texts:
Can we use "should" instead of "were to" and vice versa? I've noticed that mostly they mean the same thing in the subjunctive and the conditional clauses. Especially when the "were to" isn't in the if-clause but an inverse conditional clause instead.

What I mean to say is that these mean the same:

Should we get more money next month, we would be able to buy an oven.
Were we to get more money next month, we would be able to buy an oven.

But my British friend says that "should + would" is incorrect grammar and "will" should be used instead. I cannot find a way to prove that my examples are correct. And he says the inversion is too formal and best be avoided. His variants are:

If we should get more money next month, we will be able to buy an oven.
If we were to get more money next month, we would be able to buy an oven.

That makes them completely different in meaning.


texts: Having evaded wretchedness, the gay young man making up his shining life in the city is one of civilization’s wonders, and Édouard Louis is a new, inspiring real-life example of such transfiguration.


texts:
"Prise" and "Prize" are a matter of locations (AmE and BrE) or they are different in meaning?

When I look at the Oxford dictionary, I see that prise and Prize are the same and they are just spelling differently in the US (prize) and the UK (prise).  However, when I look at the article in Cambridge dictionary (named "Price or prize?") then I see that they are different words  with different meanings.
Who can to straighten the things out?


texts: "Door design" or "doors design" or "door designs"?

texts:
I have trouble with compound nouns plural. What would be appropriate to write ?

  Animals set as door design.

or

  Animals set as doors design.

or

  Animals set as door designs.

Context would be a neighborhood where people have animals engraved on their front doors.


texts: What's the meaning of this sentence which is explaining the view of London eye?

texts:
See Big Ben towering above the Houses of Parliament, follow St. James Park as it sweeps down to Buckingham Palace.

Sorry I wanted to write a more specific title, but I have a lot to ask in this one sentence.

1) What's 'it' here and how do I know what 'it' is? Is it Big Ben or St. James Park or something else?

2) What's the role of 'as' here? I don't think it means 'because' or 'while' in this sentence.. I just cannot understand what exactly 'as' means here.

3) I also don't understand what 'follow' means here. Does 'follow' here used to mean 'Big Ben is the highest, and St. James Park the second, Buckingham Palce the third'?


texts: What is the word for describing something old?

texts:
What is the word for something that is dysfunctional because of it being old and in use for a very long time?
I was having a conversation with my friend yesterday about the earphones I use with my computer:

Friend: Your earphones are horrible, one side does not work and voice is also disturbed.
Me: What do you expect? I have been using them for the past two years, this is how long they last.

When I was imagining this conversation about keys, I described keys as rusty, which will imply that they are old. Is there a word along the same line for dysfunctional cars, computers, or something similar?


texts: Take off (my hat): Place of the adverb particle in the sentence

texts:
Can I say both

  I take my shoe off.

and

  I take off my shoe?

What are the cases where the adverb particle (Is there another name for "adverb/adverbial particles"?)

  Schema 1: Subject + verb + nominal group + adverb particle.

  Schema 2: Subject + verb + adverb particle + nominal group.

I want to know if one of them can be said in an informal way. And what are the linguistics rules for the place of the adverb particle, and the exceptions to the rule.

I ask this because I read both in articles and forums.


texts:
Is it possible to use the word “say” instead of “such as” in a sentence, just like the following?

Air pollution causes a lot of health problems, say, cancer and vision issues.


texts:
I have made up the similar sentences below.
(1) I have shopped at ABC Supermarket before. Its merchandise is very well-organized and its staff is nice.
(2) I have shopped at ABC Supermarket before. Its merchandise was very well-organized and its staff was nice.
I am not sure whether I should use the present or past tense of "to be" in the similar versions of my example.


texts: What is the English word for "accepted/acceptance by the society"?

texts: What is the exact English word for "accepted/acceptance by the society"? I think the word I have heard before starts with "C".


texts: are encourage and motivate the same in the following sentence?

texts:
Do the following sentences mean the same? Is it OK to say violent crimes motivates offenders?

Violent crimes in the media encourages criminals to commit crime.
Violent crimes in the media motivates criminals to commit crime.

I feel 'motivate' has a sort of positive connotation and does not collocates with crime. For instance, we usually say: Higher salary motivates people to work harder. While coverage of violent crimes in the media gives criminals the courage to commit crime, it does not motivates them.


texts:
I saw “under pressure” in a description of a machine that uses a pressure lower than the ambient pressure to do its work, and I am pretty sure that is a mistranslation of the German »Unterdruck«, which literally translates to “underpressure” (note this is one word, whereas the translation used is two words). I was surprised to find “underpressure” as a possible translation of »Unterdruck« using LEO, which was confirmed by Wiktionary, but Merriam-Webster only forwards to me to “under pressure”.

Wiktionary describes its meaning as

  insufficient pressure; a marked drop in pressure

and lists “overpressure” as an antonym.

This leads to my question of: What does “underpressure” mean exactly?

I have a feeling that it describes more of a non-intentional, out-of-spec low pressure (similar to how I understand “overpressure” as opposed to “high pressure”), whereas an intentional low pressure like you would expect in that machine would be called one of the following:

  (partial) vacuum

  low pressure

  negative pressure


texts:
I am wondering if 'much of a' in "Sorry. I didn't have much of a choice" is grammatical.

By any chance, is it a misuse of this:

  not much of a…
  not a good…
   - He's not much of a tennis player.
  (Oxford Learner's Dictionary | much | not much of a)

I see it's widely used. I've found this page and also this page.

Allow me to summarize what I've learned here.

  not much of a… = not a good…

He's not much of a tennis player. = He isn't a good tennis player.

I didn't have much of a choice. = I didn't have a good choice. = That was unfavorable but the only choice for me.

About the same as "I didn't have much choice."

Indeed, I see in Google Ngram, left and right, that it has many applications! Thank you! :)


texts: Meaning of "period around now" in a description of the present continuous tense

texts:
I am learning from a book called English Grammar in use

The book says that we use the present continuous tense when we talk about changes happening around now and I am confused with the meaning of the "period around now".

Please help and give me some examples.

Thanks a lot


texts: Does "white bordered canvas" mean "bordered canvas whose color is white" or canvas whose border is white"? Since it's not "white-bordered canvas", I think the former one is correct, but I am not sure. It's a name of a product, and I couldn't find a picture for this.


texts:
"Severus Snape, long-standing Potions master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was today appointed Headmaster in the most important of several staffing changes at the ancient school. ..."

  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I don't understand the phrase "in the most important of several staffing changes". "in the most important of" doesn't look grammatical and I haven't found it defined in any dictionaries. How should we understand it?


texts: "A job that is near home" or "A job that is nearby home."

texts: I was confused by these two words "near" and "nearby". In both terms---"A job that is near home" and "A job that is nearby home." , I guess, they should be ok gramatically? But I have no idea with the differences on usages and meanings between these two words.


texts: Do not receive something vs have not received something by a given time

texts:
1, If you have not received the letter by February 18, please let us know by email.

2, If you do not receive the letter by February 18, please let us know by email.

Both 1 and 2 are talking about the things that may happen in a few weeks later, and I have seen that 1 and 2 are adopted on some universities's web sites.
Does this mean that 1 and 2 are equivalent?
If not, what are their differences then?


texts: Why am I punished for the thing that I did not do intentionally? He broke my arm Vs. I broke my arm

texts:
Read this sentence from the New York Times:

  *Alberto Contador of Spain, a two-time winner of the Tour de France, quit the race Monday after breaking his leg in a fall during the 10th stage.*

It's beyond doubt that Alberto was quite serious for that race and he certainly wouldn't break his own leg on purpose!

I know it's common to say, "She broke her arm." which simply means that some accident happened and her arm got broken.

The scene is a wicked girl who does not want to participate in a compulsory competition of writing an essay. A day before the day, she breaks her finger and gets an exemption! It's simple, her concern is solved.

But here, "She broke her finger" will be different, here, you need to put "She broke her finger herself."

It's quite clear that subject + verb certainly means the subject is the one who's performing the act.

  I did my homework - I, myself, did my work.  I kissed my cat - I, myself, kissed her.

See these -

  I broke my pen - I broke it  I broke my iPad -Yeah, I was too angry BUT...  I broke my leg - I, myself, broke my leg?   I wounded my arm - I, myself, made a wound on my arm? (As in that girl's case?)

So, the question...

If I broke my arm, why am I punished for a thing that I did not do at all? Curse a puddle on the road for that! Why is it not I got my arm broken? or, if I want to show the culprit, A puddle broke my arm as in He broke her arm.

What sort of grammar is it? Does it have any fancy jargon? :)


texts: Usage of "so" as an intensifier for adjectives

texts:
In the following sentences "so" acts as an intensifier for the subsequent adjectives.

  This car is so expensive. (okay)
  This so expensive car is John's car. (bad)

Can we determine that "so" cannot be used to modify an adjective modifying the subject of a sentence?

  This car is so expensive. (okay)
  I ate a so expensive pizza. (bad)

Can we determine that "so" cannot be used in conjunction with a transitive verb/object noun?

As far as I understand, "so" used as an adjective intensifier must be used with a copula verb and cannot be used to intensify a subject-modifying adjective. Are these the exhaustive rules or are there other outlying examples?


texts:
So in one of my writings, I happen to have to write something like
"Under the assumptions of a theorem for so-and-so method appearing in so-and-so paper". What I am intending to say can be decomposed into "under the assumptions of a theorem", "this theorem is about a given method", "the theorem appears in a given paper". I am not sure if the current combination of mine reads clear to a native US English speaker? If not, please show me a clearer way so that, not only I can write better what I would like to express, but I could have a better feeling about the clarity in general. Thanks.


texts:
I wanted to reveal the facts as they were so as to save your
reputation and that your sponsors might regain their trust in
you.

The subject of the so as to clause is I, but the subject of the and that clause is different (your sponsors). Is it correct to coordinate such clauses with different subjects and in the second  one to change from so as to to (so) that?


texts:
In Fight Club (1999), Narrator speaks to faker at support groups:

Narrator: I can't cry if another faker is present, and I need this. So
you gotta find somewhere else to go.
Faker: Candy-stripe a cancer ward. It's not my problem.

Is "is" ommited before "a cancer"?


texts: Is "look in" an intransitive phrasal verb?

texts:
I saw the sentence as below:

I thought I might look in on Bob on my way to the shops.

So I thought look in is an intransitive phrasal verb otherwise it would be "I thought I might look in Bob on my way to the shops.". Am I right?


texts: sequence of tense in "if he learned that he would die, he would love to get..."

texts:
I can't quite put my finger on it but I'm pretty sure there is a mistake in the following sentence:

  "If he learned that he would die, he would love to get..."

Probably regarding the sequence of tense or the use of the conditional but I can't find it.

Any help please? Thanks :)


texts: "God reminded them that if they turned away from God, they would be cursed."

texts:
As for the use of ‘if’, especially when I’m not talking about ‘unreal’ situations, I’m confused about what is the correct way to use it when I talk about something that happened in the past. For example,

  God reminded them that if they turned away from God, they would be cursed.

(but it may sound like, they will hardly ever turn away from God, right…?)

  God reminded them that if they have turned away from God, they would be cursed.
  God reminded them that if they turned away from God, they were to be cursed.
  God reminded them that if they turn away from God, they will be cursed.

What would be the correct one?


texts:
i am not english native speaker, i am italian.

What is the meaning of "used to meet" in this passage?

  Only U.S. Dollars or U.S. Treasury bills, floating rate notes, notes
  or bonds are acceptable and must be deposited by a clearing member
  applicant during the application approval process. All securities must
  be denominated in multiples of $5,000. Stripped securities and
  securities dated prior to January 1, 1973, are not acceptable. TBonds
  may not exceed 10 years time to maturity. Interest is not paid on U.S.
  Dollar deposits. If U.S. treasuries are deposited, the market value of
  such securities, less any applicable haircut, must be at least equal
  to the minimum requirement. For example, U.S. T-Bills with a par value
  of $505,000, market value of $502,000 and no haircut may be used to
  meet the $500,000 Base Guaranty Fund requirement.


texts: What's the usage of "if" in a sentence structure like "n. + be + adj. if adj. "

texts:
Whereas Hu and Jiang were competent if colorless and largely
  uninspiring apparatchiks, Xi instantly and aggressively began
  consolidating his power, accruing enough political capital to
  spearhead the most extensive anti-graft campaign in modern Chinese
  history.

I saw this sentence in a New Yorker news this morning. I have encountered this kind of use of "if" for many times. What's the meaning or function of "if" in this kind of sentence form?


texts: What are the differences between "at war with" and "at war against"

texts:
Can both "at war with" and "at war against" mean the same thing. In my opinion, both can mean the same thing, but can also mean the opposite, would you agree with this, and why?

For example:

  They are at war with everyone at all time and wonder why everyone
  hates them.


texts: Comma before but when introducing a clause

texts:
I always thought that when but introduced a clause like "I am hungry", there was always a comma before the word "but", but it doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Did the grammar rule change or something? Because the way I learned it in school was that it doesn't take a comma when it's followed by a word, but it takes a comma when it introduces a clause regardless it was independent or not.

All of the following examples don't take a comma according to the dictionary:

  On the contrary: the plan caused not prosperity but ruin.
  Contrary to expectation; yet: She organized her work but accomplished very little. He is tired but happy.
  Usage Problem Used to indicate an exception: No one but she saw the prowler.
  With the exception that; except that. Often used with that: would have joined the band but he couldn't spare the time; would have
  resisted but that they lacked courage.
  Informal Without the result that: It never rains but it pours.
  Informal That. Often used after a negative: There is no doubt but right will prevail.
  That ... not. Used after a negative or question: There never is a tax law presented but someone will oppose it.
  Informal Than: They had no sooner arrived but they turned around and left.


texts:
Which is the correct one to use? Or are they both correct?

  I am passion for seeing your getaways' photos.

or

  I have passion for seeing your getaways' photos.


texts:
We know that the complements of action verbs can be neither an adjective nor a prepositional phrase, but, it seems that that situation changes for linking verbs.

  He was upstairs.

"Upstairs" is an adverb as you know and it is a part of the verb "be", which it belongs to.

So, it has an adverb complement?

  He was at the party.

"At the party" is an adverbial prepositional phrase expressing where he was, and it is also the complement of the verb "was" ?

  I feel at peace.

"At peace" is a prepositional phrase and belongs to the verb "feel". I can't separate "at peace" from "feel" because the meaning is getting lost.

  I was forced to be a bad person.

"A bad person" is a noun but it obviously seems to be belonging to the verb "be".

Do you also think that linking verbs can have adjective, prepositional phrases, noun complements?


texts:
Yesterday I wondered "Why is "get home" used without preposition?" and found the following. According to the answer there are two types of location: relative and (perhaps) absolute. But I couldn't understand why the "home" is relative, since it is a concrete building, flat or place. Likewise i could use "working office" as relative, because it can be a particular place today and another one tomorrow (in case of changing job).

How can I distinguish 'relative' places from other? Or how can I find out that a subject (location) shoud be used without a preposition after verbs "get/go"?

Thanks in advance


texts: What is monkey's in this simple sentence clause?

texts:
If a clause is one subject, one verb; (SV.) and there is one clause in this sentence; then what part of speech is "monkeys"?  It seems to me it would be another subject.

  Mr. Potato Head eats monkeys.

subject

"Mr. Potato Head"

verb

"eats"


texts: Several years experience or Several years'experience. Is the possessive apostrophe needed?


texts:
Mrs. Darling first heard of Peter when she was tidying up her
  children's minds. It is the nightly custom of every good mother after
  her children are asleep to rummage in their minds and put things
  straight for next morning, repacking into their proper places the many
  articles that have wandered during the day. If you could keep awake
  (but of course you can't) you would see your own mother doing this,
  and you would find it very interesting to watch her.

This is from Peter Pan. I can't understand the context of "It is the nightly custom of every good mother after her children are asleep to rummage in their minds and put things straight for next morning, repacking into their proper places the many articles that have wandered during the day."

Does "in their minds" mean "in her children's minds" or " in good mothers' minds"? Does "things" and "articles" mean "event" or "something like toys"?
A man said "into their proper places" means "in their heads". Right? And which does this "their" mean, her children or good mothers? Could you teach me?


texts: I want to know if we can use local community and neighborhood interchangeably? Do they have same meaning or local community includes much larger area than neighborhood?


texts: Headline: "Chemical Company could build a plant in Uzbekistan" vs "Chemical Company may build a plant in Uzbekistan"

texts:
Let's say I want to write a news article about a chemical company that plans to build a new plant in Uzbekistan. Which modal verb should I use in the headline - could or may?

  Chemical Company may build a plant in Uzbekistan

  Chemical Company could build a plant in Uzbekistan

I googled for differences between "may" and "could" and found this:

  The difference between I could go the cinema and I might/may go to the cinema is that the former is associated with reasoning about conditions or alternatives, whereas the latter is just a statement of possibility. The former statement informs us about a decision-making process going on inside the speaker, whereas the latter statement informs us that it is possible that the speaker will later be found at the cinema.

Does this mean that may would be more appropriate in my headline?

If I use could, would that imply that the company's decision to build the plant is conditional (that is, it depends on whether a condition or a set of conditions prove favorable to the plan)? That the company may be looking at some alternative plans, e.g. for building a plant in Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan?


texts:
From an exam question:

  It  is  easy  to  understand  the  calendar  we  use  today.  It  was  not  always  so  easy.  People  had  to try for thousands of years before they knew how to put together days, weeks, months, and years.

In this paragraph, what is the object of the verb "try"?
Does it means "try to know how to put together days, weeks,months and years"? If so, what does "before" mean?


texts: Can anybody explain "permanent votes on the Fed's committee" for me, please?

texts:
Beyond Fed policy, Trump will also have the power to nominate several Fed officials. Two board appointments can be made as soon as he arrives at the White House. They will have permanent votes on the Fed's committee. In early 2018, Yellen and Fischer's terms also expire. There's further speculation that Fed governor Daniel Tarullo may step down once Trump takes office.

Source: http://money.cnn.com/2016/11/21/news/economy/fed-fischer-trump/index.html?iid=SF_LN


texts: A word for a feature that an object should not have

texts:
I am traveling in a foreign country and my girlfriend asked me to buy her some clothes. She is fine with about anything and want me to surprise her, but I still want to check if there are some items I should avoid.

I have deal breaker in mind but it does not fit my intent I guess.

Example of sentence I would use it:

  Me: I am about to go to the shopping mall. Is there any clothes you need.

  Her: Anything. Except top with epaulets. That would be a deal breaker. I would never wear clothes with epaulets!

What word can I use in this context?


texts:
which one is better ?

She and I collected some things from store.

I and She collected some requipment from there.

Him and I

me and him

Im confused


texts: reduction of an adjective clause that modifies a whole sentence to an adjective phrase

texts:
I know there’s a universal agreement that an adjective clause can be reduced to an adjective phrase.  However, I’d like to know whether the same rule could apply to the informal use of an adjective clause that modifies the preceding whole sentence.

I’ve noticed the similar structure keep appearing from my daily reading materials, such as “All these viruses are zoonotic, meaning that they can pass from animals to people ...“ in New Yorker or “Hungry seagulls in Italy have started hunting rats, a return to their natural predatory state that ...” in WP.

I’d like to prove my hypothesis is correct, because I haven’t found any evidence on grammar books yet.

Thanks a lot!


texts:
I heard the following sentence in a video.

  It is always less expensive to prevent the pollution that it is to
  clean it up.

If it is grammatically correct, can I rewrite the same sentence by only replacing the word that with the word than?

  It is always less expensive to prevent the pollution than it is to
  clean it up.


texts: What is the meaning of "I am glossing over a significant amount of spherical myalgia"?

texts:
Today I encountered a saying where I think the last part has been replaced with a euphemism.

  I am glossing over a significant amount of spherical myalgia.

I could make out the meaning from the context. The meaning is "I am skipping a lot of gritty detail".

What is the original saying (if there is one)?


texts:
"All we have to do is stop hunting endangered spices....."
I had been thinking that, this sentence has no problem at all and seems so natural. But suddenly as I come across that " is + verb + gerund" again, I'm little confused because there should be a gerund or noun, instead.
Is "stop hunting" part considered as clause or something?
I feel like I'm lost.


texts:
Which sentence is correct?

  The person in this photo says that he was in the wrong

or

  The person in this photo said that he was in the wrong

or

  The person in this photo says that he is in the wrong


texts: Meaning of the words "act on level terms"

texts:
What do the words "acting on level terms" mean in the following context:
"... whether the term is a standard term, not merely in similar non-negotiable contracts, but in commercial contracts freely negotiated between parties acting on level terms and at arms' length;..."?
Thank you!


texts:
The quote from Godfather by M. Puso:

  Sollozo said quitely, "I'll take care of Luca. You take care of Sonny
  anf the other two kids. Listen, you can tell them that Freddie would
  have gotten it today with his old man but my people had strict
  orders not to gun him.

It's not quite clear what would have gotten it means there. I thought it means that Friddie would have been killed today, but... but I'm not sure if get can have such meaning.


texts:
In the temperature forecast, 40s means 40 ~ 49 degrees.

However, I have seen both in 40s and in the 40s. Which one is correct, or both? And any reason if there is?


texts: Does "Three countries including Germany, Canada, and China" sound unnatural?

texts:
I have been to three foreign countries: Germany, Canada, and China.

  I have been to three foreign countries, namely Germany, Canada, and
  China.

I am trying to rewrite the sentences above without using ":" or "namely".
Specifically, I would like to use a verb/preposition "include/including" or similar words such as consisting, containing, and comprising. Is such usage acceptable?


texts: The difference between Due to and Thanks to

texts: is there a difference between using expressions "due to" and "thanks to"? Сan I use it interchangeably?


texts:
When talking about United Kingdom or United States people often pronounce the letters of the abbreviation like "you kay" (UK).

However, I have never noticed anyone spelling out 'GB'. Is it somehow unspellable?


texts: I've jammed my shoulder -- I don't understand what exactly is meant by "jammed" here

texts:
From the movie The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Example:

  What happened between you and your grandfather, Sophie? I've jammed my shoulder, I've been shot at, I'm bleeding. I need to know. You say he raised you, but you two don't talk anymore.

What does it actually mean to jam one's shoulder?


texts:
Source.

  Daniel is a street performer in Chicago. He is shown doing a card
  trick to an attractive young girl.  The seemingly typical card tricks
  climax in the side of the John Hancock Center somehow reflecting his
  card.

here I have two questions to ask: How the climax end in other place;John Hancock Center?

& another doubt what does it mean by somehow reflecting his card?


texts: Plural acronym verb form: "PGCs stand for" vs. "PGCs stands for"

texts:
Is it right to say:

  PGCs stands for primordial germ cells.

PGCs is a plural, so is it correct to use the singular verb form stands with it?


texts: The word "disposition" in the words "gender disposition"

texts:
Currently reading this article, there is a line,

“Biden is trying to reclaim the vision of America that was there during the Obama administration, a vision that was much more diverse, much more religiously tolerant, much more tolerant of different kinds of gender dispositions and gender presentations,” said Norma Mendoza-Denton, a professor of anthropology at UCLA

Which of the following definitions should be applied to here in this case?

1a: prevailing tendency, mood, or inclination

b: temperamental makeup

c: the tendency of something to act in a certain manner under given circumstances

2: the act or the power of disposing or the state of being disposed: such as

a: administration, control

b: final arrangement : settlement

the disposition of the case

c(1) : transfer to the care or possession of another

(2) : the power of such transferal

d: orderly arrangement

May be 1a or 1c or 2b?
Thank you.


texts: Is the sentence correct, "Language affects all over our society and culture."

texts:
I wonder if the sentence below is correct.
To my, a non-native English speaker's eye, the part in bold somehow looks weird.
But I am not sure.

  Language affects all over our society and culture.

Any explanations will be appreciated. Thank you.

Edit1 (I added contexts below. I am sorry that I haven't done this.
I tried to make the question look simple and neat, so I cut out the context.
But now I know I was wrong.)

As user3169 commented below, I meant as follows.

  Language affects all areas of our society and culture.

But I wondered if it was also alright to say "Language affects all over our society and culture.". I felt it was weird but I couldn't find any clear, grammatical reason regarding it.


texts:
Looking at the question "How do I instruct my daughter to drink water from a bottle from 'up'!", I suddenly struck a question.

If that girl has drunk water by touching her lips and then if any other person comes to drink that water, what should I say?

  Don't drink, it is 'used' water?

Please note that I'm not talking about germs or contamination. Here, I just want to know that someone else has already drunk from the bottle.

In Hindi, we have a word/noun for that. And, it works not only for bottle but also for food.

For instance, if I have a Kit-Kat. I licked it just once (the thing is intact, unbroken, I did not bite it) and kept it in my plate and went somewhere for a moment. My wife comes and sees the chocolate-coated wafer in the plate. She takes and is about to put it in her mouth. You, being in front of her, stops her... Whoa, that's Ruchir's. She may then reply... "Oh, okay" and keeps it back.

Kit-kat is just an international example I came up with! That's because others here may not be aware of Indian dishes that we eat with our hands. For instance, khichdi. You never know whether someone has already eaten from the plate. So, you may 'replace' khichdi with kit-kat above!

I am eager to know the native speakers' answer about this. Is there any word that describes someone has already drunk/eaten from that bottle/dishes.

J.R.'s comment about someone having mouth on it is perfect for drink/bottle. But ...food?

Thank You.


texts: Can any one explain to me what is the meaning of “of its kind” and "of many a pet"?

texts:
Here is the phrase which I am reading:

  The only fully equipped centre of its kind, TANUVAS’ critical care unit has come to the rescue of many a pet
  Source: A go-to place to save animals in their golden hour


texts:
Anxiety may be compared with dizziness. He whose eye happens to look down into the yawning abyss becomes dizzy. But what is the reason for this? It is just as much in his own eyes as in the abyss . . . Hence, anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.

From The Concept of Anxiety by Søren Kierkegaard.


texts: What does the phrase "weigh down" mean here?

texts:
Here is a sentence from an adventure game:

  In the game, you use your enemy's corpse as bridges and to weigh down
  pressure plates, providing cover from spears-firing traps – sometimes
  for yourself, and sometimes for blocks need to be kept intact so you
  can use them as stepping stones.

I am not sure about the function of pressure plates here. How can they provide cover to the player from traps by being weighed down?


texts:
Which one is more common?
Example sentence:

The firework festival was held at/by the river.

Or are they equally correct?


texts:
When travelling on trains in the USA, I have noticed a sign saying "watch the step" close to the exit. I thought it was referring to stairs, but nowhere close to the exit I have seen stairs. I also thought it would be referring to stairs I could find right outside the train, but outside the train I always walked on a pavement.

What does step in "watch the step" mean, in that sign?


texts: How should I choose between "while verb+ing", "when verb+ing", and "verb+ing"?

texts:
First sentence:

  (While being || Being) a good person, he (devoured || had been devouring) kittens.

In this sentence I mean that he was always a good person in the past, not only while devouring kittens.

Second sentence:

  (While using || When using || Using) the services, (you
  agree || you're agreeing) to our terms.

I have seen every of above variants in real agreements as well as "by using ..., you're agreeing". What the difference?

Third sentence:

  We follow these rules (while providing || providing) the
  services.

That means that "we" follow these rules throughout the time we provide the services. Also, is it correct to say "during providing"?

Fourth sentence:

  (While being || Being) the main instrument for resolving such
  issues, this law must be applied.

So, this law has always been the main instrument for resolving such issues since it entered into force, it is not only for a period of time.


texts:
Murphy's grammar (Unit 63D) explains the usage of the structure go -ing: go swimming, go climbing etc. It gives a number of examples:

How often do you go swimming?
When did you last go shopping?
I've never been sailing. (!!)

What is been doing there? To me it should be "I've never sailed." Or if we use the verb go -- "I've never gone sailing." Because there is no be in the go -ing structure.


texts: How should I interpret "on" in this sentence?

texts:
We are endeavoring to better understand the barriers to safe work
  environments and implementation of a safety program on film
  productions.

In this example, does "implementation of a safety program on film production" mean:

  implementation of (a safety program on film production)

  which means implementation of a program, and this program is safety program about
  film production

or

  (implementation) of (a safety program) on (film production)

  which means implement a program to film production, and this program
  is a safety program

I read this from an email.


texts:
Mr. Netanyahu sparked a controversy when he and House Speaker John
  Boehner went around the White House and arranged a visit and speech on
  Capitol Hill without consulting anyone in the State Department or the
  administration, in an open effort to derail U.S.-led nuclear
  negotiations with Iran. -CNN Student News-

What's the meaning of "went around" in this sentence?
Does it mean that they visited the White House?


texts:
Which sentence is correct and more natural?

  We are getting marry.

or

  We are getting married.

Is 'Married' an adjective here?


texts: Company A disappointed me. Can I say I "turned to competition", meaning I went to Company B?

texts:
I know I could say it otherwise, I am just curious about the proper usage in this context:
I bought a bad product from Company A. I want to say that next time I am going to shop elsewhere. Can I say that I will "turn to competition"? To me it sounds a bit too much as "becoming"..


texts: The word play in The Association song Along Comes Mary

texts: Does the phrase “Sweet as a punch” in the context of this song mean sweet as a drink AND “pleasant” as a strike with the fist? Do I understand the word play in Along Comes Mary by The Association correctly?


texts:
The article talks about "paper airplane folding gun", which takes sheets of paper as ammo, folds them into paper airplanes using a series of rollers, and launches them through the front. But the article uses an expression I don't understand.

  The maker behind the project is keeping his lips sealed, but a video featuring the gun in action is currently available on YouTube. The gun can fold and fire paper airplanes in about two sections a pop, so watch out backyard gamers – these are dangerous patches of grass.

What does it mean?


texts:
I watched a movie and later discussed it with my friend. Is the example below correct?

  I recognised the actor today. Before I hadn't known he is there.

Or is it better to say:

  I recognised the actor today. Before I hadn't known he was there.

To me, the first option sounds better.


texts: Information Technology being evolved since ... or started to evolve since ...?

texts:
I can not to choose combination of words in right form and tense to write about development (in meaning progress, evolution) of Information Technology.

So, I want to write consistently two things:

1) Information Technology started to evolve since 1960s. (I guess here should be used passive voice and other tense like being + V3)

2) Then in 1990s as the Internet appeared, IT began to evolve more rapidly. (unlike it was earlier)

P.S. Can I change "evolve" with "develop" ?


texts: How to understand "that" in the sentence?

texts:
The original text (except for the beginning and ending brackets):

  [...] One should have the courage to think uncomfortably, since it is
  only by rejecting the convenient that one can come to think the truth.

  Not, after all, that there is any such thing as truth. At best we
  can approach to some relative approximation. On the other hand, there
  is surely such a thing as untruth. [...]

My qustion is on the boldfaced "that."

Please note there should be a tab space before "Not". That sentence is the beginning of a new paragraph.

Can "that" be dropped, making the sentence as:

  Not, after all, there is any such thing as truth.

Or is it a conjunction in an elided sentence, something like :

  　[I would argue] that there is not any such thing as truth
  after all. At best we can approach to some relative approximation.


texts: Difference between "likely" and "potential"

texts:
“Evidence of Use (EoU) is a type of analysis designed to protect the
  IP and related interests of patent holders and investors. Its primary
  goals are to identify products, processes, or services in the
  marketplace that potentially infringe on the patent in question and to
  evaluate the strength of the patent assertion campaign……Besides
  identifying likely and potential infringers, EoU can also give an
  indication of a patent’s future potential, provide information
  necessary for the creation of a sales or licensing agreement, and help
  patent owners build a viable and sustainable R&D plan.”

  From https://www.legaladvantage.net/patent-search/evidence-of-use/

What is the difference between "likely" and "potential" here? Does “potential” mean the entity will grow to become an infringer? How is it different from “likely”?

I originally asked the question here https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/likely-and-potential-infringers.3613204/#post-18401117, but was still confused. Could you help me?

  Likely:

  1  used to indicate the chance that something will happen

  2  seeming to be true : BELIEVABLE

  3  always used before a noun : seeming to be right or suited for a
  purpose

  http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/likely

  Potential:

  capable of becoming real : POSSIBLE

  http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/potential


texts: "the National Park Service’s Southeast Coast Network Climate Science Support Center" meaning

texts:
I ran into this:

  the National Park Service’s Southeast Coast Network Climate Science Support Center

It seems odd because it has too many noun modifiers. I understand this as:

The Center which Supports Climate Science (Climatology) in the area of Southeast Coast Network, which is (and this Center is) a part of the organization National Park Service.

Am I right?


texts: What is the origin of the phrase "something is fishy"

texts: I have heard this phrase quite a few times and I am curious what is the origin of this phrase?


texts:
I have doubt about use of article in below sentence.

  A cake is necessary when you have party.

Does sentence uses correct article?


texts: "consisting of" or "that consist of" in this context

texts:
A book defines sonnet as:

A lyric poem consisting of a single stanza of fourteen iambic pentameter lines...

But if I rewrite it as:

A lyric poem that consists of a single stanza of fourteen iambic pentameter lines...

The first definition is using a participial phrase.
My question is that whether they are interchangeable or not?


texts: Can the verb "watch" be used with that-clause?

texts:
Can the verb "watch" be used with that-clause when it has the meaning 'to look at'?

Are the following statements correct?

  We watched the government and business community cope with the ongoing crisis.

  We watched that the government and business community cope with the ongoing crisis.


texts: "since last year" and "for the last year"

texts:
I'm having trouble explaining the sentence below to my student.
He thinks the definite article has something to do with his rationale for using "for" instead of "since".

Skateboarding can be dangerous. Since the 1960s, thousands of people
have gone to hospital emergency rooms because of injuries.

I understand the answer in the sentence above is "since". Considering the constructions below however, he asked why "for" can't also be used.

I have lived in Austin since last year. I have lived in Austin for the
last year.

Can someone help?


texts: In the sentence, "Over the sound of roaring engines, rushing air vents and grinding generators, a dog barks." what does "grinding generators" mean?


texts: Using the word ''underpinned'' in a sentence

texts:
I wonder whether the use of the word "underpinned" is correct in the following sentence and if there is a synonym for this word that fits in the sentence (when I try to look for synonyms on thesaurus I do not find a right synonym):

  Since some [people] have underpinned demand for these [items], the price of these [items] has to [decline/increase] to restore equilibrium in the [some] market.

Another example, taken from an academic paper, is the following:

  If there are preferred habitats then the
  demand for these preferred securities is underpinned, giving scope for quantities to matter in
  their price determination.

To be clear, I talk about people (investors) who have a preference for a particular security. In this way, their demand is "underpinned". However, my supervisor found this word a bit odd. A synonym or rewriting the sentence could therefore also be an option.


texts:
Is the use of leave correct in the following sentence?

  The November 1 assault on a Malian military outpost at Indelimane in the eastern Menaka region near Niger killed 49 soldiers, wounded three and left 20 survivors, the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) said on Naovember 2. "Soldiers of the caliphate attacked a military base where elements of the apostate Malian army were stationed in the village of Indelimane," the IS said in a statement on its social media channels.

I think it is not correct because leave is a linking verb and after it an adjective should be used. Am I right?


texts: Does 'value' have negative meaning in this speech?

texts:
“If you spend your life valuing yourself, dependent on how others
  say you, then you’ll live a life buffeted by a lot of extreme
  emotions, even if you don’t try and become Prime Minister.” (Julia
  Gillard)

  source: Aussie 7 News (This is part of the original)

It seems ‘value’ is used in negative meaning, judging by the latter part of her saying. Does the word, value, have two aspect – negative and affirmative – in it?


texts: What is the difference between "I can't stand smoking" and "I can't stand to smoke"?


texts: How to use a noun "failure" instead of a verb "fail"

texts:
When the printer fails to print documents correctly, it will return
  error message 1.

I am trying to rewrite the sentence above I created, by using "failure" instead of "fail".  My draft is as follows:

  When the printer has/suffers from/encounters a failure to print/in
  printing/of printing/ documents correctly, ...

I would like to know which verb is appropriate for "failure".


texts:
And this is how to get pregnant is

this is how is to get pregnant(I don't think so)

or

And this is what to get pregnant is like

Do they have the same meaning?


texts:
I came across the following question:

  Rewrite the sentence by changing the word 'faintest' to positive degree of comparison:

  I did not have the faintest idea about what was going on.

As far as I can see, the word 'faintest' is used here in a negative sense i.e. the person's idea was worse than a faintest idea. Any idea about how to change the degree of the adjective(to comparative and positive) keeping the meaning of the sentence same?

When I say that the meaning is same, I mean that the meaning conveyed by the degree of the adjective must remain the same. Here is an example:
"London is the busiest city in the world" (Superlative)
"London is busier than all other cities in the world" (Comparative)
"No other city in the world is as busy as London" (Positive).


texts:
Dylan fell down. He said, "You pushed me."

Arron said,

  "I didn't. You fell down by yourself."

  "I didn't. You fell down yourself."

Is "by" necessary after verb? Can we omit it?


texts:
Should "this" be removed from "Join this us tomorrow"? If not, what does the phrase mean? "Join this and join us tomorrow"?

The BMJ  (British Medical Journal) just tweeted:

WEBINAR: Join this us tomorrow at the launch of a new collection on co-producing knowledge for stronger health systems:


texts:
I have an expression crossing my head but I cannot find any reference on the Internet. I only found "never mind" in the dictionary.

I'm talking about "forget".

E.g. "I've never visited Paris, never mind the Eiffel Tower."

Could I instead formulate it as "I've never visited Paris, forget the Eiffel Tower."?


texts: Is "And you!" a valid alternative to "You too!"?

texts: If someone says "Have a nice day!", can you just answer "And you!"? Does it mean the same as "You too!"?


texts:
The door of the refrigerator being opened by 90 degrees or less is closed automatically if you let go of the door.
  The door of the refrigerator that has been opened by 90 degrees or less is closed automatically if you let go of the door.

I would like to know which sounds natural and correct. I think the second may imply as if the door was not able to be closed.


texts: Word for "an amount of money you pay to be exempted from a service"

texts:
Here, military service is obligatory up to the age of 30. Once an individual reaches 30, he can't enlist and must instead pay an exemption fee (Sometimes, the individual, if found to have no valid excuse, can go to prison for evading military service). I wonder if there's a better expression for exemption fee. This will be included in a form, and it goes like this:

  Exemption fee:  $ 1,000


texts: Is a comma required to separate an "and" from a list?

texts:
Here's an example.

This is from the novel 1Q87 by Haruki Murakami.

  Just before noon, Tengo put on a raincoat and hat and was headed out
  to the local market when he noticed a brown padded envelope in his
  mailbox.

I would have written the first part like this: Just before noon, Tengo put on a raincoat and hat, and was headed out ... So the reader doesn't think for a second that the list continues after hat.

Is this a grammatical rule? Or maybe that comma is unnecessary?


texts: Subject of infinitive clause with "expected"

texts:
You are expected to be well informed.

Is it possible to rewrite the above sentence in this way:

It is expected from you to be well informed.


texts: Is "Only yesterday did I realize she wore two different dresses" a correct sentence?

texts:
Is Only yesterday did I realize she wore two different dresses a correct sentence?
Its meaning is Although it's a well known fact, until yesterday I didn't realize it.
The emphasis is on the fact that only yesterday I realized it.


texts: Is the use of 'a garden' in this sentence correct?

texts:
John [seeing Anthony and Barbara on a sidewalk]
  John: Hi, guys. Good evening!
  Barbara: Good evening. How're things going?
  John: Never been better. I've just finished my gym class an hour ago. What about you guys?
  Barbara: We have planted some roses in a garden.
  John: Which one? The East Park?
  Barbara: Yeah, that one.
  ...

I've made that dialog up, and now I wonder that
do I have to change that article "a" to "the"? Or I can leave it like that?


texts: Nuance: longer time vs longer period of time

texts:
Native speakers tend to use just the word 'long' on its own to express a large amount of time. However, when it comes to the comparative case, is the addition of the phrase 'period of time' necessary? And what's the difference in meaning/usage (however slight) between:

I studied abroad for a longer time than he did.
I studied abroad for a longer period of time than he did.

Both seem to be commonplace expressions, but I was told no two English phrases are exactly the same. My personal assumption is that, the first example is less wordy than the sentence, and therefore used more in casual conversations.

Similarly, I would also like your opinion on the difference between:

I have lived here for a much shorter time than my friend
I have lived here for a much shorter period of time than my friend.


texts: May I change the word of "that " to "which"?

texts:
Sentence：All that he said is true.

Q：
May I change the word of "that " to "which" ?
And if can't, please say something about why can't.
Analysis as follows：


texts: What does “channelling the spirit of” mean?

texts:
Much of the exquisite joy of Balls’s Strictly tenure was found in the distinct dearth of damns he gave about holding back or saving face. He lost himself in every song slung in his direction. On week two, there was not a viewer in Britain unclear that Balls was channelling the spirit of a gadabout Charleston dancing, gingham-shirt clad farmhand.

channelling the spirit of = is being inspired by?


texts: Which prefix to use before family relatives to refer to their past generation?

texts:
Which prefix is appropriate to use before family relatives(nieces, nephews and etc) to refer to the generation before them?

For the sake of clarification and better understanding, I'll give a few examples.

Example 1: Grand-niece or Great-niece?

Example 2: Grand-nephew or Great-nephew?

Example 3: Grand-uncle or Great-uncle?

Example 4 : Great-aunt or Grand-aunt?

I'd appreciate anyone who could answer this question, which could the one wandering in many other minds other than mine.


texts: One may say an orbiter orbits around a planet. But an orbit doesn't have to be around a planet. What is a more general name for the object which is orbited?


texts:
Look at this sentence. It is an answer found in a exercise

  Two years ago they called in a famous architect, who has already designed some great buildings.

I think there is a mistake; because it should be "had already designed"; Am I right?


texts: What does the word "screens" mean in context of a living room?

texts: My landlord has just asked me to fill in an inventory and condition form, and in the section of the living room, I have come across to the words "windows and latches and screens". I have no idea what it is in my house.


texts: Meaning of these options: hadn't packed/ weren't packing

texts:
Context: on an English learning book I have been instructed to underline the "correct" option. The sentence is the following:

When we were at sea, we realized we hadn't packed/weren't packing the first-aid kit.

As for me, both options are right, because the rest of the sentence(context) doesn't make it clear which option is the appropriate to make this sentence grammatically correct.


texts:
Crosbian Nihilistic Reading of Sadegh Hedayat’s Three Drops of Blood and Franz Kafka’s The Trial

(source: Modern Journal of Studies in English Language Teaching and Literature)

I'm at my wits' end with understanding the adjective "Crosbian" in the context of my passage. Is it related to some literary scholar Crosby?


texts: Please explain, what does 'squirm like a toad' mean. I've found description which is not helpful at all -" It makes you feel simultaneously friendly towards animals and generally libidinous, which is... weird, to say the least" = friendly towards animals and libidinous in the same time???


texts: using "after" + Past Simple + Present Perfect

texts:
Is it okay to use "after" with Past Simple in the subordinate clause and then Present Perfect in the main clause?
For example:

After Marry married John, Jack has been very reticent about his personal plans.
After the revolution took place, the neighboring states have warned their citizenry against trying similar developments.
After the merger happened, the new incorporation has steadily increased its daily output.
After some factories were shut down, environmentalist have kept repeating again and again that this was their merit.


texts:
I was listening "In the End" by Linkin Park, and they sing "Watch the time go right out the window".
My question is:
Is it literally outside the window or, in this context does it mean something else?
Maybe something like: right there, over there, or so fast.
Is it an idiom?


texts:
Which one is correct ?

  It was the week of your birthday when Tom went to Paris.

  It was in the week of your birthday when Tom went to Paris.

However, there is one more alternative

  Tom went to Paris in the week of your birthday

But I want to emphasize the time so I prefer the first example
Thanks


texts:
source

  Three weeks on from its debut in April, the film’s domestic gross box
  office had barely surpassed $600,000 .


texts:
From Tara Westover's book (Educated). I cannot understand the meaning of "Holy hell!" in the phrase below:

  He asked where I was studying; when I answered, he said, “Harvard!
  Holy hell!”

And I don't know what's the relationship between it and the next line:

it was true. He had always seen me like that, long
before there was any reason to.

A FEW DAY S LATER, I signed in to an old chat program I hadn’t used in years.
There was a cheerful jingle and a name turned from gray to green. Charles
is online, it said. I’m not sure who started the chat, or who suggested
moving the conversation to the phone. We talked for an hour, and it was as
if no time had passed.
He asked where I was studying; when I answered, he said, “Harvard!
Holy hell!”
“Who woulda thought?” I said.
“I did,” he said, and it was true. He had always seen me like that, long
before there was any reason to.


texts: The meaning of the word "good" in a sentence

texts:
If an article does what is claimed for it, it will be a valuable good.

This sentence is taken from the advertisements. I'd like to know what the meaning of "good" is. Is "good" correctly used in the sentence? Thanks a trillion.


texts:
Are there differences in meaning (and possibly context) of the following three ways to ask somebody to wait? Or is one of these options even ungrammatical?

1 I'm going to ...

  I'm just going to make a quick phone call.
  Can you wait for me?

2 I'm doing

  I'm just making a quick phone call.
  Can you wait for me?

3 I'll do

  I'll just make a quick phone call.
  Can you wait for me?


texts:
Is this question correct in grammar and does it even make sense specially whats between " "

How did the world coped/dealt with oil spills "at the time that events occurs and in the long run"

Thanks


texts: Usage of plural "maximums" in "I tried to go for six maximums"

texts:
After his Man of the Match performance, Rohit appeared on the Chahal TV, hosted by leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, and revealed the mantra for hitting sixes.

  “When I hit three consecutive sixes, I tried to go for six maximums. But when I missed the fourth one, I decided I will take singles,” said Rohit while speaking about his three consecutive sixes which he hit against off-spinner Mosaddek Hossain.

  Hindustan Times: ‘I tried to go for six sixes but...’ Rohit Sharma reveals what changed his mind

This  is  a  piece  of  news  paper  report  published  online  in India. It  is  a quote  from the  player.

I have  searched  on Google  to  find  out  whether  the
word  maximum   can be used  as  plural  noun but I  could  not  find  it. I think  it  is  an abstract noun and  so  it  can not  be  used  in the  plural number.

Here  is  a  link.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/maximum

The  link  shows  that  maximum is  usually  singular  and  its  plural  form  is  maximums.
I think  in the sentence  it  should  be  six  sixers. I am doubtful  of  the  use  maximums  in the  sentence.

  ** can the  word  maximum  be  used  as  a  plural noun as  in the  given sentence**?


texts: Can I put an adverb 'outside' in question 'What does the temple have outside'?

texts:
I have this sentence:

  What does the temple have outside? ~ It has many gateways with carved figures.

As you can see, I want to ask about things outside the temple. Is it correct if I put "outside" in that place?


texts: What else can we say instead of "I see" or "I understand"?

texts:
I am not sure but I find "I see" or "I understand" is little bit formal.  I am not sure close friends say each other "I see" a lot.  I could be wrong, though.  It sounds more like a doctor can say it when you talk about your pains.

Here is my scenario

  A: Why did you get to class late today?

  B: Well, my phone was out of charge (while I was sleeping).  So it didn't go off and I missed the train.

  C: I see, ok, right or ?

(Could you please rephrase  B's the first sentence because I am no sure it is colloquial)


texts:
The Longman Dictionary has the following sentence:

  Until now, doctors have been able to do very little to treat this disease.

Does it mean that doctors are still able to do very little to treat this disease? Or are they more capable of treating it now?

The same dictionary also uses it in the following way:

  so far so good spoken used to say that things have been happening successfully until now

Is "until now" used in the same way as in the doctors example?


texts: Understanding inwards and outwards in context

texts:
The following quotation is from Anthony Trollope's The Small House at Allington:

  That she was a lady, inwards and outwards, from the crown of her head to the sole of her feet, in head, in heart, and in mind, a lady by education and a lady by nature, a lady also by birth in spite of that deficiency respecting her grandfather, I hereby state as a fact mea periculo.

I have trouble in understanding the pair inwards and outwards in this context but I think it may refer to both physical and mental qualities of that lady.

As regards mea periculo, I know this is a Latin phrase, but I would like to know its meaning in English, particularly in the cited context as the online dictionaries didn't help me.


texts: Can you use different verb tenses in the same sentence/paragraph?

texts:
If I start using a specific tense, do I need to continue to use that tense throughout a sentence/paragraph? Can I write the second sentence as below or do I need to make it the same tense as the first sentence?

  Sarah had spent almost half her life in England.  She grew up there, got married there, and had most of her children there.

or

  Sarah had spent almost half her life in England.  She had grown up there, had gotten married there, and had had most of her children there.


texts: How to agree with an "I have never..." statement?

texts:
My colleague who is native English speaker said "I have never been to Croatia before"

Is it correct to say: "neither have I"?

My tutor said I should use "neither" only with contractions like

  "I don't like broccoli."
  "Neither do I".

And "I have never been there" is I think affirmative because there's no contraction...


texts: What is the difference between shop and store?

texts:
I mean when we should say:shop and store.

For example:

  [1] *  He is working at a barbershop.
  [2] *  He is working at a barber store.

Why we say coffee shop and not coffee store.

Why we say department store and not department shop?


texts: The meaning of "contribute unique variance"

texts:
What is the usage and meaning of "contribute unique variance" in this sentence?

  For children with typical language, orthographic knowledge and morphological knowledge contributed unique variance to spelling performance.

 Source: Werfel, K.L., & Schuele, C.M. (2012, November).
Contribution of linguistic knowledge to spelling performance in elementary school children with and without language impairment. Poster presented at the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Atlanta, GA.


texts: "The ( kind/type ) of stress those activities tend to (cause/give/provoke/other) ...". Which noun and verb should I use?

texts:
In this context:

  "The kind/type of stress those activities tend to (verb)..."

I've found that kind / type are used interchangeably, is one more appropiate than the other?
Talking about the verb, I've found very few examples of sentences like "X gives/causes me stress", so I'm not sure if I could use one of them here or if there's another more suitable verb.

So: Which noun (kind/type) and verb (give/cause/provoke/other) would be appropiate for this sentence?


texts: It seems that the lecturer is making a grammatical mistake

texts:
The lecturer is saying

  you can think of machine learning, deep learning in
  general as modeling a function   that takes an input that can be an
  image, a speech, a natural language or a CSV file, give it to a box and
  get an output that can be classification

in this context, there are 3 steps in which the function do its job

1. takes an input
2. gives it to a box
3. gets an output

so, the "give" and "get" are not grammatical, am I right about this?


texts:
I'm moving and writing a letter to my close friend. And I wanted to say that I felt like I knew her longer and that "I felt close to you" (as a friend)

Is it weird to say "I felt close to you" or "I felt like I'm really close to you" to your friends


texts: Is that appropriate to use "Sad" when someone says "I cannot come"?

texts:
In situations like

One of my colleague message me saying, I'm not able to join this week lunch
One of the speaker message me saying, I'm not able to join the conference this time

Is it appropriate to "it's a sad news" or "Sad to hear that"? I think "Sad" is for more serious situations like "accident", "Funeral" etc. but in this kind of situation what is the appropriate way to express the feeling?


texts: The correct usage of introductory structures on the internet

texts:
I use to mistake the introductory structure for phone call structure ones, This is...speaking" when chatting on the internet:

William: Who is speaking?

Tomas: This is Tomas speaking. How do you do?

William: How do you do? Could I speak to...

I know I am wrong, because these people are not speaking, but they are writing on keyboard. Could anybody explain this structure to me, please?


texts:
Are there any differences between 'so on' and 'so forth'?

What are the cases when I should use 'so on' and what are the cases when I should use 'so forth'?


texts: "Have no doubt the weather will be warmer in April" - is comma needed?

texts:
From a lang-8 post:

  Have no doubt, the weather will be warmer in April.

Is comma necessary after "have no doubt"? I feel like it's needed there, but I'm not sure.

And what do we call this part of the sentence? A comment clause? Looks like an imperative clause to me, akin to "Make no mistake (about it)".

An "imperative comment clause" then?


texts:
Can ı use “ same as” in sentences instead “of” ?

  1)I need 100 kg of the same soil as this sample you sent.
  Instead of “of” in sentence;

  2)need 100 kg of soil of this sample you sent.

  3) I buy one same as your car.

  4) I buy  one of your car.


texts: Why is it correct to drop the 's in "a Jane Austen['s] fragment"?

texts:
A long time ago a user asked a question on EL&U with the following title:

  Meaning of a Jane Austen's fragment in this letter

Another user edited it, dropping the 's, turning the title into the following:

  Meaning of a Jane Austen fragment in this letter

The question is, why has a user corrected the original question title dropping the 's?


texts: possessive determiner my , mine is what?

texts:
My and mine are both called possessive pronouns

My is called a possessive determiner

What is mine also called?


texts: What does "dominate" mean in this context?

texts:
Wrinkled Mercury's shrinking history
Mercury is 4,880km wide and is dominated by its giant iron core. [BBC]

My tries: (based on checking the Longman dictionary)

Mercury is noticeable and famous because of its very big iron core.
Mercury is controlled by its very big iron core and that is why you see wrinkles on it surface.

Additionally I would be grateful, if you would not deem it as off-topic, to write the definition of wrinkle and shrink in this context.


texts:
Let your shirt dries on you.

Meaning: wearing a wet shirt to dry it. Would it be correct to use "on"?


texts:
I've searched online dictionaries but I couldn't find the meaning of

  be from money.

The example is:

  To anyone who doesn’t know who Matthew is, they just come across as a
  well-heeled, successful couple. But Matthew is from money, and lots of
  it.

The full text is here:

  She gets dressed quickly in a simple but elegantly cut dress.
  Everything she wears flatters her. Genetics has been kind to her, and
  she now has the money to make the most of what she’s been given.
  Matthew is a warm, generous man, and she’s very much in love with him.
  Of course, the money doesn’t hurt. She thinks often of how lucky she
  is, of how awful it must be for most women—to marry and have children
  on a budget. She’s well aware that she and Matthew have a charmed
  life. She’s not going to apologize for it. But she’s certainly not
  going to rub anyone’s nose in it either. She knows what it’s like to
  want—to want desperately—things that you can’t have. To anyone who
  doesn’t know who Matthew is, they just come across as a well-heeled,
  successful couple. But Matthew is from money, and lots of it.

Also, does the word "but" in "But Matthew is from money..." suggest that maybe he is personally not rich?


texts: Doesn't matter what sort of business they are, all of them count money

texts:
I want to paraphrase the title phrase with but, to get something like:
Business is anything but counting a money. With an emphasis on 'counting money'. But that looks for me that the meaning is exactly an opposite of what I want to say.

What would be a right phrase?

Thanks

PS: For clarification, context is business could be any kind, from mining & banking to making a coffee and serving biscuits. They produce different sort of goods/services but have one thing in common which is counting money to stay somehow profitable.


texts: The use of the adjective "normal" in context

texts: Let's say somebody asks me how was your day, is it natural to answer the question with it was normal? What I am trying to say is that the day was as usual. If it is not natural, how would English native seakers respon?


texts:
how likely are you to renew your relationship with us beyond the
  current terms?

Does "terms" mean period or condition? Since there is "beyond" in this sentence, it could mean period, but I am not sure because usually "terms" mean condition.


texts: What is the full sentence of 'X to the rescue'?

texts:
Almost all well-formed English sentences have a verb. Most grammar books for ELLs suggest that we can understand imperative sentences as having the implied "You" as the subject. For example,

  Sit down. (= You sit down.)

I noticed that in a movie I watched, it has this sentence, Judah Buckner to the rescue, which can be generalized to the construction: X to the rescue.

Though the meaning is clear, I would like to know how to analyze this construction as a sentence.  Should I regard it as a fragment? Or should I understand it as an ellipsis, as shown below?

  Superman to the rescue.
    (= Here is Superman to the rescue.?)
    (= Here comes Superman to the rescue.?)


texts: Is it correct to use "both of us" after a "you guys"?

texts:
In a youtube video, I heard the following sentence, addressed to the audience:

  I'm telling everything to you guys, I think it's better for the both of us

This sentence seemed very weird to me, because I saw both as strictly two single "things". Can the whole audience be one of these "things"?

You can say "both teams" so the two "things" don't need to be single, but if you're in a group with 5 people you obviously can't say "you and I both" to mean "every one of us" (right?)

Is this sentence correct?


texts: Meaning of "feels begin and end the tears" in Browning's Childe Roland

texts:
From Childe Roland:

  As when a sick man very near to death
    Seems dead indeed, and feels begin and end
    The tears and takes the farewell of each friend,
  And hears one bid the other go, draw breath
  Freelier outside, (“since all is o’er,” he saith,
    “And the blow fallen no grieving can amend;”)

What is the meaning of this phrase? Does it mean that he somehow feels that the mourners begin crying, and then stop crying?


texts:
If both these sentences are past tense, then shouldn't they both use "met"?

  Have we ever met?

  Did we ever meet?


texts: Is "An adaptive filter, as its name implies, is basically a system that..." punctuated correctly?

texts:
I don't know what to call it; you can help me finding the right name for them. They are the sentence like

  as its name implies

Am I using it right in the sentence below? Are the punctuation corrects; a comma before and after?

  An adaptive filter, as its name implies, is basically a system that.


texts:
That does not mean we shouldn’t try to find it — and try we are. For more than 50 years, scientists have been using high-powered radio telescopes and other equipment to try to intercept any signals coming from outer space that are not naturally occurring, in what is known as the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).

(Jesse Kline: Give E.T. a call, National Post, Feb 27, 2015)

What should I make of the bold part grammatically?


texts:
Today I thought of the possibility of an existence of a correct sentence that has the following words "in the next", because it seems to me now not logic to have such sentence since it has a needless preposition. For example:

  He'll be at the university in the next semester.

It seems the preposition "in" is really needless here. But my question if it's considered ungrammatical and not natural, or both are considered grammatical?

N.b. It somehow sounds to me like "in the afternoon" that already has one preposition (after). I mean to my non native English ears it sounds much more natural to say "I'll be there afternoon." than to say "I'll be there in the afternoon.".


texts: "I like to read by/with the light of the candle." Which is right?

texts:
I like to read by/with the light of the candle.

Which one do you say or write?


texts: Usage of present tense in a past tense sentence

texts:
I read that if sentence is in past tense then all clauses of the sentence should be in past, except if it is a universal truth.

Now, I want to create a sentence and situation is this - I watched interview of a politician and now I want to express my experience but not sure

  I watched ABC's interview and whole time I was wondering if this is
  ABC who is giving the interview or if it is XYZ wearing his mask and
  giving the interview.

OR

  I watched ABC's interview and whole time I was wondering if this was
  ABC who was giving the interview or if it was XYZ wearing his mask and
  giving the interview.

I have highlighted the part where I have question in bold and italics. Basically I am confused that because of the rule I have mentioned above whole sentence should be in past tense (my second sentence above) or it could be in present tense as well (my first sentence above).

Which one of them is correct?


texts:
I got this quote from a customer service email explaining why my order is being delayed:
...."Hence we request your patience in this regards."...

This reads weird to me, is this a common phrase? Shouldn't the customer service be hoping/asking for my patience instead of "requesting" my patience, since they are causing my delay?


texts:
How a native speaker would describe someone's profession who has a breeding horse farm:

What comes to my mind:

  He has a horse breeding farm.

  He breeds horses.

I have no idea if they are natural. If they are not, then please let me know what shall I say here?


texts: If a sentence is quashed, does it mean that there's no sentence at all anymore?

texts: If a sentence is quashed, does it mean that there's no sentence at all anymore (i.e. the convicted is acquitted) or, if a sentence is only reduced or, say, replaced with probation, the word's applicable as well?


texts:
Bills in several states are, in effect, creating a two-pronged approach to urban and rural areas that raises questions about the disparate treatment of cities and the large number of voters of color who live in them and is helping fuel opposition from corporations that are based in or have work forces in those places.

I found the above sentence in New York Times. My confusion is about the uses of 'and' in the following part-'the large number of voters of color who live in them and is helping fuel opposition'. Here the use of 'and' is correct? To me, it seems unnecessary. Please, enlighten me.


texts:
"I am good at English." Or "I am good in English."

Fluent sounds better. But again...

  "I am fluent at English." Or "I am fluent in English."


texts: to believe an advice vs to believe in an advice

texts:
I know that "to believe" means "to think that to something is true or correct" when used with things. (references: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/believe , https://www.wordreference.com/definition/believe ).

What does "to believe an advice from somebody" mean? Thinking that an advice is true or correct does not make much sense to me. Does it mean "to think that the advice is good and worthwhile to follow"? If so, couldn't I also say "to believe in an advice", given that "to believe in" can mean the same, eg I believe in getting to work early (according to https://www.wordreference.com/definition/believe) ?


texts: When a server at a restaurant asks me "Anything to drink", I say "orange juice please." In that situation, can I say "Please orange juice"?


texts: Articles with nouns denoting unique parts of something

texts:
Let's say I'm describing changes in a new version of some software. This software, in particular, deals with entities called classes. For this question, it's only important that a class consists of two parts: a header and a body. Now, let's say I have a sentence like this:

We've improved the visual separation between the header and the body in classes.

The choice of articles in this sentence is simple so far: "the" is used with "header" and "body" because they're unique in the context of a class. But what if the said separation has been improved only for a special case where the header is multiline? I'm having trouble with finding the right wording for this and especially with getting the articles right. Here are the options I've considered:

(1) We've improved the visual separation between the header and the body in classes with multiline headers.

This one looks almost okay to me. However, doesn't "classes with multiline headers" sound as if a class can have more than one header (which is not the case)? Although other phrases with the same structure, e.g. "people with big heads", don't give me that impression, I'm still not sure. Are my doubts unreasonable?
Besides, I don't like this option because it mentions the header twice, which seems redundant. I would avoid that in my native language. That's why we're moving to the next options:

(2) We've improved the visual separation between the multiline header and the body in classes.

That's where I got stuck with the articles. "The" looks wrong because "multiline header" (unlike "header") isn't something that exists in every class. Is this the right logic for ruling out "the"?

(3) We've improved the visual separation between a multiline header and the body in classes.

So what about "a"? I have to use "a" since I can't use "the". It's logical, but somehow "a multiline header and the body" looks strange to me. I can't remember seeing such a combination of articles (applied to different parts of the same thing) in texts I read (which probably just means I should read more and pay more attention to this kind of grammar). So is this one correct?

(4) We've improved the visual separation between multiline class headers and bodies.

This one sounds like the bodies are multiline too.

(5) We've improved the visual separation between multiline class headers and the body.

This combination of a plural and a singular looks strange to me too.
Please help. I set the questions in italics. Also I would be glad to know your opinions on what the most natural way to phrase this sentence would be.


texts:
In The Old Guard (2020), Nile joins immportal team:

Nile: How are you all in my dreams?
Genova: We dream of each other. They stop when we meet.  I believe
it's because we... we're meant to find each other. It's like destiny.
Livre: No, more like misery loves company.

(Nile looks towards Andy)

Andy: What he said.

Why there is no question mark after "said"?


texts:
Is this sentence grammatically correct?

If I would have had to be leaving the city tomorrow, would you come see me today for the last time?

I wanted to say that If I were to have been forced to leave the city tomorrow would you come visit my place today to see me for the last time?

Somehow the "would have had to be leaving" bothers me. I feel that I should write:

If I would have to leave the city tomorrow, would you come see me today for the last time?
If I would have to be leaving the city tomorrow, would you come see me today for the last time?
If I had to be leaving the city tomorrow, would you come see me today for the last time?
If I had to leave the city tomorrow, would you come see me today for the last time?


texts: where he lives to avoid a corruption conviction he says was politically motivated - no "that"

texts:
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/martial-law-thai-government-nearly-powerless-155049212.html

  In November, the ruling party made a disastrous attempt to ram a controversial amnesty bill through Parliament that would have allowed Thaksin to return from self-imposed exile from Dubai, where he lives to avoid a corruption conviction he says was politically motivated.

I can't understand why there's no that after where he lives to avoid a corruption conviction. Every time I attempt to read this sentence, I mentally tend to include that. Without a that, this just can't seem right to me. A fiend of mine who's a native English speaker says that it should be understood that it is there. But I can't get it - it's either there even if understood or it's not.


texts: Is there a word, phrase or urban saying for people who appears polite and reasonable in real life, but is rude and trolling everything on the internet?


texts:
How can I use the hyphen (or something else) to make this sentence less confusing:

  This algorithm achieves a fraction of 0.5 of the full and instantaneous information system region.

Here we have a system for which the information is full and instantaneous. The algorithm achieves a fraction f of the region achieved by this system.


texts:
It is from this video. It is at around 6 minute and 3 second. Here is the context:

  I spend the next couple of days shadowing the dialogue over and over and drilling those flashcards.

I guess that the speaker means repeat by drill there, but I am in doubt because the Oxford Dictionary, which appears to me the most compehensive,
 dosn't provide the definition.


texts: What is the meaning of the highlighted sentence given down below from the conversation?

texts:
Family eating pork chop.
Dad: Wasn't it good kids? Huh?
Son: Frozen in the middle.
Dad: Hey! Hey! Hey! Your mother worked hard all day.This was a good meal alright?
Christ, There is striving kids in Africa fighting off wildebeest who would kill for a medley of pork. I mean those kids would eat each other.


texts:
I was never allowed to do things the way I wanted to do them.  We have to make it work in the way that we want it to.

What's the difference between "the way" and "in the way"?

When should I use "the way" and when should I use "in the way"?


texts:
I know have been does, but does had been also imply some ongoing action?

Do these mean the same?

  "I just wanted to make sure it was you because I had/have been getting weird emails."

Can had been imply that you are still getting some since it doesn't really say anything about you not getting any more weird emails?

  "If you asked him to do the chores, he should be doing them right now, since he had/has decided to help you out more."

Can both "had decided" and "have decided" imply that his decision is still current? Or do you have to choose one thing over the other? I think present perfect would be wrong in these examples, but I'm not sure if past perfect will imply the same meaning.


texts:
I came across a few sentences....

  He 'slipped up on' just one detail.
  Someone had 'slipped up on' the order.

I do understand what slip up means - to make a mistake. But what about slipping up on something? Does it mean, for example in the second sentence, that someone made a mistake while taking an order? Like, they wrote down a wrong address perhaps? I can't seem to understand it, since English ain't my mother tongue :/ Please help me understand it.


texts: can "take" be used in the continuous tenses?

texts:
Kid A and B are fighting over the toy. Both hands of A and B are on the toys.

Is it correct for the kid A to say "Mom, he is taking my toy"
But that situation is rare, normally, it will take 1 or 2 seconds to take something.
Say, B already took the toy of A. Right at that moment, is it correct to say "he is taking my toy"?


texts: calculated on (the \ an) anhydrous, solvent-free basis - which article to use?

texts:
calculated on an anhydrous, solvent-free basis
  ... calculated on the anhydrous, solvent-free basis

I came across two variations of the phrase, with an and with the:

("Analytical Profiles of Drug Substances and Excipients" by Klaus Florey)

and

("Profiles of Drug Substances, Excipients and Related Methodology, book 39" by Harry G. Brittain)

Why is an used in the first sentence and the in the second? Does the first version imply that the calculation can be performed using several different techniques?


texts: Word-usage "That which" (used togheter) or only "which"?

texts:
I have seen in a game this statement:

  Shinning as lucifer, the morning star in the dawn, showing a beauty that is not God's. — That which appears within grasp.

Could I say only which ("which appears within grasp")?

I've researched about the meaning of "that which" and it turns out "that which" refers to a noun phrase (in this context, it would be "The morning star"), and, sometimes, being a wordy word to say "what/whatever" E.g "That which doesn't kill us, it just makes us stronger".

And even sometimes I see stranges uses of "which" itself (e.g  This word means 'To express the extent to which you'd never be on something')

Could you guys help? Correct if I'm wrong. Thanks in advance.


texts:
I had mugged up a rule that we should not use prepositions like '' in '', '' on '' and at before some words like '' Last'', '' every'', this and so on, but I found a sentence recently;
1) Do you know how Indian Media have curbed ''in'' the last five years.

Should we use '' in'' here? If so, what is the exception ?
let me know pls.
thank you in advance!


texts: I want to ask which preposition is suitable in this situation?

texts:
you walk very fast. you're always five steps ..... me.
I want to ask which preposition is suitable in this situation.


texts: Department of education vs department for education

texts:
Which one of below two sentence is correct?

The Department for Education said its decisions were based on new infections and the pressure on the NHS in local areas.
The Department of Education said its decisions were based on new infections and the pressure on the NHS in local areas.


texts:
I am trying to describe this image.

  there are two sweet wrappers and one piece of candy.

Is it grammatically correct to say "2 sweet wrappers"?

I googled "2 sweet wrappers" and most hits are about candy bags rather than sweet wrappers, which seem to indicate the expression is incorrect.

I don't even know the right/appropriate keywords I could use to perform a search.

Could someone please give a hint? Thanks in advance.

The image and sentences is adapted from Cambridge Dictionary, so I am pretty sure the phrase "a sweet wrapper" is grammatically correct.


texts:
The rules of articles say that if the same noun is being referred to, the article should not be repeated. In this context, is the following sentence correct?

An ass can never become horse.

Or, should it be like this?

An ass can never become a horse.


texts:
I'd like to ask which one fits best when we talk about a prime minister?

  As a______ prime minister, his views are treated with respect when he
  is interviewed.

1.prior

2.previous

3.late

4.former

I know prior and previous  virtually overlap , and former is opposed of latter but it seems like all these words have been used in this context..Is there any point in this question?


texts: Perfect non-deictic: "For a long moment he thought he had gone too far" vs "...he have gone too far"

texts:
I'm trying to understand why in this sentence from a book I'm reading the past perfect is used instead of the present perfect:

  For a long moment he thought he had gone too far.

  vs

  For a long moment he thought he have gone too far.

CGEL has these examples in Chapter 3:

  He was believed to have written it the previous week

  At that time I had written four chapters.

  In both, the perfect locates the writing as anterior to some To  which
  is identified via other features of the sentence as anterior to Td

In my example, why is 'he thought' not enough to locate the To in the past without using the preterite perfect?
Thanks.


texts:
Your performance in this exam was only too bad.
  Your performance in this exam was too bad.
  Your performance in this exam was very bad.

I want to know when can we use these sentences and is there any one among this which shows speaker's emphasis on bad ( exam)


texts:
"Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy,
  Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair. (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
  Stone)

Why is the apostrophe put before Atta boy?


texts: Idiom for "you can't undo the effects of having said something"

texts:
I once read an idiom which means you can't undo the effects of having said something, but couldn't recollect it now.

I searched on google and also on stack exchange to find out but in vain.

Can you please tell me the idioms that have the meaning as mentioned above?


texts:
What does the following sentence mean:

"I like not working to a brief"?


texts:
I suppose she thought she didn’t have to sign the slip because she was so famous, but I made her do it.

What's the meaning of "sign the slip"?


texts: How to say "reducing the chance" fluently in this case?

texts:
My friend said he was bitten by mosquitos on twitter, since any mosquito has the limited quota of sucking blood, my friend reduced the probability of me being bitten, and I want to reply him that as a small joke.

How could I say it naturally and fluently?(the humorer the better.)

  "You reduced the probability of me being bitten."

is what I came up with, but I feel it's a bit awkward sounding(or it's in reality pretty fluent?), is there any better way to say it?


texts:
James Gleick on being cited in the OED.

(https://public.oed.com/blog/james-gleick-cited-oed/)

It's the title of the writing in the link.

I want to know what 'on' means exactly in the sentence.

I think, according to context, it is used to express 'an occasion' when the word he used was registered in OED, but my friend insists differently that in this case it seems to mean similar to 'about' or 'regarding'.

However, I think it means more similar to 'on' as in this sentence, "On arriving at home, my dog ran out to greet me vigorously", or it could mean both all at once.


texts: As I'm just a student, I don't have enough money to take a class that (takes / imposes) me high cost. -Can you help me find proper word to use here?

texts:
As I'm just a student, I don't have enough money to take a class that (takes / imposes) me high cost.

I don't know what word I have to use in this context. But I vaguely remember someone using takes in this situation. Can you help me find proper word to use here?


texts: I don't know why "speaking" was used in this sentence

texts:
The Dow closed up by nearly 1.5 percent at 30,015, just under four years after reaching the 20,000 mark for the first time. President Trump, speaking a day after telling his administration to stop blocking the presidential transition, held a brief news conference.
I'm a student studying English in Korea.
this paragraph is a part of English news.
and i discovered that "speaking" is not necessary by terms of grammar.
I think that sentence has already gotten a verb,"held".
i just need to know the difference of meaning between when "speaking" is there and when it isn't.
thank you for your kind answering in advance.


texts: The order of words in a clause: "tell me who is the real man" vs. "tell me who the real man is"

texts:
"Tell me who she is."

  "Tell me who your boyfriend is."

We usually reverse the order, so it becomes like that.

But I wonder whether "tell me who is the real man" also works because "tell me who the real man is" sounds like we have already known the real man and I am just asking about his name.

If my friend and I are going to arm-wrestle, and I say:

  "Let's see who is the real man."

Is that correct?


texts: How many times has Tom 'been married'? vs How many times has Tom 'gotten married'?

texts:
Is is correct to say

  How many times has Tom been married?

or we have to say

  How many times has Tom gotten married?


texts: What types of adverbs could be put between a phrasal verb?

texts:
From an ELL post

... (put adverb between the phrasal verb) is quite grammatical and such constructions are often used by native and fluent speakers.

I strongly agree with this, as I've seen quite a lot of examples of it.
From the Cambridge Dictionary

sort sth/sb out: to deal successfully with a problem, a situation, or a person who is having difficulties

"Deal successfully with" is a good example of that grammar point. The question is what types of adverbs could be put between a phrasal verb?
According to English Grammar Today on Cambridge Dictionary, there are a few of different types of adverbs, like

Time, place and manner adverbs
Degree adverbs and focusing adverbs
Evaluative adverbs
...

Which of those types could be put between a phrasal verb?


texts: Can you explain my this doubt in the article "Will O’ The Wisp"?

texts:
Source

  Even the office – because see, hovering over your colleague’s head is a Pikachu or Charmander or Sandshrew or Jigglypuff.

Is the bold part grammatical and informal?


texts:
As non native I struggle with in, on and at. I usually ask Google for help in cases like this, but here Google reports similar number of results for both options, so I'm not sure what is the best and why.

see ON the images vs see IN the images


texts: Does a phrase "to support needs" sound natural?

texts:
Please, help me to put a proper word collocation into a sentence.

I need to describe in an office announcement that a new printer is set for satisfy any employee (printing) need.

I found the phrase "to support needs", but I am not sure about it.

The context is here:

  Dear Colleagues,

  We would like to inform you that the new printer is now available on the 9th floor of the 3rd tower. It was set to simplify the access to the printer and support needs of the growing number of employees of the recently opened floors of the third tower.

Any help would be appreciated!


texts: A GRE reading (verbal reasoning) question

texts:
Reading material(Source):

  Because the subject matter was so personal, the work of several prominent mid-twentieth century poets has been termed "confessional” poetry. But confession is a bad metaphor for what those poets did. The motive for confession is penitential or therapeutic—by speaking openly about personal guilt and suffering, the poet hopes to make them easier to bear. But these poets always approached their writing as artists, and their motive was aesthetic. Writing from experiences like madness, despair, and lust, their aim was to make effective art, not to cure themselves. To treat their poems mainly as documents of personal experience is not just to diminish the poets' achievement, but to ignore their unanimous disdain for the idea of confessional poetry.

  Consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.

  The passage implies that the poets discussed did NOT

  A. think that a poet’s motivation for writing was relevant in evaluating that poet’s work

  B. experience any relief of their personal suffering as a result of writing

  C. apply to their own work the label by which it has subsequently been know

I believe that C is correct, since the poets didn't apply to their own work the label "confessional poetry" by which it has subsequently been known. (Is my reasoning sound?)

I think both A,B don't look correct, since they can't be indicated from this passage. But it seems to me that "Writing from experiences like madness...not to cure themselves" may imply B.

I would like to know how native speakers of English approach this problem. Thanks！


texts: When articles are placed after adjectives?

texts:
I couldn't afford that big a car.
It was so warm a day that I could hardly work.

The sentences stated above have been taken from Practical English Usage by Michael Swan. If I write-

I couldn't afford that big car.
It was so warm day that I could hardly work.

These make sense. But placement of article a makes these sentences awkward to me. Please say why and when articles are placed after adjectives. And what are the differences among 1, 2 and 3, 4.


texts: To the last degree-what is the meaning of this phrase?

texts: This is the sentence from Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe": '... raisins, which were healthful and refreshing to the last degree. I guess what it could mean, but can anyone tell me the meaning of this sentence literally? thank you very much


texts: "The boys watched the fire grow bigger and bigger."

texts:
The boys watched the fire grow bigger and bigger.

Why is 'watched' in past tense but grow in present tense?


texts: What are the differences between "know", "know about", and "know of"?

texts: I am confused about the differences between know, know about, and know of. Why do they use different prepositions?


texts: Problems with "It might have been better to...perfect vs present tense"

texts:
Which one of these sentences is correct? And if both are, is there a difference in meaning?

  It might have been better to use my sister's clothes.

  It might have been better to have used my sister's clothes.


texts: Verb Tense Consistency: How do I distinguish these two sentences?

texts:
Sentence 1：Simon said that he would come over next month.
Sentence 2：Simon said that he will come over next month.
Is these two sentences both correct?
If yes,  How do I distinguish these two sentences?


texts: "He had to have arrived by 3 o'clock yesterday."

texts:
He had to have arrived by 3 o'clock yesterday.

Is it grammatically correct? What does it mean?


texts: I am looking for some better words to describe someone who likes to speak to themselves

texts:
I was watching the episode 272 of Doraemon on Youtube. Nobita wanted to go outside, but the temperature was freezing outside, then Nobita spoke to himself,

  Burr...it's way too cold out

I am looking for some words which can describe Nobita in this situation, that is, Nobita likes to speak to himeself when sometimes his luck is unfavorable.


texts:
I am confused with the use of the following phrases. Which usage is correct?

  won in the semi-final/
  won the semi-final