texts: past simple and present perfect, an example of using

texts:
Where I want to start telling is the day I left Pencey Prep. Pencey
  Prep is this school that's in Agerstown, Pennsylvania. You probably
  heard of it. You've probably seen the ads, anyway. They advertise in
  about a thousand magazines, always showing some hotshot guy on a horse
  jumping over a fence.  (THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger)

My question is why the author uses two different times, past simple for "hear" and present perfect for "see".

Why not past simple for both or present perfect for both?

Why "You've probably seen the ads, anyway." rather than "You probably saw the ads, anyway."?

Is it because of the word "anyway", because the author want to emphasize that the probability to see the ads is greater than just to hear about the school.

Or is it because of the words "the ads", and the ways how you could learn about the school?

So "have seen the ads" implies that you can see the ads still today throughout the Pennsylvania. But these ads are the type of billboards, they don't broadcasted by the radio or TV. If they were, the both sentences would have been in the present perfect (because you've probably heard of it [e.g. in commercials by the radio, which are translated everyday])

And "You probably heard of it" means that you probably heard of it accidentally once before e.g. from other people.

Could you say if my guesses are correct?
Thank you.


texts: Returns Something To Its Central Place In Soviet History

texts:
A book review for the book "The Soviet Tragedy" by Martin Malia reads:

  The Soviet Tragedy is an essential coda to the literature of Soviet studies...Insofar as [he] returns the power of ideology to its central place in Soviet history, Malia has made an enormous contribution. He has written the history of a utopian illusion and the tragic consequences it had for the people of the Soviet Union and the world.

I understand (sort of!?) the phrase "a central place in Soviet history".  But I don't quite get how the author Malia proactively "returns the power of ideology to its central place in Soviet history," since Malia is not a participant of that Soviet history, but a mere author.  If someone, lets say John Doe, did something awesome in the past in America, then the sentence:

  John Doe has a central place in American history.

makes sense to me.


texts: Is "divide into" in this sentence equivalent to "be divided by"?

texts:
When the beats divide into twos, the music is said to be in simple time;

Source: The AB Guide to Music Theory, page 19, in the last paragraph

But I don't understand why is the 3/4 time signature also in simple time, since 3 can not be divided by two.

In this answer it says that:

  idiomatic alternative...
  divide 2 into 4, giving the answer 2

And in this definition:

  (of a number) be contained in a number without a remainder.
  "3 divides into 15"

Then I guess that "divide 2 into 4 without a remainder" amounts to "2 divides into 4", and hence "the beats divide into twos" means "twos can be divided by the beats with no remainder". But does that statement make sense?


texts: "Unfortunately, the great old train didn't survive until the end of the century it was named for."

texts:
"Unfortunately, the great old train didn't survive until the end of the century."

can I rephrase it as "the old train didn't get through the end of the century?


texts: What does "That means there is no sort of exchange to be made with the country's debtors" mean here?

texts:
Does it mean Venezuela has nothing to pay the creditors/bondholders?

  Observers need to comprehend the level to which the economy has imploded: "There is no economic plan," he explains. Oil production is declining sharply, and there is currently no value – with close to zero imports halting most production in the country – being created in the economy. That means there is no sort of exchange to be made with the country's debtors: "there is no future for bondholders [under the Maduro regime]," he says."

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/11/14/no-future-bond-holders-venezuela-staggers-default/


texts: what is the meaning of "be stuck with someone something"?

texts:
what is the meaning of be stuck with someone something in this sentence?
He has stuck with me philosophy and all.


texts:
"She faked her death to avoid the penalty, only for her desperation to be frustrated as law enforment comes to her door"

I paraphrase the original sentence. I hope the change wouldn't make to
much difference semantically.

The part that confuses me is
 "only for her desperation to be frustrated when law enforment comes to her door".

Does this sentence mean,

  she feigned her death to avoid the legal penalty, but instread her plan got failed as police showed up at her door.

If it is right, where can I find more examples like this sentence?
If it isn't, what does it mean?

THank you!


texts:
My sentence is:

  My goals focus mainly on developING my designING skills, in particular jewellery and clothes design, as well as gainING experience and masterING the art of drawING and fashion designING ability. In addition, it would be beneficial for me to improve my English fluency.

It seems very odd to me to use one 'ing' form after another 'ing' form, but I cannot imagine another construction for this sentence. Even if commas are used, I can't remove the 'INGs'. Could someone help me with making it sound more correct?


texts: I want to say to someone that his blog's posts contents quality is increasing day by day

texts:
Which one is correct grammatically?

  The content of your posts are enriching day by day.
  The contents of your posts are enriching day by day.
  The content of your posts is enriching day by day.

Should I use a plural verb or singular verb?


texts: Is there a verb that means "make lukewarm"? I am trying to use it to say that the relations between two people instead of warming up as become lukewarm, but I don't know any verb that means "make lukewarm" or "become lukewarm".


texts: What's wrong with Houston's "proposal" to the Apollo astronauts?

texts:
The transcripts from the Apollo 12 mission contain this two-minute conversation between CAPCOM Gerald Carr on the ground in Houston and command module pilot Dick Gordon in the spacecraft.

  Carr: We've been kind of thinking here a little bit, and we'd like for you to consider a proposal here. It's the idea of getting into the [lunar module] tonight before bedtime and going through the housekeeping portion of your checklist. [...]

  [They discuss the plan.]

  Gordon: Okay. It sounds good. We really don't have any place to go tonight, so we don't mind working late.

  Carr: Okay. It looks like about 11 hours, and we'll work up a good solid plan for you and come up with it later.

  Gordon: Okay and if that was a proposal, you'd better watch the use of that language. We won't accept those sort of things.

  Carr: Roger. Should I have said this was a proposition for you?

  Gordon: No, you said proposal, sir.

Why does Gordon object to the term "proposal"? "Proposal" often means a marriage proposal: is Gordon making a joke about that? Or is his complaint serious: maybe the term implies some sort of disrespect to the chain of command?

The conversation is light-hearted; this line comes right after a joke about "not having any place to go tonight" while in orbit. So I'm guessing it's a joke, but pretending to understand "a proposal" as implying Carr is proposing marriage to the entire crew seems too stretched for a weak pun.

Carr asks if he should have said "proposition" instead. Is that a serious question, or in jest? "Proposition" often means a sexual proposition: is he implying that both terms are unfortunate?

I'm also confused why Carr asks what he should have said and Gordon answers about what he did say. Is that relevant to the meaning of the exchange?


texts: Is there any similar idiom/proverb to Japanese proverb -Gesu no kanguri

texts:
There is a saying 下衆の勘繰り(Gesu no kanguri) in Japanese.

"Gesu" means a person who is mean, lowly, or base in his/her heart.
"Kanguri" means interpreting falsely someone's intention as bad.

A translation of this saying can be:
A mean person often interprets an innocent person's intention as bad."

Is there a similar saying in English?
If not, what would you say to such a person?


texts: verbs of creation and a resultative adjectival

texts:
I'm wondering whether verbs of creation, such as build, construct, and produce, can be followed by an object and then an adjectival denoting the result, with the pattern of "shoot him dead."
Are the following sentences correct?

John built my garage rather small/smaller than I had expected.

Victor Frankenstein constructed his monster gigantic.

If the above are incorrect, what about the following?

John built the garage in my designated size.

Victor Frankenstein constructed his monster in a gigantic size.


texts: How to 'form' a term for the citizens of a city?

texts:
If it's New York, then it's New Yorker  If it's London, then it's Londoner, and so on...

In India, it's Mumbaikar for Mumbai but Delhiite for Delhi. In short, difficult to guess! Some times such terms take 'ker,' some times, 'ner..' and so on.

But how do I form such words if I have no time to search on the Internet? Say, while explaining about the habit of people from a particular city.

Is there any rule? Or at least a trick?

What about Amsterdam? Sydney? Tokyo? Shanghai? The list is endless!


texts: To learn English, How do i make a plan for my English?

texts:
To learn English, How do I make a plan for my English?
In deed, the moment that I use English is just when i do StackExchange and study my major. I want to study English in habit. For that, What should I have to start from the beginning?


texts: Which one sounds better? "of mine" or "my"

texts:
My friend (or "a friend of mine"?) told me that anytime I need to express such expression, it's always better to say "of mine", because it sounds more naturally.

Like "two brothers of mine" rather than "my two brothers".

Is that true?


texts: What's the meaning of 'flirt with' in this news title?

texts:
The following sentence is the title of this news:

Yu flirts with no-no as Cubs continue tear

I looked for the Cambridge dictionary for 'flirt with' and I got this:

to consider an idea or action briefly without being serious about it:

The no-no might mean no-hitter in baseball pitching. It means the pitcher, Yu was not getting hit. But the above meaning from the dictionary doesn't make much sense as Yu was serious with his pitching. He was not doing pitching casually but seriously.


texts:
My colleague, JJ was promoted as the shop's temporary supervisor when the boss was touring a foreign country.
He was given a bunch of keys of the shop's iron gate, doors, and most importantly, the safety deposit box (which kept the shop's cash transaction).
For the bunch of keys that I have mentioned in my question, I am wondering if there is a professional or specific name for it?
Is this bunch of keys called functional key or important key or something?
Thank you


texts:
At work, I have an office with private kitchen.
(the kitchen is a room for itself and the only entrance is from the office)
Questions:
What is such a kitchen called? Would you say "an office with private kitchen"? Or maybe "an office with personal kitchen"?


texts: English word for 'make someone feel in debt to you'

texts:
I'm looking for a word (at best a verb because the expression in my native language a verb) used to show disapproval to describe when you do or want to do a favor for someone and you want to make that person feel that s/he is indebted to you.

For example my friend asks me for some money and I start talking about my own financial problems or the fact that this is me who's always helping him out then my friend confronts me with this and says,

  I understand that this is a great favor but please stop [word]ing

Or I ask my colleague to help me and he acts like he wants you to know that he really doesn't have to do it and wants you to know he's doing you a favor. Later you tell your friend about your collegue and say,

  Today I asked my colleague to help me and he did but with some [word]ing.


texts:
In this sentence, what is the meaning of further up the train?

  I did not see the lady again until the following day, when both she and I got on the next train from Dresden to Ruritania. She was further up the train, however, and did not see me.


texts:
There was a question in my exam yesterday which had unnecessarily odd wording, it goes like this:

Unless you make sure that the flowers ________ soon, they will go dead.

Passive-voice is used needlessly I believe. However, among the answers, 2 seemed to be both correct.

be watered
are watered

I would almost always go with: ... That the flowers ARE watered. However, is "be watered" possible too?

I think they both are correct but mean slightly different things.

Unless you make sure that the flowers are watered soon, they will go dead. : The emphasis is on "making sure", to be certain that they indeed are watered.

Unless you make sure that the flowers be watered soon, they will go dead. : The emphasis is on WATERING the flowers, which is a command.

Is this... right? Or am I just making it too complicated?


texts:
He has a dance performance this Sunday and I asked him:

"What's the name of the song you are going to dance to?"

He replied:

  "I am going to dance Baby Shark."

  "I am going to dance to Baby Shark."

In the question we use "dance to", so in the answer, should we also use "dance to"?


texts: What are the differences between "three years old", "three-year-old" & "3-yr-old"?

texts:
I'm not sure which of the following statements is most appropriate in case of a seedling:

Three year old seedling

Three-year-old seedling

3-yr-old seedling

The third one seems to be a nice abbreviation, but I'm not sure if it's a good fit for a plant's description which is going to be used within an article.

Could you please explain what are the differences between them? I'd like to use the third one, is it appropriate for an article about plants (which should sound official)?


texts: Meaning of "boiling water" in cooking instructions

texts:
When the phrase "boiling water" is used in cooking instructions, does it mean "water that is fit for the purpose of boiling" (similar to the use of "cooking oil") or "water that is already boiling"? Sometimes I encounter an instruction like "Place 200 ml of boiling water in a microwavable container", followed by instructions to e.g. cook the food by placing it in the microwave. So this is what makes me doubt: if I have to cook (and therefore boil) the water later in any case, maybe the "boiling water" mentioned in the first instruction has the first of these meanings?

(Edit)
The specific example I've encountered this time is a packet of instant noodles.
There are cooking instructions for both cooking on the hob and in the microwave, both mentioning the phrase "boiling water". Here they are (emphases mine):

HOB 2-3mins. Place 200ml of boiling water in a saucepan, add the contents of the seasoning sachet. Break the noodle block into 3 or 4 pieces and place into the seasoned boiling water. Bring back to the boil then simmer over a moderate heat for 3 minutes stirring frequently. Serve immediately.
MICROWAVE 800W 4 mins/900W 3½ mins. Place 200ml of boiling water into a microwaveable container. Add the contents of the seasoning sachet. Break the noodle block into 3 or 4 pieces, add to the seasoned boiled water and cover. Cook on full power for 1 minute and 30 seconds (800 W)/1 minute 15 seconds (900 w), stir then cook on full power for another 1 minute after cooking. Serve immediately.

After re-reading, it seems clearer to me that the meaning is the second one, as the instructions say e.g. "bring back to the boil", implying that the water was already boiling.


texts: what's the meaning of early in this sentence?

texts:
Look at this sentence from a Toefl reading exam:

Other researchers go even further, suggesting that the data provide evidence for large open expanses of water on the early Martian surface.

Here the adjective "early" comes before a noun. Isn't "early" an adjective for showing time and stating that an event is happening near the beginning of a particular period?
What's the meaning of "early surface"?


texts: If you only know the name of someone, is it OK to call him Mr. John or Ms. Jane?

texts: If you have to send an email to someone acquaintance and you only know the first name, would you address him/her as Mr. John or Ms. Jane? The intention is to sound as formal as possible. So, no 'Hello John/Jane'


texts: What are the common phrases available to casually say I'm moving to a grocery?

texts: What are the common phrases available to casually say "I'm moving to a grocery"?


texts: How can I extend Scrabble to increase use of conversational English with non-native speakers?

texts:
I am an Australian living in Japan and I just started teaching two parents in their home (they have a three-year old whom I don't teach). In their first lesson, I taught them how to play Scrabble - they had never seen it before, they enjoyed playing it but it did cause long periods of silence as they considered what word to strategically play. I don't want them to think "I enjoy playing this scrabble game with the teacher but I don't think it has any conversational English practice."

How could I encourage more conversational English (and written)? I thought that they could make words with their tiles and create a sentence using each word to prove that they understand or make a possible word and guess how to pronounce it and I will tell them if it exists.


texts: Missing Part of Speech? Gender Neutral third person pronoun

texts: Is there a gender neutral third person pronoun in English? Say I wanted to tell someone to "forward the email to him/her". Is there a word to replace "him/her" if the gender is unknown? Perhaps "them"?


texts: Is the bold sentence in the paragraph a double negative?

texts:
the following paragraph is from the book Mr. Popper's Penguins page 32:

  Mrs. Popper had gone marketing for canned shrimps for the penguin, so
  that Mr. Popper was alone in the kitchen to explain to the service man
  what he wanted done to the refrigerator.

  The service man put his tool bag down on the kitchen floor, looked
  at the refrigerator, and then at Mr. Popper, who, to tell the truth,
  had not shaved yet and was not very tidy.

  “Mister,” he said, “you don’t need no ventilating holes in that
  there door.”

  “It’s my icebox, and I want some holes bored in the door,” said Mr.
  Popper.

  They argued about it for quite a while. Mr. Popper knew that to get
  the service man to do what he wanted, all he had to do was to explain
  that he was going to keep a live penguin in the icebox, and that he
  wanted his pet to have plenty of fresh air, even though the door was
  closed all night. He felt a little stubborn about explaining, however.
  He didn’t want to discuss Captain Cook with this unsympathetic service
  man, who was already staring at Mr. Popper as if he thought Mr. Popper
  was not quite right in his head.

What is the meaning of the bold sentence 'you don't need no ventilating holes in that there door.'?

According to my research on google, this sentence is a double negative, and it means you need ventilation holes in that there door. But according to the response of Mr. Popper, I think the service man is actually questioning Mr. Popper about his decision. So the sentence should be in a rising tone. Is that right?

Also, what is the meaning of 'that there'? Does it mean 'in that door there'？


texts: Why is Robin Hood pronounced the way it is?

texts: As if it were one word (like "sisterhood"), with only one primary emphasis (ROB-in-hood)? As opposed to, say, "Henry Clay," with two primary stresses (HEN-ry CLAY)?


texts:
Which is grammatically correct? as fluent as or as fluently as?

  Lisa can't speak English as (fluency - fluently - fluent) as her sister.


texts: Is there a difference between "load" and "upload"?

texts:
What is the difference between these phrases?

  To load a file.

  To upload a file.

Specifically, I created a browser button labled 'browse...', which I use to transfer a file to a server from my browser. Which phrase would best describe this action?


texts: "Keep justifying" Or "Keep trying to justify"

texts:
Let's suppose that someone who has committed a wrong doing is trying to justify their action and consequently themselves. You notice that although they are well aware that that they have done has not be justifiable, they are trying to justify that by putting forward so much illogical reasoning.
Which sentence is correct to be asked from him/her in this sense?

  1- Why do you keep justifying yourself?
  2- Why do you keep trying to justify yourself?

I have an intuition that #2 is the correct choice, but I cannot explain why. I wonder if you help me with it.


texts: Does "Do you have some Chinese in you?" refer to parents or to interests?

texts:
"Do you have some Chinese in you?"

This means, do you have some Chinese blood in your body because your parents or grandparents are Chinese?

or

do you have any interest in Chinese culture or spirits?

Which meaning is true?


texts:
Kafka, discovered in the 1920s by the Expressionists, damned by the Nazis in the 1930s and by the Marxists at more or less the same time, was reinvented after World War II by the French Existentialists. They saw in him the father of Angst and the Angst for the father: an Albert Camus before his time.

Can you tell me what the purpose of using the indefinite article before the proper name is in the sentence above. What it be a mistake to write just "Albert Camus" without the article?


texts:
What is the difference between if they had been and If they were:

  "If Adam and Eve had been Chinese we would still be in the paradise because they would have eaten the snake instead of the apple."

Is there any meaning difference if I say?

  "If Adam and Eve were Chinese would still be........................"

some more examples

  If I were you I would have Vs If I had been you I would have
  If you were I you would have Vs if you had been I you would have
  If He were we we would have Vs If he had been we we would have


texts:
In Japanese katakana expressions, food trucks are called kitchen car.
Is kitchen car used in English?


texts:
Are 'begin' and 'start' interchangeable?
Both "This is a new start" and "This is a new beginning" work, right?
Then during games, they say "Let's start", but I never heard "Let's begin". So is there supposed to be a difference?
And then one guy said this "They could not begin to start a conversation". What is this supposed to mean? Is it correct?


texts: Is there a difference in the meaning between "do an X on its own" and "do a single X"?

texts: I am marking some translation exercises from Arabic into English, and I am having problem with one of the sentences. Now the sentence literally means "Malaysia will find itself overwhelmed if it decides to run the investigation on its own"*1. One of the students said "Malaysia will find itself overwhelmed if it decides to run a single investigation"*2. For me, I think the student's sentence means one investigation which makes it wrong, but I need a second opinion, does it have the same meaning as the first sentence?


texts:
"for IELTS speaking part two" or "for the IELTS speaking part two" says

I've gone through Cambridge Dictionary grammar tutorial on "A/an and the". I guess I understand the rules in it.

Does "I've gone through" have the implication that the speaker understands those rules?
In other words, is it a little bit wording to say something like "I understand XXX", after "I've gone through XXX", especially in writing?


texts:
I want to understand the difference between these three sentences:

  Fred is the best minister we ever had

means that Fred is still minister but the comparison is with his predecessors and successors.

  Fred is the best minister we have ever had

means up to know but can change with his successors.

  Fred was the best minister we had

means Fred is not minister now but the comparaison includes his successors.

Am I right?


texts:
I am writing a story, in which a character thinks something which in retrospect he finds absurd and paranoid, and is frustrated for having thought it in the first place.  To reflect his attitude, I want to write (in the first person):

  "Paranoid moron!" I revile.

Is this a correct usage of the word 'revile'?


texts: Phrase which means to "code in" a programming language

texts:
What do you do with a programming language?

  I know C++, but it's been years since I last worked with it.

  I know C++, but it's been years since I last worked on it.

Of course, we could always use the seemingly more obvious (and safer) alternative:

  It's been years since I last coded in C++.

but that's not what I want.

Is there any word/phrase which means to "code in" a programming language?


texts: Is there any difference between the noun "move" and "movement" in the sense of moving in a physical sense?

texts:
Is there any difference between the noun move and movement in the sense of moving in a physical sense? For example:

  Today we are going to learn the vocabulary to do with body movements/moves.


texts: "The sale goes on through the 16th" Why is this correct?

texts:
Q: "The sale goes on [...] the 16th."
a. through (correct)
b. toward
c. into
d. for

I really don't understand why through is the answer.
Context note: This is a practice question from TOEIC.


texts:
Can anyone explain me the difference between "walks," "walked," and "will walk"?

Example:

  Martha loves exercising so she walks/walked/will walk everywhere she goes.


texts: difference of "to switch over" and "to switch"

texts:
I have two texts which contain word "switch", but in one of them there is "switch over" and in other there is just "switch". As I can see from texts they have the same meaning. Can you explain to me why it wasn't
enough to say just "switch" but "switch over".
Text 1:

"I just hope you're right about the gauge," Chad said. "It says we have no fuel left, let alone fifteen minutes' worth. We couldn't even get back to Bime if we run out now, could me?"
"Well, no," his dad admitted, "but that won't happen. There's small reserve fuel tank. I just have to switch over to it."

Text 2:

And then the engines began to cough and sputter. Within seconds both engines had died, and Chad's dad was maneuvering the controls as if playing a huge musical instrument. Chad watched as Dad quickly switched to the reserve fuel tank and frantically tried to restart the engine.


texts: What is a term for someone who is too lazy to pull up his own socks, but always gives orders to others to do the (household) tasks?

texts: This person also claims: "there needs to be someone supervising everything and everyone to make sure everything is cleaned well and that everyone works well together (hint, hint, the person who gives the orders obviously thinks he's privileged to take this role.)


texts: Is the plural form of the word "Sushi" really "Sushis"?

texts:
I guess people know where I am from.

Why this question came to mind is this story made a top breaking news debut at Yahoo America (when I saw it).

Then a question came to my mind, what is the plural form of Sushi? They are eaten by a piece by a piece, so there should be the plural form. And I checked the Merriam (Unabridged(mine paid))

It says,

  plural -s

Apparently, when you read the article, the writer is using the word "Sushi" to mean the plural and I have never heard of any English speaker Sushis for plural use for over 30 years.

Am I correct that virtually English native speakers are not distinguishing between Sushi and Sushis like the plural form of fish (which is fish.)(which I previously asked before). Thank you for filling my interest in this question.


texts:
What is the difference between:

  "How it works?"

and

  "How does it work?"


texts: One-horse town in more-or-less formal discussion

texts:
Imagine the situation when we're trying to talk about yourself to someone in more-or-less formal style. I mean, that's not very formal, but nevertheless we can't use AAVE or something similar. For instance, when a tutor asks one of their students to talk about themselves. Could they say:

  I'm Mike and I currently live in one-horse town near New-York.

I'm not sure about if the one-horse town is acceptable? When we can use that phrase?


texts: Isn’t ‘I have a pain in the back’ semantically wrong?

texts: I think ‘my back has a pain’ is correct because my back feels a pain, and a pain is a feeling, so it cannot be expressed with locational words such as ‘at’ or ‘in.’


texts: How to say 'give your seat/place to somebody' on transport?

texts:
How would you call that if I'm on public transport, sitting comfortably on a chair, and then a senior or a lady in red walks in and so I want to stand up and give my place to that person ?

like, I ... my place/chair (to) that person.
I'm not sure, but there should be something like that.

Thanks for your help, guys :)


texts: is this grammatically correct as it is using past as well as present tense in the same sentence

texts:
And when I fell hard
  you took a step back
  Without me, without me, without me

  And he's long gone
  when he's next to me
  And I realize the blame is on me
  ~Taylor Swift


texts:
The grammar book presents examples:

  the realm of science

  the realms of science-fiction

Would you explain why -s is added above, please?


texts:
I want to ask a question about the function of the word "compliance".

I was writing a text regarding politics and wanted to mention whether if the United Kingdom left the EU whether some of the rules would still be followed after its departure.

I worded the phrase as follows:

  It is still an issue additionally as to whether the compliance will be mandatory when the UK finalises its departure from the EU.

The entire text is as follows

  The membership of the United Kingdom to the EU allows entitlement to the free market and compliance to EU law. It is still an issue additionally as to whether the compliance will be mandatory when the UK finalises its departure from the EU.

From what I recall, compliance is defined as "to agree to a rule" but in my sentence, I stated that compliance will be mandatory, yet I was unsure whether it is possible for a compliance to be mandatory in itself.

Is the phrasing of my sentence valid?


texts:
Here it goes:

  Unless you are 60, you have only ever known a world of nation states.

I cannot see why the speaker used the word there. Did he use it for emphasis. If I am wrong, could you please rephrase the sentence for me?


texts:
This is the description of a wine corks jigsaw puzzle on Amazon:

  Pop the cork on your favorite wine as you sit down to work on this challenging 1000-piece puzzle. The corks end to end with their varying sizes, shapes, and colors will test your puzzling skills! Be careful not to spill your glass if you get frustrated with this one!.

What does end to end with mean?


texts: Particle "with" in the sentence "Is there something I can help you with?"

texts:
Why can't I say like "Is there something I can help?"
And what does the particle "with" mean in that case? It is usually at the end of the sentence, is it a transitive verb?


texts:
If I want to buy a phone with 64 GB, how should I say it?

Should I say

  "A phone with 64 gigabyte."

or

  "A phone with 64 GB (simply pronounce the letter 'G' and 'B')."

which one is more native?


texts:
Is it possible to use 'can' instead of 'could' in this sentence?

It encouraged me to bring my old coats for the homeless so that they could stay warm.


texts: What is the mood and tense of the sentence?

texts:
Source

A slice of spumoni wouldn’t have melted on her now．

As there is a "would", it must be a subjunctive sentence. The "have melted" indicates it is past tense. But why it ends with now?

Is it should be "A slice of spumoni wouldn’t melt on her now."


texts: Can 'chartbuster' be used for anything other than music?

texts:
There is a chart for anything. The chart that lists top 5, 10 or 20 anything. Busting is probably used to show the impact of that something on the chart. The thing which is on the TOP of the list is certainly chartbuster.

In that sense, anything that tops the list can be called chartbuster. [I'm aware of the word bestseller which is used for the books].

But dictionaries say that its use is restricted to the list of soundtracks. Thinking in literary sense, chartbuster could be anything that tops the list.

Can we use chartbuster for anything other than music/soundtracks? Say games?

  We have developed some chartbuster games on Google Play and iTunes.


texts:
What is the difference between started to do and started doing?

For example

  I started to run a few months ago.
  I started running a few months ago.

Does the second sentence mean that I run every day/ 3 times a week and I never stopped doing that?

Does the first sentence imply that I  do not run every day or certain times a week and I must have stopped/ stopped for a period during this period of time (a few months)?

I can see there are explanations for "start to do" and "start doing" but my question involves tense.


texts: What does "broken windows" mean when talking about the quality of site in stack exchange?

texts:
A meta post(https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/257614/714660) says

  Past experience had led us to believe that “small” and “unhealthy” would mean the same thing: we took it as a given that quiet sites would develop spam and obvious broken windows, while high quality sites would always grow big and graduate. But you proved us wrong! Five years later, we have lots of tiny sites which have been in public beta for months or years, each consistently producing excellent Q&A which helps people with real problems. Small, consistently active sites are great!

I googled "broken windows" and the first result is "The broken windows theory", which is obviously not the same meaning in that meta post.

I guess it is some kind of metaphor.

So, what does "broken windows" mean when talking about the quality of a site in stack exchange?


texts: What is the difference between "at school" and "at the school"?

texts: What is the difference in meaning between at school and at the school?


texts:
They can't even play, ____ writing their own songs.

a. less likely

b. not to mention

c. let alone

d. needless to say

I am familiar with these expressions but not to the extent to tell the differences.I don't know what the sentence implies differently if I chose one to another.When I scanned some grammar resources again I found that let alone is mostly used in negative sense and it seems like when let alone is used whole sentence focus to the same person and related process.This is my humble interpretation.

For example (Longman)

  The baby can't even sit up yet, let alone walk.

But lets say we visited a city for the first time and the city didn't live up to our expectations , would it be more accurate to say :

  The food is terrible , not to mention its the crowded streets.

Because we mention two different aspects of the city or our experience.

So I'd like to ask what the sentence imply for each option if it makes sense to use all.


texts: What exactly is meant by, "Postdocs are free agents, they are not livestock"?

texts:
In some answer to a question, regarding the stressful life the asker is having in his research environment, somebody wrote in the line of, "Postdocs are free agents, they are not livestock".

As I understand so far, perhaps he wanted to mean that postdocs have the liberty of moving from one research facility to another if the circumstances are not in his favor. Postdocs are not simply  "domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber, and labor".

Is my understanding correct? Perhaps you would like to supplement a bit more to make the idea clearer.


texts:
Is the “are” in this sentence ungrammatical?

  How do you feel about some people are calling you "Toma-chan" in
  Japan?


texts:
Our Principal was walking around in the school, inspecting the kids and see what they were doing(such inspections are always sudden). So our teacher said:

  Sit up straight,  Ms.X is on a round.

Is the use of "on a round" natural?


texts: usage of articles: definite article or zero article?

texts:
The Chinese invented the paper
The Chinese invented paper

I can't decide which article we get before paper — zero article or the.
Are we talking about paper in general (so zero article is used before it) or is the definite article the used?


texts: Meaning of "break with one's bread" in "Revenge now I sought, to break with my bread"

texts:
This is coming from the lyrics of "Am I Evil".
I'm puzzled about the meaning of "break with my bread" in this context.
Does it mean "to break my bread with revenge" in a figurative sense?


texts:
1- Are there any ways however in which new technology can help
  support our traditions and help keep them alive ? (Source)

  2- This does not mean however that all tasks in the child
  rearing process should be shared equally. (Source)

Can I change the position of "however" in the sentences above?

  1b- Are there, however, any ways in which new technology can
  help support our traditions and help keep them alive ?

  2b- This does not, however, mean that all tasks in the child
  rearing process should be shared equally.


texts: Question on meaning of **integrity** in this text on CBSA officers in Canada

texts:
...They help to ensure your smooth arrival, protect the integrity of Canada's custom, immigration and agricultural laws. The most important item to have with you is your passport, along with the customs Declaration Card that you have filled out on a plane.

What the diffrence is between saying agricultural laws and agricultural rules ?
What does integrity here mean? integrity of Canada's custom
And the most difficulty I have here, are the both words custom mean the same ? St first I thought the first refers to tradition and the second refers to goods coming into a country. But know I think both of them is refering to goods.


texts: Is "native" always considered offensive, when referring to a person who lived in a place originally?

texts:
When I read the definition of native in the OALD, I see the following:

  (old-fashioned, offensive) a word used in the past by Europeans to describe a person who lived in a place originally, before white people arrived there

I remember that, when speaking with a friend of mine (American) about the people Columbus called indiani, I was said I should refer to them as American natives.

Is native always considered offensive, or is American natives the exception to the rule?


texts:
Foreigners should adapt to the local customs when they come to reside in a new country.

I want to know the role of "to" in this case, how to apply them to the similar sentences, give me more examples.


texts: what are the resources and the way to learn fluent English in less amount of time? .i mean ways like watching movies or reading novels etc.  Thanks in advance.


texts: The grammar of 'Ready to take' versus 'Easy to take'

texts:
Why is this ungrammatical?:

  * The medicine is easy to be taken.

when we can say:

  The medicine is ready to be taken.

What is the difference between "ready" and "easy" that makes the one statement grammatical and the other ungrammatical?


texts: Why isn't there the definite article "the" in "periods of sheer rest"?

texts:
Apart from the care of children and periods of sheer rest, the active
  lives were spent in the cities.

Why isn't there the in periods of sheer rest in this context?


texts:
Please tell me, the below sentences are correct or not?

Work is to be done.
Work to be done.

As per my knowledge, there is nothing like ‘be+ to be+ past participle ‘
1st sentence can be written as, Work to be done is this or work to be done was this.

but i don’t know, please explain me .


texts:
(Sir Edward) Coke further noted that legal disputes about such matters as inheritance of goods:

are not to be decided by natural reason but by the artificial reason and judgment of law, which law is an art which requires long study and experience, before that a man can attain to the cognisance of it: that the law was the golden metwand and measure to try the causes of the subjects; and which protected his majesty in safety and peace. . . .

In other words, neither a king nor any judge can simply decide idiosyncratically what is ‘fair’.
He must instead apply the existing law.

I know that this was written in 1607, but what's the meaning of that? Is it optional? Why or why not?
This answers the question of: How would you determine the purpose of which? It doesn't sound like the modern relative pronoun; "which is an art which" sounds curious. This refers to Why does legal English sometimes repeat the antecedent noun after "which"?.
Source: P13, How the Law Works, Gary Slapper


texts: Prepositional phrases. Help to sort into the right order

texts:
I fill like something is wrong in the phrase bellow. Could someone explain how the phrase in bold should be formed?

We talked just as easily as we had in the past, when we would sit in the field behind Joan’s house atop the rabbit hutch and discuss our friends and our hopes for the future.

Thank you in advance for your help!


texts: The differences between bifurcated, divided, split and branched

texts: What are the differences between the verbs: bifurcated, divided, split and  branched?


texts: Which phrase is more natural to and a conversation, "that's it" or "that's about it"?

texts:
When ending a conversation or discussion what is the best phrase?
"That's it" or "that's about it"?
Do they both mean the same thing?


texts: Meaning of "A new terror born in death......I am legend."

texts:
the sentence is below:

  A new terror born in death, a new superstition entering the unassailable fortress of forever, I am legend.

  -- Richard Matheson, I Am Legend

I can't understand the meaning of sentence.
help me, please.


texts:
Since "either" takes a singular verb, can we use "has" when a sentence uses "either of"?

  I don't think either of you has/have seen that creature.

Should this be "either of you has seen that creature"? (To mean "either one of you")?


texts: What does the word "contrapuntal" mean here?

texts:
During the above swift flood of words, Brick has reclined with
contrapuntal leisure on the snowy surface of the bed and has rolled
over carefully on his side or belly.

This is a stage direction from Tennesee Williams's Cat on a hot tin roof.
I looked it up in the dictionary, it says "contrapuntal" is a music term and means having two or more tunes played together to form a whole.
I am still confused with the meaning of the word in the quoted sentence.
Thank you so much for replying below!


texts: Repeating a body-pronoun in a sentence is obligation, option, or prohibited?

texts:
"Yesterday we went to a supermarket and (we?) bought beef and chicken"?

The second body-pronoun in the same sentence is obligation, option (=up to you), or prohibited if we are talking about standard English?


texts: "maintains his army had to buy the mortars"

texts:
Source: Putin's 'Gunman' Demanding More Russian Support in Ukraine

  Further, the ministry insists that Strelkov's troops got all the weapons they needed from Russia, but Strelkov maintains his army had to buy the mortars, rocket launchers, and other weapons "for fabulously huge money"

I don't understand how the clause maintains his army fits in with Strelkov and had to buy. Wouldn't it be better to say Strelkov to maintain his army had to buy...? Clarify the grammar for me, please.


texts:
People there may have to go hungry.

In the sentence, I'd like to know whether "have" is a main verb or not. If it is a main verb, is the meaning of it "experience or feel"?


texts: What is the difference between these sentences? 1)Five and five make ten. 2)Five and five is ten

texts:
1)Five and five make ten.

2)Five and five is ten.

I am wondering why 'Five and five makes ten' is incorrect. Even though I know that 'Five and five make ten' is correct, I am unable to explain the reason to somebody in case I need to do so. Why 'five and five' in the second sentence is treated as singular while 'five and five' in the first is treated as plural?


texts: What is Verb "scale" meaning in Engineering?

texts:
The current (electricity) produced by a fuel cell scales with the size of the reaction area
where the reactants, the electrode, and the electrolyte meet. In other words, doubling a fuel
cell’s area approximately doubles the amount of current produced.

I think there's proper meaning in dictionary. What's this meaning here?


texts: What's wrong with saying "I am watching TV" instead of "I am watching television"?

texts:
I was told that I could only say or write "TV" when it is accompanied with a word like "show" or "program", but if I refer just to TV, I should say or write "television".

For example:

  I am watching a TV program.

  I am watching television. (NOT I am watching TV.)

Could someone please explain why simply using "TV" is wrong?


texts: SO and NOT with verbs other than THINK, SUPPOSE, HOPE, etc

texts:
I'm aware than we can use so after some verbs instead of repeating an object clause, especially in short answers. The verbs we do this with most are: appear, assume, believe, expect, guess, etc. A typical sentence of this type would be:

  -Are you having a party tomorrow?

  -I guess so

My question is as follows: Can we use so in a similar way in a combination with other kinds of verbs? For example, with: plan, consider, etc?
Like in the following example:

  -Are you having a presentation on Friday?

  -I`m planning so

OR

  -Are you moving to NY next year?

  -I'm considering so


texts: Usage of that regardless/ that nothwithstanding

texts:
Is it grammatically correct to use the phrase that regardless or that notwithstanding at the beginning of a sentence

That irregardless, the victim failed to adduced evidence
That notwithstanding, the victim failed to adduce evidence


texts:
I am brainstorming ideas for mathematics research.

  I am brainstorming ideas in mathematics.

I am wondering what's the difference between "in" and "for" when used in the phrasal verbs "brainstorm in" and "brainstorm X for". I feel that you can't say "brainstorming X for mathematics". I guess I understand when you can use "brainstorm X for", but I am not sure when you should ever use "brainstorm X in". I guess you use it when you want to be more general?


texts: I want to know the differences between two expressions

texts:
Look at the sentences below

She tricked him to think he forgot.
She tricked him into thinking he forgot.

Are the two expressions correct, or are there any grammatical errors? And, is there any differences in the sentences? What is the differences between two expressions(in meaning)?
Please, tell me. I'll wait to see.


texts: How to find the right adjective to a word?

texts:
When I am writing an article, from time to time, I am not sure which adjective to use when describing that something is significant (or insignificant).

My current problem is: significant advance in satellite communication. Is there any commonly used adjective for that? (large advance, vast advance, big advance,..)

Also there was a similar question: Large, huge or big
   communities?

In general, are there rules regarding this matter? Or the only thing what one can do is to get used to the right combination and search on web-pages like Google Ngram Viewer or Corpus of historical American English ?


texts:
He's spoken to others who have done time. VS He's spoken with others who have done time.

My question is: When to use spoken to and when to use spoken with?


texts:
What do you call someone who is focused too much on the technicalities of a law rather than the big picture? Some people are too much focused on the word by word definition of a law that they forget why these laws were put into place and use the definition to apply the law in a way it wasn't intended by the person who wrote the law. Is there a word for such person? You can use related words and maybe form a short phrase if there isn't any word for it.

For example:

  The ____ used a technicality in the law to bypass it entirely.


texts: The use of the definite article before the adjective "basic" and a noun in context

texts:
Tell me please if I need to use the in the following sentence.

  I don't speak English fluently, but I know (the) basic grammar pretty well.

I am in doubt whether to use the or not, because, for one thing, there are a lot of points in English grammar, and I didn't specify which ones. And for the other, It is connoted that I was talking about the basic grammar of English.

Beaing a non-native English speaker it is really hard to tell whether the article is needed or not, but I would use it there. Tell me please if my choice is right. And no matter if it is right or not, tell me the reasons of using, or not using it there please.


texts: Does standard English support gendered forms of nouns and verbs?

texts:
I've heard it said that there is no rule for gender of nouns/verbs, and they are neutral.
But others say that it is possible, such as vixen for fox.

How do I know which word to use in such cases?


texts:
Next, previous work shows, the scout recruits a new scout to join her on a trek to the good site. She dashes around tapping her antennae on other ants and releasing a pheromone from her sting gland, explains Stephen Pratt of Arizona State University in Tempe. Usually she finds a volunteer within a minute or so, and the two set off tandem running.

Please help me comprehend why two predicates, shows and recruits, were used in one sentence by the author in the bold sentence? I think a period should've been used here.


texts: Does 'precious little' take more than one function?

texts:
"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years." (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone)
There's precious little left. (thefreedictionary.com)
He had precious little right to complain (thefreedictionary.com)

It looks like the first and second ‘precious little’ seem to be noun phrases, while the third one is an adjective phrase. How do you parse them?


texts: Can I ask this question with the preposition 'under'?

texts:
Sentence:

  What do you mean under this number?

I want to find out what the person means using some number.

Example:

  Tom: 300.
  Sam: What do you mean under 300?

I'd like to know what this number means, what the number is about.

So, can I ask this question with the preposition 'under'?


texts: A word to describe a plain house which also implies admiration

texts:
Please help me to find a word to describe a plain/severe house which also implies admiration.

Can I say "a sincere home"?

Thanks in advance.


texts: What is the difference between on and about?

texts:
For example,

  We have a conversation on food.
  We have a conversation about food.


texts: Why Past Participles & Adjectives are in past form even though they are referring to present/Current situation?

texts:
It is confusing me mainly for verbs. I learned that when we add -ed at the end of the verb the verb become past tense.

Some verbs can also be used as adjectives. So it is confusing whether Verb is used as adjective or Past tense?

E.g.

a) I am bored.

Referring Presently I am bored

b) He is convicted for his crime.

Referring to present scenario of conviction.

c) Police have arrested him.

Referring to current situation that he is under arrest.

d) He is interested.

Referring to his current interest.


texts: Do you have / Have you had something to eat'?

texts:
Consider these two expressions

Do you have anything to eat?
Have you had anything to eat?

In the first expression I am definitely asking someone if he has something to eat. But in the second  expression whether had means to eat or to have something like the first expression?


texts: Meaning of “put someone’s heads on backwards”

texts:
I’ve run into the following sentences today and don’t understand their meanings. Could you explain?

I am almost too embarrassed to post this on here, but I put my heads
on backwards.
discombobulated meaning: When you're discombobulated, you've totally
fallen apart, like someone put your head on backwards.


texts:
For instance, in the sentence

  I have not too much money to pay for the dinner

Do the sentence have a similar meaning with

  I just have a little money to pay for the dinner

or

  I have little money to pay for the dinner
  ?

.


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

texts:
Suppose I am in a hostel's kitchen; a guy takes a plate from a cupboard and asks me to save it for him in case somebody needs the plate while he is out. And then another guy comes up to take a plate.

Is it natural to use the adjective taken in the context? For example:

  I am sorry, but the plate is taken.


texts: Could anyone help me to explain this sentence

texts:
I have read article about Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattison:

  I’m deeply sorry for the hurt and embarrassment I’ve caused to those close to me and everyone this has affected. This momentary indiscretion has jeopardized the most important thing in my life, the person I love and respect the most, Rob. I love him, I love him, I’m so sorry,” Stewart said in a statement Wednesday."

I wonder If the word, caused, has object which is hurt and embarrassment? And the word, those, refers to hurt and embarrassment in the front? And the word, close, is adjective?

Do I understand this sentence correctly that she causes the hurt and embarrassment close to her?

PS. I don't know how to highlight the word and If I mistake in any grammar, you can recommend to me.

Finally, thank you in advanced and I am sorry if I make you so confused with my question.


texts: Sentences containing "refused to close his bar because"

texts:
a. He refused to close his bar because of the pandemic.
b. He refused to close his bar because there was a pandemic.
Are the above sentences grammatically correct, and do they make sense?
The intended meaning is:

He had to close his bar because of the pandemic and he refused to do it.

and not

Because of the pandemic, he refused to close his bar.

I think both (a) and (b) are technically ambiguous, but within the given context, the absurd meaning would be immediately rejected.


texts: Which phrases to use to describe two groups?

texts:
I need help to describe two Groups in a precise way.
Group 1 has been a part of a treatment program for some (nonspecific)time, and Group 2 has just recently joined this treatment program.
Both of these two Groups have now been enrolled in a study.
Group 1 is so to say established in the treatment program. Group 2 has joined the program mainly to be able to take part in the study.
How can these two Groups be described precisely in short form, when the purpose is to define their Connection With the treatment program prior to the study participation.
Grateful for help!


texts: What does "In line with this theme of competition comes the expression..." mean in this paragraph?

texts:
I have a paragraph as follows:

Source

  All of us are very receptive to adopting beliefs when we are young, but the idea that “males have to earn females” is not something that is only hammered into kids as they grow up; this is an ongoing process, and most are unaware of it. Our culture is full of expressions that are based on these beliefs and used without any thought of their implications, such as, “that girl is out of your league,” “win her heart,” and “you do not deserve her”.
  To refer to a woman as being “out of your league” implies that she is unreachable and not even worth pursuing because she is too good for you. In line with this theme of competition comes the expression “win her heart.” This implies that a male must compete for females in some way.

What does the highlighted sentence mean in this paragraph? I rarely find that "In line with" is put at the first of the sentence. Does the writer use inversion in this highlighted sentence? What is "this theme of competition" here? And if I have to rewrite it, how can I do? (sorry because I ask too much and this topic can make some people uncomfortable)


texts: When can I factor (omit) "the" or a pronoun which repeats

texts:
I have this sentence

  The user can select or define distinguishing features of the anchor based on its attributes (e.g. id, class), [its ?] text or a pattern in the text.

I feel that I don't need to repeat "its" before "text", or use any article. Am I right at this sense?

What is the general rule?


texts:
According to the online dictionary www.collinsdictionary.com, to impugn means to attack by argument or criticism; oppose or challenge as false or questionable.

I am wondering if I can use this verb in my example below.

(ex) Yesterday, Tom and Mary proofread Jack's essay and gave him feedback. Disagreeing with her, Tom impugned her comments by making contradictory remarks. Their disagreement resulted in a heated argument.

Am I using the verb "to impugn" correctly?


texts: What's the meaning of "removes out of the state"?

texts:
What's the meaning of "removes out of the state" in the context of following passage?

Whatsoever ... [a man] ... removes out of the state that nature hath provided, and left it in, he hath mixed his labour with, and joined to it something that is his own, and thereby makes it his property.

This is a passage from John Locke's Second Treatise of Government.


texts:
Would you teach me by some more similar examples, please?

  If a homing pigeon is to navigate with its Sun compass, its clock must be properly set by cues provided by the daylight/darkness cycle.

Can I paraphrase it to the First Conditional as follows without distortion:

  If a homing pigeon navigates with its Sun compass, its clock will be properly set by cues provided by the daylight/darkness cycle.


texts:
I want to put an semicolon in his sentence, but I am not sure it is right.

  Hi, SCM deployed this; it is ready for testing.

Also, could a colon be used in place of the semi-colon?


texts: How to know, how my English sounds for native speakers?

texts:
The general feedback what I get: we understand eachother, but generally they aren't satisfied. But is only an impression from indirect effects.

Of course I can ask them, but unfortunately I see major obstacles to get a realistic answer:

They often don't really understand, what I ask.
They want to be polite, and thus they will distort the reality into a positive direction.
I've also experienced a contextual effect. Native speakers who are interested to cooperate with me (for example, we have common workplace goals), somehow find my English significantly better.

The result is that I simply don't have any option to know, how my English sounds for them.


texts: Should I use "is something" or "are something" for plural nouns?

texts:
Should I use is or are in this sentence?

  Vocabulary-based games is something that he enjoys the most.


texts:
Please, tell is this sentence is right.

  They receive requests from all the company employees regardless of
  locations.

I doubt whether it is right to use the noun after regardless in a plural form.

Also use it with the preposition of is proper?


texts:
GRE gap equivalence from my textbook:

If good taste has __________ the vampire genre tired and trite, the
entertainment industry surely is not listening: for every bloodsucker
baring fangs there is a hack baring some script.
found, deemed, expected, discovered, demeaned, anticipated

For my answer, I would choose (easily I would say?) found and deemed.
But my issue is elsewhere: can somebody decode that sentence for me? (I have made no mistake in the sentence, it's exactly with these commas, with these spellings on words that the sentence reads on my textbook...) Especially after the colon, I clearly have no understanding what's going on whatsoever, but even how the sentence as a whole fits together is weird for me...


texts:
1.His latest two books are excellent.
2.His two latest books are excellent.
Could you show me the difference between these in meaning?
Thanks


texts:
My question is: Which word is used incorrectly in the following sentence?

  The psychic was known for being able to tap into his latent power.

  A. Psychic
  B. Known
  C. Latent
  D. Into

At first we were thinking of the word "into" as it may be more appropriately written as "in to". However, most grammar sites are saying that "into" has to be in one word in these kind of contexts, for example:

Writing explained
Oxford dictionaries
Grammarly blog

The other words all seemed fine to us in this sentence so we are not sure if into is the problem and if so how to fix it?


texts: Is the word order in "I am going on a holiday to Italy with my friend this week" correct?

texts:
Is the word order in this sentence correct?

I am going on a holiday to Italy with my friend this week.


texts: Is the use of for in this statement correct: "I would like for you to get me that pen"?

texts: I have just had a debate with a  colleague related to the use of "for" in a sentence. I would therefore request correction/guidance here: Is the use of for in these statements correct: "I would like for you to get me that pen"; I would like for you to read me those words"?


texts:
I have been always having trouble with the order of nouns when I want to indicate that one describes the other.
For example, suppose I want to discuss a feature of a system named SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio). What is the difference between the two following sentences? Are both  correct?

The SNR feature significantly affects the performance.
The feature SNR significantly affects the performance.

I searched a lot, but I couldn't figure out the difference. What topic should I read to understand it?
As another example, suppose I want to indicate a method named XYZ.

The XYZ method is more effective.

The method XYZ is more effective.

Are both correct?


texts: What is the meaning of "You get a few potholes filled, keep the lid on the best way you can"?

texts:
Raymond welcomes Rozart with drink and say this words to Rozart:

  Come on over and pull up a glass. Know what Della Guardia is going to
  find out? You run for office because you think you can make people do
  things, make things better. But you can't. Nobody can. You get a few
  potholes filled, keep the lid on the best way you can. But in the end
  all you can do is try to hang on to the fucking job.


texts: "her dog doesn't even want" vs. "even her dog doesn't want"

texts:
I used an example in another post (It seems that using **even** sounds more idiomatic and natural in lots of situations, is it true?)

  1: Alice's cooking is so bad that
  even her dog doesn't want to eat it.

Actually, I am not pretty sure I put "even" in an appropriate place, think about this one

  2: Alice's cooking is so bad that
   her dog doesn't even want to eat it.

I guess there might be a tiny difference between 2 of them though I really don't know what it is.

So, do they means the same? Which one is more idiomatic and natural?


texts: Need some help with the usage of 'as' here

texts:
Did you ever stop to think that God is going to be as pleased to have you with Him in Heaven as you are to be there?

Is 'did' at the head of the sentence used as a polite usage of past tense? Like, is it the case that they didn't actually ask someone had done something in the past, rather just being polite?
I can't understand why they used 'as' between 'be' and 'pleased'. Is it something like "I'm as tall as my father"? If so, it would get even harder for me to interpret the meaning of it. Then, would it be like, "God is going to be pleased to have you the same degree as you'd be when you get there"?


texts: Should an adjective or adverb be used? "writing this haphazard"

texts:
I am reading EB White's letters and encountered the following sentence:

  I'm just writing this haphazard for no reason other than that I felt like awriting you a letter before going to bed.

I am wondering if he should have used haphazard or haphazardly in the above sentence. Why?


texts: Difference between "related to" and "associated with"

texts:
What is the difference between associated with and related to such as:

  This degree is (related in / associated with) an increase.


texts: Is "going on" a phrasal verb in "What's going on?"

texts: Is "going on" a phrasal verb in the question "What's going on?"


texts:
When I use the word better I've always used like

  it's better (for someone) to ~(Infinitive verb)

I recently found out

  better off ~(verb+ing)

is also commonly used in conversation and I can't tell the difference between those two even after reading the explanation about them saying better off is more like a better situation.

For example

  It's better to take a bus at night.
  It's better off taking a bus at night.

  It's better for the school to offer more courses.
  It's better off offering more courses.
  ( I'm even confused about where and how to put the school in this sentence..)


texts: How to understand: "question both Kavanaugh and Ford and other potential witnesses have submitted sworn statements"

texts:
Republicans say reopening the FBI investigation is unnecessary because committee members have had the opportunity to question both Kavanaugh and Ford and other potential witnesses have submitted sworn statements.

I think, grammatically, the bold part can be parsed into two ways:

[question] [both Kavanaugh and Ford and other potential witnesses have submitted sworn statements].
[question both Kavanaugh and Ford and other potential witnesses] (who)[have submitted sworn statements].

The second one seems to make more sense to me, although I think the word "who" shouldn't be omitted. If the first one is correct, then I'm not quite sure what it means.

Another thing is that I'm confused about the word usage of 'both'. There are three parties engaged: Kavanaugh, Ford and other potential witnesses, so 'both' might not be suitable as it usually works for two parties. Maybe, the author takes "Kavanaugh and Ford" as one party, and "other potential witnesses" as the other?

The full source.


texts: what does "at least as close as we have got to one so far" mean in this context?

texts:
The text :

"All of this data paints a picture of a Utopian society, or at least as close as we have got to one so far".

The first part before comma is understood for me, but what does the rest of sentence mean?

The writer then continues :

"....... have got to one so far. So why has this remote, thinly populated region, with its freezing winters and expanses of wilderness, proved so successful?"

First is this sentence correct !? :/

The word "has" goes to what? society ?

And the phrase " expanses of wilderness " .. I  don't understand it!


texts: What is the difference between 'his eye' and 'him in the eye'?

texts:
There are two sentences like these.

The girl stared at his eye.
The girl stared at him in the eye.

What is the difference between the two expressions in meaning?


texts:
Please read the following sentences:

My bike has had two punctures in the last three weeks.
I got a flat tyre.
My bike got a flat tyre.
My bike got punctured or The tyre of my bike got punctured (Which one is correct?)

In the first sentence, from Cambridge, 'puncture' is used as a noun. But can it be used as a verb, like in the third and the fourth sentences?

Could you help me understand when to use flat tyre and when to use puncture ??

Consider the situation -

If I am late to the office and I want to give this excuse of puncture, then how should I frame my sentence? And will that sentence be applicable to bicycles, bikes, cars, buses (public transport) or any other transport.

Is the word 'puncture' used in American English ??


texts: Should I use these phrases in the same meaning?

texts:
Should I use these phrases in the same meaning:

  the benefits of parents
  the benefits of being parents


texts: write a short speech on each one or ..... every one?

texts:
From a multiple choice question:

You should prepare a list of topics and write a short speech on ____ one.

The correct one is each. But I am wondering why every can't be working here?


texts:
An example:

  The question caught me off-guard. She was right: why I was so
  confident about my statement? I couldn't disprove the existence of
  this mystical stone. In fact, I couldn't disprove the existence of
  anything. For instance, whether there was a omnipotent God or not.
  However, I couldn't disprove the existence of flying unicorns or
  wish-granting fairies, either.

Is that grammatically correct? Or should I change it to:

  I couldn't disprove the existence of flying unicorns or
  wish-granting fairies either.


texts: Do "round shape" and "rounded shape" mean the same thing?

texts:
From the Cambridge Dictionary

rounded (adjective): round or curved
src

round (adjective): shaped like a ball or circle, or curved src

I've seen both "round shape" and "rounded shape" many times.
Ngram Viewer shows both are common.

Do they mean the same thing? Are they interchangeable for any cases? Is the consideration for formal vs. informal involved?
For example, "round stone" means the shape of the stone is round. In this particular situation, what's the difference between "round shape" and "rounded shape"?
I don't see the difference between google image: rounded stone and google image: round stone


texts:
What would be the one word substitute for a property or a behavior displayed by a product which it is not primarily designed for but such a behavior exists due to the property of the material it is manufactured with.

For example: An electrical transformer has hysteresis loss due to the property of the material it is made up of but this is not something it is designed for.

Thanks in advance for your replies.


texts: Which one would be grammatically correct?

texts:
Alright, so in my book, the sentence written is this,

  She thought that the teachers were influencing those who were going to grow and matter in the world

I admit that because the first clause was in past and therefore, the sentence after "that" will also be in past.. But, I have a confusion here.
Consider the following sentence,

  He told me that he was going to bathroom

He was going to bathroom at that time and therefore, we used "was" in the sentence.. But in the former sentence, it is an opinion of one woman. As of what I know, opinion can't be considered as past and is basically general thing just like the universal facts. Consider the following sentence,

  Our teacher told us that earth revolves around the sun

Consider two more sentences,

  She thought/was of the opinion that it is good to help the needy.

  She thought/was of the opinion that it was good to help the needy.

Now, which one of the above is correct? The former one or the latter one? In my opinion, the former one is correct.
Considering all this, shouldn't the first sentence be,

  She thought that the teachers influence those who are going to grow and matter in the world

Please share your opinion.


texts: Can anybody explain "Lose money for my firm..." for me, please?

texts:
I don't quite understand the whole sentence of Buffett:
"Lose money for my firm and I will be understanding; lose a shred of reputation for the firm, and I will be ruthless"


texts: What is the meaning of this words: "And all Captain Nemo's for the taking."?

texts:
In 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Professor Pierre Aronnax narrate This lines:

  Necessary to sustain life. An underwater larder filled to overflowing,
  and all Captain Nemo's for the taking.

for the taking what exactly? I was confused how to understand this above lines?


texts: “Keep track of crime to someone” – meaning

texts:
The Bear and the Dragon (a novel by T. Clancy):

“They listened in on them for the occasional traffic accident, perhaps involving a big shot, and mainly to keep a finger on the pulse of Moscow, whose crime situation was bad and getting worse. It was useful for embassy personnel to know what parts of town to avoid, and be able to keep track of a crime to one of the thousands of American citizens.”

What does it mean “to keep track of crime to someone”? Does it mean “to protect someone from crime” of to find out whether someone is involved in crime? For me, the latter meaning sounds more likely. However, the last sentence of the excerpted passage was translated into my language roughly as: “It was useful for embassy personnel – from these intercepted communications they learned which neighborhoods to avoid; they also monitored a crime that could affect one of (преступность, которая могла затронуть одного из) the thousands of American citizens.”


texts:
Alteration services and tailoring. Are they different or same?
I get results where businesses offer combine them but I cannot seem to discern any tangible differences.


texts: Is "class room" instead of "classroom" considered a mistake?

texts:
When talking about a classroom in school, college or university, is writing class room instead of classroom as a compound word considered a mistake?

I am asking it because one of my classmates who isn't a native English speaker wrote me a message with this form of class room and I'd like to know if it's a mistake, then I can tell him since he asked me in the past to tell him if I notice a mistake in his English language.


texts: "All the employees working in this office, but , James have a university degree." Why do we use two commas before and after "but"?

texts:
Why are the two commas before and after "but" used in the following sentence?
"  All the employees working in this office,but,James have a university degree."


texts:
How do you say, “I capitalised this letter”?

How would a native English speaker phrase the following sentences?

i wrote it with a lower case letter
i wrote it with a capital letter
i have replaced upper case letter on lower case letter.

By “letter”, I do not mean a letter (e.g. mail), I mean the characters used to make words.


texts: Correct form of the irregular verb in this context

texts:
Have you ever eaten that steak?

(Correct I assume)

Normally I guess people would say "Have you had that steak" or "Have you had that juice?" And I'm inclined to think that the verb to be used is the past perfect one. So in-case I want to use the verbs, eat or drink, what is the appropriate form of the verb to be used?

  Have you ever drunk that juice ?

  Have you ever drank that juice ?


texts: Which are all the verb tenses where we cannot use the modal verb "can"?

texts:
I know there are some tenses where we mustn't use "can", instead of that we must use "be able to" like these sentences:

They won't be able to play
I haven't been able to sell it

Are there more cases where we cannot use "can"? Which are all the verb tenses where we cannot use it?

Thanks.


texts: What is the meaning of "his path beaten out in the turf"

texts:
Suddenly the darkness about him glowed; a furnace fire had shot up on the mountain, and for a moment the little world of the woodside and the steep hill shone in a pale light, and he thought he saw his path beaten out in the turf before him.

It's from Arthur Machen's Hill of Dreams. I didn't quite understand what it means to "his path beaten out in the turf"


texts: Should we not start sentences with "And" , "But" ,"So" and "Because"?

texts:
Personally, I use “but” and “so” to start sentences, but not “and” and “because”.

Today I was talking to a friend of my brother on this matter, who is in 6th Grade. He takes tuition from a private tutor who told him that in early days using “and”, “but”, “so” to start a sentence was okay, but now-a-days it is becoming obsolete and that we should not use them to start a sentence. He is a reputed teacher here and he keeps track of current affairs. (He is the one who told me, when I was his student, that “will” is being used after “I” now-a-days and I followed the advice.) So I could not deny this information. Tried to find in Google about this but no source made me think it is trustworthy. So I would like to know this in StackExchange,

What is the actual rule and is this rule being changed?

PS- I don't use “because” to start sentences but I always had a doubt. So I added it!


texts:
People dream in colour.
People's dreams are coloured.

Do the sentences have the same meaning? Can the second  be the paraphrasing of the first?


texts: "I don't think you should drive until you've had your brakes fixed" I don't understand this sentence

texts:
I don't think you should drive until you've had your brakes fixed

Why do we use here "until you have had your brakes fixed" not "until you have your brakes fixed"? ...


texts: Is the expression "wear the pants" outdated?

texts:
Is the expression "wear the pants" in relationship somehow outdated, because women too wear pants nowadays?

The other day I jokingly said to my colleague and her fiancee "Who wears the pants here." but now I wonder if that expression is politically incorrect these days. I still see it in magazine articles and such.


texts: Can I add comma or leave it as per my preference?

texts: In the participle clause describing "an action that happens at the same time with another action in the past", like "moth swings the wings emerging from the chrysalis", can I add a comma after "wings"? Cause every time I see the random article. Some people add the comma, but some leave it out.


texts: Understanding "Conformity is a virtue, creativity suspect, humor forbidden, and voice mute"

texts:
Legal writing, because of the purposes it serves, is necessarily ruled
  by linear logic, creating a path without diversions, surprises, or
  reversals. Conformity is a virtue, creativity suspect, humor
  forbidden, and voice mute.

I am having hard time understanding the intended meaning of the last sentence. I understand that conformity is a virtue, because legal writing should conform with the path of linear logic with out diversion. However, I do not know why the author described conformity as creativity suspect, humor forbidden, and voice mute. Can someone explain it?


texts: Could you teach me the meaning of this sentence from "The voyages of doctor Dolittle"?

texts:
The doctor was said to be a king in this island.

  The doctor said "I don't want be a king". "I should think, Doctor."
  said I, "you'd feel rather proud and glad. I wish I had a chance to be
  a king."

  "Oh,I know it sounds grand." said he, pulling on his boots
  miserably."But the trouble is, you can't take up responsibilities and
  then just drop them again when you feel like it. I have my own work to
  do.Scarcely one moment have I had to give to natural history since I
  landed on this island"

This is from a novel "The voyages of doctor Dolittle".

I can't understand the meaning of this sentence "But the trouble is, you can't take up responsibilities and then just drop them again when you feel like it." Could you teach me? And are I and have in the phrase "one moment have I had to" inversion?


texts:
An American tutorial says

  Rhythm is the real deal. Its the
  feel of the language. It's really owning it once you start using American rhythm.

I understand the tutor is emphasizing the importance of rhythm. I don't understand the meaning of "It's really owning it". What does first and second "it" refer to there?


texts:
Use of missing in sentences below confuses me. I couldn’t understand why “missing” is used in fist sentence before “finger” and why it is used after “finger.

  I am missing a finger.

  I have a finger missing.

Would it be correct if i say;

  I am one finger missing .

Or

  My one finger is missing.


texts:
Imagine I go to another country on a vacation to visit my friends. When I talk to the local people, should I say:

  "I come here to visit my friends"

or

  "I came here to visit my friends"

Also, if this is the first time I visit that country, should I say:

  "This is the first time I came here"

or:

  "This is the first time I come here"


texts: Can we "renovate" the infrastructure in a city?

texts:
What words can be used instead of "to modernize" or "to update" in the following sentence?

  The program aims to ................ the crumbling infrastructure of
  the city

1.The word "to renovate" is mostly used for buildings but I saw people use it with the word infrastructure  tremendously on the Internet. I am not sure if they are native English speaker but I'd like to ask if it is correct word?

However could it be used when the word infrastructure is used in figurative sense as in "economic infrastructure" or "social infrastructure"?

2.How about the words "to revamp" or "to overhaul"?


texts: What does it mean by "keep to themselves" here?

texts:
Harry was almost glad that the exams weren't far away. All the studying he had to do kept his mind off his misery. He, Ron, and Hermione kept to themselves, working late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, ....

  -Harry potter and the sorcerer's stone (J.K Rowling)

"keep to themselves" mean 'to spend time alone, not talking to other people very much'. But I'm not sure if it means

(A) Harry, Ron, and Hermione each spent time alone. So even the three of them barely met each other?

(B) Harry, Ron, and Hermione spent time with each other only, not talking to other people?

If it means (A), and if I want to make a sentence which means (B), using 'keep to themselves', how should the sentence be?


texts:
From an ESL textbook.

  Write about something you accomplished : What did you accomplish ? How
  long had you been preparing for it ?
  How had you been preparing ?

I don't know why it sounds weird to me. :( ??


texts: Explanation of this line from A Christmas Carol

texts:
The grocer and his people were so frank and fresh that the polished hearts with which they fastened their aprons behind might have been their own, worn outside for general inspection, and for Christmas daws to peck at if they chose.
  (Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)

What is the general inspection? Was there something like an inspector to go around and  check if they wear their apron?

What does "for christmas daws to peck at it if they chose" mean?


texts: Follow someone down street or down to street

texts:
What is the difference in meaning between these examples ?

1-Don't follow women down dark alleys after dark.

2-Don't follow women down to dark alleys after dark.

3-Don't follow women to dark alleys after dark.


texts:
"Yes, Ariana might have made a desperate bid for freedom and killed Kendra in the struggle," said Auntie Muriel thoughtfully. "Shake your head all you like, Elphias! You were at Ariana's funeral, were you not?"

  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I can find "shake your head". I think, in this context, it means:

  To express confusion or bewilderment about something that has just happened or been revealed. This usage does not always indicate a literal movement of the head.

But I don't really understand the whole phrase: "Shake your head all you like". What's it supposed to mean?


texts: Sentence construction while using gerund

texts:
Can I frame a sentence like this -

  "The Union government's policies have shown results in picking up investments  and showing definite signs of a recovery in the economy".

Instead of this--

  "The Union government's policies have shown results with investments picking up and the economy showing definite signs of a recovery".


texts: Can a sentence starting with "I think" be used to state a fact?

texts:
If I say, "I think I will take another portion of lasagna", does that mean I am going to take another portion of lasagna?

Similarly, can the following sentence be used to state that Verona is my favorite city?

  I think Verona is my favorite city.


texts: Should the function be 'asking questions' or 'ask questions'?

texts:
for example:

  A: How old are you?

  B: I'm 20 years old

  What's the function of the previous mini-dialogue?

Should the answer be:

Function: asking and answering questions

or

Function: ask and answer questions


texts:
his = Bhagwant Singh, am I right?
If I am right, why would he (Bhagwant Singh) dismantle his own fort?

Upsurge in Hathras (1817)
Dayaram, a talukdar of several villages in the district of Aligarh,
had a strong base in the fort of Hathras. The fort, considered to be
among the strongest in India—a ‘second Bharatpur’—had walls of
great height, and thickness, defended by a deep ditch and artillery
mounted at the top. The English had concluded the settlement of
Hathras estate with Dayaram as a farmer. But due to progressively
increasing high revenues, Dayaram constantly failed to pay arrears and
even committed many acts of hostility by giving harbour to government
fugitives. So, the Company with a large army attacked Hathras in
February 1817. Dayaram fought bravely for more than 15 days and
escaped unharmed. But, ultimately, he was obliged to come back on
condition of submission and settled down with a pension. Another noted
rebel Bhagwant Singh, Raja of Mursan, frightened to dismantle his
fort, submitted to the government.  (source)


texts: Do very old people not use auxiliary do?

texts:
I just have looked of the following information.
Does the following sentence wrong?
"If you not got a job, what would you do?
"If you did not Have a job, What would you do? <=Is this very old fasion sentence?


texts: "I have known her since I lived there" vs "I have known her since I have lived there"

texts:
What is the difference in meaning between the following sentences?

  I have known her since I lived in the street.

  I have known her since I have lived in the street.

In Swan's 4th edition of English Usage it is said that "since" can be used as a conjunction of time, introducing its own clause.The tense in the since-clause can be perfect or past, depending on the meaning.

I cannot see any difference in the sentence above. I cannot see the difference between the following sentences either.

  We visit my parents every week since we bought the car.

  We visit my parents every week since we’ve had the car.


texts:
I often stumble upon sentences where This is used instead of That and That instead of This. How correct is it?

Who is this boy up there on the roof? (a woman is pointing at a boy and asking a citizen beside her)
Do you know that man beside you? (three men are sitting at one table when one man asks another man about the third man beside the man whom the first man is asking)
I've heard that song in the morning. (a man is addressing another man, speaking of a song they are currently listening to)

I might be wrong but in the first sentence it should be "that" and in the other two sentences it should be "this".


texts:
I'd like to understand if there should always be no article before nouns followed by a number, like in the following examples:

The train arrives at platform 5.
The flight departs from gate 7.

In my native language, we don't have articles and it is unclear for me to understand why they are not used here. In the example about the train, we a talking about a particular platform at a particular train station. Is it always the case when I talking about some numbered nouns: page 5, house 7, platform 7, etc?
I did some research but I couldn't find explanations for my case. Here is what I found:

'Level' - no article? With an article?. The sentence there was I love playing games at easy level. For that sentence, the answer was that "Easy level" is the name of the level and articles are not used before names. Is it the same case here?

From ELU I found a very detail Why no determiner before either 'lunatic' or 'knight' in “He's more lunatic than he is knight” answer but it didn't cover numbers. From it, I like the example John is president of that corporation with the explanation that the president is unique while John is president of that corporation. It may be similar to platform 5.

There was Noun + number and determiner (page 5, line 2, …) question but there was no explanation for the reason in the answer.


texts: Do you feel like you're using conditional when using "would" for past tense ?

texts:
I was taught "would" has a value of past tense, like in :

  When I was a child, my father would take me to the park after school

But the more I hear it and use it, the more it "feels" like conditional and I think of it more as a "would" than as a "used to", as in

  I used to take the bus but I walk now.

In my language both translate to the same tense, so our teachers pretty much told us "just think of it as a past tense and not a conditional". Now I kind of see the "logic" for there to be a conditional in those sentences.

Native speakers, do you feel like you're using conditional or a past tense ? Or neither ?


texts: How can I be of service vs How can I help you?

texts:
One of my friends asked me to help him and my response was:

  How can I help you?

But he laughed and said you mean:

  How can I be of service

What is the difference?


texts: What does 'barrel' mean in the phrase "get sb over a barrel"?

texts:
In the dictionary:

  have someone over a barrel
  If someone has you over a barrel, they have put you in a situation where you are forced to do what they want.

  barrel
  a hollow cylindrical container or unit

I had understood have someone over a barrel as a whole phrase, what does barrel mean in the phrase "get somebody over a barrel" ?


texts:
I guess "the boo boys come for me" mean "the boys who show strong disapproval for me follow me (hunt me as if I am an evil witch)."  Am I on the right track?
I checked up in Oxford Dictionaries which offer this definition "boo-boy: A spectator or supporter who habitually jeers or finds fault; especially (in plural) a particular section or group among the supporters of a team, distinguished as behaving in this manner." This definition doesn't amount to "witch-hunt".

Sam Harris liked
Bob Servant tweeted hours ago:

Sick of the witch-hunt. I am following the rules to the letter. I exercise once a day, locally, with my pets, and still the boo boys come for me. I simply can’t win.


texts:
See this paragraph,

  Some scientists say that we could just take it on the chin and let the
  Covid19 infection move through the whole population. The strong
  survives and the weak dies out.

Do we have an idiom in English which roughly expresses "the strong survives and the weak dies out"?


texts:
I don't understand why this sentence is correct: What would you do if this happened to you?
Why use happened and not happen(s)? Is it because it's an imagined situation?
Do we always have to use past tense for all imagined situation (past and future)?


texts: Is there anything wrong with using "through" with "email"?

texts:
Can somebody tell if there’s anything wrong with this sentence, please?

  I just sent the authorization to you through my student email.

I thought "through" wasn't used with "email." Should it be "by" or "via email"? I Googled and found this site but the answer posted lacked detail.


texts: Should "are" necessarily be used in "where you at"?

texts: I've heard a lot of people saying just "Where you at" instead of "Where are you at"? And when I corrected my friend, he said that it is so colloquial to be corrected. And I also want to ask if it is wrong to end a sentence in preposition.


texts: Which verb form to use after "a sample of"?

texts:
Consequently, a convenient sample of 360 drivers was recruited.
  Consequently, a convenient sample of 360 drivers were recruited.

Which of these is the correct verb form?


texts:
How do I express a person who is both shock and hurt from breakup confession? What is a correct way to say it? ‘his face filled with a mixture of shock and hurt.‘

I feel it is bit weird to write it that way so what is better way to write it?


texts: How can i write this sentence correctly?

texts:
How can i make this sentence work with a that-clause?

She needed to be doing her homework last night

Could one way be this?

"It was needed that she was doing her homework last night"


texts: Why "a" before "elements of a first step"?

texts:
I have learned that "the first" is a determiner. So this example arises a question for me.

  Elements of a first step

Could someone explain it?
For context


texts:
Please imagine you have two naughty and noisy children who scream a lot. You are loosing your patience because of this and you are going to find a solution to the problem at hand. You buy a PlayStation device for them. After awhile your one of your neighbors asks you about the reason your children do not make those sounds as before! You say:

  a) They have gotten occupied since they’ve bought PlayStation.

  b) They have gotten busy since they’ve bought PlayStation.

Which one of the above mentioned self-made sentences sounds natural? If no one, then please let me know what how a native speaker would say it.

For me, the both verbs work properly and mean the same here.


texts:
From the Coach Carter movie:

Three members of the basketball team are trying to pick up three girls while another three guys come to them and say that they are their girls. They start fighting while another member of the basketball team comes to them with a gun and says:

  Let's do it homey. You feel me right now? Pinole homey. Feel me?

What does Pinole homey mean?


texts: Is there a phrase/word meaning "visit a place for a short period of time"?

texts: I feel like I have heard "come spin to my place" being used in this meaning but I wasn't able to find similar sentences on the web.


texts: Which expression is correct: 'for working with' or 'to work with'

texts:
For me it seems that in the following case expression seems not to be fitting, I think the second example is shorter, simpler and may even be more correct.

dugite - Elegant bindings for working with Git in your Node applications
dugite - Elegant bindings to work with Git in your Node applications


texts: What is the meaning of soon in this phase "his constant lateness soon"

texts:
I considered Walt for the promotion, but his constant lateness soon
  made me question that decision.

In that sentence, what does it mean, "soon"? Does it indicate that Walt is late every day, so the boss suddenly hesitate whether to promote Walt? Could you give some synonyms to replace the word 'soon' in the same context?


texts:
My technical paper is reviewed by two reviewers. The comment of first review is as follows:

  Reviewer #1: After the first revision, the paper has shown a
  comprehensive detailed information related to development in renewable
  energy. I would recommend this paper to be published in the Journal of
  ClP.

Now I want to thank this reviewer. Is use of "to publish" in the following sentence correct grammatically and conceptually? If it is not, kindly suggest ways to make it clearer.

  We thank the honorable reviewer for recommending to publish the paper
  and confirming the responses.

Thanks.


texts:
I read this definition of "desk dictionary":

  an abridged dictionary of a size convenient to hold in the hand.

I think it should be clear from the name itself that it is a type of dictionary which is supposed to be read on a desk and therefore be heavy. So how can it be abridged? And if I was referring to an unabridged dictionary with it, would I be wrong?


texts:
"in + a length of time" is said to have two meanings: before the end of a particular period (i.e., within a period fo time), or at the end of that period. How do we know which applies? Consider, for example, the following:

  a. Can we get to the airport in an hour?

  b. He can get to the airport in an hour.

  c. He learned to swim in two months.

Which sense applies? And why?


texts:
An excerpt from The Economist:

A white paper, due to be published as the Economist went to press but leaked beforehand, sets out plans for the first major NHS legislation in a decade.

I believe "due to" is a preposition, so how does "be published" follow it? Shouldn't it be "being published"?

Just to make it clear, I am not asking the meaning of the sentence, but rather the grammatical construction.


texts:
From CNN Student News:CNN Student News Jan 22, 2014

But in Ohio, there is a state of emergency. More than ten percent of people who live there use propane tanks or heating oil to keep their homes warm. And the icy weather coincides with a rare shortage of both. The state of emergency will allow trucks that carry the fuel to work longer hours.
Out west, a very different kind of emergency in California. A drought. The worst ever recorded there has dried up lakes and reservoirs, worsened wildfires and killed off crops.

What's the meaning of out in out west here? Does it have the same meaning of the word out in go out to the west of the America?


texts:
The following sentence

  He gave me a test.

can be rewritten like:

  A test was given to me.

or

  I was given a test.

Which sounds more acceptable and grammatically correct?


texts: can i create a new word:bugged program or bugged code?

texts:
Many codes contains bugs.
can i create a new word:bugged program or bugged code ,to describe the code or program which contain bugs?
Program with bugs is more longer than bugged program.


texts: Difference between "Human being history" and "Human history"

texts:
Is there any difference between “human history” and “human being history”?

Are those focus on two different aspects of history?

I know that human and human being are interchangeable, but when we talk about history, is there any difference?


texts:
Which of the following is more correct:

  I value this land-plot at exactly $1,000,000

or

  I value this land-plot as exactly $1,000,000

?


texts: Meaning of "a Richard Snary" / "a Given Name"

texts:
An old joke I found in Mark Forsyth's "The Etymologicon", originally mentioned in the OED

  A country lad, having been reproved for calling persons by their Christian names, being sent by his master to borrow a dictionary, thought to show his breeding by asking for a Richard Snary.

I understand the joke (for those who don't, the boy misheard Dictionary as Dick Snary, thinking it's a man's name.

Ignoring the outdated pronunciation needed for the joke to work, the confusion only works with "borrow a dictionary" and "borrow a Dick Snary"

It doesn't work in modern English, "get a dictionary" and "get Dick Snary" doesn't quite have the same effect.

But what does this old-fashioned article "a" before a person's name mean?