texts: lead between the eyes -- what does that mean?

texts:
Example:

  Professional Java developers who've come as far as they can without exploiting threads will find their skills bumped up a few notches by the time they finish Paul Hyde's Java Thread Programming. In a five-and-a-half-page first chapter, the book gives a basic concept briefing, then gets down to business with an example-rich education from the starting thread through inter-thread communication, thread groups, thread pooling, threads and Swing, and more. You'll get an experienced voice on how to gracefully exit from a thread -- and find out when to use the lead-between-the-eyes SureStop class instead. You'll even find out when multiple threads aren't a good idea. If you're serious about learning what it takes to do Java really, really well, this book is a good place to invest your time.

A simple Google search reveals nothing. What do you think the author is trying to say?


texts: How is "or" being used in this sentence?

texts:
The meaning of the following phrase is taken from from Google dictionary...

Phrase:  not necessarily
Meaning: (As a response) what has been said or suggested may not be true or unavoidable.

Does this sentence mean what has been said or suggested may be unavoidable, or may not be unavoidable. Which one is correct?


texts: Does "payers" mean "insurance companies" or "individuals" in this context?

texts:
On the other hand, total healthcare spending in the US is growing at the slowest pace in decades, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Also, the shift to high-deductible plans has made insurance cheaper for employers, while recent changes to provider reimbursement have dragged down cost increases for private payers.

source: www.businessinsider.com


texts: Is mankind correctly used as 3rd person singular or plural?

texts:
Is "mankind" used correctly as 3rd person singular? Or 3rd person plural?

For example:  "Mankind knows" or "mankind know"?


texts:
Any other crop

Any other crops

Would you tell me what is the difference between these?


texts:
I would like to know the normal pattern of sentence stress for this sentence:

  It was awful.

Here is my idea:

The stress is on the first syllable of the adjective awful.
As long as we don't shift stress for special meaning the verb was is unstressed.

Is my idea correct? Is it the same for similar sentences?


texts: This was not a full deck, the deck was not full

texts:
A few people were playing cards. So in the end the person who lost thought that "a few cards were missing". So can be expressed as:

  This was not a full deck.

  The deck was not full.

What sounds natural #1 or #2?


texts: The American accents/The British accents VS American accents/British accents

texts:
Do you think in the sentence below we should use the definite article or not before the highlighted phrases?

I like (the) British accents better than (the) American accents.

I have seen both of the occasions when the definite article was used and it wasn't in sentences like this in which you talk about the accents in a region/country generally. Are both of the versions with or without the definite article correct?


texts:
Are both of these sentences correct to say:

I can give it to you in case you may need it later.
I can give it to you in case you may need it in future.

If so is there any difference between these two?


texts: "mine ears" vs "my ears" in this sentence

texts:
"Do mine ears deceive me?" said Fred, ...

  Harry Potter

I'm wondering if there is any difference from "Do my ears deceive me?". In "mine ears", I  think the word mine is an appositive to 'ears', right?


texts: What does "a life impervious to skincare routine" imply by the speaker?

texts:
I have some difficulty in understanding the metaphor or implication of "a life impervious to skincare routine". I could sense that the speaker is speaking about the old woman in an approving tone, but what does she actually mean? That the woman is so strong, tough, mentally and physically, and experienced, so that she did not care about the facial beauty? Why use "skincare routines" here?
My guess is that "she does not use skincare because she doesn't care"??  Could anyone please help me understand, or rephrase it in a straightforward way?

In the context: 'I' was the carer of Will, a quadriplegic in wheelchair, and we were at a wedding reception, and the woman is also a guest.

Here is the sentence, and all the related context:

  The elderly woman on his right turned out to be a former MP who had
  campaigned on the rights of the disabled, and she was one of the few
  people I had seen talk to Will without the slightest discomfort. When
  she briefly got up to leave the table, he muttered that she had once
  climbed Kilimanjaro. ‘I love old birds like that,’ he said. ‘I could
  just picture her with a mule and a pack of sandwiches. Tough as old
  boots.’………

  ………… At one point, when I started to feel properly awkward, I felt
  Will’s arm slide off the chair beside me, and his hand landed on my
  arm. I glanced up and he winked at me. I took his hand and squeezed
  it, grateful that he could see it. And then he moved his chair back
  six inches, and brought me into the conversation with Mary Rawlinson.

  ‘So Will tells me you’re in charge of him,’ she said. She had piercing
  blue eyes, and wrinkles that told of a life impervious to skincare
  routines.

  ‘I try,’ I said, glancing at him.

  ‘And have you always worked in this field?’

  ‘No. I used to . . . work in a cafe.’ I’m not sure I would have told
  anybody else at this wedding that fact, but Mary Rawlinson nodded
  approvingly.

  Me Before You by Jojo Moyes


texts:
What is the meaning of “this time around” why not just this time . The full sentence is

  This time around, she wants to get it right!

This time around means that it happened before and it will happen again? The context is a publication for the real relationship life.

The real question is why they did not use only "this time" but they used "this time around".  What will be the difference between both ?


texts: What Is the meaning of this sentence from departed synopsis?

texts:
Source

  He offers to protect Costigan from the Mafia, who, he promises, will
  return with reinforcements to kill Costigan.

He promises to whom here?, so What is the meaning of this sentence?


texts:
I would like to know if I am using the word "clear" appropriately, and if this sentence is correct:

  I added a screen shot below of the message to be more clear.

context: The context is that I have a tecnical problem and I added a screen shot to explain better the issue, but I am not sure if that sentence is correct


texts:
Which is correct:

  (Excerpt:)

  ''Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices.

And(I thought):

  ''Historically, some 15% of that has been laid to waste by poor management practices.

I thought the correct phrasing was laid to waste, then I came across an article using laid waste. Is there really any difference?


texts:
is there any difference in nuance in meaning between the two sentences?(present tense version and present perfect tense version)

A)
'You won't leave here until you 've kept your promise to marry Linton'

B)
'You won't leave here until you keep your promise to marry Linton'


texts: Prepositional phrases vs participle phrases

texts:
After eating rice in the kitchen, I usually go to school.

vs

Eating rice in the kitchen,  I usually go to school.

In either sentence , After eating rice in the kitchen, eating rice in the kitchen, and in the kitchen are what type of phrase? Are both sentences same in meaning?


texts:
What does "since" refer to? Please consider grammar to tell me the meaning of "so since" in the following sentence:

  This has been so since ancient times, partly due to the geology of the area.


texts: What's the difference between these sentences in meaning?

texts:
I've learned from the educational broadcast that 'to verb' and '~ing' are exactly the same and that the expressions used only differ according to people's tastes. But another says that '~ing' has a sense of progress and is different from 'to verb'. I'm confused about who's right.

What's the difference between the two below?

Do they have the same meaning?

  Hamburgers, steaks and hotdogs are staple foods to cook on a grill.
  Hamburgers, steaks and hotdogs are staple foods cooking on a grill.


texts:
You yourself being a sportsperson […] know that sports is one of the few things that teaches discipline.

The intended meaning of sentence should be the following: Since you are a sportsperson hence you must have already known that sports is one of the few things that teaches discipline. There must be something before know; it's my gut feeling. I think it should be "must already," "already," or "would."


texts:
I have looked here, and understand the concept, but I am not sure whether or not this applies here as well.

The two sentences are :-

  Rohit was knocked down by a speeding car

and

  Rohit was knocked off by a speeding car

Do both mean the same ? Can either of them be accepted ?


texts: Different meaning of present perfect for "have had"and "have been"

texts:
In a previous question I asked about the meaning of "I have had cancer" (without a duration), meaning I have had cancer at any point in my life, but I don't have cancer now.
In this case the present perfect talks about a past state.
If I have cancer now I would say: "I have cancer". Or "I have had cancer for three years".
That doesn't seem to apply to "I have been ill" by itself, because "I have been ill"(without a duration) doesn't tell us if someone is still ill or has recovered. What is the difference?
Why doesn't "have been" in this case refer to a past state?
If I am ill now, I would say: "I am ill". Or "I have been ill for two weeks".
So how come "I have had cancer" means I don't have cancer now, but "I have been ill" doesn't mean I am not ill anymore?
Could someone explain? They are both present perfect.


texts:
Wait till you hear this.
According to Carlton, she likes all the officers on her detail except one.  Officer Bloomwell.

What does 'on her detail' mean?

Please, answer me.


texts: Why we need "ever" between "have" and "seen"

texts:
I am reading English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy.

I have seen 2 sentences below,

  It is a beautiful painting?
  Yes, it is the most beautiful painting I have ever seen.

I dont know why did they use "ever" between have and seen.

Please advise!


texts: replacing an infinitive phrase that modifies a noun

texts:
Here are some sentences where infinitives modify a noun. depending on the feature of a noun, whether it's a person or class or something, the way I should interpret the role of the infinitive is different. So I've made my own interpretation of this by writing sentences that mean the same that the original one does. Am I right to do this? The reason I do this is all for the sake of me fully understanding how to use "infinitive".

  If you need anyone to talk with about this matter, feel free to call me anytime.

  =If you need anyone that you can talk with about this matter, feel free to call me anytime.
  I'm currently participating in a class to practice English by speaking only in it.

  =I'm currently participating in a class in which to practice English by speaking only in it.

  =I'm currently participating in a class that is intended or designed for people to practice English by speaking only in it.
  When you think you're ready, gather up some people to listen to your speech

  =When you think you're ready, gather up some people who is willing to listen to your speech

  =When you think you're ready, gather up some people who has an willingness to listen to your speech
  w and b are parameters to be solved.

  = w and b are parameters that is to be solved.

  = w and b are parameters that has to to be solved.


texts: Question about meaning of "proof of status" in this context

texts: The visit won't be very complicated, but to apply for your SIN (Social Insurance number) you'll need to bring your: confirmation of permanent or other proof of status in Canada like a work or study permit, and your passport.


texts: Can you use "that" in a non-defining relative clause?

texts:
Two examples:

Setting off fireworks is a long tradition that has existed for centuries.
These days, we buy more and more things that we don't need.

According to the (simplified) rules, we can check if a relative clause is defining or not by leaving it out of the sentence and see if the sentence still makes sense. In the above sentences, I can leave out the second part of the sentence and still have a complete sentence, or at least, I think so. Nevertheless, using "that" somehow sounds okay to me...
Is there an explanation for this?


texts:
I know the first one is correct, but what about the second one? Would that be still?

  I could hardly hear her voice.
  I could hear her voice hardly.


texts: "The complex houses married and single soldiers and their families"

texts:
Taken from Quora.com...

This sentence, among many others, plays on our association of parts of speech when we read the sentence:
"The complex houses married and single soldiers and their families."

"Complex" is the noun as well as the main subject of the sentence. The sentence is about the complex. The first interpretation of "houses" is almost always as a noun, but here it is a verb, which means "accommodates". It is the same case with "married" which usually acts as a verb, is an adjective to the soldiers, which surprisingly comes after another adjective "single".

To sum it up, the sentence is trying to describe a complex (an apartment complex, perhaps) where both single as well as married soldiers and their families reside.

My question is: Is there a name for such sentences?

P.S. I would really enjoy reading a few more of the kind.


texts: What does "a quick conception of all" mean?

texts:
He coldly but gently loosened her fingers from about his arm and thrust the hand away from him. "Tell me what it means!" she cried despairingly.

  "It means," he answered lightly, "that the child is not white; it means that you are not white."

  A quick conception of all that this accusation meant for her nerved her with unwonted courage to deny it. "It is a lie; it is not true, I am white! Look at my hair, it is brown; and my eyes are gray, Armand, you know they are gray. And my skin is fair," seizing his wrist. "Look at my hand; whiter than yours, Armand," she laughed hysterically.

Dose it mean that she think immedietly that she has noun of the characters which mean she is black. For example her hair is brown, her skin is fair and ...?

I want to know in the phrase "a quick conception of all", Dose "conception" means: idea or though? and Dose "all" refer to the characters I mentioned above (her hair, her eyes...)?

This passage is from a story named: Desiree 's Baby by Kate Chopin.

Thanks in advance.


texts: What does "as soon as you can" mean in this context?

texts:
I would like to know what "as soon as you can" means in the following sentences:

‘I know you are not in the Party,’ he said, his voice barely more than
a whisper, ‘and it’s too late to join now anyway. Even if you wanted
to.’ He lowered his eyes, maybe embarrassed by what he was about to
propose. ‘But maybe you know someone, Ludwik? Someone you forgot to
mention and who could help tip the balance in your favour?’
His gaze on me was suddenly like yours the night of the party:
expectant, too much so. I sat still, entrenched in silence.
Finally, he nodded, visibly awkward. ‘Think about it. Maybe someone
will come to mind. It would be a pity for you to miss this
opportunity.’
It almost seemed that if I didn’t acknowledge this moment, it wouldn’t
be true. I remained silent.
The professor stood, attempted a smile. ‘Let me know as soon as you
can, will you?’
I managed to rise, to nod into space. We shook hands, mine limp, his
far too big, and a moment later I was standing in the corridor with
oblivious strangers hurrying past me in all directions.

Tomasz Jedrowski, Swimming in the Dark, Chapter 6

In this novel which is set in the 1980's in Poland under the socialist regime, where homosexuality was socially unacceptable, the protagonist Ludwik left Poland in 1981 to live in the United States of America. And he remembers what it was like back then in Poland, where he applied for a doctorate but got his proposal rejected because he lacked "contacts." So his professor, when delivering the bad news, asked whether he had some acquaintance (of power, perhaps) who could support Ludwik before the final decision regarding the doctorate is announced.
In this part, I wonder whether it would be right to understand that "as soon as you can" here means that Ludwik should contact his professor as soon as he remembered/came up with any names or acquaintances, or it is just a general statement which does not imply Ludwik remembering acquaintances.


texts:
I have some problems to relate some sentences to each other, specially when they get long. I observed "to" and "for" could be used for such relations, but don't know their proper usage and their differences.

For example I am writing a sentence

  In this paper, we propose a formalism to construct a wrapper for extracting [or to extract?] structured data from a Web page.

vs.

  In this paper, we propose a formalism for constructing a wrapper to extract [or for extracting?]  structured data from a Web page.

To avoid repetition of "for" or "to", in each sentence, for the second clause I used the other alternative.

What is the general rule? Are all the four combination of "to" and "for" in my sentence, correct?

By the way, how can I get mastered with sentences combination.


texts: I want to know Which one is sentence correct between "why does it do not good" and "why does it do no good"? I'm so confusing this.


texts: "We're stuck between floors two and three". Is the definite article implied?

texts:
When you name the floor you're on, you say "I'm on the [an ordinal number] floor.", which totally makes sense!

So why do people, for example, say "We're stuck between floors two and three"?

Do they imply the definite article in front of "floors" but omit it due to laziness?


texts: Using commas for pauses, not using commas after 'that'

texts:
Yes the most important thing for me is that you live happy that's it, with smiling face.
This thing matter to me a lot. Try last time, try as much as you can.

I am using comma where I naturally feel that I should stop. Second thing I am focused on not using comma after that. Am I using the right way and using it right or should I need to focus more on its way of using?


texts:
I am struggling to construct correctly a sentence with an indirect speech describing an event that occured in past and more in past.

  The manager said he was skeptical initially and he had not believed
  his colleague that had tried it in Prague.

One colleague tested our product in Prague
The colleague told about it to a manager
The manager was skeptical
The manager tried it as well
The manager described his original view and that he had changed his mind now

How to fix my sentence so it is grammarly correct? I was taught that I need to go to past back with indirect speech but here we have several times in single sentence.


texts: dropping verb 'to be' like in 'How you acting funny in a drama movie?'

texts:
'You say you a god, who you running to?', 'Who you?', 'How you doing?'

What's up with that thing? Why do natives sometimes drop am/are/is?


texts: Is it alright to say “They have the same towel” meaning Person A has the same towel as Person B.”?

texts: I recently heard someone saying “They have the same towel.”  That person wanted to say someone has exactly the same towel as someone else has.  To me it sounded a little strange because it sounded like they share and use the same one towel. Isn’t it better to say “they have the same towels”?


texts:
I am given an exercise in which I the correct form of the verb sink is to be filled in a sentence-

  And thousands had _________ to the ground overpower'd.

Though I know sunk will be used. But I have two problems regarding the sentence

Is overpower'd same as overpowered?
What grammar rule is used in this sentence to the ground overpowered?


texts:
Are collectively and overall synonyms?

  Industries and people's life-style cause 80% increase in the air pollution collectively.
  Industries and people's life-style cause 80% increase in the air pollution overall.


texts:
I read below in Oxford English Grammar Course, Micheal Swan & Catherine Walter:

  He won't come tomorrow if he came yesterday.

I'd like to know more explanation about this. What type of conditional is it? And, I've never seen "future tense" and "past tense in "if sentence".

Thank you.


texts:
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-army-deflated-guerrilla-warfare-unfolds-170833583.html

  And acting Defense Minister Mykhailo Koval likely further soured moods by announcing Thursday that no troops involved in operations in east Ukraine would be rotated out as there is not enough personnel.

What does rotate out mean?


texts: Does 'by no means' as part of the subject, require subject-auxiliary inversion?

texts:
Source: p 123,  A Student's Introduction to English Grammar (2005), by Huddleston & Pullum

  The basic division, then, is between words that modify nouns, and words that
  modify other categories (categories of words or of larger constituents). The noun-modifiers
  are adjectives, and the others are adverbs.1 [1.] By no means all adverbs can
  modify all of this wide range of head elements, but there is a significant amount of
  overlap.

Is 1 wrong? Why did 1 lack subject-auxiliary inversion? I thought that by no means requires it?  This didn't help. Based on this definition, here's my guess of the meaning of the last sentence:

2. By no means can all adverbs
modify all of this wide range of head elements ...

= 3. No means exist, by which all adverbs can
modify all of this wide range of head elements ...


texts: what's the meaning of "in the spirit of Hegel"?

texts:
I want to know what "in the spirit of Hegel" means. What does it mean in the context of philosophy

I tried spirit but it didn't help me understand.


texts: What is the grammatical function of “much” in “ And much this way...”

texts:
. . . when a man suspects any wrong, it sometimes happens that if he be already involved in the matter, he insensibly strives to cover up his suspicions even from himself. And much this way it was with me. I said nothing, and tried to think nothing.— Herman Melville, Moby-Dick  (From Google Books)

What is the grammatical function of “much” here?


texts:
Italian people have some difficulties in usage of the word "interchange" and the phrase "each other".

When I wrote that sentence some doubts arose to my mind in reference to the highlighted words "in usage".

I excluded that it was possible to write "to use", but I don't know why. Afterwards I thought that I could have written "in using", but, after some thoughts, I excluded this option, too; then I decided to write "in usage", even when some uncertainty remained.

Could anybody enlighten me on this problem? Is there some suggestion that might help incompetent speakers, as I am, in cases like this?


texts:
I have seen this sentence as, "Looks like there's only one other doorway. "
(Does it mean that there are two doorways? )


texts: What is the meaning of about in "(it) isn't about how long it has been... It's about ..."?

texts:
Missing someone isn't about how long it has been since you've seen them or the amount of time since you've talked. It's about that very moment when you find yourself doing something & wishing they were right there by your side.

I guess 'about' wasn't even required here. It just doesn't make sense. And in case it does, what does it mean?


texts: When + present perfect Tense in a question

texts:
I came across the following question and found it strange.
When have you felt insecure because you were a first-timer?

Shouldn't it be "when did you feel....?"

Thank you


texts: Active voice or Passive to tell general truth

texts:
I have some confusion with below below sentences Constructions.

Que : Should I use Active voice or Passive voice?

a) Wisdom always comes from the most unexpected and undesirable source. (Active Voice)

b) Wisdom is always comes from the most unexpected and undesirable source. (Passive Voice)

According to me both are correct.

Sentence a) gives idea of general present tense.

Sentence b) is defining wisdom. like,

What is wisdom?

Wisdom is something which always comes from ........


texts: Your daughter has the best complexion ( from/of/ than) any girl in the college

texts:
Which is the correct preposition to use here ?

The actual sentence which I read was

  Your daughter has the best complexion of any girl in the college.

But the part after complexion sounds a little weird, using than here sounds better but going by grammar rules than is used mostly with comparative degree and since here we have superlative degree (best) of should come. So is of correct here ?


texts:
If I found two $5 bills on the ground, would it be acceptable to say "$10 are on the ground"?
Is "Two $5 bills are on the ground" the ONLY acceptable sentence?


texts: Other ways to say "His English has got rusty"

texts:
His English has got rusty after years of disuse.

Are there any other ways to express this?
Here's what I came up with. Not sure if it sounds natural to you.

He has experienced a decline in his English skills after years of disuse.

Please feel free to provide your own options.


texts:
Here is my feeling, but I am not sure I am right

I would say "so much" is used for positive words such as "love, like" & "so badly or so bad" is used for words that are selfish such as "want, need"

Ex:
I love it so much

I like it so much

I want it so bad/ so badly

I need it so bad/ so badly

I seldom hear people say:

Ex:
I love it so bad/ so badly

I like it so bad/ so badly

I want it so much

I need it so much

When to use "so much" & when to use "so bad" or "so badly"?

I would appreciate if you provided "referenced source" to your answers.


texts: Are whoever, whichever and whatever relative pronouns?

texts:
Are whoever ,whichever and whatever relative pronouns which is used to modify nouns in adjective clauses?
eg:

Most workers, whoever was not employed by the auto manufacturer, toiled at one of the  millions of little minnow companies.

The three approaches, whichever works is fine, produce a more ambiguous picture of a man.

Any excessive profits, whatever exceeded accepted limits, would attract the notice of representatives.

Are these sentences correct? And can we use whoever, whichever and whatever as relative pronoun?


texts:
I was wondering if my corrections are right. I think I can use both "which" and "that", I  removed "person" I think it can be used but it's not necessary.

"I don't have any secret information which my sister doesn't know about me, as she is the first person with whom I share any information."

"I don't have any secret information which/that my sister doesn't know about me, as she is the first I share any information with."


texts: Is it OK to follow a possessive determiner by the word "such"?

texts:
A file whose filename ends with a date-and-time suffix that is separated by @ is a copy that is created to compare it later with the current version of the file and with other such copies of that file by using a comparison utility.

A file whose filename ends with a date-and-time suffix that is separated by @ is a copy that is created to compare it later with the current version of the file and with other its such copies by using a comparison utility.

aaa.txt
aaa.txt@20110228-1359
aaa.txt@20110228-1405

Are both of these versions grammatical? The second version is more concise but looks weird.


texts: Idiomatic ways of expressing disagreement

texts:
Are there any idiomatic ways in english writting to express disagreement as regards someone's opinion?
These are what i normally read:
"i respectfully disagree"
"With due respect, i disagree"
"Reluctantly, i differ".


texts:
The men of Kent may well have been mainly Jutish, and the other major
peoples certainly thought themselves either 'Angles' or 'Saxons'. But
archaeology does not suggest a very firm distinction, and by the late
sixth century, when the kingdoms emerge into the light of day, there
is much blurring at the edges.

What does "the light of day" mean? Is it similar to at that point or in the moment?


texts: Articles: definite, indefinite, or none?

texts:
Which of these is better to say?

An English exam will be on Monday.
English exam will be on Monday.
The English exam will be on Monday.


texts:
There has never been a better time to be a learner.

I am confused with the above sentence because I feel that it means being a learner is not a good thing. I think the writer meant 'being a learner now is better' so I feel that it should be 'there has never been a better time to be a learner than today.' Can you clarify the meaning of this sentence to me?

This sentence is the opening sentence of a news story found here. The first few sentences read:

  There has never been a better time to be learner. MOOCs rose to prominence a little over four years ago, and they have grown to total a staggering 5000+ courses from 600 universities around the world.


texts:
"We cut nature up, organize it into concepts, and ascribe significances as we do, largely because we are parties to an agreement that holds throughout our speech community and is codified in the patterns of our language... we cannot talk at all except by subscribing to the organization and classification of data which the agreement decrees."Benjamin Lee Whorf (1897-1941)

What do you think he really means by that?


texts:
She could have passed yet for a human if not for the long, tapering
  ears jutting from the hair,  pointed ears marking her race.

I can understand the whole sentence, in general.

She looked human except for the ears, which made her noticeably different.


texts: Why is 'me' sometimes not used as an object?

texts:
So occasionally I'll see something like this:

– Who did this?
– Me.

Sometimes they'll go a little further and say Me. I did., but not always.

This is one I see often:

– Hey! You!
– Who? Me?

In cases like these, why is me used instead of I? Are these usages actually correct, or merely acceptable in informal English?

In the first case, I can maybe see it as a shortened/alternative form of [the one] who did this was me. Is this a correct sentence? Or should it be the one who did this was I?

As for the second case, I can kind of get it. The reply might be thought of as a condensed form of Who are you calling out to? Me?, which can be thought of as an alternative way of saying Are you calling out to me?, in which case the need for the object form is obvious.

Is my reasoning correct? Or is it just a rule that "me" is acceptable as a response to "who" clauses?


texts: Is this sentence containing "which" correct?

texts:
I would like to know whether the sentence using "which" would be correct.

  I'm so tired, the reason for which I don't know.

The construction is just like

  ''The building was destroyed in a fire, the cause of which was never established.''

I know this using:

  I don't know the reason why I'm so tired.


texts: "Forecastle/fo'c's'le/fo'c'sle" - number of apostrophes and do you have to contract with speech?

texts:
The question is about those two spellings for fo'c's'le / fo'c'sle (that is with two or three apostrophes) to identify missing parts for the word forecastle:

(M-W. (2 only),
AmDotEL (3 only),
Collins (2 and 3),
Century (2 and fokesel)
and ODO (...unclear to me, both appear).

The Wikipedia article says

  [...] but the position of apostrophes is not universally agreed. The positioning of the apostrophes represents deleted letters, thus fo[re]c[a]s[t]le.

How come the 3 apostrophes version wouldn't reflect the sailors' pronunciation ("Spelling fo'c'sle reflects sailors' pronunciation." - Online Etymology Dictionary) or do they simply mean in relation to the full word?

The "t" in castle is not pronounced but it is still part of the word; is it because of this we have the two apostrophes version (all other missing letters must be pronounced)?

Ngram shows 2 is more frequent, but 3 is there too.

Secondly is it true that no native speaker will ever utter "forecastle"1, as in never (to describe the part of the spar-deck of the ship forward of the fore rigging)? What is the state of the language on this?

1. I saw Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) with M. Brando. At some point he says to the sailors "Keep that for the fo'c's'le" but I heard "fox hole", thought that was the name of a pub, leisure time in any case. Then I watched a "remake", Under Siege (Seagal, 1992) and in a scene they're in the control room and they all say fo'c's'le only but there's a diagram of the ship on a screen, and I could read "forecastle", and only then did I get it; so Seagal helped a learner and I'm thankful.


texts: How do I say the expression 'half the glass/bowl'?

texts:
Let's say I am at a family dinner, and somebody offers me some soup, he wants to know how much do I want?

Can I say

  I want half the bowl(of soup).

or

  I want half the glass of lemonade.

Are these expressions idiomatic in this context?


texts: When we use "would" to express uncertainty, do we use past tense in the noun clause?

texts:
I came across the use of would for expressing uncertainty.
(Article: https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-modal-would.htm)
Examples from the article:

would for uncertainty

(1) He would seem to be getting better. (less certain than: He seems to be getting better.)

(2) It would appear that I was wrong. (less certain than: It appears that I was wrong.)

According to the examples from the article, does that mean that when using would to express the uncertainty, we can treat it like the would doesn't exist and the main verb is just a present-tense word, but just with less certainty?
So when we use "would" that way, do we use past tense in the noun clause?
Which is correct in the examples below? Present tense or past tense?
Do (3) and (4) mean the same?
Do (5) and (6) mean the same?

(3) He bought a new game yesterday. He would say he wants/wanted to stay at home and play the game today.

(4) He bought a new game yesterday. He might say he wants/wanted to stay at home and play the game today.

(5) He is quite stubborn. He would insist that he is/was not guilty.

(6) He is quite stubborn. He might insist that he is/was not guilty.


texts:
I have a sentence

  Action Oil's profits are disappointingly low this year.

I have lookep up action in some dictionaries but couldn't find any suitable meanings for it in this sentence. I also don't know the role of  it in this case. I wonder if action profit is a phrase, but I couldn't find any examples of it.


texts: With 'the' or without 'the': one's enduring committment to communities where it operates

texts:
xxx company's enduring committment to the communities where it operates reflect its belief in coporate citizenship.
  xxx company's enduring committment to communities where it operates reflect its belief in coporate citizenship.

'Communities' is a word that has never been mentioned before in the article. Why should 'the' be put before the word?

A link for your reference


texts: "Tired from work" or "tired from working"?

texts:
Tell me please which one is it correct to use in the following context.

  I have been working all day. I am so tired from work/working.


texts: I want to book a hotel room over telephone and I was wondering how I should give my address. I think the best way to do it is to spell it because I don't think the person at the hotel would be able to understand it otherwise. Also, should I say Street X, where X is the name of the street, or simply X?


texts:
According to the dictionary definitions:

  Waterproof means
  not allowing water to go through
  waterresistant.

On the other hand:

  Water-resistant means:
  Something that is water-resistant does not allow water to pass through it easily, or is not easily damaged by water.

My taking based on these explanations is that something which is waterproof doesn't let the water to pass through it while a water-resistant thing "might" would let it.

Is it the only nuance between these two qualities or there is something else I have to know?


texts:
I believe that a sentence in English must have a subject. (It does not necessarily have an object as for intransitive verbs.) A sentence without a subject is also possible as in an imperative sentence. Here my definition of a sentence is that a sentence should contain one (main) verb.

However, a sentence without a subject and object in English seems not allowed, whereas in some other languages like Chinese, it is indeed possible.

In some cases, if the performer of an action is not clearly defined, e.g. sky, we use it to specify the subject in English. But the subject is often completely waived in some languages as in Chinese. For example, we say "It is raining" (it is for sky), but in Chinese it is said "Rain now (下雨了)" (it is waived). Any thought is welcome.


texts:
Why in paragraph below, it is used "the participant" and "the reader" and "the writer"? Can't we write them as "A participant", "A reader", "A writer"?

  Talking about “one of many” is also called “indefinite reference.” We use it when the noun’s exact identity is unknown to one of the participants: the reader, the writer, or both. Sometimes it’s not possible for the reader or the writer to identify the noun exactly; sometimes it’s not important.

Reference: http://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/articles/


texts:
In both cases chronological order is obvious, so what is the difference?

I had walked along the road when I saw Dan. So I stopped, and we had a chat.

I was walking along the road when I saw Dan. So I stopped, and we had a chat.


texts: Correct phrase: "advantages in using data" or "advantages of using data"?

texts:
Prepositions confuse me. Which is correct: "advantages in using data" or "advantages of using data"?

Both sound good to me, but which is the correct and formal version?


texts: How are you doing with your programming language?

texts: Is the sentence in title correct? The situation is that someone is making a programming language, and it's being asked, about the progress made on it.


texts: "Helping others IN some fields" vs "helping others AT some fields"?

texts:
Would you like to gain experience in helping others in some fields which you think you like?

vs

Would you like to gain experience in helping others at some fields which you think you like?

Or maybe something other will be better than "in" or "at"?


texts: Is the sentence "I went to the balcony." grammatical and idiomatic?

texts:
I was in my room, then I went to the balcony.

Does it need any preposition like "onto", "out to", "out onto", "out on" or "on" instead of "to"?


texts:
This is These Are The Clouds, a poem by William Butler Yeats:

  THESE are the clouds about the fallen sun,

  The majesty that shuts his burning eye:

  The weak lay hand on what the strong has done,

  Till that be tumbled that was lifted high

  And discord follow upon unison,

  And all things at one common level lie.

  And therefore, friend, if your great race were run

  And these things came, so much the more thereby

  Have you made greatness your companion,

  Although it be for children that you sigh:

  These are the clouds about the fallen sun,

  The majesty that shuts his burning eye.

What does "so much the more thereby" mean? I am not sure what to make of it. Doesn't sound grammatical to my foreign ears.


texts:
I would like to know whether the sentence right below is correct, and if not, how it can be corrected. I learnt and know that the preposition to doesn't go with the verb ask as in the pattern ask something to a person.

  May I suggest or ask something to you?

That sentence is in an attempt to combine the two things(suggest something to you, ask something of you), in order to shorten the time of asking as the situation is busy, and you is deliberately mentioned as an emphasis not to be heard lightly. Let's say, right after a meeting ends, I catch the person and ask that individually before he or she leaves.


texts:
I read in An unwanted guest by Shari Lapena the sentence below:

  The younger man behind the desk does an almost imperceptible double take, but it's there.

What does it mean, but it's there.

The fuller text is here:

  ...he glances up when he sees her. He stops for a second, stares, and then smiles in an embarrassed way and looks away. She's used to it. She has that effect on men. As if when they see her, they can't believe their eyes for a minute. She can't help that. The younger man behind the desk does an almost imperceptible double take, but it's there. She's used to that, too...


texts: What is correct: "The list" or "A list"?

texts:
I am not sure what is correct and why - "The list" or "A list"?

The sentence is:

The list of software programs that uses the GDAL library includes Google Earth, ArcGIS, GRASS GIS and many others.


texts: A term for a spot, placement or location in the sky?

texts:
When I say location, it's intuitively implied that I refer to a place on the Earth's surface. What would be a good term for the position in the sky?

  When I'm at this location I see the sun at/on/in that xxx.

It's not angle because there are two angles. And it's not angles because I'm looking for a term for such spot. It's not direction because I'm referring to a point in the spherical shell.

I hope for something technical, scientific and really hairy. I'm thinking in terms of azimuth not direction and elevation instead of slope. You get the style.


texts: Intensifiers: Which one intensifies to the highest degree, and which one to the lowest?

texts:
Here are the examples of adjectival intensification:

  It's quite cold here in March.
  It's pretty cold here in March.
  It's fairly cold here in March.
  It's rather cold here in March.

To me, their meaning seems altogether the same—It's cold to a slight or medium degree, a little more or a bit less— but I doubt about the exact sameness.

Also, I once came across the "nice/good and + adjective" construction, where nice and good seem to intensify the adjective. So, I'm adding one more example:

  It's nice/good and dry here in July.

To make the question topical for this site, I should explain that it was brought up during one of the numerous wide-ranging discussions on the subtleties of the English language I had a few days ago with an acquaintance of mine. Then, he claimed that all intensifiers, even those in my examples, can be ranked by their strength, and backing his point, he mentioned  a book on adjective intensification he had come across when he studied the English Language at the University in Kazan, Russia in the early 2000s.

After a painstaking search, I came across a link to a book which is unavailable in the place I live in. When I sent the link  to the man, he  said that the book's title seems familiar to him, but he's not sure.

So, my question is:

Is it true that the intensifiers in the examples can be ranked by their strength?  If it is true, what might be their descending order? If there's no rule for this, is there a customary usage order? Is the last example really proper usage?


texts: "were" used as a subjunctive is present or past?

texts:
Given the  2 examples below:

I wish you were here now
If he were in the situation that you've been 2 weeks ago, we wouldn't have bothered about it now

The word 'were' is used as a subjunctive and my question is: To me, because of the signaling words now and 2 weeks ago, the first example is a thinking and a usage of the word 'were' in the present, though a hypothetical situation and the second example shows 'were' for a past thinking and again a hypothetical situation. Is it so? I also found the article on Wikipedia (English subjunctive - were) but I didn't find the section entitled 'Use of the past subjunctive' to be clarifying. Despite having the name of PAST SUBJUNCTIVE , the first example to me is very present. So to summarize and ask it in a more comprised way:

What are the tenses of the were subjunctive? Does a native speaker think on the tense of this verb 'were' when used as a subjunctive?

Thank you


texts: In the sentence "I watched the balloon rise", "rise" is in what verb tense? And why?

texts:
I watched the balloon rise.

I understand that "rise" in this sentence is not in the 3rd person, because otherwise it would have "s" and it doesn't.
Is it infinitive? The why not "to rise"? I kinda understand it but I can't explain to another person why.


texts:
If I had left this job, I would have wanted you to come with me.
If I were to have left this job, I would have wanted you to come with me.

I think, though both of them indicate the possibility of past, meanings of both are not same. I would like to know the differences between them.

Thanks!


texts: Is "How beautiful are the flowers!" old-fasiond?

texts:
In Practical English Usage, Swan says

  Have you got a surprise coming!

and

  Was I mad!

are spoken American English and exclamations with ‘how’ or ‘what’ are old-fashioned, but I want to ask you if that really so because.. well, just other grammar books I have don’t mention these and I learned “How beautiful ~!” at a school, indeed that's a long time ago though..


texts: Which noun does the participal phrase modify?

texts:
I am unable to understand this question (number 11). I think that option A is correct as it working as a participal phrase. But I am not sure which noun does it modify. The correct answer is C.

Given that the answer to Question 10 is J, the original passage looks like this:

  Of the numerous ironing board inventors, Sarah Boone is credited by the US Patent and Trademark Office, turning the tide against homemade boards.

and the answer key says it should be changed to:

  Of the numerous ironing board inventors, Sarah Boone is credited by the US Patent and Trademark Office with turning the tide against homemade boards.


texts: Is it correct to say "you're holding the book upside-down, turn it right-side up" in this specific situation?

texts:
In the first picture, you're holding the book upside down. The book is perpendicular to the floor and parallel to your face. I think it is correct to say "you're holding the book upside-down".
But suppose that you do the same thing but this time the book is parallel to the floor and perpendicular to your face.
Is it still correct to say "you're holding the book upside-down, turn it right-side up"?
or maybe "you're holding the book frontside-back, turn it right-side front"?


texts: Why in this phrase, does the verb not require an "s" on the end if it refers to a noun?

texts:
Why we should use "involve", and not "involves" in this example:

  "So, what does this specialization involve?"

It seems to me that the verb should be in the form "involves" since it is refers to the noun "specialization":

"Verbs with a third-person singular noun or pronoun (he, she, boat, courage) as a subject ever have an added s on the end"


texts:
The drunk man started running at/toward the bouncer.

Does one of "at" and "toward" more clearly than the other indicate a hostile intention?


texts:
Is one of the following forms correct?

For how long will you play the guitar?
How long will you play the guitar for?

If none of these questions is grammatically correct, how should I formulate it?

Thanks


texts:
I'm wondering whether "or not" can be omitted in an adverbial clause headed by "whether".
Which of the following is correct?

Whether he knows Peter personally or not, he will visit him today.
Whether he knows Peter personally, he will visit him today.
No matter whether he knows Peter personally or not, he will visit him today.
No matter whether he knows Peter personally, he will visit him today.
No matter if he knows Peter personally or not, he will visit him today.
No matter if he knows Peter personally, he will visit him today.

Inputs from native speakers would be highly appreciated.


texts:
He had told no one about the marriage. He did not feel it was a
reason for celebration. Katerina had made it clear that it was a
purely practical measure, a way for her to get an allowance. As
such it was a very good idea, and Grigori would be less anxious,
when he was away with the army, knowing that she had financial
security. All the same he could not help feeling there was something
horribly farcical about the wedding. Katerina was not so shy, and all
the girls from the boardinghouse were in the congregation, as well as
several workers from the Putilov plant.
-- Ken Follett, Fall of Giants

Does the phrase itself mean by itself, or is as an conjunction and does such refer to something?


texts: As we use so before adjective like "the movie is so interesting," but can I say negative way like "the movie is not so interesting" means I want to say someone the movie not good?


texts: Is it wrong/illogical to say ... twisted open the door?"

texts:
Example sentence:

  I twisted open the door.

Some people argue that you can't twist a door. You twist a doorknob.

However, some people have used this construction.

What's the real answer? Or there isn't one?


texts: What does this sentence mean, especially {subject to}

texts:
"Subject to you meeting any outstanding non-academic conditions."

Can someone rewrite this sentence so that I can better understand, especially the usage of the word subject in this case.


texts:
I came across this title: EU on brink: Emmanuel Macron squirms as Donald Trump orders France leaves EU.

I'm wondering whether it is a matter of sloppiness or simply I'm wrong. My ear would have wished it to have been:

  Emmanuel Macron squirms as Donald Trump orders France to leave EU

Please let me know the reason that they published the title as such.


texts: Private Entrepreneur vs Sole proprietorship (Sole Trader)

texts:
Recently in one of the documents I've come across the abbreviation PE which stands for Private Entrepreneur.

The term sounds like a calque from Russian/Ukrainian.

I've found English equivalent Sole proprietorship, but I'm not sure that does mean the same.

So I'm wondering if anyone from native speakers would ever use Private Entrepreneur or would they understand it if found in an official document.


texts: Could - Past or Present - How to identify

texts:
I know, we can use could to show past capabilities  and future possibilities. But my question is how to identify if it is past or future.

E.g. " He could drive a car."

As per my understanding above sentence can be used to show both past capability and future possibility.

Please correct me if my understanding is not correct.


texts:
He has finished drinking the milk and refused to give me the bottle.

The milk spilled out from the feeding bottle.

  "See. The milk spilled out."

Does spilled out described well as the image?


texts: Difference between ten minute walk and ten minutes' walk,

texts: What is the difference between ten minute walk and ten minutes' walk, are they the same?


texts: There isn’t Jessica here. vs Jessica isn't here

texts:
Could you explain which sentence sounds better or they're both good?
I know how popular is the form "there is" in English and I suggest that the second sentence sounds better. Am I right? (I saw the first sentence in my self-study book and I had some surprise.)

  Jessica isn't here.

  There isn’t Jessica here.

TIA


texts: Help to understand the use of "such as" in "A hatred such as he had never known before..."

texts:
A hatred such as he had never known before was coursing through Harry like poison.

As I know, the phrase "such as" can mean "for example" or 'like' and is followed by a list or a noun, pronoun and etc. But in this sentence, it's followed by a clause. It looks to me that it's like saying: A hatred that he had never known before was coursing through Harry like poison. It seems to function as "that" in this case.

How should we understand it in this sentence?


texts:
Why,” Adam cried, “these boys are not alike! They don’t look
  alike.”  “Of course they don’t. They’re not identical
  twins.”  “That one-that one looks like my brother. I just saw it.
  I wonder if the other looks like me.”  “Both of them do. A face
  has everything in it right back to the beginning.”

  (John Steinbeck, East of Eden)

Is ‘back’ a predicative complement, denoting a face has the expression just like containing everything, not split, gone back to the beginning?


texts:
Does the phrase "corruptly obstructing an official proceeding" mean "dishonestly obstructing an official proceeding"? The collocation of "corruptly" and "obstructing" sounds odd to me. I simply understand the phrase as "illegally obstructing an official proceeding", not knowing whether I am correct or not.

The Proud Boys’ anger toward Mr. Trump has heightened after he did nothing to help those in the group who face legal action for the Capitol violence. On Wednesday, a Proud Boy leader, Joseph Biggs, 37, was arrested in Florida and charged with unlawful entry and corruptly obstructing an official proceeding in the riot. At least four other members of the group also face charges stemming from the attack.

Source: NYTimes  ‘A Total Failure’: The Proud Boys Now Mock Trump


texts: How to say your English/language is wrong, strange, artificial, wooden, direct copy of your language?

texts:
How will native speakers say about strange English?

If you English is artificial (When I am using valid words but anyone is not use such words).
If you English is wooden (When I am using very obsolete words).
If you English is direct copy of other language construction (i.e. I am talking in English using constructs/grammar specific for Polish - i.e. Polish will say in English Where you go should Where are you do, I not work should say I do not work - i.e. English say in Polish Is it true? should what it true>/_Czy to prawda?_ or white horse leg should be in leg of white hourse/_noga białego konia_).

What are else commonly used expressions of wrong language usage in English?


texts: Things with [a] considerable likelihood of being

texts:
Consider a sentence like this:

  ... only documents with [a] considerable likelihood of being ...

Should "a" be mentioned there considering that "documents" is plural?


texts: Is it common to say "had fun today" in a classroom?

texts:
Suppose an online English classroom, just before finishing class

Is it clear and common to say this?

  "We had fun today. See you next time!"


texts: What is the meaning of "since" in this sentence?

texts:
On 17 May 1987, an Iraqi Mirage F1 attack aircraft launched two Exocet missiles at the USS Stark, a Perry class frigate. The first struck the port side of the ship and failed to explode, though it left burning propellant in its wake; the second struck moments later in approximately the same place and penetrated through to crew quarters, where it exploded, killing 37 crew members and leaving 21 injured. Whether or not Iraqi leadership authorised the attack is still unknown. Initial claims by the Iraqi government (that Stark was inside the Iran–Iraq War zone) were shown to be false, and the motives and orders of the pilot remain unanswered. Though American officials claimed that the pilot who attacked Stark had been executed, an ex-Iraqi Air Force commander since stated he had not been punished, and was still alive at the time.[45] The attack remains the only successful anti-ship missile strike on an American warship.[181][182] Due to the extensive political and military cooperation between the Iraqis and Americans by 1987, the attack had little effect on relations between the two countries. -Wikipedia: Iran-Iraq War

What is the meaning of since in the sentence in bold?


texts: What does "sb can stomach doing sth" mean?

texts:
I've come across a YouTube video in which the Youtuber says :

  If I can stomach doing this publicly ,I might read to you the
  comments that I made in 2016 on Facebook , they are cringy and just
  awful.

What does "stomach doing" mean ? Is it derived from "to have the stomach for something" ?


texts: "Check a word in a dictionary" or "check a word out in a dictionary"?

texts:
Could you tell if both of the following sentences equally correct, natural and mean the same?

This is the first time I have seen the word, that's why I'm going to check it in a dictionary.
This is the first time I have seen the word, that's why I'm going to check it out in a dictionary.

I would've thought that in this context check only made sense, but I've heard native speakers of English use check out in this context.


texts: "Six women were there" - is six a noun or an adjective?

texts:
Six women were there.

Is the number "six" a noun or an adjective here? Or maybe "six women" is a compound noun?


texts: What is the difference between "lose to someone" and "lose out to someone"?

texts:
What is the difference between lose to someone and lose out to someone? For example:

  Hassan lost out to his brother in the finals of the tennis tournament.

This example is from the book English Phrasal Verbs in Use by McCarthy M. and O'Dell F.

How would the meaning of the sentence change if it were lose to? For example:

  Hassan lost to his brother in the finals of the tennis tournament.


texts: the tense of the verb of a subordinate clause

texts:
Tom studied philosophy at college. And also, Emma said yesterday that he also studied physics.

Tom studied philosophy at college. And also, Emma said yesterday that he had also studied physics.

Does the tense of the verb of the subordinate clause(that~physics) have to be 'past perfect' because of its main verb, 'said'? Can't it just match its tense with 'studied'?


texts: Is it ok to say "put on" as an order to a pupil when it comes to opening an electronic dictionary on an iPad or any other electronic divice?

texts:
I was studying with my sister and I told her to look up some words and as she´s got an iPad I told her "go to the Oxford Lerarner's dictionary and look for ...." which I think is right, but I wonder if there is another way or phrasal verb to say that very same thing.
What about "Put on the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary on your iPad and look for......
Do I have to make it clear it has to be open on her iPad or the noun can be omitted.


texts: What's the proper word for this description?

texts:
If the woman in this picture is "covered head woman" (=with a cover on the head such cap etc.) then the man in this picture is "uncovered head man" (=without any cover on the head) or "discovered head man"?

I'd like to know how to refer to this aspect of the head cover by adjectives, as above.

  "I saw two people speaking each other: one was (head uncovered?) man and the second
  was (head covered?) woman."

The photo is from this site.


texts:
This is an excerpt from a journal entry I am writing for my first-year university transition course:

The annual pep rally is mandatory for all students, despite taking place in a crowded, hot gymnasium and making extensive use of strobe lights and deafening acoustics. This mandate exposes an atrocious oversight of students suffering from a variety of common mental health issues.

Can I use oversight in this context? I cannot find any other examples of 'an oversight of' on the Internet, unless the term is used to mean overseeing.
Any help appreciated!


texts: "quotation", added John -- Quotative subject-verb inversion

texts:
Which of the following is correct? And if both, then which is preferred?

"Blah blah blah", added (or mentioned, commented etc) Mr.John.
"Blah blah blah", Mr.John added.


texts: 'grade four' or 'fourth grade' -- which is grammatical and formal?

texts:
I just came across the following sentence;

  How many grade four kanji have you memorised?

Is that formal? Should there better be a hyphen like 'grade-four'?


texts:
What's the meaning of this phrase in this sentence?
"The plan is to hit the ground running for the next year."
Also, can I use the phrase with "to"? like this↓?
"I am going to hit the ground running to start the plan"
Sorry for gramatically incorrect sentences cuz I'm not a native.


texts:
I am going to put the adverb, indefinitely, in different places of a sentence.

(1) My contract will indefinitely be renewed.

(2) My contract will be indefinitely renewed.

(3) My contract will be renewed indefinitely.

I've heard from some of my non-native English speaking friends say that an adverb needs to be placed as close to a verb as possible. They also think that it's OK to put the adverb between "will" and "be" because it emphasizes the certainty of when an event will happen. Based on their reasoning, I think all the placements above are correct. Do you agree with them?


texts: What does the "null" mean in "null hypothesis" mean?  Null in general means none, nothing, empty, zero.  What does that mean in the context of "null hypothesis"?


texts: The act of calling student names to make list of absent students

texts:
Is there a word for the act of calling each student name in a classroom to know which students are present, and which ones are absent?

I used google translate and tried to translate it from other languages which gave me the word absenteeism which its English meaning shows that it's not what I'm looking for:

  Absenteeism: the practice of regularly staying away from work or school without good reason.


texts:
Character Information

  ...

  Personality

  Mean, abusive, prejudiced, self-spoken

(http://zootopia.wikia.com/wiki/Woodchuck_bully)


texts: Correct usage of verb with neither and none?

texts:
I got confused when my teacher's statements got contradicted. Unfortunately I was not able to clarify my doubt. The sentences were:

None of the employees working in the office have invested in
mutual  funds.
Neither of the boys has submitted their records.

Why this variation in both the sentences? Could anyone explain the correct usage? My understanding says both should contain have. But I'm not sure.

PS: When I used has with the former he told its wrong and when I used have with latter one then again he said wrong.


texts:
In my preperation for exam, I came across the following exam-question / scenario:

You work in the offices of a local business and "subscribe to" the magazine, “Business Communication.” In a recent edition, there was the following advertisement for a competition:

The writer of the winning article will receive a free 2-year subscription to
“Business Communication”.

I know that "subscribe" means to get a magazine or news on a regular basis.
Is this also the meaning of "subscribe to" here ?

Definition of "subscribe to" Oxford Dictionary:


texts:
Out of these two sentences, which one is correct?

  The mouse indicated persistent annoyances likely to be caused by my procrastination tendencies.

or

  The mouse indicated persistent annoyances and irritations, likely to be caused by my procrastinating tendencies.


texts: Is it gramatically correct to ask "what were you doing this summer?"

texts:
I was asked few times on my English classes "what were you doing this summer?". And now I'm wondering if it's correct to ask that question like that? As far as I know Past Continuous is used to describe actions in the past that were happening at a particular (and not very long) moment.
I think the correct way to ask about my actions during the whole summer is "What had you been doing this summer?". I guess that's the only one correct way to ask it. Or isn't it?


texts: Wondering what the words "fraction" and "virtual" really mean in this context

texts:
Facebook has added a Finnish firm that makes a fitness tracking app to its ever-increasing portfolio of purchases.
Helsinki-based ProtoGeo created the Moves app that uses a smartphone's built-in sensors to track activity and calories burned.
The acquisition offers the social network an entry into the burgeoning health technology market.
Other recent purchases include mobile messaging firm WhatsApp and virtual headset maker Oculus.
Facebook did not reveal how much it paid for ProtoGeo, which has fewer than 10 employees, but it is believed to be a fraction of the price it has paid for more high-profile firms recently.
Source: BBC News – Facebook buys fitness app firm

Does the word "virtual" mean particular or special or unique or perhaps artificial? All these are actually a combination of my research in dictionaries and my perception. And I think all these definitions are possible in our new world!
And my perception is that the word fraction, simply means: less than. Am I right?


texts: Is there a word called this Internet action in English culture?

texts:
In Chinese Internet forums, people reply a post continuously to make the replies  grow longer is called “盖楼“（make building）。

I wonder is there a word for this action in English?


texts: Do you use "that" or "who" to refer to a fairy?

texts:
I am wondering if a fairy is considered a person or a creature.

  The fairy who is very old told me I was the chosen one.

So do we use who or that?

  The fairy that is very old told me I was the chosen one.

I am thinking it's a matter of opinion, or is it? Are both valid?


texts:
I have a sentence like:

  Second, we propose a new mechanism that we call XYZ, which aims to solve problem X. We implement and evaluate a proof-of-concept for it.

However, I’m not sure if it should be:

  a proof of concept for it.

or:

  a proof of concept of it.

Can you clarify when to use “for” versus “of” in this context?


texts:
He has been capped over 100 times and is his country's third-highest goalscorer of all time.
  Bottles of lambic are corked like wine and champagne, but some will have bottle caps that have been capped over corks.
  Benefits and costs are capped over a 60-year period; fans of the high-speed rail link point out that Britons are still zipping along on railways built 170 years ago.

I can't find the meaning of this phrasal verb anywhere in the internet.


texts:
And there was something about this man she instinctively liked, but
  in the same platonic fashion in which he seemed to see her.

source from Single White Woman

"in the same platonic fashion" what is in the same with "platonic fashion"?
How can one man see a woman in "platonic fashion"?

Actually, I don't understand this sentence at all.


texts: Which badminton speak is better in US `ba~d~min` or `ba~men~ton`

texts:
Badminton in google transalation speak like ba~d~mon
but I asked philippines friends they always speak like ba~men~ton
which one the US use in normal life?


texts: Difference between shall and should in this specific context?

texts:
Should we go?
Shall we go?
Do they differ in their degrees of politeness?


texts: Do you have a blow dryer?/do you have blow dryers?

texts:
So I went to a shop to buy a blow dryer and asked the shop assistant if they had a blow dryer. As soon as I said that, I felt like my sentence was a bit odd. I don't know why, but I kept thinking I should have said “do you have blow dryers?”

I don't know why I thought like that but it sounded more natural to me..

What would native speakers prefer between those two sentences and why?

Thanks in advance


texts:
Here is a sentence,
"His father and other people worked on spaceships."
I wanna know why "on" was used.
And can I use "at" instead of "on"?
If it can't, please tell me why.
My expressions might be odd because I'm non-english speaker.
Thank you.


texts:
If two group of people meet each other and someone says:

You are losers!

Will it be correct if he will be answered like

Who are losers!? We? Naaah, you are!

Or it should be said like a singular form

Who is loser!? We? Naaah, you are! ?


texts:
I ask my question by the following example:

  A: Would you like tea or coffee? B: I don't want either.

Can we say the following instead of the above one?:

  A: Would you like tea or coffee? B: I want neither.

In the grammar book isn't mentioned about it.


texts:
Where have I to deposit the fees?

I get that the error is in the 'have I' part. In affirmative, we say, I have to deposit the fees. In negative, we say, I don't have to deposit the fees. In interrogative, we ask, Do I have to deposit the fees?

So, How can I improve the given sentence?

  Where do I have to deposit the fees?

or

  Where do have I to deposit the fees?


texts: An unambiguous word for when we, in the middle of doing things, want to refer to the thing we will do at the end?

texts:
After several comments on a paper, in this comment I want to refer to the comment I will made at the end of all comments. So I say:

  Please see my last comment.

But "last comment" also means the previous comment.

Words such as "final", "ultimate", and "latest" have connotations that make me think they are not the best choice. "final" and "ultimate" both have the connotation of being the conclusion, and "latest" has the problem I mentioned about "last".

What is your suggestion?


texts: Relative clauses vs Adverb in the sentence

texts:
After a week of inaction she came back with flying dates 10 days earlier than I wanted and one hotel suggestion: a Holiday Inn — in Paris!

  His government would seek a date earlier than 2014.

In this sentence I couldn't understand if ''10 days earlier'' modifies ''flying dates'' or the verb ''came''. I thought it modifies '' flying dates'' but I couldn't be sure. Same question is valid for the second sentence. What is the way to understand what such structure modifies.


texts: Is the sentence "Don't you cry" correct?

texts: Is the sentence "Don't you cry" (or don't you speak, don't you cry etc.) is correct? For me, as ELL, it looks weird to see pronoun (in this case "you") in such sentence - as an order rather than a question. I expected it to be: "don't cry" instead of "don't you cry". what is the explanation for that?


texts:
Could there be something wrong with this sentence from some webpage:

  Police used pepper spray and tear gas to disperse pro-democracy protesters in the city’s most serious confrontation with Beijing in more than a decade.

"Confrontation with Beijing" is an abstract confrontation.  But "police used pepper spray and tear gas to disperse pro-democracy protesters" is a physical fight between the Hong Kong police and protesters.  The way the example sentence is written suggests that the physical fight = a confrontation with Beijing, which makes no sense.  Would the following rewrite be better?

  Police used pepper spray and tear gas to disperse pro-democracy protesters in the city’s most serious confrontation with Hong Kong Police in more than a decade.


texts: Is the conjunction "while" sub-ordinate or co-ordinate?

texts:
I ran into a sentence.

  We're living at my parents' house while we look for a new home.

In the sentence, is the conjunction "while" sub-ordinate or co-ordinate?
Please explain it to me.
Thanks a lot.


texts:
I have met the next sentence in the English text:

  Contemporary film directors, some of them write the scripts for,
  act in, and even produce their own motion pictures, are thereby
  assuming ever more control of their art.

The test answer says that word "them" incorrect. I do not get why it is so.

Does anybody have an explanation?


texts: What do you call the act of moving as a group one at a time with the last person going in front of the first person and on and on? I think the word leapfroging is used, but it involves jumping over a person, is there a more general way of referring to that? For example, what if the people are just walking instead of jumping over one another?


texts: in spite of no comprehending vs not comprehension

texts:
In spite of no comprehending, she said nothing.

  In spite of not comprehending, she said nothing.

  In spite of no comprehension, she said nothing.

Which is the best and why ?


texts:
It's may day 2016 and every student can wear graduated cap this weekend in Finland.

I read, that the word "cap" is deprecated and the synonym for "cap" would be "headwear".

I'm going to tell my followers in English that I'm going to have a party with my college graduating cap or "Going to party wearing my college graduating headwear". I'm not sure if it's "Going to party with my college headwear". Please help me, with or wear with the word "headwear".


texts: Tense in "I hoped to spend time with my father while I am on vacation"

texts:
I hoped to spend time with my father while I am on vacation.

Since it should be in past tense, is it correct to use "am"?


texts: Should I use 'if' instead of 'but' in this sentence

texts:
Consider this sentence:

  He said he would have called her, but he hadn't got her number.

Can I use "hadn't got" here, or I should use if clause like:

  He said he would have called her if he had got her number.


texts: Allow (to) + infinitive, substantive, verb+ -ing

texts:
In which way can the verb 'allow' be used? There is always some confusion and apparently it's often intuitively used wrongly. Which form corresponds to correct English, eventually depending on context (see below)?

1: allow + to + infinitive: It allows to do something.
2: allow + verb+ -ing: It allows doing something.
3: allow + pronoun + to + infinitive: It allows me to do something.
4: allow + pronoun + verb+ -ing: It allows me doing something.
5: allow + noun: It allows something,
6: allow + noun + verb: It allows something to be done.


texts:
In sentence By continuing, you consent to our privacy policy and terms of use shown below.
Can we tell for sure what is "shown below"? both the privacy policy and terms of use or just terms of use? Can we say the sentence is confusing? I mean if you are not able to check what is shown below.

Thank you


texts:
Here is a sentence. I am trying to read this sentence but it does not make me seen.

  Many applications start based on monolithic architecture, but as several unforeseen requirements surfaced, can be slowly revamped to microservices that interact over an older monolithic architecture through APIs.

https://medium.com/coding-in-simple-english/what-are-microservices-ecbced182805


texts: Do you use “and” or “nor” when followed by a pronoun?

texts:
For example,

Claims are not liable to insurers, investors, nor S Corporation and its owners.

Claims are not liable to insurers, investors, S Corporation, nor its owners.

Which conjunction would you use?


texts:
Essentially, I wonder that if X is a plural noun, should we use a plural or singular verb in a sentence such as "X are a subject that [verb] ..."? I believe that we should always use the singular verb form there (for example, "Eatable flowers are a subject that comes up ..."). However, I was surprised to find this sentence on the Eatable Flowers FAQ page:

  Eatable flowers are a subject that come up in almost all cooking classes eventually and I am a big fan of them.

as well as this on Google Books:

  Tools are a subject that come up at our house from time to time.

I think they are typos, but I would like a double check to be sure.


texts: Verbs of perception: see, hear, watch + object +[bare infinitive/ gerund/ adjective/ past participle/]

texts:
Some of the verbs called "verbs of perception or perceptual. However many English language learners would face many problems with using them, me one of them.

>

Some of them are being used in such as the following basis (active form):
 - {see/look/watch/notice/observe/hear} + object +  {gerunds/bare infinitive}.

  But sometimes, issues are made with passive form.
  Is the following rule is right or wrong? Correct it if is wrong.
   - {see/watch, etc.} + object + {adjective/ past participle}

  Or:

  {see/watch, etc.} + object (being: optional or required?) + {adjective/ past participle}.

>
>

  I saw a person repairing my car. (Active form)
  I saw a person repair my car. (Active form)
  I saw a car being repaired. (Passive form)
  I saw a car repaired. (Passive form)
  I saw a car be repaired. (Passive form)
  I watched a man solve the problem. (Active form)
  I watched a man solving the problem. (Active form)
  I watched a problem be solved . (Passive form)
  I watched a problem being solved. (Passive form)
  I watched a problem solved. (Passive form)

  I am confused about which sentences are wrong and which ones are right?

  Could just explain deeply, and elaborate on demonstrations of each one of these examples?


texts:
Now that you had  many hours of experience riding a bike , you can easily ride your bicycle.

I sense that in this sentence the participle clause in bold adds a meaning to the sentence that "you" spent many hours experiencing a bike.

My question is that why there is not "in" before "riding bike"?

Would there be a difference in the meaning if we put "in" before it?

Secondly in my understanding of present participle clause, these clauses have got the same subject as the main sentence and depending on the context they modify the main sentence in terms of how or when. But in the sentence above, "riding bike" is a part of the main sentence let alone assuming complementary role or constituting a clause.

How could it be possible that "riding a bike" can be a part of the main sentence, supposing that it is a participle clause?

If it is not a participle clause so what it is?

Why there is no "in" before it?


texts:
I told her to light the lamp when it gets dark.

I told her to light the lamp when it got dark.

Which sentence is correct? If both are correct then what is the difference in meaning between them and when to use them individually???


texts: Explanation of "The absence of evidence, they say, is not the evidence of absence."

texts:
What does this statement mean? Please explain

The absence of evidence, they say, is not the evidence of absence.


texts: What is the difference between 'your interests and your hobbies' outside of work?

texts:
When applying for a job, one of the questions will be:

  Please list your interests and your hobbies outside work.

Surely, interests and hobbies are the same thing. Could you help to clarify this?


texts:
I have a question about the usage of the verb "occur".  According to definition 1 of this dictionary, "occur" means for a event to "happen".

But then I saw these usages of "occur" in a couple of NY Times articles:

  Article 1:
  The aircraft damage occurred even though about half the helicopters were moved inside hangars and the rest tied down as the storm approached, the Army said.

  Article 2:
  Criticism also seems to be the most stressful part of the job for Hubie Brown, the Knicks' coach who was hospitalized for three days last fall after an angina attack. Brown's illness occurred as he was anticipating an unflattering article about himself in Sports Illustrated magazine, and while he does not directly connect the two events he puts ''media pressure'' at the top of his list when itemizing sources of stress.

For the first example, "damage" is a state of being damaged, not an event.  So how does "damage" occur?

For the second example, an "illness" is a state of being unwell, not an event.  So the phrase "Brown's illness occurred" sounds weird.

What do native speakers think?  Are the usages of "occur" in the two examples poor usage?


texts: difference between check mark and tick mark

texts:
What is exact difference between tick mark and check mark. I know about ticking something as done and marking as checked. I thing both are same but what is exact difference.

Explanatory comments are most welcome.


texts: Is ”Physical”'s IPA spelling not unique?

texts:
Could you come up with an explanation why the same adjective "physical" has two IPA renderings of the same pronunciation?
Oxford Learners Dictionary: /ˈfɪzɪkl/ (that is the /ə/ is missed in spelling, but heard):
The rest of English dictionaries: /ˈfi-zi-kəl/
Physical - LDOCE
Is there something particular here, or just a typographical error?
P.S. I have checked logical, the same difference in "spelling” of the pronunciation.


texts: If someone tells you an instruction/order, can you answer with 'Understood', rather than 'I understand'? I felt like I heard that being used, but I'm not so sure.


texts:
I have a piece of homework. I'm requested to say what speaker is doing. There are two questions.

  May I sit down? ---> asking permission
  What jobs should I apply for? ---> asking for advice.

Why we use ask for with advice, but not with permission? They are obviously nouns. Why don't they use asking for permission? Are there any difference between asking for permission and asking permission.

link

  Ask and ask for: typical error

  We use for when we request someone to give us something:

  I called them to ask for more details.

  Not: I called them to ask more details.

We also request somebody to give us permission. Why do they use asking permission?


texts: Present Simple for a single event - is it ever correct?

texts:
I'm an advanced English learner so I'm pretty confident as far as using the Present Simple tense in most contexts. However, recently I've stumbled upon a youtube video where the Present Simple was used to describe a singluar event.
I'm mainly confused with the following sentence:

  "like he lands, he keeps his hands up"

Especially the "he keeps his hands up" part.

Below, I provide you with the link to the video. The link is set up to start 6-7 seconds before the sentences in the Present Simple are said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X1BLoYT5dU&t=103m0s


texts: Is pronoun it really singular? Google transla

texts:
Hi, I've used Google translator to translate a bunch of positive and negative sentences from Ukrainian, where the subjects of the clauses are plural.
And I am really confused about, is it singular only? Or can we use it with plural objects? For me personally,
when I speak English it is so inconvenient to say "these are not my problems" I usually say "it's not my problems" but then I think that I said it incorrectly. So why Google translator gave different results like

"this is my glasses"

vs

"these my glasses"

Thanks in advance.


texts: Is this sentence correct without any article?

texts:
I would be packing things.

Is it correct if I do not put any article before 'things': a, an, or the?


texts: This doesn't seem to be a double negation, does it?

texts:
They walked past a mossy tree stump. Harry could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.
      "You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter –– GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"
      Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.
      "I knew it," he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."
      "A werewolf?" Harry suggested.
      "That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."
      They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.
  (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)

The bold part seems to be not a double negation but a dialect. Is this right?


texts:
In the context of submitting your work to your boss, which is the right phrase to use 'turn in' or 'hand in'? And why? And how are they used differently in other contexts?

Examples:

  "He always hands in his work late."
  "He always turns in his work late."


texts: What is have been /has been grammar rules?

texts: Do I have to include verb+ing after have been/has been? Can I use verb+ed after have been/has been? Please explain with example.


texts: Comma before "as a token of my gratitude?"

texts:
I am writing a little note to a person who returned my lost wallet. Is the following sentence grammatically correct?

  Please accept the cash enclosed herein, as a token of my gratitude.

What is confusing me is whether there should be a comma before the phrase "as a  token of my gratitude"

My guess is that as the only cash enclosed is the cash offered as a gift, the information is non crucial, making the phrase non-restrictive clause, and therefore comma would be required.


texts:
Closely related to this, after clothes are dried out, what verbs are used for:

collecting and putting them inside the house (maybe because it's raining)
collecting, folding and putting them in a wardrobe.

(maybe something similar to make a bed)


texts:
What does "I seldom go to church" mean?

What can it be replaced with?


texts: Why do we use the plural "chances" and "odds" to talk about probability?

texts:
Probability in mathematics is just a number between zero and one. For example, we say, "The probability of this happening is fifty percent."
However, in many statements, we use "chances" and "odds", which are plural as opposed to the singular "probability". For example, consider "What are the chances of that!" and "The odds of winning the lottery are minuscule."
Dictionary definitions just tell it how it is, but not why:

You refer to how likely something is to happen as the odds that it will happen.

The following structure reads especially clunky partly because it has are next to one.

The overall odds of winning a lottery prize are 1 in 13.
— CED (emphasis mine)

Again, that last part is just one number (~0.08), so we would say, "The overall probability of winning the lottery is point zero eight." Yet, we use the plural "chances" and "odds" though they refer to one number. "What is the chance
of that!" and "The odd of winning the lottery is minuscule" come more intuitively to me.


texts:
What difference, if any, is there between "logo" and "emblem"?

In particular, should "logo" be used for the Tokyo 2020 design that's attracted accusations of plagiarism, or is "emblem" ok as well?


texts:
Why is it "the victims" in this sentence?

  "Mr. Trump stated, "Without looking at the various polling data, it is
  obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this
  hatred comes from and why we will have to determine. Until we are able
  to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it
  poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by
  people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or
  respect for human life. If I win the election for President, we are
  going to Make America Great Again."

Could we omit the article there? What warrants the definite article to be there exactly?


texts: Is this sentence grammatically correct(Letter to the Editor)?

texts:
Is this sentence grammatically correct?

Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to extend a few suggestions to the government of Colorado with regards to enhancing the economy of the state and suggest a business proposition.


texts:
I play online multiplayer game clash of clan. Two native English speakers were talking with each other. The first one showed(appeared?) after some days, and then the other person said:

  Missed who

The speaker is most probably from New Zealand; if not then Canadian for sure. What I am confused about is that I think the correct way should be to say, "Missed whom". I can think of sentences like:

I missed you.
I missed him.
I missed whom?
Whom did I miss?

The you, him, whom all are in object form. So, I think correct usage would be missed whom not missed who?

Is the who usage a vernacular, different figurative meaning, or actually the correct usage?


texts:
Ted returned home early, claiming his blind date could have doubled for a gorgon.

Double here is a verb but I do not get what it means here.


texts:
As far as I understand, when a line of communication or supply is interrupted, it can be said like this:

  They cut off electricity yesterday.

Is it correct? At least Google shows this collocation is often used.

Now what if I want to give additional information as to who exactly was cut off. Can I use indirect object like for the verb give?

  They cut off us electricity.

Or should I say:

  They cut off electricity to us

And if neither is correct, how would you say it?


texts: A footstool with no legs is standing on its side. Is it correct to say "place / lay the stool down upright"?

texts:
We have this structure in the dictionary

lay somebody/something + adj.
Eg, The cloth should be laid flat.

And "upright (an adjective): placed in a vertical position"
So, I think we can say "lay the footstool upright" but since the footstool is standing on its side, it's better to use the adverb "down".
It will become "lay the footstool down upright", but it sounds awkward.
Is it correct to say "place / lay the stool down upright"?


texts: Is "wherever", or even "where", OK in this sentence to take place of "anywhere" as a clause introducer?

texts:
In this case, the bus was crowded and some white people needed a seat. So the driver asked Rosa Parks to give up her seat. But she refused. She was tired after a long day working as a seamstress (sewer) in a department store and she felt she should have the right to sit anywhere she wanted. So she told the drive “no.”

Is "wherever", or even "where", OK in this sentence to take place of "anywhere"?

I think it's a quite subtle language question, and it might take a lot of complicated effort to clarify, but I do need help on using "wherever","anywhere" and "where",especially when they are used to introduce clauses.


texts: order of "Possessive and Numeral Adjective"

texts:
He has lost nearly his all many pets.

In the above sentence, there is three adjectives 'his', 'all' and 'many'.
I  am confused to place them appropriately.
So,do their ordering have any effect on sense of the sentence, if yes, how can I fix it?
Please explain it to me, thanks a lot!


texts: what is the difference "I am prepared for something" and "I prepared for something"

texts:
What is the difference between "I am prepared for something" and "I prepared for something"?

I think both sentences mean I finish preparing for something.

For example in my English conversation class

  Teacher: Hi Koji, how are you? What do you want to discuss today?

  I: Hello. I prepared my presentation for introducing my company.
  or
  I am prepared for my presentation for introducing my company.

Is there anything different?


texts:
Take a look at this sentence:

"I'm happy to meet you."

This may mean:

"I'm happy because I met/meet/will meet you."

Then, can this sentence:

"I'm tired to work out."

mean that:

"I'm tired because I worked out."


texts: about the nuance of the meaning of "embedded" in "an operation to remove glass that was embedded in his leg"

texts:
Below is an example phrase from Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

  an operation to remove glass that was embedded in his leg

I am wondering what differences in meaning embedded makes in that phrase, compared to other alternative words like stuck, inserted or got.

Thank you.


texts:
If 's shows possession then wouldn't it be used in the following sentences?

  I want to buy a car's door. You have broken my computer's
  screen.


texts: Is "delivered price" in this sentence same as "final price"?

texts:
Would "delivered prices" mean "final prices" that people would end up paying?
sequestration here refers to sequestration of CO2 in the atmosphere.
But because sequestration does not affect the cost of electricity transmission and distribution, delivered prices will rise less, by no more than 50 percent.
Thank you


texts:
What is the difference between big and great?

For example:

  "The government has spent a big deal of money attempting to help the
  region."

Can I use "great" in this sentence?

And for the below sentence:

  "I don't really care about failing the exam. It's no great deal,
  really.

Can I use "big" in this sentence? If no why not?

  "It was time for her to make the big or great decision should she
  agree to marry him?"

Which one is correct? "great or big" ?


texts:
Do we ever use the content name directly after the verb, without the name of the thing which is filled with it. Take an example:

"Fill in the blanks with a suitable article where necessary." is what we usually write.

Can this be: Fill the suitable article where necessary.

Secondly in this instruction should there be an 'a' before the word 'article' or 'the' is fine?


texts: Modelling or Modeling: When writing in British English, should you use US Spelling when quoting the name of a US book?

texts:
I am constantly using a lot of references (from America) such as "Local Polynomial Modeling" (with one l). However, if I understand correctly, in the UK we use two l's in modelling.

I feel it is bad to be inconsistent with spelling this word. However, sometimes I end up with sentences such as "We apply local linear modelling as described in the book Local Polynomial Modeling".

How should this be dealt with?


texts:
What do you call the act of a political staff of taking ideas from a think tank? I thought about the idea "get inspiration from", but it wouldn't work, because taking the recommendations and turning them into policy is almost like copy and paste. Also, "get inspiration from" sounds like something an artist would do and not a political campaign staff in order to build a political platform to run on.

Think of a political campaign staff taking a policy recommendation from a think tank and adding it to the political platform a candidate is running on.


texts: What is the meaning of "disinter dream"?

texts:
The phrase "disinter dream" is in the introduction part of the book "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. What is the meaning of it? Can it be "thinking deeply about our dreams"?

Quotes from book:

  If we have the courage to disinter dream, we are then faced by the second obstacle: love.

  Having disinterred our dream, having used the power of love to nurture it and spent many years living with scars, ...


texts: So I am unsure whether to include the "t" in the pronunciation. I have heard both the t being pronounced distincly and left out entirely ( sound like "sh" sound only) and this is not just about this word but about every instance in which there is "tu". My dictionary says "æktfually" which I dont understand shouldnt it be "ækchually" ?Another word would be "structure" sometimes I hear the second "t" other times its just the "sh.


texts: Can adjectives sound imperative without "be"?

texts:
(be) content with your life!

  (be) quiet!

Can't those sentences sound imperative without "be"?
I think they can, but am not sure.


texts: What is the literal meaning of "In God we Trust, all others bring data"?

texts:
I know this famous quote "In God we Trust, all others bring data" explains to us the importance of understanding and leveraging the big data.

I would like to know the literal meaning of this quote.


texts: What part of speech is up in the sentence, the time is up

texts: This sentence, the time is up, is confusing me. I think up is a preposition


texts: Similar ways of saying “You understand me?” and “You hear me?”

texts:
What are some alternative ways of saying “You understand me?” and “You hear me?” as a rhetorical question that we say when we are angry and pissed. Because sometimes these expressions look overly used. Almost everybody uses these expressions when they are angry.

Also what are some not-so-strong alternatives which we might use in a not so hot situations.


texts: I sometimes read sentences starting with "We can scarcely admit that..." Does it mean we cannot admit, or we can admit but not easily, or something else? What does it mean exactly? The dictionary meaning of scarcely does not give me anything meaningful.


texts: "Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," meaning?

texts:
"I'm going to play," he told Ron and Hermione. "If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them... it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."

  "Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," said Hermione.

As I understand "Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field" here, it means we would definitely win as long as we have you in the team to play the game. Is my understanding correct?

-- Excerpted from Harry Potter.


texts: Meaning of the following passage with the word "shed" in it

texts:
From phobias to panic attacks, anxiety disorders can cause major disruption to sufferers' lives. Could smartphones and tablets offer a solution? Spiders used to terrify psychiatrist Russell Green. He recalls one incident, involving a colleague, which led him to flee his workplace. "Her son had tarantulas and she'd brought in the skin that one had shed," Dr Green explains. "I just happened to be passing through the entrance to the hospital and she had it in a sandwich box. "I immediately saw it and recognised it as a tarantula and tried to run out of the hospital." Dr Green's arachnophobia - the exaggerated fear of spiders - is so severe that even a picture of one is enough to scare him.

I know the word shed has to do with getting rid of sonething, but it is still difficult to figure out what the above phrase really means: Bring in? Bring in the skin? Had shed? I am confused. I have completly drawn a blank here!


texts: What word to use to say "yell" but in a humorous way?

texts:
I used the word "yell" in an answer on another SE exchange, trying to convey the kind of (humorous to the listeners / readers - not parents) yells parents have when their children misbehave (usually before the moral story).

thank you Bill Watterson for describing my life

I was told that this word does not have any humorous aspect in it (with some links to online dictionnaries).

Since I am French, I tried to translate two words which have that humoours trait (in specific contexts at least): brailler et gueuler. Both usually translate to bawl or yell and none of the translations seem to fit the bill.

Is there such a word?