texts: Articles before almost-abstract kind of nouns

texts:
Should we use articles before nouns that are not fully generalized?

For example: "the birds of America" or "birds of America"?

We are considering not all birds, but all American birds. So what is the truth? "American birds" or "the American birds"?


texts:
I have some question about the meaning of the verb phrase "open up" in this yahoo article:

  Here's why a once-hostile Arab country is talking about opening up ties with Israel

I am also not too sure about the usage of the adjective "open" in the same article:

  Relations with Sudan — now a notable member of the Saudi anti-Iran coalition — would de-link regional diplomacy from the peace process with the Palestinians, potentially enabling more open relations with countries like Saudi Arabia and creating a precedent for future cooperation with Arab states.

What do "open up ties" and "more open relations" mean?  Could they be technical jargon?


texts:
Source: US Congress passes Russia sanctions, arms for Ukraine

Usage example with a context:

  Identical texts of the Ukraine Freedom Support Act passed both the Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday, but because of a technical issue it returned to the Senate where it passed by unanimous consent moments before the chamber adjourned late Saturday night.

How should I understand passed in this context? Does this mean that the Act went through those two legislative institutions for approval, but was sent back to where it came from? In the second instance, I don't understand how it's possible that we have the word by and the verb passed is in the passive voice, but there's no axillary verb like is around.


texts: What does "step on the brakes" mean in this context?

texts:
Based on this page, I know it means STOP but i can't figure out what they would STOP.

  Raising that target to 3 or even 4 percent as some economists have suggested would shift the outlook of firms in particular, allowing them to charge more for goods and pay more for labor without the fear that a central bank would step on the brakes."

Source)


texts: do you release the air from nose when say cotton?

texts:
I am trying to learn how to pronounce words like cotton, written, mountain.
in general, the t, then n (between them will not be pronounced)

so i learned that i have to cut the t. in other words, make my tounle reach the top of my mouth, then i don't know what to do. should I say the n by releasing the air from my nose? or should I say the n by relaxing my teeth and not release any air from my nose?


texts:
I am not sure about the answer I got in me earliar question. I am asking about every day activity.

Please help me with following sentence construciton. I want to use two conditions using if and would.

Senario is our office bus is not passing near from my bosss residence hence he prefer to travel by train every day. I want to ask him if Office Bus route is near from his residence or bus passes near from his residence, then would he travel by bus instade of train every day.

So if i say

1)Would you travel by train if our office bus passes near from your home. or 2)Would you travel by train if our office bus would pass near from your home. or 3)would you travel by train if our office bus is passing near from your home.


texts:
While watching TV shows, I occasionally come across the phrase ‘remember this!’ in the context where one character gets wronged by another but couldn’t retaliate right away. How should I interpret this expression? Does it expand into ‘remember what you’ve done because I will get payback’ or it is closely to ‘I will remember this, and will get back at you for it’ or something else completely?

Here is an example:  Person A is standing on a stage and decides to  humorously mock/humiliate someone else in the presence of a huge audience. The person on the receiving end doesn’t want to lash out on the spot but insteads says ‘remember this!’ to person A as he walks down the stage.


texts:
Your son is playing on a structure that has many slides as shown in the picture while you are standing on the ground pointing at a slide. Note: there could be many slides.
Now you point at a specific slide and tell your child to slide down that slide.
We often say "go that way" or "take the stairs".
Is it correct for you to say "slide that way" or "take that slide" the same way we say  "go that way" or "take the stairs"?


texts:
I'd like to ask if these two words are interchangeable ?

put something ↔ across phrasal verb

1   to explain your ideas, beliefs etc in a way that people can understand:

2  put yourself across  British English to explain your ideas and opinions clearly so that people understand them and realize what sort of person you are:

  He was trying to put across a serious point.

  Sue's never been very good at putting herself across at interviews.

  Television can be a useful way of putting across health messages

get something ↔ across
to succeed in communicating an idea or piece of information to someone, or to be communicated successfully

  It took him ages to get his point across.

  We must get across the simple fact that drugs are dangerous.

  I was trying to get across how much I admired them.

  It is important that we get this message across to voters.

  What message are you trying to get across to the consumer?

Source : Longman and McMillan Dictionary


texts:
Sometime I see a sentence like this:

I always carry my notebook with me.

So, what's the meaning of "with me"? Is it possible that I carry my notebook with someone else? Is it wrong if I omit it? Or is it different from the sentence above in meaning?


texts:
I wasn't sure about the subordinate clause forms, so I searched on google and found a website that has examples.
http://chompchomp.com/terms/clause.htm
In this website, it says the general forms are following:

Main Clause + Ø + Subordinate Clause
Subordinate Clause + , + Main Clause

Does the form depend on the subordinate conjunction that is being used? What I mean by this is, if you're using the subordinate conjunction, whenever, are you bound to use form 1 or can you use form 2 also?

For examples on the website:

Whenever lazy students whine, Mrs. Russell throws chalk erasers at their heads.
Anthony ran for the paper towels as cola spilled over the glass and splashed onto the counter.
Because my dog loves pizza crusts, he never barks at the deliveryman.

Is it still correct if you change the their forms?

Mrs. Russell throws chalk erasers at lazy students whenever they whine.
As cola spilled over the glass and splashed onto the counter, Anthony ran for the paper towels.
My dog never barks at the deliveryman, because he loves pizza crusts.


texts: What is the difference between "it seems" and "it looks like"?

texts:
Many times while I talked to others or wrote some text messages I got confusion about which phrase I should use to express the actual meaning of the words

  It seems . . .

and

  It looks like . . .

Please help me to clarify my doubts about how to use these words correctly?


texts:
I know that it is very common to place the object after the phrasal verb 'lay down' as follows:

The soldiers laid down their arms.

But can we place the object between the verb and the particle in the above-mentioned construction?


texts: Words used to call the kids who are somewhat naughty

texts:
What words are used to call the kids who are somewhat naughty, especially in the following scenario?

Let's say you're reading something, suddenly from the back your daughter scares you with loud sound, and you fall from the chair. Then you look back, it's your daughter. Now what word do you use to call her? Here you can call "Stupid", but that means to insult the kid and not an affectionate word. Here you love your kid and she is just mischievous and playfully scared you, so here you won't use the word "stupid" or "you mischievous kid". Are there any better words or phrase people use here?


texts: "make something easier on someone" vs. "make something easier for someone"

texts:
Does these two phrases mean the same? Here is the context:

  That is a huge number, so to make in easier on (for) ourselves, we usually figure out how much a mole of a particular substance weighs.

That excerpt is from Crash Course Chemistry. It is at 9 minute and 14 second.


texts: What does "factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life" mean in this text?

texts:
I am having trouble understanding the highlighted part of the following passage:

  Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere
  ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and
  superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be
  plucked by them.

  -- Walden by Henry Thoreau

I think it means is that "cares" and "labors" are both the objects of "life."

Am I right? If not, what does it mean?


texts:
She wants [Tm] to have finished it [Tr] when you return [To].
  (The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language)

The time order of above sentence is: Tm < Tr < To.

But there’s no sequence expressed between [Tr] and [To] in CGEL below.
Is one of two, [Tr] and [To], anterior to the other, or can’t we know?

  She wants [Tm] to finish it [Tr] when you return [To].

The abbreviations used above are defined in The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language as shorthand for the following terms:

Tm - matrix time
To - time of orientation
Tr - time referred to


texts: What does the writer mean in this following sentence?

texts:
Eric Hoffer, American author and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, wrote:

  In a time of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists

What does he mean in this sentence?


texts: How to interpret when there are many "for"

texts:
Operator for new marinas in A and existing B
  marinas for boats

Which meaning is correct for the sentence above?

Operator for (new marinas in A for boats) and (existing B marinas for boats)

or

Operator for (new marinas in A) and (existing B marinas for boats)


texts: Difference between betrayal and cheating

texts:
I've seen some movies in which a king tells someone that he betrayed him.

But when a man betrays his wife, the wife doesn't say "You betrayed me".
She says "You cheated on me".

Why? What's the difference between "cheating on someone" and "betraying someone"?


texts: Does this sentence make sense? "I got married to her for seven years."

texts:
There is a sentence "I got married to her for seven years."
Is the sentence right? Or should I correct the sentence into "I was married to her for seven years." or "I got married to her seven years ago."?


texts: Largest of all land, or largest of land?

texts:
Here are some sentences. I want to know whether or not these sentences are correct:

  The elephant is the largest of land animals.

  The elephant is the largest of all land animals.


texts:
If my height is more than my brother I say:

  I am taller then my brother

but if my height is less, which sentence is correct?

  I am smaller then my brother

  I am shorten then my brother

  I am lower then my brother


texts: what is different between 'in need of' and 'need'?

texts:
Here is some example sentence,

  She's been taking care of the whole family and is really in need of some me time!

What is the special reason of using "in need of" instead of need?


texts:
First phrase

  Computer speed-up and repair

Second phrase

  Speed-up and repair of computer

Is there a difference in meaning between these two phrases? Which of these phrases is more suitable for the sentence:

  I offer ___________________.


texts: Correct usage of well-known in a sentence

texts:
I was wondering about the adjective well-known's usage in a sentence. How is it used correctly? Can one say/write:

  I am well-known about my sister-in-law's arrival to England to visit me. She's going to stay at my home for 2 weeks.


texts: Is this sentence grammatically correct "After I turned 17 I would go to Italy, but at that time I was only 16"?


texts:
Some ESL students have trouble understanding the logic of sentences starting with it, i.e. 'It is cold.' Or using 'it' as a pronoun to replace ideas in general. Usually they will start the sentence with 'That is interesting...' or 'That is a cold day.'

For instance, they have trouble with sentences like 'It is interesting that you selected that factor.' Or 'It wasn't the lighting that bothered me, it was the food.'

Any tips about how to make this clearer to them?


texts:
Can I write the sentence—The curvature is defined by second derivative, the best estimation of the second derivative basing on three measurements is XXX.—
like this:

  The curvature is defined by second derivative, the best estimation of which basing on three measurements is XXX.

Or I must put "which" at the beginning of the subsentence if I want it to refer to the construct at previous subsentence? Like this:

  The curvature is defined by second derivative, which ...

(In this case how do I rephrase the initial sentence in order to avoid repetitions?)


texts: "You would have to have had been there" or "You would have to had have been there"?

texts:
If the hypothetic question is something like:

  What was it like to live abroad?

  What was prison like?

  How hectic was your summer camp?

Please specify the grammar of the answer. Past perfect or present perfect, why does it qualify for one and not the other?


texts:
"adjectives whose meaning is ..." Why not "adjectives whose meanings are ..."?

The whole sentence is:

"It sometimes helps to remember the order of adjectives if you consider that adjectives whose meaning is closely, or permanently, connected to the noun are placed nearer to it in the sentence."(https://www.shanbay.com/listen/review/313)


texts: "I can make myself 'understood'/'understand'/'understandable'"

texts:
I don't speak acceptable English, but I can make myself understood.

I don't speak acceptable English, but I can make myself understand.

I don't speak acceptable English, but I can make myself understandable.

Why are "understand" and/or "understandable" ungrammatical, while "understood" is not?
Or,  are "understand" and "understandable" in some way acceptable English when they are used like in 2 or 3 respectively? If so, can anybody explain the difference in meaning between 1 and 2 and 3?


texts:
When he came to home  he was wet up to knees . While describing this situation which phrase below would be better.

  He came to home in a way that is wet up to knees

  He came to home in a state that is wet up to knees


texts:
Is neither pronoun or determiner in this sentence? (its exemplified as pronoun, but is it replaceable by noun phrase?)

neither of the boys sent in his report.

Official Guide to the Toefl Ibt Educational Testing Service-Official Guide to the TOEFL Test 4th Edition-McGraw-Hill (2012)


texts: What is the meaning of Annie's words about the author?

texts:
SOURCE  "Field of Dreams", 1989

Context: Protester giving speech to ban the author's books
which were published in the 60s because of too much racism etc.
For these words one of the audience members rose up and counterattacked the protestor by elevating the positive sides of the author.

  Annie: he was talking about love and peace and understanding. l
  cherished his books, and l dearly wish he had written more. Maybe if
  you had experienced even a little bit of the '60s, you might feel the
  same way, too.

  Protester: I experienced the '60s.

  Annie: No, I think you had two '50s and moved right on into the '70s.

I didn't understand last counter punch given by Annie.


texts:
The recommended prevention strategy — making sure that no child goes to bed without eating a meal — adopted from 2015 ensured a sharp drop in the number of children falling sick.

  https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/the-litchi-link/article28022573.ece

Why have they used adopted from to me it doesn't sound idiomatic and I think in its place adopted in should be used because the event happened in 2015 not from 2015.

Am I correct?


texts: Association of the words "to wear" in the given context

texts:
Are the words "to wear" associated with all nouns starting from "patterns" in the following sentence?

  "Fashion is a never-ending cycle of new patterns, textures, materials
  and shapes to wear."


texts: Differences between onward, forth, ahead, front, fore, forward

texts:
When shall I use each one of them?
It's really confusing.
When I translate them they all mean practically the same.

Could you give some examples and when to use and when not to?


texts:
I have some question about the usage of "see":

  He noticed that she was smiling.
  He saw that she was smiling.

Could the second sentence be uncommon.  Would the following:

  He saw her smiling.

be more common?


texts: What's the word "here" in "It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us" mean?

texts:
It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us

This sentence is from the article The Gettysburg Address/ I am really confused about the word "here" in "here be dedicated to".


texts: audience grows larger and less  = subtle?

texts:
How I escaped my certain fate by Stewart Lee

  On a good day, this is the difference between Ricky Gervais and Jim
  Davidson, a difference Davidson fails to grasp and one which, to be
  fair, becomes increasingly irrelevant to Gervais’s audience too as it
  grows larger and less finessed

Stewart Lee describes different styles of these two comedians: Ricky Gervais and Jim Davidson.
Does he mean that the audience of Ricky Gervais grows larger and it's less subtle?

Thanks in advance


texts: "Such level of shade for her age" - meaning of "level of shade" in a YouTube comment on an actress taking part in a talk show

texts:
I watched this video (a very young urbane actress being interviewed on a late-night TV show) and came across the comment that I couldn't understand:

  Such level of shade for her age... I see great things in her future.

Is it a poorly constructed sentence or does "shade" convey any other subtle meaning I'm not aware of?

Judging from the context, I can assume "shade" could mean "sophistication", or "mystery", or "variety", but it's rather random.

I scanned a dictionary, didn't find anything appropriate.

I would love it if you helped me out. Thank you!


texts: Is it grammatically correct to say "Let's go to the picture."

texts:
Is it grammatically correct to say "Let's go to the picture".
Please justify the reason.


texts: For the first person( I ,We) we use simple tense form and for the third person (he,she) we use verb+s, but which tense form we use for second peson?

texts:
For first person:
1) I study during night
For third person:
2) He studies in night
For second person:
3)You must continue your studies.

Why in this sentence is the third person verb form used?


texts: What does 'the essential straight man for the Socratic sage' mean?

texts:
Well, the Socratic sage refers to Holmes while the essential straight man to inspector Gregory. But what does essential straight mean?  And what about Socratic?
Thanks in advance.

The metaphor of barking dogs has been used by historians of religions
to describe various uses of comparison, but like all good myths, it
bears retelling in each new context and can always be used in new
ways. Sherlock Holmes once solved a mystery, the case of Silver Blaze,
a racehorse, by using a vital clue of omission. When Inspector Gregory
asked Holmes whether he had noted any point to which he would draw the
inspector’s attention, Holmes replied, “To the curious incident of the
dog in the night-time.” “The dog did nothing in the night-time,”
objected the puzzled inspector, the essential straight man for the
Socratic sage. “That was the curious incident,” remarked Sherlock
Holmes. The fact that the dog did not bark when someone entered the
house at night was evidence, in this case evidence that the criminal
was someone familiar to the dog. Dogs bark at difference — in this
case, someone different from those with whom the dog was familiar.  We
cannot hear the sound of one hand clapping; we cannot hear sameness.
But through the comparative method we can see the blinkers that each
culture constructs for its retellings of myths. Comparison makes it
possible for us literally to cross-examine cultures, by using a myth
from one culture to reveal to us what is not in a telling from another
culture, to find out the things not “dreamt of in your philosophy” (as
Hamlet said to Horatio). Moreover, we can use comparative work to test
theories about our own culture, by noting where our own dogs have not
barked. Comparison defamiliarizes what we take for granted. We can
only see the inflection of a particular telling when we see other
variants.

The Implied Spider: Politics and Theology in Myth
By Wendy Doniger


texts: I [haven't]/[hadn't] seen him for a long time so I [have] decided

texts:
CONTEXT:
John is my friend. I'm in his house right now (we've been talking for about 20 minutes). My other friend calls me and asks me: "Where are you?" I say: "I'm in John's house at the moment." Then he says: "Why are you there?" I reply to him with one of the sentences below.
SENTENCES:

I hadn't seen him for a long time, so I decided to pay him a visit. That's why I'm here in his house.

I haven't seen him for a long time, so I have decided to pay him a visit. That's why I'm here in his house.

QUESTION:
Which of the above sentences should be used in the context given? I'm wondering about the tenses in bold.


texts:
Is there an adjective that relates to 'hair'?
We have adjectives for other parts of body like oral for mouth, corporal for body, dental for teeth etc.
For example, for the disorder of mouth, we'd say oral disorder. For the disorder of hair, "(?) disorder" (other than 'hair disorder').
Does English have an adjective for 'hair'?


texts: Preposition rule in a sentence with or/and

texts:
... before the exchange or intervention of/on the engine.

It comes from "exchange of the engine" and "intervention on the engine".

Which one should I use?

Additional example with lack of preposition:

  Do not move or stay close (x)/to the engine.


texts: When : 1. time marker / 2. and it was the moment

texts:
I had just arrived at the hotel when I remembered that I had left my keys in the office.

Here, when means "and it was the moment that~", so it means,

  I had just arrived at the hotel and it was the moment that I remembered that I had left my keys in the office.

But how about this?

  I had gotten used to coffee when I was in Brazil.

Here, when means during, which is just a time marker letting us know when the main clause happened. So, this means,

  I had gotten used to coffee during in Brazil.

So, here when means two different things:

1: and it was the moment that

2: during(time marker)

So, I'd like to know what's going on here with the conjunction when.


texts: Can "take off" be used instead of "remove" in this context

texts:
A told B:
Take off(to mean "remove") the grill,I have to clean it. I looked it up online.

Is the use of "take off" instead of "remove" natural?


texts: keeping indefinite article in front of each quality in first description of someone

texts:
When I first describe a certain person by providing three qualities (passive, quiet, friendly), two of which are rather negative (passive, quiet) and the last (friendly) is positive, can I keep the indefinite article in front of each quality or is it sounding funny?:

  Kate is a bit passive and a bit quiet, although a rather friendly
  student.


texts: Using "right away" at the beginning of a sentence

texts:
Is it okay in English to use the adverbial phrase "right away" at the beginning of a sentence?

For example, is it okay instead of

  I will hug him right away.

to say

  Right away I will hug him.

or is it not making any sense in English?


texts: What does "agreements between groups of countries" mean?

texts:
Administrative procedures relating to border crossings whether they fall within the competence of States or result from international agreements, such as visas or health and customs formalities, should be adapted, so far as possible, so as to facilitate to the maximum freedom of travel and widespread access to international tourism; agreements between groups of countries to harmonize and simplify these procedures should be encouraged (Source)

Groups of countries means for example northern European countries and western European countries? I mean there are different groups out there and agreement should be reached between say Group A and Group B.


texts: How to identify that it is progressive verb or temporary activity

texts:
She is smelling a black rose.
(Progressive verb)

She is looking at the sky.
(Temporary activity)

We say that first sentence is a progressive verb but second is a temporary activity. I believe both are temporary and progressive. Suggestions please.


texts: What kind of brooch is a "topaz brooch, a bowl of brimming yellow water"?

texts:
What kind of brooch is a "topaz brooch, a bowl of brimming yellow water" in the following paragraph?

  When I was thirty-four, I wrapped myself in a white silk kimono with sleeves, lined in red silk, so deep they nearly brushed the ground. Around my waist I wound a cream raw silk obi my mother had sewn me and pinned it closed with a borrowed topaz brooch, a bowl of brimming yellow water, bought by my father decades earlier in London.

This is in this book.


texts: Does "He thinks that one or two of the investigations would be good material for a novel or even for a suspense movie." sound natural?

texts:
Text:

  Roger wants to write a book about some of the interesting investigations from his company’s past. He thinks that one or two of the investigations would be good material for a novel or even for a suspense movie.

According to the text, #1 is correct, is #2 also correct?

What does Roger think that his company’s past investigations can provide? He thinks they can provide good material for a novel or even a suspense movie.
What does Roger think about a couple of investigations from his company’s past? He thinks they are good material for a novel or even a suspense movie.

Are they very wide-open questions?


texts: which one is correct? Rub some of this mosquito repellent on your legs or Rub some of this mosquito-repellent on your legs. I think the first one is correct. However, I have seen the second one in Oxford Advanced.


texts:
What does "that’s how much." mean in context?

  ...Anyway, that was the night she got pregnant with Jeremy and it was
  the same night she decided she would leave you, because you couldn’t
  stop looking at her, and thanking her, and she hated that. For sure
  she hated it. She lives in Tulsa, that’s how much.”

Flood Show
by Charles Baxter


texts:
Is below sentence passive present perfect tense or present perfect tense and married is adjective.

They have been married for 20 years.


texts: Will people get confused when they see 'Some of our customers speak Spanish, English, and German'?

texts:
Our cakes are very popular for foreign visitors.
  Some of them speak Spanish, Some speak English, and some speak German.

Now, I want to make the second sentence neat and more easy to read, so I am writing it this way:

  Some of our customers speak Spanish, English, and German.

But I am afraid that the new sentence will make people think that these   customers speak three languages, (i.e. Spanish, English and German).
Can you give me some advice please?


texts: "Two forms attached to the email": is "attached" a verb or an adjective?

texts:
Could you please let me know that the "attached" is a 'verb' or an 'adjective' in the sentence given below.

  Please print the two forms attached to this email.

If possible then please give a justification.


texts:
How I'm having to work, in the following sentence, is different from I have to work?

The course is more demanding than I expected and I'm having to work harder than I ever have before.


texts: In Iran there is another way to do the mandatory military service and it is working for a governmental organization or company instead. It is simply called 'امریه' in Persian. Is it called CPS (Civilian Public Service)? Civilian Military Service? what exactly?


texts:
Are these sentences correct?

Some schools emphasize physical education.
Some schools emphasize on physical education.
Some schools lay emphasis on physical education.

Thanks.


texts: "a large number of" vs. "the large number of"

texts:
I would like to know which one is more correct?

Our automatic analysis in a large number of real photos will be able to help users to...
Our automatic analysis in the large number of real photos will be able to help users to...


texts:
Most of the dishes ( in / of / at ) the student cafeteria are not good.

Here, I feel 'at' and 'in' are more suitable when there's a verb. So I think 'of' is the most suitable here. which one is the best here?


texts: I was reading a book called “BOMB” and the number 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 and I wanted to know what this number is in word form (how you say the word).


texts:
The sentence in question:

  It is in chaos do we find reality.

I wouldn't have posted this question if the sentence were worded like this:

  We find reality in chaos.

or

  In chaos (do) we find reality.

But the construct of the original sentence, which is a cleft sentence whose complement clause is inverted, seems new to me and I'm not sure if it's grammatical (although my ears say it is). So, is it grammatical?


texts:
I was requested that documents yesterday.
  I requested that documents yesterday.

Which one is correct the one, with was or without was?


texts: Plural or singular after a/two subject(s) refering to a group of people?

texts:
Which form of object should we use when a sentence have one or more subjects, and the subject may refer to a group of people.

Here are some examples I am confused about.

A1. Food service workers and hair stylists generally have low salaries.
A2. Food service workers and hair stylists generally have a low salary.

B1. Many astronauts have a military background.
B2. Many astronauts have military backgrounds.

C1. They work regularly to keep their bodies strong.
C2. They work regularly to keep their body strong.

D1. Athletes often have short careers.
D2. Athletes often have a short career.

E1. Doctors require a university degree and several years in medical school.
E2. Doctors require university degrees and several years in medical school.


texts:
Malaysia is famous for its pleasant beach resorts, Langkawi, Pangkor, Tioman Island, Damai beach in Sarawak, and, again, Penang.

I am totally confused about the usage of "comma" in this sentence.

Does it mean Langkawi Island, Pangkor Island, Tioman Island?
Does  the comma after "beach resort mean to add "the examples of beach resorts"?


texts: Can I use a comma instead of an em dash before the phrase "all without proper notice" at the end of a sentence?

texts:
Would the first sentence using a comma be acceptable? Can this sentence be broken into two sentences, as in 2., or would that leave a sentence fragment? Or is 3. proper in its use of the em dash?  Would someone mind explaining why a comma or separate sentences would be improper? I'm having a hard time grasping it. Thank you.

I had to clean up the apartment, put the electricity service in my name, and find a new roommate, all without proper notice.

I had to clean up the apartment, put the electricity service in my name, and find a new roommate. All without proper notice.

I had to clean up the apartment, put the electricity service in my name, and find a new roommate―all without proper notice.


texts: What is meant by "If the hoods don't get you, the monoxide will." in Tom Lehrer's Pollution Song?

texts:
From Tom Lehrer - Pollution youtube:

  Just go out for a breath of air,
  And you'll be ready for medicare.
  The city streets are really quite a thrill.
  If the hoods don't get you, the monoxide will.

I don't understand what is meant by the word "hoods". The meaning of a piece of clothing doesn't make much sense here, The same with the part covering cars.

The only thing left is

a part that covers or shelters a piece of equipment:
      The hood over the air vent is loose.

that fits admittedly in the context, but its rather "protective" als "destructive". (in comparison with the mentioned monoxide) Hence i don't think that meaning is the one referred to in that sentence.


texts: What does "gone amok" mean in this sentence

texts:
Clutter is political correctness gone amok. (In "On Writing Well")

Is there any grammar rule with "gone" in this sentence or is it just an idiom with "amok"?

Thank you


texts: Why is wine made 'from' grapes, but tables are made 'of' wood?

texts:
(1) Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes or other fruits. (Wikipedia)
(2) Tables were made of marble or wood and metal (typically bronze or silver alloys), sometimes with richly ornate legs. (Wikipedia)

Why is 'from' used in (1), whereas 'of' is used  in (2)?
Is it a stylistic choice whether to use 'of' or 'from'? Or, in case of chemical changing, differently from changing in shape only, 'from' is preferable?


texts: Should one say "on even weeks" or "in even weeks"

texts: Could you tell me about the right preposition in this phrase: on/in even weeks in contrast with on/in odd weeks? Besides, is the determiner THE necessary before the noun WEEK and why is it or is it not?


texts: Further question about the difference between "having a hard time Verb+ing" and "having a hard time to Verb"

texts:
This question was once raised by Jirei and answered by MSalters already at the link below.
Having a hard time "verb-ing" vs having a hard time to "verb"
I, however,  would like to raise the same question once again because the "having a hard(or difficult/tough/good/bad etc.) time to Verb" structure can also be seen even in some of well-known prestigious media although not very often, and the answer given in the post at the above link does not clarify that point.
Please refer to the below links for some examples.
TIME Magazine

"North Korea will have a difficult time to make this power
transition."
https://world.time.com/2012/02/16/kim-jong-un-gets-thumbs-up-from-north-koreans-in-japan/

Newsweek

If you are having a difficult time to save despite budgeting,
here's what we recommend:
https://www.newsweek.com/amplify/5-realistic-money-managing-strategies-financially-free-investing-tools

The New York Times

"The Greeks certainly will have a difficult time to explain the
deal to their voters," Mr. Schäuble said.
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/21/business/international/greece-debt-eurozone-finance-ministers.html

BBC

The 23-year-old from County Down is passionate about encouraging
others who are having a difficult time to speak out and get the
help they need.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-49994093/student-mental-health-you-d-seek-help-for-a-broken-leg

I now understand that "having a hard time Verb+ing" structure is a lot more common than "having a hard time to Verb" format, but as you can see above, the latter sentence construction is also quoted in some well-known news media, so I just wonder if it is not a matter of right or wrong, but just a matter of naturalness or awkwardness depending on where you are from or what industry you are in?


texts: Is the use of "well"/"poorly" "understood" right in this case without "when it's"?

texts: "It is a very serious thing, well understood it can give life, poorly understood it'll deprive life.".


texts:
Does it mean "reducing carbon emission"?

The company has increasingly focused on sustainability as it works towards its goal of becoming carbon positive by 2030, and in November it started buying back and reselling UK customers' used furniture to counter the mass consumption associated with Black Friday.

[Business Insider]


texts:
I send you out there.
Is this correct one? Otherwise Any other suggestions for usage of "out there".


texts: omitting the definite article before "of"

texts:
Generally in "of phrases' the definite article is used. For example:

  Mike has the charm of a good artist.

Although "charm" is an uncountable noun, it is defined by "an artist", so it must take the article. But I have come across some uncountable nouns, which are too modified in a way, which do not require using " the".
For example:

  Robert has control of Mike.
  Kate has command of English.

Is there any way to feel or work out when articles should be omitted?


texts:
"if time allows" or "if time permits"? Which one is better in which case?

They look identical to me.
But I suspect the second is more suitable in written English?

Thanks!


texts: "Let's get you going on looking for those journals then." A librarian says this to give a student assistance

texts:
A librarian says this to give a student assistance.

Let's get you going on looking for those journals then.

Does "get" mean "make" or "start"?
I looked up two different meanings in the dictionary.

to make, persuade in Entry 17 Source
start in Entry 18. Source

My thought on this is that "go on" means "continue". So I think the meaning "make" is suitable in this situation.
Do you have any thought on that?


texts: Is this sentence considered rude in English

texts:
I am writing to a client, and I finished my email by:

  Please let me know at your earliest convenience.

Do you consider this rude in English culture? I wrote it as an exact translate from my language.


texts: Why is "allowing" used instead of "allows" in "allowing teams to detect problems early"?

texts:
I have read an article and noticed a sentence:

Each check-in is then verified by an automated build, allowing teams to detect problems early.

Why do they use allowing instead of allows?


texts:
What does "How do you find life in Japan?" mean?
I'm asking this question because I've looked up the definition of life on the Cambridge dictionary website and the closest thing that I could find was "a particular type or part of someone’s experience:" and the example that they gave which was the closest to the meaning of life that I want was "She appreciates life in the United States." where's the link https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/life. So what part of someone's experience is life there referring to, if that's the meaning of life in that sentence that I want to know?
I've also looked up the word on the collins dictionary and the definition that I found was "You can use life to refer to the things that people do and experience that are characteristic of a particular place, group, or activity.", but the problem is that I don't know exactly what they are talking about, since it could be about a broad range of topics, Could someone give me an example of an answer to that question?


texts: How can you make a transition from describing the past to describing the present in your narration?

texts: When talking about the past, can I say "fast forward to 2020, [...]" and then continue by describing some modern events? If not, how can I say it differently? I want a transition that would be applicable both to the present and to the future in the past (something like 'In the 1930s, [...]. Fast forward to 1980, [...]').


texts:
I'm interested in the meaning of flag as a verb and interest in this sentence:

  Variables can be extracted from social media content that flag an interest, emotion, or attitude of the contributor.

http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/flag_2

does "interest" mean "people likes" here???


texts: What are some good idioms that mean "someone betrayed us"? I can think of the expression "a stab in the back", but I can't think of anything else. I am also looking for a phrasal idiom that can be used like a complete sentence like "He made a face on him". Is there anything like that you can think of?


texts:
Is it grammatically correct to say “We went to the movies Yesterday”?
Or would it sound better to say “Yesterday we went to the movies”?

For example, I know that it sounds odd to say “It was a good day Yesterday”. On the other hand, saying “Yesterday was a good day” sounds more natural.
Why is that?


texts:
In Oxford word skills book "and" added before the last number

101 : one hundred and one

140: one hundred and forty

I know that can say without "and"

but I want to know standard and acceptable sentence in international exams

one hundred and one or one hundred one


texts: What do these two sentences mean: "The girl's eyes were wild with fear."

texts:
The girl's eyes were wild with fear. They shone out of her dirty face. Her knees were covered in blood from the fall. She had a sharp pain in her side from running. But she ran.
There was a high lovers' moon and the night was full of dark shadows. The shadows followed her. The shadows could kill her.

I don't understand the two sentences in bold above paragraph. At least I have an idea about the first sentence that what it means. But I have no idea about second sentence. It comes nonsense to me.


texts: "Get him off me!" or "Get him off of me!"

texts: If I want someone to remove someone from me because he is annoying or harassing me do I need the "of" ? I have heard both and while it may not be required to convey the intended meaning I think it should still be required from a grammaticaal standpoint.


texts: What is the meaning of the ` cya` and `gng`?

texts:
When I chat with a India friend in the Colloquy.
He said to me:

  ok dude i am gng out cya and all the best..

I don't understand the gng and cya, I know it should be a shorten statements. But I don't know what is that.


texts: What word (or phrase) describes someone who is cheap with other people but spends extravagantly on themselves?

texts:
Is there a word in English that describes a person who is extremely cheap with other people but spends extravagantly on themselves?

For example, I know someone who expects everyone else to pay the bill for him when we go out and will buy birthday gifts at the dollar store. But he wears designers clothes, has the newest iPhone, and drives a luxury car.

I know there are many words that describe people who are frugal with their money (cheap, scrooge, miserly, cheapskate, etc.), but they seem to cover all spending habits, and not distinguish between spending on other people versus spending for oneself.

The closest I can find is just "selfish" or I would have to describe it as a phrase "he is cheap with everyone but himself".

Any ideas?

Thanks!


texts:
The authors only regret that they should have come to an end. But if we have helped you master a foreign tongue with some success, our task has been worth its while.

This  is the last paragaph of the epilogue of one of my english textbook. I am not able to understand why "should have come to an end" is used. I know that for example "I should have gone to bed early" means "I didn't go to bed early and now I'm tired". So my sentence means that the authors did not come to an end which is nonsense. Can you explain to me this particular usage in my sentence above.


texts: Is "you will give me the photos that you would make" the correct tense for this sentence?

texts:
We will meet in fourteen days and you will give me the photos that you would make meanwhile.

I am not sure what tense is appropriate in the last part of the sentence. It is referred to the future when photos will be already made so I would use the future in the past. Am I right?


texts:
I want to say, “No one can refuse this pretty face.”

Can I use, “How could someone refuse this pretty face?” as well?

Is it the same meaning?


texts:
I'm originally from central Europe, currently living second year in the UK. I work in an IT company surrounded only by native speakers.

I can feel that speed I learn English rapidly decreased since I moved here. Yes, I can express myself, I can work here, but my ability to speak in English is around 20% of my mother tongue. Passive knowledge is not problem, but active is quite pain.

Is here some way how can I speak lets say in 10 years as a native speaker ?

Yes, it sounds silly, but please try to think about that. I just don't believe there is no way and I should just wait until it fix itself.

I make really simple mistakes

Not using a/an
Using he instead of she
Using sleepover instead of oversleep
Wrong usage of have/has
Wrong usage of (have/has/had) been

What I have tried so far

English classes - It is quite hard to pay attention after work. Focusing on topics I don't need
Text books - I just don't like it
I read a and watch a lot of English videos, but does it really helps ?

Ideas I have

f2f English class just for me, not in a classroom - I can focus on topics I really need
Start blogging and have each post checked by someone before publishing - I can learn from my mistakes
Socialising - I'm introvert in any language, but maybe I should try harder


texts: A comparison between seem, look, appear and appear to be

texts:
Imagine a 12 years old boy who facially e.g. looks 18 years old. Which one of the following sentences sounds more natural in English:

  He seems older than his age.
  He appears older than his age.
  He appears to be older than his age.
  He looks older than his age.


texts: Is "Things to do to not look bad." correct?

texts: While there are many threads on this site about whether to split an infinitive or not, I decided to open a new one. Yes, I know that sometimes it's ok to split an infinitive but, I have doubts regarding the construction of the phrase; "things to do to not look bad"  whilst that sounds good to me I wonder if it should be; "Things to do not to look bad."  I know this phrase can be rephrased to something different like "Things to do to look good." However, I am interested in this particular phrase since I think the meaning would change.


texts:
After Jane quit her job as a receptionist, she went on to earn her
  college degree

What does this sentence mean?

After Jane quit her job as a receptionist, she earned her college degree.
After Jane quit her job as a receptionist, she went on in order to earn her college degree. (We don't know whether Jane earned the college degree or not)
Either 1 or 2 according to context.

To me, the sentence sounds very ambiguous, so I would choose 3 because there is no clue that Jane really earned her college degree.


texts:
Parents and their kid are shopping in a mall. The kid asks their parents for toys, but they refuse. Eventually he sits on the ground and cries over out loud. The parents feel humiliated because of many spectators around.
In this context, "Come on! Please, Don't be ridiculous" is adequate?


texts: Looking for English proverb equal to "Chalti ka naam gaadi hai" = "a thing which runs is called a vehicle"

texts:
I need an English proverb for this mentioned Hindi/Urdu proverb:

  Chalti ka naam gaadi hai

Literally, it means "a thing which runs is called a vehicle," but that doesn't sound good. Actually it is used in a sense that when an institute, business, something else is working smoothly but there seems a room for improvement, and whenever the boss signals for improvement, then the ones who are lazy and don't want further betterment often use this proverb " a thing which runs (just operational) is called a vehicle. (Institute, business, etc)


texts:
In my English reviewing paper, I have a multiple choices question like this:

"Henry ___ a rich man today if he had been more careful in the past".

I filled in "would have been" and my teacher confirmed that it was correct but when I looked up answers online, "would be" was also the correct answer.

If I use "would have been" then the sentence becomes a type 3 conditional sentence. If I use "would be" then the sentence becomes a mixed conditional sentence. Both of these options seem suitable so I'm pretty confused.

I have a pretty important test coming soon so could someone explain this to me please. If I use one rather than the other, will the meaning of the sentence change?


texts:
For the question:

  How many years have you studied English?

does it mean studying English only or studying all courses in English?


texts:
Are the following sentences correct?

We don't know how the word was used in the 13th century, unless we could go back in time.

We don't know how the word was used in the 13th century, unless we went back in time.

Clearly, going back in time is currently an impossibility, so "unless we go back in time" doesn't seem correct. ESL grammar books haven't discussed the hypothetical (counterfactual) use of "unless" and this hypothetical use with a factual main clause.
I'd appreciate your help.


texts:
1) Only Larry sleeps under that tree. - a standard word order

The right way to rebuild this sentence using the inversion would be

2) Under that tree sleeps only Larry.

Now I wonder whether this one is also acceptable?

3) Under that tree only Larry sleeps.

Is 3 also an acceptable inversion or is it wrong?


texts: Can we read 31 July as 'thirty one July'?

texts:
Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July
  . . . (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Harry Potter and the
  Sorcerer's Stone)
  [audio]

The first reader (Stephen Fry) says ‘the thirty first of July,’ and the second one (Jim Dale) ‘thirty one July.’ I’m confused whether the latter can be used or not. Would you tell me?


texts: Should I use "after" or "until" when saying when a place will be closed?

texts:
What should I write?

  What time does it [a restaurant] close?

  Not after/until midnight. You have plenty of time.

Should I use after or until in the first sentence of the reply?

Here's the context: I've just asked for directions to the restaurant. After I've been told the directions, I say:

  Thanks! What time does it close?

The answer will be:

  Not after/until midnight. You have plenty of time.

(This was taken from an English textbook.)


texts:
I want to know whether my daughter drank all her milk that I have given gave it to her 10 minutes ago; should I say

  Have you drunk your milk?

or

  Did you drink your milk?

or

  Have you finished your milk?

or

  Did you finish your milk?


texts: What is the spatial difference between in and on

texts:
.....that I received in my email
or .....that I received on my email

What is the correct preposition in the example above? What is the "spatial" difference between these two  prepositions when apply to the example above

I am so confuse with prepositions and I really appreciate all the help that I can get. I am Spanish speaker learning English!!

Thank you to all of you for your help!!


texts: What does "wading" mean in the context of technology?

texts:
I was at a English lecture when this word came out and the teacher didn't know the meaning. In addition I did a small online research but I didn't find a clear solution.

I cannot show you the word in a sentence because it was isolated in a word cloud.

One of the main meanings of "wading":

  To walk in or through water or something else that similarly impedes normal movement

So maybe I can guess it has to do with surfing the web with difficulties or something similar. Is that right?

I don't really know, if anyone can help I will appreciate it.


texts:
if you can humor/accommodate me, I would really appreciate it

so in the sentence above, do the use of both 'humor' and 'accommodate' sound natural in every day conversation. can people understand what I mean right away?

and also, my understanding of the words is that 'humor' means to 'tolerate my condition', and 'accommodate' is more on the side of 'work around / provide extra effort or help to suit my need'?

and what about 'humor me' by itself, is it a idiom?

how do you use them yourself?


texts: Does "pick on" in thus text mean to frighten or to choose?

texts:
I like to be outdoors, pick on people my size, and read books. I'm a patent lawyer, and relatively good-looking for a nerd. I love Ironman triathlons, but usually come in near last in my age group. I can fly a single-engine plane.
I like a man with a big brain (not head) and strong legs. Ideally, someone who understands "the road less traveled," and the value of a patent. If you also happen to have a fast bicycle (not the motorized kind), dabble in swordfighting, or have mastered cartography, then you are my man.

My second concern has to do with the word "size". When she says people my size what does it mean? The same age? Or the same height?


texts: Who is being modified in this sentence "Brand rode among them, nervous with excitement."

texts:
Brand rode among them, nervous with excitement.

What does this phrase nervous with excitement describe, Brand or them?


texts: What is the difference between 'store' and 'store up' in meaning?

texts:
There are two sentences below,

He stored the goods in the store.
He stored up the goods in the store.

What is the difference between the two sentences?
What is the function of the preposition 'up' here?
Please, tell me.


texts: After Adjective , what is correct infinitive or gerund in the given sentence.

texts:
it is wonderful to feel or it is wonderful feeling

i have read somewhere that we have to use infinitive after adjectives so according to that it is wonderful to feel should be correct.

And it is feeling wonderful has a  different meaning than it is wonderful to feel . Am i right ?


texts:
If someone has something that the other person wants and vice-versa, is it natural to use:

  I switched my red scarf for her blue scarf.

  I swapped my red scarf for her blue scarf.

  I exchanged my red scarf for her blue scraf.

What sounds more natural:"switch/swap/exchange"?


texts:
Below is a passage from a post on the internet where a user asked about a wifi problem.

  I am aware that the stronger/est antenna captures the bandwidth.  So, at friend's location and when connecting to public wifi, I need a stronger antenna, it seems.

I would like to ask about the sentence in bold in the passage. It seems like the sentence is upside down in its order with the part "it seems" placed at the end instead of at the beginning. That makes me feel like it might not be grammatical.


texts: Are "uses" and "usage" interchangeable when talking about different meanings of the same word?

texts:
Another ELL post gives a comprehensive explanation about "uses" and "usage".

Besides that, there might be some special cases. Consider the following example

  I'm not going to explain all the meanings of "get" today, I'm just going to focus on
  two uses of "get". But if you want more explanation and other uses, please check your dictionary
  because there are many ways to use the word "get".

where "uses" seem to mean the way how we use the word "get". With this meaning, are "uses" and "usage" interchangeable?


texts: Does this sentence make sense? "His father came here to his rescue."

texts:
I saw this sentence on the internet.
I wonder how I interpret this sentence.

"His father came here to his rescue."
Please, let me know the meaning of this sentence.


texts:
I had already seen the end of fall come through boyhood, youth and
  young manhood, and in one place you could write about it better than
  in another. That was called transplanting yourself, I thought, and it
  could be as necessary with people as with other sorts of growing
  things. — A Moveable Feast

Is it about retrospect? And what does transplanting mean in his sense?


texts:
let's go home.
let's go to home.
let's go house.
let's go to house.
I'm going home
I'm going to home

When should I use 'home' and when should I use 'house'.


texts:
I think these seem like phrases, may you place an adverb here? May adverbs go mostly after verbs?

Since I ran, the dog followed me.
I ran since, the dog followed me.

I think these seem like clauses, where may you get to place an adverb?

He ran hastily.
He hastily ran.


texts: What's the meaning of "run" in "run my phone and e-mail records"?

texts:
From the Da Vinci Code:

  "Fache will run my phone and e-mail records."

The characters: Fache is a policeman, the speaker is an outlaw.

What's the meaning of "run" here? Does it mean "look through"? I didn't find relevant examples or meanings in the dictionary.


texts: Is it possible to compare time and things?

texts:
on preposition compared with somebody/something Sales are up on last
year.

I don't understand why and how sales are up, compared to last year... I mean how time is up like sales? Moreover, it's preposition, so anything cannot be omitted between 'on' and 'last year.' Then, how can this sentence make sense?
Preposition 'on'


texts: I am wondering when I want to refer to for example, third instance of something, should the rd be superscript or subscript? What about when the exact digit is replaced with a variable like M?


texts:
What are the function (or grammar role) of the words here please:

A grammar question
A history teacher

Here, grammar and history are not adjectives but nouns. But I think in grammar they are called by some names and I forgot them.


texts: The meaning of "spinning" in this word combination

texts:
My translator has not been giving a result for spinning which makes sense in the following sentence:

  He was spinning drunken fantasies of something.

Translator said that the "spinning" is a part of fish-rod device. It is nonsense in my case :). Any ideas?


texts: Which is the main verb and object of this sentence here?

texts:
He makes me do the work.

I don't understand which is the main verb here. I know that "make" is a causative verb in this sentence but which is the main verb? Is it make or do? and which is the main object? Is it me or the work?


texts: Plural or singular verbs with singular they

texts:
Q. How good is the teacher at that school?
  A. They're a good teacher. They just sometimes hit(s)  their students if the students don't pay any attention to what he's saying, and then call(s) for parent-teacher conference.

Are we to use plural verbs with the singular they?
It seems to me that with the first one, it should be hit but with the second one it should calls.


texts:
This question comes from this post.

  This figure is trying to illustrate 4 spaces defined by 4 different
  set of standard basis.

In mathematics, the standard basis (also called natural basis) for a Euclidean space is the set of unit vectors pointing in the direction of the axes of a Cartesian coordinate system.

if "set" is countable, the OP description would be 4 different sets of standard basis, so, is "set" here countable or not?


texts: "There would need to be excavation down from the street"

texts:
It looks strange to me. I think it'd be better as "There would need to be excavated down from the street".

Isn't there any problem with this sentence?


texts: The use of the verb "know" in the sense of knowing the name of something

texts:
Let's say I want to know if someone knows the name of something, say, the capital of a country. Would it be natural to say the following?

  Do you know the capital of Japan?

Would it be more natural to say it in the following way?

  Do you know what the capital of Japan is?

I feel that if someone asks do you know the capital of a country? that could mean that the person wants to know if the other person have been there and knows their way around it, its culture etc. Tell me please if there is any truth to that? If both sentences are fine, which structure is more common?


texts: "This post has/had interested me so much that I even took a screenshot."

texts:
Which sentence is correct?

This post has interested me so much that I even took a screenshot.

OR

This post had interested me so much that I even took a screenshot.

Has or had?


texts: Question about difference between "nut" and "eccentric" and "crazy" while talking to natives

texts: I know they all refer to unusual behaviour in a person.  But in modern life while you work and you meet a native speaker of English in America and then there is a conversation what do the words really mean?


texts: Does ''bang" mean "suddenly and out of control" in the mentioned sentence?

texts:
Does ''bang" mean "suddenly and out of control" in this sentence?

  You have no control over it; you see the photo and, bang, the picture
  forms in your mind.


texts: Use of Woke up or wake up in present tense

texts:
My friend called me early in the morning to get ready to leave for picnic.

I replayed him

"We are already woke up and doing packing."

Is the use of We are already woke up is correct?


texts:
When something has an option to be put into a silent mode, let's say a messaging group you receive notifications for. Once that option is turned on, what would be the correct usage to describe the object:

Messaging group is mute.

Messaging group is muted.

Does it matter?


texts: What does "her squashed-tomato of a nose" mean in this context?

texts:
At this, Winky howled even harder, her squashed-tomato of a nose dribbling all down her front, though she made no effort to stem the flow.

I think "her squashed-tomato of a nose" might refer to Winky's snot, that is, her snot is something like "squashed-tomato". Is my understanding correct?

From Harry Potter - the Goblet of Fire -- Chapter 21


texts: Why is interior decorating insulting in this context?

texts:
This dialog is from the movie The Mexican. This clip on YouTube may help with the context.

  Samantha: I... know the kind of people in your business, OK?

  Winston: Yeah?

  Samantha: And to me, it seems that well, being gay isn't really
  conducive to the environment.

  Winston: Like I should be an interior decorator. That's insulting.

Why is it insulting?


texts:
I know the meaning and usage of "get late" in "It's getting late, I've got to go"
Now I am wondering if it is correct to use the phrase "get late" in this sentence: "Sorry I got late for school today" or rather "Sorry I got late to school today" or "Sorry I arrived late at school today".Which is correct?
In the same way, is it correct to use it like this: "He is running because he is afraid of getting late for school on the first day (of school)"
Thanks you all.


texts: The satisfaction I GOT from vs The satisfaction I FELT from....which is correct?

texts:
Which of these two sentences is correct, and why?

The satisfaction I got from helping others instigated my interest in the world of medicine.

The satisfaction I felt from helping others instigated my interest in the world of medicine.


texts: In these sentences, where is the 'noun'?

texts:
When I study English, I often come across this kind of pattern that I think is a bit awkward. These two sentences are written on my textbook.

Western dishes are probably still the most popular.

It's the most beautiful when the foliage changes into all different colors in the fall.

I know adverb 'most' back up the adjective 'popular' and 'beautiful'. Then, how about 'the'?
I think when I need to use definite article 'the', there have to be a noun somewhere that goes with 'the'. However, there's no noun anywhere that 'the' is used together with. So, what if I leave 'the' out or add noun to existing sentence?

1a. Western dishes are probably still the most popular ones.
1b. Western dishes are probably still most popular.
2a. It's the most beautiful time when the foliage changes into all different colors in the fall.
2b. It's most beautiful when the foliage changes into all different colors in the fall.


texts: Four partly trivial concerns on the last paragraph of the following passage

texts:
Lindsey Aloia (Rollins College) and Denise Solomon (The Pennsylvania State University) published their findings in the journal Human Communication Research. Aloia and Solomon studied 50 romantically involved couples and found that the more intense the conflict interaction was rated between the couples the stronger the physiological stress response to the conflict. This relationship, however, was weakened for individuals who reported a higher level of childhood exposure to verbal aggression.
For the experiment the couples provided saliva samples to determine their baseline cortisol levels. They were then interviewed separately about the most stressful areas of conflict in their relationship and filled out a questionnaire that asked about their childhood experiences with verbal aggression. Following the interview, partners were asked to sit together and discuss an area of conflict alone for 10 minutes. The sessions were videotaped. After the discussion the couples were separated again and provided two additional saliva samples over a period of 20 minutes after the conflict. Trained judges then watched video recordings of the couples and rated the intensity of the conflict communication of each couple. Finally, cortisol levels were calculated to evaluate experiences of stress using the collected saliva samples.
Previous research has examined the experience of conflict within a multitude of relationships. These studies make it clear that conflict can produce a number of negative outcomes. For example, exposure to conflict has been linked to depression, distress, and anxiety; feelings of hurt and anger; relationship dissatisfaction; and subsequent physical violence. Recent efforts point to the role of physiological processes in understanding the variation in individuals' experiences of interpersonal conflict.
Considering the physiological implications for stress and viewing interpersonal conflict interactions as potential stressors highlights how experiences of conflict are shaped by both the demands of the interaction and people's adaptive capacity to handle that stressor. "Conflict experiences can be beneficial, by alleviating tension and avoiding conflict escalation, reducing communication apprehension, and contributing to closeness within the relationship," said Aloia. "Given the diversity of outcomes associated with interpersonal conflict, efforts to understand variation in the experienced negativity of conflict experiences are extremely important in helping people navigate these interactions."

Does the word for in last paragraph mean caused by / coming from ?

Does the demands of interaction mean the severe and hardship of interaction?

What does this part mean : contributing to closeness within the relationship ?

Is the word research in third paragraph plural and uncountable and is about more than one research?

A million thanks in advance. I did want to ask separate questions but some of them are really trivial. Please do not vote down.


texts:
I have been wondering, how do most English speakers count weeks and months?

Do they count them as "week=7 days" or "week=1 calendar week", "month=30 days" or "month=1 calendar month"?

For example, you started living somewhere on 5 January 2017 now it is 20 January 2017. What would be the more normal answer?

  I have been living here for 2 weeks (about 14 days passed)

or

  I have been living here for 3 weeks (this is the 3rd calendar week)

Another example:

  What have you been doing for the last two weeks?

Should I understand it as

  14 days from now back (not including today)

or

  Two calendar weeks

and if it's two calendar weeks, which two weeks? This current week which is not over yet + last week, OR full last week + the week before last week?

Thank you, please try to explain this to me it is driving me nuts.

I forgot the usage as well in my own language, so thinking about it as I would use it in my native language will not help me much :/

Please, this is no joke, I am serious about this and I feel VERY SAD that I do not know the proper usage.


texts: Is "bolt" only used if running away from someone/something?

texts:
BOLT
Verb
(of a horse or other animal) run away suddenly, typically from fear.
"the horses shied and bolted"
(of a person) move or run away suddenly in an attempt to escape.
"they bolted down the stairs"
Question:
Will it sound odd to use "bolt" in contexts where someone is not running away from someone in fear or could it easily be used if eg. someone run after someone to chase them?


texts: Does the verb 'choose' call for the same constructions as 'buy''?

texts:
1.1 He bought me a new coat.
  1.2 He bought a new coat for me.

  2.1 He chose me the coat.
  2.2 He chose the coat for me.

Both 1.1 and 1.2 are from OALD, while 2.1 and 2.2 are mine. Can the latter be made and used as the same pattern as the former?


texts: Has won reality shows / won reality shows

texts:
John has done 3 reality shows so far and he has won 2 of them.

Or

John has done 3 reality shows so far and he won 2 of them.

Should we use present perfect here because we are talking about his achievements or should we use simple past because here we are talking about something that happened at a specific point in the past ( he can't go back to that specific point in that past and win them but he can surely do more reality shows)


texts:
most websites say that there are 14 punctuation marks for example (https://eklavyaparv.com/content/communication-skills/362-punctuation-marks-in-english-grammar#:~:text=Broadly%20speaking%2C%20there%20are%2014,%2C%20quotation%20marks%2C%20and%20ellipses.) or (https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/punctuation/what/fourteen-punctuation-marks.html)
however I feel like there are more punctuation marks for instance (https://www.gkbledsoe.com/how-to-use-punctuation-marks/) this website shows 16 punctuation marks? which one is right? which one should I trust? how many punctuation marks are there?


texts:
A series of video tutorials uses a phrase "A State of Sight" everywhere, what does that mean?

  Watch this episode of A State of Sight with Isaac Porter, MD to learn more about LASIK, SMILE and PRK. Please post below if you have any questions about laser eye surgery.

I googled that phrase and got none explanation about it. Could someone please give a hint? Thanks in advance.


texts:
One day I was having a conversation with an acquaintance about gaming and he stated that

  The game has a really good lore, but not much attention has been given to the story

So what exactly is the difference between the two?


texts: Is a time expression always necessary with the future perfect?

texts:
I've been struggling with the following sentence:

  A: Let's meet at 4 PM tomorrow

  B: Ok. No problem. I'll have had lunch so It's fine with me

The question is: Is a time expression like "By that time" needed or can it be ommited?


texts:
And what about computers? Suppose computers are developed to the point
  where they can be used to control robots that look on the outside like
  dogs, respond in complicated ways to the environment, and behave in
  many ways just like dogs, though they are just a mass of circuitry and
  silicon chips on the inside? Would we have any way of knowing whether
  such machines were conscious?

[What does it all mean? Thomas Nagel]

What does the word "they" refer in the context? computers or robots

Thanks


texts:
I was taught that "much" was used for the uncountable nouns and "many" was used for the countable ones. So, why do people often use phrases such as "too much money" or "so much money"?

Are these phrases grammatically correct?


texts: "I had a question" or "I have a question"

texts:
Which one do you ask of someone when your register wants to be polite?

"I had a question:..." or "I have a question:..."

I heard a long time ago that the use of the past simple tense in asking a favor or a question of someone you respect is more appropriate than the present simple tense. Does it only apply in formal occasions, such as in interviews of people held in high esteem, or can it also apply when you ask, say, your co-worker something?


texts:
I can give examples of the use of this expression. Even if I can guess what it means, I don't have any adequate ideas.

The phrase has been used in this book[1]

  1) The shot told; the Irrepressible was silenced; and I profited by
  the chance to pour in a broadside of another sort.

And in this book[2]

  2) The shot told: they were notoriously the closest-fisted couple in
  the village.

And in this book[3]

  3) It was about the time that his disappointment became known to
  everybody, and the shot told.


texts:
I am very curious if it is correct to say:

"I got a lot of friends on this website".(or maybe the right one is "On this website I got a lot of friends"?)

Thank you in advance for your answer.


texts: Using make with noun followed by adjective

texts:
Can we use the below-mentioned statement to express the following idea: "Celia infuriated Rudolf. Thus, he didn't help Celia."

  Celia made Rudolf angry. Thus, Rudolf didn't help her.

In nutshell, I want to know whether we can use the construct "make + noun +adjective". If yes, can we also use the following statement in a similar format:

  Celia made Rudolf calm. Thus, Rudolf agreed to help her.

or it should be:

  Celia calmed down Rudolf. Thus, Rudolf agreed to help her.

I have only seen one sentence in this format which is used mostly, but not others that I mentioned above:

  Celia made Rudolf happy. She is a nice person.


texts: meaning of (has continued to do so until now)

texts:
He started writing his first novel last year and has continued to do so until now.

Does the highlighted part mean that he is still working on his first novel?


texts: Is "bask someone in something" legitimate?

texts: If I wish to say I enjoy doing something, can I say alternatively that I bask myself in doing that thing? Is such usage of "bask in" legitimate?


texts:
Is the following sentence semantically correct

  The man cut the tree into thin strips.

How can a tree be cut into thin strips?

Its stem can be cut into thin strips.


texts: Is "I wish I could write half as well as you can" correct?

texts:
I think I read a similar expression somewhere before, but Google is not helping me.
I'm looking for a sentence that means "I would be happy if I could write 50% as well as you can", does it make sense? Is there a better, idiomatic, alternative?


texts: If one tool of the kit is intended to be used in another one, then the description should have a reference to another/the other tool?

texts:
Which one is correct:

If one tool of the kit is intended to be used in another one, then the description should have a reference to ANOTHER tool.
If one tool of the kit is intended to be used in another one, then the description should have a reference to THE OTHER tool.

Thank you in advance!


texts: dime magazines -- what are those exactly?

texts:
Source: C For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Example:

  Computers are all about input and output — the old I/O of days gone by,
  what the pioneers once sang about. The wimminfolk would want to dance
  real slow. Maybe cry. It was a sentimental thing, y’all — something that fancy, dooded-up city slickers read about in dime magazines.

What are those exactly?


texts: not..but.. with complex combination of auxiliary verbs

texts:
These are easy:

It was not boiled but grilled.
It was not only boiled but also grilled.

But what should I do when I have to combine them with "should have" etc?

It should not have been boiled but grilled
It should not have only been boiled but also grilled

or

It should not have been boiled but should have been grilled
It should not have only been boiled but should have also been grilled


texts:
Is there in English a standard way of referring to a text in a foreign language whose original version contains English words?

E.g., if a text in French contains the word "writ", I'd write:

  The authors cite a writ (English word in the French text).

I am looking for a more idiomatic version of the passage in bold, all variants I have tried return very few results in search engines.

EDIT:
E.g., Proust has written

  Mon gendre Saint-Loup connaît maintenant l’argot de tous les braves tommies,

which was translated

  My son-in-law, Saint-Loup, knows the slang of all those brave ‘tommies’. (translated by C. K. Scott Moncrieff)

The foreignness of the word tommies in the original text is difficult to render, since of course it is not foreign anymore in the translation, and Scott Moncrieff has used quotes to render it.

In a similar situation, e.g. when translating Shakespeare's line

  BIRON –    Allons! allons! Sow'd cockle reap'd no corn;

a French editor would make a footnote "en français dans le texte".

My question is, in the same situation, what would an English-language editor write to specify that it is the English word "tommies" that has been used?


texts: What does "he was likely to be in the sixth year before he finished it" in harry potter mean?

texts:
Snape had given them so much homework, Harry thought he was likely to be in the sixth year before he finished it. Ron was just saying he wished he had asked Hermione how many rat tails you were supposed to be add to a Hair raising potion when an angry outburst from the floor above reached their ears.

  Harry potter and the chamber of secrets

I don't understand the bold part, "he was likely to be in the sixth year before he finished it."

Does it mean "the homework was too
difficult for Harry that he thought he'll be able to finish it by his 6th year in hogwarts"....?


texts: "We lived" vs "We were living" in the past tense

texts:
Why is it correct to say:

  In 1985 we were living in Canada.

and why is it not correct to say

  In 1985 we lived in Canada.

Is there any difference? Can you say either way?


texts: What is the meaning of 'live a little' and 'I am not feeling it anymore'?

texts:
I heard these 2 phrases from Netflix, but I did not find exact explanations of them.

Could anyone tell me how to use these phrases?

Thanks a lot.


texts: It was a place of palms and sand and cuffs - is "cuffs" a typo?

texts:
I am translating a story by Clark Ashton Smith, which contains the following part:

It was a place of palms and sand and cuffs, with a small harbor
sheltered by the curving outstretched arms of rugged reefs, on which
the dark ocean climbed and gnashed its fangs of white foam without
troubling the tranquil waters beyond.

I searched in several dictionaries but either I overlooked some entries or this is just wrong, by which I mean it could be OCR scanning error.
Or what "cuffs" could mean in this context?


texts: What do you call a character that acts as a prop in a film? In my understanding, prop is used for objects, but is there a word for human characters acting as props?


texts:
I will not finish my work in time because you do not help me.

Can I rewrite the sentence by using 'unless' as the following?

  Unless you help me,  I will not finish my work in time.

Is it true that 'unless' is not used when the meaning is more like 'because ... not'?


texts: What does "hold someone by the arm" mean?

texts:
To me, the sentence He held his daughter by the arm implies holding a baby in the arm like this photo:

However is there any ambiguity here in the meaning? Can this mean he kept his daughter from going by pressing and keeping her arm?!


texts:
What do you call the remaining parts of an ancient city like what you see within the picture that sometimes archeologists discover and unearth?

  1- Remnants of a city
  2- Remainings of a city

To me they both work, but I am sure there is a fixed term to it. Also, I wonder if there is a better choice.


texts:
“I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”
— James Madison, speech at the Virginia Convention to ratify the Federal Constitution (1788)

What is this "of"?


texts: placing "which" confusing to keep remaining parts

texts:
These relations may create cross borders with another cycle on some
  occasions.
  Cross borders can be used to identify segmentation-induced erroneous
  places because a plane graph should not consist of any cross borders.

According to my feeling, I combined them as,

  These relations may create cross borders with another cycle on some
  occasions which can be used to identify segmentation-induced
  erroneous places because a plane graph should not consist of any cross
  borders.

But I feel this second part should be joined like

These relations may create cross borders which can be used to identify .....
Then I am confused how remaining part of the first section can hold "with another cycle on some occasions".

Any idea on this?


texts:
Woman: It was a mistake.

  Man: Since when do you make mistakes?

  Woman: What's that supposed to mean?

  Man: It means I'm sick of you being so damn perfect all the time.
  I-I'm sick of the bizarre way your hair doesn't move. I'm sick of you
  making our bed in the morning before I've even used the bathroom.
  Where's the woman I fell in love with who used to burn the toast and
  drink milk out of the carton and laugh? I need her

Why did the man use the present perfect? Why not the present simple?


texts: Attract tourists from "around the world" or "[all] around the world"?

texts:
Attract tourists from around the world and attract tourists from all around the world.

Are they both correct? If they are, is the former used more commonly?

Is there a difference between them?


texts:
In the following sentence, does it make sense to use "repulsively" as an adverb?

the most repulsively nationalistic sporting event.

Generally, what is the best way to find out if an adjective could be converted to adverb by adding -ly at the end of it?
I guess it does not work for all adjectives. For example the word "weirdly" seems a little bit weird to me! It exists in the dictionary but I feel like I have never heard it. (I am not a native english speaker but I watch a fair share of movies and TV programs)


texts: How to say the /p/ sound in the middle of words?

texts:
I'm not sure how to say the /p/ sound in the middle of words like apple, puppy, happy etc. Those "p" sounds have a puff of air or not.

For myself I think those /p/ sounds have a puff of air but less than /p/ in the first of words like pen, pan etc. Is it correct or not?

However, I just listened a word "apple" from a video of Youtube but I can't hear or catch a puff of air from /p/ in apple.  It sounds like /p/ after /s/ like the words spy, spin etc.


texts: preposition for ''book'' and definite article for book names

texts:
I want to know which of the following sentences are right. say, It's an instruction that a teacher gives. there are several books so the teacher has to refer to one specific book.

I've heard '' page 1 of the book''. but I'm not sure.

  1-A)  Please review unit 1 of (the) English Result/Workbook
  1-B) Please review unit 1 in (the) English Result/Workbook
  2-A) Please do the exercises on pages 20,21 of (the) English Result/Workbook
  2-B) Please do the exercises on pages 20,21 in (the) English Result/Workbook


texts: Which antonym to "under the table" is better? "On the books" or "aboveboard"?

texts:
I submit that if one is contrasting to paying someone "under the table" to avoid reporting their taxable income, or certain other illegalities like an immigrant without a work permit, that "on the books" is the most precise antonym.
The adjective "aboveboard" is less formal, thus more inclusive, thus more comprehensive. On the books implies technical legality, while aboveboard means honest, accountable, and perhaps even well-intentioned in a way beyond mere legality, but it might not imply exact technical compliance.
Comments?


texts:
From the dedication section of a book:

  To my beautiful wife, Donna. You're the best thing this side of heaven.

1 What does this side of (something) mean?

2 Isn't it idiomatic to say on this side of something? If so, why is the preposition on missing?

3 Last, is this specific phrase (on this side of heaven) considered a fixed idiomatic phrase?


texts: Looking for a verb describing a person who's put his hand on his ear so as not to hear others' voice

texts:
Well, this time this question is quite hard for me to ask. The title is rather self-explanatory, and I just bring an example up.

  Why do you always [...] (your ear) when someone tells you the truth?

I'm looking for a verb instead of the phrase "put your hands on"

You may find this picture handy (though I mean someone puts both hands on his ears):


texts:
Which variant is correct and why?
1.Salad is a good starter.
2. A salad is a good starter.
3. The salad is a good starter.


texts: Choose most suitable words between smear, smudge, smut, and smirch

texts:
This is a vocabulary test of my doctoral examination. To find only one suitable answer from A, B, C, D.

  I looked strange, not to say dangerous, hatless, dew-soaked, ________ with yellow mud, and holding, as if it were a baby or a bomb, a little tin pail of sand.
  A. smeared
  B. smudged
  C. smutted
  D. smirched

Well, I think all these words can be the answer, as I checked in the Longman dictionary that they all, more or less, have the same meaning of 'stained' or 'polluted' (with/by dirt)

Does anyone have better ideas?


texts: He sleeps 10 hours a day VS He sleeps for 10 hours a day

texts:
I have seen this sentence in a book:

He sleeps 10 hours a day.

To be begin with, I thought this sentence needs preposition 'for' like this:

He sleeps for 10 hours a day

However I am wondering whether the sentence is possible without 'for'.Is it?


texts:
Gilbert Stuart is considered by most art critics ……………. greatest portrait painter north American colonels

1-that he was

2-as he was

3- who was the

4- the

why is the answer "4" not "3" or"1","2"?


texts:
Can anyone who knows the language well or is a teacher please tell me what the difference between cannot and will not be able to in the following sentence is?

Here's the sentence:

John, I am very ill. I am sorry to say that I cannot/will not be able to join you in the meeting tomorrow.

My question is that as I have used tomorrow in that sentence, which means future, Shouldn't I use will not be able to?

".............that I cannot/will not be able to join you in the meeting tomorrow."


texts: Cheated his parents vs cheated on his parents

texts:
He cheated on his parents and made them sign the property papers.

Vs

  He cheated his parents and made them sign the property papers.

What preposition follows cheated in this case?
Which is grammatically correct?


texts: Is there an idiom that means that someone has a compromising information on you? I was watching a video on Russian alleged possession of a pee tape against Trump and was wondering if there's an idiom that means someone has a compromising material on someone.


texts:
What's the meaning of "drapish"?
I saw this word in the poem "The Buddha" by Jack Kerouac.
However,I can't find the meaning on the internet.

  I used to sit under trees and meditate
  on the diamond bright silence of darkness
  and the bright look of diamonds in space
  and space that was stiff with lights
  and diamonds shot through, and silence

  And when a dog barked I took it for soundwaves
  and cars passing too, and once I heard
  a jet-plane which I thought was a mosquito
  in my heart, and once I saw salmon walls
  of pink and roses, moving and ululating
  with the drapish

  Once I forgave dogs, and pitied men, sat
  in the rain countin’ Juju beads, raindrops
  are ecstasy, ecstasy is raindrops – birds
  sleep when the trees are giving out light
  in the night, rabbits sleep too, and dogs

  I had a path that I followed thru piney woods
  and a phosphorescent white hound-dog named Bob
  who led me the way when the clouds covered
  the stars, and then communicated to me
  the sleepings of a loving dog enamoured

  of God


texts:
I _ meet my friend tomorrow.

Usually shall is used with first person: I and we.
So, in the above sentence is it fair to use shall in the blank.
Actually  my book mentioned the answer as Will, therefore I wanted to clarify.
Thank you.


texts: What do you call a dug up cageless pit where animals live in a zoo? Is there a specific words for it? You see this often in Zoo and it's often made for dangerous wild animals such as large primates.


texts:
I'm reading Uncle Tom's Cabin and I don't know what "the devil and all" means in this context. Thank you

  and sometimes they gets ugly,--particular yallow gals do,--and it's
  the devil and all gettin' on 'em broke in.


texts: "Avionic Engineering" vs "Avionics Engineering"

texts:
I am searching for the correct phrase usage of an engineering department's name i.e. "Department of Avionics Engineering".
Shouldn't it be "Department of Avionic Engineering"?

Because we always have "Department of Electronic Engineering" instead of "Department of Electronics Engineering".

Would you please mention the English grammar rule with a proper reference that explains such usage of noun phrases? I wasn't able to find that English grammar rule from a worth-mentioning reference.


texts:
This is the sentence that has made me wonder usage of 'to infinitive'.

We have three session to learn about history.

And I think this sentence is the same meaning as the following 2 sentences, which is more familiar with me.

We have three sessions where we learn about history.

We have three sessions in which we learn about history.

Q1. So, can I use which sentence I like to use among #1,2 and 3 because they are interchangable?
And I looked it up on the internet to understand how to use 'to infinitive', especially ones that is used to modify a noun right after it. And I've made the two sentences that I think is better than #1 grammatically.

We have three sessions in which (for us) to learn about history.

We have three session (for us) to learn about history in.

Q2. I think #1 has to be replaced with 5, adding 'in' at the end of the sentence because when we remove 'which' in #4 we need to let 'in(preposition)' be at the end of the phrase. Am I right to think this way?
ps. Can I add 'for us' to clarify the sentence in #4,5?


texts:
When a situation is described using many sentences, can we use "it", "this", and "that" to refer to the whole thing? Down below are just some examples that might help you understand my question.

Example 1:

  A: There was a blackout in my neighborhood last night. On top of that, a fire also broke out. I heard sounds of explosions clearly. I think they were from gas tanks. My neighbor's baby was also crying all night long. It/This/That was scary.

Example 2:

  A: There was a blackout in my neighborhood last night. On top of that, a fire also broke out. I heard sounds of explosions clearly. I think they were from gas tanks. My neighbor's baby was also crying all night long.

  B: It/This/That was scary.

Example 3:

  A: There was a blackout in my neighborhood last night. On top of that, a fire also broke out. I heard sounds of explosions clearly. I think they were from gas tanks. My neighbor's baby was also crying all night long.

  B: It/This/That was a crazy experience.

Example 4:

  A: There was a blackout in my neighborhood last night. On top of that, a fire also broke out. I heard sounds of explosions clearly. I think they were from gas tanks. My neighbor's baby was also crying all night long.

  B: What did you do about it/this/that?


texts:
This is my question.

feel stress
have stress
receive stress
get stress

which collocation is best fit for a word stress? (particularly in academic writing)

and if there are any awkward collocation, please let me know


texts: Subject and objects of “Do you know what’s the difference between us and her?”

texts:
“Do you know what’s the difference between us and her?”

In this sentence, which one is the the subject?

And is using the object forms(’us’ and ‘her’) correct here?


texts: What are the differences between "ignore" and "neglect"?

texts:
I came across the following statement:

People have either ignored or neglected these effects because...

I think there must be some subtle differences between the two bold words.
Anyone could point out it? You are appreciated.


texts:
I use this link but I can't decide which one to use: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/mind_1?q=mind

  Defining culture as “the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one human group from another”(p. 21), Hofstede focused particularly on work-related values.The heart of his book is a survey of a large U.S. multinational company’s employees.

Source, a review of : Reframing Organisations


texts: Does this paragraph have any weird or wrong sentences?

texts:
I'm writing a job recommendation letter for a friend of mine. There's a personal part about our friendship. I would like to know what could be improved. We're not native english speakers and I don't know if this stack exchange is suited for this. Here's the paragraph:

Me and John Doe are friends for more than 10 years. We lived a lot of life experiences together... We already were coworkers, friends of fun, of trouble, of adventures and trip partners. I really trust him. John likes to taste new foods, always open to meet new friends and new places, his desire to discover this world its a nice thing to see. He likes to walk, to drive and loves the sunshine. John is very practical, determined and positive person. These were the first 10 years of friendship... And i know we will have a lot of 10 more.


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I hear "Roll" as a verb in different sentences. The meanings that I find in dictionaries do not fully explain the exact meaning in those sentences.

For instance, in the following sentence :
  "We will be rolling the new feature by the end of week."

What is the exact meaning of "rolling"?

PS: Seems like "roll" in this sentence is actually "roll out". The new question is : Is it so common to omit "out" and just say "roll" instead of "roll out"?


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Is "back to the main difference" correct here?
Peter: but in my opinion it is God who is responsible for human suffering.
Father John: (because we are) back to the main difference, let me ask you what possible difference we can make if it is God who is responsible for human suffering?


texts:
What does the following statement mean ?

Admit card should be submitted in DUPLICATE.

a) 1 original & 1 photocopy.

b) Both originals.

c) Both photocopies.


texts:
Source: Eloquent JavaScript: A Modern Introduction to Programming, 2nd Edition by Marijn Haverbeke

Example:

  Variable names can be any word that isn't reserved as a keyword (such as var). They may not include spaces. Digits can also be part of variable names—catch22 is a valid name, for example—but the name must not start with a digit. A variable name cannot include punctuation, except for the characters $ and _.

may not sounds almost like you may do it if you want to, but if you don't feel like doing it, you may not do it. At least, that's what it sounds like to me. But in programming, there is no place for the may-or-may-not type of attitude. It is always "you must" or your program will be syntactically incorrect and thus won't run. I think that's a very relaxed way to say that you categorically must not do something because it simply will not work if you do. Why not use the modal verb must instead? may not is a very weak type of negation compared to must. Do you think it is totally legal to use may not in the context of exact sciences like math and programming?


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Sometimes I find myself in the position to describe something and of course making massive use of adjectives. Check out the following sentences, I would say, for example:

three large red apples;
three red large apples;

are equally correct, I think but I've never heard anyone say:

large three red apples;
large red three apples...

and so on. I don't know if there actually exists any specific rule, but in which order should  adjectives be put? Is there a right way to list them?


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I have to combine sentences in many ways.
Could you help me check them please?

I was sitting on the bridge.
I watched the children.

I think it is okay to combine sentences like this.

Watching the children, I was sitting on the bridge,

But is it possible if I use “who” like the sentence below?

I, who watched the children, was sitting on the bridge.

I'm not sure that "who" can be after personal pronoun or not.


texts: plural or singular one should use for 60 year/s

texts:
sixty year old company in engineering products has 47 plants

or is it?

sixty years old company in engineering products has 47 plants


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For the longest time, I have seen and written 'high quality' as such. However, Grammarly just dropped this bombshell on me;

Is that correct? My copy of Grammarly is set to British English as that is where I live, but I don't think I've ever seen this phrase written with a dash.


texts: I didn't catch the class or I didn't arrive the class?

texts:
We had a class (university) on Friday that started at 16:00 and ended at 17:00. Together, with my friend, we went to the place by taxi, but, due to a heavy traffic jam, we arrived at 17:30. Now my friend asked me how to refer to it in English. The options are the following:

We didn't arrive the class in time.
We didn't reach the class in time.
we didn't catch the class.

What of those options are off for native English speakers and what are on?


texts: Which are certain verbs must be followed by a gerund?

texts:
I came across a sentence from wikipedia.

  The new members advocated to resume what they regarded as the unfinished armed revolution against foreign and feudal domination, referring to the legacy and de facto continuation of the Philippine–American War of 1899, combat subjectivism and opportunism in the history of the old merger party and fight modern revisionism then being promoted by the Soviet Union.

I came to know that certain verbs must be followed by a gerund (the "ing" form of a verb). So in this case, can I rephrase this to

  The new members advocated resuming what they regarded ...

Is this correct?

If yes, what are the certain verbs that must be followed by a gerund?
If not, what is the reason behind this?


texts: Please tell me sentences' meaning difference

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Could anyone please tell me sentences' meaning difference? as once place it is used needed and another place it is used need

10,000 U.S.-supported civilians needed to fight Ebola

And

10,000 U.S.-supported civilians need to fight Ebola

Thanks,
Alish


texts:
1). I have no choice but to run away.
2). I have no choice but running away.

Which one is correct and Why ?  If both are correct, What is the difference in meaning between these two sentences?


texts: What does "uncomfortable with taking a political stance" mean?

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If people in the classical world are uncomfortable with taking a political stance, they might at least worry about appearing to be stupid.

What does this mean?


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Let's say you have just firmly decided not to take part of the upcoming interview, could you say:

  "I am very sorry, I am no longer interested in joining, could you please put me off on/in your list on the upcoming interview."

Which preposition is correct?