texts:
"C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'
  years follow me!"    Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid
  down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either
  side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there.
  Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed
  once or twice.   (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

Does ‘thick trees’ mean many trees whose trunks have big diameters; or does it mean dense forest?


texts: Relative pronoun or Subordinating Conjunction?

texts:
We know that an adjective clause may begin with a relative pronoun :
"This is the song which my mother taught me".
Here, which is a relative pronoun. But can we regard which as a Subordinating Conjunction in that it connects the Subordinate Adjective Clause with the Principal Clause? One of my friends say that which is a relative pronoun here ; but not a conjunction. So, I am confused. Please clarify whether which is a pronoun or a conjunction or both of these.


texts: General spelling rule: no double (repeated) consonant after another consonant?

texts:
Is it correct to tell ESL students that there aren't any words in English that have a double repeated consonant after another consonant?
For example:

Sttrugle
Inffection
dispposal

Thanks!


texts:
Canal: n. An artificial waterway or artificially improved river used for travel, shipping, or irrigation.
Channel: n. Electronics A specified frequency band for the transmission and reception of electromagnetic signals, as for television signals.

Italian language does not have two words with the meanings above, but it has only one: "canale".
Is there a historical reason why English language uses "channel", and not "canal" in reference to television signals?


texts: More than 10 years of experience or over 10 years of experience

texts:
Would you please suggest the best translation between the following:

  More than 10 years of experience as Senior Technical Architect
  Over 10 years of experience as Senior Technical Architect

The sentence is in the description of the skills of a Technical profile.


texts:
I've found infinitive,  bare infinitive and gerund. For example

  He did more than ask questions.

  It's better to ask than to assume.

  Going to work is often better than going to class.

  It's a better choice than going to hostel.

What is the rule to determine which form is suitable?


texts: What is the difference between “Keep on” and “keep as it is”?

texts:
Does “Keep on” and “keep as it is” have same meaning? When and where we can use these?

For example: I have to tell my friend to keep a thing as in the same way

  I think it is better to keep as it is.

Is my usage correct?


texts:
Golden moles

  The golden moles belong to the same branch on the tree of life as the tenrecs, called Tenrecomorpha, which in turn stem from a main branch of placental mammals called the Afrosoricida.

Why is there a "The"  before the second "golden moles" ?

The word "moles" has been written without the word "the" in the title. And as I understand, this is correct because "moles" are plural nouns used for a general idea.  I think this have to be applied on the first sentence as well.

My guess is that the "the" has been added because the second golden moles refers to the title - but I am not sure.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(animal)
Thank you


texts: Confustion regarding usage of "that" vs "that the" in sentence

texts:
I am confused on the correct usage of "that" vs "that the", and with my Google-fu being weak on how to find more information on this, I am stuck in trying to figure out which of one the following sentences is correct:

I noticed that the build was failing.
I noticed the build was failing.


texts:
Can you explain what this joke means please?

“I did a gig in a fertility clinic. I got a standing ovulation.”

Tim Vine: Timtiminee Timtiminee Tim Tim to You
(Pleasance Courtyard, One)


texts: Do I need the second "being" in this sentence?

texts:
I turned from being her patient to (being) her student.

Why or why not? I find  both instances on Google and some use into. So I'm a bit confused.


texts:
The file has not come yet.
The file has not came yet.
The file has not came.


texts: force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues

texts:
This is a quote from Thomas Hobbes:

  Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues.

To me, force and fraud are in war and the two cardinal virtues sound like two totally independent statements. If there were a long dash that separated them, I'd probably understand the sentence perfectly well. But there's none. So, how do you think one should understand that sentence grammatically?


texts:
I understand advice is a noun while advise is a verb. Advise is the act of giving advice. Despite knowing what they mean, I am still confuse how to use them correctly.

I came across this sentence which is written by someone who is very learned in English. They wrote:

  He delivers top notch advise and service.

If I were to write this, I will use advice instead.

-

On another part of the article, they use advise as follow:

  They are meticulous in their service and advise!

I will probably write it as below:

  They are meticulous with their service and advice!

In the above examples, can you correct me on why advise is use and not advice?


texts:
Why did she give you the keys instead to her parents?

  Why did she give you the keys instead of to her parents?

What's the correct version? And why? (Both sound equally correct to me, but maybe that's because English isn't my native tongue.)


texts:
What tense is "has became" in the sentence below

  "Drug policy reform has also became a topic of international debate"?

I know the verb "become" and came across "has become" but haven't seen "has became" in a sentence before.


texts: Meaning of "citation styles" in the given context

texts:
There is a copy-paste app that works across devices. I have come across the following sentence that mentions "citation styles" in a way that is incomprehensible to me:

  The app lets you copy a text as plain text or, for content copied from
  the web, one of several citation styles, such as an HTML or Markdown
  link, or the URL or page title.

I am not sure if the term "citation styles" includes all the following four items:

  HTML or Markdown link, or the URL or page title.

Thanks for your time.


texts: "I learn a lot talking to you" vs. "I learn a lot by talking to you"

texts:
I've heard both of the sentences:

  I learn a lot talking to you.

  I learn a lot by talking to you.

Does the first one means I learn a lot while I talk to someone and the second I learn a lot as a result of talking to someone?


texts: Difference in meaning: "my skills" vs "my particular skills"

texts:
A worker is dismissed from job and he is telling about what his managers told him about the dismissal:

They said they did not need so many people with my particular skills

I wonder why the worker said "...my particular skills.", whereas "...my skills" would simply be quite clear.
Is there any difference between "my particular skills" and "my skills"?


texts:
My uncle was head copy editor of the NY Times for 20+ years. Neither my mother nor my father was ever heard to say anything that was not grammatically
  correct. It’s in my DNA and I can’t help it.

Does it mean "his/her parents were never told to say something that is not grammatically correct"?

Doesn't the word "heard" should be replaced by "told"?
Is it a well-written, confusion-free paragraph?
Or am I misunderstanding?


texts: What's a "strong form" in case of "a(n)"?

texts:
According to OALD the indefinite articles "a" and "an" have a "strong form" that deviates in pronunciation.

But what is the "strong form"? In which cases is it used?

Unfortunately, the dictionaries don't provide any further explanations or examples.

Furthermore, it's really weird that the British pronunciation of the strong form of "an" sounds like the American pronunciation of the 'normal' form of "an" and vice versa.


texts: "This company makes quality product" - how to explain correctly why there is no "a" before "product"?

texts:
The question is in the title - I know that "product" here serves as a plural, but it's hard to google how this situation is called in linguistics, and if there are any formal rules that could be learned to better understand and generalize this occurrence.
I heard it in a lesson recording and I couldn't formulate why it sounded so organic despite appearing to be incorrect - it was a reading of an article from some unspecified journal. Sorry for not providing the source, it's just rather awkward, as you can imagine.


texts: Education - can it be countable noun used with article?

texts:
The development of popular education since the beginning of the century has been rapid. People have gradually begun to realize the value of a good education.

In this text, popular education has no article, and good education has the article a.

The dictionary says education is an uncountable noun. Please explain the article in a good education.


texts:
John and Brittany, along with several of their school friends, were invited for a swim at the Garcias' pool.

As far as I know, we use "s' " to say that something belongs to a family.  Is the Garcia a family? I know you might say context is essential, but I just want to know if it could relates to a group of relatives or a group in an office or something like that and not necessarily a group of people in a family.


texts: Recover the dialog: "Nice to meet you. Me too."

texts:
Could you help me to recover full version of the following dialog:

  — Nice to meet you.

  — Me too.

If I am correct, the first sentence in its full version is:

  — It is/was nice to meet you.

What is full version of the second sentence?


texts:
Some grammar books say 'The past perfect can be used to express hope, wish, etc.which was not realized'

E.g:

  I HAD hoped we would leave tomorrow, but it won't be possible.
  I HAD meant to call on you, but was prevented from doing so.

My question is,

If I use past simple instead of past perfect in above examples, will it express the same meaning? (or is it possible to use past simple in this case?)


texts: How is "appeal" interpreted in this sentence?

texts:
I have been confused with this sentence for about an hour and I am not able to get what the author means by "appeal", doubting there might even be a grammatical mistake:

  Therefore, ANN models cannot be compared to
  process-based models or appeal to process hydrologists without being able to
  predict more than one output simultaneously.

It is about hydroinformatics and a books.google.com link to the page I encountered the sentence is available here, with the sentence I addressed being in the last paragraph of page 391.


texts: Using the "neither ... nor" construct for different group of objects

texts:
Consider I have two items X and Y from one group and items A and B from another group and also each group contains more than two items.

Then, can I phrase a clause like this mentioned below?

  It is neither X or Y nor A or B.

I am not asking about the compatibility of the items of different groups, I am just asking about the "neither ... nor" grammar here.


texts:
I have a question about the verb "notice" and verb phrase "take notice of":

  He noticed a stranger in the corner.
  He took notice of a stranger in the corner.

Are "notice" and "take notice of" the same?  The dictionaries are not too clear about their difference.


texts: "could" vs "could have been" (past ability)

texts:
Anupam Pathak

  People ask where would AAP get money from to fulfill their promises. Remember that episode on Garbage on Satyamev Jayate where a scientist explained how a work that could have been easily done in 3 crores was done in 70 crores using a different mechanism and that too a much substandard work.

Can the highlighted words be replaced by could be, such that it does not change the tense.

Are "could have been" and "could be" interchangeable?


texts: Why is there a comma before "locally accredited" in this sentence?

texts:
The following sentence is clipped from news. I don't quite understand the reason to have a comma before "locally accredited.

  Only students pursuing full-time, locally accredited self-financing undergraduate programmes in Hong Kong offered by select institutions would be eligible for the HK$30,000. Such programmes often cost HK$70,000 or more.


texts: what dose 'being a machine gun attack on a whole field of straw men' mean?

texts:
The problem with this neat triad is that, while a tirade against horoscopy might be perfectly agreeable to most everyone (being a machine gun attack on a whole field of straw men  — who reads horoscopes save for feeble amusement?), assertions on life and climate are on another plane entirely.

Rex Murphy: Governor General appoints herself umpire of questions of faith and science

I googled and have understood the fallacy of a straw man, but still don't get the meaning of the bold phrase in the sentence above. What does it mean?


texts: Is "certified equivalent" proper English?

texts:
Is "certified equivalent" in the following advertisement proper English? Maybe "equivalence/equivalency certification" is a better choice? Thank you for your help in advance

"English teaching position needed to be filled immediately! Great bilingual private school. Masters in education (or certified equivalent) needed."


texts: What is the meaning of the confusing sentence?

texts:
Source

  Shasta tells him about her new lover, Mickey Wolfmann, and asks Doc to
  help prevent a plot by Mickey's wife and her lover to have Mickey
  abducted and committed to an insane asylum.

if the word her lover refers to Mickey then why he himself want to have abducted and committed to an insane asylum.

that is why I am confused understanding this sentence.

What is the meaning of this above confusing sentence?


texts:
[13ia]He mustn’t have done it deliberately.
  [13ib]He can’t have done it deliberately
  . . .
  [14] i  A: What has happened to Ed?    B: He must have overslept. [subjective]
           ii  If I'm older than Ed and Ed is older than Jo,  I must be older than Jo. [objective]
  . . .
  Because of the pragmatic weakening found with subjective must, [13ia] is not pragmatically equivalent to [ib], which is stronger, more categorical. Can’t would be preferred when the matter is regarded as obvious and particularly in denying something that has been asserted (He says it was Jill but it can’t have been), with mustn’t used - by those for whom it is not restricted to deontic modality - when it’s a question of arriving at a negative conclusion (He mustn’t have told her after all).(CGEL, p181)

The bolded part is hard to understand.

(1) To where is with mustn’t used connected syntactically?
(2) Is it saying the example He musn’t have told her after all has not deontic but epistemic modality?

Would you explain the overall meaning of the bolded part?

(* I mis-wrote epidemic below for epistemic: I'm much obliged to snailboat for correcting the word above.)


texts:
It's from the tenth episode of the sixth season of Friends. Here is the context and video. It's at 1 minute and 48 seconds.

  Hey, I know what’ll get us up on a platform!

  Monica: What?

  Ross: The routine!

  Monica: Ross, we haven’t done the routine since middle school.

  Ross: Hey, when the snippy guy sees the routine, he’ll wanna build us
  our own platform!

  Monica: Was it really that good?

  Ross: We got honourable mention in the brother/sister dance category!
  Look, it’s almost fake midnight, do we really have any other choice?

  Monica: Okay, let’s do it. Mom and Dad are gonna be so faced!


texts:
What I'd learned so far is that we can only use infinitive after 'want'.
But today I saw "mom doesn't want me hanging out with you anymore" in an english book..
Is it correct to use -ing form after want?

Also I want to know if these sentences below sound natural to you guys.

  Mom doesn't want me to keep hanging out with you anymore.

  Mom doesn't want me to keep in touch with you anymore.

  Mom doesn't want me to meet you anymore.


texts: Is there a difference in meaning between I like to + verb + something and I like verb + ing + something?

texts: Ok, I never thought about this before, I always thought it was the same. I got the idea from the japanese SE that translating something as  I like to + verb + something is different thant I like verb + ing + something. May be I got it wrong. For example I like playing soccer is different than I like to play soccer? Does I like playing soccer give a sense that I like the general activity of playing soccer, and the second gives the idea that I want it to play it right now? Or they are just both exactly the same?


texts: "New York is raining" vs "It is raining in New York"

texts:
New York is raining.

  It is raining in New York.

Which one is correct?

As far as I learned, it is correct to use it to describe weather.
However, is it possible to say New York is raining in colloquial English?


texts:
Imagine there is a couple who's love is getting more solid and strong as time passes. They have lived e.g 20 years and in spite of other's expectation they fall in love more and more. I was wondering if someone could let me know if in English the way I am trying to say the sentence below sounds natural:

  Their love will get deeper (meaning gets stronger) as time passes.


texts:
In on other SE post, when talking about the manager from previous job who is again (after some time ) to become manager at another company, it says:

  Chances are he realized his mistakes from before and learned.

I would translate this as neutral "Maybe he realized..." (correct?) but I was wondering does it also imply any level of probability that such thing happened (like "he most probably realized..." or "there is a slim chance that he realized..."?


texts: Math formulas whose applications I had no idea of. ...| is it right?

texts:
My sentence is:

  ...memorize a list of math formulas whose applications I had no idea of.
  I mean I had to memorize some math formulas and I didn't know how they were applid in real life.

Does my sentence make sense? Particularly the part that says: Math formulas whose applications I had no idea of.
Is there any way to "smoothen" it?


texts: How is this an example of a preposition connecting a noun or a pronoun to another clause?

texts:
In this grammar book I am working through, prepositions are defined as words that connect certain nouns and pronouns (AKA objects of prepositions) to clauses. However, in the following sentence, I am not sure how this is the case:

The man in the blue shirt stood in front of the store.

I understand that the object of the preposition is shirt, but how come it is connected to "The man" if "The man" is clearly not a clause? Similarly, how does the other object of the preposition (store) connect to "The man" (since it's not a clause)?


texts:
It was 1994, and when her baby daughter would fall asleep, Rowling would stroll her to a cafe that was close to her home.

In this sentence, what kind of clause is the clause "when her baby daughter would fall asleep"?


texts:
Is there any difference in meaning between seem and look?
For example, “He seems to be popular.” v. “He looks popular.”


texts:
How to correctly use the phrase 'home tuition'? Please give some examples from both a student's and a tutor's points of view.

Are the following sentences correct:
I give/offer/provide home tuition for English to students of classes up to 12th.
(I want to say I am a home tutor.)


texts:
I usually get this right, but for some reason this particular phrase is giving me headaches. The phrase in question is:

"Not that there were an abundance of sticks or building supplies"

Ordinarily, as the sticks/building supplies are plural I'd assume were; however, as I consider 'an abundance' to be a singular object encompassing multiple other objects, it gives me pause. Should it be "was an abundance of sticks or building supplies"?

Which is more correct?

Edit: my English teacher uncle just called, quite fortuitously, and advised that I was correct in my original assertion that it should be was an abundance. He also reminded me that 'a multitude' follows the same rules (which I knew, and had completely forgotten).


texts:
However, Sol Elman, the father of violinist Mischa Elman, thought differently.  He said, “My dear friends, Kubelik played the Paganini concerto tonight as splendidly as ever he did.

Can i change ever he did into he had ever done or  he ever did. without meaning difference?


texts: What does "use a shooter of whiskey" mean?

texts:
Does "a shooter of whiskey" mean a bottle of whiskey?

Why say "use" instead of "drink" or "have"?


texts:
I have read this in a Indian newspaper "The Hindu"

The minority scholarship quota for Muslims will be reduced drastically from 80%  to 58.67% whereas the share of the entire christian community would be nearly 40.6% with the kerala (a state in India) High court ordering a population based allocation of the merit scholarship for the minorities.

My question here is , why will is used  at first place and would is used at the second place? can't we use will in both the places?


texts:
Which is correct?

  I wrote a guideline of 5 questions

or

  I wrote a guideline with 5 questions

or something else?

It is just about the prepositon. Nevermind that questions doesn't fit to guideline.

Thanks in advance!


texts:
I have recently read in English grammar book like this:

  You___________ your notebooks from tomorrow
  1. need not bring
  2. need not to bring

The answer is need not bring

But why not another?


texts: Does "respectively" come before or after what it describes?

texts:
I have the following construction:

  If union and intersection of A and B sets are defined respectively as
  A U B :=(Va U Vb), A ^ B :=(Va ^ Vb), . Where Va and Vb are points within the each entity.

if we describe many things in a certain order, then we could use the word respectively. As far as I know, respectively comes after describing those objects. But, in my case it comes before the description. So I want to know whether this is a correct or not.


texts:
In maybe first 4~5 minutes in the movie The Prestige, a magician was died in his own magic trick, the witness told the jury that it is someone's fault, then a jury asked the witness the mechanism behind the magic trick, then the witness said the following:

  This trick is one of the most sought-after illusions in this business. I have the right to sell it on. If I reveal the method here, then the trick is worthless.

What does sell it on mean?

I found the phrase sell someone on something to mean to persuade someone that something is good, valuable, or useful, for example:

  The filmmakers sold me on the idea that my book would work on the screen.

But it does't apply here.


texts: Articles in "What is (a/the) function of smth in smth?"

texts:
I came across two title in internet articles:

What is the primary function of the BIOS & the CMOS?

and

What is a function of the BIOS?

And the following was a listing of all the functions of BIOS.
Which of the sentences is right?
I recognized about sentences "What is (a/the) function of ..." in the www.context.reverso.net and was in surprised to find out that "What is a function of smth" hardly used in contrast to "What is the function of smth". But why? Maybe that is right, because the BIOS and others similary things has only one function. Am I right?


texts: The teacher gave many examples to "bring forth" or "bring out" the idea?

texts:
The teacher gave many examples to __________ the idea contained in the
  poem?

  Bring about
  Bring In
  Bring forth
  Bring out

Also, what is the difference in usage and meaning between bring forth and bring out?


texts: "Due to lack of common sense" vs. "For lack of common sense"

texts:
Due to lack of common sense, he cannot succeed in life.
  For lack of common sense, he cannot succeed in life.

How do both differ from each other? I believe I can use both of them in this sentence. Suggestions please.


texts: Meaning of the expression "to be round at somewhere"

texts:
It was an ordinary Thursday evening in January - at least I thought so. I was round at my girlfriend Mel's flat and it was to her that I'd aimed my question, as for some unknown reason she'd just turned off the TV even though I'd quite clearly been watching it.

I cannot get the meaning of the phrase in bold. Can you help me please? If someone is watching TV, how can they be round at somewhere?


texts: Comma use when a transitional expression follows a conjunction

texts:
I know that we use a comma to separate two independent clause joined by a coordinating conjunction. But when a transitional expression directly follows a coordinating conjunction, how do we punctuate in that case?
which one is correctly punctuated:

I know I lied to you before, and, thus, I lost your friendship.
I know I lied to you before, and thus, I lost your friendship.
I know I lied to you before and, thus, I lost your friendship.

It's not a perfect example, but it should serve well in the aforementioned case.


texts: What is different between "fear" and "afraid of"?

texts:
I wrote that "I am afraid of freedom".
A proofreader changed it to 'fear freedom'
I thought both are similar meanings like
the feeling of being in danger.


texts:
I wrote:

  As XX pointed out, either of this mechanism is possible. So, at this point, we can’t be sure which one is the case in our work.

I didn't find many results of "which one is the case" on google! So, it made me wonder if it is an idiomatic phrase to use?


texts:
1) Two years ago I was working in New York
  2) Two years ago I studied in England

Both examples are from English grammar books. Could somebody explain to me why the past continuous is used in the first one and the past simple in the second? I cannot understand the difference.(both are probably temporary situations at a specified point in time).

Thank you, Anouk


texts: What is it called: anti-insect sliding door & anti-insect sliding window?

texts:
Look at the picture below,

Normally, people have normal sliding doors made of glass or wood or whatever. And to prevent insects from flying into the house, people often add another layers of
of net-screen sliding doors like the picture below.

And they also do that for sliding windows as well, like in this picture

Do we have a common term for them?

anti-insect sliding door & anti-insect sliding window?


texts:
According to M. Swan I assume we can use would have + pp to refer to unrealised present, past or the future events in the sentences like the following:

  It would have been nice to go to Australia this winter, but there is
  no way we can do it.

Swan provides the sentence as an example to the rule. How can we determine what kind of unrealised event (past, present or future) we're talking about. I suspect it depends on the subordinate clause. In the case it is but there is no way we can do it. We're talking about unrealised future situation, right?

But if we replace the subordinate clause with but there had not been way we could do it we'll be talking about unrealised past event... Or present? Or, as always, it depends on context? The entire sentence is:

  It would have been nice to go to Australia this winter, but there had not
  been way we could do it

Could you explain is my reasoning right?


texts: How to distingush the meaning of comparative sentences

texts:
My apologize if the tittle is little confusing. So let's just focus on these couple examples:

I've never been on a bumpier plane ride.

Options:
a. The flight was bumpy
b. The flight wasn't bumpy

Attempt: I chose (a)

I've never tasted hot chili peppers.

Options:
a. The peppers are hot.
b. I haven't eaten hot chili peppers.

Attempt: I chose (b)
I've tried to check the key answers and those were correct. But, I doubt I can't answer the different problem surely without really understand how to distinguish whether It has an affirmative answer or negative answer.


texts: What kind of food is referred to as "sushi" in English?

texts:
A sequel to this CAPTCHA question, but no one posts for me this time so...

legends (image #)
      0
1  2  3
4  5  6
7  8  9

It was this test that prevented me from being a human, for I couldn't find any other sushi in images above. (The image #0 is a sample, and I already ticked off #4, where I saw multiple sushi on the dish in the middle before it shrank a little.) Some users said that #1 looked like sushi, which is, in Japanese sense of word, nothing but unadon, a dish with plain rice and grilled eel, and is distinct from sushi.

Do English speakers perceive #1 or other ones as (or are reasonably confused with) "sushi", or should I just blame Google? I don't want to believe a hamburger is a sushi as well as a sandwich :)


texts: What does "You would / I did / But really" mean?

texts:
In "The Boys of Bummer", the 18th episode of The Simpsons' 18th season, Homer trades his matress for the Lovejoys' because the former is supposed to be afrodisiac. Later on he wants it back, so he and Marge sneak into the Lovejoys' house to take it when the Lovejoys arrive home. They have the following conversation (16:55):

  Marge: Our marriage needs this bed.
  Mrs. Lovejoy: Our marriage needs it more.
  Mr. Lovejoy: Well, I am reminded of the story of wise King Solomon.
  Homer: Pff, you would be.

I am confused about the last line. "You would" seems to be some kind of set phrase, but I cannot seem to find it on any dictionary I've checked. The only relevant entry is on Urban Dictionary:

  You WOULD. An extremely anoying phrase meaning "that is very typical of you".

That makes it a little bit clearer. I assume Homer is saying he isn't surprised Mr. Lovejoy, being a reverend, brings up a story from the Bible. Is his remark meant to express his irritation, as in "You couldn't leave the Bible aside just for once, could you?"?

Urban Dictionary goes on to say:

  Commonly seen following the equally agitating expression "but really". It is a well-known fact that you cannot win a logical battle with the "you WOULD" person. The only known comeback to "you WOULD" is "i DID", but does not sufficiently bring down the person. You must emphasize "WOULD" or it loses meaning and sense completely.

  Person- "omg i totally forgot we had a huge test today!"
  Idiot- "you WOULD forget we had a huge test today."
  Person- "i DID forget."
  Idiot- "but really"

Now I'm even more confused. I understand neither "I did" nor "but really". If Idiot (let's call them B) is saying Person (A) usually forgets about tests, why would A answer "I did forget"? Isn't that what B is saying? How could "I did" be a good comeback? And what is "but really" supposed to mean? Does B really think A forgot about the test? What is going on?


texts:
How can I rewrite the following sentence using an impersonal construction?

  Young people are expected to be polite to the elderly.

I think it may be one of the following:

  "It is expected that young people are polite / would be polite / were polite / be polite ..."

Which one should it be, and why?


texts:
I have just noticed that evil is a part of devil. Is it coincidence?

Looking at http://www.dictionary.com/browse/devil?s=t

Origin of devil
before 900; Middle English devel, Old English dēofol < Late Latin diabolus < Greek diábolos Satan


texts: To read a book without actually reading the text

texts:
I'm looking for a word describing the activity of going through a book page by page, looking at each page but not necessarily actually reading the text. Like what small children do with books. As they do not actually read the books, the word read is not the one I am looking for.

I considered the expression to look at a book, but this expression seems to be ambiguous because it could be understood as just to look at the cover of the book without opening it and without looking inside it.


texts: Is it necessary to precede this verb with "to"?

texts:
Example sentence:

  I had more important work to do: (to) think about how sell more bottles.

Is it necessary to add to in cases like these? Why or why not?

To my ears, the version without to sounds more natural. However, my brain tells me that it's more logical to add to.


texts: Joining multiple sentences containing conjuction

texts:
I have a problem with joining these sentences.
Original sentence:

I conducted two experiments. The first experiment was conducted using temperature at 70oC and liquid flow rate of 2 l/min. The second experiment was conducted using temperature at 30oC and liquid flow rate of 5 l/min.

I would like to make it into passive voice in one sentence.
I tried several ways:

Two experiments were conducted using temperature at 70oC and 30oC; liquid flow rate of 2 and 5 l/min.
Two experiments were conducted using temperature and liquid flow rate of 70oC and 2 l/min; 30oC and 5 l/min.
Two experiments, in which the temperature (48h and 24h) and liquid flow rate (10/65 and 20/55) were conducted.

All of them feel kind of strange though.
I don't know what is the grammatically correct way to do it. I guess it requires punctuation of semicolon or colon, but I have no idea how to use it correctly.


texts:
What is a better way to say "too many thoughts"?

I'm writing a post and one of my headings is

Too Many Thoughts v. Hyper-focusing


texts: Does the "Future will "and "Be going to" actually have a difference between them?

texts:
Well, I might give up trying to understand the difference between those verb tenses.

I know the differences between them

  Be going to: Plans planned; Predictions that you can see, and you have facts for that;

  Will - Choices decided at the moment of speaking; Predictions that  is not certain;

The problem is: I don't understand when to use them (Eg. : Well, I decided I'm going to/ will study tommorow) and I don't know why someone used "going to" or "will" (even if the "rules" are already specific and "easy")

And sometimes, they are interchangeable. How can I say they are are interchangeable?

And besides, there are some people who actually don't know that this difference exists

Thanks in advance. I just don't want to torture for grammar, which, at first, appears "that easy"


texts: "Everything I did were+the+plural noun" VS "Everything I did was+adjective"

texts:
"Everything I did were the things possible for me to do."

VS

  "Everything I did was wrong."

Are both of them correct?


texts: I can't explain why the adverb 'so' is wrong in this context

texts:
"Hi, I hope you are doing well in this so strange situation."

As an adverb of degree, it should work, but I have never heard this and it sounds wrong. Is there a reason?


texts:
What does this sentence imply -
1) I have got a bit exhausted from doing all the house hold work .

According to my knowledge it should mean that i have got tired because i have been doing house hold work. Can from be used this way ?


texts: Are "air-waves" the same as "ether-waves"? I cannot find the meaning of the latter

texts:
In a story I am reading, I would like to know what "ether-waves" mean:

The odd thing really is that one should hear, but not see; that
air-waves should bring the voice, yet ether-waves fail to bring the
picture.”

Could it be meant to mean the same, just using another word to avoid repeating "air"?


texts:
As per my knowledge of English, we append 's' to a verb when we are talking about facts and the subject is he/she/it and . for example, "He plays tennis every day". But today I was reading a newspaper and I came across a sentence

Salman Khan announces 'Loveratri' title changed to 'Loveyatri'.

Why 's' is appended in the above sentence? and should not it be like

Salman Khan announced 'Loveratri' title changed to 'Loveyatri'.


texts:
Is there any difference between throw a fit and pitch a fit? Which is used more often in the US?

  Pitch a fit (Merriam Webster): US, informal: to become very upset and angry in a loud and uncontrolled way, ex: He pitched a fit when she said she was going to be late again.

  Throw a fit (Webster) :to express extreme anger, Ex: Dad will throw a fit if he finds out.

I had to provide definitions as the question was shut down as off-topic.  What I can't get my head around is why this is necessary when it's all about something that couldn't be more intuitive for native speakers. It's pretty intuitive even for me, reading the definitions. What I need is a short confirmation, not someone drawing me a picture. Add to the equation the fact that this is the learners' stack exchange, why would anyone venture to answer my question if I throw in a definition, if they wouldn't without one? Because logic tells me, they're only using their intuition, inferring something obvious from the definition. Thank you very much, but that I'm able to do myself.


texts: How do I express thinking one thing but saying another?

texts:
Everyone can think inside their head (Without producing any sound from their mouth). What is this called in English?

He says: "This is good." but he internally says: "This is bad".
He says: "This is good." but he internally thinks: "This is bad".
He says: "This is good." but he internally feels that this is bad.
He says: "This is good." but he silently thinks: "This is bad".
He says: "This is good." but he says: "This is bad" inside himself.
Something else that you would like to suggest.

I prefer the colloquial AmE. Slang is okay.


texts: A notebook in which people write or sign as a memento

texts:
I'm looking for a word to describe

  a notebook that a person keeps in which other people usually those respected or dear to him like co-workers, classmates, friends, etc sign and/or write a short writing to wish well for the notebook's owner.

This notebook is usually kept because you want to remember different people who have been with in your life.

In my native language, it's called memory notebook. Sometimes you put small photos of them on top of the page they've written on, too.

I've looked up journal/diary and also scrapbook, but I think they are not the words I'm looking for since a journal is written by the person himself and a scrapbook is filled with photographs, printed media, and artwork (no signature or other people's handwriting I suppose).

What do they call this notebook in English?
What do they call the short writings written by others in such a notebook?

In eaither case, if there are informal words, too, please mention them.

Thanks


texts: One vs. single (when we talk about amount)

texts:
When we talk about amount, which word is more correct, "one" or "single"?

Remember, you should do it in one step, not multiple ones.
Remember, you should do it in a single step, not multiple ones.

Place only one sentence per line.
Place only a single sentence per line.

I have one cat and two dogs.
I have a single cat and two dogs.

(This is strange that nobody asked this question for years.)


texts:
Is it possible to use this time with present perfect, as when we say "this time" it does indicate a very precise one off moment that will not happen again.
Imagine that many persons  tried to explain a problem but I did not understand it then a new person came and explained the problem in a different way then I said "I have understood / did understand this time!!!"

I think the first one is better but if this moment will not happen again may be past simple is better but I doubt


texts: present perfect and present continuous in one sentence

texts:
The present perfect and present continuous are a little bit challenging for me.

Here:

  How are you feeling today? I hope you have fully recovered and you are having a good start of the week. If this is the case, would [day of the week, month, day, and time] still be a good time to visit your lab?

Context: I was invited for an interview, but the two individuals that I was supposed to meet with got sick, and they asked to postpone the interview for the following week. In the above sentence, I am following up with them prior to the interview. So, is it grammatically correct to use the present perfect and present continuous in the same sentence?


texts: Why is "Where have you been yesterday?" wrong?

texts:
Where [have you been/were you] yesterday?

If I choose the option "Where have you been yesterday?" then my answer was marked wrong and were you is considered as correct one. But have you been does make sense because its the action of just recent past so using present perfect here sounds fine to me.

Suggestions please.


texts: Is there a word that describes something as conditionally true? Is there a word that is used to define or describes something that's conditionally true, something whose truth is contingent on other things being true?


texts:
She was faced with imminent death.

Is this sentence passive or active form?

Active form should be :

  She faced with imminent death.

Is this right?


texts: The report drew a grim picture of inefficiency and corruption. What is "of"?

texts:
The report drew a grim picture of inefficiency and corruption.

"of" has a lot of usages including the meaning of "a part": a part of something.  What does it mean in this sentence?


texts: grammaticality of the question "is it idiomatic what"

texts:
When I formulate questions to post on this site, I often want to write something like

  Is it idiomatic what I have written above?

After giving some examples at the top of my question, I want to ask whether what I wrote above is correct. But I have doubts about the grammaticality of this construct.

Do you think this construct is acceptable in English speech?


texts: What is the difference between blame and accuse?

texts:
Is there any difference in meaning between blame and accuse or are they interchangeable? I looked both of them up in the dictionaries and couldn't figure out if there's any difference between them.
Dictionary Definitions
Accuse → If you accuse someone of doing something wrong or dishonest, you say or tell them that you believe that they did it.
Blame → If you blame a person or thing for something bad, you believe or say that they are responsible for it or that they caused it.


texts: How to express that the sausages are made with good quality meat with a shorter sentence?

texts:
How to express that the sausages are made with good quality meat in the shortest way?
Can I say:

The sausages are good quality.
The sausages are of good quality.
These are good quality sausages.


texts:
When we turn the volume up and down by a remote of an air con, it is something reverse you see... we turn the volume up, it lowers the temperature of air con but of the room it increases... and vice a verse. So, what should we say when we want more cooling?

  Lower the temperate.

OR

  Turn air con volume up.


texts: What is the word for acting as if you are going to give someone something, but you won't?

texts:
Let's they there is a kid with a cookie and a dog, and the kid intentionally bring his hand with the cookie to the dog as if he is going to give it the cookie. Once the dog reacts the kid jerk it away to make fun of it. What word would be the most appropriate to use in the context. Can I say this?

  The kid is teasing the dog with a cookie.


texts: Contractions and their unabbreviated forms in sentences

texts: I was wondering why some contractions in sentences don't make sense in their unabbreviated form, such as "why don't we do something about it" versus "why do not we do something about it"


texts: Plural or singular: (a) hundred years make (or makes) a century

texts:
hundred years make a century
  a hundred years make a century
  a hundred years makes a century
  hundred years makes a century

Having taken into account the entry hundred as to the links below, would you please tell me which one is correct? and, would you please show me a source that is authoritative in order to support your evidence?

Common Mistakes in English NOTE this is a huge PDF and may download to your computer

How to Learn Flawless English on Google Books.


texts: Can "the direction across" be shortened to "the across-direction"?

texts:
This is a question about word merging in English.
The diagonal in a rectangle is in other words the length or direction across the rectangle.
Can

the direction across

be rewritten as one of these:

the across-direction
the cross-direction

or similar?


texts: Is the sentence ‘There's no such thing as ghosts.'’ correct?

texts: As for the sentence, 'there's no such thing as ghosts.'  Is it grammatically correct to use the plural form of ghost? From what I have learned, the object 'thing' is in singular form, so ghost should be singular too. But I see a lot of native speakers use this sentence.


texts:
In this Newsweek report, to says the following:

The report claims that since 2004, Jebb has served as the sole or co-principal investigator on 10 research projects funded with £1.37 million ($2.1 million) in industry money, “plus funding in kind.”

What does "plus funding in kind" means in this paragraph? Is such funding included in $2.1 million or not? And why is it quoted in quotes?


texts: What's the word for a word with a similar spelling to another word?

texts:
Is there a word that qualifies a word as having a similar spelling to another word? Let's consider the following example:

  Affect is a ___ to effect.

I know homonyms are used to identify words that have similar sounds, but it's not used to identify words with similar spelling.


texts: Is it correct to omit definite article before the phrase "election day"

texts:
We'll find out where the chips fall on election day.

This sentence can be rewritten as follows:

The election will clarify how the local residents feel about it.

Election day will clear up all the current uncertainties.

I wonder why there is no definite article before the phrase "election day."


texts: Which part of speech is "row" in this sentence?

texts:
I read a headline in "The Hindu" which was:

  India, Pakistan row over Hindu sisters' abduction

Has "row" been used as a verb here? I think so because if it had been a noun here then there had been a hyphen in between India and Pakistan.


texts:
I have a question. From Wikipedia's article about Oprah's book club:

  "The club has seen several literary controversies, such as Jonathan Franzen's public dissatisfaction with his novel The Corrections having been chosen by Winfrey"

The club is closed for all time.  Why "has seen" and not just "saw"? Why "having been chosen" and not just "been chosen" or "chose by"?


texts: "Results not announced yet" vs "Results not yet announced"

texts:
Results not announced yet
  Results not yet announced

Which of the two is the correct one, and what is the difference between the two?


texts: What do you call disciplining children by preventing them from accessing a certain toy? I thought about "grounding children" but it means preventing them from going outdoors.  This is not what I mean because they can go outdoors but they can't use their RC car.


texts: Difference between 'should have a place to live' & 'should need a place to live'

texts:
I am confused between

  I should have a place to live

and

  I should need a place to live

Can anyone explain difference between these sentences.


texts: audit a course vs. take a course for credit

texts:
I have a problem to understand the following sentence:

  It usually costs as much to audit a course as to take it for credit.

In general, I have understood that auditing a course has not any cost. But in the above sentence, it says auditing a course costs as much as taking a course for credit. Maybe I have some problem in understanding the meaning of "audit" and "credit" words. If so, please one clarify them.


texts: Can present continuous express a duration

texts:
I know that normally durations are expressed by perfect tenses but is it possible too use the present continuous to express a duration

we are having the lockdown for weeks instead of we have been having the lockdown for weeks .
We are allowed to go out here in Spain since last saturday instead of we have been allowed to go out here in Spain since the last saturday.

If it is possible to change could you explain me when it is possible to make this change


texts: Could I rephrase the following sentence this way?

texts:
.Down in the valley there was a roar and a hiss. Someone more thoughtful than the rest had ordered to be shut the big river gates that were at the point where the Ankh flowed out of the twin city

rephrased as

Down in the valley there was a roar and a hiss. Someone more thoughtful than the rest had ordered to  shut the big river gates that were at the point where the Ankh flowed out of the twin city.


texts: Stay awake, is awake here an adjective? my dictionary says so! but it sounds like an adverb.


texts: What does "two-by-four" mean in this context?

texts:
Here is the text:

  My parents’ divorce was final. The house had been sold and the day had come to move. Thirty years of the family’s life was now crammed into the garage. The two-by-fours that ran the length of the walls were the only uniformity among the clutter of boxes, furniture, and memories. All was frozen in limbo between the life just passed and the one to come.

  From "Limbo", by Rhonda Lucas, in Patterns: A Short Prose Reader, by Mary Lou Conlin, published by Houghton Mifflin, 1983.

Someone told me that it means there is a pile of wood planks or boards piled in that house, but I think the phrase is used to describe the materials of which the wall is made.

What does it really mean?


texts: My car is at the garage vs my car is in the garage

texts: (My car is at the garage.It is being repaired,somebody is repairing it ) I think it should be in instead of at because my car is present in the building/shed and it is not out present of building/shed


texts: What does "a sense of" mean in this context?

texts:
I have consulted this link, but I am not sure of my sentence. Does it mean "I have a feeling that EU will lose U.S."?
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/258894/synonym-for-a-sense-of

"Against this backdrop, moves by U.S. lawmakers that could impact energy supplies in the region are unwelcome -- especially after three years of close coordination on sanctions.
"There is a sense of loss of a partnership," Berzina said of attitudes in Europe."

Source: http://money.cnn.com/2017/07/24/news/economy/EUrope-us-sanctions-natural-gas-russia/index.html?iid=SF_LN


texts:
So I searched before and found thread are related for my question:

Reference: ELL question on "How about going to the cinema tonight?"

But it hasn't solved my question. ( by the way is it correct sentence? if I meant that problem not solved in the past but still in the present.)

Well,

  how about going to see her?

I can't find the tense and it pretty confused. because I know that,

wh- + an auxiliary verb + subject + main verb + ing => Present progressive.

I saw going for me it looks related to present progressive, but why the formulation is pretty different? where can I find extra details about this questions style?


texts: ...labels should be placed on them to identify what (it) is inside

texts:
Is using "it" redundant, wrong or necessary in the following sentence?

  When the tubes are full, labels should be placed on them to identify
  what is inside.

  When the tubes are full, labels should be placed on them to identify
  what it is inside.


texts: Is this expression clear and idiomatic, "Mathematically, is 21 ideal for Blackjack in some sense"?

texts:
I asked a question just now, where I would like discuss if 21 is in some sense ideal.

  Mathematically, is 21 ideal for Blackjack in some sense?

The "mathematically" qualifier is opposed to other perspective, such as "historically", this post explains why Blackjack choose 21 as the winner point from the historical perspective. And I would like to discuss it from the mathematical perspective.

Is this expression in question clear and idiomatic?


texts: What does "these" refer to in this context?

texts:
Does it refer to "See's Candies and Coca-Cola's stocks"?

  It's not the not selling that makes these so good, it's that discipline to buy things only when he really, really likes them," Lowenstein says.

Source: Warren Buffett's winning investing strategy can be applied to any purchase you make


texts:
Sentence:

  Students in the literature course will explore ways in which medieval authors represented themes of their time.

I think substituting "in which" with by which would be better for the sentence because the sentence talks about methods and ways. Why isn't "by which" a better choice?


texts:
Is it grammatically correct to say "my dog needs walking"? Why/why not?

A student of mine produced the following phrase: 'My dog needs walking' which seemed wrong to me from the point of view of grammar. I doubt that one could actually use it with animate objects. Am I right in thinking so?


texts: Get back vs go back vs come back vs arrive vs return

texts:
When you read the meanings of these 5 verbs they kinda seem like synonyms although they are not,here are their meanings from long man dictionary:

  1)get back:to return to a place

  2)go back:to return to a place that you have just come from

  3)come back:to return to a particular place or person

  4)arrive:to get to the place you are going to

  5)return:to go or come back to a place where you were before

My question is how can I use them and what are their exact differences:forexample which of these five sentences is correct?(considering that you are talking about your daily routine)

  1)I go to university at 7 O'clock in the morning then I get back home at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

  2)I go to university at 7 O'clock in the morning then I go back home at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

  3)I go to university at 7 O'clock in the morning then I come back home at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

  4)I go to university at 7 O'clock in the morning then I arrive  home at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

  5)I go to university at 7 O'clock in the morning then I return home at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.


texts: how should I express the fact that someone is here with me on vacation

texts:
I don't know the natural way of saying "someone is visiting me and he/she is on vacation right now".

There's some ambiguity in "this person is visiting me" because it can be interpreted as the person is not here yet and is going to visit me soon. What I want to express is that this person is visiting me and he/she is here with me already. So does the following sentence make sense?

  my girlfriend is visiting me from Canada and she just came last week


texts: (In)completeness for perfect / perfect continuous tenses

texts:
I'm studying tenses and the Perfect and Perfect Progressive tenses are causing me the most trouble. There is one particular thing I find the most confusing -- the implication of (in)completeness of the action.

The grammar sources say that sometimes the statement implies that the action is complete, but sometimes that it still continues, or is uncertain (see examples below). And I can't find a method to nail it down in any case. I would appreciate if you give me some pointers; what should I look for or be aware of? I really want to pull it all together.

Some examples:

  Perfect:

  I have lived here for 2 years. (I continue to live here)

  We have eaten breakfast together every morning since our honeymoon. (We continue to eat breakfast together)

  but...

  I have had lunch. (I don't continue having lunch)

  I have read the book. (I don't continue reading it)

  Perfect Progressive:

  We have been going to Italy for holiday for years. (We continue going to Italy for holiday)

  Every morning they meet in the same cafe. They have been going there for years. (They continue going there)

  but...

  I'm exhausted. I have been painting the ceiling. (I'm not painting it now, or maybe uncertain)

  I had been working on my novel when she entered the room to talk to me. (this implies that I stopped working when she came in)


texts: From Longman Phrasal Verbs Dictionary (surprisingly poorly edited, BTW): In the 59th minute Van Den Hornet conjured up a magnificent goal that brought his team to victory. Had I not already read that phrase I would have put its beginning as On the 59th minute by analogy with on the 4th of July, for example. Which is correct? Various dictionaries I've tried to refer to regarding this issue proved to be of little help .


texts: Which article should be used in the following sentence?

texts:
Which article should I use before the word “email”?

  We’ve sent (an/the) email to address@gmail.com

  (An/The) email has been sent to address@gmail.com

I’ve noticed the website Bitbucket responded We’ve sent an email after I signed up. But I can’t understand why the article “an” is used there, if the site knows what mail it is talking about.


texts:
Today I come across a sentence in my book:

  There are more people farther away, especially to the east.

But if I say:

  There are more people further away, especially in the east.

Do the both have same meaning? Please explain.


texts: "...until I have+ past participle..." structure

texts:
The first following sentence is original which I saw on a grammar source.

  I can't really tell you what's wrong until I have received the results
  of the blood tests.

But the sentence made a question pop up  in my mind that if we can say these following sentences  also? If we can what would they imply different than the original sentence?

  I can't really tell you what's wrong until I receive the results of
  the blood tests.

or

  I can't really tell you what's wrong until I received the results of
  the blood tests

or

  I can't really tell you what's wrong until I am receiving the results
  of the blood tests.


texts:
But apparently my story moved her, 'cause suddenly she was/started crying.

What is more natural here?


texts: Can "their" refer to something mentioned later?

texts:
Drawn to their interdisciplinary research, I began to study in xxx Department at xxx University.

Can I use their  to refer to "xxx Department at xxx University" mentioned later? Is it a bad practice?


texts: "the repeated bus stops/ the recurrent bus stops"

texts:
the repeated/recurrent stops

I can't find a good adjective to describe the fact that the stops are many, following one after another at small distance (tens of meters), like in front of an airport. Frequent it's too vague.

Thanks.


texts:
We went there in a minibus.
We went there on a  minibus.

I know we use "on bus" for travelling by public transportation, but I am not sure it can be used for "minibus" too.

So which is better, "on a minibus" or "in a minibus"?


texts: 'worth +noun + ing' or 'worth + for noun + ing'

texts:
It is worth him teaching poor children.

Obviously he does teaching for poor children and it is regarded worth.

but for the same meaning, is it ok to put a preposition at the front of 'him'?

Like

  It is worth for/to/of him teaching poor children.

is this possible and how are they different from each?


texts: Meaning of "Solution is all but trivial"

texts: This is another example of how to use the phrase: "Something is all but Something" ... I have seen some examples of using this phrase as "almost completely", so, that would mean the solution is very easy, but I have also heard this "but limits the totality of the all", so that would mean the solution is very hard ... I don't understand how to use that expression


texts:
I am not sure which sentence is correct:

with the aim of raising awareness

Or

With the aim to raise awareness


texts: Defining and non-defining relative clauses

texts:
Today we were learning defining and non-defining relative clauses in a class, e.g. using this exercise:

The rule seems to be relatively clear:

If there are commas, then we are talking about all subjects, not some specific one, and this is a non-defining clause;
If there are no commas, then we are talking about some of many and this is defining clause.

What am I wondering about is that, when someone uses these clauses they put some additional information into it. Let us consider an example with sister:

(1) If I write

  My sister, who lives in LA, is a designer.

then I also add info, that I have only one sister.

(2) If I use

  My sister who lives in LA is a designer.

then I also add info, that I have many sisters.

However, maybe I am chatting in a public group and I do not want to disclosure a number of my relatives. I just want to say, that I have a sister, she is a designer, she also lives in LA and maybe she could help, that's all!

In this case if I have two sisters and write (1), then I will lie; if I write (2), then I will disclosure this additional info, which I wouldn't. Therefore, if I want to be concise, then it seems that language somehow defines how I share additional information with others and how honest I am!

Sorry, if this is a completely stupid question, but it drives me crazy, since there are no such clauses in my native language. So here I want to hear from native speakers about the subject. How do you use these clauses in your daily routine? How would you write in the example with sister above?

P.S. I know that there several questions with ~the same title, but this one is not about grammar and some specific case.


texts: Is it true that you had lied / lied to me

texts:
Suppose A lied to B and then B asks in order to make sure if it is true or not

Is it true that you lied to me?

Is it true that you had lied to me?


texts: difference between was boggled and boggled

texts:
I saw first sentence in dictionary and I wonder if we could consider second one as an alternative:
He boggled at the suggestion.
He was boggled at the suggestion.


texts:
I am trying to figure out the correct usage of "made for".  Suppose human error caused an accident:

Human error led to the accident.
Human error made for the accident.

Is this usage of "make for" okay?


texts:
Here's the sentence from 'How I met your mother'

  I'd feel a little stepford If I turnded down a huge opportunity to chase (a / some ) guy I'd only known (for) two months.

what's the difference between A and Some?
I feel I have to use For here, what's with For being omitted?


texts: When the deadline is June 15, is June 15 included too?

texts:
You can send your application by June 15.

  The deadline for application is June 15.

  The application period ends on June 15.

Is the last day usually meant to be included in statements such as above? Can one apply on June 15?


texts:
Well...after an African American person was shot to death by police in Louisiana, another chaos succeeding the George Floyd's death is seemingly about to occur.
My question is, I understand the situation, as in the title?

What is the difference between Mayor and Mayor President?

This is the first time I heard the name of the title Mayor President.
Is there any difference of the role from the Mayor?
Thank you for enlightening me in advance.


texts:
Many other words normally associated with temperature will not unambiguously perform the same function. For example "smoking hot," "blazing hot," "fiery hot," "flaming hot," and "burning hot" all could be used to describe spiciness. "Piping hot," however, refers exclusively to temperature. (AmE)

I am confused with using the word hot in the phrases above. What does it mean here?


texts: Why does he say, "Shame I can't say the same ..."?

texts:
Here is an excerpt from HeadWay Upper Intermediate, Student's Book, Unit 1:

  Even after four years, I don't feel I belong. Over Christmas I went back to the UK for a month's holiday - on landing at Heathrow, I felt at home straight away. What I miss most is greenery. My own culture still fits me like the winter gloves I left behind when I came to work in the desert sun. Shame I can't say the same of my old winter trousers...

What does the author mean by adding the last sentence 'Shame I can't say the same of my old winter trousers'?

Many thanks in advance.


texts: Plural count noun (with no articles) vs (any or some)

texts:
I read stuff here http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/rules/article.htm

  5. You use a plural count noun with no article if you mean all or any of that thing.

This is how I interpreted it :

I don't like dogs. ( I don't like a chihuahua, a bulldog, a golden retriever , etc)
Do they have children? (a Girl or a Boy kid)

But what the difference when we use any for example?

like :

I don't like any dogs.

Thanks.


texts: Is it correct to say "He fell down from the tree" or we have to use fell out ?. Maybe these two forms are possible? Please explain me :)) thank You.


texts:
I've come across it in the 9th episode of the 3rd season of Rick and Morty. Here is the context:

Beth: Wow. He's really getting executed after all this time. You know the son that he ate was--
Summer: Your best friend-- Tommy. We know. Stop true-crime bragging.


texts: Function of 'to be' in 'she appears to be tired'

texts:
She appears to be tired.
If we write the above sentence as
'She appears tired'....the word 'tired' is an adjective working as Subjective complement.
My question is if we write 'she appears to be tired' then
'to be tired' here is an infinitive phrase working as adjective and a subjective complement?
And I don't know how to put it but I still gonna try
in 'to be tired', 'to be' is an infinitive but here,inside the phrase, how this infinitive is working as an adjective, noun or an adverb (Like is it modifying the word tired or what)?
Please answer or even if u don't know the answer please share ur view....I have been stucked in these questions for a long time.


texts:
Is it possible to write that
"My cat caught 3 mice today."
I think it is better to use present perfect:
 "My cat has caught 3 mice today" because the cat may catch another one or many more till the day is finished.(if he is a good hunter)


texts:
The very next time we slipped out for some fetchin' trade, we met Mus'
  Stenning's boat over by Calais sands; and he warned us that the
  Spanishers had shut down all their Dutch ports against us English, and
  their galliwopses was out picking up our boats like flies off hogs'
  backs. Mus' Stenning he runs for Shoreham, but Frankie held on a
  piece, knowin' that Mus Stenning was jealous of our good trade. Over
  by Dunkirk a great gor-bellied Spanisher, with the Cross on his sails,
  came rampin' at us. We left him. We left him all they bare seas to
  conquest in.

This is from ""Simple Simon" in "Rewards and Fairies"by Kipling.
http://www.telelib.com/authors/K/KiplingRudyard/prose/RewardsFaries/simplesimon.html

I do not understand the meaning of
---Frankie held on a piece,

and

---We left him all they bare seas to conquest in.

I am glad if somebody kindly teach me.


texts: Semantics (English linguistics): “words as containers of meaning”

texts:
I have a big doubt... I’m taking an english linguistics course and I don’t understand this section of the book :( There would be any person who already finished this subject would explain me.

It is about Words As Containers of Meaning:

  the approach just outlined is a start on analyzing the conceptual components of word meaning, but it is not without problems. For many words in a language it may not be as easy to come up with neat components of meaning. If we try to think of the components or features we would use to differentiate the noun advice, threat and warning, for  example, we may not be very successful.

  Part of the problem seems to be that the approach involves a view of words in a language as some sort of "containers" that carry meaning components. There is clearly more to the meaning of words than these basic types of features.

That part of the book I dont understand what is trying to make us understand. I feel so confused could someone explain me that? I would thank you so much.


texts: What does "briefing provisions" mean in this context?

texts:
Meeting will be conducted by the manager, specific to the scheduled
  operations and in compliance with the approved manual, briefing
  provisions.

Does it mean "... with the approved manual, which is briefing provisions", "... with the briefing provisions of the approved manual", or "... with the approved manual and briefing provisions"?

Usually when a comma is used without prepositions or anything, it means "i.e.", but I am not sure if it means "i.e." in this context.


texts: Is the dash '–' between words indispensable?

texts:
In the Cambridge Dictionary and the Merriam-Webster dictionary, "hard-and-fast" has two dashes in it.
In the Collins dictionary, it doesn't.
In formal settings, like research papers, is the dash '–' indispensable?


texts: How to discern different phrases, signs to observe?

texts:
“Snapping shut his mobile, Dalgliesh reflected that murder, a unique crime for which no reparation is ever possible, imposes it own compulsions as well as it's conventions. He doubted whether Macklefield [the murder victim's Will attorney] would have interrupted his country weekend for a less sensational crime. As a young officer he, too, had been touched, if unwillingly and temporarily, by the power of murder to attract even while it appalled and repelled. He had watched how people involved as innocent bystanders, provided they were unburdened by grief or suspicion, were engrossed by homicide, drawn inexorably to the place where the crime had occurred in fascinated disbelief. The crowd and the media who served them had not yet congregated outside the wrought-iron gates of the Manor. But they would come, and he doubted whether Chandler-Powell's [owner of the Manor where the murder was committed] private security team would be able to do more than inconvenience them.”
  ― P.D. James, The Private Patient

In this, I aim to discern these phrases. a unique crime for which no reparation is ever possible I think I discern an appositive. I discern it thinking it seems to maybe add information to what came formerly, a noun, murder? That seems a sign I may utilize.

In As a young officer he I may not get how to discern that. It seems maybe a dependent phrase. May you aim to observe heads (I may not seem to get what that signifies in grammar), and or maybe a first word?

I may not get if unwillingly and temporarily, provided they were unburied by grief or suspicion, and But they would come, and he doubted whether Chandler-Powell's [owner of the Manor where the murder was committed] private security team would be able to do more than inconvenience them.

But they would come, and he doubted whether Chandler-Powell's [owner of the Manor where the murder was committed] private security team would be able to do more than inconvenience them. seems to get me. In But they would come, they seems a subject here, a subject of would, transitive, and object come? They would come. Or come, intransitive, They come, would maybe like auxiliary They would come? I guess I may not get why But they would come follows a comma?


texts: Constructing a sentence with the phrase "the fact that a…”

texts:
I have the following idea and I want to write them in a more formal way.

  From the derived model, the algorithm can recognize that this and this edge
  are gutters but this and this are not. That mean that with the help of the
  derived model, the algorithm can recognize whether any candidate edge
  is a gutter or not.

I want to say this information starting with the “The fact that a…”

Here is my effort.

  The fact that a given edge is a gutter can be firmly and accurately
  recognized from the derived models.

But I feel it does not clearly reflect my idea. Any suggestions please


texts:
In this following sentence:

Shall I say:

I hope he dies

Instead of saying :I hope she will die.

Besides, shall I say: "I hope she is cooking at 8." Instead of "I hope she will be cooking at 8"

Thanks so much!


texts: "Do you know why did he make that decision ?" vs. "Do you know why he made that decision ?"

texts:
Is there any connotation difference between these two questions :

  "Do you know why did he make that decision ?"

and :

  "Do you know why he made that decision ?"

?


texts: After + present: "She says after I tell her the story"

texts:
Source: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb.

  "He's trash!" my oldest friend, Allison, says after I tell her the story from my bed before my son wakes up.

I can't translate in Croatian: after + present
In Croatian is always: after + past
after I told her the story
after I have told her story
After I had told her story
etc
Can you explain that After + present in English?


texts: Can the verb "see" form the present participle "seeing?"

texts:
I red somewhere that "see" doesn't form present participle. Is it true? For exemple in sentence:

I'm seeing my doctor today.

We use -ing form. Can we call it present participle in sentence or should we call it differently?


texts: Meaning of "I won't even know" in "I wont' even know where they land"

texts:
This sentence was said by Arthur in the TV show Arthur. He was teased when he wore glasses to school, and now he threw them away and said:

  I won't even know where they land.

I'm not sure what he meant when he said "won't even know".


texts: Meaning of sentence containing 'the depraved ambition of some men, the vanity of others'

texts:
[Mechanics’ Institutions] were started by Brougham and Birkbeck in the twenties at a time
  when, as a writer described it, “there still prevailed in many quarters a strong
  jealousy of any political discussion by the people, and still more of any society
  which proposed to assemble periodically several hundreds of the labouring
  classes”. Hence their founders, in their desire to conciliate opposition, banned
  political or religious discussion or books, and forbade newspapers. Even so, the St
  James’ Chronicle could say of the London Mechanics’ Institution in 1825, “A
  scheme more completely adapted for the destruction of this empire could not have
  been invented by the author of evil himself than that which the depraved ambition
  of some men, the vanity of others, and the supineness of a third and more
  important class, has so nearly perfected.” Even their advocates felt a certain need
  for apology...

Would someone please explain and elucidate the long bolded sentence? How to decompose/parse it? For example, how can you rearrange, reorganise, or simplify it to try to understand it?


texts: Minimal pairs for i vs ɪ and is there an important difference?

texts:
According to a vowel question in Linguistic SE, English can be considered to have vowels  [i ɪ e ɛ æ ɑ ɔ o ʊ u ʌ] which can be reduced to  [i e æ ɑ o u ʌ] (plus an orthogonal length or diphthongization).

I use https://tophonetics.com/ for IPA phonetic transcription, which gives for "still steel" RP transcription /stɪl stiːl/, American /stɪl stil/, where I hear /i/ in American /stil/ as longer version of /ɪ/, as used in RP.

So is there a important difference? Are there minimal pairs? Does the difference depend on a dialect, distinct in some and non-distinct in other dialects?

In How to measure auditory distances between vowels, one chart does not mention /ɪ/ separately at all, the other one places it close to /i/.

I have few more related questions about /e ɛ/ ; /ʊ u/ and /ɑ ɔ/, which I plan to ask here, on ELL, or linguistics, depending how you will find my question be appropriate here :-)

I learned my English using [i e æ ɑ o u ʌ] vowel system, I am curious how wrong I am compared to full [i ɪ e ɛ æ ɑ ɔ o ʊ u ʌ].

Edit: I am aware about short vs long vowels (lax vs tense in proper linguistics lingo, IIUC). So my question is, if there is an important (distinguishable) difference between (short) /i/ and /ɪ/, and/or between (long) /i:/ and /ɪ:/ - if such sound as /ɪ:/ exists in English.

Also, I wanted to add "minimal-pair" tag, but none exists, not sure if it will be appropriate.


texts: Is this sentence considered a double negative "Neither scenario does not involve fractions."?

texts: Is this sentence considered a double negative "Neither scenario does not involve fractions." ?


texts:
I wonder if this is a wrong usage of the word either:

  A. Works for me.
  B. For me either.


texts: what does "lift the way changing a button " mean?

texts:
So here’s what I’m starting to take away… Changing the headline may not ‘guarantee’ a valid, measurable and meaningful lift the way changing a button seems to. So if the goal is to move people through our funnels, which might we start to think is more important: the headline, or the button?

I dont know what does not guarantee here.
changing the headline may not guarantee lift in the button?


texts:
Which option fits best in the following question?

  Seemingly .......... crowds of tourist invade our cities in the
  summer.

innumerable
endless
countless
unbound


texts: Different ways of saying the same thing?

texts:
Can the following be used interchangeably, and with like words such as treat/mistreat, use/misuse?

  A. You have incorrectly applied the concept.

  B. You have misapplied the concept.

  C. You have applied the concept in an incorrect way.

  2.A Incorrectly spelled words.
  2.B Misspelled words.


texts: Using "like" at the end of the sentence. North-East like?

texts:
I've lived in the North-East of England for over 10 years now but I always wondered about this particular usage of the word "like". For years I have heard countless sentences or questions that sound like:

"Are you all right like?"
"I've been to ... and it's pretty good like"

I have learnt to use it not by literal understanding but rather the context and I know it can't be translated into other languages.

Has anybody got any idea where it came from? Are you from other part of England and use it just like the Geordies? (it's only my assumption it occurs in the North-East and nowhere else)


texts:
"Another issue is adults pretending to be teenagers..."
Or "Another issue is adults pretend to be teenagers..."

I am a little confused about these sentences above. Please let me know which one is right and why? Thank you! :)


texts:
I know that the verb to see can be used in the Present Continuous tense if it means:

to visit/to meet someone: I'm seeing my dentist tomorrow (I've got an appointment).
to watch (a movie/concert/play/sports game): I'm seeing a cool film now! (interestingly, The Collins Dictionary says that we cannot use the verb in any Continuous tense if it means to watch; though many people don't seem to know or care about it)
to date someone: I was seeing her but I wasn't her committed boyfriend.

But I don't quite understand why TV meteorologists often use the verb to see in the Present Continuous. Check out the video (2:53):

  Off the Atlantic high pressure will continue to expand through the Iberian Peninsula and will start to create things rather calm. But we are still seeing some of those waves out there picking up to 5 meters on the coast of Portugal.

In her next (!) sentence (3:01), the meteorologist says:

  Throughout much of North America we're still seeing rather clear skies.

To me it sounds emphatic but ungrammatical.

Is it really ungrammatical or is it just my sensation? If it is grammatical, why is to see used in the Present Continuous tense?


texts: Does an if statement inherit tense of the preceding one?

texts:
Here's my example that i want to check:

  "i would have got it even if u wrote it in hexadecimal  "

Is it grammatically correct? or should "had written" be used instead of "wrote"?


texts:
I'd like to ask if the question correct in the first place because I think the answer should have been  had replaced  and evolved respectively.Because 200,000 years is older than 30,000 years.

  Modern humans, Homo sapiens, ___ in Africa  around 200,000 years ago
  and by about 30,000 years  ago they ____ all other forms of early
  humans, such as Neanderthals and Homo erectus.

Answer: evolved / had replaced


texts: What does it mean turned something to gain?

texts:
The wonder of De Quincey, is that although opium dominated his life, it never conquered him; indeed, he turned its use to gain when he published the story of its influence in the London Magazine.

Above the sentence, I couldn't understand what does it mean 'turned its use to gain', especially 'turn to'.
Following my understanding,  he used opium to gain some information when he published the story of opium. Is it right?


texts:
Is the following expression acceptable especially in formal register when you miss a call and text back to someone as " I am sorry. I missed your call". What are other the fix expressions can be used in text messaging.

  I am sorry. I couldn't catch your call


texts: with that or without, the most formal way

texts:
I have this sentence

  There is an engine inside me that keeps saying "someone must be at the top, why isn't that you?"

Should I put that or not?

I know both ways are correct, but I am asking for the most formal way.


texts:
I want to  make a sentence about someone to whom I am related ,

İt is generally done as in sentence 1 .

What about sentence 2 , would it be natural?

  1) We are related

(this sentence is ok)

  2) We are relatives

(is this sentence natural?)


texts:
I want to say something like

  My research interest has a big overlap with professor A in area B.

by saying that

  Professor A's interest in B overlaps my interest _____

Since this will be in my personal statement, I hope to use an appropriate and formal word in _____. So far the only word I can come up with is "largely". Are there any alternatives?


texts: Does ‘the only’ mean ‘the best’ in this sentence?

texts:
"Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were
  the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line 0' Muggles -- look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"  (Harry Potter and
  the Sorcerer's Stone)

Does ‘the only’ mean ‘the best’? (dictionary.reference.com, adjective 7)


texts: "the xxx section OF the yyy document" or "the xxx section IN the yyy document"

texts:
Today in a book I read a sentence similar to this:

  The "Conversions" section in the language specification.

Although before I have read this, I would most likely said:

  The "Conversions" section of the language specification.

Is the second sentence correct? Can the both (IN / OF) be used interchangeably in this context?


texts: Why is the word "what" used instead of "where"?

texts:
I came across this sentence

  During the summer, the tribes who lived in what is now Florida often
  slept in wooden frames with roofs but no walls.

This is from history textbook in the U.S. I think this "what" is a relative pronoun.Can I use "what" when I indicate the place? Is "where" appropriate in this sentence?


texts: A term for an island reclaimed from sea by adding sand

texts:
What's the correct English term (adjective or a noun) for an island or a small peninsula that have been reclaimed from the sea by merely adding a lot of sand (gravel, dirt, stones, etc.) to the sea? I am especially interested in a term related to the times earlier than 200 years ago. For example, the spit of Vasilyevsky Island in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, was obtained in that way:

Dictionaries give me Hydraulic fill, but that term strikes me as too technical and rather modern.

I am interested either in a noun or an adjective (or, if possible, both). For example:

This peninsula is a(n) ____________________.

or

This is a(n) __________________ peninsula.

Nouns containing one or more spaces (like hydraulic fill) are also fine.


texts: Word for "gradually removing the vacuum"

texts:
I'm translating a description of a lyophilization procedure. One of the sentences goes like this, in my translation:

  After keeping the samples in the vacuum for 24 hours, we gradually relieved the vacuum, removed the samples from the shelves, and submitted them for subsequent processing.

I picked "relieve" from "vacuum relief valve". Is it okay to say "we gradually relieved the vacuum" though? The vacuum is hardly relieved, it is gone.

I found that we can say that we "broke" the vacuum:

  After keeping the samples in the vacuum for 24 hours, we gradually broke the vacuum, removed the samples from the shelves, and submitted them for subsequent processing.

But here the word "gradually" may clash with "break". Breaking is usually an abrupt process.

What other word could be used? "We gradually removed the vacuum"?


texts: Is "I heard someone that is singing" a natural sentence?

texts:
I've seen

  I heard someone singing

but I haven't seen

  I heard someone that is singing

Is it the same as the first one?

or maybe

  I heard that someone is singing


texts: How to distinguish if preposition belongs to verb or object?

texts:
I have trouble to understand when a preposition belongs to the verb and when it belongs to the object:

We drink beer in Spain.
We drink beer of Spain.

In the first example sentence, the "in Spain" belongs to the verb. So I could change the sentence to:

In Spain we drink beer.

In the other example, the "of Spain" belongs to the object. So it is not possible to change that sentence in the same way.
What is the name of the grammar for these two cases? Or what are the rules to analyse this? Has "of" some special rules or isn't a preposition in this case?


texts:
Does "aid organizations will struggle to rally" mean "aid organizations will struggle to "convene and recruit aid workers"?

Although there are some reports of refugees testing positive for the virus, as of mid-April, there are no known COVID-19 outbreaks in major refugee camps, according to advocates and responders contacted by Nature. But many aid groups fear that it is only a matter of time before the disease strikes. According to advocacy groups, host nations have been slow to enforce preventative measures. And experts fear that aid organizations will struggle to rally and respond.

Source:  Nature    24 APRIL 2020
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01219-6


texts: Meaning of too in the following sentence

texts:
In the sentence given below

  Your watch is five minutes too fast.

What is the meaning of too?

I think five minutes fast in itself is sufficient and too does not make any sense.


texts: What is a plural form of 'migraine' for even if 'two migraines' don't have much use?

texts: I found out recently the noun 'migraine' can be countable. So it basically means I can count migraines like two or three migraines, but I don't know what is the point to count migraines. Isn't 'migraine' supposed to describe a state not a countable thing?


texts: can "what have you done" be asked in a neutral way?

texts:
I'd like to know if "what have you done?" can be used as a neutral question, since it is often used to express anger, shock or sadness.

For example: I want to close a window that has been opened by someone else, but it doesn't close. Can I ask the person who has opened it in a neutral, friendly way: "what have you done to my window?" or is "what have you been doing to my window?" more appropriate? Or do both sound accusatory?


texts:
I'm having a discussion with someone and we are having a few disagreements over whether this sentence is passive voice or not:

"I was scared by the noise."

We've discussed linking verbs, whether "scared" is an adjective or not, whether it is the past participle in the active voice, etc.

So, is that sentence in the passive voice?

Thanks.


texts:
footage surfaces of someone/something

What does it mean?


texts: "bubble" 's possible new meaning in English

texts:
What is the meaning of the following sentence:

And I shall carry on with the 40 hour week working with people who are in more bubbles than a bloody aero !!

This is a top up-voted comment from the comment section of this Daily Mail article "No stopping for a chat if you bump into friends, and DON'T sit on park benches: Chris Whitty and ministers warn against 'pushing boundaries' of lockdown with NHS on the brink of disaster - and the rules could get even TOUGHER"
Many describe this comment as "Brilliant", "Love it, so true. Thank you for the chuckle", "This should be top comment haha" ,"Brilliant! Great comment".
I can't get the humor of the comment.
I think the catch is the word "bubble" which may have gained some new meanings lately. Every entry of "bubble" in the dictionary doesn't fit.


texts:
Well there is this new Lana's song and I can't understand the grammar of the title at all. What does the title mean in whole and what does the last "to" mean?

Thanks in advance.


texts:
Each year, world-famous artists are invited to design and produce
  works of art from the ice, many of which/them can be found in the
  rooms.

Which one is correct? And why?


texts: certainty values and tense - difference in the use of 'may' modals

texts:
what is the difference between the following in terms of meaning (potentiality/permission)

may go
may be going
may have gone

is it valid to say that 'may go' has greater certainty than 'may have gone' because of the certainty of present simple tense ? How do i then explain the difference between 2 and 3?


texts: why did he say this? or why has he said this?

texts:
While you were watching a movie, you heard a dialogue and wondered why the actor said, X instead of Y.
now if you want to ask your grammatically question from your friend on a chat with a screenshot from that specific scene, which should be used?
1-why did he say this?
2-why has he said this?


texts:
In the below sentences, I want to understand why the usage of has is correct
Sentences

He has played cricket with me
He is played by me

Above sentences are the right ones. I want to understand why the below sentence is incorrect
Incorrect sentence

He is played cricket with me

Why is has played is right and not is played?
Also what is right conversion of active voice for the sentence?
I play cricket with him.
Whether the above conversion is right?


texts: What's the meaning of 'it' in this sentence?

texts:
I am not sure about the meaning of value it.

Is this idiom-like expression? Or if not, what does it refer to?

  Giving gay and lesbian couples the same rights in a union - that would not dilute Mom and Dad's marriage, make it any less binding or strong. We so value it that we want to share it. '' # Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, suggested conservative leaders cynically have embraced opposition to same-sex marriages as a " wedge issue " to advance a larger agenda.


texts: If + Had PP ---> would be, is it a formal construction?

texts:
Is it correct to use would be rather than would have been in this construction:  If + had pp  ---> would be ?

Because I do not remember seeing that usage in grammar books.

Is that ok to use this construction in formal or academic writing ?

Thank you


texts:
Suppose Mr. Zhang just got an forced-quarantine order and he says

  "I don't need any quarantine, I am quite healthy" src

or

  ... "I am in quite good health" src

or

  ... "I have quite good health" src

or

  ... "I'm having quite good health"

Google Ngram verifies some of the uses above.

Do native speakers say it that way?

Are they grammatically correct? Do they mean the same thing? Thanks in advance.


texts: Difference between Yell / Shout / Scream / Cry with use cases

texts:
So this question gives an answer to the difference between yell and scream, but I'd also like clarification about shout and cry, which have to be linked with the other two. Whatever the case when I use one of them I feel like I used the wrong one.

Also, the top answer used "to cry" in the definition of "to scream" and "to shout" in the definition of "to yell". Most dictionaries also give other words as definitions, which doesn't help.

I have a bunch of related question which I think makes sense to be asked and answer together. When I ask for difference about words, it's mostly for edge cases.

Of course, I mean cry in other ways that "to shed tears". I would think that it implies that you're in danger (i.e. "cry for help") and it's not directed to anyone, but what about "battle cry" ? Are there other uses that don't imply you're in danger ?

What's the word for when a metal vocalist "sings" very loudly in the mic ? Is it yelling if it's not directed to someone in particular ? And if a rapper raps increasingly louder, is he screaming or yelling at the end ? IMO yelling can never be non-annoying, am I correct ?

To describe someone cursing really loud, what do you use ? Is it different words depending on if the insults are directed to someone or just interjections like "SHIT!" ?


texts: What is the difference between "I run" and "I do run"?

texts:
Sometimes I read sentences like "I do run...", "I do love.." or "I do write..". What is the difference to "I run..", "I love..." or "I write..."?

Is the using of "do" in this cases a way to make the verb more important, like "I DO(!) love"?


texts:
A 3-D printer then builds a polymer model based on this blueprint, much as a regular computer printer reproduces digital documents on paper.

In this sentence, what does "much as" mean?


texts: How to use "come from" (order of come and from)?

texts:
I'm not sure about the order used for "come" and "from". Is this correct?

  He is leaving the house, back to the garden where he comes from.

If the flavor is meaningful, I'm using the sentence for American-English.


texts: "we are going to deal with that which belongs to geometry” - correct?

texts:
Is it correct to use the word "which" directly after "that"?

This is the context:

  "There are many meanings to the word “axis”, but we are going to deal
  with that which belongs to geometry”


texts:
One of the main challenges with advanced knee and ankle devices is the development of a robust sealing system for their hydraulic cylinders.
  One of the main challenges for advanced knee and ankle devices is the development of a robust sealing system for their hydraulic cylinders.

When we are talking about challenges facing advanced kee and anke devices, which proposition is the right one?


texts:
What's more idiomatic* * in context of rent,  to **pay the rent or give the rent?

Example:
Jon rents an appartment and he wants to say (to) his homeowner that he'll pay or give the monthly rent earlier this month.

  Hello Mr. Boris, It is Jon.  I wanted to inform you that this month I'm going to pay / to give the rent earlier,  becaause I'll not be in the city on the fixed date (by fixed day I mean to the date that every month I should pay him.)

What's more idiomatic in rent?  (Pay or give the rent) ent?  (Pay or give the rent)


texts:
I know that there are (at least) three options to read this number - 2500:

  A. two thousand, five hundred

  B. two thousand and five hundred

  C. twenty-five hundred

Q1) Is "C" considered to be an informal way of reading it?

Q2) Is it ok to read this number (2501) as *twenty-five hundred one/twenty-five hundred and one?

Q3) I want to investigate more into the idea of reading numbers using the "C" way. Is it considered to be an informal use? I'm looking for links/references or just the title of the concept so I can run a search.


texts: are they the same? "The brain is difficult to remember" / "it's difficult for the brain to remember" / "the brain find it difficult to remember"

texts:
are they the same?

"The brain is difficult to remember new words"
"it's difficult for the brain to remember new words"
"the brain find it difficult to remember new words"

I think the 2nd one is the best, the 1st one seems the worst, the 3rd seems weird


texts: What is a better English idiom that can be used to express a love of learning?

texts:
I am looking for a better expression or idiom that can serve as an analogy to 'I love learning' in this sentence:

The literal translation would be: I love learning. I absorb new information as a sponge absorbs water.

And ... I have never heard nor read such analogy in english so while it sounds understandable, I'm afraid it looks like something that screams I'm not a native english speaker because a native speaker would say something completely different and more typical. But I may be wrong.

Is there a better sounding analogy in english or possibly an idiom?


texts:
Could I please borrow your pen ?
Ans: yeah sure !
Vs
Could I please borrow your pen ?
Ans: Yeah, for sure!

What's the difference between Sure and For Sure ??!?

I think, sure means - okay
And For sure- means certainly

But are there more differences? Which one suits better in the given context ?


texts:
Is it correct to use tribal dominated districts

In the following sentence I don’t understand the grammar behind tribal dominated districts

The second phase of the programme — launched by Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda — will digitally mentor 5,000 young women in India’s tribal dominated districts.

tribal itself is an adjective. I think it should be tribes dominated districts


texts: Is this usage of the verb "had outfitted" correct?

texts:
Two van dwellers in Venice Beach, Calif., insisted they were living in the back of their pickup truck by choice. They proudly showed off the camper shell they had outfitted for less than $20.
  Source: Brenoff, Ann. 7 Myths About Homeless People Debunked.

Is this usage of "outfit" correct?
I think this author wanted to say, "They proudly showed off the camper shell that they had added to their truck for less than 20 dollars."

Even if you consider this "had" to be a verb like "had something done", still it doesn't sound right because outfit is used like the following examples.

  outfit (verb): to provide (someone or something) with equipment or clothes especially for a special purpose.

  The company outfitted us with food and supplies.

  Often used as (be) outfitted. The car was outfitted [=equipped] with
  a new stereo system.

  (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outfit)


texts:
What does it mean when "The troll pounced"?

That is something I saw on a SAT workbook.


texts:
"Shop everything you need for fashion - from 30% off"

This is a banner. Does "from 30% off" mean the discount rate starts from 30%?
Or does this mean "products from 30% off", which means products with 30% discounted price?


texts: Can we use present tense with subjunctive mood?

texts:
1.If such a huge meteor had really crashed into the Earth, why isn't there even a little piece of evidence such as crater anywhere on
  Earth?

  2.If he were really a famous singer, why can't he sing very well?

As you see, subjunctive mood (had crashed and were) is used in these bold parts to express the hypothetical situation that is supposed to be not real to the writers who wrote these two sentences, but is it grammatically correct to combine subjunctive mood with present tense as in "why isn't" and "why can't"?

As far as I know, present tense cannot be used with subjunctive mood, so I'm asking this question.