texts: What is wrong with the following text in terms of grammar?

texts:
The novel is full of explicit and implicit references to profanity, sex, and violence which is somewhat odd in the case of children's novels.

  For instance, the boy's parents die in a car crash, the mention of grandmother's missing thumb along with a picturization of how it could have been removed, the precise account of the children being turned into various strange objects by witches, description of the appearances of the witches, the recipe of the "Formula 86", the description of cruelty in the school, and so on.

My teacher says that I am using noun-phrases/forms instead of verb-phrases/forms.

What does that mean?


texts: Take this opportunity vs take up this opportunity

texts:
I have just watched a british youtube video. She said:

"I really hope some of you take up this opportunity"

My question is, what is the difference of that to
"Take this opportunity"

Is this regional?


texts:
Is there an adjective that means "hard to get out from"? Like an adjective that means "labyrinth-like" or more generally "hard to get out or off from". For example:

  Theses vines are ____.

  This huge old mansion is ____.


texts: What’s the difference ‘refer to somebody/something’ and ‘to describe’?

texts:
In Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (9th Edition), the definition of refer to somebody/ something is

  to describe or be connected to something

So, What’s the difference between them?


texts: The use of "be" in future tense in this sentence

texts:
I would like to visit NY in future if you are also there.

Is this a correct sentence? I am concerned about the "are" part.


texts:
I have a question about a phrase in this wikipedia article:

  For a short period of time, the ownership of the library belonged to Amos Eaton, a local scientist and educator, when he obtained rights to the Old Bank Place after the Rensselaer School changed its name to the Rensselaer Institute and moved to Van Der Heyden Mansion, a nearby location.

Is it standard English to say that "the ownership of something belongs to somebody"?


texts:
I have seen many forms of these forms and confused about them. Do they have a same meaning? When we should use a specific form?

“oil production”  “the oil production” and “the production of oil” and “production of oil”
“Synthesis of protective metabolites” and “the synthesis of protective metabolites”
“ion detoxifying” and “detoxification of ions” and “the detoxification of ions”
“drug effects on” and “effects of drug on”


texts:
I have a question while reading an GRE passage.
To help your understanding, i put the whole passage below.

  Whether the languages of the ancient American peoples were used for
  expressing abstract universal concepts can be clearly answered in the
  case of Nahuatl. Nahuatl, like Greek and German, is a language that
  allows the formation of extensive compounds. By the combination of
  radicals or semantic elements, single compound words can express
  complex conceptual relations, often of an abstract universal
  character.

  The tlamatinime (those who know) were able to use this rich stock of
  abstract terms to express the nuances of their thought. They also
  availed themselves of other forms of expression with metaphorical
  meaning, some probably original, some derived from Toltec coinages.
  Of these forms, the most characteristic in Nahuatl is the
  juxtaposition of two words that, because they are synonyms, associated
  terms, or even contraries, complement each other to evoke one single
  idea. Used metaphorically, the juxtaposed terms connote specific or
  essential traits of the being they refer to, introducing a mode of
  poetry as an almost habitual form of expression.

My question is about a bold sentence.
I understand that some in the sentence indicated 'the forms of expression'.
May I consider 'the forms of expression' as ' the formation of compound words'?
In answer sheet, 'the forms of expression' is only treated as just 'expression'.
Is that right?

Is there any difference between 'forms of expression' and 'expression'?


texts: On using capital/small letter in a question after a double colon

texts:
I have a sentence with a double colon, then a question. When I use double colons, I used to use small letters after it. But it is not clear what is the case if the sentence after the double colons is a question.

So the sentence look similar to:

  We set to answer the following question: Is method X faster than
  method Y?

vs.

  We set to answer the following question: is method X faster than
  method Y?


texts: Is it possible for this sentence to happen, "I had written down what he said"

texts:
I am Sorry but this question came across my mind when I was asking a computer question in Super User site.
Previosuly, I was writing this

  The person who will build the PC for me asked me some question about
  something like faster Hard Disk, I don't know what exactly he meant,
  but I have written down what he said, it is called SSD.

I did not jot down important notes during the conversation between the man and I, but later on, I tried to remember what he said and then I wrote down on a paper. Both the conversation and the action that I wrote the notes are already past, so I think I should use past tense and write it this way,
"I don't know what exactly he meant, but I had written down what he said"

But, I doubt if it is grammatically correct and if it can happen in reality, because it sounds like my writing action had finsihed before our conversation began (unless I had some kind of magical power to accurately predict someone's speech)

Thank you.


texts:
I wrote:

  As was discussed before, to specify an anchor, in addition to the content, one may use stable and semantic labels used for some tag's attributes such as  id and class name (e.g. "main" value for the main division of a page).

I used some clauses separated by comma. First, I would like to know if comma was applied correctly? Second, is it natural to have such orders?


texts: What is the difference between "do you like" and "would you like"?

texts:
Do you like candy?
Would you like some candy?

Do you like walking?
Would you like to go for a walk?

What is the difference? And are they the same or not? Do they any use in different situations?


texts: Is there a word that means "ignoring/dismissing a fact for disingenuous reasons"? Let's say a North Korean analyst wouldn't admit to the fact that the elections in North Korea aren't transparent in an argument with an American analyst, because he wants to maintain North Korea's narrative. Is there a word that describes the North Korean analyst's action?


texts:
I want to ask about the completion of the construction project, so which of the following questions is correct grammatically?

  When will be the project completed?

or

  When will the project be completed?

or

  When's the project getting completed?

What's the best way to ask this question?


texts: Can relative pronouns and clauses follow demonstrative determiners?

texts:
If I want to refer to a bag someone is holding, which of the options below is/are grammatically correct?

The bag you are holding (Definitely grammatical but I feel as though the indication the definite article provides isn't as strong compared to that of a determiner like 'this'. Especially when I am right next to the object.)
This bag (that) you are holding (Very clear reference to the bag but sounds slightly awkward to my nonnative ears. It is okay to for a relative clause to follow 'this', 'that', 'these' or 'those')
This bag, which you are holding (the one that I am the most unsure of; on one hand it doesn't sound as akward as the sentence above but on the other hand I had no luckily finding a grammar rule that would clear my uncertainty.)

I didn't really find any convincing usages of 'This....that' but remember hearing it from other people in casual conversations.
I would very much appreciate it if you can provide some links as well.

Many thanks.


texts:
The following sentense is the title of a news article.

  NASA's Mars Helicopter makes last spin on Earth before before July launch

What is the difference between 'before before' and 'before'? Does 'before before' mean 'much before'?


texts:
Suppose a malicious partner cons you and takes away lots of money from you. You bring up this matter to a wise person who has experienced the ups and downs of life and want to consult him; that individual tends to give hope to you; in these situations there is an proverb among the religious people in my mother language which says:

  "If God wishes, an enemy can become a source of good";

It means: "Don't worry; if God wishes, even the worst people cannot harm you and they will act as your friend in an unwanted way! Because it has been God's wish to protect you against any bad circumstance..."

Of course this is a direct translation, but I need to know if it makes sense in (especially) American English or there is another proverb for it.


texts: Is 'good evening' more formal than 'good night'?

texts: I'm confused about these two sentences, I do not know if 'good evening' is more formal than 'good night'.


texts:
Show me how to stomp.
Show me stomping.

These two don't seem to mean the same, but when you ask a child to demonstrate stomping, would they be equally used?


texts: The use of in spite followed by a noun and gerund form

texts:
Can I accept as correct an answer like

"In spite of experts not seeing like it, English is considered an easy language to learn"

Or

"In spite of English being considered an easy language to learn, some experts... "?


texts:
I think highly of him.

I know the meaning is "I praise him." But I wonder what "highly" modifies.
Can I say "I think that he is high."?
The sentences with the similar structure are :

I thought poorly of him.
I speak ill of him.


texts: Dropping "about" in " I'm asking about whether"

texts:
I'm asking about whether he is married or not.

  I'm asking whether he is married or not.

Are they both correct?


texts:
From a teacher who never reveals his thoughts to one
  goes China to look for a hot girl, however turns out he gets a
  typical Taiwanese girlfriend.

Regarding the bold part, Is "who" omitted? Does it mean "one who goes"? I think the  sentence structure is "From A to B", and can I interpret it as "From a teacher who (...) to a person who goes China (...)"?


texts: How should I call each item when two of them have to be compared to each other?

texts: I have two documents which have to be compared to each other. How should I call the first document and how the last? I mean, would it be rightto use names like "documentToCompare" and "documentToCompareTo" respectively? What is the right way to name such things compared to each other? Thank you!


texts: What's the meaning of the phrase "You seem med"?

texts:
During an online game, one of the opposing players said "You seem med", and when I asked what "med" was, the response was "It's a chav slang term". Then player logged out.

I googled the phrase, but I can't find a definition in the usual online slang dictionaries. Any suggestions?

My guesses
1) Medicated? (as in sedated)
2) Mad (crazy, under the influence of drugs?)


texts:
I would like to convey the following:

  Please, read the first, the sixth and the tenth page.

What is a correct written version?

  Please, read the 1st, 6th and 10th page.

  Please, read the pages 1, 6 and 10.

Or both are wrong? Please, comment also on the punctuation, namely should I add comma after "Please" and before "and".

UPD Would the answer change if I would like to omit "and":

  Please, read the 1st, 6th, 10th page.


texts:
A question from a student:

  This can have a detrimental effect on people's social life.

Should this be social lives?


texts: Do you 'tap the jar lid' or 'knock the jar lid'?

texts:
Sometimes, the screwed jar lid is so tight that you cannot open it. One method to make it easy to open is to strike the lid to allow some air entering in or to break the bond solidified.

For the action of beating the jar lid, which expression is correct?

  Tap the jar lid

or

  Knock the jar lid


texts: The meaning of "the heathen horde melted from before them."

texts:
The singing arrows fled so swift and thick that they darkened the air,
  the heathen horde melted from before them.

This is from "Bowman" by Author Macken.

I don't understand the meaning of the sentence below.

the heathen horde melted from before them.

I am glad if someone would kindly teach me.


texts: Is "I watched them go" grammatically correct?

texts:
It has been only few years I have been watching English movies. Recently I heard a sentence saying "I watched them go".

I have been repeating the scene, and checked through subtitles whether I heard it correctly or not. Is the phrase a correct use of grammar, or is there any incoherency in the meaning?

In this case, can we also say things like these?

  I saw him speak.
  We saw him go.

etc...


texts:
Source

  River apparently picked up the memory from some of the Alliance chiefs
  who came to see her training and the memory was also triggered by the
  code advert.

its very confusing, on a  confusion scale of 1-10, I will give this sentence to 10.

What is the meaning of this weird sentence?


texts: The use of the construction "one's +gerund +..." as subject

texts:
Can I use the phrase

  "My being neat and quiet"

as a subject of the sentence?

For example,

  My being neat and quiet seems something they appreciate.


texts: "has nothing to do with" vs. "does not have anything to do with"?

texts:
What's the difference between "has nothing to do with" and "does not have anything to do with"?

For example:

  a) My question has nothing to do with homework.

  b) My question does not have anything to do with homework.


texts: Should "bring a plate" be taken literally?

texts: When someone is told to "bring a plate" to a picnic in Australia, does it literally mean just bring a plate? Or should they be bringing something else as well?


texts: Can some or all of the bracketed words be omitted? "The competition was good for David and ((it) was) bad for Peter"

texts:
The competition was good for David and bad for Peter.
  The competition was good for David and was bad for Peter.
  The competition was good for David and it was bad for Peter.

Are any of these sentences incorrect?


texts:
Is it right to say In regard to the list of suggestions...?

I've used Grammarly and the Algorithm suggested to chance to Regarding to the list.

Is it different? How?


texts: When someone crosses your arm or leaves a mark on your arm

texts:
(https://i.stack.imgur.com/D23Nj.jpg)

Imagine a child is playing with his older brother; the child has a pen at hand and suddely he crosses his brother's arm OR marks his brother's arm

I would appreciate it if you let me know which one of the above-mentioned bold sentences sounds more natural based on my description and the respective uploded image!


texts:
I want to move here San Pedro.

I want to move here in San Pedro.

Which one is grammatically correct and why?


texts:
Could you explain the grammar of this long sentence and the words 'can intrude' and what part of sentence they relate to.

  They fish together every spring and early summer, the first two or
  three months of the season, before family vacations, little league
  baseball, and visiting relatives can intrude.

So Much Water So Close to Home
by Raymond Carver


texts:
Being in large crowds always was making her feel nervous.
  Being in large crowds always made her feel nervous.

Which is the correct answer?
What is the difference between them?
I am confused about them. l am sorry to say, I couldn't  express my views regarding them.


texts:
“crashed his remote control airplane”  [audio link]
  (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

Airplane sounds like in the audio /ˈerəpleɪn / instead of /ˈeəpleɪn/.
Is he really pronouncing the intrusive /r/, if yes, is it common?


texts:
7,5 pounds! Postage is really high, could you lower it, the postage is higher than the single, will not buy it if you can't change it

Shall I use the article "the" or not in this sentence?

I am referring to postage due


texts: Talking about the future in the sense of 'prediction as order'

texts:
There is the following rule, relating to talking about the future:

  Prediction can be used as a way of giving orders - instead of telling
  somebody to do something, the speaker just say firmly that it will
  happen. This is common in military-style.

Let I'm explaining somebody the working principle of a something device. Does the rule applied to that case. That is, for example

  A device shall reset every one hour.

In general, it would be good if you provide a bit more examples reflecting the rule.


texts:
I made up a sentence:

"I love you most."

Does it mean that I love you more than I love others or I love you more than others do?


texts: "in my daily life" or "on a daily basis"(hobbies context)

texts:
I'm checking if it's possible to say the expression "in my daily life" in this context about hobbies:

I like doing an average of 15 minutes exercise every morning, along with two additional one-hour sessions twice a week. That is very important for my health and helps me keep active in my daily life.


texts:
My mom was showing me around the city, so that I don't get lost and I know my way around when I'm alone. She kept asking me where we were.  We were driving down a narrow street with huge buildings all around. When that street ended, a "T-junction":

  Can you tell me where we came out at?

  Can you tell me where we ended up at?

What sounds natural "come out" or "end up"?

And can these be used when we are driving down a narrow street with no huge buildings around but a field?


texts:
Which of the two sentences below is correct?

  Why do you insist so much on your child learning your native language?

or:

  Why do you insist so much on your child's learning your native language?


texts:
If someone asks a question like:

  When did you stay here?

Would it be right to say "on Fridays"? Or "on Friday"?


texts: If my father had a day off, "we always went/would go" to see my grandfather

texts:
If my father had a day off, we always went to see my grandfather.

Is the sentence above grammatically correct?

I thought there should be would go instead of always went whether it's a past habitual action or a hypothetical statement.

Am I wrong? Can you please explain?


texts:
These paintings are my earliest works

or

  These paintings are my earlier works

Which one of this sentence is correct if I want to say that the paintings are the ones I paint at the beginning of my carrier?

I've done some Ngram search, it said that 'earlier' is more commonly used, but I feel like 'earliest' sounds more natural.


texts:
By the time he comes, we will have already left.

Have I correctly reworded the sentence above?

  Before he comes, we will have already left.


texts: The user is logged in vs The user is logged-in

texts:
The user is logged in.
  The user is logged-in.

Are both of these sentences correct? In the first sentence, is logged in a participial adjective? If it's not, what is it called and how is it related to the verb is?

Thanks!


texts:
If “I have been waiting for someone for 2 hours", it seems to me that the action started in the past and is still on or just finished (at the moment of speaking)

But if I want it to show in the past, what should I use?
"I was waiting for someone for 2 hours" or "I have been waiting"?

Also, I know if we want to note the fact, not the duration, it's fine to put past simple, isn't it?

Could you please make it clear for me?


texts: when does the noun "access" need an indefinite article?

texts:
Most usage of the noun "access" follows a similar format as the following -

  "have access to" or "gain access to"

Even for the definition of "a way or means of entering or approaching", Merriam-Webster uses examples like these

  A canal provides access to the river.
  a building that provides wheelchair access

Q1. are there circumstances where an indefinite article must be used ?

Q2. are there circumstances where an indefinite article can be used ?


texts: can i use followed in place of following in following sentence

texts:
what if i replace following with followed in following sentence
However, schools are supposed to prepare the youths for their lives following high school.


texts:
I usually feel I've got a good grasp of English, but this stomped me...  I need a word/phrase for the action of a person laying (stretched out) on his back on a bed, and who abruptly rise to a sitting position - ie. he rises his back/torso, while his legs remains outstretched on the bed.

He goes from this:

L__ __O
=======

To this:

    O
    |
L__ |
======

Personally I'd use something like "He shot off the bed" - but that doesn't convey that his legs are still in the bed and only his back is off it... besides, it sort of suggests that he's hovering over the bed... or that he's got out of the bed (and is standing on the floor.  In any case, it's easy to confuse with "He shot out of the bed".

"He abruptly sat up in bed" could perhaps work, but could it be interpreted as sitting on the bed - as if it was a chair - with feet on the floor?  "He abruptly rose up in bed" could perhaps work, but could be easily be misunderstood as "rose from"...

So, are there any word/phrase specifically for this - or a way to make one of my suggestions clearer?


texts:
Linda, a 54-year-old event consultant in Los Angeles, is neither disorganised nor innumerate. Ask about her finances, however, and you lose her for two hours. She opens her current (checking) account on a mobile app, then cites a rainy-day fund at another bank. She has 14 credit cards, five mortgages, six insurance policies and several pensions with ex-employers.

(source: The Economist)

What does "lose" mean here?


texts:
There is this rule in a grammar book:

"We often use without + -ing to say that we are surprised that an action does not happen because we expect it to happen."

But no example is given. Can you think of any example for this rule?


texts: SPEND [a period of time] ENGAGED/ENGAGING in something

texts:
I came across the following sentence in the book - ORIGIN - written by Dan Brown

  Since 1893, hundreds of spiritual leaders from nearly thirty world religions had gathered in a different location every few years to spend a week engaged in interfaith dialogue.

Is the use of engaged there correct? Or should it be replaced by engaging?


texts:
"Time to" vs. "time for"

Excluding fixed expression like from time to time, are both forms acceptable, and do they have the same meaning?

It's time to buy a new TV. or It's time for buying a new TV.

It's time to make a coffee break,It's time for making a coffee break

It's time to a coffee break,It's time for a coffee break

Are all pairs right and equivalent?


texts: Two times of the standard error or two times the standard error

texts:
A contour interval corresponds to the confidence level of two times of the standard error.

In this sentence would it mean the same if I don’t use “of” before “standard error”?


texts:
The world may never eradicate coronavirus, but it can get it under control.

The world may never eradicate coronavirus, but it could get it under control.

The world may never eradicate coronavirus, but it might get it under control.

I know the difference between 1) and 2).What is the difference between 2) and 3)?


texts:
"A rustic, three story-Arabic bookstore in old Istanbul has become an anchor for many Syrians who have stayed put in Turkey but crave a taste of home"

What does three story refer to?

What does it mean by A rustic, three story-Arabic store?

Note 04/05/16:

Our bookstores here only have racks of books, which are classified by their genres. So, I was not aware that a three-story bookstore is a bookstore that has three levels or floors. Thanks for everyone's response.

A bookstore in my country:


texts: "make money on something" or "make money out of something"?

texts:
Tell me please which one of the following sentence sounds more natural.

  I am trying to make money on my hobby.

  I am trying to make money out of my hobby.

What I am trying to say is that I am using my hobby, teaching, as a means earning a living.
If any of the sentence isn't correct, then what is the correct way to say it?


texts: the possessive plural of a French family name ending in x

texts:
what is the possessive plural of the French name Rioux, in an English text?

Is it the Riouxes' house

or the Riouxs' house?


texts: "xyz is in the source code" or "xyz is on the source code"?

texts:
If I want to say that the source code contains some xyz text which one is right?

xyz is in the source code

or

xyz is on the source code


texts: the meaning of "to be out" in the context

texts:
I might disagree with a lot of his politics but Jeremy Corbyn was out today bucket shaking for the refugee crisis.

To tell the truth I am a little bit puzzled by the above clause. Does "was out" in the second part of the clause mean a positive statement? Only if it is so the sentence makes sense for me. The author in that case says that despite the fact that she is not a supporter of JC, his today activity in favour of refugees she found praiseworthy. But on the second hand I have not been able to find that "to be out" can have the positive meaning. When the meaning of "to be out" means in the sentence literally that Corbyn's activity was an act of the political incompetence, I do not understand why there is conjunction "but" used there. So how does a native speaker understand that sentence?


texts:
They had often heard about the ship they have to travel on.

Is the above sentence grammatically correct ? I came across this sentence in a question paper and the provisional solution of that paper said it is error free but I suspect have is wrong here. It should be had as the sentence is in past ( as indicated by they had)


texts: Is it common/acceptable to use "the feeling of vulnerabilities"

texts:
Instead of saying I don't like to feel vulnerable, are the following acceptable too?

I don't like the feeling of vulnerabilities.
The feeling of vulnerabilities crippled me.


texts:
He took her hand and held it tight/tightly.

Would using "tight" here be bad grammar?
I did a search on Google that showed that "tight" was just as common as "tightly" in contexts like this, which surprised me because I only thought "tightly" was correct. Could someone please enlighten me.


texts:
Which of the following are used to say about concurrent activities? What are other ways.

  As he was sitting, Liza with surprise said what is that scar on your face.

  He was sitting that Liza with surprise said what is that scar on your face

  He was sitting when  Liza with surprise said what is that scar on your face.


texts: Let me ask another silly question. Does 'other than' take the subjective, or objective case, or does it depend? In short, is 'other than she/he etc.' grammatical (or can it be)?


texts: What’s the semantic difference between the two sentences?

texts:
From 'Jane Eyre':

  Bessie was gone down to breakfast.

Comparing this with an alternative not from 'Jane Eyre':

  Bessie had gone down to breakfast.

What’s the semantic difference between these two sentences?


texts: Which is right about a text on life 2000 years ago:"The house must have had a cosy roof of turf." or "It would have a cosy ..." or "It had a cosy..."

texts:
I have seen this sentence in an article on bbc, which is about how people lived thousands of years ago.
"When this Neolithic home was built, it would have had a cosy roof of turf.."
When I read it, I got confused. Because the fact seems as a simple past situation or guessing/assumption about something in the past.
I have been making a lot of research on whether or not this structure "would+have+past participle" could be used instead of the simple past or "must+have+past participle", but I could not find any satisfying explanation.
Almost all grammer contents cover this structure is used when we imagine the opposite of what actually happened in the past eg. "referring to a missed opportunity" (eg. "if you had come to the party, you would have seen Tom."),
But, in the case of this sentence, "type 3 conditional" is irrelevant. It simply gives information about what roof this house had in the past or what the roof was probably like when it was built long ago. Just like it would be If and old lady would want to tell about "how she was like when she was a child years ago. she would simply say **"when I was a child, I had long curly hair.****. So "when I was a child, I would have had long curly hair." would be wrong.
So, my question is: 1-Does this structure "would+have+past participle" completely replace "must+have+past participle" or "might+have+past participle"
2- If this structure was simply used because the author was not %100 sure about the fact as it was a long long time ago -so he wanted to make a guess or assumption, why did he not simply use "must+have+past participle" or "it was likely that blah blah" which must be used for guessing or assumptions about past happenings. Would it not have made more sense if it was like: "When this Neolithic home was built, it must have had a cosy roof of turf.
3-If this structure is used in historical texts, is it not a must to replace all scientific texts on pre-historic times which was written in simple past with this structure "would+have+past participle", because no writer can ever be %100 sure about anything that happened or must have happened 10 or 50 thousand years ago.? Perhaps any scientific texts (eg geography, history, anthropology etc) about how the world or life was like thousands of years ago.?


texts:
I have the following sentences here which is the correct one.

I would like to inform you that the departure timing has been changed.
I would like to inform you the departure timing has changed.
I would like to inform you that  departure timing has changed.

And why? When should I use that and the?


texts: Ellipses following coordinating conjunction

texts:
Let's say I want to combine the two clauses below into one sentence using the coordinating conjunction 'and'.

  She is 48.

  She is trying to get pregnant.

Which of the following is the correct /most natural way to do it and why?

  She is 48 and trying to get pregnant.

  She is 48 and is trying to get pregnant.

Another example:

  John is childish

  John hates losing

Which is the correct version?

  John is childish and hates losing.

or

  John is childish and he hates losing.


texts:
Is this sentence correct? "It was two years ago I first met her".

I think 'ago' is not suitable here. I replaced 'ago' by 'since': "It was two years since I first met her". Are both the sentences correct?


texts:
Cobb: [holding a bag] I brought these for you to give to the kids when you get a chance.
Miles: It'll take more than the occasional stuffed animal to convince those children they still have a father.Source: Dialogue from Inception (2010)

Could you explain the meaning of the second sentence? I understand the following separate phrases:

stuffed animal

to convince those children they still have a father

I still cannot get the point of the whole sentence, however.


texts:
When I write in English I use "I" a lot. Especially when I talk about something I have done or an experiment or any thing. My English is upper intermediate. What is the reason behind this? Which skill should I improve to solve this issue?

Have you noticed how many I's I have used in this post? :)


texts:
So, it makes sense to say:

The cup is on the table.

because it's on top of it. Likewise, it makes sense to say:

The cup is in the car.

because it's inside the car. But for other things, how do you know which one to use? For example:

I heard about it ___ the radio.
I like to go out ___ the weekends.
What is ___ the menu?
I read about it ___ the internet.


texts: When should I use the word 'that' between parts of sentences?

texts:
What is the correct syntax:

  I'm quite sure that your record was successfully created

Or

  I'm quite sure your record was successfully created


texts:
What would it mean:

We lost the data by 12 hours.
We missed it by 12 hours.


texts: The immediate meaning of "The video is powerful"

texts:
If a native English speaker finds a piece of paper with "The video is very powerful" written on it, what will be his first possible interpretation of its meaning?

Will it be like it's a phrase about the functionality of some video device or, rather, about how graphic some video footage was?


texts: What is the difference in pronunciation between "rider" and "writer"?

texts:
In the following sentence:

Jack London and Charles Dickens were both great writers.

How do you pronounce the "w" in "writer" to distinguish it from "rider"?
Additionally, is there any difference between the British English versus American English pronunciation?


texts: What's the difference, if any, between 'going to (do something)' (aka 'gonna') and 'fixing to (do something)' (aka 'finna')?

texts:
go

  [...]

  3 (be going to be/do something) Intend or be likely or intended to
  be or do something; be about to (used to express a future tense)

(from here)

  fix

  [...]

  4 (be fixing to do something) US dialect Be intending or planning to do something

(from here)

What's the difference (apart from the fact that the latter is mainly used by African-Americans and Eminem)? How do they differ semantically? The dictionary didn't help me much.


texts:
I object to rows because my nerves are shaken,

As far as I know, "row" means "a straight line or something similar to that" but I guess that definition doesn't fit into the category in this case.


texts: meaning of the phrase "make someone/something into onself"?

texts:
It is from Crash Course World History. It is at around 10 minute and 55 second. Here is the context:

  Basically Marx believed that classes don't only struggle to make history, but struggle is what makes classes into themselves.

I am aware what the phrasal verb make into means, but I am confused what make someone into onself means.


texts: Please help break down this sentence: "bespoke development software co-ordination of departmental..."

texts:
I've tried to parse this sentence out many times and still could not find where are the main clause and its verb. I am writing to ask for help to break it down.

bespoke development software co-ordination of departmental output
customer relationship management enterprise resource planning live
operation management mentoring relationship network-centric
enterprises object relational technology ongoing contractual
relationships overall control environment proactive system-based
solutions.


texts:
When it is a statement about a habit, a regular event, or things like that, what tense do we use in a noun clause: simple past or present perfect?
1

Whenever I go out, I have to check multiple times whether I have locked the door or not.

2

Whenever I go out, I have to check multiple times whether I locked the door or not.

In my view:
Using simple past here is weird because it sounds like a specific event that happened in the past.
Using present perfect is ok to my ears, but I don't know why.
Can you tell me why?


texts: Did I use "Form" appropriately in my sentence?

texts:
The water loss from earthen irrigation canals is usually divided in to two parts. 1 parts is infiltration or seepage, the other important part is evaporation from water surface.
 While in a humid climate the evaporation is not remarkable, in arid climate it is very important.
I wanted to know if I have used the  verb "form" appropriately in the following sentence.

In arid regions,the evaporation from the water surface forms significant/remarkable part of water loss in irrigation canals

cheers.


texts:
I understand the difference between these constructions: "has gone to", "has been to", "has been in":

"has gone to" — there or on his way to;
"has been to" — someone has been there but he is on his way back;
"has been in" — someone is still there;

But now I am puzzled by next statements:

Have you ever been to / in Greece? — Yes, it's a very beautiful country;
When did you last go to Canada? — I've never been to Canada.

If I use "has you ever gone to Greece" construction in the first case or "I have never gone to Canada" in the second statement will it be uncorrect? Or just will sound odd? May I say "I have never been in Canada" in the second sentence. Or in these case all of the variants are possible, the problem is in how people usually say it (in what how it perfectly sounds)?


texts: How do we call women not related to us, of different ages? The usage of mother, aunt and grandma

texts: Do I call my friend's mother aunt Mai or mother Mai? She is a compassionate woman of no relation. And if the woman is very old and of no relation may I call her grandma Marla or what?


texts: What does "Place swimming in soup" mean?

texts:
“Oh the usual,” said Nearly Headless Nick(about Peeves), shrugging. “Wreaked havoc and mayhem. Pots and pans everywhere. Place swimming in soup. Terrified the house-elves out of their wits -”

I'm kind of confused about the phrase "Place swimming in soup" in this context. I guess it just means Peeves literally was swimming in the soup. But I'm not sure why 'place' is used. Is there any difference between "Place swimming in soup" and "swim in the soup"? What does it truly mean in this context?


texts: What does **reluctant, eager** mean together here?

texts:
What does reluctant, eager mean together here? As I translate these terms are opposite separately. And where is the main verb here after the subject? Could someone explain grammar of Meg reluctant, eager to get...

  They went up the path to the house, Meg reluctant, eager to get on
  into the town. ‘Let’s hurry,’ she begged, ‘please! Don’t you want to
  find father?’

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle


texts:
I am reading a great book “Principles.” of Dalio, Ray
There's a paraphrase called “Make believability-weighted decisions.”

  “• Make believability-weighted decisions.
  My painful mistakes shifted me from having a perspective of “I know I’m right” to having one of “How do I know I’m right?” They gave me the humility I needed to balance my audacity. Knowing that I could be painfully wrong and curiosity about why other smart people saw things differently prompted me to look at things through the eyes of others as well as my own. That allowed me to see many more dimensions than if I saw things just through my own eyes. Learning how to weigh people’s inputs so that I chose the best ones — in other words, so that I believability weighted my decision making — increased my chances of being right and was thrilling. At the same time, I learned to:”

I searched and found that there's no such a word 'believability'.
In dictionary.com, it implies that 'believability' is synonymous with 'credibility'.

Additionally, I search the verb meaning of weight

  Verb 1
  If you weight something, you make it heavier by adding something to it, for example in order to stop it from moving easily.
  Verb 2
  If you weight things, you give them different values according to how important or significant they are.

I guess 'weight' is 'verb 1' of 'make it heavier by adding something to it'

In conclusion, “Make believability-weighted decisions.” is “Make credibility-biased decisions.”

Honestly, I didn't understand the author's intention throughly.

Why he labored to invent 'believability' instead of 'credibility', especially he applied the phrase 'believability weighted' as a whole for a verb in 'I believability weighted my decision making'.


texts:
You want to do fishing?
  Do you know how to do fishing?

Are both correct with the word fishing standing alone, or should there be "some" all the time?


texts:
Between these sentences, which one is correct/preferable?

  Answers are for answering the question, not commenting.

  Answers are to answer the question, not to comment it.

Is "for [gerund]" acceptable in some cases, for example in set phrases?


texts: Different word for use instead quicksilver (adjective)?

texts:
I was reading one song, and the title is:

  "(Quicksilver daydreams of) Maria"

I searched some meanings, but they most sound pejorative and I think that is not the idea the phrase is trying to pass with quicksilver daydreams.

I found some words like voluble (this is not a bad choice), unstable, changeable.

What are good words to use that mean inconstant, but are not pejorative?


texts: Which one is more correct, "near impossible" or "nearly impossible"?

texts:
Usually, I write This task is nearly impossible, but I read the following line in a blog:

  Even though prices have been dipping, it's near impossible to manufacture a smartphone at such a low price.

Is it correct? I also want to know whether nearly impossible is more used in Indian English.


texts:
I have gone through some documents in google about past perfect continuous tense and came to know below things.

The past perfect continuous tense (also known as the past perfect progressive tense) shows that an action that started in the past continued up until another time in the past. The past perfect continuous tense is constructed using had been + the verb’s present participle (root + -ing).
Unlike the present perfect continuous, which indicates an action that began in the past and continued up to the present, the past perfect continuous is a verb tense that indicates something that began in the past, continued in the past, and also ended at a defined point in the past.

First point I agree completely, is the second point is correct if so can you please give me examples?


texts: What does it meaning of "that's original" in this sentence?

texts:
Context: Conrad Greene is talking on the phone about the painting whereabouts.

  Oh, it's you! Where's my painting? I want my painting. In the mail?
  Well, that's original!

Sentence taken from "Entrapment (1999)" movie.


texts: Is it possible to use progressive with an indefinite quantity like 'many'?

texts:
Imagine that I  ordered a book  through the net 2 months ago and so far I haven't received it yet. I have been trying  to contact the seller but none of my emails has been answered. Right now I writing a new email beginning by:

  I have been sending many emails since I made my order.

Is it possible to use progressive (ongoing situation until I have received an answer or the book) with 'many' which is an indefinite quantity? I know that with a definite quantity it is better to employ present perfect simple:

  I  have read 6 books, eaten 7 apples.


texts: Singular or plural : Each + has/have + his/their

texts:
What is the correct use of pronoun with each/every/each of

Each of the boys has/have brought his/their pen.
Each boy has/have brought his/their pen.

Please explain which is correct pronoun here,  his or their


texts: How would I refer to "one quadrillionth" in a everyday way?

texts:
I guess if I say

  one hundredth

people would probably easily know what I mean, it is equal to 0.01, 1% or 1/100.

Although I am not sure whether I said it correctly.

How about 1/1,000,000,000,000,000?

I don't even know how to call the "1,000,000,000,000,000" part before I google it.

I guess most of us don't know how many zeros are in a quadrillion before looking it up.

So, I am afraid directly call that thing "one quadrillionth" is not a good idea, especially in speaking. What would I refer to it?

How about "one million billionth", as google knows it?

Could someone please give a hint? Thanks in advance.


texts:
I've been reading a novel which original language is chinese and in the translation a there's a part that I don't know if its the correct:

  [...] "This butterfly was extremely intelligent. Not only was it not frightened, it even temporarily stopped on his fingertips, both wings glittering and beautiful to the utmost degree."

which one is correct, "was it not" or "it wasn't" ?

I'm not a native speaker, and since the amount of time given in the schools to english subject is very little so I've learn english mostly by my own, therefore I apologize and I would like to know if I made any mistake in here, thank you.


texts: "Would have been able to do something" vs "would have been able to have done something"

texts:
Tell me please if there is any difference in meaning between the following sentences.

  If I had worked overtime, I wouldn't have been able to finish my project.
  If I had worked overtime, I wouldn't have been able to have finished my project.

I cannot see the difference but feel there is a small one, if someone would use the perfect infinitive in the past conditional as in my second question. By the way, I have heard a native English speaker use the perfect infinitive in the past conditional only once.


texts: Is "what did he say" pronounced /wɒ ti di seɪ/ for contraction in everyday quick speak?

texts:
I know there are rules for pronunciation contraction and I learned some of those, I still not sure about this one

  "What did he say?"

Is it pronounced /wɒ ti di seɪ/ for contraction in everyday quick speak?


texts: 1st brother, 2nd brother, if the next in line is a girl, should i refer to her as 3rd sister or 1st sister?

texts: Pretty much the title. I'm thinking of writing about a family or organization that refer to their members as to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc... followed by gender. Is it alright to refer to them as is or will it confuse (maybe just me) a lot of people? Are there other alternatives?


texts:
I believe that the advantages of buying a property greatly outweigh the short-term savings to be made by renting.

In above sentence what is the role of to be in ("to be made")? Can I write "that are made" instead.

I guess "to be made" is the short for "that are intended to be made" if this is correct is this structure  a general structure and can be use in other similar situations?


texts:
I have a table listing microbiology equipment supplies like microtubes, microplates etc. The rightmost column is called "срок годности" in Russian, which means "term of suitability", and is usually translated as "expiration date". The data in the column are in the format "12.2017" (month.year).

But isn't "expiration date" for edible and/or organic items and other "expiring" things only? The microtubes won't "expire", they might last several centuries yet, due to being made of plastic.

What could be a better name for this particular column? "Use by date"?


texts: `Certain proteins will use microtubes as tracks for laying out organelles in a cell`

texts:
What does the following sentence mean, especially last part?

  Certain proteins will use microtubes as tracks for laying out
  organelles in a cell.


texts:
If you were to indicate that a subject belongs to a specific field (say, physics), would you say "the subject on physics" or "the subject of physics"?

I found a similar question as to whether "the knowledge on" or "the knowledge of" is correct, and it turns out more native speaker point to "knowledge of" as the standard and correct usage.

Anyway, a search in Netspeak reveals that "subject of" has 7.7 million times of usage as opposed to "subject on" at 169 thousand times.
http://www.netspeak.org/#query=subject+%253F

Here's the result from Google.

But I still wonder if the word subject can be followed by "on" and then a specific field (physics), or if I should just always stick to the preposition "of".

I have this question in mind because I found this online news titled "Perkasa Wants Students To Learn This New Subject On The Malaysian Constitution"
http://says.com/my/news/perkasa-wants-asas-perlembagaan-to-be-taught-in-schools

Of course, I'm aware the news was not written by a native American.

I was educated to use "on" to indicate a noun belongs to a specific field.
Is this a wrong concept that has never been used by native speakers?


texts: difference between past simple and past continuous - when I called her

texts:
When I called her, she was studying.

I know what it means.

  When I called her, she studied.

But does the second sentence mean she started studying when I called her?


texts:
In the following sentence

  "... I did not want to prolong his stay on the witness stand for fear there would not be any time left for them to call Darry Brewer that day."

Is the phrase construction in bold grammatically correct?
Is the usage common in this way?
Is there any other way fear could've been used in the sentence above?
Are any of the following usages correct?

A) "... On the witness stand because of the fear [that] there would not be any time ..."

B) "... On the witness stand out of [the] fear [that] there would not be any time..."

C) "... On the witness stand out of [the] fear of no time being left for them to call..."


texts: How do you clarify the period for which a debt has been accruing?

texts: You haven't made due payments for, say, one month, how do you say it? 'One month's debt'? 'Debt for one month'?


texts: I have been taught that it's grammatically proper to use the before countries like "Sudan and Yemen" but I was never given a reason (if there exists any, of course) when I asked why, except for "it is one of those ambiguous parts of English language that we – as non-native speakers – should just accept without trying to look for a reason". Now, I'd like to know if there is any answer to this "why" or I should keep on believing that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to questions like these.


texts: Is grammatically possible and natural to say "I wish you weren't doing" and "I wish you wouldn't be doing"?

texts:
Is grammatically possible and natural to say I wish you weren't doing and I wish you wouldn't be doing? For example:

I wish you weren't smoking.
I wish you wouldn't be smoking.

If it is possible and natural, then what would be the difference in meaning between them and the following?

I wish you didn't smoke.
I wish you wouldn't smoke.


texts:
In 1996, Mrs. Clara and Mr. Smith died. They buried each other in the Mexico.

I couldn't take a look at the usage of the verb ''to bury''. However, the point is to check out whether or not I can use ''each other''.

Regards!


texts: The present progressive to talk about the future

texts:
Suppose we ask the following question:

  Did you know I'm getting a new job?

Does it suggest that I've already found the job but probably not started yet. I mean can this meaning be possible in some context?


texts:
As a consequence of a different discussion, I realized this:

Are abbreviations "proper" words?

(I use the broad meaning for abbreviation, not the strictest meaning)

E.g.:

C.I.A.
abbr.
Prof.
Dr.
...

Note: of course, the word "abbreviation" in itself is a proper word.

Very related question: How do we define "proper" words?


texts:
"They agreed by November 2005. But the accident that/the same month caused tension."

Should it be "that same month" or "the same month"?


texts: Is "I wish I had studied English further" correct?

texts:
I want to express regret for not having studied more English when I was a kid. Is this sentence correct?

  I wish I had studied English further.


texts: What is the equivalent of "flip through" for movies?

texts:
According to Oxford Dictionary, flip through means:

  Look or search quickly through (a volume or a collection of papers).

Is there a similar phrase that can be used for a movie? To get the main idea or search for something quickly, for instance.


texts: In American English, why is the past tense of "plan" spelt "planned"?

texts: In American English, a lot of words are spelt with a single consonant plus "-ed", rather than two consonants as you often find in British English. Why isn't "plan" spelt with a single consonant?


texts:
I would like to understand how to refer to a given matrix in my English sentence.

  The matrix, M, refers to model A.

or

  M matrix refers to model A.

Which one is correct?


texts:
cor‧ner 1 /ˈkɔːnə $ ˈkɔːrnər/ ●●● S1 W2 noun
1 WHERE TWO LINES/EDGES MEET [countable] the point at which two lines
or edges meet
He pulled a dirty handkerchief out by its corner and waved it at me.
corner of  Their initials were sewn on the corner of every pillow.
in the corner (of something)  The TV station’s name appears in the
corner of the screen.
on the corner (of something)  Jessie sat on the corner of her bed.
three-cornered/four-cornered etc  a three-cornered hat

Normally, dictionaries often say "the corner of a thing", for example, "the corner of the room". However, there are corners that are formed by 2 or 3 things. Then, how are we going to express it, for example, "the corner of the wall and the wardrobe" or "the corner between the wall and the wardrobe"?
Do we say "lean the broom in the corner of the wall and the wardrobe" or "lean the broom in the corner between the wall and the wardrobe"?


texts: Does it sound awkward if you use the same word two times in a text to express two different things?

texts:
In this case I'm using the word "look" to express two different things. Does it make the text sound unnatural or awkward?

Look how every man in the party are extremely kind with her. That's something that only happens when you have that kind of look.


texts:
I arrived in a hotel and the receptionist asked me if I would take the breakfast tomorrow in this hotel. He said "Will you take the breakfast" and told me that I could give my answer once  I had  made myself comfortable in my room.
I answered "ok"  and ten minutes later after making my self  comfortable  I  answered "I will take it "
Could I have answered "I'm taking the breakfast tomorrow at the hotel".


texts: What does the word expression mean here?

texts:
This is a question from OkCupid, a dating app:

  If you had to name your greatest motivation in life thus far, what
  would it be?

There are 4 options: Love, Knowledge, Wealth, Expression.

What does expression mean here?


texts: I 'shall/would' be highly obliged if you 'would'

texts:
What the difference between two bold sentences is?

  I am sorry to state that I applied for a new telephone on 05.02.2016. Though more than two years have passed since the application, I have not received the new connection yet nor have I been informed at what stage my application for the connection is at present. Kindly let me know when I can expect the connection.

  I shall be highly obliged if you take immediate steps in this regard.
  I would be highly obliged if you would take immediate steps in this regard.

My question is, are both the bold sentences correct In the above context? If yes, what is the difference between them?


texts: English equivalent to "My mother - sent me - to a private english teacher when I was a child"

texts:
In Spanish it's usual to use "send" when we express things like:

  My mother sent me to a private english teacher when I was a child.

Search engines just throw very very few examples related to this, so I'm suspecting it's not a proper or common way to say it in English, so which is it?


texts:
You have two dogs which are black and white, two white dogs, and two black dogs. Have the following sentences correctly distinghsed them?

There are white and black dogs (two white and two black only)
There are white and black dogs (two white and black dogs only)


texts:
I was looking forward ____ at the new restaurant, but it was closed.

Are to eat and to eating both correct or only the last one ?


texts:
I saw that word from a novel 'Baker's blue-jay yarn' by Mark Twain.
And here is the sentence.

"He never stopped to take a look anymore - he just hove 'em in and went for more. Well, at last he could hardly flop his wings, he was so tuckered out. He comes a-dropping down, once more, sweating like an ice pitcher, drops his acorn in and says."

Is the author saying 'ice pitcher' to describe how sweaty the bird is? Because I searched 'pitcher' and the dictionary said it is a kind of kitchen utensils.


texts: Is it idiomatic to say "Pretend that I have a 10 year old son"?

texts:
In my another post ("Have you done a poo?" vs. "Did you poo?") I said

  Pretend that I have a 10 year old son.

Is it idiomatic? Does that sound natural? Is it an appropriate beginning for discussion?


texts: What is "a very understandably, deeply inducing prospect"?

texts:
What does "inducing prospect" mean here?

  "... . Being inside our minds is for most of us and very understandably, a deeply anxiety inducing prospect."

Source 1:25s


texts:
"With love comes responsibility."
How is it different from "Responsibility comes with love"? And would it be incorrect to say  "Love with responsibility comes"?


texts:
The baby cries all morning.

  The baby has been crying all morning.

I think both of these are grammatical but carry different meanings. The first one shows a general habit while the second one shows something has happened in the near past. Am I correct?


texts: Gone to the competition or for the competition

texts:
A girl had taken part in a competition. She had to go to another school. Someone asked me "Where is A?". I replied:

  She has gone to the competition (or "contest) to school X.

  She has gone for the contest/competition to school X.

I feel "gone for" sounds more natural. Am I right in thinking so?


texts: Have or had? What's the difference when used in a relative clause

texts:
For example-

  I'm gonna use these glasses I had / have never worn before.

  I'll show you my shoes you had / have never seen.

Two questions:

Are they both correct since "never" is in presence?

And is it okay to add the word "before" since it feels unnecessary?


texts: "To kill someone" vs "To have someone killed"

texts:
In a movie, I’ve heard “Are you going to have me killed?”
How’s this different from “Are you going to kill me?” Is there a certain rule for that?

If you’re wondering where I heard this, it was Smallville s01e04 29:05
The context:

  Have a nice life
  If you walk out that door, I will make you disappear
  What are you gonna do? You gonna have me killed?


texts: Is it correct to end a sentence with "still"?

texts:
I've seen still used at the end of a sentence a lot of times. For example

"I love you, still"
"I would recommend you to do that, still"

Etc. Is it correct to use still this way?


texts:
If we want to ask about a person's particular qualities, which of the following fits best?

  A. How should a teacher be like?

  B. How should be a teacher?

  C. What should a teacher be like?

To me, the third sounds best, since we are referring to the behavior of a teacher. We're not asking about his health.


texts: Gerunds:Having+past participle and being+past participle

texts:
Here are two sentences:

  My having been to South-Korea helped me learn the languages when I took the classes.

  Being accepted to Harvard university was the greatest day of my life.

Is it common or natural way to write such 'having+past participle' and being+past participle construction in formal writing? Or should I use the other alternatives for these? Are these construction encouraged in writing? And What about in spoken English?
Thanks.

source http://www.myenglishteacher.net/gerunds.html


texts: Which one is correct - look at you or look at yourself?

texts: I've seen in some movies the phrase 'look at you' being used.I've heard 'look at yourself' but never that.Is that makes any sense?What's the difference between the two?


texts: What is the difference between "In the manner of" and "in the way of"?

texts:
I saw in a grammar book that the phrase 'in the manner of' in the following sentence should be corrected as 'in the way of'. Can anyone explain in details the difference between the two? Thanks.

"Through the sessions they not only facilitate better communication skills in the workplace, but also look into the problems in the manner of being able to convey messages effectively."


texts: What it it called when you turn a lid to close a jar?

texts: There's a jar, there's a thread on the top of the jar. What verb do you use when you take a lid, place it to the top of a jar, and then turn it clockwise until it tightly fits the jar? What do you do with the lid?


texts:
"At HSBC our objective is to be the world's leading international bank. In all that we do, we also must consider the potential risks.
  In your opinion, what are the top three risks facing HSBC globally and why?"

This paragraph is cited from a bank's website,HSBC in question is the abbreviation of the bank.

The sentence in bold confuses me.
Why did they use "facing"  instead of "which HSBC is facing"?
Is it grammatically correct, if it is, why?
Thank you!


texts: Is there a word for a person who's like this?

texts:
When you try to explain something to a person, and they still believe in what they want to, even if you've given them evidences to prove your point, what is that person called?

I mean, a person with whom reasoning is pointless, because you know that whether or not deep down they know you're right, they will still shut their ears to what you're saying because they've decided what they're gonna believe in - what do you call them?

"Stubborn" doesn't do the trick.


texts:
I live in Kazakhstan and I have to provide my address for one U.S. site. There are 3 lines : Street Address 1(street address, P.O. Box, c/o), Street Address 2, Street Address 3. How should I fill this lines if I live in Ikhsanov street, house/apartment 105(btw, what do Americans write here house or anything else?), flat/door 17(here's the same thing, what should I write?) for instance.

Thank you.


texts: Syntax operations. What are the operations involved in the pair here?

texts:
What are the syntactic operations are involved in the following pair?

IT was:

  she talked with him via email?

IT became:

  With whom did she talk via email? syntax

My book shows that syntactic operations are merge, move, verb rising and so on.

Would you please help me. This is one of the practice questions and I have a test tomorrow.


texts: Totes my goats! What the heck does this mean?

texts:
There has been that annoying Sprint commercial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRibRj770J8) on the TV lately where Malcolm McDowell screams out "Totes my goats!". So I've
googled that but was not satisfied with the explanation from the urban dictionary and sites alike. So what is it anyway?


texts:
Is there at least one right sentence on the list?

1) You should say it to no one

2) You shouldn't say it to no one

3) You say it to no one


texts: What does the phrase 'at the grassroots' mean?

texts:
The president called upon the faculty, students, and alumni of IIM-Ahmedabad to continue to engage with creative minds from industry, business, entrepreneurs, society leaders and with those who work at the grassroots.
What is the meaning of the phrase 'at the grassroots' in the above sentence?


texts: ''Amoral'' --- ''lacking sense of morality'' equivalence?

texts:
Amoral in its dogmatic usage refers to irrelevant to morality, see, say http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/amoral.

But I am wondering:

1) In current usage, is this word also used to mean immoral?

2) If 1) is affirmative, is there any example?

3) Is using this word free from causing misunderstanding?

As an instance of 3), suppose I wish to say that sciences are amoral to mean that sciences themselves are irrelevant to moral judgements. Will this expression cause people to misperceive my words?


texts:
How do I rewrite these sentences with the form in parentheses?

I bought the new car because the salesperson impressed me with his offer. (impressive)

My teacher gave us a very motivational talk about doing our best. (motivate)

I gave out my account information because I was fooled by a thief's impersonation of my bank. (impersonate)


texts: Expressing that something has been found in a literal source using only the name of the author

texts:
If I have hit upon an interesting idea in a book by O'Henry and I want to say it briefly, how can I do this correctly?

I found it by O'Henry.
I found it at O'Henry.
I found it at O'Henry's.
I found it with O'Henry.
I fond it in O'Henry.
I found it in O'Henry's.


texts:
"I am home."

How to change "I" to "Daddy"?

Daddy is home?


texts: "The irony was lost on no one, least of all"

texts:
Kojève first life was transformed abruptly in 1939 when he finished his reading of the Phenomenology and the Germans almost simultaneously invaded Czechoslovakia. The irony was lost on no one, least of all Kojève, who would often joke about the coincidence years later.

Can you provide me the exact explanation of the phrase "The irony was lost on no one, least of all Kojève". I know that when something "is not lost on you", it means you are able to understand it. But I do not understand the part "least of all Kojève". Does it mean that at least Kojève was the one that found irony in the coincidence?


texts: It will be delivered after it [ is | was | will be ] inspected?

texts:
I have a problem understanding the difference between these sentences. Before new chapter in my English book I was kind of ok with all three sentences, but now I'm having trouble understanding them and if any is incorrect too.

Three sentences are:

  a/ It will be delivered after it is inspected.
  b/ It will be delivered after it was inspected.
  c/ It will be delivered after it will be inspected.

Could you tell me if there is any difference between them and what that is?

I feel that a/ and c/ are very similar in meaning and both correct but I b/ feels kinda wrong/weird to me but I don't know why or if that is actually true.
What is the difference between a/ and c/ (and b/)?
Thank you very much for help.


texts: Dash use in "There are a lot of opportunities and institutions—all essential for the research."

texts:
Is it okay to write an incomplete sentence("all essential for the research") after the dash in the example below?

There are a lot of opportunities and institutions—all essential for the research.


texts:
I am describing a comparison between two situations:

A government (e.g. a communist one) that takes all the property of everyone and re-divides it.
A government (e.g. a welfare state) that taxes some of the property of the rich people but lets them keep most of their property.

I am looking for a general noun that describes, in the second situation, the fact that people are allowed to keep their property. It should be used in the following sentence:

  The second government satisfies the partial ___________ principle, which means that each person is allowed to keep a part of his property.

I am looking for a word which emphasizes the fact that they "keep" and "remain" with (some of) their current property

Maybe "persistence" or "consistency"? Something similar to these?


texts:
Which of these two sentences are wrong?

  A: She understood a few minutes later the explanation

  B: A few minutes later she understood the explanation


texts: Is it correct to say "from first day of your job"?

texts:
I want to say:

You can't make money from first day of your job

Is that correct to say from first day of your job?
Also does it make sense to say:

You can't make money in the first year/ first two years of your job.


texts: Should a widowed or divorced woman say "I am a housewife"?

texts:
Ok, let say Mary married to Bill & she does not go to work. She decided to be a housewife.

Now, her husband died or divorced her. Then, should she say "I am a housewife" when someone asks her "what are you doing?".

Or should she say "I am a homemaker"?


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

1.After getting your message, I redesigned in the way you asked me to.
2.After getting your message, I redesigned the way you asked me to.
3.After getting your message, I redesigned as you asked me to.
4.After getting your message, I redesigned in a way you asked me to.

I think #123 are right and the same meaning, so I can use whatever I want. But #4 is not referring to the definite way that has been mentioned above using 'A'. So #4 is not appropriate. Am I right to think this way?


texts: What is a word or idiom of describing "You had pick and bring some job/assignment of trouble to me?"

texts:
What is a word or idiom of describing "You had pick some job/assignment full of trouble to me?"

For example, situation can be your boss told you to bring a letter all the way from NY to california.


texts: How: accuracy of government statistics would be reduced? - Test 3, Q24, by Mark Shepherd

texts:
Source: p 145, Mastering the National Admissions Test for Law, Mark Shepherd.

  Lower middle of para 3: ...Added to
  this, there was the administrative practice in the 1980s and 1990s of re- classifying
  the unemployed as incapacitated, thereby reducing the unemployment claimant
  count. This practice was followed particularly rigorously in some of the areas with
  the highest unemployment rates.

24. The effect of the administrative practice of re- classifying the unemployed as
incapacitated would be likely to be that:
(a) Unemployment claimant count would be reduced
(b) Incapacity claimant count would be increased
(c) Accuracy of government statistics would be reduced
(d) All of the above
(e) None of the above

(a) to (c), (e). INCORRECT. See (d).
(d) CORRECT. Under the policy in question, people were effectively being transferred
from the unemployment claimant count to the incapacity claimant
count. This would inevitably diminish the accuracy of the statistics as people
were being classifi ed wrongly (presumably for political reasons, so as to reduce
unemployment fi gures).

Why's (c) right? The passage says nothing about government statistics. It's possible that the government did record and track the people whose counts were transferred?


texts: Why was "the room" not used in "Prices vary according to the type of room you require"?

texts:
The sentence below is an example sentence from Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary for the entry for the verb "vary".
I wonder why the room was not used and why just room was used here.
As "room" here is a space that somebody specifically requires, I think it can be regarded as a specified noun.

  Prices vary according to the type of room you require.

Thank you very much.


texts:
I would like ask for phrases/idioms that can be used to praise someone (especially children) for spotting small things that would otherwise go unnoticed.

I know that 'well spotted' is a common one, and 'good catch' can be used when mistakes are identified. Are there any others that have similar meanings?

Many thanks.


texts: Can I remove relative pronoun and keep the punctuation?

texts:
Is it ok to remove "whom" in the following sentence?

  He finally met Paul, whom he had always admired.

I personally believe that if I remove both comma and pronoun it would be correct:

  He finally met Paul he had always admired.

But this one does not make sense. I don't know why, but it seems wrong:

  He finally met Paul, he had always admired.

Am I right?


texts: How can i pronounce letter 'a' correctly?

texts:
I've read different questions about pronouncing 'a' like this :
Sounds of the letter a

In my native tongue-Arabic- there are 3 degrees of pronouncing 'a'

degree one is like able
degree two is like marry
degree three is like are

My confusion is in 2 things:

The symbols used in answers like æ, ə, etc. are difficult to me (please guide me how to understand them)
Can you tell me when specifically should I use each one of these three degrees?


texts:
I have seen both the prepositions being used, but wonder which is correct. If both are correct, what is the rule for the correct usage?
The same may apply to other phrases. For example, 'Greetings of the season' or 'Greetings for the season'


texts:
I'd want to use the adjective "real" for pronoun "us"
Am I right in this way?
"The real us", or "the realest thing of us" or "the real self of us"?


texts: Is there a "the" in "I am a student in (the) course Data Structure"?

texts:
Should there be a "the" in

  I am a student in (the) course Data Structure?

"Data Structure" is the title of the course.

Thanks!


texts: Why do some sentences have "thy" instead of "the"?

texts:
I saw many times thy used instead of the, so why is that? When should I use it? What is the pronunciation of thy?

From the Bible (Christianity.SE)

  Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul

And here on ELL.SE

  “I tell thee, Brother Nicodemus, thy offences are numberless as the
  weeds which grow by the way-side. Here be many who have much to say of
  thee : —speak, Brother Ulick!”

  —William Clarke, Three Courses and a Dessert, 1830


texts:
I wrote:

  Pre-Assignments are set immediately after a node is matched, before visiting any child node.

The bold part actually rephrase the preceding phrase (italic part).

Is it a case of apposition?

A similar example is:

  I do my homework immediately after I come home, before doing anything else.


texts: How do we punctuate an abbreviation followed by a colon?

texts:
When making bullet points of details about something, do we punctuate the abbreviation?
Is it this way?

The details of the Vehicle are given below:

Vehicle Chassis No.: [dot and colon with no space]
Vehicle Chassis No. [dot only]
Vehicle Chassis No. : [dot and colon with space]

Which one them is right?


texts: The adverb to ask someone to kick a ball with less power

texts:
Suppose a kid is playing football inside the house and you want to ask him to kick the ball with less power. Which adverb can be used here?
e.g. John, kick the ball .... !

more calmly
more weakly
more slowly
etc.


texts:
While reading god is not Great by Christopher Hitchens, I've come across the following sentence:

This echoes the line taken by the Shinto —another quasi-religion enjoying state support— that Japanese soldiers really fell for the cause of Asian independence.

I can't come up with what take the line means here at all.

I've made my search and found a few examples on the Internet, which are:

“One may take the line that metaphorical devices are inevitable in the early stages of any science and that although we may look with amusement today upon the “essences,” “forces,” “phlogistons,” and “ethers,” of the science of yesterday, these nevertheless were essential to the historical process. (B.F. Skinner, Critique of Psychoanalytic Concepts and Theories)
“If the Creator should take the line that I am born to work and not to sleep, I would agree that I am indeed born to work but I would also make the unanswerable point that I cannot work unless I also rest.” (Sōseki Natsume, I Am a Cat)
Further, let me at once make it plain that in regard to the part that the Church might play I am not going to take the line that it and it alone has the monopoly of so-called healing. (Symposium on the Rehabilitation of the Cancer Disabled: At the Royal College of Surgeons London 1971)

Having considered these examples, I can only suggest, though I'm not so sure, that it might mean have the view that.

Am I right or is it something far more different?

Thank you very much.


texts: Can we omit "to" after the verb "said" in some cases?

texts:
Can we leave out to after the verb said in some cases? I'm asking this because I saw it used that way on a website. I think it was a typo, but I would like to be sure.

This is the sentence I found on that website:

  I said him that he was intelligent.

In my opinion the writer should have written:

  I said to him that he was intelligent.


texts: Using "with" in the meaning of "contain"

texts:
Which of the following constructions are equivalent to "contain"? Which ones are more idiomatic?

  A web page showing the search results for a product
  A web page of the search results for a product
  A web page with the search results for a product
  A web page containing the search results for a product
  An HTML element containing the text "StackExchange"
  An HTML element with the text "StackExchange"
  An HTML element labeled with the text "StackExchange"


texts: Should there be an "and" in this sentence?

texts:
Due to the nature of helicopter, external loads involving essential persons or equipment, diligent review and compliance with the
  manufacturer's balance data is required.

The bold part is confusing. Why is there no "and" between "helicopter" and "external"? Does it mean "due to the nature of (helicopter) and (external loads involving essential...)"?


texts: Is there another phrase or way of saying "preceded someone to a room"? I thought of "leading someone to a room", but I think it doesn't imply that you went inside the room first, can "leading someone to a room" also mean "preceded him to a room"? Is there any set phrase that means this, I have been looking for a phrase that means that, but without much success.


texts: What's the difference in meaning between "in the north of the city" and "in the north in the city"?

texts:
I want to know if the two phrases are the same, or not.

If not, what are the meanings of each one?

Thank you.


texts: What's the difference between "happen to be" and "used to be"?

texts:
Can they be used interchangeably in following example?

  Put that thing back where it used to be.
  Put that thing back where it happen to be.


texts: What's the negative statement for "used to"?

texts:
For the routine/regular work in the past, we say :

I used to get up early in the morning when I was 8 year old.

What will be the negative statement for this?

I heard people saying :

I did not use to get up....
I would not get up......

Both are same ? What's the correct negative statement ? Please explain.


texts:
In the movie Love, Actually there is this quote:

  "Beautiful Aurelia, I've come here with a view of asking you to marriage me."

However, I've learned that 'marriage' can be used as a noun, not a verb.

Similarly, there are other quotes which are said by the same person, such as

  "of course I prediction you say no... ".

I also have learned that 'prediction' can be used as noun, not verb.
I am confused with this.


texts: any construct getting formal when they get shorter? Normally, when you shorten a phrase, then they feel like informal or colloquial. I heard that 'be to' construct is the short form of 'be going to' in somewhere else. So I was wondering if there's any example of this kind of transition.


texts: loud explosions "in as many minutes around noon" - I don't understand

texts:
Source: Fighting rages in rebel-held city in eastern Ukraine; govt demands that rebels surrender

  Conditions were clearly deteriorating in Donetsk, the largest rebel stronghold in eastern Ukraine. Associated Press reporters heard 25 loud explosions in as many minutes around noon. According to city council spokesman Maxim Rovinsky, at least one person was killed and 10 injured in shelling overnight, as more than 10 residential buildings, a hospital and a shop were heavily damaged in the fighting.

Alright, they heard 25 load explosions around noon. Fine. Makes perfect sense. But how does in as many minutes fit into the sentence grammatically? And what does that even mean?


texts:
Provided such a context given by a TOEFL listening text,

  From the perspective of world history, modern history refers to the time around when capitalism began. It is not at all easy, however, to pigeon-hole modern Korean history within the world historical context. This is attributed to the historical fact that Korea was colonized by Japan.

I looked up the Merrain Unabridged and Cambridge online,

Merriam Unabridged,

Cambridge online

Since to me most suitable definition would be 3 of Merriam, I would like you to confirm if my understanding is correct.


texts: improving "apply understanding about A to examine B"

texts:
(after I wrote sentences in which I discuss about occupational freedom, I wrote the sentence like the below)

  I apply these understanding about an occupational freedom to examine
  the constitutionality of Japanese law school’s current admission
  system.

1) I'm concerned if "apply understanding about A to examine B" sounds awkward.

Could you teach me how to express this better?

2) I feel weird about putting "an" before freedom since it's constitutional right.

3) I repeat using the term "law school's admission system" because I can't find any expression that can replace "system".

If there exists such expression, please teach me.


texts: Is natural to use the phrasal verb "check with" in the sense of "consult"?

texts:
Is it natural to use check with in the following sentence?

  If you don't know the meaning of words, check with dictionaries to find out.


texts: will + present continuous vs past continuous

texts:
Are sentence 1 and sentence 2 in the same meaning?

  Maybe I'll be surprised, maybe they'll just blow me away with something I am not expecting, who knows?
  Maybe I'll be surprised, maybe they'll just blow me away with something I was not expecting, who knows?


texts: should I use single or plural form here？

texts:
...help the children draw the animal(s) they choose.

When each child can only choose one animal, which form is correct?

I guess plural form is correct here, since the "children" is in plural form.


texts:
I try to find out how to pluralize the word Legacy.
Like:
one Legacy
two Legacies
three Legacies

Is this correct?
I search online but all I can find is what the word "plural" means not a way to pluralize


texts: Finding word given description/situation

texts:
This problem is faced by me often when I search something on Web.

When we don't know meaning of a word, we just refer a dictionary and understand it but what if I know how to describe a thing but don't know what word do we denote it by?

Do we have a word to represent such "reverse search"?

Example: Let's say I don't know the word "witch" but I know that there exist something known as "a woman having evil power", how to search such things on the web so that we can get the word witch?


texts: "it WAS about heart break" or "it IS about heart break"?

texts:
I have read in the newspaper:

"That movie was an interesting experience because it was about heart
break."

Here can we use is in the second clause? Please explain with some more examples.


texts:
I wrote this sentence " He didn't have his father, mother and wife.".

And the sentence is corrected to "He didn't have his Father, Mother or his wife." by a native speaker.

I wanted to say "He didn't have his father and mother. He didn't also have his wife.", that is he didn't have all them. Why is "or"?


texts: Help me parse this comma interrupter structure

texts:
The student was trying to structure an interrupter. I am looking for a grammatical explanation to help her understand the error between the conjunction and the preposition. Beyond just explaining the meaning of each term ('even though' and 'with'), isn't the subject also needed before the interrupter begins?

  On the other hand, big cities are excellent places for people who like diversity. These cities have a population of millions of people. People around the world come to big cities to find better job opportunities, or because they are looking for places with lots of fun. Even though, with many people going from one place to another,
  traffic on the streets will always be a problem in the big cities. Unlike from small towns, the social environment is more diverse.


texts: what is the concept of "similar states" here?

texts:
Machiavelli was a product of Renaissance Florence, a city-state that was struggling for expansion and survival among a competing group of similar states. As a public servant and diplomat, Machiavelli came to understand power politics by observing the spectacle around him without any illusions.

A. I know what the bold means, but wondering what is its concept.

Thanks

enter link description here


texts:
Can I use plate for a sheet of paper? I'm not going crazy, in fact I read a sentence as follows:

  ..."And, like a fool, I presented you with that little piece of information on a plate"

The little piece of information was actually on a paper. So, can I replace paper with plate? This is the first time I've heard this actually, "plate-paper."


texts: Is this sentence okay to wish Mother's Day?

texts:
I'm going to make a design and I'm writing a copy on it which will be:

On this Mother's day, let's thank her for (her?) selfless care (for us?).

(Not very sure if care and care for has different meanings. Would like to know if there's any difference)

Now first doubt is about grammar. That's why I've put optional parts in brackets. Secondly her seems a bit redundant to me. So I'm not sure if it is grammatically okay or not.

Another doubt is: Is this sentence okay to show my feelings for my mother? Basically I want to show that my mother has cared (for?) me the most in my life. By care I mean:

She asks me how are you, have you eaten your food, please let me know whenever you feel sick, don't do this, don't do that because it's bad, take rest you're tired, here's your favorite food and so many other things. I hope you got idea.


texts: Turn out, play out, work out have a common meaning?

texts:
Sometimes I find phrasal verbs "turn out", "play out" and "work out" quite close in meaning. I know that in general they have a few different meanings. According to dictionaries, as I understand, there is a common meaning that they share which is "to happen or develop in a particular way".
In the sentence "She assured him that everything would turn out all right" can we substitute "work" or "play" for "turn"?


texts:
Paul: it's more of a fifth date kinda revelation.

Paul: So you still think you, um... might want that fifth date?

Monica: (pause)...Yeah. Yeah, I do.


texts: What's a word for something you do, but you don't like to mention it?

texts: For instance, a business man might be cold and hard in his demeanor, but really enjoys watching childish cartoons. Or an exercise buff might also really enjoy deep fried chicken. It also might be a two word phrase, but I'm not entirely sure.


texts:
My native language is Spanish, but I speak English fluidly.
I was reading comics from http://customerservicewolf.com/ and couldn't translate the last panel of this one :

The phrase: "I knew I bought with me". Or that's what I can read.
As far as I can tell, she was looking for a credit card or an id, it took so long that winter came, something like that (?

Anyway, I can't translate that phrase to a Spanish-friendly sentence.

How would you translate the last panel?

There's also a comment from the author underneath the comic in the original post:

  Flamingo carries at least 200 cards and has an uncanny sense of when you’re about to go on lunch :/


texts: "xxx at a piece" meaning the same score in a game?

texts: I heard a commentator say something like “9 points at a piece” meaning the same score for each team in a game. Did I make a mistake?


texts: Does "sickness" have the same meaning as "vomitus"?

texts:
On our high speed trains paper bags are provided to collect garbage. The following is printed on the bags:

  This may be used for waste or sickness

According to the Chinese words on the bags, 'sickness' means 'vomitus' here, but I've never seen usage like this and I cannot find that meaning in my dict.

Is this true?


texts:
Perhaps there are many other expressions to say that in your mother tongue, but this is the only one that dawns on me to let you get what I meant straight/right.

I would like to know if the sentence above is understandable. Which word is correct, right or straight?


texts:
Situation : A mom cooks a meal for her son, and the meal is ready. The son comes and asks his mom.

  Is the meal ready ?

My question : please correct this sentence to a more colloquial question that a native English speaker would use every day.


texts:
In Greyhound (2020), from Fletcher-class destroyer, Commander Ernest commands Taker
& Helmsman to destroy German U-boat, which was following 37 Allied ships,
which are making its way to Liverpool. They successfully destroyed it:

Commander Ernest: Secure from general quarters. Take us to Condition 3
and arrange for hot food if at all possible.
Taker: Aye, aye, sir

Secure what exactly from general quarters?


texts:
I'm compiling a table comparing the usage of prepositions 'in' and 'at' with the word 'university' using example sentences. Which preposition would be best suited to the following sentence:

I'm in my third year in university.
I'm in my third year at university.

Explanations accompanying your answer would be much appreciated, and if possible, a rule of thumb non-native speakers can follow when choosing between 'in' and 'at'.


texts: I pray every day / I hope... + ... doesn't / will not

texts:
Do all my sentences sound natural?

"I pray every day that such a thing doesn't happen."

"I pray every day that such a thing will not  happen." (Or "will never happen").

"I hope I will never face such a situation."


texts:
Given sentence:

  Visitors  should  not  miss  the  beautiful  20  hectre  Jurong  Bird  Park  which  is  the  largest  bird park  in  all  of  South-east  Asia.  Home  to  over  8,000  birds  from  600  species,  the Jurong  Bird  Park  holds the distinction of  having  the world’s  tallest  man-made  waterfall.

  Question:

  How many kinds of birds are there in the Jurong Bird Park?

  Possible answer:

  There are over 8000 birds from 800 species in the Jurong Bird Park.
  There are 8000 species of birds in the Jurong Bird Park.

Which is suitable for the question?


texts: What is the name of the words group in English which translates into Russian in many words combination? For instance, accomplish (one word) in Russian means "dostigat' sovershenstva" (two words).


texts: What does "wear a different aspect" mean?

texts:
Look at the following excerpt of THE DESCENT OF MAN by Charles Darwin:

  During many years I collected notes on the origin or
  descent of man, without any intention of publishing on
  the subject . . . as I thought that I should thus only add to
  the prejudices against my views. . . . Now the case wears a wholly different aspect. . . . it is manifest that at
  least a large number of naturalists must admit that
  species are the modified descendants of other species; and this especially holds good with the younger and
  rising naturalists.

I know the meaning of each word, but what is the meaning of the case wears a different aspect?


texts: How would a native speaker understand a malformed question?

texts:
In Portuguese, to transform an affirmative phrase in interrogative, you just append a question mark. When learning English, beginners sometimes just append the question mark, forgetting about inverting verb/noun order, using question words and auxiliary verbs. So a phrase like

  The book is on the table.

is wrongly converted to interrogative form as

  The book is on the table?

So, I wonder how would a native speaker understand that malformed question?


texts: “I’m waiting for you...” or “I’m waiting you...”

texts:
I’m waiting for you to answer me on StackExchange.

Should I use waiting for you or waiting you? Why?


texts: Are "disabilities" and "ones" grammatically correct in this context?

texts:
I am writing this context:

  Its Support Centre for Students with Special Needs is very appreciated since it provides disabilities students the same level of education as healthy ones.

I don't know if I used "disabilities" and "ones" correct gramatically.


texts:
Source: p 39, The Law of Contract, 5 ed (2012), by O’Sullivan and Hilliard

  2.83. ... We have seen that the general rule is that displaying goods in shops only constitutes an invitation to treat, although there are good reasons
  for taking a diff erent approach (paras 2.22–2.23). However, what of a typical
  website that allows the customer to select the item, enter his payment details and
  seemingly conclude the agreement online. In this situation, then (absent the terms
  and conditions of the site providing to the contrary) it is suggested that it is clear
  that a contract has been concluded ... The
  natural inference is that a deal has been concluded, as where you get through the
  checkout at a supermarket and have paid for the goods. You would not expect in
  these circumstances for the seller to be able to pull out.

What are the similarities and differences? Why not as when? The relative adverb modifies [the exact time that] 'a deal has been concluded', which is NOT  'a place, location, or space' as required below?

  (Source)  "The relative adverb when is used to modify a noun phrase of time. Such noun phrases include nouns that denote periods of time such as, day, week, hour, minute, month, year, and similar events.
  The relative adverb where is used to modify a noun phrase of place, location, or space.


texts:
I'm trying to understand the "better still" of this expression (from this BBC article):

  "Imagine you're on the maiden flight of that new ultra-modern
  aircraft, the Dreamliner. And you notice it's being towed to the
  runway by donkeys. Better still, camels"

Does it means that camels would be better for that than donkeys, or the opposite?


texts:
Sentence that needs correction:

  "Angela was curious about the unopened letter on the table and wondered for whom  it was meant."

I think the whom should be replaced with who because the sentence can be rewritten as

  Angela was curious about the unopened letter on the table and wondered "who was it meant for?"

Correct answer: the sentence contains no error.

why am I wrong?


texts: What is a proper way to say "renew a street/road"?

texts:
I am translating a document from my language into English and I want to validate my knowledge about a statement which is to renew a street/road? Does it sound normal to say to renew a street? I want a formal version of that. Here is my translation:

I worked as an engineering contractor in the project of renewing Safeen Quarter roads.


texts: Can I use "not only … but also" in this sentence?

texts:
Can I use "not only … but" in the following sentence?

  According to the host, it serves not only to protect the house from the danger of a robbery, but also to prohibit a bad spirit as well.

Is there any differences between British English and American English?


texts: Can I use the helping verb "had" instead of "has" in the Perfect Tense when talking about the present period of time?

texts:
When I talk about a period of time that hasn't finished yet (at the moment of speaking), can I use the helping verb "had" instead of "has" in the Perfect Tense?

For example, should I still say:

  By the end of this academic year she has really changed a lot, having
  turned from a quiet student to one of the most talkative ones in this
  class.

or I can also say:

  By the end of this academic year she had really changed a lot, having
  turned from a quiet student to one of the most talkative ones in this
  class.

?


texts: Why did the writer choose present perfect for a past situation that never happened?

texts:
Interviewer: I think a lot of people think to themselves "I should open a business," but very few have the follow-through to make it happen. Can you walk me through a quick version of how this went from an idea to opening day?
Interviewee: I’ve (half) joked that if someone had told me how hard it was going to be and how many obstacles we were going to face I would have never tried to open a business.
Why is it have joked and not would have joked because the rest of the sentence is hypothetical, if someone had told at that time but nobody told him at that time.


texts:
Suppose there are three books

Foundations of Machine Learning
Fundamentals of Machine Learning
Machine Learning Basics or Basics of Machine Learning

What are the difference.

I think basics means elementary things you must know about that field of study, foundations and fundamentals may mean the main principles that the field is built on them. I don't know the difference of these two, maybe fundamentals point to stronger and wider principles, while foundations points to the basic principles!


texts:
SOURCE

  The judge makes a point of stating that he'd give Gerry the death
  penalty for treason if Gerry had been so accused.

What is the meaning of judge's statement?


texts:
How should I punctuate the following sentece with the given logical structure when I want to use conjuction "if" only one time and a conjuction "and" to seperate the conditions?

Logical structure: [Statement] is true if [Condition #1] and [Condition #2] is true.

  "This method is implemented if it's impossible to verify the results of the process, and the shorcomings may not be revealed until the product is used."

Should a comma be between "process" & "and"?

And what if I use a conjuction "or" (with OR logical relation) instead of "and"? How would the presence or lack of a comma would affect the sentence grammarly and logically?

  "This method is implemented if it's impossible to verify the results of the process, or the shorcomings may not be revealed until the product is used."


texts:
I am aware that the phrase "see for yourself" is the correct way to say you see something with your own eyes,  But what "for" is there? For example:

  John did all the work you had given him, see for yourself.

But would it be correct to say the phrase without the preposition "for" like "...see yourself"?


texts: Is "X of Y" a more official statement than "Y's X"?

texts:
For example

the building's history

History of the building


texts: And then suddenly, click / went her face into a look of almost seraphic calm. Is it inversion?

texts:
It came from the novel Matilda.
And then suddenly, click
went her face into a look of almost seraphic calm.
Is this sentence inversion ?
I searched the inversion on the google and I found several cases when inversion is used
but there was no case like above


texts: Why is "was" here? HTML5 was the fifth and last major version of HTML

texts:
HTML5 was the fifth and last major version of HTML that is a World
  Wide Web Consortium (W3C) recommendation.
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML5

Why is it "HTML5 was" instead of "HTML5 is"?
What is the difference in semantics if it's "is"?


texts:
What is the difference between these two sentences?

  I will stay in Singapore from Monday till Thursday.

  I will stay in Singapore form Monday up to Thursday.

Thank you.