texts: The use of the definite article with item names

texts:
Do I need to use the definite article in the following instance?

(R&A stands for a company, CA122 - an item name)

  We`d like to cancel the order for the R&A CA122.


texts:
which of the below given two sentences is correct? If both are correct, what is the difference in meaning between them?

1)She was heard to sing a song by them.

2)She was heard singing a song


texts: A more polite way of saying "the world is going to sh--"

texts:
I am writing an essay and I want a more polite way of saying "the world is going to shit".

I don't want to swear and can't think of what else to say. Can anyone help me?


texts:
I want to prompt an error if another order is already confirmed.
I tried "Another order is confirmed"
Instead may I simply use "Resource isn't available" ?
I'm considering resource same as classroom (resource) isn't available for day, date the user gonna be choose.


texts: How can I say that a program runs at high load on the computer?

texts: I've found "demanding", but I'm not sure if it sounds natural when talking about computers..


texts: Difference between phrases in Complex Object

texts:
What is the difference between the following sentences?

I want the watch repaired.
I want the watch to be repaired.
I want to have the watch repaired.


texts:
What is the one word for an independent thinker, who comes up with ideas and then does not hesitate in voicing them before the audience?

I'm looking to apply the word in context of a high school student, where the audience would refer to his/her classmates and teachers.


texts: He does cry and "think or thinks?" of her

texts:
It is clear that we write:

  He does cry...

and...

  He thinks of her

But, I'm confused whether the second verb should be with 's' or without 's' in this case:

  He does cry and think/thinks of her


texts:
I saw imperative sentences with the above-mentioned pattern with verbs "go", "come". The verbs are sometimes joined with "and". I understand it as informal usage with the first verb used as "encouragement" rather than "movement".

The question is:
- Can we use both patterns interchangeably?
- Can we use the to-infinitive as well?
- Can we use other verbs in this structure instead of "go","come"?

  Go and buy yourself a new pair of shoes.
  Go buy yourself a new pair of shoes.
  Go to buy yourself a new pair of shoes.


texts: Is "much" necessary before "to the annoyance of"?

texts:
Frank started singing along, (much) to the annoyance of Ellen.

Is "much" necessary here or is it OK to leave it out?


texts: melting to bones on hunger strikes -- what does that mean?

texts:
Source: Putin Puts Heroic Female Pilot on Trial

Example:

  There are 10 Ukrainian cases in Russia at the moment, Svetova added, but Savchenko’s is the most well known by far. “She is the most famous political prisoner because she is a woman who is melting to bones on hunger strikes,” Svetova said.

I don't understand that. Specifically, the melting to bones part.


texts: Is it right to use the word 'execute' in place of 'run'?

texts:
I have recently studied two sentences in which these words are used which i mentioned:

your program is not executing.
your program is not running.

these two words often used in sentences so my question is it appropriate to use the word execute instead run?


texts:
Let's say you're promoting a hotel. And you say:

  "We have many bedrooms, and each bedroom can even accommodate 3 people without having any problem for their personal belonging/belongings storage."

Is it belonging or belongings?


texts:
I did a test in a session Test Your Grammar, in Word Power Made Easy by Lewis.

  1) No one but (she, her) ever made a perfect score on the test

  2) I can't remember (who, whom) it was.

  3) Was it (she, her) you were talking about?

  4) "It is I who (is, am) the only friend you've got", she told him pointedly.

The answers given by the book are 1) her, 2) who, 3) she, 4) am.

Of course I gave the other answers. But I don't understand why I am wrong. For example, in 1), we should choose a pronoun as a subject, not object. So I think 'she' is right; in 3), instead, we should choose a object, since the sentence means "was it that you were talking about her". So I think 'her' is right here.

What do you think?


texts: "good cute girl" vs. "cute good girl": adjective order when they're of the same kind

texts:
for example if I say good cute girl or cute good girl does it make any difference?
because both Cute and Good are Opinions.
if both are correct which one is more common and why?


texts: Are these sentences correct? (past perfect)

texts:
I am really struggling to understand the differences between Past Perfect Continuous and Past Continuous AND Past Perfect and Past simple.

So are these correct?

  I had been trying to find this book online but I bought it from the
  store.

Should it be like this and why if not?

  I was trying to find this book online but I bought it from the store.

What about this one:

  It had been snowing since I went to sleep and when I got up from bed everything outside was white.

I really wish I could understand that :( Please guys help me.


texts: should I use semi-colon or just a comma?

texts:
I'm writing an essay and feels that this sentence is somehow punctuated wrong

What is the proper way to punctuate this sentence?

  Financing arts is not a horrible idea, but when the public services like health and education isn’t getting the suitable funding; it seems like one.


texts: Past Simple/Continuous with specific time

texts:
I missed my literature class today and I am calling my friend to find out what they were discussing (or discussed?) in class. My goal (as a speaker) is to find out what was in class today, so I can catch up
Which tense should I use:

What did Mr.Smith speak about in class today?
What was Mr. Smith speaking about in class today?

Are both idiomatic in this context?
Don't you think that "complete action" from number 1 sounds a bit odd? (because in my native language it does)

P.S. Mr. Smith is our supposed teacher
P.P.S. I am asking this because in my first language when we use the perfective aspect (basically, a verb form that conveys a completed action with the emphasis on completion, kinda similar to past simple) many verbs don't sound right, like "speak" in this context. They sound too "short" or "quick" as if the teacher's act of speaking happened in a few seconds. I wonder if it sounds ok in English?


texts: Correct usage for friendship day greeting

texts:
Out of the following, which one is a correct friendship day greeting?

  Happy Friendship's day!

  Happy Friendships day!

  Happy Friendship day!

Also, does the capital F in Friendship make sense or should it just be small f?

I have a feeling that the third greeting is correct, but I could not find any reason as to why the other two are wrong. Please do give a reason why they are grammatically incorrect.


texts: What am I? (If I can only speak and understand a language but can't read and write it)

texts:
I am looking for a word (or a set of words) that can be used to reflect someone's level of proficiency in a language that they can speak (not fluently though) and understand (perfectly) but can't read and write.
"Fluent" does not work here, because the spoken part of the language isn't perfect. Let's say I am talking about Spanish. My speaking is at a level that a native speaker can totally  understand, but my grammar, phrasing, and expression might not be correct. However, I totally understand everything when people are speaking in Spanish (whether among themselves or to me).
The level of understanding is such that one can understand pretty much everything going on in a fast-paced tv-show or movie but can't speak at that pace.
I have seen "conversant" used in resumes, but that isn't an accurate word.

conversant: familiar with, having experience of, or knowing

This doesn't really say whether the person listing "Spanish (conversant)" can read/write/speak.
What should I write if I am listing this in a resume? If I am in an environment where this language is commonly used in speech (and the written part is done in, say, English), then listing it is useful. So, no, "don't list it" isn't a great idea.
Does this work?

Languages: English (native); Alien (fluent); Spanish (speaking and comprehension only)


texts: I will fly from Houston to Madison, ______ Chicago?

texts:
Suppose I want to go from Houston to Madison and I have bought two flight tickets: one from Houston to Chicago and another from Chicago to Madison.

I wonder how the native speakers of English will explain the role of Chicago in my trip, specifically, I wonder how to complete the sentences like:

  I will fly from Houston to Madison, ______ Chicago.

  Chicago is ______ for my trip from Houston to Madison.

  I will _____ Chicago when I go from Houston to Madison.

If there are more idiomatic sentences, please let me know.


texts:
Missing 13-year-old Jayme Closs found alive in Wisconsin

  "And I just shut myself totally down. I thought today was going to be
  the day, and then I find out two hours later that she’s found and
  I just cannot believe this."

Two hours later was just "now"?


texts:
I've been learning zero conditional, almost all examples use the example with ice cream, tutorials say that in this example we do not use article because it's in general, but I can't find any specific rule about articles in zero conditional, that says something like:

  we never ever use articles in zero conditions.

For example, can I say:

  If you steal car, you go to jail?

Should I say:

  If you steal a car, you go to a jail?

or

  If you steal a car, you go to jail?

Thanks.


texts:
Hi guys I am seeking your help in these two sentences for choosing the correct answer from the brackets:

  Tomorrow I'm going to a meeting.........we are going to discuss women's role in society.
  (in which - at which)
  If you want to be healthy, you should try.........exercise.
  (to do - doing)

Help please with some explanation of why you chose this answer!
I tried to figure it out from the dictionary but I didn't recognize the difference


texts: What is the difference between "find out" and "discover"?

texts:
I do not know how to use the expression find out, I had read that I need to use instead discover, but it does not mean always.

For example, what is the best example?

I found out that she is single

or

I discovered that she is single


texts: Omitting a preposition in relative clauses

texts:
Which of those sentences sound OK?

  a) On the picture, we can see the environment tigers live.

  b) On the picture, we can see the environment in which tigers live.

  c) On the picture, we can see the environment tigers live in.

I don't really understand why so many people fight against prepositions at the ends of the sentences considering I hear that extremely often in everyday speech.


texts: What tense should I use here? What you painted is/was great!

texts:
Assume you're one of the judges in a talent show, and a painter paints in the show. You now have to comment:

  What you painted is/was great!

Why should I use "is" when he already painted? And why "was" when his painting is still great?

  What you've painted is/was great!

How about if we make it perfect present tense?

What should I use in these two cases?


texts:
Why would the answer for:

  When you first meet someone, you should shake them ______ the hands.

It's by and not with; the by sounds cumbersome to me, though by using the hands sounds ok to me.

While here says that with is used when tools or parts of the body mentioned.

  He pushed the door with his foot.

Notice those with his foot and by the hands, how could they be different?

The site also confuse me even more by stating by hand means handmade, made by a person, not by a machine.


texts: Are there any semantic or grammatical between "past year" vs "last year" vs "previous year'? Are they similar from the definite article point of view? (last year vs the last year). I know that when used with "the" it means the last year before the time of the sentence (relative time) but when used as without "the" it means the previous calendar year (absolute time)


texts:
May I know which one is grammatical?

Method A offers a better pruning result compare to Method B.
Method A  offers a better pruning result compared to Method B.


texts: "In particular" as synonyms even formal to "mainly" or "especially"?

texts:
Just doing an academic issue and I got into doubt if the use of the term " in particular" could leave the phrase in the example below redundant.
I need to be formal but not prolix. Are the terms " mainly" and/or "especially" also formal and appropriate to the following example?

  The understanding of A, in particular, is also relevant to a better
  understanding of the B.

Could someone please weigh in on this?


texts:
I want to reward you -> You should be rewarded.

I want to be nice to you -> You should be be'd nice to.

What's the fancy linguistic way to describe this gap in English, and what's the right way to say it?


texts: Why do native speakers say 'Come on in' rather than 'Come in'?

texts:
Today I passed by a restaurant and got attracted to its menu sticking on the window, so I stopped and had a look at it. Then a staff standing at the gate said to me,'We have nice food. Come on in!' I wonder why she said 'Come on in' rather than 'Come in'.
I remember when I was partying with a group of friends and another friend passed by, I shouted to her, 'Interested? Come in!' Did I say anything wrong? Should I say 'Come on in'? And why?


texts: the difference between the two in the 'non-restrictive' clause?

texts:
what in the first sentence is a relative pronoun in a 'non-restrictive' clause. My gut feeling is which could take the place of what in the sentence. I am not quite sure of my knowledge of the difference between the two in the 'non-restrictive' clause.

  Online environments vary widely in how easily you can save whatever
  happens there, what I call its recordability and preservability.
  Even though the design, activities, and membership of social media
  might change over time, the content of what people posted usually
  remains intact. Email, video, audio, and text messages can be saved.
  When perfect preservation is possible, time has been suspended.
  Whenever you want, you can go back to reexamine those events from the
  past. In other situations, permanency slips between our fingers, even
  challenging our reality testing about whether something existed at
  all, as when an email that we seem to remember receiving mysteriously
  disappears from our inbox. The slightest accidental tap of the finger
  can send an otherwise everlasting document into nothingness.

  Psychology of the Digital Age: Humans Become Electric


texts: What is the correct meaning for the acronym PPP?

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

“We've increased our offer up to almost $1.9 trillion,” Meadows told reporters on Monday morning. “[The president] is willing to give some additional money in terms of direct payments, he's willing to give some additional money in terms of PPP to restaurants and hotels and small businesses.”

What does PPP stand for? May be Parent Partner Program from here?


texts: When can we use adverbs as subjects of sentences? Why "Down came the rain" instead of "the rain came down"?

texts:
See this "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" song

The itsy-bitsy spider
Climbed up the water spout
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out
Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain
And the itsy-bitsy spider
Climbed up the spout again

Why do they say "Down came the rain" instead of "the rain came down"?

Why "Out came the sun" instead of "the sun came out"?

I couldn't find any grammar books mentioning this.

Could we say "Very fast ran he" instead of "he ran very fast"?

and, When can we use adverbs as subjects of sentences?


texts:
There are lots of questions on this forum concerning song lyrics, but mine is related to English also.

1980's song China in your Hand has the line- It was a theme she had on a scheme he had

Question: can you have a theme on a scheme or  is this just word-play?

Does the clause have parallelism or is it just rhyming?


texts:
I wonder if a suggestion being given with hindsight can be expressed via "had better" used this way:

  You'd better have/haven't followed his advice?

The other ways to put it which I'm thinking of are:

  It would have been better if you'd/hadn't followed his advice

  It would have been better for you to have/not to have followed his
  advice

Could each of the sentences work?

If yes, what might be the nuances of the usage I should bear in mind?

Are there other ways to express the same idea with a tint of reproach/regret/irritation to the actions already performed by someone else?

P.S. I do bear in mind that "You should/shouldn't have followed his advice"
is obviously the safest choice. I just felt like digging a bit deeper, having stumbled on the question discussed but not solved on a couple of the English usage sites--to no avail so far, unfortunately.


texts:
"Spiderman was bit by a radioactive spider" versus "Spiderman was bitten by a radioactive spider" - which one is correct usage ?

Not sure if "bitten" is formally recognized as English or just a colloquial extension.


texts: What is the difference between whom and whomever, if any?

texts:
Source

You can give the money to "whoever" you like.

A. Whoever
B. Whomever
C. Whom
D. No improvement

Book says C but I am confused between B and C


texts:
The Secretary of State ordered that a committee be formed to investigate the matter.
Why 'be formed' is used instead of 'to be formed'?
Is it because of 'That-clause'?


texts:
When can we omit 'for' before time noun ?

In below examples, the preposition 'for' is omitted before a time frame is specified.

  In the afternoon we drive 20 minutes to the Eden Project.

  We work 5 hours a day.

  Walk 30 minutes every day.

  We are going to the town two hours from now.

But in case of a similar verb 'run', I've never seen such omission of 'for'.


texts:
I found this expression in a book but I don't understand what it means.

A man never takes vacations from work. Here's the complete sentence, with some more context:

  She couldn't remember him [the owner of the garage] taking any time off. Because he had a garage to run, there was never an opportunity to shut it down except for signature holidays. Besides his customers’ vehicles, there was always something else that needed attention, or the accounting needed to be done, or one of his employees had called in sick. Since they had no savings account to fall back on, he was more inclined to do things that earned money instead of wasting it.

What does it mean? That he only closes for "official" holidays (i.e. Christmas, New Years' Eve...)? I found no help in dictionaries.


texts: in what strike was afraid was disappointment

texts:
Sitting down at Strike’s invitation, Bristow looked round the tatty office in what Strike was afraid was disappointment. The prospective client seemed nervous in the guilty way that Strike had come to associate with suspicious husbands, yet a faint air of authority clung to him, conveyed mainly by the obvious expense of his suit. Strike wondered how Bristow had found him. It was hard to get word-of-mouth business when your only client (as she regularly sobbed down the telephone) had no friends.
  (The Cuckoo's Calling, by Robert Galbraith)

The preposition, in, and the fused relative, what, in the highlighted sentence makes me puzzled. It seems to me that ‘in what [Strike was afraid] was disappointment’ means ‘in the way whose looking around his office room disappointed, to Strike, and of that Strike was afraid. What does it mean?


texts:
Do we feed people? Does the word 'feed' fit best when we talk about guests or visitors?
Here is the sentence:

  This organization feeds thousands of people who attend training sessions here.

Shouldn't we say:

  This organization serves thousands of people with food who attend training sessions here.

Or there could be some other choice as well?


texts: Is "the technology" correct in this sentence or not and why?

texts:
This was my statement:

  "You have to submit to the technology and instead of fighting against its functions try to adapt yourself ... "

Then somebody corrected a part of my sentence to " . . submit to technology".

I would like to know why "the" is not needed here?

I just followed my ears writing it that way.


texts:
The man ordered his men to cease fire/ firing.

It seems to me
If I say: to cease fire would means: they may not be firing at the time of order.

But cease firing, it seems they were firing, and their leader told them to stop firing immediately?

Am I right? Correct me if I am wrong.


texts: Is "if I were president of this country, I would have made everyone in this country rich" grammatically correct?

texts:
Is the following sentence grammatically correct?

  If I were president of this country, I would have made everyone in this country rich.

What I mean is "if (something happened in the past) then (effect of that event in the present)."


texts:
The AOA recommends washing glasses every morning, paying special attention to the frames and earpieces, where hair product and makeup tend to rub off.

In this sentence, shouldn't the comma be dropped? I mean the comma placed right before "paying" should be omitted.


texts: Meaning of "I have $1000 to start September."

texts: "I have $1000 to start September." Does this mean I have that sum at the beginning of September.


texts: Which is correct "not on war" "not in war"

texts:
Which of the following is grammatically correct?

"We are not on war"

"We are not in war"


texts: How do you call the lake that was created by flooding a site where sand or gravel was extracted? (And are there different terms for the "sand" lake or "gravel" lake?) Thank you.


texts:
Being can be used as a subordinate clause or a noun clause to give explanatory background information. Consider my sentence in this context :

Being entertained by smartphones and gaming gadgets, children these days have turned their backs on real-life entertainment such as playing sports, listening to stories and spending time with family members.

Is this sentence correct? All the sentences I am trying to make are subordinate clause sentences.
Can you give an example of a noun clause using being as a background information provider?


texts: Is it correct to use the word "excuse for" + "why"?

texts:
Tell me plase if it is correct to use excuse for with why. For example:

  He is constantly making excuses for why he is late.

If it is correct, then how is difference than the following sentence?

  He is constantly making excuses for being late.


texts: The meaning of "would have" + the past participal of a verb in context

texts:
I have come across it in this video. It is 2 minutes and 28 seconds. Here is the context:

  Language is complex, and difficult to learn. So complex, that one relatively popular theory, which comes from famous linguist Noam Chompsky, is prewired into the human brain, and language would have suddenly appeared in the brain perhaps via a mutation in one individual withing the past 100,000 years.

I am totally confused about what that could mean and why it was used. It definitely doesn't look like an implied third conditional. What is the grammar of that?


texts: Is there a word that sounds similar to “titbit”?

texts:
I’m sure that I’ve came across the word that sounds or spells similar to titbit or tipbit, and has the meaning of “key point” or “focus” or “essential part”.
For example:

  The titbit of his idea is to gather as many trusted people as possible.

  The titbit is for you to see it for yourself.


texts:
In spite of being poor, he was contented.

Could the above sentence be re-written in this manner:

  His contentment was in spite of being poor.

In addition, is it right if the pronoun 'him' is included in the sentence? How do I know when a pronoun needs to be included?

  His contentment is in spite of him being poor.


texts: What does the word "come" mean in a sentence like "Come autumn's scathe"?

texts:
So, I've been trying to read "The Autumn" by Elizabeth Barret Browning. There, I stumbled over the following verse:

Come autumn's scathe — come winter's cold —
Come change — and human fate!
Whatever prospect Heaven doth bound,
Can ne'er be desolate.

I wonder what the word "come" stands for in this sentence. Should it be understood as "Let autumn's scathe come!", or "Autumn's scathe will come", or "Even when autumn's scathe comes...", or "Even though autumn's scathe will come..."?
Also, am I getting it right that the second sentence means "Whatever prospect Heaven does bound, it [prospect] can never be desolate"? If I am, why is the verb "bind" in its past tense form, while "doth" ("does") stands in present? Why is it not "does bind"? I guess that archaic verb forms might differ from what we have now, but I would really like to know the reasoning behind it.
Thank you in advance.


texts: What's the difference between "I love singing" and "I love to sing"?

texts:
I would like to know what the difference is between "I love doing something" and "I love to do something".

For example:

  “I love singing.”

and,

  “I love to sing.”

When I was young, I was told that "love doing something" is right, but one day, I found Jessie J wrote "I love to sing" on her Instagram.


texts: grammar of 'had we but world enough and time...'

texts: 'Had we but world enogh and time...' is a phrase from a famous poem. Can you explain the grammar of this poetic phrase?


texts:
I have implemented an algorithm to detect the bus's route and its direction at the server side based on crowd sourcing. So there are two groups of users of the system:

The producer is someone who will ride on the bus and sent the essential data (latitude, longitude, speed, time) to the server.
The consumer is the waiting passenger who want to know where the location of the bus is.

I want to make a case difficult to occur so can I use impede in this context?

  It must be noted if a car drives a bus route with the same behaviour, the algorithm will define the vehicle as a bus and try to detect its route and direction. But to impede this case, the number of the stops in the history table to define producer's behaviour as a bus of the Verkehrsbetriebe Halle (Halle Transport Authority) can be raised.

p.s: Behaviour means: The served stops by the producer's bus.


texts: Is "I think, may be that's more of a question to John." grammatical?

texts:
I think, may be that's more of a question to John.

While in conference call, I heard a person said the above sentence.

Can anyone please correct the grammar in the above quoted sentence?


texts:
It was as if I was seeing the young people inside them. Before I would have just seen the wrinkles.

What is the usage of "would have" in these sentences?

Source: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/older-and-wiser-h7jfkzjv2h3


texts:
What do people call the symbol '()' in English?
A dictionary of my mother language mentions bracket or parenthesis, but I don't know which one is more commonly used among people in English native countries.


texts:
I heard his voice on the radio.
I heard him on the radio.
I heard his voice over the radio.
I heard him over the radio.

As a non-native speaker, I've seen the number 2 a lot.
What about the others?
Can anyone tell me which one is right, which one is wrong?
I really appreciated it if any native speakers of English could clarify the differences.


texts: 'at' or not? - Should I use 'at' in that sentence?

texts:
Which of the following sentences is correct, or perhaps both? And why?

  Standard check-in time is 3 pm.

  Standard check-in time is at 3 pm.


texts: Why the past form of 'read' has to be 'read' with just different pronunciation?

texts:
I am just curious about why this kind of words has to be defined this way.
What is the advantages of using the same exact word as its present form with the only different is how you pronounce it.

I am referring to other words that have similar property like this.
For example,

read

and these words that not only have the exact spelling but the exact pronunciation too.

put
hit

Why would they not behave like other words for simplicity and similarity?


texts:
I am a PhD student in US but my mother language is not English. I'm in the following situation and I wish to learn how I may respond it politely.

The situation is simple. I have an appointment with my professor today but for some reason my professor forgot about it. He just never shows up in his office. Now I am about to send him an email to ask for rescheduling our appointment some time later this week. However, I just don't know how I should start my email... I feel it would be very rude if I start with something like: "Sorry professor but you didn't show up so I have to send this email to reschedule our appointment with you."

But still, I wish to let him know that I made it to this appointment on time and this is not my fault....

Thank you for your advice!

Maybe it is not a good idea that try to point out this is his fault... But still, I got stack on how should I start my email. This is what I have so far:

Dear Professor:

Good evening.

I was wondering that could we reschedule our appointment some time later this week? For example Friday maybe?

Thank you!

But I still feel I should say something between "Good evening" and "I was wondering..." Any suggestions? Or should I just leave it as what I have so far?

Thank you guys!


texts:
In an FCE book I'm studying at the moment, it has been mentioned that the following sentences are similar in meaning, but I can't see the similarity! On the contrary, as a non-native speaker of English of course, I guess they must be different. What's your take on this?

a)Money doesn't make you nearly as happy as you think.

b)Money makes you a lot less happy than you think.


texts: Can I use Simple Past in a subordinate clause with "while" when the main clause is in the Past Progressive?

texts:
I was reading while she slept.

Or should it necessarily be "I was reading while she was sleeping" or "I read while she slept"?
Can I use the Simple Past in a subordinate clause beginning with "while" when the tense of the main clause is the Past Progressive (Continuous)?


texts: "...is going to land" vs. "...is landing" — interchangeable?

texts:
I know "going to" and "present continuous" aren't always interchangeable. Are they interchangeable in this sentence:

  Look! That plane is flying towards the airport. It [is going to land]/[is landing].


texts:
The hydrogen adsorption free energy on sulfided Mo edges for MoS2 (ΔGGH = 80 meV) is slightly too weak.

is the phrase "slightly too weak" ok here?

"Slightly" means 'to a small degree" while "too" means "to a higher degree". So I am not sure whether this combination is correct.


texts:
deathday (noun): the day of a person's death or its anniversary

In some Asian countries, every year a family often holds a party for its members and guests to celebrate / memorize the deathday of one of its member (normally a grandparent).

On the deathday, the family members and the guests will pray to the dead, then they will eat and drink. Guests may bring some fruits as gifts when they go to the party.

is it idiomatic to say "She is going to the deathday party"?

Note: they do no go to the tomb to pray like in some Western countries, They hold the party at home. There is an altar with the picture of the dead. The guests will stand in front of the altar and pray.

They do not cry or are sad at the party. They do not dance, but just enjoy the meal and may drink a lot. They may or may not talk with each other about the dead's past. They can talk about any topics (jobs, social events, etc) they want. If the topics are funny enough, they can laugh if they want to and that is not considered as a rude thing.

In Asia, the "deathday party" is just exactly the "birthday party" version in Western countries. It is held every year. The child must hold this kind of party if his / her parent passed away. "Deathday party" is much more popular than "birthday party". I have about 100 relatives and I seldom heard any of them hold their birthday parties, except for some small children. But "deathday party" is the must-have one, if you don't hold it, people will think that you are very disloyal child & that is very very bad & rude.

A wake is an occasion before or after a funeral, I am not sure if it is held yearly.


texts:
I am not scared of you.
  I am not feared of you.

Are both grammatical? Is there a difference in meaning between them?


texts:
He objected to the proposal.
The above is a sentence to change into passive voice from a grammar book. The answer was also given.
According to the Oxford dictionary, object is given as intransitive in the given structure and object to is not given as a phrasal verb.
Is it possible to change into passive voice? If yes, how?


texts: What does "we wouldn’t know anywhere" mean here?

texts:
I am wondering what "we wouldn’t know anywhere" means in the following sentences:

‘Such fond memories of Brighton,’ Mum is saying to
Hannah. ‘You know, I performed down there a couple of times.’ Oh God.
Not long before she starts telling everyone about that time she had
penetrative sex on screen for an arthouse film (never got a release,
probably now on PornHub).
‘Oh,’ Hannah replies, ‘we feel a bit guilty about not getting to the
theatre more often. Where did you perform? The Theatre Royal?’
‘No,’ Mum says, with that slightly haughty tone that creeps into her
voice when she’s been shown up. ‘It’s a little more boutique than
that.’ A toss of her head. ‘It’s called “The Magic Lantern”. In the
Lanes. Do you know it?’
‘Er – no,’ Hannah says. And then, quickly, ‘But as I say, we’re so out
of the loop we wouldn’t know anywhere, even if it’s the place to go.’

Lucy Foley, The Guest List, Chapter 14

This is a thriller novel published in 2020 in the United Kingdom. One hundred and fifty guests would be gathering at some remote and deserted fictional islet called Inis an Amplóra off the coast of the island of Ireland to celebrate the wedding between Jules (a self-made woman running an online magazine called The Download) and Will (a celebrity appearing in a TV show program called Survive the Night). The day before the actual wedding day, during the rehearsal dinner, Jules sees her mom, who once worked as an actress, talking to Hannah, who lives in Brighton, about how she used to act at a theater in Brighton. (The narrator here is Jules.)
In this part, I am wondering what "we wouldn’t know anywhere" means, especially as to what "would" means here.
Would it be all right to understand that "wouldn't" here implies a hypothetical future where Hannah will hear a theatre (which is a must-visit place) and she probably will not know anything about that place?
I am wondering how it is different in saying just "we don't know anywhere" and saying "we wouldn't know anywhere" in this dialogue.


texts: Is it correct to say 'It takes 2 hours, 4 hours top'?

texts: I'd have expected it should rather be 2 hours, 4 hours max. So can top in this context be used like a synonym for max? Is this a common phrase?


texts:
I have a jumper that says "Make Don't Hate". What does it mean?

"Make Don't" is in the first line.

"Hate." in the second one.


texts: Difference between in time and before time

texts:
My boss gave me a task with the completion date 31 March, 2016. I completed the task on 28 February, 2017.

He can label my work in one of six ways:

Achieved before time
Achieved in time
Achieved after target date
Not achieved
Will be achieved in time
Will not be achieved in time.

Which is the appropriate answer from the above six?


texts:
I wrote:

  Then, we review the related works and after that we present our algorithm.

Is it a correct usage of "after that"? I don't want to repeat "then". Is "after that" formal? what about saying it as follows:

  Then, we review the related works followed by presenting our algorithm.


texts:
X: "It's a big thing, so I was there with her."

Y: "How did it go?"

X: "Fine, though I think she had hoped that you would/could have been there too."

Is the third piece of dialogue natural in the context?
What is the difference between 'would' and 'could' here?
Which one of them would you use? (Info: Y didn't go because he was tired.)


texts:
What is the meaning of "current slow" in the following passage?

  The same thing happens to this day, though on a smaller scale,
  wherever a sediment-laden river or stream emerges from a mountain
  valley onto relatively flat land, dropping its load as the current
  slows: the water usually spreads out fanwise, depositing the sediment
  in the form of a smooth, fan-shaped slope.


texts: Any term for "If you already have it, use it, else, get it / create one"?

texts:
Working with databases, I sometimes have to write requests which create data (alias add/insert...) or update it, if it already exists.

... and I never know how I should name such an action.

Isn't there some terms meaning specifically this ?
While it could help, I'm not particularly expecting something specific to database manipulation, but rather a more generic term, like "populate", "Ensure", "assert", or... well, I have no idea what term would have such meaning.

Is there anything meant for this ?


texts: What's the correct term about the colour of lemon juice. Is it bright or light? I am confused between these two terms. When we see any color we can classify it  into two main groups: dark or bright /light. Based on Cambridge dictionary the meaning of bright is strong in colour. Does it mean that we can use dark and bright color as synonyms?


texts: Why is it 'come' and not 'comes' in 'it is important that he come...'?

texts:
We usually add 's' or 'es' to the first form of the verb when the subject is a third person. I do not understand why 's' hasn't been added to the verb "come" in the following sentence:

  It is important that he come to my party.


texts: can "not" substitute a negative independent clause

texts:
If I said, "I will dance in the production (pause and sigh) not because my mom wants me to..."
is "not" negating "because my mom wants me to" or is it serving as a substitute for the negative of "I will dance in the production"?


texts:
I am reading a post about network, I don't know what "POPs" mean here:

  Our big, global, managed DNS network — the one most of our customers use — is spread across six continents and 17 POPs (with some more on the way).

Is that a region or something like that?


texts: Can I use Perfect perfect continuous tense in these sentences?

texts:
1) I have lived in London for 4 years (I have been living in London for 4 years)

2) I have worked here since 1990 (I have been working here since 1990)

example #1 from the video


texts: I am wondering what"the simple cast off items" means

texts:
Take metal cans, for instance, and imagine them in any number of uses, functional or purely as an art form. Can your eyes and mind see the potential metal case, bird feeder, or other object in the simple cast off items? What about boxes or clothing? What might be done with these? Boxes can usually serve as new storage containers, and almost, always serve as very imaginative forts for the kids, not to mention makeshift shelters for pets. And clothing?

I neither see what the bold part means nor analyse it.


texts: How to politely ask a person to be ready with the information they need to start?

texts:
I'm managing 2 teams A & B. Team A has dependency on Team B. My intent is to ask Team A to be prepared with what information they need from Team B. I'm struggling to put this on an email. Below is my effort -

Dear Team A,
If we can be ready with the list of what information we need from Team B, then we can make a speedy progress right from the inauguration call.


texts: Difference between 'anybody', 'somebody', 'someone', 'nobody'

texts:
What is the difference between anybody,somebody,someone,nobody? And when should we use one or another of them?

It's a bit confusing to me.

Example:

  Does (anybody/somebody/someone/nobody) want a game of tennis ?


texts:
A friend of mine always texts me asking me to call him. While it's simple and informal to just text "can you call me?" or something similar, he insists on being fancy and texts "may you please call me?"
Is this use of the word may correct?


texts: Is there a proverb with the meaning never/nobody knows when?

texts: I need a proverb with ironical sense. To answer a "when" question with the meaning never or nobody knows when. for example, in Russian it will be like - когда рак на горе свистнет. I'm interested in something similar in English.


texts:
For and to are both confusing prepositions in English. Please help me in the following sentence:

  It will be fun for you.
  It will be fun to you.

Do both sentences have the meaning or not?

When should either sentence be used?


texts: I was waiting "in" vs "inside" the tent for amazing view (outside)

texts:
So there is two things I am not sure.

1) Do I have to be detail to describe the amazing view is outside of the tent to put "outside" at the end?

2) If I put "outside" then I should use "inside the tent" instead of "in the tent"?

I was reading about "in" vs "inside" usage...

http://forum.thefreedictionary.com/postst2375_difference-between-inside-and-in.aspx

So yes, I am inside the tent, and we have to wait for the the the sunset or whatever (amazing view) outside of the tent.

For example, I am waiting inside the tent for the amazing sunset outside of the tent?


texts: Second conditional with "will" not "would"

texts:
In the dialog below, the main clause "it'll be gathering ..." should have used "would" not "will" because the if clause is one of a second conditional's. The form of a second conditional is: (if + past tense), (would + present form). So how do you explain  main clause's form to the contrary?

  Mum: What's wrong sweetheart?

  Daughter: I have no money for concert swag. And I'm chucked up as
  useless junk.

  Mum: even if you had money for stuff with JT's face on it, two weeks
  from now, it 'll be gathering dust in the back of your closet.

Source: Rugrats all grown up

One notable difference is that the main clause's subject (pronoun) isn't the if-clause's subject. Does this get the main clause's subject from the "imaginary world" and uses the if-clause state as a clean ground (having money) for making prediction (gathering dust)?


texts:
Can anyone tell me how is "to" changing the meaning of the sentence below ?

"whom did you give that letter to?"

and what is the difference between following sentences or B,C is grammatically wrong:

a)whom did you give that letter to?

b)whom did you give that letter?

c)who did you give that letter to?

d)who did you give that letter?


texts: What's the meaningful way when I mean that all are included? of first to fifth, of first up to fifth or from first to fifth?

texts:
He doesn't want to transfer students of first to fifth grades to remote learning.
He doesn't want to transfer students from first to fifth grades to remote learning.
He doesn't want to transfer students of first up to fifth grades to remote learning.
What's the meaningful way of expressing the thought when I mean that all from first up to fifth are included?


texts: Wondering what does "a break" in this context mean

texts:
I read this on the BBC

  Actress Meryl Streep has been honoured by the theatre where she began her career. The Oscar-winner was given a Monte Cristo Award from the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in New York on Monday. Streep said the theatre gave her a "break" in Waterford 40 years ago.

I wonder what a break in this context refers to?


texts: Which tense is the right one in this particular example?

texts:
I wanted to tell a friend that I registered for four classes after I met with my counselor.

is it wrong to have used the present perfect? My guess it is wrong since meeting with my counselor is a past action.

  I have registered for four classes after meeting with my counselor.

Isn't the past perfect the right tense to be used?

  I registered for four classes after I had met with my counselor.

Lastly, what if "meeting my counselor" was a noun, would it change anything?

  I have registered for four classes after a meeting with my counselor.


texts:
"Landlord," said I, going up to him as cool as Mt. Hecla in a snow-storm—"landlord, stop whittling. You and I must understand one another, and that too without delay. I come to your house and want a bed; you tell me you can only give me half a one; that the other half belongs to a certain harpooneer. And about this harpooneer, whom I have not yet seen, you persist in telling me the most mystifying and exasperating stories tending to beget in me an uncomfortable feeling towards the man whom you design for my bedfellow—a sort of connexion, landlord, which is an intimate and confidential one in the highest degree. I now demand of you to speak out and tell me who and what this harpooneer is, and whether I shall be in all respects safe to spend the night with him.”
  (Moby Dick, by Herman Melville)

Tell me who seems to ask about the harpooneer’s identity. nature. But what does this demand tell me what ask about: If it was tell me what this harpooner is like, it may be, I guess, about his look, appearance?


texts:
1.He invented a business plan which companies can employ (to earn profits.)

I bracketed the part which I think is the purpose adjunct,
the understood subject of the infinitive is companies, right?

can the relative clause be viewed as:
Companies can employ the business plan to earn profits?

  2.He is asked to investigate [what the police believe to be the root of the crime] (to discover the truth.)

The first infinitive to be the root of the crime,
the understood subject is relative pronoun what,right?
Can the noun phrase be viewed as:
The police believe what to be the root of the crime?

The second infinitive to discover the truth is a purpose adjunct,
and the understood subject is he?


texts: Should "chief" be capitalized in these examples?

texts:
Hi, chief. How are you doing?

I just talked to the chief.

Should chief be capitalized in the two examples above. In both examples chief is referring to the Chief of Police.


texts: What does "Blood was pounding in his ears" mean?

texts:
Harry grabbed his broom.

  "No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move -- you'll get us all into trouble."

  Harry ignored her. Blood was pounding in his ears. ... ...

I understood its literal meaning(he can hear the beating of his blood), but I'm not sure if there is a figurative meaning for it. I searched it on the web, but I haven't found anything useful. How should we understand it correctly? Is it merely a literal meaning?


texts: DIfference between 'methodology' and 'method'?

texts:
I was reading an ELL question, Is there any good methodology to help remember sound-alike words?, and I wondered about the use of 'methodology'. Would someone please affirm or refute it? Would that question have been more accurate if it used the word "method" instead? In other words:

Is there any good method to help remember sound-alike words?

I did some research on this, and found:

Method vs. Methodology

Speaking of pet peeves, here’s another of mine: the regular misuse of the word “methodology” in academic papers. Methodology is the study of scientific methods, a branch of epistemology. Econometric techniques, strategies for gathering data, means of testing hypotheses, etc. are methods, not methodologies.

Methodology isn't Methods

So, after all that, what do I mean by methodology?
Well I understand methodology to be theory; it’s theory about the research methods that will be used. It’s theory which underpins the decisions made about the researcher’s range of choices of – for example – what to study; who to study; where to study; which research tradition to work within; what knowledges to draw on; what to include and exclude, foreground and background and the consequences of this decision; what counts as data and why; relational and ethical concerns; and how to represent the findings/how to write the research.
And I see methods as the ‘tools’ that are used to do the research.

I understand methodology to be theory (it’s theory about the research methods that will be used), and I see methods as the ‘tools’ that are used to do the research.
Is my understanding accurate? Which would have been the better word to use in the title of the aforementioned question?


texts: Can we use the phrase "so-called" in its positive sense (or neutral) when refereeing to a widely adopted thing?

texts:
Let's consider the context below:

we have an "old technique" which is widely adopted by several researchers. now, you propose a new one.

you might say:

  We propose a new technique under which fault analysis becomes more tractable than the so called "old technique".

My question is that weather or not I can use "so-called" in such a context. I was thinking to "widely accepted" or "broadly adopted" though. However, this question struck my mind.


texts:
Mary was so disappointed that she could not keep working.

→ Such was________________________________

  The children were so excited that they talked about the show all night long.

→ Such was_______________________________

Ex 1: It rained so heavily that he couldn't go to the party.
→ So heavily did it rain that he couldn't go to the party.

Ex2: The actor is so popular that everyone recognizes him wherever he comes.
→ So popular is the actor that everyone recognizes him wherever he comes.

English is my second language, Vietnamese is my mother tongue


texts: infinitive clause :adjectival or complement

texts:
I know infinitive clause can be an adjective or a complement.
My following sentences concern what they act as.

  No one in the team possesses the ability which is required to accomplish this task.

Do the infinitive clause to accomplish this task act as an complement modifying  required,
or is it an adjective which goes to the noun ability,and in this case,
the sentence contains two adjective phrases:

  No one in the team possesses the ability (which is required)(to accomplish this task).

Is the above sentence a possible interpretation?

Another example, but this time using participle phrases instead of relative clause:

  The information needed to make a rational decision isn't provided.

Same question,but I wonder if changing relative clauses to participle phrases will change anything,
 does the infinitive clause to make a rational decision go to needed, or the noun informatiom?


texts:
How to thank someone who have helped me to know something knowledgeable or shared his knowledge with me:

Thank you for taking your time to share your knowledge with me.
Thank you to have shared your knowledge with me.
Thank you so much for taking the time for sharing your knowledge with me.

Are they proper way to thank someone? Are there any other way to thank someone politely?


texts: What is the correct word/pharsal verb for this?

texts: A new movie is released. People are going to watch it. So we'd better take out some time too , before it "goes down " or gets "replaced" by a new one? Is this correct?


texts:
One says from bottom of his heart,

  I don't want him to be humiliated because of me.
  I hope that he will not be humiliated because of me.

Until this day, I thought "I don't want" makes more sense, because it shows a more stronger will.

But I then I was told it sounds more native to say "I hope"...
Now I'm confused...


texts: what do these sentences suggest? "she doesn't like me, even if I like her" "she wouldn't like me, even if I liked her"

texts:
She doesn't like me,  even if I like her.
She wouldn't like me, even if I liked her
She doesn't like me,  although I like her

which do hint that I like her or not? I knew that "although" is followed by a fact, so the third must do so, right?


texts: How to say it right: "Do you know where Liz lives?"

texts:
Should I say

  Do you know where Liz lives?

or

  Do you know where does Liz live?

Please explain.


texts: How can I choose between using (in) or (on)?

texts:
Consider the following example: “In making his choice, Otto Frank had to bear several points in mind.”

You see, there is no particular pattern that helps me decide whether I have to use “on” instead of “in.”

Could I use “On making his choice, Otto...” instead?

Also, I know they are occasions where “on” should be used instead of “in.” For instance, we have: “on entering the room, she saw him.”

So, that is the problem. I do not see any distinctive pattern that helps me identifying which one of them I have to choose.


texts: "The tea is hot" - Is the verb BE transitive or not here?

texts:
I came across a question: Whether this sentence is transitive or not..

  The tea is hot.

According to me, it should be transitive.

The tea is (what?)

Please explain.


texts:
The sentence is

Variability in data is considered a nuisance.
Variability in data are considered a nuisance.

Initially I thought is was the correct one, but it was corrected to be are. I want to know the reason.


texts: How can I learn one of the standard English accents?

texts:
A few months ago, I was asked to send a videotape of my self-introduction for a job of a language teacher in China. I was rejected citing the reason that my accent was not satisfactory.

I want to train myself in either American or British Posh accent.

How can I get started with?


texts:
I'm Korean, and here, when we talk about eyesight, we say
"My left eye is 1.5 and right eye is 1.0.
The smaller the number is, the worse the eye is.
Ex) 2.0 - perfect / 0.1 - too bad. need glasses.

And I wonder how to say 1.2 in English way.
I googled and it shows that 20/20 means 1.0.
However, what I'd like to know is 1.2 in English way.

Sorry about my broken English. It's my best though.


texts: "Obliged to do something" vs "obliged to doing something"

texts:
Tell me please the difference between the following sentences.

  I am obliged to do the work.

  I am obliged to doing the work.


texts:
I want to say a group of people can be host rotate. Means if there's four of us, me can be host today and guest 'A' can be host tomorrow and then 'B' can be host at day 3 ... I will be host again at day 5.

I sense it may be rotate - ly or something similar? how do I say that.


texts: Can we use "knowing" as an adjective, just like "all-knowing"?

texts:
God is all-knowing

How does the next one make you feel?

  God is knowing of everything.

It may be better to say:

  God knows everything.

And what about this?

  A knowing God is always around you.


texts:
I know that we can say:
'I can pick you up from the station'
Can I say like this (see below) if I mean the following: 'I want you to wait me on the sidewalk of the street'.
'I can pick you up on/in the street'?


texts: "Could you please to tell more.." vs "Could you please tell more"

texts:
I can't find rule work this questions.

"Could you please to tell more about some details" or
"Could you please tell more about some details".

maybe, english has words with infinitive or without ?


texts: what does this who mean in this context?

texts:
The following sentence, who wander off the beaten track seems strange to me.
Does it mean 'The Internet is full of traps, so  the people who seek information often wander off the beaten track?
Or does it mean "There are many traps in Internet and information seekers wander off the beaten track"?

The Internet is full of traps for information seekers who wander off the beaten track.


texts:
What type and color of car is it?
It's a blue monster truck.

Is the question well composed for the answer?


texts:
I wanted to say to my friend that, I did excercise for 10 mins and after its completion, I waited for 30 mins and then I drank water. I constructed it as
"After 30 mins of doing the excercise, I drank a bottle of water"
But I immediately felt that this line is ambiguous. I think this line could also mean that I did excercise for 30 mins  and then drank water. Was I correct ? If not how should I say it ?


texts: How to write it correctly in the past tense that I realized something should be done in the future?

texts:
Example: I realized our society should reduce the emission of carbon.
or
We thought our team should do it.
I realized this (in the past) we should do it in the future (in the future).
Are my sentences grammatically correct? Did I maintain the sequence of tenses properly? How to write it correctly?


texts: If a person is 'pompous', what noun would describe them?

texts: I'm thinking there must be a word like 'prig', but I can't bring one to mind.


texts: Subject-verb agreement involving collective nouns

texts:
On subject-verb agreement involving collective nouns, I have read that BrE follows notional agreement, whereas AmE follows more grammatical agreement.  For a long sentence, after the first noun, AmE sometimes switches to notional agreement.
I found BrE practising such a switch in a BBC report on 19 March 2021.

The French airports Authority has said it is doing its best to help the Algerians, although the group are not their responsibility. (source)

Are such switches common in BrE?


texts: Meaning of "hail a taxi, without having to watch them, without passenger, pass me by"

texts:
24 and graduated cum laude from a respectable university with a double major in Mathematics and Computer Science. I was skilled enough to get a job in my industry before I even graduated from my university.

  I have traveled the world and speak 3 languages at an intermediate/advanced level, two of them European languages and one of them East Asian. I'm clean cut and articulate. I live in New York City with my wonderful Caucasian fiancé, who is also quite well educated and cultured.

  I could go on about how police mistreat me, the service that I get at restaurants is lackluster, and the very obvious difference in pay that I have compared to my white peers of comparable skillsets, but to be honest I'd really just like it if for one day, I could walk out of my apartment and hail a taxi without having to watch them, without passenger, pass me by.

I don’t really get the meaning of the last sentence “hail a taxi, without having to watch them, without passenger, pass me by”.


texts:
According to the lot, therefore, India fell unto Judas Thomas,
  which is also the twin: but he would not go, saying that by reason of the weakness of the flesh he could not travel,... (Acts of
  the Holy Apostle Thomas: Act I)

What does "which is also the twin" mean? Does it mean the lot fell unto India two times?


texts: Can we use the verb "says" for advertisement?

texts:
The ad says that this medicine is efficient for losing weight.

Is is idiomatic to use the verb "say" for advertisement? Or there are better verbs I can use in the above sentence?


texts: What does "dark - flowering" mean in this context?

texts:
I am confused about the meaning of "dark - flowering kisses". Would be so grateful for any ideas, as I have none :(
Here's the context:
"Before he knew what he was doing,he crushed his mouth over hers, holding her head so
she couldn’t jerk back. She tasted like lavender sugar. Sweet, dark-flowering kisses, opening in a way that focused all his senses on this one moment, this one blinding perception of pleasure."
Excerpt from Lisa Kleypas book "Dream Lake"


texts:
I was reading Julian Barnes The Sense of an Ending, when I encountered this line:

  And I thought of a cresting wave of water, lit by a moon, rushing past
  and vanishing upstream, pursued by a band of yelping students whose
  torch beams crisscrossed in the dark.

I thought for celestial entities like the Earth, the Sun, the Moon, the determiner should be "the", instead of "a"? But I'm sure the author has his reason for using "a". I am just genuinely confused.


texts: How to identify what a prepositional phrase is modifying?

texts:
He also forecast the usefulness of the medium for graphic artists in a
letter.

From that sentence, 'for graphic artists' modifies 'the usefulness of the medium' or ' the medium' ?
And it seems that definitely 'in a letter' do not modify 'graphic artists'.
Why sometimes prepositional phrases are modifying the words just before them. And sometimes do not?
And how to we can identity them?


texts:
I work for a company that produces ELT materials. We write various kinds of reading and listening passages, followed by multiple-choice comprehension questions.
Our staff writers use the "What is NOT true" question quite often. While I find this a valid form for reading questions, I have concerns about this style for listening questions. For instance, if there's a READING passage about the Roman Empire, and the question is, "What is something Julius Caesar did NOT do," the student can scan back through the text and eliminate the multiple-choice options that are true.
But for LISTENING tests, I suspect it can be quite difficult for students to remember what they DIDN'T hear. Unfortunately, our company doesn't do any follow-up to identify any kind of validity/reliability issues.
Are there any teaching/testing professionals out there who can give any thoughts or feedback on this issue? I suspect that we should not be using "NOT true" questions in listening tests, but I can't find any source that backs this up.


texts:
EDIT: I emailed the site and got the answer to my question. Apparently it means "she likes to make things pretty and fun".

I was asked about this phrase by a coworker and I have no clue what it's supposed to mean. Apparently he found it in the following passage.
"Deanna loves to bring fluff and foof to all our events and always does a great job!!!"
https://www.appleblossom.org/2019-board-of-directors/

At first I thought it might have been a typo but a google search gave me a few more examples.
"I’ve always heard to get pillows one size large or vice-versa, for maximum stuffing. But I specifically wanted to be able to fluff and foof mine around due to chronic back pain."
-Amazon review for a pillow case

"Rhiannon worked at various day spas in southeast Florida in her early career, but knew she wanted more than the fluff and foof."
-Bio on an esthetician's website

Does anyone have any idea what this might mean?


texts:
I want to translate the phrase 'recover your senses' to my native language:

  How long a time does it usually take before you "recover your senses" in the morning after rising from a night's sleep?

but the literal translation doesn't sound good. Could some one tell me some other phrases with the same meaning in English?


texts: What do you call the act of moving sideways by jumping and extending your legs in a V before jumping? By that I mean extending your legs in a V and then putting your legs together while jumping so as to form an I and on and on? Is there a particular name for this? I am thinking there might be one since kids do that a lot.


texts: How would you call someone who puts all their effort into their job

texts:
When people in interviews sometimes they ask you to describe yourself in 3 words.
If you want to say that you really do what you do well, and put all your time and efforts into it, you would be a _____ person.


texts:
Punk Slime Recordings are proud to present our latest signing Mind Rays alongside the lead single from their debut album Nerve Endings. The Belgian garage punk quartet have quickly emerged as one of the most exciting new garage acts in mainland Europe, and with Nerve Endings they’re set to take over the world. Lead single “Still & All” is out now and the full-length will be arriving on March 24 via PNKSLM Recordings.

Why present perfect?  Does that mean they are still emerging or means they finished recently emerging? I think the last proposition is the best.


texts:
Is there any difference between "this" and "it" in this context when pointing at something? For example, I am pointing at something near me,  or I am holding it in my hand and say "How much is this?" or "How much is it?" I often see "it" instead of "this" in children's books and videos. Do they mean the same thing in such context only?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=tNK0ToOgntw#


texts:
What's the meaning & structure of "Another stripped faculty doors of banners referencing Taiwan"?

When reading an article "Get China's pernicious Confucius Institutes out of US colleges"(http://thehill.com/opinion/education/375092-get-chinas-pernicious-confucius-institutes-out-of-us-colleges), I met the sentence and was confused, even though I recognized every word.


texts:
Which words can  be used also to mean that something is used to injure someone as in the following example :

"To lob" has a meaning involves a trajectory movement. However, I was wondering if it is used strictly in this sense.

To fling means to throw something somewhere using a lot of force.

To catapult means to throw somebody/something or be thrown suddenly and violently through the air

  The guy hurled a pen at the little boy.

  The guy lobbed /flung/catapulted a pen at the little boy.

  Protesters hurled/lobbed /flung/catapulted stones at the building.

  Someone hurled/lobbed /flung/catapulted a rock through the window.


texts: "exceeding France’s rate in 2009 and reaching almost 60% in the end of period." Why not "exceeded" and "reached"?

texts:
In this sentence why the ing form of the verb is used instead of past tense?

Germany’s rate increased sharply throughout the period, exceeding France’s rate in 2009 and reaching almost 60% in the end of period.

Could we rewrite it in another way instead of ing form?


texts:
Surprisingly, a feeling of tiredness may result of a lack of exercise.

Take for example the sentence above. Should I use result of or result from? What is the difference?
Is there a general rule for the use of result of and result from?


texts: What are the nuances between using "odd," "weird," or "strange" here?

texts:
Question 1:
What are the nuances between using odd, weird, or strange here?
Question2:
Is my example correct?
Example:

A: Did you win the lottery

B: I won the jackpot. My family does not believe I won. I have not told my other friends about this. You are my first friend to know about this.

A: That sounds odd/weird/strange. Maybe it is hiding something.

By the way, "That" refers to the whole thing B is saying.


texts: Do you need help vs do you need any help

texts:
Is there a difference between thses two sentences?

  Do you need help (studying for the test)?

vs

  Do you need any help (studying for the test)?

I wonder if they can be interchangeable when I want to help someone study for a test.


texts:
What does "Give in it" mean in this sentence?

The shoes may seem tight at first, but the leather has plenty of give in it.

And when can I use it?


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

texts:
In the sentences below:

  'It's only a suggestion.'
  'That's only a suggestion.'

I was told by most people that they could be used interchangeably, but I believe they exist for some reason that yet to be found out.

How do you differentiate them?


texts:
What does ground-covering gait mean, in the following paragraph?

  The Australian Terrier has an attractive ruff circling the neck with a crest of longer hair that enhances its intelligent and keen expression. This working terrier has a medium-boned, small, and sturdy body that is longer than it is tall. It can withstand harsh conditions and shows a ground-covering gait.


texts: Should "neither/either" be followed by "have" or "has"?

texts:
In school, I was taught whenever coming across the pattern "either..or" or "neither..nor", we should always consider the noun/pronoun nearer to the verb when deciding which form to use.

For example:

  Neither my parents nor John _______ (agree) with that.

In this case, we should use "agrees" instead of "agree" since John is closer to the verb.

Then I have a question. What if when there is only "either" or "neither"?

For example:

  There are two particles: quarks and gluons. Neither ________ (detect) in the lab in isolated form yet.

In this case, should I use "has been detected" or "have been detected"?


texts: Is "which there wasn't" putting it right?

texts:
Please note that I'm not a native speaker.

Take this sentence:

  Even if there would have been sufficient eggs — which there wasn’t — he would need other stuff sooner or later.

Is the wording "which there wasn't" grammatically correct and would a native speaker understand that, in fact, there were not sufficient eggs?


texts: Meaning of "(assessing) points to nowhere"

texts:
A previous question post by a new user was put on hold because five people, incuding me, voted it to be "primarily opinion-based" because (or despite) it asking about one line in a song. Therefore I am restating the original post in a way that focuses on grammar.

1 In the title of this blog post, "Loyalty points to nowhere," is points a verb or a noun?

2 Also, in the phrase "assessing points to nowhere," is points a verb or a noun? The complete sentence is "And assessing points to nowhere, leading every single one."

3 Does the grammar of "assessing loyalty points to nowhere" work the same as the grammar of "assessing points to nowhere"? Edit: Please briefly explain the grammar if there is difference.

Since adding a bounty, I have added the following question:

4 Does this interpretation of the phrase act in accord with the grammar of the phrase? Why or why not?

I don't want answers that are largely opinion based, but that are grammatically,  linguistically, and contextually based. Thanks.


texts: What is the meaning of 'now' in this sentence?

texts:
She (Helen Keller) now understood what words were.

I'd like to know the meaning of 'now' in the sentence.


texts: How to describe the leakage of rain from a house roof? Such as the house leaks, rain drips from the roof, the house is not waterproof,or it is leaking? Thank you very much!


texts:
May I ask if it is correct and natural to say

  I have been queuing up for too long.

to describe the condition in which I have been waiting for a long time in a queue?

If not, how can this sentence be corrected?


texts: "Berlin private art school" vs "Private Berlin art school"

texts:
I have a sentence which I can change the words in some versions without changing the meaning, but I'm not sure which one is the most natural to the English native speaker, therefore I would like you to give your opinion about which of the options sounds to you more natural?

  Option 1: "Berlin private art school"

  Option 2: "Private Berlin art school"


texts: Ask someone (on,about,of,over,for) something

texts:
What are the differences between these sentences ?

  1.I asked him on an opinion.

it sounds like I wanted to know his thinking directly related to an opinion for a long time.

  2.I asked him about an opinion

it sounds like I wanted to know his thinking both directly and indirectly related to an opinion for a long time.

  3.I asked him of an opinion.

It sounds like I wanted to know his evaluation on the quality of an opinion for a short time.

  4.I asked an opinion of him.

it sounds like I required him to give his opinion.

  5.I asked him an opinion.

it sounds like I gave him an opinion so as either to hear his thinking of, about or on an opinion OR to have a talk with him on an opinion.

  6.I asked him for an opinion.

it sounds like either I required him to give an opinion(presumably in this case an opinion should be his opinion) or I required him to speak of or about an opinion, or I required him to talk with me on an opinion.

This sentence shouldn't be used widely, because of corruption of a variety of interpretations.

  I asked him over an opinion.

it sounds like I wanted to know his thinking broadly for a long time.

I think this post would be very helpful for learners to grasp the tiny differences between their meanings.


texts:
I would like to know which one of the following is correct:

  Sentence #1:
  This job is considered a dream job.

  Sentence #2:
  This job is considered as a dream job.

I can recall that when I was in 9th grade one of my English language teachers told me that the sentence #2 is not correct.

That means as should be omitted after the word considered in this case.


texts: "My favourite definition of a feminist is one offered by Su" - Is it grammatically right or whether it should be - "My favourite definition of a feminist is the one offered by Su".If both are correct, pls explain the difference between the two and the meaning they imply.


texts: What is the meaning of 'gravy' in this sentence

texts:
There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!

Because, said Scrooge, a little thing affects them. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats. You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!


texts:
Which one is correct ?

I don't have any occasion to take leave.
I have no occasion to take leave.


texts: Does “When asking” refer to “people” or the writer in this context?

texts:
In the first sentence from this Stack Exchange Help Page:

  When asking a question, people will be better able to provide help if you provide code that they can easily understand and use to reproduce the problem.

Does the "When asking a question" refer to "people"? I believe it should be "you" instead?

In its current state it sounds, to me, like

  When people are asking a question, they will be better able to provide help if you provide...

Which I don't think is what is meant.


texts:
Based on the definition in most dictionaries, “act on” means to behave and use someone’s advice or reason for doing something else.

However, I came across the phrasal verb in my biology textbook, and the sentence is

  Myosin acts on microfilaments to produce muscle movements.

Does it mean that Myosin receives messages from microfilaments to produce movements? Or Myosin triggers Microfilaments to produce muscle movements?


texts: difference between 'stand someone up' and ' make someone stand'

texts:
these two phrases look quite the same, though i think they would not seem identical to a native
'stand someone  up ' or 'make someone stand'

similarly,

'sit someone down' vs' make someone sit'.

well google couldn't help me much .


texts: Passive construction(for infinitive verb)

texts:
1
Active voice: He expects me to help him.
Passive(book answer): He expects to be helped by me.
Passive(my answer): It is expected by him that i should help him.
passive(my answer): It is expected by him to win the match.(if we change main clause in passive.
2
Active: It is time to take action.
Passive(book answer: It is time for action to be taken.
Passive(my answer): It is time that action should be taken.
I am confused here. In these sentences there are two clause for exp He expects me [to help him]. what is the subject of second part of sentence. which clause should be converted into passive.
[He decided to sell the car was changed into He decided that the car should be sold in the same book. so i take the clue and change #1 and #2 into passive according to that.]


texts: Correct way to ask the carrier when your package will be shipped

texts:
Is it correct to say "Do you know when the package is expected to be shipped?"?
What about When is the expected date for the package to be shipped?
Are there other ways to say this?

What is "is+past tense" (is expected) called?


texts: 'will attract' vs. 'will be attractive to'

texts:
Which one is better? What are the differences of these two sentences?

  Men will be attractive to women.
  Men will attract women.


texts: Can I use "because" twice in a sentence to make the meaning clear?

texts:
Is "because" twice in a sentence here natural sounding:

  But that will be difficult because I can't moderate chats myself
  because I am not around much.

I need both becauses there. That's how the sentence makes sense. But I'm not sure if that's an okay structure.

Thanks in advance for the answers.


texts:
Hello I came across this sentence:

"i have questions i need answered"

Is it correct to use answered after need?
in my opinion, there should be something like :

"i have questions i need answers" or
"i have questions i need to be answered"

I tried to Google but did not find the rules of this, I know that there is only have something done, so I want to understand this is an mistake or is it right?
Thanks


texts: Is the following sentence construction right?

texts:
Is this sentence correct? I'm not so sure about the bold part.

  The boy just kept about, trying to do what his parents always taught him to do, helping others and contenting with the life he led.


texts: I'd just like to know as many expressions as possible - movie + show/ play

texts:
Here's an original sentence. But I'd just like to know as many expressions as possible so that I can use and understand whichever.
We won't be showing any movies on Christmas day.

Not any movies won't be playing  on Christmas day.

Not any movies won't be being shown on Christmas day.

There are no movies playing on Christmas day.

There will be no movies playing on Christmas day.


texts: "I've been waiting for you for ages." vs "I've been waiting you for ages."

texts:
Sometimes using adverbs of time is confusing.

Non-native speakers like me get in a tendency to carry a grammar logic while constructing sentences in order to be better understood.

I know that using two for in the following sentence is correct :

I've been waiting for you for ages.

but it sounds odd to me.  I feel like using the below sentence is more accurate:

I've been waiting  you for ages.

Is there an alternative usage in that context?


texts: Can you help me with this "gerund vs do"?

texts:
It is better to peak at this level than not peaking at this level and then not qualifying for the quarter-finals.

  It is better to peak at this level than not peaking at this level and then do not qualify for the quarter-finals.

Are both correct and mean the same?


texts: Can I use "there you are" when I finally find someone? because according to the Cambridge dictionary I can't

texts:
Can I use "there you are" when I finally find someone?
Because according to the Cambridge dictionary I can't but I heard a native speaker say it.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/there-you-go?q=there+you+are


texts:
Is it appropriate to start a sentence with 'and'? We like to do it in my language. It emphasizes that the action in the sentence is a continuation of the previous. And it makes the flow of ideas more softer.

  And they lived in paradise. And they were naked but not ashamed.

In my language if I start a sentence with 'and' I can omit the object. Because it is clear that the action happens with the previous object. Can I do it in English?

  He called me. And said that he would be late.


texts: How to mention what the teacher is teaching?

texts:
Time and again, I have faced a situation in which I want to express something about what the teacher/lecturer is teaching; however, I have to say it indirectly, as I did now.
For instance, consider this sentence, please:

  Using electronic devices in the classroom distracts students from ... .

Should I say "the subject","the material", "the lesson"?


texts: Is surrounding environment a redundancy?

texts:
In my language ‘mediu inconjurator’ would be literally translated as ‘surrounding environment’. Even though this term is widely used it is well known as a redundancy.

I wonder whether this case is similar in English.


texts: What's the meaning "Improve each shady hour "?

texts:
A little midge sung a song around a person, who was sleeping in the bed at night.

  How does the little busy me
  Improve each shady hour
  By setting on your nose or knee
  As if upon a flower

This is a short story from the novel "Little Old Mrs Pepperpot"

I couldn't understand the meaning "Improve each shady hour".
Does it mean "get light"? Could you teach me the meaning?


texts: Who is "Sally" referred to in this joke?

texts:
I saw the following joke on Internet.

  "A man dies and goes to heaven.

  As he sits in a chair Jesus Christ takes a seat in front of him.

  The man is confused because he is also surrounded by clocks

  The man asks Jesus “What are all these clocks for???”

  Jesus replies “These are lying clocks, the more you lie, everytime you lie, the hand turns one hour ahead”

  The man asks “How about Mother Teresa's clock?”

  Jesus points it out and said “It is at 12, meaning she never told a lie”

  The man stares in awe and points out a clock, “Whose clock is that?”

  Jesus answers,“That is Sally’s, it is at two, meaning she told 2 lies.”

  The man gets curious because he can't find Donald Trump’s clock.

  The man finally asks “Where is Donald Trump’s clock?”

  Jesus calmly looks him dead in the eye and says,

  “It's being used as a ceiling fan in God's office”

I get the joke. My question is who specifically "Sally" is referred to in this joke? Or it is just a random person?


texts: "commonly used" vs "sound natural" and "is idiomatic"

texts:
Note: This post is NOT a duplicate of "is more commonly used" vs. "more common", which is focusing on the difference between "be more commonly used" and "be more common".

This post focuses on the difference between "is commonly used" and "sounds natural/is idiomatic".

As you may have noticed, I treated "sounds natural" and "is idiomatic" as the same. There are 3 pieces of consideration.

A nice answerer's opinion

First of all, non-native English speakers alway care about whether what they say sounds natural. So, lots of people ask whether some expressions are idiomatic. I also ask this kind of question a lot, such as Is it idiomatic to say "could only be used"? and the following.

An answer to the post Is it idiomatic to say "grammatical and idiomatic"? says

  ... it is both grammatical and idiomatic in the sense that it sounds natural, but it is not really what you could call a "commonly used" phrase.

which conveys, I suppose, that some expressions sounds natural are usually idiomatic.

Google Ngram

I put a group of phrases on Google Ngram and got this.

Which illustrates clearly that "sounds natural" and "is idiomatic" have almost the same points.

Cambridge Dictionary

Cambridge Dictionary gives this definition about "idiomatic"

  containing expressions that are natural and correct

Obviously, idiomatic and natural are synonyms each other.

Commonly used

The last and the most difficult part is the difference between "is commonly used" and "sounds natural/is idiomatic".

The part that I quoted earlier also implies that, some expressions sounds natural are not really "commonly used". For example, "grammatical and idiomatic" might sounds natural but it is not really "commonly used".

The Google Ngram also suggests that "commonly used" is really commonly  used than "sounds natural/is idiomatic".

Question

Why is that? Could someone explain a bit more? Could someone name more examples where some expression sounds natural are not "commonly used"?


texts:
'dose' is a quanity used with drugs that you take when you are ill.

Why does 'in small doses' as in "I can cope with her in small doses" mean 'a litte bit' or 'for some time'?


texts:
I know the antonym of "to" is "from".

He went to the station.
He came from the station.

I am searching for a preposition opposite in meaning to "toward", but I could not find it, so I use "side" as follows:

He went toward the station.
He came from the station side.

Is there any preposition opposite in meaning to "toward"?


texts: What is it called in English a term that describes the self dependency of a technical device?

texts:
What is it called in English a term that describes the self dependency of a technical device, without refueling it? For example the distance a car can go without refueling or the time a battery can function without recharging it.

I need to translate into English a technical catalog and I don’t know if self dependency can be used technically (in techniques).

In my language the term is autonomy but all English dictionaries describe this only politically, i.e. independency, self governing, freedom etc.

On the other hand, on the internet I saw the term drone autonomous air refueling which means that the term can be used technically.

So can I use the term autonomy or self dependency?

  high autonomy;

or

  high self dependency.

about a product? Or there is/are better term/terms


texts: Does 'the same' means opposite in this case?

texts:
Check these sentences -

  I cracked that tough exam and got an admission at the institute. You are my best buddy, I expect the same from you (cracking the exam).

Clearly, one friend wants other to crack the exam because he expects the same.

NOW...

You call it a pun or the beauty of the grammar. But this is what popped up in my mind hearing some conversation between two friends.

  Hey dude, if I respect you, I expect the same (from you).   Oh little head, there's no doubt. I respect myself!

The gag is clear but it leaves a good point. How do we ask for the same thing from the other person without having ambiguity.


texts: That was my father or that is my father?

texts:
Suppose you were talking to your friend, in a casual conversation.
Friend: Was that your father whom we saw yesterday at the school?
You: Yes, that was my father.
I'm quite confused whether to use "that is my father" or "that was my father".
I feel it should be "that is my father", because the question establishes the fact that my father was seen in the school yesterday and be it today, tomorrow, a week or a month later, he's still going to he my father.


texts:
I am building an online version of the game of Set, and I want to get my vocabulary straight. So far, the words I have are "card", "deck", "(card) feature", "set", "player" and "dealer".

I am missing words describing:

the initial laying of 12 cards (lay out? initialisation?)
the addition of 3 cards when a set has been found (add on? filler?)
the set of cards that are face up, on the table (board? table?)
the attempt made by a player to demonstrate a set (move? call? attempt?)
the different types within a feature (variations?)

What are the technical terms used in card games, such as Set?


texts: Confusion over IELTS Reading test: "Yes", "No", "Not Given"

texts:
Following is a text found relevant to a Yes, No, Not Given, question in IELTS  general reading sample paper.

  As the windiest country in the Europe, the United Kingdom's wind power potential is larger than the rest of Europe put together. Half of this resource is in Scotland. The UK's government has promised to generate 10% of their electricity using renewable resources. Wind power is seen to be the answer to doing this. The UK has issued wind farm licences to produce as much electricity as about six nuclear power stations. This policy has found favour with the public who support the search for cleaner energy sources.

What should be the answer for the following statement, according to the above text?

  Wind power is popular with the UK general public.

My judgement is: the text does not imply that the wind power is popular in the UK, therefore, the answer should be Not Given.

But, according to the marking scheme, the answer is Yes.

Do you think that answer is justifiable?.


texts: Is there a word or expression for "being comically famous"?

texts:
Let me cite an example: Consider the CEO of this website.

She was widely known for the worst website on the internet. (She received awards for the same too).

But still, she is a celebrity but in a comical way. So, is there a word for that? Like, we use "notorious" for negatively famous!


texts: Why do people use "did" instead of "do" when asking something?

texts:
When I go to shops to buy something, always workers ask me,
 "Did you need a bag?" or "Did you need a receipt?".
I'm really wondering why they say "Did" than "Do" because I learned that when I talk about something that is happening now then I need to use the verb in the present tense.

Also one time my friend asked me "Did you want to go to the cafe?". But at that time we were talking about the place where we were about to go. So I was curious why she didn't use "do" because she was asking me where to go at that moment.

My question is, why people are using "did" for asking something, happening in the present.


texts: "if each one of us could recycle his/her waste" or "if each one of us could recycle their waste"

texts:
Could I say "their" instead of "his/ her" as I wrote in the examples below?
"If each one of us could recycle his/her waste..."
vs
"If each one of us could recycle their waste...."


texts: Should reference numbers be located after the punctuation?

texts: I saw in a research article that reference numbers were located after the punctuation. E.g. in the screenshot below, there are a few reference numbers that I underlined in red: they are located after , and .. Is that correct?


texts:
(1) If I ate too much food now, I wouldn't be able to eat anything else when my pizza arrives in 30 minutes.

Is the arrives correct here?

(2) If I didn't sleep now, I would look terrible when I go to work tomorrow.

Is the go correct here?

(3) If I didn't wake up when my alarm clock goes off, I would be late for work.

Is the goes off correct here?

(4) If I didn't wake up when my alarm clock goes off, I would be scolded by my boss because she always tells us not to be late.

Is the goes off correct here?
Is the tells correct here?

So in cases of conditionals, do we just use tenses in adverb clauses normally depending on what we are trying to say, right?


texts:
Certainly, it is not as easy to learn to read and spell English as it
  is most other phonetic languages.

from Uncovering the Logic of English: A Common-Sense Approach to Reading, Spelling, and Literacy

Shouldn't it have been "as it is in most other phonetic languages" or "as it is with most other phonetic languages"? Or the presented wording is acceptable too?


texts: Why is "My wife appointment government official." fragment?

texts:
I found some warning message when I write some text in the MS-WORD.

  the warning message is that "My wife appointment government official." is fragment.

What does fragment mean? what am I supposed to do to revise this sentence?


texts:
Can we use word Lost as Verb?
Like below sentence

"Oh I think we have lost in the Jungle"

"Oh I think we are lost in the jungle"

Or is there any other way to say?


texts:
Here is the context:

  Some dogs were skilled at finding and snatching food and avoiding dogcatchers, unfriendly dogs, and people. Some were good at “playing” humans for food, whereas others weren’t.

Does that mean that when dogs want to get food, they try to imitate humans?


texts: How to use "hr./hrs" when describing time in the 24-hour clock?

texts:
Say, an event occurs between 15:00 to 16:00.

How do I write it?

  15:00 - 16:00 hr.

or

  15:00 - 16:00 hrs.

How do I use the "hr/.hrs" here? Do I even need them at all?


texts: I don't understand punctuation inside quotes

texts:
I have troubles understanding how punctuation works with quotes, it feels illogical and counter-intuitive.

I was reading an article about documentation and I came across this sentence during the part about grammar:

  You need to understand the difference between “its” and “it’s;” between “there,” “they’re,” and “their;” and you need to understand why I’m putting the commas and semicolons in this sentence inside the quotes, not outside.

I did some research (there's already a question here but I got a clearer answer on grammarbook) and apparently, punctuation of the main sentence fits in the quotes. I could work with that convention, but I really don't understand it. Here's why :

The article said that:

  "The placement of question marks with quotation marks follows logic (lol). If a question is within the quoted material, a question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks.

With the following examples:

  She asked, "Will you still be my friend?" (question mark is part of the quotation)

  Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love and war"? (question mark is outside the quotation)

So under certain circumstances (i.e. when you have no other choice), the punctuation of the main sentence shouldn't be between the quotes. That's fair, but now there's an exception you never really know. Why not place it outside all the time ?

Take the following sentence from the same article:

  "Why," I asked, "don't you care?"

How do we know if the original sentence was "Why, don't you care ?" or "Why don't you care ?" ? You can tell only with the context given in the article.

It's just so much easier when the punctuation of the main sentence is outside the quotes ! I'm not saying it's stupid or anything, I just can't put sense into it.

Can you explain to me the logic behind it, how to know what the author meant when it's ambiguous, or why it's actually not ambiguous ?

(I know it's probably just rules I have to get used to but I feel like I'm missing a piece of the puzzle.)


texts: Which one is the right sentence structure?

texts:
Generally I've learned the former, but I want to know if the latter is possible. If either way is possible, is there any difference in meaning?

Part of what makes watching a movie great is getting to see actors bring characters to life. (to see~~ : verbid + object + objective complement)
Part of what makes watching a movie great is getting to see that actors bring characters to life. (to see~~ : verbid + noun clause)

I'm looking forward to you guys. Thank you in advance!


texts: Why "might" is used in the following situation but not "might have"?

texts:
I found the sentense "he hesitated before ringing her, fearful of what she might say".
I wonder why "... might say" is used but not "... might have said"?


texts: How do we address an unmarried old woman?

texts:
Say, Jeane is a 50 year old unmarried woman. And I insist on using titles. So, while talking about her with somebody else, shall I say, "This is Mrs. Jeane's house?" In writing, of course, we can use Ms. Jeane to avoid confusion, but how do we avoid this confusion while speaking, because both Mrs. and Ms. are pronounced the same, that is Missus, isn't it?

Even if she is married and I deliberately want to avoid allusions to her marital status in my speech, what title shall I use? (Miss is for young girls, right?)


texts: What's is the meaning of held a phone call

texts: Is phrase "held a phone call" means received a phone call or made a phone call?


texts: Why is "use" the correct word in the sentence “I hope (…) can be of use”?

texts:
I am wondering why "use" is a correct choice in this sentence:

  I hope that my working experience and education can be of use to West China Supermarkets.

Instead of "use", Could I use "using" in that sentence? And what is the difference between use and using?


texts: What do you call the "cup of fizzy drink" in a trio at a fast food chain?

texts:
I am pretty sure there's a special term for it, because "paper cup of coke" doesn't sound right, and all of the other words I can think at the moment doesn't sound great. If it doesn't sound great, it's not great for marketing, so I am pretty sure there's a word for it.

Like when you order a Big Mac trio, you get coke, but I don't think the cashiers would call it "a cup of coke".


texts:
Is a three-word phrasal verb an object of the verb or of the preposition?

For example:

  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to keep up on the news while I was away on vacation.

Is the news an object of “keep up” or “on”?

  I always look forward to the beginning of a new semester.

Is the beginning an object of “look forward” or “to”?


texts:
As a nonnative English teacher in South Korea, .

I've seen and heard a lot "Be kind to the elderly."

As far as I know, the preposition "to" ususally comes after the word " kind".

One day, one of my students asked me, "Can the preposition " to" be used after the words "angry",  "popular", and "gentle" ?

Then, I replied to his question.

The words "angry", "popular" and "gentle" must be followed by "with",  not "to".

Just think of those expression as idiomatic.

I can't seem to explain why.

But, as far as i'm concerned,  those two words "angry" and "popular" seem to be followed by "with".
For example,  in the sentence "I was agry with you.", "you" did something to me which made me angry. Right here,the preposition "with" means you and I  are "involved in something" or "doing something together".
In the process, you made me angry.
The preposition "with" includes interaction with two people.

That's why "with" seems to be used with "angry".
My theory of the "with" may be applicable to the word "popular".

The word "kind" doesn't seem to mean more interaction like the word "angry" and "popular". "Be kind to the elderly" means "you should do nice things to them whether they have done something to you or not"

To me, the word "gentle" seems to collocate with " to" rather than "with" like the word "kind"

Is my theory about the preposition between "with" and "to" right?

Could any of native speakers of English explain the difference?

I'd appreciate it if someone could clarify the difference.


texts: usage of ‘hope’: uncountable or countable plural?

texts:
Here are some examples from dictionaries where hope is used in the plural

  people have hopes of increasing trade between the two regions (Collins Cobuild)

  she has hopes of studying to be a nurse (LDOCE)

  he secretly cherished hopes that George would marry his daughter (OALD)

  His early hopes of freedom were now gone.

  Hopes are high that a resolution to the conflict can be found.

  Hopes of a peaceful end to the strike are now growing.

  Hopes for the missing men are fading.

Here are also some dictionary examples in which hope is used as an uncountable noun, hence in the singular form:

  Hope faded after wrecked remains of the ship were washed onto the shore.

  Hope remains that survivors will be found.

   the treatment gave him renewed hope

   I didnʼt give up hope of being released.

  I donʼt hold out much hope of finding a buyer.

I am wondering why ‘hope’ is sometimes used in the plural while otherwise in the singular. Or, is there any guideline as to when hope should be used as uncountable and when as countable in the plural?
Could anyone help on this?
Many thanks in advance!