither one are being "level 6"(strong) just yet."(from the shoutcaster)

Vs.

  "player A and player B are a bit low on damage between the two of them, because neither one of them aren't "level 6"(strong) yet"(I constructed this one)

Are the two sentences the same as for the context?


texts: Follow-up Questions and Statement Questions

texts:
In a cartoon (Finding Nemo) I heard an interesting phrase:

I've seen a boat. - You have?

I was wondering what the phrase ''You have?'' could be from a grammatical standpoint. It's a sentence, but a half of it is dropped which makes it incomplete. It's a question, but the word order is the one of an affirmative sentence.
After some research I came to think that it could be a follow-up question, BUT a grammatically correct follow-up question should be ''Have you?''. Is the phrase ''You have?'' a follow-up question that is also a statement question or there's a simpler explanation to all of this? Could that be a case of
conversational deletion?


texts:
I was reading a story and read following lines:

  Few robbers tried to threat a restaurateur so that he should return money to their boss. Restaurateur defied their warning and ran away from there. While running, he and his assailants reached the roof of an old building.

I think "his" shouldn't be used along with "assailants" here, as its meaning appears to me that "assailants" were working for the restaurateur. However, the writer meant that the "assailants" were chasing the restaurateur in order to frighten him. So, I think that "his" should be replaced by "the" here.


texts: I will talk to you vs I will talk with you?

texts:
Which one is correct ?

  I will talk to you tomorrow

or

  I will talk with you tomorrow


texts:
Are they all the same ? "Some 40" vs "40 some" vs "40 odd"

Syrian planes and helicopters have dropped barrel bombs on Islamic State-held areas in the north-east, killing some 40 people, activists say.


texts: "have difficulty doing" vs. "have difficulties doing"

texts:
From Cambridge Dictionary

  Did you have any difficulties getting here? src

  She had great difficulty finding a job. src

It seems that for general(yes/no) questions, I should use "difficulty" as a plural noun and an uncountable noun for declarative sentences (statement).

Is my understanding correct?

Note: This post focuses on the comparison between plural and uncountable. So it is different from "have difficulty doing" vs. "have difficulty in doing", which is focused on the usage of preposition.

Is 'have difficulties' correct? is quite related, neither the asker nor the answerer gives a solid reference though. Besides, the answer calls uncountable noun "singular", which indicates the answerer might not be rigorous or familiar with this particular grammar point.


texts: How do I put two adverbs together in a sentence?

texts:
How do I put two adverbs in a sentence like this one:

  All independent variables simultaneously, significantly affect dependent variables


texts:
May I know if the following is grammatical?

  Enjoy the delicacy of the food


texts: "**When**" she looks at me, I get embarrassed

texts:
In one of my posts (construct a conditional with "where"), a nice answerer gives this example to demonstrate when to use "when" to construct a conditional.

  When she looks at me, I get embarrassed

First of all, is it a conditional? The sentence does not seem to fit any of the three patterns in the Cambridge Dictionary tutorial.

Secondly, I suppose that is a conditional and some kind of conditional where "when" is the best choice.

Consider other two possibilities

  ex#2 If she looks at me, I get embarrassed

  ex#3 Where she looks at me, I get embarrassed

ex#2 sounds unusual, #3 does even more.

That answerer describes this kind of situations this way

  "when" could be used, but emphasizing the situation's time occurrence

I guess this is a reasonable explanation. Could someone please gives some other explanations easier to understand? Thanks in advance.

Note: There are 2 questions in here. Please don't ignore the first.


texts: Which form of punctuation is correct for whereas?

texts:
I've read in grammar books that "whereas" is a kind of conjunctive adverb and should be placed at the first of a sentence or else it have to be followed by a semicolon. But I've seen in many books that they just put a comma before it, so I am a little bit confused.
For instance look at the following examples:

Back in the day, people would frequently go out to meet friends, whereas today they prefer to stay at home alone, chatting online.

The number of people who use smart phones is increasing; whereas, the proportion of people go out for leisure activity is decreasing.

From grammar books, I feel like the second form is correct, but I have seen the first form of punctuation as well.


texts: Is this form of explanation on "several", "a few" and "a couple" right?

texts:
"A handful" and "a couple" is quite unquestionable,but I find the explanation on "a few" and "several" quite doubtful.

Then, when there are more than 5 things or people, "a few" and "several" are not correct to use, then what words else can be used?


texts: Is it clear to say "at multiple positions in a video"?

texts:
Is it common to pronounce two /tjuː/? says

  The word "two" in a tutorial sounds like /tjuː/ at multiple positions.

By "at multiple positions" I mean that, the speaker pronounces that way at 1:09, and pronounces that way again at 2:23, and so on.

Is it clear it and grammatically correct to use "at multiple positions" to convey that idea?


texts: Past simple or present perfect for "I am aware of what I [did/have done]"?

texts:
Is the following correct:

  I am aware of what I did.

Or, is it supposed to be:

  I am aware of what I've done.

Can someone explain?


texts: Collocation: "Teaching work" or "Teaching profession"

texts:
The exercise below is from my English exercise book:

  Choose the one word or phrase - a, b, c or d - that best completes the
  sentence

  She is interested in teaching ___ because she loves working with children.

a) semester
b) communication
c) work
d) profession

The given answer by the book is d), but I don't agree with the author's choice. What I found on Google that the phrase "teaching work" is used as frequently as "teaching profession".

If you agree with the author's answer, could you tell me the reason in this context?


texts:
In this sentence:

  On a typical day, by 9pm I am done cooking.

I am not a native speaker, does it sound natural to native speakers?


texts: What is another way to put "mistaken about what one saw"?

texts:
Is there any more slangy/easy way of saying "mistakenly about what one saw"?
Like in the below example what else can be replaced Maybe I was mistaken.?

A: I think I heard something in the dark.
B: I didn't hear anything.
A: Maybe I was mistaken.


texts: Difference between students' vs students

texts:
I'm having difficulty understanding when to use students' vs students. I  know you use students' when you're talking about more than one student. For example: "The students' homeworks were marked". However, when can you use students? Are they interchangeable. Could somebody tell me whether the following sentences is correct:

  "Outside my formal education, I enjoy teaching and I’ve been tutoring students in A-Level Mathematics since starting my degree. Additionally, ... I started a scheme intended to help first year university students’ in their studies."


texts: Can "immediate" be used for people and places

texts:
I am a placement consultant and usually hear people use "immediate" (adj) to denote their supervisors and neighbors.

Can a next door neighbor be an "immediate neighbor"?
Can a line supervisor be an "immediate supervisor"?


texts: Well,he's last or coming in last (while the race is still going on)

texts:
My Aunt called up to ask me where my cousin was in the race.(She couldn't come to see it). The race was still going on so I tell her his current position, so what should I use:

  He's first/second/last(or ant other position).

Or

  He's coming in last(any position)

And in AmE is "position" used for different places in a race? Do they sound natural?


texts:
Does "not one of them" mean “more than one of them” or  “none of them”?

Example:

  Not one of them thought it necessary to avoid dogmatic statements about unicorns because he had never seen one of them.


texts: When should I use "to have a dinner" instead of "to have dinner"?

texts:
As said in that commentary, to have a dinner isn't ungrammatical, but implies a dinner for a specific reason. Examples are:

we're having a dinner in his honour
we're having a birthday dinner for you

but the difference is totally unclear for me. What is changed, if I'd say we're having dinner in his honour, for example.


texts: Should an em-dash be used when the following is a phrase?

texts:
I am writing an essay with a restrain of word count and therefore cannot afford to add any words. I am currently struggling with the punctuation of this following sentence:

  The capitalized “I” embodies “Individualism”: the placing of first names first[—]while in Vietnamese culture, surnames precede, emphasizing the primacy of kinship. American English espoused equality since there are no reverent pronouns, no relational implications when “I” speak to “you,” while Vietnamese “bác” explicitly connotes status.

Which should go in between the brackets? Is the em-dash correct? Or should I use a semi-colon to keep similar ideas in a sentence? If the latter is the correct choice, my question then proceeds to: "What punctuations are allowed to precede the word 'while' since it usually connects without any punctuation?


texts: English saying similar/equivalent to: "When you give, you receive twice as much."

texts:
In Greece we have a saying:

  If you give, you will receive twice as much.

Does an equivalent saying exist in English, and if so, what is it?


texts:
What does a thick-skulled person mean in AmE?

-1- A person who doesn't listen to other's statements and opinions and does only what they he/she thinks that is correct and believes only their own opinions.
-2- A person who understands and learns too slowly.


texts: Using "a far cry from" not for achievements

texts:
Is "a far cry from" used for describing situations, in which someone is trying to achieve some result?

This phrase looks fine to me (though I am not sure):

  He was a far cry from being a school champion in spelling.

But something doesn't sit right with this one (though I am not sure):

  It wasn’t an easy task to get her talking to me in our short
  discussions, but she was a far cry from being idle when it came to
  teamwork.

Perhaps, it's wrong because being idle is not something to be achieved with a lot of effort. If so, then what would be the best idiomatic way to express the thought here?


texts: Multiple conditional clauses in a single turn

texts:
A boy did mischief (he messed with a dog) due to which the following things happened:

The dog chased him.

Feared, he ran away.

He crossed the road.

He ran into a car.

He had an accident.

He is in the hospital now.

Now, his friend is saying to him:
If you hadn’t messed with the dog, it wouldn’t have chased you and you wouldn’t have run into a car either, neither would you have had an accident nor were you hospitalized.
Is this correct construction?


texts: Who does 'he' refer to in this sentence?

texts:
Ken runs faster than Taku. But Taku swims faster than Ken. Yuji runs as fast as Taku and he swims the fastest of the three.

Who does "he" refer to? I want to say Yuji but it could be Taku if you stressed the words differently. Any rules on this?


texts:
I can't understand properly from the context is being used in this tweet:

  @Forbes
  Looking for a team member who takes initiative? Hire someone with a side hustle

And it does not fit in any of the definitions:

  VERB

  force (someone) to move hurriedly or unceremoniously in a specified direction:
  they hustled him into the back of a horse-drawn wagon
  informal, NORTH AMERICAN: obtain by forceful action or persuasion:
  the brothers headed to New York to try and hustle a record deal
  informal, NORTH AMERICAN: engage in prostitution.

  NOUN

  busy movement and activity:
  the hustle and bustle of the big cities
  informal, NORTH AMERICAN: a fraud or swindle.


texts: What is the correct construction for this expression 'they seem like'?

texts:
I want to use this expression with plural subject

He seems like a nice guy.

What is the correct construction?

(a) They all seem like a nice guy.
or
(b) They all seem like the nice guys.
or
(c) They all seem like nice guys.

To me they all sound unidiomatic. What would be the correct construction?


texts: "Given", past participle or preposition?

texts:
Given arms and hands, a computer can do more varied physical work.

Is the word "given" in the sentence, the past participle or the preposition? Thanks a lot.


texts: What's the difference between "give out" and "give away"?

texts: What's the difference between "give out" and "give away" as in telling someone the truth or giving someone the information accidentally?


texts: Past Simple or Past Perfect with "before"

texts:
When we use or have the word "before" in our sentence, can we use Past Simple instead or Past Perfect?

Yesterday I went to Michael's but before that I (had) visited Jenny.
Yesterday I (had) visited Jenny before I went to Michael's.


texts: When two same vowels meet, isn't there intrusive R sound between?

texts:
“Where’re you going?” (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and the
  Philosopher's Stone's audios)

Jim Dale—the first one—and Stephen Fry—the second one—are both British. I expected them to pronounce "where're" as /ˈwɛərər/ having intrusive /r/. But it seems it isn't there in either. Is there a certain pronunciation pattern that when the same vowels meet together—in this case schwa plus schwa—the two combine together and so there's no room for intrusive /r/? Or did I just hear wrong?


texts: Can we use adverb phrase with conjunction plus noun phrase?

texts:
I could not remember him; but I knew that he was my own uncle—my
  mother’s brother—that he had taken me when a parentless infant to his
  house; and that in his last moments he had required a promise of Mrs.
  Reed that she would rear and maintain me as one of her own children.
  (Jane Eyre)

Can we use adverb phrase like the highlighted: conjunction plus noun phrase?


texts: What is the correct syntax for 'when' + 'would' + 'be' questions?

texts:
Let's say my boss asked me to do something. So I want to ask him when I should hand it in. What would be grammatically correct?

When would be the deadline?
When would the deadline be?

Thank you.


texts: Should it be "without scarf" or "without a scarf"?

texts:
Is one of these right and one wrong, and if so, which is which and why?

Sandra is the woman without scarf.
Sandra is the woman without a scarf.

Would it work the same if we said she was without gloves, without sunscreen, without hat, without pity, without haste?


texts: Should you use "in Fortnite" or "on Fortnite"?

texts:
Just so that you understand Fornite is a video game and team deathmatch is a game mode.

So here are two sentences:

  He wants to play team deathmatch in Fortnite.
  He wants to play team deathmatch on Fortnite.

I think the second one is right, but I am not sure about the first one. Also, are there other grammatically valid ways of saying it?


texts:
What does the phrase

  stop by my desk later

mean? For example:

  I can email you the link. Or stop by my desk later, and I can show you some photos.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.


texts: "One of his good traits [ comes / come ] to my mind is his honesty"

texts:
One of my exercises was to spot errors in sentences.

Q: One of his good traits comes to my mind is his honesty.
A: The word comes should be replaced with come.

Is it correct? One (singular) should be paired with comes, shouldn't it?


texts:
I wonder why the book wrote:

  Are you ready for Sports Day? (=the Sports Day)

Why there is no article 'the' preceding the word Sports since it is a Proper Noun?


texts:
Which one is correct
Example. Mark ate all the chocolate when I got home . There was nothing left .

Mark had eaten all the chocolate when I got home . There was nothing left . Thanks


texts:
Can I use the 2nd sentence instead of the first one:

I was swayed by her rhetoric into donating all my savings to the charity.
I was swayed by her rhetoric to donate all my saving to the charity


texts:
There has got to be the establishment of a universal auxiliary language.

Does the verb got add more to the context or is it there just for emphasis? Is it even grammatical?

Using Google-Ngrams I found a few similar versions as follow: there has * to be. For example;

For many from the North, however, it has seemed difficult and there has seemed to be a problem.
There has come to be a convolution between this become enmeshed concept of marriage as it exists in the sacred and how it exists in the secular.
Most of the time since I have been here, there has appeared to be considerable feeling in the minds of a few.
There has had to be some negotiation, obviously, but I think we provided what our soldiers need and what our country needs.

In general, I wanna know if 'have/has'+past-participle+'to be' is grammatical.


texts:
In the sentence,

  When deeply absorbed in work, which he often was，he would forget all about eating or sleeping.

which is a relative pronoun standing for "When deeply absorbed in work, he would forget all about eating or sleeping".

Am I right? I am wondering why "which he often was" is put in the middle of the sentence?

Shouldn't it be at the end of the sentence like

"When deeply absorbed in work, he would forget all about eating or sleeping, which  he often was"?


texts: The meaning of the “for” in this sentence

texts: I came across the following sentence ”students have a huge decision to make, for it is at this time that they must consider their options in regard to higher education.” What’s the meaning of the ”for it is...”? Can someone provide me with some examples of how to use it correctly?


texts:
priest was staring hard at something, so
  Quasimodo followed his gaze.
  A ladder stood against the gallows. A girl
  dressed in white was being carried up the
  ladder. There was a noose around her neck.
  Quasimodo gasped. It was Esmeralda!
  Once he reached the platform of the
  gallows, the man arranged the noose. Then he
  kicked away the ladder. Quasimodo could
  scarcely breathe. The girl was swinging from
  the end of the rope!
  The priest gave a terrible laugh—such as
  can come only from one who is not truly
  human. Quasimodo didn’t hear the laugh, but
  he saw it and understood. Without thinking,
  he rushed at the priest in fury and pushed
  Claude Frollo over the edge.
  Frollo landed on a narrow ledge before
  sliding down to a gutter. There he clung to a
  gargoyle and struggled to get a foothold.
  Quasimodo had only to stretch out his hand
  to pull Frollo back—but he didn’t even look
  at the priest. Instead, he was staring at the
  gypsy girl. His heart was crushed. A steady
  stream of tears flowed over his deformed face.
  At last, Frollo lost his grip. Quasimodo
  watched as he fell screaming to his death 200
  feet below. Then he raised his eyes to look
  upon the gypsy girl. He could see her body,
  hanging from the gallows. It was twitching in
  the last struggles of death. Then, in utter
  despair, he looked down at the archdeacon.
  With a sob that shook deep in his chest, he
  cried out, “Oh, all that I ever loved! ”
  Quasimodo disappeared from Notre Dame
  that very evening.

How we can say this sentence in other words?

Does it mean: the Frollo was the only one who I loved in my life?

or:  The only thing that kept me living now proved to be cruel man?

or: or all that kept me living now disappeared?


texts:
It was spring. Sodden ground, smell of earth. The wind beat through
  twigs, gave off a greenish odor like struck flints. Coltsfoot in the
  ditches; furious dabs of tulips stuttering in gardens. Slanting rain.
  Clock hands leapt to pellucid evenings. The sky riffled like cards in
  a chalk-white hand.

The Shipping News by Annie Proulx

What does the verb "leap" mean here? How can clock hands leap to the certain time?

EDIT: In this sentence, I had trouble understanding why time (I understood that clock hands indicate time) would leap to pellucid (brighter opposed to dark) evenings, particularly in spring. From some of the comments I realized that the verb 'leap' isn't a physical leap but an expression that there is longer day light in spring than winter time. As TRomano suggested in his comment, daylight saving (this might mean 'leap' as 'going ahead') helps the spring time to have brighter evenings. For example how much light left at 6 o'clock in winter vs. in spring. Thank you all for the helpful comments.


texts: Buoyancy Control Device. Is it about depth or distance?

texts:
Had a kind of tricky listening task with multiple choice.
Here it is:
A buoyancy control device helps the diver to …
1) control distance and depth.
2) fight decompression sickness.
3) regulate the air tank level.*
The script:

Barbara: ... Divers wear a BCD or buoyancy control device to control how much they float or sink. A pressure gage devise tells
divers how much air is left in the air tank. Or a dive computer can
calculate how much air is left as well as the diver’s depth and the
length of time they can stay underwater. Scuba divers breathe with the
regulator which brings air to the mouth when they inhale. The
regulator is attached to an air tank that is placed on the diver’s
back. There is also an extra regulator called an octopus. It’s used in
case of the emergency situations.
Presenter: I know decompression sickness is a great problem for divers.
Barbara: You are right. It is a major concern for divers. The deeper a diver goes, the more pressure the surrounding water puts on
the volume of the air inside his or her lungs. And the deeper a dive
the more nitrogen gas goes into the diver’s blood.

There are no official keys to it, but most of my Russian colleagues think that the 1st answer is correct. Sure, BCD deals with depth, but nothing was said about distance. So, I can't fully agree with them.
I'm inclined to think that the correct answer is the 2nd. It's because decompression sickness is related to the depth a diver goes to. The only thing I'm not sure about is the verb 'fight'. BCD doesn't really fight the disease. It helps in some sense to control the depth and avoid the disease.
Sorry for such a long description of the matter:)
As native speakers, could you help me to choose the right answer.


texts: One of the main things to do is to never throw garbage and factory waste in/into the sea

texts:
One of the main things to do is to never throw garbage and factory waste in the sea.

or

One of the main things to do is to never throw garbage and factory waste into the sea.


texts: Is it correct to say "push the pedals forward in full circle" when you teach a child to pedal?

texts:
I'm teaching my daughter to do pedaling, but she just pushes the pedals halfway not turns them clockwise although she can turn them anticlockwise.
Is it correct to say?:
-"push the pedals all the way round clockwise, not halfway like that"
-"push the pedals forward in full circles"


texts:
I am a bit confused with this sentence.

The team was/were now in the field and about to take their/its place.

Since we are referring to taking positions on the field and as all the players take different positions, I thought we have to use the team as a plural here as the emphasis is on individual units. But my book says otherwise.

Is The team were now in the field and about to take their place, correct?
Please clarify.


texts: An English equivalent for "all truth will not bear telling"

texts:
We all believe that telling the truth is fine. But sometimes there are some occasions in which you'de better keep someone in the dark about something (possibly on their own or someone else's favor) or at least do not reveal the entire matter to them!

For instance, please imagine a naive person who discloses whatever they hear or know about a specific case (with a completely good intent), ignoring the fact that revealing the whole story to that particular person they are talking to and on that special time frame is not at all logical neither for him nor for the hearer!

How an English native speaker would allude to this reality and what proverb/expression they probabely would use to convey this message to such a person:

  You shouldn't always tell the truth, irrespective of the fact that telling the truth is an admirable deed.

The only sentence that comes to mind is:

  All truth will not bear telling. (Perhaps a Hungarian proverb!)


texts:
I am always confused when it comes to choosing between Simple Past and Present Perfect. So, I am curious are there situations where using either one is OK?
Recently I was watching the TV show "The Office" when I heard the conversation below:

Where are they?
I don't know. I think I threw them out.

I was almost sure there was supposed to be "I have thrown them out".
Then I was thinking there might be situations when we could use any of them without losing meaning.


texts: How do you say "professional in everything"

texts:
I am trying to solve a TOEFL writing task from past test:
"Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are the best teachers. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer."
I started with:
"I disagree with the statement. Parents cannot be professional in everything...."
But I didn't find much used example of the phrase "professional in everything" on Google search.
Is there more appropriate phrase?
[EDIT]
Thank you for the comment. So I should start with:
"I disagree with the statement. My reason is that parents cannot be professional in everything.
..."
[EDIT]
Then let me correct as following:
"I disagree with the statement. My reason is that you can learn more and deeper from professional teacher than from non-professional one and that parents cannot be professional in everything. For example, ..."
Is that okay?


texts: "... such that(,) for every person, there were two chairs." Should there be a comma after *that*?

texts:
In my field of study, I often see statements such as, "... such that, for every person, there were two chairs."

I'm wondering if there should be a comma after "such that"? If so, what are the rules of punctuation that allow and/or necessitate this?

I would greatly appreciate it if someone could please take the time to clarify this point.

EDIT

The entire context would be similar to the following:

If a, b, and c are real numbers with a < 0, then there is a
real number y such that(,) for every real number x, ax^2 + bx + c ≤ y.


texts: What does the following sentence mean ? "Since when is ..."

texts:
I saw the following sentence and I cannot understand its exact meaning.

Since when is W equal to PV ?

I do not understand the combination of "since + when".
Is it also formal or informal?
By the way W means work, P means pressure and V means volume. Basically, it is a mathematical formula.


texts: Can anyone help me to understand this sentence?

texts:
I got this sentence in an on-line course, it's about Global Value Chain.

But the full benefits of being part of a GVC (Global Value Chain) way of organizing production and of all the technological and managerial innovations that go with that are more readily associated with complex products.
The question of how to think about primary products is one of many areas, in which the place where the old economy stops and the new GVC economy starts is in the eye of the beholder.

Regardless of what countries are producing, exporting and importing, every country is influenced by global values chains in some way. A better understanding of GVCs is essential for developing strategies
to harness international trade for economic and social upgrading and rising standards of living".
Can any one help to explain the bold sentence? I know the meaning of each single word but I cant get it in total.


texts: Are these expressions only natural in written English?

texts:
She had a very sad expression on her face.
  She was wearing a very sad expression.

Could you please tell me if the expressions above are natural to use in conversational English (if yes, are they very formal?) or only in writing?


texts:
Very near the top of what I have in the past rather indelicately called the “cultural dung heap of reaction” sits Franz Kafka, one of the major Olympians in that curious shrine the so-called “new critics” and their Trotskyite colleagues have erected.

I am not sure whether I fully understand the emphasized part of the above sentence. Is it so that the curious shrine where should be Kafka was erected by new critics and their Trotskyite collegues. Does the word Olympians have the same or similar meaning as idols or icons in that sentence?


texts: "Full body massage", or "Whole body massage"?

texts:
Is one of "Full body massage" or "Whole body massage" more commonly used than the other, especially by experts?

A onelook.com search only gave references to Urban Dictionary (user generated content) and Wikipedia (talking about a film).


texts:
I look for a word that means " to decrease" which can  sound formal and fit the following context. For example can I use "to abate" ?

  When we use  body language correctly, the emotions and feelings that
  we attached to words incarnate and become visible while the ambiguity of
  words       ...............


texts: Negative infinitive as reason in the beginning of sentence

texts:
Is it correct to say Not to leave him alone, we took him with us too?

I think it's OK to say to put reason to the end: We took him with us too not to leave him alone.

What are other options?


texts: How is 'suicide' a correct metaphor to describe conflicting principles within the US Constitution?

texts:
I first encountered the sentences below on p 171,  The Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution (2004; but the newest edition dates at 2015) by Linda Monk JD.

I now understand and so do not question: the meaning of 'The Constitution is not a suicide pact' (thanks to this answer on ELU); the meaning of 'suicide pact'; its status here as a metaphorical.

Am I correct that the 'pact' refers to  the US Constitution?

But I still find strange the use of 'suicide': why does it make sense to metaphorise (the existence of) conflicting principles within the Constitution as 'suicide'?


texts: Is "that" needed in "I saw that you were waiting..."?

texts:
Can someone confirm with me for these sentences

"I saw you were waiting for the bus"  —    incorrect
"I saw that you were waiting for the bus"  — correct

Am I right?


texts:
Why is it "would" instead of "will"? And what's the difference between them?

  Would you enjoy being an actor? Why/why not?

Could you please also correct my grammar? Does the way I'm phrasing the question sound fine to you?


texts:
"it was intended decision" vs. "it was an intended decision"

Do they both are grammatically correct?
If so, is there a difference in meaning?

Thank you in advance!


texts:
I have come across it in Crash Course World History. It is at around 11 minute and 19 second. Here it goes:

  The columbian exchange left us with not a richer, but a more impoverished genetic pool. We, all of the life on the planet, are the less for Columbus, and the impoverishment will increase.

I feel it means we support Columbus less, but what really confuses me is the use of the definite article bofore the word less.


texts:
Is the following question correct? I want this style of questioning not alternatives.

  who or whom was the radio invented by?
  by who was the radio invented?


texts: harmonious or pleasant phonetic combinations?

texts:
Some words sound very good to me when they are combined. For example, the sport "ping pong", the cartoon character "Mickey Mouse", and the phrase "busy bee" sound better than "ping lock", "Mickey Eagle" and "busy whale".

I have written down a sentence below.

(ex) "Ping pong", "Mickey Mouse" and "busy bee" have harmonious or pleasant phonetic combinations.

In this context, can I use the phrase "harmonious or pleasant phonetic combinations" as an alternative for either "sound very good" or "pleasant-sounding? Does it make sense? Thanks.


texts:
From sentences given below, Which one is correct? As I always confuse to use between "to" and "for" words in sentences.

India is home to 56 of the world’s 2000 powerful companies.

Or

India is home of 56 of the world’s 2000 powerful companies.

Please give justification, if possible.


texts: Which of the following is grammatically sound?

texts:
They have been doing no work this afternoon.

Or

They had been doing no work this afternoon.

Provided the time specified 'afternoon' elapsed.


texts:
I have 2 cases with 2 options each.I want to know which option is idiomatic to go for ???
Case 1:
1-I am talking about whatever left on the list.
2-I am talking about whatever is left on the list.
Case 2:
1-It is supposed to go in all the way.
2-It is supposed to go all the way in.


texts: Two multiple choice test about reduced adjective (relative) clause and meaning

texts:
The man ......... beside the host is guest.

  a. seating | b. who seats | c. seated | d. who seated

I can't choose the answer between a or c. they both seem right to me.

  The glasses .......... on the floor belonged to my grandmother

  a. lied | b. lain | c. laid | d. lying

In this test, I'm not sure between c or d.

Note that in addition to grammar, their meaning must be correct.


texts:
This website shows "Modals of Possibility and Probability with Continuous Tenses"

  Formula: SUBJECT + APPROPRIATE MODAL + BE + ING VERB

  Person A: What’s all that noise?

  Person B: The neighbour’s son is in a rock band. They must be
  practicing.

  Formula: SUBJECT + APPROPRIATE MODAL + HAVE BEEN + ING VERB

  Person A: I didn’t hear a sound when I passed by the children’s room
  earlier.

  Person B: They must have been sleeping.

It also has a page showing Modals of Necessity, Prohibition, and Permission

  I must renew my passport before I go on vacation.

  I have to/ have got to renew my passport before I go on vacation.

  Everyone should go to bed early tonight.

However, it doesn't have a page showing "Modals of Necessity, Prohibition, and Permission with Continuous tenses"?

My question is

Do we have Modals of Necessity, Prohibition, and Permission with Continuous tenses?

Can we say "He must be doing my homework at 3 o'clock" (strong obligation) or "Everyone should be sleeping at midnight" (advice)?

or when we say "He must be doing my homework at 3 o'clock" (we think it is a strong obligation), people will think that "must" is a Modal of Possibility. That is people may interpret that sentence as "There is very likely that he will be doing his homework at 3 o'clock"

and when we say "Everyone should be sleeping at midnight" (we think it is an advice), people will think that "should" here is a Modal verb of Possibility. That is people may interpret that sentence as "There is very likely that everyone will be sleeping at midnight"

I searched all over the internet but couldn't find any sites mentioning this.


texts:
What is the word to describe when you sit in the library all day, not doing too much work, nor "slacking off" exactly, but browsing through pages without really thinking, and occasionally writing something down? Is there an English word to describe this exact situation?

Thanks!


texts:
In the following sentence:

"My job was to ride all of the horses and then to feed all of those horses."

Do I need a "to" before the word "feed?"


texts: What is the appropriate preposition to use to show preference?

texts:
Which prepositions would be appropriate here ?

*She has a preference ......tea .......coffee. *

(I think the first one would be "for" but can't decide whether it should be "to" or "over" for the second one)


texts:
From NPR:

  DRATEL: You start from the acceptable resolution for both sides, and
  then you work backward to achieve that. If you start from the ground
  up I don't think you'd get very far because there are too many issues
  that could present obstacles.

  JOHNSON: Translation - figure out a punishment for someone like
  Snowden and then cherry pick any charges to which he'll
  plead guilty or get some deferred penalty.

INTRODUCTION: Dratel is a Veteran Defense Lawyer, who's represented several fugitives. and Johnson is the NPR reporter, who was explaining what Dratel meant.

Why did she use "cherry", shouldn't it be "cheerily"?

SOURCE: One Year Later, Snowden Still Evades U.S. Charges


texts:
I was wondering which one sounds more natural to native English speakers.which one is more appropriate. passive or active?

  John misled me.

  I was misled by John.


texts:
What's the difference between these two constructions?

The writing class developed skills such as critical thinking, brainstorming strategies, and ways to overcome writer's block.

The writing class developed such skills as critical thinking, brainstorming strategies, and ways to overcome writer's block.


texts: Usage of "to" vs "onto" with verb "send"

texts:
I just received a mail from someone about forwarding a document to a third person. I found this sentence:

...can you send it onto Amy for review?...

But I would write

...can you send it to Amy for review?...

Is correct the usage of onto?
Is there any difference in the meaning of both sentences?


texts: Is it grammatically correct to say "Good morning, or at least from where I am right now" when greeting a person you're not sure of time zone?

texts:
I'm from Vietnam and say I am talking with people from different parts of the globe and I'm not so particular with their current locations, can I use this phrase to greet them? And if it is, is it grammatically correct.
Thank you.


texts: "wire' in "Understand That People Are Wired Very Differently"

texts:
I am reading book "Principles: Life and Work" by Ray Dalio

In chapter 4 of Part II, Understand That People Are Wired Very Differently,
“Because of the different ways that our brains are wired, we all experience reality in different ways and any single way is essentially distorted. This is something that we need to acknowledge and deal with. So if you want to know what is true and what to do about it, you must understand your own brain.
”

I am unable to grasp the meaning of 'wired' here.

Wire is defined as a verb in OED as:

Install electric circuits or wires in.
Provide, fasten, or reinforce with wires.
Send a telegram or cablegram to.
Snare (an animal) with wire.
Obstruct (a ball, shot, or player) by a hoop.

I find none of them fit the context.

How to understand the 'wire' here?


texts:
How about this sentence?

  As an example, let us consider the cases a=3 and a=5.

Should it be

  As examples?


texts:
"Meaning doesn't come from words, (        ) it comes from context."

This was my answer for one of the questions in my English test. But unfortunately my teacher said it was a wrong answer. The reason was because I have omitted a conjunction in the empty area.

So here is my question. Do you need a conjunction in that empty area? Isn't there a case where I can just skip that conjunction?


texts: Not sure if I should use "as" or "like" in this sentence

texts:
You see me just like an object

You see me just as an object

Which one would be correct ? Also I'm afraid the sentence construction isn't ok. I have to say that some person sees (or perceives, or considers) someone else as / like an object.


texts: meaning of "opposite sex" in everyday life

texts:
urbandictionary explains "opposite sex" this way

  The opposite of sex (i.e. World of Warcraft).

  John: Hey dude, did you have teh sex on the weekend?

  Melvin: No, I had opposite sex.

  John: You mean Wow?

  Melvin: Yes, shut up.

I don't really understand that explanation. I know World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. Does that explanation means that popular game is the opposite of sex?

It seems quite different to the meaning in other dictionaries, such as

  merriam-webster: the people who are not the same sex

  collinsdictionary: If you are talking about men and refer to the opposite sex, you mean women. If you are talking about women and refer to the opposite sex, you mean men.

Could some help me on this?


texts:
It this video (during minute 1:50 and then 7:10) you can hear:

  We've just arrived to the Shetland Islands.

  We have just arrived to St Ninian's Isle.

I've always thought that only 2 prepositions can be used after arrive - either at or in: We arrived at the hotel.  I should arrive in London tomorrow morning.

So, what would to after arrive be - just bad grammar? Or could it be something regional?


texts:
I heard the following in a movie
"I want you to open up a little bit"
Can I say instead "I want you to be opened up "


texts: English Articles: Perilla oil is an/the edible vegetable oil derived from perilla seeds

texts:
This is a sentence from Wikipedia.

  Perilla oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from perilla seeds.

I don't understand why it is an edible vegetable oil. We can only have one oil from perilla, i.e., perilla oil. So, it should be the edible vegetable oil, not an edible vegetable oil.

If the latter part derived from perilla seeds of the sentence is removed, it makes sense. We say Perilla oil is an edible vegetable oil. There are many edible vegetable oils, and perilla oil is one of them.

However, things change after adding the latter part. And the noun oil should follow the definite article the since we can only have one oil from perilla.

Any explanation to it is welcome.


texts:
Below is a passage taken from this article

  I don rubber gloves, bravely grab my pickup stick and swallow the remainder of my coffee. It’s not even midnight yet. I remember the advice of my former roommate who — once and again — occupied the same stool I stood up from.

Does the last sentence I italicized means his former roommate used to work at the shop before, and has again came back to work there for the second time?


texts: I picked it up off the floor, or I picked it up off of the floor?

texts:
I came across the sentence below:

  I dropped my crayon, so I picked it up off of the floor.

Why is the prepostion 'of' used like 'off of the floor'?

In my opinion, it seems like "I picked it up off the floor." is enough.


texts: When you're waiting for something impatiently

texts:
In my mother language there is a structure using the adverb "impatiently" which is used to show one's enthusiasm to something. E.g. we say:

A wife says her husband in a phone-call:

  I am waiting for your return impatiently.

A mother writes her son who is living abroad in a letter or during a chat:

  I am waiting to see you impatiently.

[These sentences are direct translations from my mother language.]

The only English structure which comes to my mind is "looking forward to doing something", but I'm not sure if it indicates exactly the same message in my question. If it does, please let me know and if not I would appreciate it if someone coud tell me what a native speaker would say in such a situation?


texts:
"When heroes are born, history is created."

In the sentence, I'd like to know whether the use of 'are born' is formal. Thanks in advance.


texts: Are there any synonyms/alternatives for the phrase "so much for (something)"?

texts:
I'm struggling to find any similar expressions to indicate my disappointment with a  subject or show that it's not true anymore.

Could someone provide any suchlike locutions, please?


texts: Why is it "battery" in "battery limit" (a construction industry term)?

texts:
Per Dictionary of Construction, a battery limit

  .. comprises one or more geographic boundaries, imaginary or real, enclosing a plant or unit being engineered and/or erected, established for the purpose of providing a means of specifically identifying certain portions of the plant, related groups of equipment, or associated facilities.

I've been translating a text concerning the construction of a new urea facility, and this term got me curious. Actually the terms used in the text were the derived abbreviations ISBL/OSBL (inside and outside battery limits).

What is the meaning, or better, the origin, of "battery" here?


texts: Time for change verses time for a change

texts:
The legal system cannot protect the children; it is time for change.

versus

I have been eating the same food for the last two years; it is time for a change.

I have seen both usages. To my ears, neither sounds ungrammatical. What is the difference? (My gut feeling is that time for a change implies any change, while the agent who expressed the former has some specific change in mind.)


texts: can "as described below" be used instead of as follows?

texts:
I sometimes use "as follows" as follows:

  The system operates as follows. First, it receives data. Then, it
  processes the data. ...

That is, I sometimes uses "as follows" with a period not colon when a long explanation is needed after "as follows". But, as far as I know,  using "as follows" with a period is incorrect, so I am looking for alternative expressions that can be used with a period. Is it correct to replace "as follows" with "as described below" as follows?:

  The system operates as described below. First, it receives data. Then, it
  processes the data. ...


texts: How to properly refer to positions near the coast?

texts:
Can I say the red circle is "on the coast" or this is reserved just for the case of the green one?
What about saying the red circle is "off the coast"? But in case is it correct, how can I distinguish its position from the position of the blue circle?


texts:
Is it correct to say :

  They will have finished the project until next summer .

or we should say:

  They will have finished the project by next summer.

Please explain for me which one is correct.
Thanks


texts:
https://youtu.be/m_ZVJgM-bZI?t=16

  This year, five actors lifted the __________ of expectations (...)

What exactly did Cate Blanchett say? I'm going to assume it's a loanword or something.


texts:
The front was broken by a line of French windows.

I would like to ask how to exactly understand the above sentence. Does it just mean that the windows in the front were broken or is it some sort of a metaphor?


texts: Using 'a' multiple times after commas and 'and'

texts:
For example in sentence with structure:

X is a well known and widely used technology...
X is a well known and a widely used technology ...

Y consists of three layers: a lower layer, middle layer and top layer ...
Y consists of three layers: a lower layer, a middle layer and a top layer ...

Basically, what I am asking is that whether or not I need to add multiple 'a's or just one 'a' at the start will suffice?

If there's no fixed rule, are there examples where multiple 'a's aren't necessary and where they are?

Also, I am asking in context of formal and academic writing.


texts: Is World Top Education grammatically correct for a section label that wants to summarize that a country's education/universities are among the bests of the world?


texts:
Build-up - The period of preparation before something happens.

To build up - Gradually prepare yourself/someone else for something that they are going to say or do.

Since, build up is Br.E and according to the dicitionary can't be used in Am.E, is it common to use to build up to in Am.E. with the sense above?


texts: Using the past tense to describe an imaginary situation without the second if conditional

texts:
"Now, ladies, imagine yourself being seen by a 60 year-old man doctor. He asked you many strange and uncomfortable questions. How would you feel? "

I used the past tense to describe an imaginary situation without the second if conditional, is this okay?


texts:
In the following sentence

I shall do my duty by him

What is the force of the preposition by. I think its force is that of agency, but the answer given in my book is direction. I don't know how
Also is the usage of this preposition correct here?

If I write

I shall do my duty through him

Would it be grammatical?


texts:
People sometimes say:

  Sorry for any inconvenience this caused.

Is it possible to say:

  Sorry for any disturb this caused.

when I ask for a stranger for help by email?

Updated with more context:

I wanted to ask him do me a favor, but he hasn't replied for many days. I just need his help and since it's all about business, I decided to increase my bid (pay him more money) to negotiate again. And this is the email I am writing to do so.


texts:
It were/was they/them who did that.

There are 4 possible variations of this sentence - but grammatically correct obviously only one. Which is the right way to say this sentence and others alike?


texts: "She really is..." vs. "She is really..." — what's the difference?

texts:
I was wondering if she really is hot

  I was wondering if she is really hot?"

Are both of these correct? Is there a difference? When would one be used over the other?


texts: How does "sell out" work? How to understand it?

texts:
I find the phrasal verb "sell out" a bit confusing.
Which is/are wrong?

We're sold out.
We're sold out of X.
We sold out.
We sold out of Y.
Tickets have sold out.
Tickets have been sold out.

Does "we sold out of X" means "X, the thing we sell, sold out" and "we are sold out"?


texts:
P1: She is said to work 16 hours a day.
P2: It is said that she works 16 hours a day.

The Murphy's grammar says that passive P1 is equivalent to passive P2.
But let's transform these passive statements to their active forms:

A1: Somebody says to her to work 16 hours a day.
A2: Somebody says that she works 16 hours a day.

How can P1 be equivalent to P2 if their active forms have different meanings? In other words P1 may mean either A1 or A2. Should not it cause ambiguity?


texts: How can I list different method using a good opening word for my sentences

texts:
I would like to write about different methods. I need to write them in a good English way. I tried to use "one" and "another" but do not know if this is a correct structure or not?

My short paragraph:

One existing method is a method A introduce by author C. Another method is the one introduced by author D. Their method is simple and fast. Another method was introduced by E.

In the last two sentences, I used the word, "Another". So, I feel that I just repeat the opening word of my two sentences. By the opining word I mean One and Another.

How could I list different methods in a paragraph in a good English structure? any help, please?


texts: The right use of conjunctions as and when

texts:
Recently I came across such sentences in Murphy's grammar:

  My camera was stolen when I was in the beach.

and

  I used to live near the sea when I was a child.

In these two sentences " when" was the only right conjunction to use. Why can't we use the conjunction "as" here, if it has the meaning "at the same time as"?


texts:
I think till is used to show a length of time and perfect tense shows a time period but the past indefinite a point of time, but in the following sentence

He did not see her till a few days ago.

The past indefinite is  used. Is it correct?


texts: 'Rare are those books you wish shouldn't end'. Is this sentence correct?

texts: Is this sentence meaningful and complete? Should I use 'that' before 'you wish' or is it okay like that? Is 'shouldnt end' depicting that I want the book to keep on going like an endless tuft of pages?


texts: What is wrong in the following indirect speech

texts:
Consider the direct speech:

  "You are one of the Pinkerton's men, I presume," he said.

I converted it to indirect speech as follows:

  He said that he presumed that I was one of the Pinkerton's men.

But it is not correct. Please help me in identifying the mistake. What would be the correct indirect speech in the sentence?


texts: What does "forget by the bedside" and "from where" mean in this context?

texts:
He forgot by the bedside the strange book from where his prayers were
  read.

Does it mean:

Lying on bed, He forgot the strange book. This book is the one which he read his prayers from?

I'm not sure if "forget by the bedside" means that "as he sleeps on the bed, he forgot the book", or "he forgot the book when he was next to the bed".


texts:
The guests were witnessed (to have/having) a gala time, with most of them tapping their feet to the loud music.

Which is the correct form of have to be used here ?


texts: Which is the right pronunciation of the name "Jesus" in English?

texts:
First of all I'm asking this question. Because, I had always pronounced the name Jesus a little different than the way I was corrected by my niece a couple days ago. Therefore, I would like to get the right way of saying this once for all.

Well here is what I had always said: "sheezus"

Here is what she told me to say: "geesoos"

Here is what I found on Cambridge Dictionary: "dʒizəs" which I think it sound close to the way I used to say it but my listening is not perfect though. ):

Ok, well. Since my first language is Spanish I looked up for the way to prounciate it in Spanish and this is what I found: "yisus" which is the same as my niece told me. Below is the link for a Yahoo answer where they say "yisus" is the right way of saying Jesus.

Link: https://espanol.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090917132259AA3ZTRO


texts: Why is it "once upon a time" but there always more than one story happened in the same time?

texts:
I was writing a short chanting song to my sister to help her kids learn some new vocabulary:

  "Once upon a time , there's a little kitty whose name's Hello Kitty, falling in love with Japanese Melody".

She asked me why story always begins with "once upon a time" but there is more than one stories she can find in the story. Then, I told her that you should count how many stories you can find out, and change "once" to twice, thrice...

My question is that, if we replace "once" with "twice" or "some number adverbs", will it make audience feel tedious or bored because they have been told how many stories would likely to happen?


texts: "I will go to the party *to* kiss her" vs. "I will go to the party *and* kiss her"

texts:
"I will go to the party to kiss her."

"I will go to the party and kiss her."

Which one is more "proper one? I'm thinking second one is more formal but I'm not sure.


texts: Is "Which test or tests would you give him to do" considered a correct sentence?

texts:
Because I'm not a native English speaker, I have a habit before I publish a sentence: I google it to see its frequency in the world.

In this case I just googled the words:

  "would you give him"

which I took from the sentence: "Which test or tests would you give him to do?" I only got 8 results, so now I suspect this might not be a correct sentence.


texts: What does "move something onto the likes of the couch" mean?

texts:
I have come across it in the third episode of the tenth season of Friends. Here is the scene. It's at around 14 seconds.

Joey: Yeah.
(Joey and Rachel start kissing)
Joey: Hey what do you say, we move this onto the likes of the couch?
Rachel: I say ‘cheesy line’, but ok.

It's clear that Joey wants to kiss on the couch, but I am puzzled by the likes of the couch.


texts:
As per what I understand Nope is an informal way of expressing the same what no does.
Is it appropriate to use Nope in official mails, or is it suggested to use in like whatsapp chat etc.
Also why the need for this separate word Nope?


texts: Keeping a loose touch with someone / a group of people

texts:
Imagine after a long time two retired colleagues meet each other and start to talk about the past and memories; suddenly one of them asks the other one: "do you have any information about the company (where they used to work together)?" and the other one wants to answer, "yes, I somehow communicate with them" meaning that I have kept not a very close touch with them, but once in a while (e.g. every 6 months or once in a year) I go there and meet some remained colleagues who are working there yet.

The expression "lose touch" makes sense here, but what I need is that
how a native would say what 'B' says (self-made sentences) here in the most natural way:

  -A- Do you have any news from the company?

  -B- Yes, I’m keeping a loose touch with the company


texts: Differences between 'pointy' and 'pointed' when describe a noun?

texts:
Which sentence below is right? If both, are there any differences?

Wolves have pointed faces.
Wolves have pointy faces.

The definitions of each are very similar:

Pointy: Having a pointed tip or end.
Actually, I'd like several goats, with big floppy ears and pointy beards and soulful expressions.

Pointed: Having a sharpened or tapered tip or end.
‘his face tapers to a pointed chin’


texts: How to differentiate between possessive pronouns and adjectives?

texts:
How to use possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives?  For example, which is correct:

  Is this your luggage?

or

  Is this yours luggage?


texts:
The situation is where the phrase "let  " is being used after "have", such that it is being used as a past participle. Such as:

  I should have let her know
  I should have let her known

or

  You could have let us do yoga
  You could have let us done yoga

Which is the correct usage? Are both correct? Also, what language rules does this use (i.e. Why is this the case)? I'm leaning towards using the past participle form rather than the infinitive for the verb, but I'm not sure.

If you don't have a definitive answer, I'm also interested in hearing what you think sounds more natural.


texts: What does "that" indicate here? "data" or "range"

texts:
A less obvious drawback is the limited range of data that the experiment can generate.

I wonder what does "that" indicate here?

range
data

I think "that" is an objective case of the relative clause here and it's the object of the verb "generate". So the answer would be 2 (data) but I want to be sure once again.


texts:
Protagonist: You want to crash a transport plane? What about the crew?
Mahir: We pop the slides, chuck 'em off.

What does "pop the slides" mean?
Source: Christopher Nolan's movie Tenet (2020)


texts:
I've read that 'being+past participle' is used in participle.But I'm confused to have found the following sentences written in one of my grammar book(This book isn't available in internet) as gerunds.These sentences are:

  He is afraid of being hated.
  I remember being taken to Delhi as a small boy.
  3.Being frightened wouldn't solve any problems.

My questions:
1. What's the meanings of above sentences?

2.In which condition this "being+p.p"construction is used as gerunds to make sentences?


texts:
But one thing she had acquired in town was the ability to be glamorous, to divorce herself, by means of paints and polishes, from that other world. (From ACT)

What does "divorce herself from that other world" mean? Specifically, "that other world" ?


texts: signing a contract: "has just signed" vs. "has just been signed"

texts:
Which one is better and suitable about meaning:

  I believe that our manager has just signed a contract
  I believe that our manager has just been signed a contract

Also, is that passive or active voice in this sentence?


texts:
In an academic passage on story and storytelling, I've read:

  Brer Rabit uses his wits to enact playful revenge on his larger adversaries.

What is the difference if we say:

  Brer Rabit uses his wits to take playful revenge on his larger adversaries.

thanks.


texts:
As far as I know, both of these sentences are correct:

  Who do I have to talk to?

  To whom do I have to talk?

However, this is a quotation from a movie:

  To whom do I have to talk to?

The second to seems to be redundant to me. Is the above sentence correct or is it a mistake in the movie?


texts: How to use the word "filter" to mean exclude?

texts:
If I wrote a program that can exclude all the lines in a computer file that are more than 200 characters long, should it be

it can filter all the lines more 200 characters long
it can filter out all the lines more 200 characters long
it can filter away all the lines more 200 characters long

The (2) above seem to be able to mean to exclude those lines or to select those lines.


texts:
I'm looking for an alternative suffix to '-rooted'. The word combination will be with 'spiritually-...'.

I'm thinking of using 'spiritually-rooted practice' but 'rooted' sounds so 'just-dropped'. On the other hand, the meaning it conveys is spot on.

But not the following:

The spiritually-assisted practice
The spiritually-based practice
The spiritually-enabled practice
The spiritually-supported practice
The spiritually-endorsed practice
The spiritually-encouraged practice

Maybe somebody has something.


texts:
Is using on which in the following sentence correct?

  The administrator should prepare a pre-defined list of websites on which
  the XYZ policy should be applied.

I first used where, then switched to on which, as websites is not a location but an object.


texts:
Is that question only about the past or that question may be asked also about the current situation? As I understand it, for present situation is "Who is she in love with?".

Who did she fall in love with?


texts:
Please help me. I'm wondering what this phrase "I see what it is about" mean?  And please show me that what context can it usually used in?

And this is the context:

  A:  You know, ever since college it's been, Marshall and Lilly and me. Now, it's gonna be Marshall and Lilly... and me. They'll get married, start a family. Before long, I'm that weird, middle-aged bachelor their kids call Uncle Ted.

  B:  I see what this is about.

(Source: How I Met Your Mother, Season 1, episode 1)


texts:
He gave me the resources that are needed to reach a higher status.

Can this sentence be interpreted in three different ways?

If the infinitive phrase is an adverb, modifying the verb "gave"
I think it means

"he gave me the resources so that he can reach a higher status"   Am I correct?

But if it's an adverb, it seems like it's also possible that "to reacher a higher status" can also modify " are needed". If that's true, how can this sentence be interpreted?

If the infinitve phrase is an adjective, I think it modifies the noun "resources", then the resources allow me to reach a higher status.

Is that correct?


texts: About parenthetical expressions, is the sentence grammartically correct?

texts:
This novel method has significantly improved the research period from
  one year in previous attempts, due to a lack of observatory data, to
  the longest year with reliable documentary data, 100 years in this
  study.

Not sure if the meaning is clear, I would like to emphasize the improvement of methods. In the previous studies, the research period is only one year. Using the new method, the research period can be extended to many years back in time as long as reliable data are available.


texts:
I'm reading an article about the composer Franz Joseph Haydn and the actor Johann Josef Felix von Kurz. They tried to create a piece of work together. And:

  Hadyn couldn’t get the gist. Finally giving up, he cried, “The devil take the tempest!” running his hands together from one end of the keyboard to the other in a long glissando. It was exactly what Kurz was looking for.

I don't understand what Hadyn meant by "The devil take the tempest". Is it just some swearing expression like "what the hell"?


texts:
Sometimes we address a specific "thing", "item"... Then we want to refer that item with something like "the desired item", "the item of interest" "the item to be selected", "the purposed item".

for example

  Otherwise, we can employ another anchor which has a common ancestor with the first anchor and encloses the ( our purposed?) section.

"Purposed" seems suitable for my meaning, but I didn't find much of it in google, what are the common words to address something in the way I described?


texts: Does "non-compromised" mean the same thing as "uncompromising"?

texts:
Example:

  Mozilla, the organization behind Firefox, is proudly non-profit, non-corporate and non-compromised. Will you help us work for a free and open Web for all? If everyone reading this chipped in $3, we would be supported for another year. Donate now.

Does that mean the same thing as uncompromising?


texts:
I want to know if that comma is necessary in this case, it kinda gives me a feeling that it should be used but I'm not really sure.

They went directly to the Great Leader, X
They went directly to the Great Leader X


texts: 'At' Dnieper river or 'by' Dnieper river?

texts: If I'm on the walkway in / on / at Dnieper river, what is the right way to express it? (the right preposition)


texts:
Source: Prof Michael Sandel, Justice: ..., Episode 06: "MIND YOUR MOTIVE"

  26:33: It's a kind of practical reason that we share as human beings. It's not idiosyncratic. The reason we need to respect
  the dignity of persons, is that we're all rational beings. We all have the capacity for reason. And it's the exercise of that capacity for a reason
  which exist undifferentiated in all of us, that makes us worthy of dignity, all of us.
  27:06: And since it's the same capacity for reason, unqualified by particular autobiographies and circumstances, it's the same universal capacity for reason that delivers the moral law. It turns out that to act autonomously, is to act according to a law we give ourselves exercising our reason. But it's the reason, we share with everyone as rational beings. Not the particular reason we have, given our upbringing, our particular values, our
  particular interests.
  27:46: It's pure practical reason in Kant's terms, which legislates a priori, regardless of any particular contingent or empirical ends.

I read the definitions of legislate and a priori, but what do they mean together?
Prof Sandel above isn't discussing any law. Google displays 6 pages of results which use this predicate (Is this the right linguistics term) in contexts outside philosophy as well.


texts: The use of the definite article with the noun "now"

texts:
I found it in Crash Course World History. It is at around 1minute and 44 second. Here is the context:

  Another change in psychology: many historians of the now note that globalization has also led to a celebration of individualism.

I have checked a few dictionaries, and I could not find any example where the noun now was used with the definite article. Could you pleasd tell me why the host used it. Does the bear any additional meaning in the sentence?


texts:
Are there any differences in meaning between 'provocative' and 'sexy' when they are used to describe clothes?

It seems to me that 'provocative' is almost always disapproving, while 'sexy' can even be approving.


texts: It has been a long time since I visited you /since I used to visit you/since I have visited you

texts:
My teacher is wondering whether all  three sentences below could mean virtually the same. This idea that "since I used to visit" and "since I have visited" might mean the same partly comes from the following part of one forum: (Too see the whole forum thread, please, see the link below)

  1) It's been a long time since I've swung a golf club.
  2) It's been a long time since I've been to Augusta.
  The present perfect implies that the action is something that is repeatable. The speaker has probably swung a golf club or been to Augusta more than once.

Here is the link to the website.

  1) It has been a long time since I visited you (at the hotel).
  2) It has beeen a long time since I used to visit you (at the hotel).
  3) It has been a long time since I have visited you (at the hotel).


texts: How to write a sentence properly when three or four incidents occurred in the past?

texts:
For example:

I knew he had worked in the company for five years before he got a promotion.

Someone worked for a company for five years. After that, he got a promotion. I knew about it.

We knew he thought the patient had died before the doctor came.

At first, the patient died. Then the doctor came. Someone thought about this incident. We knew someone thought about it.

Are my sentences grammatically correct? How to maintain the sequence of tense? Which tense structure should I follow?


texts: Understanding "That's just being down the pub"

texts:
what does "That's just being down the pub" means in this sentence from the passage:

Sandy:  Come on. You're a philosopher. You like arguments. Show me your stuff.

John: Philosophy is more than liking an argument. That's just being down the pub.

Sandy: You see? We're up and running.


texts: How to say that I ranked first in my last year of high school in my country?

texts:
Is it correct to say:

  I came in first in my last year ... (etc)

And what is the difference between "I came in first" and "I came first..."?


texts: "along the river" vs "alongside the river"?

texts:
In a question on "along" vs "alongside", I have seen this question and the correct answer on the web site makes me confused.

http://www.learnex.in/difference-between-along-and-alongside-free-english-lesson/

The question is: I enjoyed my walk _________________ the river.

a) along
b) alongside

I selected "...along the river" as the correct answer, but on the web site it is shown as wrong and the correct answer is "alongside".

How can that be? I still do not agree, because I have studied the difference between the two. "along" is just the right preposition for thin and long places like road, path, street, beach etc".

So, why would the correct answer be "alongside" which simply means "next to"? Do you not think "along" seems to be better fitting?

Regards,

Note: I would be more than gratefull, if somebody show it to me in a video, like "a walk along the river" and "a walk alongside the river". Maybe I can understand the how "a walk along the river" and "a walk alongside the river" would take place.


texts: Why "admit" with T but "admissible" with SS?

texts:
I just noticed that when the suffix -ible is added to "admit", it becomes "admissible" rather than "admittible".
There are few other examples:

"omit" = "omissible" not "omittible".
"permit" = "permissible"
"transmit" = "transmissible"

These are words that end with it and have ssi in the suffixed forms. I didn't find other words that show the same pattern. Most it words don't have ssi forms in suffixed words.
Also as Maciej says:

commit = commission
emit = emission
admit = admission

I know that S and T are both alveolar sounds (produced at alveolar ridge) but this relationship seems to be confusing. I googled a lot but didn't find anything helpful.
Does anyone know why the t changes to ss in these words?


texts: Why "Windows XP won't install" instead of "Windows XP don't install"?

texts:
OK. In my native language usage (non English) using don't looks better than won't. But still I'm seeing lot of won't instead of don't. So is don't unacceptable in this situation?

Reference link: Tom's Hardware: Windows XP won't install (copy error)


texts:
I have some question.

Should I use 'including' in this sentence?
Which sentence is better?

  Ability to monitor and configure devices including the company's
  Cisco Systems, workstations and servers using open-source and
  Microsoft software.
  Ability to monitor and configure: devices the company's Cisco
  Systems, workstations and servers using open-source and Microsoft
  software.

P.S.This is an item in a list.


texts: "marks Awkwafina’s second scene-stealing role" meaning?

texts:
It’s also a launching pad for fresh faces like Constance Wu and Henry Golding, who play the movie’s central lovers Rachel Chu and Nick Young, and marks Awkwafina’s second scene-stealing role this summer after Ocean’s 8. And thanks to enthusiastic reviews from critics and the ecstatic reactions of early-screening audiences, the movie has already made crazy amounts of money at the box office, which means that the first of Kwan’s two sequel novels may be coming to theaters as early as next August.

Can someone help me to understand "marks Awkwafina’s second scene-stealing role"? Does Awkwafina’s scene-stealing role mean Awkwafina is the scene stealer, or someone else steals the scene from Awkwafina?

The full source.


texts: Is the phrase "My circle of the people I know" correct?

texts:
I know a similar phrase which is "my circle of friends".

Thus, would this one apply as that phrase?

The sentence:

  Who could that be? Although my circle of the people I know, is not
  that big.


texts:
While in the act of searching for the synonym of appear, I stumbled upon a word, which is come along. In fact, I've two questions regarding the usage of this verb.

  It comes along like you won't earn anything from that game.

My goal was to say that

  It seems/looks like you won't earn anything from that game.

However, I don't know if that's grammatically correct or incorrect.

Regards!


texts: What is the symbol for an "Answer", if so why we're not using that?

texts:
I know the symbol of question is '?', we use that to ask a question verbally.
But when giving the answer is there any symbol to denote that and if so why we are not using any symbol to mention the same?


texts:
I have recently encountered a car advert from the manufacturer Volvo Cars with the tagline "made by Sweden" instead of more usual "made in Sweden", so I'm wondering what it's supposed to mean. I have some possible interpretations:

(most probable) they want to indicate not only manufacture location, but emphasize that the car is a product of every Swede and embodies some deeply Swedish values
the car is manufactured by the state (not true, as the automaker is owned by Chinese company)
the car is not actually made in Sweden, so they could not use "made in Sweden" phrase (like "designed in California, made in China") - quite unlikely, at least according to Wikipedia the car in question is manufactured in Sweden


texts:
How does it say correctly with exclamation?

  How she looks!
  or
  What she looks!


texts: Using the indefinite article after no and not

texts:
I was wondering if someone could help explain why we don't use the indefinite article in this sentence

  There is no couch in the living room

but we do use it in this sentence

  There isn't a couch in the living room?

Now I know it has something to do with no vs. not but I can't figure out how to explain to people why there is a difference.

Also, when I think about it, it seems like we almost never use 'a' after no but we do after not... but again, I just came seem to come up with a rule to explain it?

Thanks kindly....


texts:
I am having a little trouble with "go for".
Here's a short explanation: My understanding is that if an user is not posting a log or command output with detailed information, then the threads won't get anywhere because even advanced users either gave no reply at all, or else offered some vague explanations. In other words, ambiguity in replies can extend to several tens of posts in a thread eventually ending when an advanced user may ask relevant specifications and at least give you a hint of what an user is looking for. Or to put it another way, that means when someone is asking these questions, they should post an exact error message and not an interpretation of that message. Doing it this way is necessary for the community to understand the problems that they are dealing with.
Here's the excerpt:
I've seen threads go for pages and all someone needed to do was ask for simple command output.
My attempt:
Forum threads that span hundreds of pages/That type of thread frequently extends across multiple pages...?
Grammatically speaking, does it have something to do with go long? Is this sentence grammatically correct, and does it also make sense? I'd like to get the English explanation for that expression in this context. I'm not really sure about that. I'll appreciate any help.


texts: May I use "when" with a time expression like "10 minutes back"?

texts:
10 minutes back when I checked the score, X team was losing.

Is this expression correct? Use of the word 'when' sounds odd to me. What would the right construct be?


texts: What is that the specific meaning of "Everyone, but everyone, will be there."?

texts:
I don't understand that "Everyone, but everyone, will be there." sentence.

The Dictionary defines the meaning of But is FOR EMPHASIS Of above sentence.

But I haven't understood how do I read that sentence to what meaning.

I wanna understand easily so that you would make the sentence easy one.

Please help me.


texts:
Is the sentence "Serving science since 25 years" correct?

Outside the advertisement context in which I saw this sentence I think you would say "We have been serving science for 25 years". In the shortened form "for" sounds wrong to me  but "since" seems to be wrong as well because it should refer to a point in time, not a period.


texts:
After she underwent her very first breakup she thought of suicide.

and

  After she underwent her very first breakup she was thinking of suicide.

What's the difference between thought of and was thinking of?
And similarly what is the difference between think of and thinking of?


texts: Grade of Basic Learning Skill Test which measures abstract thinking powers of candidates is a type of grade that universities use as base for student admission. The grades that candidates take from type of this test are calculated and admissions are realized to undergraduate and graduate departments according to grade ranking.


texts:
I learned and know that the transitive verb must go with object, and some verbs contain both transitive and intransitive but others only have transitive and intransitive, respectively.

and the verb distract is a transitive verb which does not involve intransitive verb.

and I found one sentence from my textbook,

-> When a room is well organized, there is nothing to distract from the work.

here, even though the verb distract is a transitive verb, it goes with preposition from, which generally follows after the intransitive verb.

How this sentence can be grammatical?


texts:
I read in a grammer book that nouns expressing number and weight (when preceded by numerals ) are not pluralized, as: five dozen apples, five head of cattle, four yoke of oxen, etc.

My question is weather it is true in the case of 'liter'. I have some possible cases in mind.

  Five liters of water.
  Five liters water.
  Five liter water.
  Five-liter water.

Which of the above cases (1 to 4) are correct and which of the above cases are wrong?


texts:
https://www.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/c3ed657b-b4cf-4206-a046-d8dcc3bac137

Hagrid says
'but you're a bit more along than I would've expected. particularly here in the middle.'

but what's the meaning of 'along' there?
and isn't 'along' a preposition or an adverb, which cannot be followed by more..?


texts:
I've created a sentence:

  It is proven that people are more happy when they can share their good moments with others, and that they easier overcome failures shared with others.

I suppose it doesn't look good, but I struggle to avoid the second "with others". Maybe:

  It is proven that people are more happy when they can share their good moments with others, and that they easier overcome shared failures.


texts:
What does "I am feeling hot " mean in causal and slang sense? For example can we say it has a meaning like

The temperature is high so you feel the heat and sweating maybe.
You were stimulated sexually and have an intercourse maybe.
You think you attract some people sexually,can be used with preposition for .

and another question what is the best way to say for the first meaning?


texts: "What {is / was} your happiest moment in 2015?"

texts:
Is it correct to say

  What was your happiest moment in 2015?

or

  What is your happiest moment in 2015?


texts: How to backshift "would" (used for saying what someone used to do in the past)?

texts:
How to backshift the following sentence:

  As a child he would get up early and go fishing.

I think it should be:

  He said when he had been a child he would/would have get up early and go fishing.

But I am not sure if it should be would or would have, since would on its own can serve as a past marker.


texts: Can I say "My mom's kids names" to mean: "The names of my mother's kids"?

texts: As the tittle says it. Can I say "My mom's kids names" to mean:  "The names of my mother's kids" ?


texts: What do you mean by "ordinary preposition"?

texts:
I can't specifically figure out the meaning of ordinary preposition, especially with "to".

When does verb + ing come after to?

And when to + bare infinitive?


texts: Is "adjective+plural noun+noun" a valid grammatical structure?

texts:
There are many instances in the English language that we want to use a noun as a modifier but we want that noun to specify a number of things rather than just one.

As an example, I want to say that there is a particular group that is responsible for supervising all English journals published by a university.

Is it grammatically correct to write "English Journals Group"? Even though we know that modifying nouns should be used in their singular form.


texts: Meaning of the word "reverse" in context

texts:
It is frim this article

  So it makes sense that more frequent initiators of kissing (for whatever motives) are men; and that women engage “in romantic kissing in response to their partner’s overtures more often than the reverse”.

Could you please rephrase the last sntence for me please as I cannot get what is meant by more often then reverse?


texts:
Is there any accepted order for different determiners? I read in an article that “determiners” come before adjectives, but what about different kinds of determiner? For example:

The memory of Lilian’s grandmother will always remain in her mind for all her kindness and dedication to her.

“all”: Quantitative determiner
“her”: possessive determiner
So which one is correct? “ her all kindness” or “all her kindness”? The second one sounds more natural to me, but I want to know if there is any rule.


texts:
The most used word by American teenager is Swag.
Vs
The mostly used by American teenagers is swag.

Which one is grammatically correct ? Please tell me


texts:
What is the difference between

  I baked the cake myself

and

  I myself baked the cake


texts:
After reading some dictionaries I realized that these three words aren't perfectly interchangeable, even if I cannot exactly recognize their differences.
Specifically I don't understand whether "defunct" is used in reference to dead persons or not—it seems to be more appropriate in reference to abstract things ("a defunct argument", "a defunct story")—, and what the contexts are in which we should use "deceased" or "departed".
So, suppose I want to ask to a person if a their relative has died, how can I ask without being disrespectful?

Is/has your sister defunct?

Is/has your sister deceased?

Is/has your sister departed?


texts: What horrible taste VS what a horrible taste

texts: Am I right, if I interpret the former as their liking is bad, and the latter as something tastes bitter or bad?


texts:
I am confused about the usage of preposition in this sentence:

  "They work hard ____ the field everyday".

What should fill the blank?
   a/ On
   b/ In


texts:
They have to yet scooped it out.

The source is actually me.  Could you correct any grammatical errors you spot?

My perception: There are still some quantity of the good available, even though many people rushed to Bazaars and markets to purchase it.

I noticed Longman has an example for using scoop this way:

  if a lot of people scoop something up, they buy it quickly so that soon there is none left.


texts: Sentence construction: Two families or family

texts:
Chavhan and Khanna families invite you to the wedding.

or

  Chavhan and Khanna family invite you to the wedding.


texts: Formal synonym of "As I mentioned before"

texts: I have a question about a synonym of this sentence "As I mentioned before". The only synonym that I know is "As I said before", but it's informal because I searched about it on Internet, but I can't find more information to resolve my problem.


texts:
I was looking for a book that was to be released by that time and opened the respective page saying " (name of the book) is released!".

How can that be possible? Shouldn´t it be the present perfect here because it is relevant for the present meaning that I can buy now? I don´t understand.


texts: Parallel Structure / Singular vs Plural : Which one is correct?

texts:
Which one is grammatically correct?

Figure X and Figure Y show the A and B profiles,respectively. Plural form of the noun profile

Figure X and Figure Y show the A and B profile,respectively.  Singular form of the noun profile

Can I also say the following?

Figures X and Y show ....... and ........,respectively.


texts: Do you feel any difference in meaning there?

texts:
I have seen the following in a site. However, would you please tell me if I have correctly revised the bold part? I mean if you feel any subtle difference in meaning between them? What about the original one? is it correct?

Original: A leading Swiss scientist declared that Roentgen rays can be so applied that white horses become black.

A. can be applied so that

B. can be such applied that

C. can be applied such that

Thanks

....
First thanks. Now, is this version natural? can be so skilfully applied that


texts: "He wants everyone back" - Is the word back an adverb

texts:
He wants everyone back.

Is "back" an adverb? It doesn't modify the verb so has thrown me off a little.