texts: Were to (have) vs. Second/Third Conditional

texts:
Can anyone tell me the difference between the "if . . . were to (have) . . ." form and the second and third conditionals? They're all used to express an unlikely situation in the past, present or future, but I was wondering if they are interchangeable or have different usagess, and also if the "were to" form is accepted in formal writing.

e.g.:

  If this band were to perform at the festival, so many people would come.
  If this band perfomed at the festival, so many people would come.

or in the past:

  If this band were to have performed at the festival, so many people would've come.
  If this band had performed at the festival, so many people would've come.

Are those sentences grammatical, or was I wrong? And what are the differences between them?


texts: What would be the plural form of "a child's pedal car"?

texts: What would be the plural form of a child's pedal car?


texts:
What is the difference between

  It's the last time I've explained this to you.

and

  It's the last time I'm explaining this to you.

I mean, this is the situation where I'm explaining something to someone right now. Can I use "the last time" with the Present Perfect or only "the first time/second/third..." when I talk about present actions?


texts: Does the phrase "Whatcha gonna do about it?” have a negative (or aggressive) meaning?

texts:
I know "Whatcha gonna do about it?" is a slang term and means "What are you going to do about it" but I'm confused about its meaning in the text below:

  At first he watched the younger boys with wary concentration, then he
  began to bait them. It wasn’t obvious aggression, just small provocations.
  He might flick off a boy’s hat or knock a soda can from his hand and laugh
  as the stain spread over the boy’s jeans. If he was challenged—and he
  usually wasn’t—he would play the part of the ruffian, a hardened “Whatcha
  gonna do about it?” expression disguising his face. But after, when it was
  just the two of us, the mask lowered, the bravado peeled off like a
  breastplate, and he was my brother.

  — Educated by Tara Westover

Could you explain if it has a negative (or aggressive) meaning?


texts:
Dr. Robert Zubrin, president of the Mars Society in the USA, has written several books on space science. One of these is entitled The Case for Mars on the exploration of this planet and soon another book will be published with the title The Case for Space.

What exactly does the phrase "The case for" mean?


texts: Analyze structure: Her playing was Romantic, but it was at least as close in spirit

texts:
Her playing was Romantic, but it was at least as close in spirit to
  the style of playing intended by composers of the Baroque and
  Classical eras, as have been the more exacting but less emotionally
  resonant interpretations of most harpsichordists since Landowska.

I feel this sentence very confusing. It has two "as". Is it the as..as comparison structure, like "My girlfriend is as beautiful as your girlfriend"?

If it is "as...as" structure, what is the part after the second as, is it a clause or what?


texts:
When using (to be taught), should it be (was taught) or (has been taught)?
For example:

  He taught her Russian, in other words, she _____ Russian.

  has been taught
  has taught
  taught
  was taught

And why?


texts: When vs while : I sprained my ankle ____ I was playing basketball

texts:
I sprained my ankle ____ I was playing basketball.

I went through an earlier post of when vs while on SE. The difference in meaning of those sentences is pretty clear but what difference does using the two words makes in the above sentence? Which one is more appropriate?
What I think is more appropriate is while because playing tells that the action was going on when his angle was sprained. Am I correct?


texts:
I am not sure which is the correct form to use when writing a list of products. I need the semi-colon but do I need the full stop?

pcs.;
pcs;
Any help is much appreciated, thanks.


texts:
which is correct:

  1) Who were you there with?

  2) Who were you with there?

The second example:

  1) Who will I come in the evening with?

  2) Who will I come with in the evening?

And the third one:

  1) Who will the window have been broken by the evening by?

  2) Who will the window have been broken by by the evening?


texts: Can we say "swap/trade something" instead of "swap/trade something for something"?

texts:
In all dictionaries I looked at, there are examples of the structure, "swap something for something" and "trade something for something," but there are no examples of "swap something" or "trade something". So I wonder if we can use the structures "trade something" and "swap something". What I mean is, I only see sentences like "I swapped/traded my guitar for another," "I swapped/traded my computer for a gaming console" etc. instead of "I swapped/traded my guitar," "I swapped/traded my computer" etc. So I wonder if it is wrong to not add  "for..." to those sentences. For example let's say I am having a guest. He asks, "Where is your blue guitar? It doesn't seem to be around." If I swapped/traded that guitar for another thing, and if I don't want to tell him what I swapped/traded it for, can I answer this question by saying,

"I traded it."

or

"I swapped it."

Or would they be grammatically wrong? Do we always have to add what we swapped/traded it for in sentences like these?


texts:
It is from this article.

  "But what about the money?" I press on. "Going by your declaration, it's going to take 10 years for you to earn the registration fee - let alone to pay it back." Yuriy's not for turning. "It was borrowed," he says. "And anyway, it's worth the risk. I'm doing this to change the lives of every Ukrainian."


texts: Is it a case of omission of subject relative pronoun, a mistake or a set phrase?

texts:
SOURCE

I stumbled upon this sentence:

  'He's not a horse, he's—he's a creature come straight out of a nightmare.'

Is it a case of omission of subject relative pronoun?

  "he’s a creature that/who has come out of a nightmare."

If yes, why is it possible to omit the subject relative pronoun? Is it informal English or a mistake?
If not, it it some sort of set phrase?


texts: What does "he’s only telling it how he sees it" mean? [the question was rewritten]

texts:
he’s only telling it how he sees it.

Could you please tell me what's the meaning of the sentence above?

  Is there any idiom here?

Note: The question has rewritten. So the(colleenv)'s comment refers to the original version of question.

The full text is:

  Beverly listens to him, licks her lips nervously, and waits. No one else
  volunteers anything.
  Finally, she blurts out, “There’s something I should probably say.”
  All eyes turn her way. She almost loses courage. She doesn’t know if the
  argument between Dana and Matthew is relevant or not, but it will certainly
  sound damning.
  “What is it?” David says calmly, as she hesitates.
  “I heard them arguing, last night.”
  “Dana and Matthew?” David says, as if in surprise.
  “Yes.”
  “What was the argument about, do you know?”
  She shakes her head. “I heard them shouting, but I couldn’t make out any
  words. Their room is next to ours, on the same side of the hall.” She looks at
  her husband. “Henry slept through it all.”
  “What time was this?”
  “I don’t know, but late.”
  “Did it sound . . . violent?” David asks.
  “I don’t know. It was just raised voices. No crying or anything. Nothing
  slamming, if that’s what you mean.”
  There, she’s said it. If Matthew’s done something wrong, then it’s good that
  she’s told them.
  David can sense the heightened distress of the others. They don’t like
  what Beverly has said; it makes them uneasy. They don’t like to think
  the unthinkable. He can see from their faces that they are all
  imagining it—the argument, the push down the stairs. He’s sorry for
  their distress, but he’s only telling it how he sees it. It doesn’t
  seem possible that Dana could have been injured like that from her
  fall, and he doesn’t want them messing about with the body. And now
  this new information—Matthew had told him that he and Dana had not
  argued. If Beverly is to be believed, Matthew lied to him.


texts:
He heard a loud thumping coming/come from the direction of the store room .
Which one is grammatically appropriate?


texts: Is there ambiguous meaning in the sentence?

texts:
I wrote a sentence as follows

“the existing indexes used for different types of queries on large graphs can accelerate the speed of one type of query they are designed for but not for multiple types.”

I initially want to express that, for example, “the index A can accelerate the speed of one type of query that A is designed for, but A cannot accelerate the speed of multiple types of query”. I want to express the one-to-one relation between the existing indexes and the types of queries, not many-to-one or one-to-many relation
Here I use “but not for multiple types” in order to express that "existing indexes cannot accelerate the speed of multiple types of queries". But "but not for multiple types " can also be seen as a component of the former attributive clause, i.e. “they are designed for”. Then the whole attributive clause now is “they are designed for but not for multiple types”. In this understanding method, I think the meaning of the whole sentence is totally different from what I want to express initially.
I am not sure that is there ambiguous meaning that cannot convey my initial meaning because "but not for multiple types" can be seen as a component of the former attributive clause?


texts:
I checked the dictionary and it means "to aim exactly at an object
or place and move directly to it".

I would like to use this expression in a sentence.
Could you give me some examples please?


texts:
I am not sure I understood the following passage correctly .

  In the first step of glycolysis, the glucose ring is phosphorylated. Phosphorylation is the process of adding a phosphate group to a molecule derived from ATP. As a result, at this point in glycolysis, 1 molecule of ATP has been consumed.

[Source]
http://www.sparknotes.com/biology/cellrespiration/glycolysis/section1.rhtml

Is it the phosphate group, or the molecule, that is derived from ATP ?

And can we say "coming from" instead of "derived" here?


texts:
You know what probably happened? Somebody must have stolen my credit card.

I have seen the above sentences from a textbook.
Question 1
According to a textbook, "You know what probably happened?" implies "I think something probably happened." Is this right?
Question 2
Also, in this case, nobody is 100% sure that somebody stole my credit card. Thus, I cannot say something like the following.

You know what would probably have happened? Somebody must have stolen my credit card.

"Would have <p.p.>" governs subjunctive usage about a past event, so this is improper. Am I right?


texts:
What does it refer to, in the following paragraph?

  After O. Henry's marriage to Athol Estes in 1887, he began to write funny pieces for newspapers. He became so interested in writing that he bought a paper and made it  a humorous weekly called The Rolling Stone. He wrote most of the pieces for it and even illustrated the articles himself. When the paper did not make enough money, he took a job writing for The Houston Daily Post as a reported and journalist.

Between these words, which is the correct reference of it?

Paper
Piece
Writing
The Rolling Stone

I know the answer is not 3 or 4, but I am not sure whether it is 1 or 2.


texts:
From a tutorial

“below” and “beneath” can refer to people or things that are unworthy in some way or of a lower social ranking.
...
Some people think she married below her family.
This meaning is negative, however. So exercise care when using it.

Does "exercise care" means here "be careful"? Is it an idiom? I looked it up in some dictionaries but didn't find an item/entry for it.
Should I go with these meanings in the Cambridge Dictionary and put them together?

exercise: to do physical activities to make your body strong and healthy

care: the process of protecting someone or something and providing what that person or thing needs


texts: What is the meaning of this confusing sentence?

texts:
We came to a spot than which mine eyes have seldom seen a lovelier site.

Is this sentence even grammatically correct?
We were asked to find the error in sentence and when I asked my teacher about it he just said "its an excerpt from an old literature but don't know from which one and we should always opt for no error in these literature related questions".


texts:
"I go to work" may be understood in two different ways:

"Why do you go to the office so often?"  ... I go (to do what?) to work.

"Where do go every morning?"   ...   I go (where?) to work.

In this sentence is "to work" a to-infinitive or a preposition and an object?

Is it the same in both cases?


texts: grammar / meaning Does “treating” in the example sentence mean “because he treats” or “and at the same he is treating” or just “and he treats”?

texts:
(“treating”) “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends…!”

And does “verb + ing” in the following examples belong to one of the three cases in the title question? Or other meanings?

  (fearing, knowing) He enfolds us with His arms, never fearing that He will become unclean; but knowing that we will become clean!
  (having) He is accurate with the longer clubs in his bag, having learned how to manage his normal 'fade' ball flight.
  (sipping, taking) Follow the direction of ushers to approach the Communion rail, kneel to receive the bread and wine, sipping from the common cup, or taking an individual glass of wine or grape juice.
  (baptizing) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,


texts: Word like vegan applicable to onine privacy

texts:
I'm looking for a word with a similar meaning as "vegan" in the context of online privacy.
Just like a "vegan product" and a "vegan individual":

I'm a [privacy vegan] and try to avoid data mining websites.
Our website is [privacy vegan]. We don't track your activity.

Edit / clarification

A vegan person refrains from eating animal products. A producer can label its products "vegan" for marketing purposes. If I want to market a digital product with the absence of trackers, what word do I use that both is identifiable to persons and makes sense as a marketing term. (Like vegan does)


texts: What would be the best word for a part of a recipe?

texts:
I'm not thinking of ingredients, more like components - i.e. it's what a glazing is to a cake.
What I mean is a part of a dish, not a part of the text of the recipe. The word I'm looking for is something like "half-product" but I was wondering if there's a term for that in cooking


texts: Is there a word for a wind that comes from the sea?

texts: Do we just say ‘sea wind’? ‘Sea wind’ seems very weird and unsophisticated. I am wondering if there's a specific word for "sea wind" or any wind related to the sea or ocean.


texts: How to express apologies for unavailabiy in the office in off time

texts:
I frequently get the emails from my UK/US client and find myself unavailable to respond right away.
When I reply in next day I want to express my apologies for same in the email response.
Could somebody provide me best phrase / English sentence for this.


texts:
The italic text in the sentence is wrong. We are supposed to correct the error. This question came out in my school examinations.

  The best place to create awareness from the environment is in schools.

I replaced from to about. My teacher marked this as wrong, saying the correct answer is of. Her argument was that the sentence "to be aware of" uses of instead of about.

Which word is the correct, more appropriate word to use?


texts:
I wonder if 'to be' - to infinitive and 'being' are interchangeable in these sentences below.

To be an engineer looked good.
Being an engineer looked good.

Do these sentences have the same meaning or not?


texts: Is there any difference between "with an eye on/to/towards"?

texts:
I have these 3 entries in my dictionary (multitran.ru):

with an eye on sth
with an eye to sth
with an eye towards sth

which all seem to mean some intent. Are they just synonyms?


texts:
The questionable sentence is the following:

We are setting up a server and as soon as it’s done we will send you the bucket credentials.

Shall I use “ when it’s done” or “as soon as it’s done is OK? Or none of them?


texts: Are there other names for students according to their year - except of "sophomore"?

texts:
Today, I've heard my lecturer who turned to us by the word: "sophomores". This the is the first time that I was exposed to this word in the meaning of "student of 2nd year".

My question if there are other names for the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th etc. and if all these appellations are common in use?


texts: An impressible person who other people can have their own impact on them

texts:
What do you call a person (not merely a young one) who seems to be easy to influence. Someone who others can have their own effect and impact on them in many aspects of their lives:

  He is a very impressible person.

  He is a very impressionable person.

  He is a very susceptible person.

  He is a very malleable person.

Based on above links' definitions, you'll see that they can indicate this message about someone, but which one can be used in common and everyday speech? (Of course what I am looking for in my own language is considered a formal word too, but most of the people would understand it even not well educated people.)


texts:
This is just a quick question, is there a difference in meaning between “long due” and “long overdue”? And if yes, can anyone tell me the meaning?
I already know what “long overdue” means


texts: (sequence or prioritize) Math over French

texts:
I have made up the two similar sentences below.

(1) Mr. Brown is teaching two subjects this term. In his lesson plans,
he always sequences Math over French because he likes Math more.

and

(2) Mr. Brown is teaching two subjects this term. In his lesson plans,
he always prioritizes Math over French because he likes Math more.

What I am trying to say is that he always prepares his Math lessons first because he likes the subject.
Which word is correct: sequence or prioritize?


texts: "As X, so Y" - Difficulties in parsing of a sentence

texts:
As a fire burns with a murmur of flames, with the intermittent crack
  of exploding knots in the logs and the falling and settling of coal,
  so on the forest floor the hours of dusky light consumed away with
  rustlings, patterings, sighing and dying of breeze, scuttlings of
  rodents, snakes, lizards and now and then the padding of some larger
  animal on the move.

This is a quotation from Shardik by Richard Adams.

I don't exactly understand what clause so on the forest floor relates to? Does the fire burn on the forest floor (then I don't understand the so and the comma here) or the hours of dusky light are on the forest floor (seems most probable to me, but I don't understand an aim of so)? Or may be falling and settling of coal on the forest floor, then again why are there the comma and so?
And another thing I don't understand here is the grammatical role of consumed away. It looks like past participle here but where is a verb in this clause then? If it's just past indefinite, then what exactly it consumed away?


texts: How to ask someone idiomatically if he/she feels hot or cold?

texts:
I'm not a native English user, so when I want to ask someone if he/she feels hot / cold, I will ask the question as per the grammar:
Are you hot?
Are you cold?

But I wonder how do Americans or British people usually say when they ask such a question in their daily life.

The scenario is that when I myself feel OK, I ask this question to my kid, boy/girl friend, wife/husband, friend, etc. If the answer is "no" then I will do nothing, whereas if the answer is "yes" then I will, for example, turn on AC / fan / heater, open / close the window, etc.


texts:
I received an email that has bunch of people's email addresses in it, and I want to contact one of them but have not had that person's email address before. If I send an email to him, can I say

  Sorry I hijacked your contact from the email.

or it would sound weird? It's a friendly email (not business) but I just want to convey that I know I have not had your email before but this is how I got it and am transparent about it.


texts: Is the word "what" a pronoun in the question: Do you know what I mean? I would be grateful for any suggestion.


texts: The meeting occurred randomly / was never supposed to occur -- which is the correct meaning of happenstance?

texts:
I was learning English words on Vocabulary.com and came across the following question:

  If a person met his/her future spouse through happenstance, which of the following is true?

  the meeting occurred randomly
  the meeting was never supposed to occur

There were actually four options but the other two were 100% wrong.

From those I'm giving, I chose the second one and it turned out to be wrong. Why is the first option correct?

To me, they seem to mean the same, to be honest. OALD gives the following meanings:

  randomly
  1. without somebody deciding in advance what is going to happen and without any regular pattern

  be supposed to do/be something
  1. to be expected or required to do/be something according to a rule, a custom, an arrangement, etc.
  2. to be generally believed or expected to be/do something

Again, I don't see any difference.

the meeting occurred randomly — that is, there was nobody deciding in advance that it was going to happen.
the meeting was never supposed to occur — that is, it was never expected to occur according to an arrangement (because there was no arrangement).

I'd like to know if there's something I'm missing, or if it's a mistake.


texts: "...the more engrained the lessons they learn become."

texts:
What does the following sentence mean?

  The younger and longer boys view porn, the more engrained the lessons
  they learn become.

The article


texts: Using the adjectives 'very' and 'own' for our (own!) body organs

texts:
The adjectives 'very' and 'own' mean precisely as stated or being exactly the same and not any other. I understand a subtle difference between my bike and my own bike in below mentioned instance -

  Case #1: I parked a bike. A policeman asked me the papers of the vehicle. The papers belonged to the owner (my cousin) whose bike I had borrowed for that day. But then for the policeman, it is my bike. Even I would say "Yes, I'm sorry that I parked my bike here in a No Parking zone."

  Case #2: I had to reach there as early as possible. Had it been my own bike, I would have gone at the speed of 100 kmph but I am very responsible and cautious while riding my cousin's bike. You know, it's very costly.

Now the question:

In above mentioned case, it's vehicle and hence the use of my and my own seems quite acceptable. But then when we use the same for our organs, why use own at all? We own them since our birth!

  Yeah! Trust me. I saw her with him with my very eyes!

  Don't you believe me? I did it with my own hands.


texts: Do you write sometimes equation with capital letter?

texts:
I know that  usually 'proposition, theorem, lemma' are written only with capital letter if they refer to a number. Example:

  As seen in last theorem, this is all  trivial.

and

  As seen in Theorem 1, this is all trivial.

Now I wonder, is this also the case for equation and property? Which one of the following would be correct?

  As seen in equation (2.3), property (1.4) is fulfilled for the operator.

or

  As seen in Equation (2.3), Property (1.4) is fulfilled for the operator.


texts: Is "Are you back" in meaning of "Did you come back" correct?

texts: I've got a message from a friend which is an English native speaker from Africa and he he wrote me "Are you back?" in meaning of "Did you come back?" (to the country that he is in). This is the first time that I came across such usage and I would like to ask if it is correct usage in English or just slang or something like that?


texts: What does "life is far too important to ever talk seriously about" mean?

texts:
Life is far too important to ever talk seriously about.
-Oscar Wilde

What does this mean? Is it something like "life is very important, so we can never ever talk about it seriously?"


texts: The meaning of "His eyes were hollow-set."

texts:
'I heard the bells jingle at the back of the stand, and a red leg
  waved over it; then a black one. So, very slowly, Rahere the King's
  jester straddled the edge of the planks, and looked down on us,
  rubbing his chin. Loose-knit, with cropped hair, and a sad
  priest's face, under his cockscomb cap, that he could twist like a
  strip of wet leather. His eyes were hollow-set.

This is from "Simple Simon" in "Rewards and Fairies" by Kipling.

http://www.telelib.com/authors/K/KiplingRudyard/prose/RewardsFaries/treejustice.html

I do not understand the meaning of below.

Loose-knit,

What does "loose-knit" mean here?

and

His eyes were hollow-set.

I am so glad if somebody kindly teach me.


texts:
I feel like I've heard "I'd want to" in very few cases or maybe even not at all. Is this an old settled down preference by the natives or there's a grammatical point that supports it? For example, Is this sentence grammatically all right?

  "If there is one thing that I'd want to say about my brother, it's
  that he's very stubborn."


texts: Are uncountable nouns altogether plural?

texts:
When multiple uncountable nouns form a single noun phrase, should it be considered to be plural?

  Knowledge and experience was the only thing he wanted.
  Knowledge and experience were the only things he wanted.

Which one is correct?


texts:
What is the right sentence to tell others my wife already delivered a baby

My wife already got delivered

or

My wife already delivered

or

is there any better way to communicate


texts:
My English book says I have to say "go to the shop" and it is in the group with other public places like "to go to the airport/museum/cinema/theatre." Is the meaning really different when I say:

I am going to a shop.
and
I am going to the shop. (would that mean I am going to do some shopping?)

Thank you in advance.


texts: “Ten bucks says…" or "Ten bucks say…"? Which is correct?

texts:
In the movie Avengers I, when the Cap said,“At this point, I doubt anything would surprise me.” Then the director Fury answered,“Ten bucks says you’re wrong."

I understand that Fury was betting ten bucks that the cap was wrong. My questions are:

1) 'Ten bucks' is a plural, why use 'says' instead of 'say'?

2) It's not the first time I heard this expression and it seems most time people use 'says'; so is it a fixed phrase ? Or some kind of abbreviation for some sentence? If so, could anyone help to show me the complete version? Thanks a lot.


texts: Parse the pattern of 'there is/are the noun phrase'

texts:
RESULTATIVE PAST. The Present Perfect is also used in reference to a
  past event to imply that the result of that event is still operative
  at the present time. This meaning is clearest with ‘transitional event
  verbs’ (§35B), describing the switch from one state to another. The
  resultant (and present) state implied by the Perfect is indicated in
  brackets in these typical examples:

    The taxi has arrived (i.e. ‘The taxi is now here’).

    She has been given a camera (‘She now has the camera’).

    I’ve recovered from my illness (‘I’m now well again’).

  In other examples, the resultative implication is still there, even
  though it is not quite so obvious from the verb’s meaning:

    I’ve taken a shower (‘So I’m now clean’).

    He’s cut his hand with a knife (‘The cut is still there, i.e. has not yet healed’).

  The resultative meaning needs no support from adverbials. It is
  sometimes difficult to distinguish from the recent indefinite past use
  (§57): in fact, it is arguably a special case of the recent indefinite
  past, in which there is the additional resultative inference. One
  may argue, for instance, that the question Have you seen my trainers?
  is really a question about the present consequences of seeing the
  trainers; i.e. ‘Do you know where they are?’

  --  Leech, Geoffrey N. 2004. Meaning and the English Verb. Harlow, England: Pearson/Longman.

I'm wondering why it's there is the additional resultative inference, not there is an additional resultative inference.

From time to time, I run across this pattern of 'there is/are the noun', but I have no idea how it's used.


texts: Why it is called "homesick" instead of "parents sick"?

texts:
If a kid went to school he\she cries because he\she is going away from his\her parents not because he\she is going away from his\her home.

So why is it called "homesick" instead of "parents sick" ?


texts: "it's truly vital that he or she becomes/become familiar with the reasons"?

texts:
Please have a look at sentence below:

  Before one votes on the proposition, it's truly vital that he or she becomes/become familiar with the reasons for voting both for the proposition and against the proposition.

Does it have any grammar issue?

My book says, "become familiar", "proposal". Do you agree with the book?


texts: Is it grammatically correct to say "You deserve good"?

texts:
English learner here, and I have a simple question.
Can a word 'good' stand for entire good things?
Or do I have to add some words such as things, ones, etc.?

You deserve good.
You deserve good things.
You deserve good ones.
Is it grammatically correct to say only "you deserve good"?


texts: Should it be "three-fourths" or "three-fourth"?

texts:
I'm having some confusion expressing the form of fraction in this sentence. In this sentence should I use "three-fourths" or "three-fourth"?

  To the amazement of three-fourths of the band, their controlling manager was back in their lives.


texts: What does "wash up" mean in this context

texts:
Each year as much as 150,000 tons of plastic debris, most notably styrofoam, washes up on the shores of Japan.

What does washes up mean?


texts:
Those dreaming of the perfect match are outnumbered by those who don’t really want it at all, though perhaps they can’t admit it.
In above sentence, it is confusing what those two pronouns refer to. (Bold character 'they' and 'it') Any help will be appreciated.


texts: Does this sentence have two objects and complement for one of them?

texts:
I reflected.  Poverty looks grim to grown people; still more so to children: they have not much idea of industrious, working, respectable poverty; they think of the word only as connected with ragged clothes, scanty food, fireless grates, rude manners, and debasing vices: poverty for me was synonymous with degradation.
  —Jane Eyre

Does the highlighted sentence have the following structure?

Subject + verb demanding two arguments (think of) +
object 1 (the word) + object 2 (as) + complement for pronoun 'as' (connected […])


texts:
"We have been practicing twice a week since  the beginning of this
season and that has really made a difference.  Now, some of the guys
say that’s not necessary because we always win. "

Can I use here Present Continuous?: "...because we are always winning."  (as I know, I can use it with "always" not only for constantly happening irritating actions, but also for something unexpected, which happens several times. Am I right?)


texts:
He is still wearing diaper.

  "You are old enough. You have to quit diapers."

Can I say quit as stop using the diapers?


texts: Why neither did I but not neither I did?

texts:
"he didn't remember, and neither did I."
Why does it become backward?
"neither did I" but "not neither I did?"


texts:
Is it ok to use finally at the end of the sentence like this?

  I am a teacher finally!

Or do I have to say this?

  I finally am a teacher / I am finally a teacher

You see, most of the people told me that only eventually would be good if used at the end of the sentence, but I am just curious if I can.


texts: "I forgot" + "to be" in question form. Which one is correct?

texts:
I don't know which one of the next sentences are correct. Please, help me to find out. I also will be appreciated if you'll explain which rules we use here. Where I should to put the "is"?

  A) I forgot, how hard is it - to be a policeman.
  B) I forgot, how is
  hard it - to be a policeman.
  C) I forgot, how hard it - to be a
  policeman is.
  D) I forgot, how hard it is - to be a policeman

I think, A is a correct answer.


texts:
I am here!
  I am home!

I frequently use the expressions, though I don't understand why they make sense, and I have recently got to be in curious how the meanings are understandable in grammatical approach, so I asked someone about it.

Someone told me that here and home are modifying 'am' because 'am' means existential itself, but I disagree on the explaining and am thinking here and home are just adverbrial complement even though they are not actually modifying anything in the sentences.
(Of course, there is certain sentences in which 'am' means existential but I really don't agree in this case)

What do you think?
I just want to know what here and home are modifying.
(I have searched this site for this similar post, but I couldn't find out anything, so I have newly posted it.)


texts:
I am going to make up two similar sentences.

(1) I didn't have time to do anything else because I was working on my project.

(2) I didn't have time to do anything else because I had been working on my project.

I don't understand how the two tenses simple past continuous (was) and past perfect continuous (had been) change the meaning of the sentences.

Can someone please explain it? Thanks a lot.


texts:
The following text is a translation from a medical ultrasonography test result:

  No hydronephrosis was observed in either kidney.

Given the fact that "No" is used to negate the sentence, I am skeptic of the correctness of using "either" in the above sentence. If it is wrong, then should "neither" be used instead?


texts: How to say that somebody crossed a street when the light was red?

texts:
I have googled these expressions. I am not sure they are correct English.

He crossed (the street) against the light. (heard on Seinfeld)
He crossed (the street) against the red light.
He crossed (the street) when the light was at red.
He crossed (the street) on a red light."


texts: Does the ordering of relative clauses matter?

texts:
Is this sentence correct with respect to the parts in italics? Is there a better way of saying it?

  The only person who I know of who speaks English fairly well is my cousin.

Here I have two relative clauses that modify the same noun (person). Is that valid in English? Also does the ordering matter here? I think if I make it

  The only person who speaks English fairly well who I know of is my cousin.

the meaning might change.

Are there any rules concerning the place of the modifiers in places such as this one or is it simply an instinct?


texts: Is there a difference between red painted glass and painted red glass? I guess painted red glass can be yellow, green, or etc..


texts: correct word order: $200 of sales tax" Or "sales tax of $200"

texts:
Which one of these is correct?

-"I paid $200 of sales tax on my computer."
-"I paid sales tax of $200 on my computer."

Can anyone please explain me the correct word order.


texts: What does "register against the face" phrase mean?

texts:
I am referring to this particular phrase

  registers against the face

which can be heard in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/timedtext_editor?action_mde_edit_form=1&v=oHRBtgNsrLk&lang=ru&bl=vmp&ui=hd&ref=player&tab=captions

some quotes:

does show a taper from one end to the other we're going to be registering the
square and the gauge against the tooth registration faces face mark and face
the middle just for any belly just because we're going to be registering a
router against that to make sure the surface of the Tenons are parallel to
knife wall across here up onto this edge using the registration faces every
registration faces these points will come out exactly
on the shoulder just like that so this line is registered with this line
Tenons so your tenon's gonna go you're gonna register against this face mark
registered against the right face here run the gaze line run it on to the end here
take it down and I keep this registered here watch this now so I'm going to take

and many other places that can be found by following the link:

https://www.google.com/search?q="registers+against+the+face"

The dictionaries I checked fail to give the answer. What does "register against the face" mean in the context of woodworking and technical/mechanical stuff.


texts:
Suppose I go a ballpark or some mall, and I forget to take the tickets or something like that along with me; I realize it on my way to the mall/ballpark.

Can I say:

  Midway through to the mall, I realized that I did not have the tickets and so I headed back.


texts:
I have a curiosity, something that I was never given an explanation to and I have to ask for some kind of clarification to get a better understanding.

From the title of my post, it may seem a little odd, but here is what I want to know about.

I know there are several words such as "hand towel" or like the above example "dish drying mat" and the thing is that I have a friend who also knows English but I don't understand why she keeps insisting to write in this way: "Hands towel" or "dishes drying mat". While it's true that in our language it implies the plural (which we would literary translates like for example: Towel for hands), I keep telling her that in English it doesn't sound right and it she doesn't have to necessary write the respective word in plural, just because it's like that in our language.

I don't know how can I explain further but perhaps there are rules in other languages when it comes to the use of singular and plural but I would require an explanation for it, if there is any. I'm sorry if I didn't explain properly, but this was brought up several times by this friend of mine and it just seems so strange the way she would write those words and similar others in that manner and it makes me cringe whenever I read her translations of stuff that we do.


texts: What do you understand "3 times per week" to mean in this sentence?

texts:
A total of 20 patients  included in this study. hCG (1,500 IU) was administered intramuscularly, 3 times per week.

Which of is the correct:

it means that they  administrated 1500 UI all together per week?
or does it mean that they  administrated 4500 UI  per week in total.


texts:
I wrote:

  Let’s call this pattern P. If P has a parent pattern that has not been visited yet, nothing is performed and the algorithms returns and continues with the rest of nodes.

Which of the following alternatives is better than the above:

  Let’s call this pattern P. If P has a parent pattern that has not yet been visited, nothing is performed and the algorithms returns and continues with the rest of nodes.

  Let’s call this pattern P. If P has a parent pattern that still has not been visited, nothing is performed and the algorithms returns and continues with the rest of nodes.


texts: Usage of articles before the noun 'hospital'

texts:
Swan provides the following examples (Second editions/unit 134/2):

  Will you come and visit me in hospital when I have my operation?

According to the dictionary, hospital is a singular count noun, so we should use an article before one. But we didn't. Why?


texts: Is it correct to say "news besides someplace"?

texts:
It is for site name, so therefore quite minimal meaningful phrases.

which option is more acceptable?

news besides Canada
besides news Canada
news beside Canada
beside news Canada

Meaning of the phrase should be at least a little mean "news Canada", "news about Canada", "addition to news about Canada"


texts: "shouldn't have been" or "should haven't been"

texts:
Which one has the good order?

  You shouldn't have known it.
  You should haven't known it.
  You should not have known it.
  You should have not known it.


texts: Should I change the sentence “He didn’t drive the car into his garage even once” into “He has not been able to get his own car into his garage even once”?


texts: I'm facing a problem in a listening comprehension. "how we might wean ourselves off our chosen (or shows an?) addictive pursuit."?

texts:
I can't actually understand this part. 03:15s

  We could start a think too (or We could start a think to OR We could start to think too?) at (or that?) how we might wean ourselves off our chosen (or shows an?) addictive pursuit.

I can't understand this, what does the lecturer mean by "our chosen addictive pursuit"?

We should wean ourselves off (=gradually stop doing) what?


texts: What is the correct sequence of negatives for this use case?

texts:
Which of the following sentences is most grammatical for US English, or are all of them ungrammatical and should be written differently?

  I will not allow anyone to do something to him or her.

  I will allow no one to do something to him or her.

  I will allow anyone to do something to neither him nor her.

The intent is to state that the speaker is going to prevent anyone and everyone from taking an action as regards to "him" and "her".


texts: "English", "the English" or "an English"?

texts:
Well, one thing came in my mind when I've posted a comment on SO.

Comment is: Do you understand English?

Can we write the English or an English ?

I'm generally use Grammar Checker  when i confuse, but when i pasted this three different sentences, it shows: No grammar or spelling mistakes found

So, which one is right, and grammatically correct?


texts: Plural or singular when comparing two different objects?

texts:
Should I use plural or singular when comparing two different objects? For example, I want to tell a friend that I have two clothes that are of different styles but have the same color.

  "The colors of shirt-A and shirt-B are blue."

or should I say,

  "The color of shirt-A and shirt-B is blue."

or maybe even the following?

  "The colors of both shirt-A and shirt-B are blue."
  vs
  "The color of both shirt-A and shirt-B is blue."


texts: Section two pieces, take two segments of hair

texts:
Will all the three sentences express this idea naturally?

  Section  two roughly symmetrical  pieces of your hair at the front. (Used by an American on a website.)

Or

  Take two sections of your hair at the front.

Do all of these sentences sound natural and likely to you????

And what about:

  Take a small section of hair in the front.

Here are a few links:
https://www.instructables.com/id/Two-Small-Braids/

https://oureverydaylife.com/small-single-braids-yourself-20372.html

https://www.byrdie.com/boxer-braids-tutorial

https://www.ouidad.com/blog/classic-02

So do those three sentences sound equally likely?


texts: Present Future: "If he doesn't help me, I'm finished"

texts:
I'm trying to understand the use of the Present Future, and The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (CGEL) has this example:

If he doesn't help me, I'm  finished.

I understand that "am" is the future, but what about "doesn't help"? Is it also the future? Is "won't help me" an acceptable alternative?

Other examples from the same page:

If he doesn't help me, I'm  finished.
If you don't do  better next month you are fired.
Either he plays according to the rules or he doesn't play at all.
If I get it for less, do I keep the change?


texts: Grammar Question: Go to where... or go where

texts:
I am confused whether it Is correct and common to say go/come  "to" when the following word is where...

  I will go/come where you suggested
  I will go/come to where you suggested.

The reason why I am confused is that I often hear people use "to" when the sentence is something like "we should go back to where we visited". I wonder if we treat "go/come back" differently from "go/come".

I also see some people say it both ways.

Is "where" a type of word that can't be used with "to" such as
"There" or "here"?

I couldn't find clear examples or answers in texts, answers will be appreciated.


texts: Differences between Until vs Up to vs As on

texts:
I have two queries regarding how to use until/up to. I have searched a lot, but I couldn't find a satisfactory answer.

Suppose, someone submits a report, which was updated up to 31st October 2019. However, the report does not mention the date. Which of the following interrogative structure would be appropriate  for asking about that date? The answer to the question is 31st Oct 2019.

a) When was the report last updated?
b) How latest/recent is the information in the report?
c) What date has the report been updated until/up to?
d) Until/up to what time has the report been updated?

Can 'until' be used to describe an activity that has already happened? As far as I know, until is used to describe an state/situation/activity that continued up to a certain point in time. For example,

a) We have constructed 100 houses as on 31st October.
b) We have constructed 100 houses till/until 31st October.

Here, the construction has already happened. I think use of 'until' is inappropriate here.

Also, how would one ask that in question? Which of these formations are correct?

how many houses had been/were constructed until/up to/as on 31st October?


texts: Common words where TH is not pronounced as TH?

texts:
I've recently been told that the word "clothes" is actually pronounced as "close", because an American friend heard me saying it with a voiced TH sound.
The thing is I usually can't hear the difference in sounds between TH and D, F or T, so I just rely on knowing where to place my tongue in order to pronounce TH sounds and do this every time a word is spelled with a TH.
Are there other common words like "clothes" that are spelled with a TH but not actually pronounced with a standard voiced/voiceless TH? Or is this just a very rare exception?


texts:
From a tutorial

"February 9th, 1964. Beatlemania hits primetime in the United States."

I understand every single word in the sentence.

Beatlemania means a group of enthusiastic fans of Beatles.

primetime refers to the time when television audience is expected to be at its highest, such as 8 o'clock PM, when most people are watching TV at home.

I also know the Beatles made first U.S. TV appearance on 'Ed Sullivan Show' On Feb. 9, 1964.

what is the meaning of "Beatlemania hits primetime"?

How about this explanation,

  the enthusiasm for the Beatles arrived at a stage where there are more influential people recognize them?


texts: Is this grammar correct? I've been looking for similar sentences but couldn't find anything

texts: My question is: It would be great if you buy us pizza. I said this to my friend when I was trying hard to convince him to buy us pizza. I am currently studying conditionals and found out that since I used would, I need to use a past tense verb. What made me confused is, I found this sentence online. She would be happy if you send her this box of chocolate.  The teacher used a present tense verb in the if clause. Thanks in advance guys!


texts:
With- used to say that people or things are in a place together or are doing something together.

In- used as a function word to indicate inclusion, location, or position within limits.


texts:
Hermione Granger, a witch at Hogwarts School, is accomplished at spells.

The core of this sentence is Hermione Granger is accomplished at spells.
(A witch at Hogwarts School is an appositive noun phrase that gives us additional information about Hermione Granger.)
In relation to these examples, do we omit commas when the sentence structure is reversed in a) and does b) require commas as there could be multiple detectives working a case?
The examples contain names we are familiar with and associate with the descriptions through popular culture, but is that cause to use commas?

A) Talented Hogwart's School witch Hermione Granger has been awarded for her efforts.

B) Determined detective on the Jack the Ripper serial killer case, Chief Inspector Abberline, has failed to solve the mystery.

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/appositive/


texts:
I was going to ask a question on Stack Overflow, and start it like so:

  One of these days I've run into an issue, where...

But then I thought, is this really okay to use Present Perfect with "one of these days"?


texts: What is the correct syntax for parenthesizing "products", "result", "pagenavigationbar" and "between"

texts:
I don't know much about the syntax and semantic of the parenthetical phrases. I have made the following sentence:

  Suppose that we have created a context named “Products” using two anchors, “Results” as the beginning and “PageNavigationBar” as the ending anchors and "Between" as its scope.

named “Products”, “Results” as the beginning and “PageNavigationBar” as the ending anchors and "Between" as its scope are the parenthetical phrases.

I would like to get sure I used it in natural and correct way.

It's not for proofreading, its just an example of how parenthetical phrases are created. If there are other patterns, I would like to know them.


texts: What does "at least it's in tens, singles and coins" mean in the context?

texts:
It's from a Children's book.
Seven men was splitting 10,000 dollars, but they don't want fractions.
//Transcript:

All seven men took 1000 dollars each which was 7000 dollars. that left 3000 dollars on the table.
"how do we split three thousand between seven?" asked big Pocky."do we need fractions yet?"
"No way!"said Blade."We split it into hundreds and share them out, and luckily we've got the right guy to work it out. How many do we get, Numbers?
The smallest of the men had a quick thing."three thousand is thirty hundreds. We can take four hundred each, and that leaves two hundred on the table."
"At least it's in tens, singles and coins."said Porky."How many tens do we get each, Numbers"
"Two,"Said Numbers.
//

Does the "tens singles and coins"mean tens, units and 0.1? Why did Porky say "at least it's in ……" I don't get the point.


texts:
Now and then I come across an "affirmative imperative + will you?" construction where, I suspect, the speaker seems to be telling someone NOT to do something or censuring him/her for doing so, as opposed to making a request for a certain action, as in:

  “Run away from me, will you?” His voice was hoarse and strangled in his throat. “I'll have your skin off your bones, I will!” He took a lurching step.

However, no English usage guides I turned to seemed to address this (supposed) usage.

Is my suspicion correct or am I on the wrong track here?


texts: I need to know if I should how I should use the word me or if I should use the word I

texts:
Should I type in an email:

Thank you for meeting with Shane and me yesterday

or

Thank you for meeting with me and Shane yesterday


texts: Why is the definite article removed in this example, but not the other?

texts:
The folks who run the Converse brand understand that in order to
  provide a meaningful experience customer experience, sometimes they
  just need to stand back and leave (the) customers alone.

In this book, Marketing: An Introduction, the book opted to omit the definite article. I want to know why.

If you were to say,

  Don't argue with the customer. The customer is always right.

Why did we not omit the definite article here though we are referring to any customer, not a defined one?


texts: Which one is correct “Where are” or “Where is”?

texts:
I am confused which one is right.

  Where is personname1 and personname2 ?

or.

  Where are personname1 and personname2 ?


texts:
These countries will have a vast number of experienced and productive
  older workers who, as things stand, will be driven from the workforce
  upon reaching the age of sixty-five by the widespread practice of
  requiring workers to retire at that age.

I know all the vocabularies in the sentence, but having problem understanding the sentence as a whole (especially because of the bold part). Can someone explain what this sentence means?


texts:
There is the sentence:

  Do you usually cook at weekends?

Can i use present continuous?

  Are you usually cooking at weekends?

I found this example of using present continuous on internet.

  At nine o’clock they are usually having breakfast.

  When she gets home from work, her children are already sleeping.

I was taught when it happens usually we use present simple.


texts:
I read on the British Council website how to transform the following sentence  into another structure.

The original sentence was:

  Soaked to the skin, we eventually reached the station.

This was transformed by a person who claimed to be from The LearnEnglish Team, the sentence transformed is in bold.

  You can place the participial phrase in a number of positions:

  Soaked to the skin, we eventually reached the station.
  We eventually reached the station, soaked to the skin.
  We, soaked to the skin, eventually reached the station.

  The last of these would be the least common, and has a rather literary feel.

How can we do this? What kind of sentence structure it is?
It has been said to be literary style, so I would like to know more about this.


texts: Do I have to use 'due to the fact' or 'by the fact'

texts:
Could someone please tell me whether I have to use 'due to' or 'by' in the following phrase?

  This tone is mainly created due to/by the fact that the video contains real footage of wars and attacks on aid workers.


texts: Usage of the word "it" in the sentence "it wasn't me"

texts:
What does it refer to in the sentence

It wasn't me.

For example in response to the question

Who stole the cookies?

I see "it" as referring to the person who stole the cookies, but it doesn't sound right to say "he wasn't me" or "she wasn't me".
Can anyone clear this up for me


texts: Can we transform clauses to participle clauses when they appear in question-form sentences?

texts:
We know the clauses in bold (01 and 02) can be reduced to participle clauses because the subjects of the subordinate clauses are the same as those of the main clauses:
01

We saw lots of lanterns when we walked on the streets.

transformed to

We saw lots of lanterns when walking on the streets.

02

We learn new facts because we go to school.

transformed to

We learn new facts because going to school.

Questions:
How about in a question form?
Can I transform the below clauses to participle clauses?
Are they grammatically correct?
03

Can we tell him the truth when we talk to him?

Can we tell him the truth when talking to him?

04

Are we allowed to scold someone because we hate them?

Are we allowed to scold someone because hating them?


texts: Meaning of a sentence from The Diary of a Young Girl? And what was ‘shall’ used for?

texts:
I would like to ask you a couple of questions about the sentence below which is from The Diary of a Young Girl.

  I hope I shall be able to confide in you completely,

  as I have never been able to do in anyone before,

  and I hope that you will be a great support and comfort to me.

Q1) What meaning does the conjunction as hold there? So eventually what does the second line mean in relation to first line?

Q2) And why was shall used in the first line instead of will?
What difference does it make?


texts:
I would like to link [Figures 1,2 Tables 1,2] with commas.
Which one should I use? (In American English)
A) Figures 1, 2, and Tables 1, 2
B) Figures 1, 2, Tables 1, and 2
C) Figures 1, 2, Table 1, and Table 2
In usual case, I think B) is right but it looks strange since it is only '2'.
But A) is also strange since there is a comma on the right side of 'and'.
Probably C) is correct, but it is not satisfactory since Figures is plural but Table is singular.


texts:
From a research paper:

  How can such a diverse group of pathogens confer similar risks of psychotic disorder? Common to the implicated pathogens is the maternal immune response. In support of this possibility, enduring fevers above a certain threshold pose the greatest risk (10).

Do the authors mean "fevers that are enduring" (fevers that last long) and which produce a body temperature above a certain threshold"?

Or do they mean "for a future mother, being in a state of fever (enduring a fever) for a period of time that exceeds a certain threshold is to put herself at the greatest risk" of maternal immune response?


texts:
He was originally from Spain but moved to London in the UK, since his move to London, he has established an export business selling fruit.

Do we view the prepositional sentence as  subordinate as a whole if it begins with a subordinating conjunction ? In this instance 'since'

He was originally from Spain but moved to London in the UK. However, since his move to London, he has established an export business selling fruit.


texts: I'd like to know if the sentence "We improve in a dark time" is grammatically correct and has a similar meaning with "We grow in a dark time(meaning we grow when we go through pain or difficulties)". As far as I know, when the verb 'improve' is used with a human subject, it is a transitive verb. When the verb is used as a transitive verb, it can have a human subject. So, is the sentence "We improve in a dark time" correct and does it mean "We grow in a dark time"?


texts:
I have a problem with using "more than half".
Here are two ways of using "more than half" in two phrases:

  More than half the group
  More than half of jobs

In my view, we can use "of" when the noun that comes after "more than half" is a plural noun. So we should not use "of" before the singular noun. Am I right?


texts: How do you describe a nut which does not tighten

texts:
Suppose that you want to use a pair of bolt and nut to connect two things. However, the nut is like you can screw it forever and does not tighten!

What do you call this kind of nuts?
Is there an adjective for them?

I would say the nut is broken, but I am not sure if that's the most common way of saying that.


texts:
I was asked a question like "How is climate there?"

What should I reply?

  Today little moody. as it was raining yesterday.

or

  Today little moody. as it rained yesterday.


texts: Is there a word or expression to describe that "it satisfies only the specific needs and nothing else"?

texts:
We're creating a new process to give users access to the files and commands they need in a more black-boxed concept so that we can give them only access to what they need, and nothing else (making it more precise on a user level).

So, to create a kind of slogan I wanted to know if there is a word or expression to describe that "it satisfies only the specific needs and nothing else"?


texts:
Swan says that when we want to emphasize a verb we can use the structure like:

  what ... do

For instance,

  What he does is to write a book.

My question is about the sentence:

  What the Standard says is ... 'something what it says'.

Is the sentence gramatically correct? I mean shouldn't have we said

  What the Standard does is to say the ... 'something what it says'.

instead?


texts: How can I reformulate "A for B based on C" to make it not ambiguous?

texts: I have a title  "A for B based on C", but it is ambiguous, as either A or B could be based on C. In my case actually A is based on C. How can I reformulate the sentence to make it not ambiguous?


texts:
I have looked up all the meanings of "loaded" in dictionaries, but still confused what that means. Here is the context it was used in:

  Racism is a loaded topic and issue.

Does that mean that racism is a topic that is difficult to talk about?


texts:
I was asked to talk about home made gifts, so I said the following:

When you spend time out of your busy routine on make a gift for someone, it makes them feel important."

I'm not sure if 'spend time out of your busy routine' is correct. How do I say it correctly? If it's correct, is there any other ways to say it?


texts: What does "for relocation benefits" mean?

texts:
We will provide you $1,000, which you may use to cover expenses
  occurring as a result from your move, or for relocation benefits.

In this sentence, does the bold part mean:

  You may use this money as relocation benefits

I am not sure to which part this "for relocation benefits" apply.


texts:
Having been chased by street dogs once, he doesn't dare to take that path.

An example relating to "___ (tell) many times, he still made the same mistakes" form http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/having-been-done-done.3333057/

  I don't think you need both once and having been, together. They seem to have similar functions. That's why B doesn't sound good.

An explanation to "Once ______ a difficult and even dangerous place to visit, it is now a friendly destination that welcomes visitors from all over the world" from https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/247926-quot-Done-quot-or-quot-Having-been-done-quot

Is it suitable to use "having been done" and "once" together?

What's your opinion on

  Once ______ a difficult and even dangerous place to visit, it is now a friendly destination that welcomes visitors from all over the world.

  A. considered B. having been considered

relative: What are the differences between "having been done" and "done"?


texts: “Have you been to school” or “…gone to school”?

texts:
Suppose a father wants to know whether his son went to school today or not at 5 PM after school hours.

Is it correct to ask:

  Have you gone to school today?

Because his father has seen his son? Is it better to ask "Have you been to school"? because “have you been to school” means that he has gone to school and come back.

Similarly, can the son say “I have gone to school today”? because the son is at his house at the time of speaking.

In order to avoid this confusion:

Is it better to ask

  Did you go to school today?

since the response would be “Yes. I went to school today."?

I hope this is not considered off-topic or a duplicate of the previous posts because I showed a different context.


texts: Do I need to put 'the' in 'Brightman has released the Harem album'?

texts:
I am writing this sentence in a very formal way. the sentence is:

  For instance, the artist Sarah Brightman has released the Harem album in 2013.

Do I need to put the before Harem ?

Side note: I know that the sentence could be rephrased to 'Sarah Brightman has release ....', which maybe be better than mine sentence, but for now I'm just asking about the the before Harem


texts: Do we say "late for bed and late for rise" or "late to bed and late to rise"?

texts:
I saw this phrase "Why Late to Bed and Late to Rise Can Make You Successful" from an online article
Here are my studies
First, normally, we say "I am late for school/work..."
Second, we say "it's time for bed"
Third, the verb "rise" means "get up", so the phrase "late to bed" and "late to rise" don't share similar structure because "bed" is a noun and "rise" is a verb. "Rise" is also a noun but it doesn't have the meaning of "getting up".
Do we say "you are always late for bed and late for rise" or "you are always late to bed and late to rise" or "you are always late to go to bed and late to rise"?


texts: Is there a single word to describe the function of magnets?

texts:
A metal plate is attracted and stuck to a magnet.

I am trying to rewrite this such that a magnet is the subject. My example is as follows:

  A magnet attracts and holds a metal plate.

Is there a single word equivalent in meaning to "attract and hold"?


texts:
I have encountered this sentence and I wonder what does the words "hazardous fractions" mean?

Is it even the right word in the first place?

Here is the sentence:

  Are you aware that some hazardous fractions in e-waste need a special treatment in order to be safely disposed of?


texts: Modal perfect past of "would" and the Subject in the 1st person singular

texts:
A pattern: "I would have eaten a patty". How can it be taken in by native speakers?
As for me, I have the following ways of reading it:

I wanted to eat a patty (but I didn't really);
I ate a patty (a simple fact);
It is rather possible that I ate a patty (I don't remember if I really did that);
It is rather possible that I ate a patty (it was pitch dark when I was eating something, it could be a patty rather than a piece of plastic);
(or 3rd Conditional), i.e. I would have eaten a patty (if I had been allowed by my boss);
It would have been better to eat a patty (than a hot-dog).


texts:
I want to use the word "target" in a sentence to indicate performing according to the goal/standard.
Please critique my sentences below.

We have been shipping to target.

We have been shipping to the targeted quantity.

We have been shipping at the target speed.

We have been performing against the target.

Anyone has any suggestions?


texts: What do you call food that is hot in temperature?

texts:
For example, do you say "hot soup"?
I ask this because the word "hot" is ambiguous. It could mean "spicy."
If "hot soup" is ambiguous, what do you call it?
The shorter, the better.


texts:
What does 'For' mean in "For he's a jolly good fellow"? I hope "he's" is "he is" here? Sometimes it is difficult to understand "he's" it is "he is" or "he has".

  He was picking his way across the littered, rutted market square
  towards it (canteen) when ragged cheers and a bellowed chorus of "For he's a
  jolly good fellow" from the direction of the kopje checked him.


texts: about using "a" or "the" before the feeling noun "content"

texts:
This question is about whether using a or the is possible or not in front of a noun that means a feeling, which, in this post's case, is content(satisfaction).

The sentence below is from the entry for content(noun meaning satisfaction) in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

  She stood for a moment looking with content at her husband.

And I am just wondering if there can be any case where having a or the inserted before content like below is allowed.

  She stood for a moment looking with a/the content at her husband.

Thank you for your help.


texts:
I was watching a motivational video by Elon Musk on Youtube(here). He using "odds" frequently in the speech. For instance this :

  "When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are
  not in your favor."

Please tell me what does "odds" mean in this sentence.


texts:
For example a firm provide his customer to make payment 30 days after buying without charging interest . In this case can I say sentence below to describe this situation and are word orders correct? I know it is hard to understand but As I am not native speaker I have to make sentence with my limited information. I just wonder if I grammatically describe this situation with these sentences.

  1) There is a option in the  firm A which provides customer to make payment 30 days after buying without paying interest.

  2) There is a option of payment deferred for 30 days without interest in the firm A.

  3)There is a payment option which will be made after 30 days after buying without interest in the firm A.


texts:
I saw this sentence in a comic book:

  Why don't you think he wants to call her?
  (Context: A doesn't want
  to call B. C is asking D's opinion on this issue.)

I wonder if I can use the rewritten version below instead of the original one:

  Why do you think he doesn't want to call her?


texts:
Is use of "Regarding to" in the following sentences correct grammatically and conceptually? If it is not , kindly suggest ways to make it clearer.

  The secondary flow loss is due to.....

  Regarding to this kind of loss will be also discussed more in details
  latter.


texts: What to say when you want to ask a model to imitate a pose from an artwork

texts:
Say the woman on the left is my model for drawing, and I want to ask her to take the position as shown above, the same pose Mona Lisa is in.

Do I say to her:

  "I would like you to pose as in Leonardo da Vinci's artwork Mona Lisa."

or is there a more concise and natural way to say it?


texts: Do you say the plural TO or OF something?

texts:
Are these sentences both correct?

  What is the plural of boy?

  What is the plural to boy?

Are they interchangeable?


texts:
A Guardian article, entitled "What are the Conservatives conserving?", includes the following sentence:

Alas, we have seen nor heard nothing for a month from test-and-trace mastermind Dido Harding, who is assumed to be living under this administration’s vast Shitness Protection Programme.

What perplexes me is the construct of we have seen nor heard nothing. There are two points of confusion:

Having "nor" follow a positive statement, i.e., instead of "we have neither seen nor heard...".
The potential double negative, i.e., instead of "nor heard anything".

Is this an outright error in print or does this fit axiomatic usage in the UK?


texts: you're out a dollar -- what does that actually mean?

texts:
Example with a context (an excerpt from "The Art & Science of Java: An Introduction to Computer Science" by Eric Roberts):

  If you put a silver dollar into a slot machine and pull the handle on its side, the wheels spin around and eventually come to rest in some new configuration. If the configuration matches one of a set of winning patterns printed on the front of the slot machine, you get back some money. If not, you're out a dollar.

What does that actually mean? Can out a dollar be thought of as some sort of adverbial phrase?


texts: Most apposite word in the following sentence

texts: My Manager congratulated me for/over/at/on my winning first prize in the Elocution competition.


texts: Can I make a generic by using the definite article?

texts:
Can I make the word "noun" into a generic with the definite article ?

Ex)

The noun can be a subject or object.


texts:
What's the correct option? maybe both are correct?

Example sentence:

  It's not a favor for/to me, but for/to you.

I found both on the net:

  "Actually, not a favor for me but for Libby." Source.

  Not a favor to me but to your own self. Source


texts: Is there any other date **where/when** I can write the exam? When or Where?

texts:
Is there any other date where/when I can write the exam?

Should I use when or where in that sentence


texts: What does "Never one to waste words" really means ?

texts:
They are two man talking about their murder plans:

  Joseph: I will give you 1.5 Million dollars. & also give you beautiful
  girls ton enjoy & also I give you beautiful building with swimming
  pool & also give you freedom in all your illegal cases.

  Phillip: (Silently walked away from Joseph)

  Joseph: Never one to waste words


texts:
Is the word to describe when one walks hesitantly with fear? For example, in the below sentence I'm sure there will be a better way to write if there is a word to describe hesitantly with fear.

He makes steps hesitantly with fear.


texts: Use of different prepositions before and after and

texts:
Is the following sentence wrong?

  A disruption in one domain often cascades into parallel disruptions to other domains.

I think it is correct because disruption in and disruption to both are correct.

But in my book it is given that only disruption in should be used at both the places.


texts: What does “we’re it” mean in this context?

texts:
As their common name implies, house crows (Corvus splendens) stick
  pretty closely to people. So much so that there are no known
  populations living independently of us. You might say that, in so far
  as these birds have a ‘natural environment’, we’re it.

I'm not sure what this last part of the last sentence means. I'd guess the meaning was "we can't do much about it," but this is just my intuition. I've also googled up some definitions meaning "we're a team," but it doesn't seem to make sense in this context. The words are short and as common as they get, which didn't make my research attempts any easier. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


texts:
This is the flyover whose inauguration was done by the transport minister.
This is the flyover inauguration of which was done by the transport minister.

why 2. is correct??


texts:
Helen has been studying hard for the exam, so she should pass.

Can I put "will" in stead of "should" in this sentence? If so, is it natural and what's the difference between them?


texts:
I am trying to find out when the following phrase is correct and what is a better choice for the cases where it is not:

... (1) divides into ... (2)

Examples

Example 1: (1) is for example a country and (2) are states: "The US divides into 51 states"
Example 2: (1) is a river which branches (gets split up) into several arms at one point, or a corridor: "The corridor starts in Bulgaria, crosses Turkey and then divides into two branches, one
along the coast to Syria, Libya, Israel and Egypt, and the other through the Syrian and Jordanian plateaux" (source), "the river divides into several arms (furcation) and it begins to flow in bends" (source), more examples see linguee
Example 3: (1) consists of several subparts, e.g. a software program consists of components: "The software divides into data integration and data import/export." (source)

My assumptions

I think in general "divides into" is a bad choice if it means (1) is composed of (made up of) various parts.

It may be a good choice, if (1) is actually being split up at one point, like the river in example 2.

I think example 2 is ok, but the phrases in example 1 and 3 do not feel quite right.

My question

Are my assumptions correct? What would be better?

consists of?
comprises?


texts: "with which platform" vs. "on which platform"

texts:
One of my friend invited me to watch a TV show together.

A: "I'm going to watch endless Friends marathons this weekend. Would you join me?"

I: "on which platform?"

A: "Netflix"

Should I have said "with which platform"?
Are there any other expressions more natural could be used here?


texts: What is the best word for 'search in something'?

texts:
If I want to search in something like a container, a chest, or something like that, what is the best verb or word to say that ?
Thanks !


texts: Can I use words from other languages and write in English phrases?

texts:
I want to use some of the Persian words and want to write in in English Noun phrases like the following:

  Majid Ketabkhane Management System

where Majid is an Arabic name and Ketabkhane is a Persian word meaning library.

So am I allowed to use this phrase in this form as trade mark for a software?


texts:
My native language is Vietnamese. And In Vietnamese, when you say

She bombs a lot when she is pregnant (saying in Vietnamese ways).

It literally means "She farts a lot..."

Would "to bomb" mean "to fart" in English?


texts:
My owner sent me an email saying "See attachment how the table is displayed."

I like how the table is shown, and I want to say "it's nice for me" or "it's perfect for me."

What is the correct expression I should use?


texts: Present Perfect Tense "have gone to" VS "have been to"

texts:
In present perfect tense, "have been to" implies the fact that the subject has come back from the place we are referrering to, while "have gone to" indicates the subject's absence.
Assuming that I went to Location A in the past several days, and now I come back and run into a neighbour. He asks me, "Where have you been these days?"
I'm so confused with replying "I have gone to Location A" or "I've been to Location A".
I tend to use "gone to" because I think "these days" emphasise the time that I wasn't around.
Any comment would be deeply appreciated!


texts: What does "Would" mean in this sentence, can we rewrite it?

texts:
Not long after that, Perkin made the scientific breakthrough that would bring him both fame and fortune.

and what if we eliminate "would" and rewrite it in this way?

Not long after that, Perkin made the scientific breakthrough that brought him both fame and fortune.


texts:
I've come across an interesting thought. Can we say "Had I have heard" or "If only I have heard". I can't find reference to why this could be wrong.

I noticed that the "I wish I hadn't ever have shouted at her" is somewhat correct, where "have shouted" is a Finished Action.

Can't "have + verb (present perfect)" in the conditionals be a finished action too?


texts: Is the “of” in "A role you can be proud of" correct?

texts:
This is for a headline on a website:

"A role you can be proud of"

One member of our team seems to disagree with the word "of"


texts: Please explain this construct with "help"

texts:
I was talking with a French penpal. He said:

  you're helping me to improve

Which, as you may have guessed, is a literal translation from French. So I corrected him, and told him that using "to" isn't correct in English. But, now, I wonder:

  you're helping me improve

Could you explain what construct it is?

My initial guess is that "help", here, is acting as a double object verb: "me" would be the indirect object, but:

I can't find "help" in this list of double object verbs. I've tried other pages too, with no luck.
"Improve" can't possibly be a direct object.

Furthermore: it seems "help me to improve" is used more frequently than "help me improve". Now I'm really confused. Is "help me to improve" correct, then?


texts:
I stumbled across this sentence while reading a book:

  It's not due in tomorrow.

it refers to a piece of homework.

After looking up the word "due" in several dictionaries, I suppose "due" means expected and "due in" is not a fixed phrase.

I wonder why they don't just say "It's not due tomorrow.". If a preposition is compulsory, why isn't it "on" because "tomorrow" is a day?


texts: Construction sentence on continuous form

texts:
It is correct to complete the sentence

  "What......doing with yourself over the last couple of days ?"

with 'are you' ?


texts:
What is the difference between "gerund" and "infinitive"?
I do not understand the differences.Can you explain them?


texts:
Which word fits this sentence better?

I prefer individual lessons(,) where your teacher and you can be more
concentrated/focused and work on specific topics.

Cambridge Dictionary suggests that 'concentrated' might mean 'using a lot of effort to succeed at one particular thing':
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/ru/%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%8C/%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B3%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9/concentrated
However, it somehow sounds as if I'm talking about juice. :) Can people be 'concentrated'?

Is the comma necessary in the sentence? I think it's a non-restrictive relative clause cause the information it introduces is not essential. Am I right?


texts:
Let's say you are describing your future house's space.

  Spaciousness is key so I would not have much problem/problems moving around places in the house.

I know that ''problem'' is countable noun, but it seems that the ''problem'' as singular fits the most in the context. Which should I use then?


texts:
In each of the following pairs of phrases, what is the difference between the two?

1a. "Had been able" vs.
1b. "Could have"
2a. "Hadn't been able" vs.
2b. "Couldn't have"


texts:
Is there a difference between "may" and "might" when I want to say after giving a friend a gift,

  "I was worried that you might not like your gift"?

I know that "might" is a lot less likely to happen than "may," but I'm not sure how that would figure into my example. Is "might" in this sentence simply the past tense of "may"?


texts: Which is correct: "a same" or "the same"?

texts:
He and I share a/the same book.

The book hasn't been mentioned before. So which one is used with "same", "a" or "the"?

Because the book hasn't been mentioned before, I want to use "a".

Because I remember that "same" is always used with "the" in front, I have to use "the".


texts: X feet long/high versus (a/an) x-foot [noun]

texts:
Why in this picture
are the length and height of a plane given as x feet long and y feet high but the wingspan is described as a z-foot wingspan? Are they the same units? How can I choose which one to use?


texts:
Suppose in a war soldiers of one side are going through a road. Suddenly one of the soldiers notices that some of the other soldiers are getting into a minefield. That soldier wants to say something to stop them enter the area. Does the following sentence sound natural to you:

  Don’t go there, they’ve laid mines there.


texts: An appropriate synonym for “the use of” in the context

texts:
Also, the use of commonly available solutions contributed to cost reduction.

Which synonym, term or phrase can I use instead of 'the use of' to create a sentence?


texts: It shouldn't take a fool to see that I believe. Meaning

texts: "It shouldn't take a fool to see that I believe".  Trying to understand this phrase from  Iron Maiden's song. I can't catch the meaning of it. It shouldn't be "No need to be fool to see that I believe" or should it?


texts:
How to say "just a precision" properly in English? By "just a precision", I mean: I said statement X, but I would like to add a statement Y which refines statement X (= make it more precise). Statement Y is typically done sometime after, e.g. statement X was made in one email and statement Y was expressed in a subsequent email.

When I search on Google for "just a precision", it seems I only find French speakers, e.g.:

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57909058 (mirror)
https://medium.com/@theotyburn/just-a-precision-on-the-use-of-statistics-in-this-example-819459c8982a (mirror)
https://sourceforge.net/p/gramps/mailman/message/20168682/ (mirror)

so I'm inferring native English speakers don't use this expression.

I thought of the following replacements but they aren't fully matching the meaning of "just a precision":

addendum/corrigendum/erratum: it doesn't necessarily introduce a more precise statement.


texts: Could not have helped but + do/did/done?

texts:
Consider the following sentence:
The simp could not have helped but come/came running the second the girl called him.
Should I use 'come' or 'came' for this sentence? And if I should use 'come', would it be the infinitive or the past participle?
Also, could 'had come' work?
Because 'not..X.. but..Y..' feels like a pretty common structure that negates X and affirms Y. So i feel like X and Y should be of equal status. And in this case, 'could not have helped but ___', X being have helped and Y being some form of 'come' so wait, should it be 'have come'?


texts: How do natives make a formal request at places like hotels?

texts:
I was living in a hotel for one week, and almost everyday I needed a wake-up call or a shuttle service, and so I would call the reception and say

  Can you please arrange a shuttle for tomorrow 9:30 morning?

  Can you please arrange a wake-up call for tomorrow 7 am?

I would like to know if this is how native speakers would say it. Would it sound odd, and not said by a native speaker?


texts:
1. I wonder who is gonna be the new actor director XY is gonna shoot with.

2. I wonder who is gonna be the new actor director XY will shoot with.

3. I wonder who will be the new actor director XY is gonna shoot with.

4. I wonder who will be the new actor director XY will shoot with.

Can you tell me which sentence related to the future is the most suitable?


texts: Can we say "I sat in the front and my sister sat in the back of the dolphin"?

texts:
We often say "in the front" when we are inside something not on something.
For example, "She always sits in the front of the class."

Can we use  "in the front" when we are on something like a motorbike or a dolphin?
For example, "I sat in the front and my sister sat in the back of the dolphin"?


texts: Past real conditional sentences with present tense and future tense in the main clauses

texts:
Example 1:

Imagine I wrote an article in a foreign language I am not very good at, so I wrote down something like (1) to indicate that I feel sorry about the possible imperfections in the article:

  (1) If I made a mistake, I am sorry about it.

Does it make sense to use past real condition in an if-clause and present tense in a main clause like this?

Example 2:

Imagine I was drunk when I was talking to my friend. I felt a little bit guilty about it the next day, so I said something like (2) to her:

  (2) If I hurt your feeling yesterday, I will make it up to you.

Does it make sense to use past real condition in an if-clause and future tense in a main clause like this ?

In short, can I mix past real condition and other tenses(future or present, etc) in a sentence like examples above to indicate my future actions corresponding to past events?


texts: Perfect infinitive? What is the correct phrase?

texts:
We happened to have been late for school today.
We happened to be late for school today.

What's the right way of putting it?


texts:
Could someone please explain me the meaning of the phrase 'reducing the odds'.
I actually saw this phrase in a game show.....Here is the sentence:
'He came up with a perfect strategy in order to reduce the odds'.Thank you:)


texts: What is the word for your nationality if you are from Singapore?

texts: Which of these is grammatically correct in response to "What is your nationality?"; “Singapore” or “Singaporean”?


texts: She {looks/is looking/looking} worried about something?

texts:
She ____ worried about something?

options:

a) looks
b) is looking
c) looking

My approach:
"She looks worried about something?" because "is looking" will not be the answer because "is ((look) v1+ing +v2)" is not any form and "looking" doesn't fit in the solution.
So, I put "looks".


texts: Why isn't there 'by' in this passive voice?

texts:
But Ahab, my Captain, still moves before me in all his Nantucket grimness and shagginess; and in this episode touching Emperors and Kings, I must not conceal that I have only to do with a poor old whale-hunter like him; and, therefore, [A] all outward majestical trappings and housings are denied me. Oh, Ahab! what shall be grand in thee, it must needs be plucked at from the skies, and dived for in the deep, and featured in the unbodied air! (Moby Dick, By Herman Melville, p.153. Penguin Popular Classics)

I surmise that the sentence of [A] should be ‘all outward majestical trappings and housings are denied by me’, or ‘all outward majestical trappings and housings denied me.’ Is there some typo in the example, or do I have to know more about the word, deny, or other constuction?


texts: the referent of "the notion of purpose" in a sentence

texts:
Would you please help take a look at this LSAT passage:

Only engineering is capable of analyzing the nature of a machine in
terms of the successful working of the whole; physics and chemistry
determine the material conditions necessary for this success, but
cannot express the notion of purpose.

I can't see which does "the notion of purpose" refers to—"the nature of a machine" or "the successful working of the whole"?
As I checked, the meanings of nature the inherent or essential characteristics or constitutions. Still, I found it very different from the meaning of purpose. A purpose, in my view, is not an inherent characteristic or property. So I am confused and would like to seek your help and comment.
I would really appreciate your comments or answers.


texts: How can I use the correct manner of English sentence?

texts:
is it possible to say the following as a statement or adage ? And if not what manner can I use?

the beaten takes his rights from the hitter.

-I mean the word "beaten" as who was hit.
-(I mean the word "hitter" as who hit some one) is it possible to use them in this way, "the participle" as a subject and "the verb agent" as an object?
I wonder if this manner exists in English.


texts: I wasn't able to do it/I couldn't do it (solve a problem)

texts:
I was trying to solve a physics problem, but it was a bit too difficult. What sounds natural:

  I wasn't able to do this question. (Or "solve") [Or maybe: "I was unable to do this question"]

  I couldn't do this question.

What is a native more likely to use "wasn't able to" or "couldn't"?


texts: What does it mean when someone ask you "Do you happen to have this?"

texts: Could you use it in some contexts and explain a little of its meaning? Does it have an usual use in every day socializing?


texts:
When reading novels, we often see expressions such as

  "I don't want to talk to you," said Mark in a quiet voice.

Is it okay to replace "Mark" with "he"? I argued with my English teacher about this a long time ago. She said such sentences are common but I thought it's weird. I still think "he" should come before "said". Is there a distinction between noun and pronoun in this case?


texts: What is the difference between the adjective "money-minded" and "money-driven"?

texts:
What is the difference between the adjective money-minded and money-driven? For example:

  Our boss works really hard. He is money-driven.

  Our boss works really hard. He is money-minded.


texts: "chop five figures off your own invoice"

texts:
While reading this article, I didn't quite understand a specific part of the following paragraph.

  For example, someone might spontaneously volunteer during a job interview that they’ve been interviewing for the position for six months. (None of my clients would ever say that, of course, but then again one would hope none of their consultants would chop five figures off their own invoice with an email.)

In this context, as I understood from this dictionary, invoice means the salary of the consultants.

Thus, the meaning of the part in italics is roughly like "None of their consultants would want to be fired because of a single email", am I right?


texts:
I heard somebody say "In normal conversation, most native speakers do not go out of their way to use the passive, as student textbooks might lead you to believe we do."
Then when do you 'native speakers' use the passive form specifically?


texts:
If one verb is "controlled" or "dependant" on another one, will it always be:

verb + (verb/infinitive)

Like:

I want to buy a new car.
He took keys to open the door.
She cooked lot of food to feed her family.

I am asking because usage cases above are different:

He took keys to open the door. (took - for what - to open)
   > could be paraphrased into: "He took keys in order to open the door."

I want to buy a new car. (want - to do what? - to buy)
   > could NOT be paraphrased into: "I want in order to buy a new car."


texts: what is difference between as far as I'm aware and as far as I'm concerned

texts:
I am curious to know what different between as far as I am aware and as far as I am concerned is?

those are the same meaning?


texts: The difference in using first and firstly

texts:
One should first use the tool which...

Is it right in using the word "first"?

Both firstly and first seem to have the same adverbial meaning.


texts: "within this year" vs "by the end of this year"

texts:
If I'd express the thought that the plan will be published at anytime before the end of this year, which of the following two sentences that I should use?

  1) The plan will be published within this year.
  2) The plan will be published by the end of this year.


texts: How to understand "for he hardly knew what" in the context

texts:
Hermione was screaming again: the sound went through Harry like physical pain. Barely conscious of the fierce prickling of his scar, he, too, started to run around the cellar, feeling the walls for he hardly knew what, knowing in his heart that it was useless.

  "What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!"

  Hermione's screams echoed off the walls upstairs, Ron was half sobbing
  as he pounded the walls with his fists, and Harry, in utter
  desperation, seized Hagrid's pouch from around his neck and groped
  inside it: he pulled out Dumbledore's Snitch and shook it, hoping for
  he did not know what - nothing happened; he waved the broken halves of
  the phoenix wand, but they were lifeless -

  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I don't understand "for he hardly knew what" and "hoping for
he did not know what". They look an incomplete clause to me. is there anything omitted? Can someone help explain them in the context?


texts: is 'Have a Questions?' a correct English

texts:
I know this sounds silly but I purchased a template for my website and on the footer and contact page it has the
Have a Questions?
 text. Is the English correct or should I go on to edit. (to Have a Question )?


texts:
What if a phrasal verb ends in the preposition needed to connect a noun?

  The plane took off the runway. (The plane was ON the runway, and therefore preposition OFF is preferred)

  The plane took off from the runway.

I wanted to use 'off' not 'from', but I have never seen double 'off'.

If I am on a plane, I will come off the plane at the end.

He licked the chocolate off his fingers. (It was on his fingers)

If a plane is on something, it will...off something.

That is why I want to use 'off', but since double 'off' is incorrect, I apparently have to enjoy preposition 'from'.

Here is what I found:

  the 787 takes off of the runway - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2305539


texts: What do you call the process of filling up an electric kettle and turning it on in one verb or phrasal verb?

texts:
What do you call the process of filling up an electric kettle and turning it on? Does set up fit the context? For example:

  Please set up the kettle. We need some hot water.


texts:
In the movie Pulp Fiction, there is always talking like

Don’t do nothing stupid.
I ain’t eatin’ nothin' ain’t got sense enough to disregard its own feces.

They all seem odd to me, like Don’t do nothing stupid, it is Do something stupid in my mind, which makes it pretty strange, so it must mean Don't do something stupid, but why is it ?
For the second sentence, it is a man explaining why he doesn't eat pigs and pigs live in a dirty place. It must mean I am not eating something (which) has not got sense enough to disregard its own feces. Same problem as the first sentence.
Why double negatives doesn't become a positive?
(It's appreciated if someone could inform me any grammar faults in what I was typing as a English learner)


texts: Why is it "gains to trade" instead of "gains in trade" or "gains of trade"?

texts:
Standard economic theory (i.e., the Heckscher-Ohlin model) provides the sharp
  prediction that with perfect factor mobility, gains to trade flow to the abundant factors, such as unskilled labor in developing countries. (source: a paper by economist Petia Topalova)

I am having a hard time parsing this sentence. It seems to me it should be a clause after "with perfect factor mobility". Is "gain" a noun here? And is "gains to trade" the subject of that clause? If so, why is the preposition "to" used instead of "of" or "in"? I have looked at dictionaries and found sentences that use "gain in" and "gain of" but not "gains to".


texts:
On one hand, possessive case is one of the simplest topics and still there are few nuisances. Should I say:

  Tom, professor assistant, was entering the lab.

or

  Tom, professor's assistant, was entering the lab.

Tom doesn't belong to professor, but words professor and assistant definitely have the possessive link - assistant OF the professor


texts: the price of a (the, zero article) traditional higher education

texts:
A quote from The Economist (Higher education: The attack of the MOOCs):

  He thinks this will drive a dramatic reduction in the price of a
  traditional higher education, that will reduce the total revenues of
  existing providers by far more than the revenue gained by the
  start-ups.

Here, as I understand, the indefinite article helps to convey generic reference (= the price of a typical higher education course).

But generic reference may also be conveyed  by:

THE + count noun
zero article + noncount (mass) noun

As I understand, the 1st option would be wrong here, because to get the generic meaning, we should use THE only with count singular nouns ("THE owl is a night bird").

  He thinks this will drive a dramatic reduction in the price of the
  traditional higher education, that will reduce the total revenues of
  existing providers by far more than the revenue gained by the
  start-ups.

It will mean "the price that the Government (or the country's businesses and citizens combined) pay/s to keep up the country's higher education system", IMHO.

My question is: am I right in this assumption, and what would the meaning of "higher education" be if we use the zero article:

  He thinks this will drive a dramatic reduction in the price of
  traditional higher education, that will reduce the total revenues of
  existing providers by far more than the revenue gained by the
  start-ups.

Would this also mean "the higher education system as a whole", not a single typical course?


texts: Should a subordinate clause be separated if it interrupts main clause?

texts:
Should the clause "we provide" be separated by commas if it interrupts the main verb-phrase "your use constitutes"?

  Your use of the Services, we provide, constitutes the subject-matter of the contract.

vs.

  Your use of the Services we provide constitutes the subject-matter of the contract.


texts: how to join to different things (someting.. from and something for ) with and.

texts:
I would like to learn how can I join two different pharse with the word and in accorect way.

The new method shows how to estimate the given model and how to simulate from a given model

It is not sound good. So, I tried this:

The new method shows how to estimate and simulate from a given model

However, it is wrong, as I estimate the model not estimate from the model.

Any help, pelase?


texts: What is Gentleman of property (and standing)?

texts:
While reading a Wiki blog, I could not get the following sentence:

  He was born at Wynford Eagle in Dorset, where his father was a gentleman of property.

I tried to google the word but instead got a longer version- Gentleman of property and standing.

What is the meaning of 'gentleman of property'? Is it an idiomatic expression for a property dealer or broker?


texts:
Which is more correct?

1."I was Photoshopping images long before digital cameras and computers had even been invented."

2."I had been Photoshopping images long before digital cameras and computers were even invented."

The past perfect is used for referring to an event earlier than the past, therefore I think 2. is correct (or maybe they're both wrong? ), can someone please help me?


texts: Thank you in advance OR should it be advanced?

texts:
What is the correct way to say and write:

thank you in advance OR
thank you in advanced

Is there any difference between them?