texts: How do you call an organisation that helps young adults gain work experience?

texts: I am working at an organisation that helps young adults/adolescents who receive income supplement/welfare by providing them with a job at said organisation for a period of 3 or 6 months, after which they can (hopefully) find a regular job or go back to school. If translated literally, it would be learning-working company, but I don't know if it would be called learning company or is there a special word for such an organisation?


texts:
They took an umbrella with them. It might rain.

Connect these two sentences with the phrase in case.

The right answer is:

  They took an umbrella with them in case it rained/ should rain.

Can you tell me why the following sentence is wrong and why the answer is right?

  They took an umbrella with them in case it might rain


texts: To try with someone,what does that mean?

texts: Micheal Scott is speaking with his boss,Jan, on the phone and making her upset so she is about to hang up.she says: i have really tried with you today.what does that mean?


texts: When should we use rationale rather than argument or explanation?

texts:
When reading this paper:

  The motivation and rationale is sound and not repeated here.

I think rationale here can be replaced by explanation. After searching, I found this article:

  An argument is a rationale in which the reason presents evidence in support of a claim made in the conclusion.  Its purpose is to provide a basis for believing the conclusion to be true.
  An explanation is a rationale in which the reason presents a cause of some fact represented by the conclusion.  Its purpose is to help us understand how or why that fact occurs.

This explains the difference between argument and explanation, which both belong to rationale.

My question is where rationale is more suitable? Is rationale more formal?


texts:
In Dostoyevsky's novella "Notes from underground", after the narrator gave a long speech to convince(maybe) Liza about happiness in being with family, there is a sentence which Liza said and this is excerpt from the book

"Why, you ... Speak somehow like a book," she said, and again there was a note of irony in her voice.

What is the irony in this.i know that irony is when there is contrast between literal meaning and intended meaning.but here do irony mean she was mocking him or she wanted to make fun of him.


texts:
Could you please tell me which one is correct and why?

  I did some alterations in the plan.

  I did some alterations to the plan.

Also,
Can I say it as following? :

  I made some alterations in the plan.

  I made some alterations to the plan.


texts:
Consider these sentences, please:

Looking at her now you’d never guess she had been so upset.

Can I use "has been" or "was" in place of "had been" in the sentence above?

I’d never have guessed that they were married.

Are they still married or is the sentence talking about them being married in the past? Can I use "had been" in place of "were" in sentence 2)?


texts:
I would like to say, "If I had got more time, I could have done it a lot better in a more efficient and short way."

But, how do I say that without having to use 'if'.


texts:
Fred grew eloquent in describing how hill beyond hill was covered with the brilliant blossoms of the gorse, and how walking over them was like walking through flames of fire.
  Source

Is "hill beyond hill" the same as "hill after hill"?

Is it possible to say, "meadow beyond rolling meadow spread in all directions in front of my eyes."?


texts: Is "Ha Ha Point" English or a makeup word from other language?

texts:
I looked up the Yahoo Dictionary of Hong Kong,
and it tells me the word I was looking for is this: "Ha Ha Point".

Yahoo Dictionary says "Ha Ha Point" is a network language that means "punch line", which is usually the part of a joke that makes you laugh.

I get that "Ha Ha" mimics the sound of laughter and that a "point" to which you can't help but laugh is the result of the punch line, but is "Ha Ha Point" English? Is it really a network language claimed by Yahoo Dictionary? To me this "Ha Ha Point" is too strange to be valid.


texts: Do you consider them as parenthetical phrases or adverbial phrases?

texts:
We, for our part, admitting the fact that no feat of
  intelligence and character is so exacting as that required of two
  people who desire to live permanently together on a basis of amity,
  are obsessed by the problem of how to render the basic facts of
  cohabitation simpler and more reasonable, in order that unhappy
  marriages may less frequently result.

For the two phrases "for our part" and "admitting the fact ...amity", does it make more sense to consider them as adverbial phrases than parenthetical phrases?


texts:
Which one is correct to describe that I started something and it's still continuing since then.

  I've started doing the project
  Or
  I started doing the project

I don't know the first one sounds like I've started it several times, or I am still starting it, since the present perfect is to the "start" not what I've actually been doing, however I mean to say that I started it in the past but the actual activity is still going since then, and the second sentence can be even worse that I started doing it in the past but not anymore, which one is correct?
Please stick with the both phrases, I understand that there are better ways to phrase the sentence, but regardless.


texts:
Which of the following sentences is correct?

  "Many a girls was appearing in the examination."

  "Many a girl was appearing in the examination."


texts: What do you call an appeal to a higher power?

texts: I am looking for a general word for it, but I don't mind if you can only think of a word used in a legal context, such as when we try to appeal to a higher legal authority, or a word used with a religious connotation, such as when we try to appeal to a higher power, such as a God.


texts: What is the reason for putting an article before "few" even-though it talks about plural?

texts:
What is the reason for putting an article before "few" (a few) even-though it talks about plural?

Generally the word "few" is always supposed to talk about more than one, then why does it get an article before.

Example:

  Just a few people wake-up so early at the morning.
  I've got a few fruits and vegetables.
  A few minutes later he came and brought the good news.


texts: What do you call techniques in the same category as "breaking the fourth wall"? Breaking the fourth wall, is when characters in a fiction refers to things in the real world. What are similar techniques in the same category called? Are they called "meta" techniques? I recall there was a word, but I am not sure if "meta" is the correct word.


texts: What's the difference between "at least [number]" and "[number] or more"?

texts:
A person who has at least 2 heads isn't normal.

  A person who has 2 or more heads isn't normal.

Is there a difference between the usage of "at least [number]" and "[number] or more"?


texts:
In my exercise book, I have a question as follows:

  Come on in, Peter, I want to show you something.
  Oh, how nice of you! I ____ you _____ to bring me a gift.

  A. didn't think, were going
  B.hadn't thought, were going
  C.never think, are going
  D.never thought, were going

The reference answer is D.

I wonder why A is not wrong and why the answer has to be D. I think there should be more than one answer that is both grammatically and semantically right in this context. All can be acceptable except C.


texts:
Consider this scenario: a TV program asks viewers a questions and tells them to send the answer to them. Then the TV program, in a ceremony, will choose randomly 20 winners from those who sent it the correct answer.
What is the word for what happens in that ceremony? What is the word for randomly drawing winners of a competition?
And What is the word for such TV programs? Can we call them TV competitions?


texts: My browser's spelling checker say it isn't. Google results showed no authentic sites apart from wiktionary


texts:
I tried to contact my mom, but her phone was unreachable. So what sounds more natural in "informal settings"? I mean what's more likely to be used in informal settings?

  I couldn't get ahold of Mom. (Or "get hold of)

  I couldn't get in touch with Mom.

What sounds better in informal contexts? Is the second one more likely to be used in formal contexts as in  Office?

Thank you:)


texts: Are "on the other hand" and "nevertheless" interchangeable in some situations?

texts:
In my another post ("contents" or "content", which to use when talking about a book?) I said

  ... she uses "contents" to refer to the things that are written in a book, I suppose "things" is interchangeable to "ideas".

  Nevertheless, Cambridge Dictionary clearly defines the word "content" as [ S or U ] with the meaning "the ideas that are contained in a piece of writing, a speech, or a film"

where I used "nevertheless" as a connection word. Usually, the "on the other hand" could also be used as connection. So, are "on the other hand" and "nevertheless" interchangeable here?


texts: Is this figure of a man a statue or a monument?

texts:
My friend and I were arranging a place to meet.
She suggested the place and referred this as a monument.
I thought this is a statue.
What is a common word to call this, statue or monument?
I just know that the Statue of Liberty is called statue.


texts:
In a very informal style in the vernacular of my native language, I could use such a structure (below). Does it sound natural in English?

How are you with (a noun phrase)?

Some quotes from COCA:

And the woman said to me, " How are you with the sight of blood? Are
you good with blood?
I'm a bit tired of trying to get into the heads of Dragonists. How are
you with the dragon? " " I'm a bit short on inspiration
" How are you with puzzles? " Leaphorn said, and found himself
surprised as he ...
" So, " she says. " How are you with children? " # The question takes
me aback.
Your grandkids would be black. That's how it is, in America. How are
you with that? " " Is she pregnant? " " No

Some quotes from the Web:

How are you with writing letters?
How are you with writing fight scenes?
How are you with writing songs?" Carlos said at a mile a minute.


texts:
This could be a low quality question, but when I was watching the ten-year-old famous T.V show "Prison Break," I encountered this idiom, but neither my dictionary nor googling was of any help.

Does this mean "I/You/He/She/They am/are/is/are so stressed"? I guess?


texts: Different ways to show Salutations in an email

texts:
I was looking for different ways we can greet someone at the start of an email. I usually start my emails with:

  Hi XYZ,

  Hope you are doing great!

But if I email a chaplain, a reverend or a priest,  Hi seems a bit too informal.

Although in some countries people still use Dear, regardless to whom they are mailing, it looks very archaic, unless you are mailing to a family member or a dear one.

For example:

  Dear Dad,
  Good day!

  Dear Mom,
  How you doing!

I always find myself in a position where Hi seems incompletely formal (but less reverent), and Dear sounds too much a love-like salutation.

I don't have a good collection of English vocabulary, so can anyone suggest what other English words I can use to greet someone in an email (salutations based on whom I am writing the email to)?


texts: is it ok to say "Please call me by Mary" or "Please call me my first name"

texts:
Ok, in the dictionary

  Call: 3- HAVE A NAME [transitive] to have a particular name or title,
  or use a particular name or title for someone or something

  be called something

  Our son is called Matthew.

  The arrow that appears on the screen is called a cursor.

  call somebody something

  My name’s Virginia, but my friends call me Ginny.

  Do you want to be called Miss or Ms?

  call somebody by something

  I prefer to be called by my middle name.

So,

call somebody by something*: it sounds ok to say "**Please call me by my first name"

"call somebody something": it sounds ok to say "Please call me Mary"

it sounds strange to say "Please call me my first name" & "Please call me by Mary"

So, when to use "call somebody by something" & when to use "call somebody something"?


texts:
I am trying to find a word which lies between the meaning of over-rated and underrated.
What's the proper word between "over-rated" and "underrated"?

Sentence: Recently, I saw Titanic (1997) movie, I feel it's neither over-rated nor
underrated. I think it's --------------


texts:
I understand that indulge and gratify have similar meanings but what are the differnces in connotations of these words in this sentences?

Indulge my curiosity

Or gratify my curiosity


texts: Confusion about 'less' and 'fewer' in sentences with countable/uncountable nouns

texts:
There were no less (or no fewer) than fifty persons in the dining hall.
In 25 words or fewer/less, please summarize what took place.
fewer / less calories?
The hamburgers should contain no less/fewer than 50% meat.
Less/fewer than five percent of the population will be affected.

We use "fewer" for countable noun and "less" for both countable and uncountable noun.
My confusion is that can fewer and less are interchangeable in all these sentences (or in that kind of sentences)?
I also read that both "fewer" and "less" are acceptable for countable noun. But if we follow strict grammar rule what should be answer for use of "fewer" and "less"?

Note: Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary say this is traditionally considered bad English to use "less" for countable noun.


texts: "even" in "Now can you even come up with a decent plan"

texts:
I've encountered an even use when reading an article.

I don't know what does it stand for in this sentence.

I wonder that is even in the sentence below an adverb, an adjective or a verb? And it provides a stress or anything?

Now can you even come up with a decent plan.


texts: What is "the hole of a pet bottle on the top" called?

texts:
It's very subtle but I cannot come up with a simple word to indicate the hole on a pet bottle's top, where the liquid comes out when the bottle is leaned.

I guess it's a very simple word that I couldn't find an article or an informative image that describes how each part of a pet bottle is called. Is it just called a hole?


texts: Is there a word for, "To make more strict?"

texts:
We have words like strengthen which is to make stronger but that doesn't really match the meaning of what I'm looking for:

The so-and-so group _____ed its employee rules.

I'd like a word that would show that so-and-so group's employee rules became more strict or stringent. Strengthened, out of context, can mean multiple things, like the rules became more defined or the rules were updated to cover more etc.

Imagine going from a lackadaisical setting (like a school Janitor) to something of the U.S. Army. Mistakes are less tolerated and expectations are higher, etc., so a person going from such janitorial job to the army would experience a _____ing of rules.

Is there a word that fits this?


texts:
Why Learn This Stuff? 1.1

  Every introduction to every language book seems to have this section. I don’t know what it is about programming languages that causes such existential doubt. I don’t think ornithology books worry about justifying their existence. They assume the reader loves birds and get moving.I don’t think ornithology books worry about justifying their existence. They assume the reader loves birds and get moving.

Source: Crafting Interpreters: Introduction

What does "loves birds and get moving" mean?


texts: Have you noticed things always happening backward?

texts:
Have you noticed that most of the times when you are in rush to go somewhere and there is a big hurry to arrive in time, some strange things happens that may never / rarely happened before (such as traffic jam in a path you commute every day and too rarely confront any heavy traffic) and thing all will get together to prevent you from arriving in time?

Or have you ever face a situation when you don't want to do something, but it is easy to be done at the moment and once when you need that to happen it just acts up?

There is a saying in our language that describes these types of situations when Things never happen as you anticipate them. We say:

  Have you noticed things always end up backward?
  Have you noticed things always happen backward?

Which one of the above sentences work in English naturally? If no one, then please let me know what would native speakers say here?


texts: Is there a word for immediate future just like "just" for immediate past?

texts:
Let's say, Someone asks me

  Are you having dinner right now?

But right now I have an important call to make, so I say

  Not right now but I will have it in 4-5 minutes.

Even though I say 4-5 minutes, I don't mean it literally. I want to say that I have got something to do but it would hardly take any time, so even though It is not right now per se but not after very long time also.

What world can I use to say equivalent of 4-5 minutes?


texts: What is the meaning of 'in articles' in following sentence?

texts:
Precious stones formed an important item of trade in articles which were eagerly sought for by the Romans in the early centuries of the Christian era.

What is the meaning of 'in articles' in the above sentence?


texts: He is going to stay quite a long time - why is "for" missing here?

texts:
That is from - The faraway tree.

Why is for not necessary there? Will it be wrong if I use for there?


texts: Is "their themselves" a mispronounce or an idiomatic usage? Does "their themselves" emphasize something over just "themselves"?

texts:
It sounds like the video is saying (link with a time stamp corresponds the following)

  And the woman said, "Come teach my kids how to clean their rooms and clean up after their themselves."

I searched "their themselves" on google and cambridge, and didn't find an explanation.

Is "their themselves" a mispronounce or a idiomatic usage?

Does "their themselves" emphasize something over just "themselves"?


texts: The meaning of 'otherwise' in this sentence

texts:
what is the meaning of otherwise in this context?

  "using solar power to desalinate water and grow tomatoes in the otherwise parched landscape"


texts: running from the command line will let you do -- a gerund as the subject?

texts:
Example with a context:

  I'll type cd ..\bin, I'll list the contents of the directory, and I'll see the new copy of Main.class. Now, because I've changed my current directory to bin, I can run the class from here, with java Main. Let's switch back to the source folder, cd ..\src. And I'm going to show you one incredibly valuable thing that running from the command line will let you do. I'll once again clear my screen.

What's the subject of that clause? Running from the command line? My understanding is the activity of running from the command line will let you do one incredibly valuable thing. But how would you classify this type of subject? Gerund?


texts:
What does "described" mean in the sentence?

"Two contenders are from the genus Patu: males of Patu digua described in Colombia had a body length of 0.37 millimeters (0.014 inches)"

this was taken from https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/smallest-spider
I couldn't find anything about this on https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/describe


texts: Formally can money be in a plural form (monies) or not?

texts: I have studied that money is a mass noun, but now I saw that money can be in plural form as well. So I am confused. when we say on something that it's uncountable, then should it not be in one form only? (without singular/ plural - and like water, milk etc.)


texts: "That's the reason why she spoke" & "That's the reason she did so"

texts:
Here are the two sentences.

  "That's the reason why she spoke"    "That's the reason she did so."

Which one sounds natural to native speakers?

Thank you very much!


texts:
Recently a question on Stack Overflow meta was edited by a moderator to remove the name Nancy with a gender neutral name Bob. His exact words were(emphasis mine)

  Jon suggested Bob would work too. I like Bob. I have two uncles named
  Bob. Good gender-neutral name, Uncle Bob

Now to my actual question, I have so far heard the name Bob or Uncle Bob to denote male gender. I have never heard it used as a gender neutral name until now. Is the name Bob gender neutral?


texts:
This question evolved from a thread I created here yesterday (Past simple vs used to vs would). But as some of my previous doubts were resolved, another arose, and for the sake of brevity, and because I hoped this might draw in some new people, I decided it'd be best to write a separate post.

I'm having a bit of trouble telling the difference between using the past simple tense and "would" form in sentences that describe past repeated/habitual actions. The main troubling issue for me is the fact that it's sometimes pretty vague whether the speaker implies single or repeated action if they use solely the past tense. Does it always depend on the context of the whole statement?

Is there a situation when one of these forms is preferred to another? Are there even any rules regarding their use, or are they mostly interchangable?

For example, this quotation from The Clockwork Orange incorporates both forms in separate, consecutive utterances:

  The Korova milkbar sold milk-plus, milk plus vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom, which is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultraviolence.

Still, a short note about Ted Bundy's Modus Operandi seems to limit its structure solely to "would" forms.

  Sometimes, Bundy would use a fake cast to play on a potential victim's sympathy. He would ask them for assistance of some kind, such as helping him put something in his car or asking for directions.

On the other hand though, the Wikipedia article about this murderer again utilizes both forms:

  He would employ various ruses designed to lure his victim to the vicinity of his vehicle where he had pre-positioned a weapon, usually a crowbar. In many cases he wore a plaster cast on one leg or a sling on one arm, and sometimes hobbled on crutches, then requested assistance in carrying something to his vehicle.

To top it all, the two following sentences sound to my ear equally good no matter which form I choose and I really can't tell if one's better than another.

  The Aztecs used/would use shells and jewels to create dyes.
  He only spoke of it/would only speak of it when he was under a lot of pressure.

I find the entire issue really twisted and tangled, and I really hope someone can provide an in-depth explanation.


texts: Are "easily understood" and "easy to understand" interchangeable?

texts:
This post is derived from another one (the meaning of "slip a tip").

Consider these sentences

  I'd like to picture myself as a wealthy patron casually slipping the doorman a substantial tip ...

  I'd like to picture myself as a wealthy patron casually handing the doorman a substantial tip

The latter is easier to understand for English learners. I can also say The latter is more easily understood for English learners.

So, are "easily understood" and "easy to understand" interchangeable?


texts: -ɪdʒ vs -ədʒ at the end of knowledge, vintage, college etc

texts:
I always used to pronounce knowledge, vintage, college and so on with -ədʒ at the end. Now I've noticed that according to Wiktionary they are pronounced -ɪdʒ. So I tried changing my pronunciation.

But then I stumbled upon advantage on Wiktionary which supposedly ends with -ədʒ. Is this correct? Can they be used interchangeably?


texts: Do I need two about's in the following sentence or only one?

texts:
"It's more like not forgetting (about) death than thinking about it.

Do I need the "about"? Why or why not?

Not "forgetting death" turns up more Google results. However, I've heard phrases like "don't forget about me" and adding "about" kinda adds symmetry to the sentence. But, I'm not very sure.


texts:
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
"In consequence, I'm inclined to reserve all judgments, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to me and also made me the victim of not a few veteran bores."
What means "veteran bores"?
I was confused by "veteran" from the war.


texts:
Can the political frame unravel the secret of the group’s phenomenal performance?
Possibly group members were motivated more by power than by money:“There’s a big high in here somewhere for me that I don’t fully understand. Some of it’s a raw power trip. The reason I work is because I win” (p. 179). They were encouraged to circumvent formal channels to advance group interests:“If you can’t get what you need from some manager at
your level in another department, go to his boss—that’s the way to get things done”(p. 191).

Source: Reframing Organization


texts: "fake Twitter accounts believed to be linked"

texts:
Just yesterday it emerged that hundreds of fake Twitter accounts believed to be linked to the Kremlin had been used to influence British politics.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/15/russia-meddle-western-politics-putin-superpower

I suppose that the above sentence is grammatically correct. But the passage in bold in my non-native speaker opinion suggests that Twitter accounts have the capability to believe. Is this standard form? I would write: Just yesterday it emerged that it is believed that hundreds of fake Twitter accounts to be linked to the Kremlin had been used to influence British politics.


texts: What’s the different between says and said

texts:
Ken says that he lived many years in England.

Ken said that he had lived many years in England.

What’s the different between this two sentences? I know one is present tense and the other is past tense. Both are indirect speech and it’s use to report what someone said.
But I’m so confused why use says(present tense) to report what people said ( thing that the person said in the past)....


texts: "what does it mean to be in love?" and "what does to be in love mean?"

texts:
Suppose we want to make a question from

  To be in love means X

where X is some phrase.

People usually say

  What does it mean to be in love?

What is the role of "it" here? (a dummy subject? If yes, how could the affirmative sentence be rephrased in a way which includes it?) The subject of the affirmative sentence is "to be in love". Shouldn't it appear directly after the auxiliary verb in the question? like this:

  What does to be in love mean?


texts: Should I use "to" or "until" in this sentence?

texts:
I'm writing a formal report. Which one of the following sentences is better.

There are some problems which take too much time to get their solutions.
There are some problems which take too much time until get their solutions.

I have the the following sense about using "to" in a sentence. Please tell me, is it correct?
"To" is used to demonstrate, subject of the sentence is going to do a rather difficult / big / noticeable work. For example, consider the following sentences.

Please try to call me. (Here, process of calling seems to be too hard)
Please try call me. (here, it seems to be an ordinary work)

If this statement is correct, does it apply to the first real sentence? ("There some problems ...")


texts: Whats the meaning of "countertops" here?

texts:
Anthralin is a topical medication used in treatment of psoriasis. I took the following text from online article.

Anthralin. This medication is believed to normalize DNA activity in skin cells. Anthralin (Dritho-Scalp) can also remove scale, making the skin smoother. However, anthralin can irritate skin, and it stains virtually anything it touches, including skin, clothing, countertops and bedding. For that reason doctors often recommend short-contact treatment — allowing the cream to stay on your skin for a brief time before washing it off. Anthralin is sometimes used in combination with ultraviolet light.

countertop means top surface of the basin, but it has no connection to the above context.


texts: Is the sentence 'Remember the day you saw me' correct?

texts:
Let's look at the sentence :

Remember the day you saw me?

Does the sentence make complete sense?
I think we should add 'in' at end of the sentence because we are talking about a time.
I think that should be:

Remember the day you saw me in?

I thought of this thinking:

Remember the day in which you saw me?

So we omit the relative pronoun and place the preposition at the end of the sentence.
Is my concept correct? Please let me know with an explanation.


texts: How to say that "listen to the sound from the computer directly instead of using an earphone"?

texts:
I don't know how to express myself when I want to say that I don't use my earphone when I listen to the music from my computer.

For example,

  Please do not _____, use earphone/headphone instead.


texts:
When writing in English I am often told that Thank-You is incorrect.

Contradictory to this many dictionaries have it hyphenated, such as:

dictionary.reference.com
i.word
m-w

My question is which is the correct way?

Thank You


texts: Is it wrong to use present tense with -s in subjunctive?

texts:
On this page https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/grammar/when-to-use-the-subjunctive, there is an example of subjunctive sentence:
The report recommends that he face the tribunal..

If face will be changed to faces, will it be wrong? In case it's not wrong, then it's not a subjunctive anymore but still grammatically correct?

Thanks!


texts: What is the difference between general and common?

texts:
Can I completely use them as synonym of each other?

For the example:

  People generally sleep in the night.

and

  People commonly sleep in the night.


texts:
I had a test today and there was this question :
If you are a well-organized person, you .... your time.

a) will manage
b) manage

I'd like to know the answer and why?

Thanks in advance.


texts: Should I use "all the five" or "all five"?

texts:
Here is a sentence I wrote in my thesis in which I felt there is something strange with "all five". I assume I should improve it by using "all the five", right?

(I have explained the five prosodic parameters before)...

  "... tests of between-subjects effects indicated that the influence of Attitude type was significant on all five prosodic parameters."


texts: Meaning of blossom in the given sentence/meaning of the sentece

texts:
I don't think you should tell him about the conversations that blossomed between us the other day.

What does the sentence mean?
Does it, in its most basic sense, mean "don't tell...the conversations that we had the other day"?


texts: Can We Always Use Plural Verb With Plural Nouns Or Plural Subject 2019

texts:
I want to know that can we always use a plural verb with a plural subject or a plural noun like take this example -:

  We are nerd.

or

  We are nerds.

is correct


texts: We say "where are you from?" To someone or one person  to ask about where they live but if we have to ask to a group of people or more than one or two people do we ask in same way? (Where are you from? )


texts:
The last thing I expected was for him to come back.

I know there is an phrase expect for. I don't know why there is a "be" between "expect" and "for." If it's me to make this sentence, it would be like,

  The last thing I expect was he coming back.

What's the problem with my composition?


texts: What is the meaning of footloose in the business context? I've looked at many different meanings but I can't find the right one


texts:
The correlation was higher when the angles that were formed between two variables were narrower.

Can we use "to be" 3x times the above sentence?


texts:
https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/talk-down

  [talk someone down] BRITISH to talk loudly so that other people cannot hear what someone is saying

  [talk someone down] INFORMAL to persuade someone to lower the price of something
  talk down to: He wanted five thousand dollars, but I talked him down to four.

I mean it's British,so is it used in America as well? Is it common?(first use)

And what is the alternative for the first use?


texts: What is the difference between fire and burn?

texts:
This Idea came from this question of this group.. This made me thinking what is the specific (a scientific explanation may be more helpful) difference between burn and fire. If fire is the state that a substance is in then we should say it is firing (a state or thing is happening). But we don't, we say it in fire, but we say it is burning.
So, if a substance having something that is called fire, this phenomena is called burn, is that?


texts:
    ‘The French woman that knew him and owed all her losses to him; the Indian that picked him up, cut and muddy on the street, and played dice with him; they neither of ‘em doubted that Talleyrand was something by himself—appearances notwithstanding.’
      ‘And was he something by himself?’ asked Una.
     Pharaoh began to laugh, but stopped. ‘The way I look at it,’he said, ‘Talleyrand was one of just three men in this world who are quite by themselves. Big Hand I put first, because I’ve seen him.’
     ‘Ay,’ said Puck. ‘I’m sorry we lost him out of Old England. Who d’you put second?’
     ‘Talleyrand: maybe because I’ve seen him too,’ said Pharaoh.
     ‘Who’s third?’said Puck.
     ‘Boney--even though I’ve seen him.’
      ‘Whew!’ said Puck. ‘Every man has his own weights and measures, but that’s queer reckoning.’
      ‘Boney?’ said Una. ‘You don’t mean you’ve ever met Napoleon Bonaparte?’

This is from Rewards and Fairies, "A Priest in Spite of Himself" by Kipling.
http://pinkmonkey.com/dl/library1/digi300.pdf

What is the meaning of "something by oneself" ?

I am glad if some one kindly teach me.


texts: What does "he is said to be polite" mean?

texts:
Does

  He is said to be polite.

mean:

  People say that he is polite.

or

  People say him to be polite.

?


texts:
In the sentence "It looks as if it’s going to rain", I am wondering whether "as if it’s going to rain" is acting as a predicative clause or an adverbial clause of manner.

Thank you very much!


texts: "It will set your mind stress free if you {take/have} some sun bath."

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

It will set your mind stress free if you have some sun bath.
It will set your mind stress free if you take some sun bath.

Is there any other easy sentence to describe the situation?


texts: kids between x and z years old or year old

texts:
I am confused which one should I use?

10% of kids between 9 and 12 year old

Or,

10% of kids between 9 and 12 years old


texts:
I have two sentences :
a. I need to talk to you about something.
b. I need to talk about something to you.
sentence b doesn't sound correct and I have hardly heard anyone using it. I just changed the position of the object. Are they both equally valid ?


texts:
IMO, English songs from 80 to early 00 were golden.
Anyway, I don't know how many time I listened to Billy Joel's songs.
One of his songs Big Shot has this line,

Well, you went uptown
Ridin' in your limousine
With your fine Park Avenue clothes
You had the Dom Perignon
In your hand
And the spoon up your nose
Ooh, and when you
Wake up in the mornin'
With your head on fire
And your eyes too bloody to see
Go on and cry in your coffee
But don't come bitchin' to me

To "spoon up", the idiom according to this dictionary, says,

To serve something (to someone) with a spoon or ladle. A noun or pronoun can be used between "spoon" and "up."

By this definition, I have no idea what "spoon up someone's nose" means.


texts: What is a simple term for a person who acts up for a photograph?

texts: My son is two years old and he responds to the camera sound of mobile phone camera (mobile phones must make a sound here when photographing). I guessed photogenic but that's really right is it? I mean like smiling not really playing around- what is a good word for that response.


texts:
I have an advanced student who said that she feels that something I wrote needs a ‘to’ immediately before the word ‘do’. I told her that I don’t know a grammar based explanation, but that I’d find one.
This is the sentence:

This is an indirect way of suggesting that someone not do that.

She feels it ought to say 'not to do that'.
I read the answers to '“Why not do it” vs “why not to do it”'. But it seems to me mine isn't answered in this thread.


texts: What is difference between "You did a hard work" and "You worked a lot"?

texts:
Question:

  What is difference between "You did a hard work" and "You worked a lot" ?

Is there a significant difference between meanings?

I can  not understand correct meaning, because english is my second language.

Thank you!


texts:
What is the differences between these sentences (There is No Context I just wondeing) :

  Get out your feelings. (Maybe it means show your feelings)

  Get out of your feelings.(Maybe it means get rid of your feelings)


texts:
"Hello, how are you?"
"Sorry, I am up to my neck now. I'll come back to you in a minute."
"?"

The phrase "take your time" comes to my mind, eventhough I don't know why. Maybe sometime someone once said that to me. How can I reply in such scenarios?


texts: How to parse "I had made arrangement for my affairs to be dealt with by one of my children"?

texts:
I had made arrangements for my affairs to be dealt with by one of my
  children.

I have different understandings of this sentence.

  (1) I /had made/ arrangements/ for ( my affairs/ to be dealt with/ by
  one of my children ).  In my opinion, the phrase which is between
  parentheses is the reduction of a subordinate clause,namely "My
  affairs can be dealt with by one of my children".  So the whole
  sentence means that : I had made arrangement in order to let it
  happen.

  (2) I/ had made /arrangements /for my affairs/ to be dealt with /by one
  of my children. = I had made arrangement for my affairs which can be
  dealt with by one of my children.

  (3) I /had made/ arrangements [for my affairs to be dealt with by one
  of my children].  for my affairs to be dealt with by one of my
  children is a complement of arrangement.

I don't know how to parse this sentence?


texts:
to demand or ask for as rightfully belonging or due to one; assert one's right to (a title, accomplishment, etc. that should be recognized)

This is from the definitions for 'claim' on Collins Dictionary but why 'rightfully belonging'? Why not 'rightful belonging'?

My grammar book does say an adverb modifies a noun but I think it's rare. Could you give me some examples where an adverb is preferred over an adjective to modify a noun?


texts:
Could someone tell me that is this possible to write moreover between two commas?

Therefore, it is concluded that the two herbs named garlic and the black seeds may be good alternative choices for chemical drugs, moreover, these two anti-parasitic Herbs can be considered as harmless and affordable additives.....

Thank you in advance


texts: What should be the correct Indirect form of this sentence?

texts:
I came across this sentence in a high school grammar book. What should be the correct Indirect form of this sentence ?

  “So help me, Heaven!” he cried, “I will never
  steal again.”

According to me it should be

  He urged the Heaven to help him and swore to never steal again.

OR

  Urging the Heaven to help him, he swore to never steal again.

OR

  He pleaded the Heaven to help him and swore to never steal again.

I am really confused. Please tell what should be the correct answer.

P.S : The book has mentioned this as the correct answer, but I am not at all convinced.

  He called upon Heaven to witness his resolve never to steal again.

And why can I not use the typical indirect exclamatory sentence construct "He exclaimed with sorrow..." here ?


texts: what does mean " closing area to white settlement "?

texts:
refrence: diplomacy VSI. Oxford
In an effort to prevent further warfare with the Indian peoples, the Proclamation of 1763 closed the vast trans-Appalachian area to white settlement.


texts: what are the suitable verbs for telling the presence of an object in image

texts:
I'm writing a journal paper and I am somehow confused how to find the best verb for these kind of sentences:

  1) "In these images more than 5 objects are existed/appeared/presented ....."

  2) "In that side of the street, No obstacles are existed/appeared/ ....."


texts:
If I had had only one cake and had given it to John, which of the following sentences would be correct?

  That was the only cake I could give John.

  That was the only cake I could have given John.

I'd appreciate your help.


texts:
The judge refused to accept the plea on the grounds that the charges were far too serious, with Sharper pleading guilty ...

What does the word "far" meaning in the above sentence? Does it like so far (until now) or like far away? Daily Mail

Note: I couldn't understanded from the below answer:

  And far extends too: not just a few too many but too many people by a "long distance", by a great amount. ell link


texts: "Etiquette to" vs. "Etiquette concerning."

texts:
Which sentence is correct?

"He doesn't know the etiquette to treat a woman."

"He doesn't know the etiquette concerning how to treat a woman."


texts: 'Something is arrived' - is this use of a participle as an adjective acceptable?

texts:
As I know, intransitive verb can't be used in passive voice.  Arrive is an intransitive verb. I wonder if "be +arrived" is still understandable and available?

Something will be arriving tomorrow. (arriving as progressive participle adjective)
Something is arrived. (arrived as participle adjective)

I know that it can't be passive voice, but the sentence structure is same as passive voice.
Are these two grammatically correct?


texts: What does "so much as" mean in these three sentences? What grammatical function does this phrase serve?

texts:
"I hate wizards. If he so much as points a finger at me, you stick him, Hook."
"Remind me to find out the name of that flooring company so I can be sure never to buy so much as a carpet tile from it."
"I didn’t listen so much as survive the conversation."


texts: "Similar in style" and "similar in their styles"

texts:
When I compare two shirts' styles, I think I can say:

  Those shirts are similar in style.

Since the shirts' styles are similar, not the same, can I also idiomatically say:

  Those shirts are similar in their styles.

Google apparently suggests it is not popular, but why is it incorrect? And if "similar in their styles" works, I am also wondering if this is applicable to phrases with other terms (meaning, size, etc.)


texts:
Sentences often have the same subject when the "instead" is used this way:

(1) He doesn't keep himself in shape at the gym. Instead, he climbs mountains to stay fit.

(2) She didn't listen to the non-sense suggestions from the book. Instead, she consulted an expert.

I wonder if it is correct to use different subjects like this:

(3) Schools don't build soft or hard skills. Instead, students have to learn them by having a part-time job.

(4) I didn't lie to you. Instead, the things you heard are facts.


texts:
I was describing it to my friend that I bend my finger when I scoop a cream so that it won't get between my nail and finger.

How would you say this clearly?

Can I say it goes up in your nails?

Or should I say it goes up in my nails since I'm talking about myself.


texts: "Insanity is wasting your life as a nothing"

texts:
I don't understand the indefinite article in a line from the movie wanted.
Why "a nothing"? Shouldn't nothing be a noncount noun?

  Wesley: You're insane.

  Sloan: No. Insanity is wasting your life as a nothing when you have the blood of a killer flowing in your veins.


texts: Why can the answer not be "if"? ___ the government in Greece postpone

texts:
____ the government in Greece postpone the debts of farmers, they can cope with the economic difficulties.

  a. could
  b. should
  c. only if
  d. if
  e. even if

Why is answer "d" (if) not correct?


texts: What is the adjective of "Technology" for the noun "Age"

texts:
Which is correct :

This is a technology age.
This is a technological age.

I've heard of "the age of technology", but I'm not sure about the first choice. Also, I feel when I use "technological", the noun should be a method or a mean.


texts:
I was told from my teacher that only "noun" rather than "clause" follows after the verb "illustrate."
This rule also applies for the verb "criticize."

I did not have the slightest idea of such rule because I always thought I can treat a clause(that + S + V) as a noun.

First, is it true that I need to be careful to use only noun or clause for some verbs?
If so, what is the term for this grammatical rule?

Here are some examples of what I'm talking about:

  Democrats club president Shrayat Shetty criticized (him saying) that his speech only caused hatred among students and cannot be tolerated.
  Ahmed illustrates(explained) that there have been two significant historical events associated with cross-burning which happened in 1993 and 2002.

The one in parenthesis was how my instructor wanted me to change


texts:
Does long-standing sound right to native speakers in this context? Example: Your long-standing effort has paid off.
Does this sound idiomatic?


texts:
When we want to write strong statements like one sentence thesis, which conjunctions or linking words make the sentence seem more convincing?
For instance, would saying "but" instead of "yet" be stronger?

Other thing that, I use "although" a lot to say that I agree with something partially, but I also mention new aspect that it contradicts a bit.
I said a bit because I don't want strong ones like "but".
Can you give me other words as alternative?

I give an example:

  Technological developments have made life easier in many ways; however, what some people think as a disadvantage is these devices emit hazardous rays that harm our health, especially children who use them much more. Nevertheless, in terms of education, technology has a significant role on children’s intellectual development that cannot be ignored.

Now, I used "nevertheless" instead of "although".  Is that correct ?


texts:
I found this sentence in one essay, but I don’t understand the structure that is written in bold. Could someone explain to me the grammar of this clause?

Those who join the tiny group of super sports professionals have not
just relied on their skills, important as these are, but have worked
extremely hard to make the most of them.


texts: Choosing the correct option to describe a past habit

texts:
How should I know which one to choose?

  When she was a girl, my mom would / used to live in a village.

I'd say used to, and that's what's marked as answer. But it's also confusing me - I could as well choose would because it describes past habits/actions too.


texts: Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found in America. Why not use ‘were’ instead of the second ‘are’?


texts: Past Perfect Continuous VS Past continuous

texts:
Do these two sentences mean the same?

When I arrived, Lisa was waiting for me.
When I arrived, Lisa had been waiting for me.


texts: How to name these two cases of passive voice?

texts:
How to name these two cases of passive voice:

  This document started being written by me on 2017.07.22.

and

  This document was started (being) written by me on 2017.07.22.

?

Both are the passive voice but looks like it's two different kinds of passive voice.

(Optional question: Do I need that being in the second sentence?)


texts: How to understand the tense of this type of sentences

texts:
Let's look at the sentence:
I might go to the market.
We know that 'might' is the past form of 'may'. Also might is used to describe possibility in the present. Then what does the above sentence refer to? What is the tense of the sentence? Does it refer to the past or the present? How to understand which tense this type of sentences refer to? Please make me know with explanation.


texts: 2 news sources that contradict in news esp. for political purposes

texts:
Think of the news on North Korean National TV and the news presented in American news sources like CNN. My sentence is

  If you want to make sure of the credibility of a piece of news, that's a good idea to check it in ..... news sources or media.

Is opposing or maybe opposite a good choice of word? I assume I could say something like the news sources of the opposing sides but I'm interested in a word which conveys the meaning.


texts: How to say that something used to be advanced and important though not any more?

texts:
I want to express something like

  Even though something appears to be outdated or incompetent from today's perspective, it indeed brought many innovative contributions at the time it came out and has been influential to the subsequent products/works.

For instance, even though the operating system Windows 95 is now outdated and obsolete, but at the time it came out, it was an revolutionary system, that had many merits ahead of its time, and has affected many afterwards systems.

I didn't mean to be so wordy, but I couldn't find a compact way to express similar meanings. Should I say

  Though Windows 95 is not the best system now, it had many advantages at its time.
  Though Windows 95 is not the best system now, it has been influential to many other systems.
  Though Windows 95 is not the best system now, it ________________.


texts: I usually say 'Give it to me please'. But I've heard a non English speaker mom who said to her baby girl 'Give me it'. Is it considered natural or it's a mistake?


texts: I've heard people saying thanks to all of you. Is it correct to say thanks to all of you? I personally think thanks all of you is better than that. I'm confused about these two phrases. May I know which one is correct or both are correct?


texts: Should I avoid double possessive adjectives in this kind of sentence?

texts:
Let's imagine a situation in which there are two males in a room, and we read:

  John laid his hand on his shoulder.

It's clear that John is not laying his hand on his own shoulder but on that of the other male he's dealing with. Still, I'd like to know whether this kind of sentence is frowned at by some, or if it's perfectly fine. I know that most of the time the second pronoun can be avoided, like:

  John laid his hand on Tim's shoulder.

or

  John laid his hand on the orphan's shoulder. (assuming Tim is an
  orphan and we don't want to repeat the name we already wrote in the
  previous sentence)

But in some cases, I just would like to write a plain "his". Does it sound so bad?


texts: How to interpret "read extensively and intensively for different purposes in varied sources and increasingly demanding texts."?

texts:
How to interpret "read extensively and intensively for different purposes in varied sources and increasingly demanding texts" in the following?

  OBJECTIVES
  TEKS: English 4
  The students will:

  Reading/Comprehension

  comprehend selections using a variety of strategies.
  draw upon his/her background to provide connection to texts.
  draw inferences and support them with textual evidence and experience
  read extensively and intensively for different purposes in varied sources and increasingly demanding texts.

(Source.)

Should I interpret it as:

  reading in varied sources and demanding texts for different purposes.

Or

  reading intensively for different purposes, which will vary based off the difficulty of the text.


texts: It is getting expired, will expire or will be expired?

texts:
I want to say that someone's contract Is going to end on February 2019.
Can I use below patterns?

  It is getting expired on February 2019.
  It will expire on February 2019.
  It will be expired on February 2019.


texts: Using the word "whether" in conditional statements

texts:
You can not open your webpage if you don't have a web browser.
You can not open your webpage whether you have a web browser or not.

In my understanding so far, the first sentence represents a condition "I can't open the webpage without a browser."

The second means the webpage can not be opened, no conditions.

Please correct me!


texts: Usage of "will" and "would" in the same sentence

texts:
Can we use will and would in two separate clauses within the same sentence? For instance:

  I would propose her if I got a chance, but I know she will definitely reject.
  If absolutely necessary I will go to china, but I would prefer somebody from Head Office to manage it.

Are these examples correct or not?


texts:
"Some seagulls squawked briefly when she stepped by them and quickly flapped away."

I wonder that the bold part modifies for "some seagulls" or "when she stepped by them"?

p/s: I added a comma to make sure the bold part modifies for "some seagulls".Is it correct?

  "Some seagulls squawked briefly when she stepped by them, and quickly flapped away."


texts:
I want to say:

  August 22, 2012, the day my life changed forever and the day I met you.

My only problem is that I don't know how to start a sentence with a date. If someone could help me with this that would be great thanks.


texts:
Could anyone please help me with this, I dont get the meaning, why he said that is satisfying and also crushing? And also what is the meaning of I read a good deal?  Btw gradually he become a poet

It was my last year. I’d wanted to be a football player very much,
and got my letter but didn’t make the team. Well, that was satisfying
but crushing too. I read a good deal, but had never written. So this
was a recoil from that. Then I had some luck in that Richard Eberhart
was teaching there.


texts:
Sometimes people say:

  I am going to visit the Taj Mahal.

But sometimes:

  I am going to visit Taj Mahal.

What is the difference between these two sentences?

The definite article becomes confusing to me at times. Could you please help me how it is used in general?


texts: Is there a comma between nice and long (e.g., a nice long vacation)?

texts:
consider this:
I want to take a nice long bath.

I have read the rules about adjectives (we put commas between coordinate adjectives) but one thing that confuses me is I'm not sure if the word "nice" is modifying "long" or "bath" or both.
I suppose if both adjectives are modifying bath only, then I can say "a nice, long bath" or "a nice, long vacation" or whatever.

Thanks.


texts: Can "already" be used with the past perfect progressive?

texts:
This is from a grammar book:
By the time we had lunch he had already jogged. (meaning he had finished jogging)

Is it possible to say: "By the time we had lunch he had already been jogging" (without any time reference like "for an hour") to express the same thing, that he had finished jogging?

I know "already" is used with past perfect, but I am asking because "he had already jogged" sounds strange to my ears, but maybe that is just me.


texts:
I am wondering which option is the correct one in my made-up scenario below and why?

  Tom: I really didn't want to take part in this ceremony; I just came because my wife asked me! Everybody knows that I don't like your husband Anna.

Anna gets annoyed and says sarcastically:

  Anna: Nobody ............. to come. You didn't have to come where you don't like.

forced you
was forcing you


texts: Is it possible to have a zero article in front of a count noun

texts:
I am trying to write a contract. This is what I am trying to write:

  Instructor must ensure a clean, tidy and well-lit teaching environment.

Maybe I am overthinking things but should I add an article in front of the word "Instructor?" I am not talking about any specific instructor so I assume the is out of the question. At the same time, a sounds weird to my ear as well. What is the rule here?


texts:
I'm Korean and studying English for speaking.
I have a question about the context of present perfect tence.

If I say:

  He has worked there for 3 years.

does this imply that he is still working at the moment of speaking?

I asked another question to my teacher.
If I slept 12AM and woke up at 7AM, can I text

  I have slept for 7 hours.

to somebody at 7:02AM?
My teacher says yes. Although I'm not sleeping at 7:02AM, I can use the present perfect tense.

To summarize, I would like to know what does "He has worked there for 3 years" mean.


texts:
During a conversation with one of my friends;

My friend: sends something offensive

My friend: I could have unsent it

Me: You should rather have unsent it than telling me you could've unsent it.

Also, I am dubious about using unsent it twice. Like one at the beginning and the another after telling me. Is it alright? Can you provide me more example sentences of this sort?


texts:
I want to defend society and its inhabitants from all
  ideologies, science included.
  source

Would you tell me what the preposition from means here?

Although I have seen and known the preposition of might mean against, in fact, my profs. has just told me :

  the preposition from in this sentence never ever means
  against, it means just of.

Do you know why?

Because if you want to put the preposition of, then you must put a noun of place after the word inhabitants! for example:

Inhabitants of India   not inhabitants from India

And, as there is not any place, so we have to put the preposition from instead of of.


texts: n pages of changes IS vs n pages of changes ARE

texts:
Should it be:

  6 pages of changes is certainly copious

or

  6 pages of changes are certainly copious


texts: Do I need to use "some" when I use "such as"?

texts:
I wrote:

  In this window, [some?] dynamic properties such as color, font name, font weight and [some?] calculated values such as link density, text length, text density are provided in addition to the element’s static attributes such as ID, class and name.

Do I need to or can I use the "some"s (shown in brackets)?


texts: It was one of a few houses (that were) (fully) built?

texts:
It was one of a few houses (that were) (fully) built.

I want to say that the house was done, does just built mean that or should it be fully built ?
and is that were necessary or optional?


texts: Help them don't make mistake or Help them not make mistake?

texts:
Which one is correct?

  Parents are more experienced than their children so they can help them don't make mistake in their life.
  Parents are more experienced than their children so they can help them not make mistake in their life.


texts: Can I use "we are renovating our house."?

texts:
I found a sentence "My parents are having our house renovated.".
Can I say also "My parents are renovating our house."?

Of course the house are renovated by carpenters, but someone who order it are the parents, isn't it?


texts: For action, we say, ‘what are you doing’? But when I wonder about a state or condition of someone, how should I express?


texts:
The provision made at the end of cl 17 enables a purchaser, if he wishes, to prove affectation at the relevant date by production of the appropriate written statement, in the present case stating affectation at the date of contract by a proposal for siting of a road. If he wishes, however, he could prove this otherwise by evidence given directly to establish the proposal and affectation by it. If, however, he elects to produce an appropriate statement, it provides the proof required to establish the ground for rescission.

Above is an extract from a legal judgement. The way the phrase "prove this otherwise" is used in the above is confusing me. I understood the phrase to mean disprove, but if I adopt this definition, the above judgement will not make sense. Why would the purchaser wish to disprove his own evidence?

The only way to make sense of it is to interpret it as to mean "prove it in other ways." Can the phrase "prove this otherwise" also mean "prove it in other ways?"


texts: Why is it supposed to be "couldn't get" instead of "couldn't got"?

texts:
Why is "Why couldn't she get tickets" correct instead of "Why couldn't she got tickets"?

Why is it get in the present instead of got in the past tense?


texts: Adjective, adjective noun vs. Adjective, adjective noun

texts:
Enxample:

The voice was low, boyish, like that of an elementary school
student.
The voice was low, boyish like that of an elementary school
student.

What's the correct punctuation and why?


texts: Grey area between present perfect and simple past

texts:
I was in the queue to buy metro tickets today and a couple of tourists were having a hard time purchasing them. I wanted to explain to them that the old one pound coins were removed from circulation yesterday. I told them 'they have been removed' instead of 'they were removed'. I think I made a mistake because it is an event that is finished in the past but somehow it emphasizes something in the present. For me, there is a grey area between those tenses and I would deeply appreciate help.

EDIT:

The only issue I still had with PP was described in the british council website. 'for something that happened in the past but is important at the time of speaking:' and then the example was 'I can’t get in the house. I’ve lost my keys.'. But I realize that this can be put in the same category as something that happened in the past and we don't care when.


texts:
Proper use of the word they're in a sentence. Example

  They're camping out

or

  They are camping out

or

  Their camping out

Which usage is correct? Is using the word "they're" when referring to more than two people correct?


texts: Which kind of participle clause does "clarifying ....."stand for?

texts: OP:(See the "How to Ask" page for help clarifying this question. )  does it equal (See the "How to ask" page for help and clarify this questiin) . And plus: It would be more correct if I add a comma before "clarifying" in the OP,right?


texts: What does "Never do yesterday what should be done tomorrow" mean?

texts:
I heard a quote

  Never Do Yesterday What Should Be Done Tomorrow.

I assume that this means

  Whatever you do, there will be tomorrow, so don't do it.

Am I right?


texts: "I see" vs. "I am seeing" in the sense of receiving information through the sense of sight

texts:
Grammar books say that when we are talking about being able to see something, the verb see is used in the present simple. But in the 11th episode of the 3rd episode of Friends, Chandler used it in the present continuous. Here is the scene. It's at around 38 seconds.

Joey’s Sisters: (entering) Joey!!! Happy Birthday!! (all 7 of them look almost identical)
Joey: Hey!! Hey-hey-hey!
Chandler: (to Monica) Okay, how many of that girl are you seeing?
Monica: How hammered are you? Huh? These, these are Joey’s sisters.

Would the meaning somehow change if Chandler said how may of the girls can you see? If it wouldn't change, then can I am seeing and I can see be used interchangably? For example:

I can see a bird in the distance.
I am seeing a bird in the distance.


texts: I'd jumped outta bed as soon as I'd heard it

texts:
So the other day, I and my friend were talking about how he'd been late for work. He told me one of his employees had called him saying the shop had been supposed to open like 20 minutes earlier and I was gonna reply to my friend saying

  “Oh, I would have jumped outta the bed in shock as soon as I had heard it”

then I was confused because of that part after as soon as. I didn't know if that sentence was correct or I should say just

  ”as soon as I heard it”

and I still don't know which one is the correct one and even if I knew, I wouldn't know why that is correct.

Do I have to say “as soon as I had heard it” or just “as soon as I heard it” in this situation?  Please let me know. Thanks!


texts: Usage of "not only--but also" in unbalanced structure

texts:
Parents not only gives us love but also protection against any danger.

Why does the author use unbalanced structure
between "not only----but also"? Can I  change this sentence into

  Parents not only give us love but also give us protection against any danger?

Would my sentence have different in meaning with the
given sentence?


texts:
I received an email from Amazon:

  Your Amazon.ca order has shipped: (#702-XXX...)

But from what I've learned, I think the correct sentence should be:

  Your Amazon.ca order has been shipped: (#702-XXX..)

Can someone please explain why they don't use "been"?

Thanks!


texts: Why is the definite article not used in these cases although the context is specific?

texts:
We use uncountable nouns or plural nouns to talk generally about something, and we use the definite article "the" with singular nouns or uncountable nouns when the context is specific.
Now I don't understand why "the" is not used in the first 4 cases?  This is very confusing especially when you compare them with the last group of examples which follows the above rule.

The BBC: There are a range of laws that help to promote equality and
social justice in Northern Ireland.
The Guardian: Indeed, no other diagnosis has had a more dramatic
impact on law and social justice in the USA.
The Financial Times: “The remarkably small increase in unemployment in the eurozone reflects the success of the government job subsidy schemes and an exodus from the labour force in Italy,” said Andrew Kenningham
The Guardian:  I immediately encountered the differences between higher education in the US and higher education in the UK.

The Telegraph: Where is the social justice in a country where a privileged few have such enduring dominance and the best chance of success in life?
The BBC: She also said she had a "real desire to see the social justice in our country turned around"
The New York Times: The Trump administration accused Chinese citizens of stealing scientific research and told the country's diplomats in Texas to leave
The Independent: VIPKid has set itself apart by recruiting American teachers and positioning its services as similar to the education in top US schools.
The Guardian: Dr Tyson insisted that all the evidence showed that very few jobs had been lost in the West because of this threat. "Almost all of the unemployment in the West has been caused by the dramatic drop in demand," she said.
The Guardian: The World Bank knows it: the education of girls is the surest way in the world of reducing poverty.
The Guardian: (Strangely, the same liberal democracy has apparently been able to survive the unemployment of millions of blue-collar workers. But we will let that pass.)


texts:
I'm discovering the word prevalent and faced this example:

  This negative attitude is surprisingly prevalent among young boys.

I couldn't find a suitable meaning in the dictionary.


texts:
We should not be demonizing them like we're doing to these
foreigners.

Can we use "doing to" when demonizing to something or someone is not grammatical?


texts: "Call me right after the interview and tell me how it went": why "went" when talking about the future?

texts:
In a conversation

  Prepare for a Job Interview (2)

  I'm going to get there early and make sure I have my best outfit all washed and ironed way ahead of time.
  If I wait for the last minute, I know I'll panic!

  Yeah, preparation is key. Remember to call the interviewer by their name.
  People like to hear their name spoken out loud.
  But don't over-do it. OK... So what are you planning on wearing next Tuesday?

  Well, I want to look good, but I don't want to look too stuffy.
  I was thinking about nice jeans and a sport coat.

  Ummm... I'd recommend erring on the conservative side when it comes to clothes.
  I read somewhere that fifty-five percent of another person's perception of you is based on how you look.
  I'd say go with a suit and tie.

  Fifty-five percent huh? Then I guess it's better to be over-dressed than under-dressed.

  Yeah. I'd say a dark suit with a conservative tie.
  But the one main thing that I can't stress enough is confidence.
  If you need a clarification on something, speak up and ask... But don't turn into a blabbermouth.

  Do you think I should tell him how terrible it is working at Shimomatsu Publishing?
  I bet he'd get a kick out of that!

  Actually, when I interview people, I hate it when they badmouth previous employers.
  I think it's bad form and I also think "Is this what you're going to do to me one day?"

  Good point. Peter, you are a true friend and I value your input.

  Call me right after the interview and tell me how it went, OK?

  Absolutely.

(https://www.shanbay.com/speak/courses/lcnsc

tip: you can listen to it)

up 1: how about "tell me how it will have gone"?

up 2: Since "went" is OK, how about "tell me how it has gone"?


texts:
"Back burner" is a noun phrase, but here the author appears to have used it as a verb phrase.  Does it serve here as a verb?

The New York Times Retweeted
Carol Rosenberg:

NEW: The Biden team may want to back-burner Guantanamo issues while it focuses on vaccinating the nation, shoring up the economy and mending foreign relations. But a moment of reckoning is coming on what to do about its failing, Camp 7 of ex-CIA prisoners.


texts: About a conventional knock-out tournament

texts:
I was doing a probability homework and the question says:

  A conventional knock-out tournament (such as that at Wimbledon) begins with 2n competitors and has n rounds. There are no play-offs for the positions 2,3,...,2n-1, and the initial table of draws is specified. Give a concise description of the sample space of all possible outcomes.

So I don't understand no play-offs for the positions 2,3,...,2n-1. I don't understand the game. What is the initial table of draws? How does this tournament work?


texts:
I saw an example:

  He is back in power after three years in opposition.

The same way, can I write:

  He is working for Bob after (working for) three years for me.

Can I drop the words in the brackets?


texts: Can "it belongs to the house" be equivalent to "its belonging"?

texts:
A: I don't think this room belongs to the house I had a meeting with X in (it).

  B: Well, if you want to make sure of its belonging, then take a
  tour around the house.

Note: A and B are having a chat through the phone. X is another person.

As belong has many possible meanings, would it mean in B's sentence ...to make sure that the room belongs to the house?

I didn't find a similar example, but I found this:

  Packed up all their belongings and moved across the country.

The meaning is understood as their luggage and possessions, and I don't want B's sentence to mean that in the singular form.


texts:
Example:

  The first mention of electrical phenomena in history tells us that about 2500 years ago the Greeks found they could make amber attract certain objects by rubbing it with a goatskin. People attempted little more with this "magic" until the year 1600 when William Gilbert, an English scientist, performed experiments to learn more about it. He is generally credited with originating the term "electric", probably taking it from "electron", the Greek word for amber.

I genuinely have no idea how to understand that.


texts: Are subjects joined by “or” singular or plural?

texts:
When the or between the two subjects is exclusive I think people generally use the singular form:

I'm still not sure if pizza or curry is the best option.

But when considering a sentence with inclusive or:

I'm waiting to see if Mike or John join the call

should it be join (plural) or joins (singular)?


texts:
I saw the same question but it's always regarding professions like:
a) As teacher, I meet many children.
b) As a teacher, I meet many children.
In this case I would automatically say b) because it's what sounds better and is in fact the correct answer, for what I've gathered.
But my question is not profession related and I've seen it written in both ways:
a) We can use my body/floor/wall as canvas.
b) We can use my body/floor/wall as a canvas.
I feel like the first one sounds better but maybe I have it all wrong, perhaps because in my mother language we can say it both ways and we don't have to use "a" because the translation would be something more related to "one", and in this case i'm talking about the canvas more in an abstract way. I don't know if this makes any sense.


texts: What's the difference between "plump" and "plump up"?

texts:
What's the difference between the two?

Example sentence:

  Mary got plastic surgery to plump (up) her lips.


texts: Simplifying the words "had to" and "won't" in this context

texts:
My car broke down today and I had to miss such an important meeting.
  My car just won't start.

How do you simplify the word won't in the sentence above?

How do you simplify the words miss and had to?

I do not really want to teach grammar of have to to my mother. She is an absolute beginner and really eager to learn English. But she is very reluctant to communicative classes. She is around 60 and of course I will teach her grammar in right time but now I need your help.


texts:
Imagine there's a very short question at this site, and I'm uncertain what the poster intends to ask.

Should I write

  It would've been great if you'd expanded your question. (matrix clause: Past Perfective modal, conditional clause: Past Perfective)

Or

  It would be great if you expanded your question. (matrix clause: Past modal, conditional clause: Past)

Or

  It will be great if you expand your question. (matrix clause: Future modal, conditional clause: Present Simple referring to the future)

I'm not sure about sentence 1. The verb "expanded" calls for a future action, but in sentence 1 we describe an unfullfilled condition in the past.

Or maybe the construction of sentence 2 is used to refer to a situation that is already "over" and it too far in the past to serve as a hint that I want more infornation now. Maybe such construction would be more suitable in "I remember that question you posed 2 years ago. It would've been great.."

Sentence 2 is what is called a "second conditional", and it is said that a second conditional describes an improbable sutuation in the present. Would it be suitable?

Or does the verb expanded makes the first two options awkward semantically?

Sentence 3 describes an open (possible) condition, but isn't it a bit too mandative?


texts: Usage of 'insofar as' and 'to the extent that'

texts:
I do not really know how to use the two phrases in a grammatically correct way.

Also, are there any difference in meaning between the two?

Thank you.


texts:
if + Past Tense would + infinitive

So if I follow up if with a past tense and then use would in the conditional clause, I can construct the rest of the sentence in anyway I please, right?

Using the present tense:

  "If he was a hero, he'd be a hero our city has but doesn't need."

Using the past tense:

  "If he was a hero, he'd be a hero our city had but didn't need."

Would both the above sentences be correct?
Would there be any difference in their meaning?
In contexts like this, is it compulsory for me to keep the entire
sentence in the past?


texts:
I told my father that Happy birthday my love father. I have been living in Dublin. But, I will come back to korea in August and I must be celebrated on your next birthday. So, you can expect it!

It's grammerically correct? Please let me know if you know anything else. Or you can recommend similar to another phrase:)


texts:
A headline on www.bbc.com

  India PM's wife survives fatal car crash

Is 'survives fatal car crash' correct usage?

As per Merriam-Webster one of the meanings of fatal is 'causing death'.

  4 a : causing death • a fatal crash • a fatal disease • a fatal wound

This meaning appears to be relevant in this headline.


texts:
What is the corrective sentence? And why?
And when I can  use [verb] + ing?

  My dog guards my room  not letting anyone inside.

Or

  My dog guards my room mustn't let any one inside.


texts: Why "on the house" not "in the house", in "have a dessert on the house"

texts:
I thought it was a typo but said I should check it on Google, and here you go!

  My husband ordered the snapper special grilled and thought it was very
  good. The garlic cheddar mashed potatoes are also very good.

  Once we were done, our waiter came over and told us that since we had
  to wait so long for our food that we could have a dessert on the
  house so we got the key lime pie which was good. Overall, we would
  return.

I am confused. Is it an idiom? Why "on the house"?

Source: from a comment in a review entitled “Great Food and Atmosphere”


texts:
I saw an example sentence, which is

Staff members wear uniforms so that they are easy for customers to identify.

In my opinion, it is clearer if 'to identify' changes to 'to be identified'. I wonder which one is more natural or which one is wrong? It makes me confused.

If the written sentence is acceptable, what about this sentence, which is

Staff members were able to identify be customers easily.

Thank you for considering my request.


texts: Past Continuous vs Past Simple difference in meaning

texts:
Could you, please, help me understand this dialogue from my English textbook?

  A: Why was Ann crying before?

  B: She had been training for the finals for over a week before she found out she had been disqualified.

It's quite unusual to me to see 'before' in that example. I can't imagine the situation in which it would be the right word to use.

And one more thing. Why is the Past Continuous used in “Why was Ann crying?”

Is it the only correct option? Can I use Past Simple instead and would there be any difference in meaning?


texts:
What is the proper way to rephrase dividing the tasks? Does splitting the tasks more appropriate?
The complete sentence is,

  Dividing the tasks would greatly help.


texts: Preposition choice for some applying method/way/procedure?

texts:
Let say I have Z representing a method or procedure. I want this Z which is naturally a noun (because it's a method) to act as it is a verb. For example

Now say, I want this Z to be applied to A. In other words I want it to be:

  Do or apply Z to/on/for A

In that case, what would be the preposition I take?

Note that It doesn't need  to be academical (For example, you might say to highlight an arrow direction, your flowchart/figure should be in a certain order, etc.), what I want is simply, a right preprosition.


texts: This university is "a perfect match" for me?

texts:
I wanted to explain why I chose to apply to a university and I wanted to say that this university matches? me. ( like the stuff they offer and what they value)
Are there any other way to say this formally ?


texts: What is the interpretation of the following sentence

texts:
I interpret

  Ever in need of new enemies and a blameworthy ‘outsider’, the majoritarian impulse in any society is likely to be awakened by an event as catastrophic as a religiously motivated attack.

as

At any time when there is a need of enemies and blameworthy outsiders, the majority community's hatred is awakened by a religiously motivated attack.

Am I right in this?


texts: What's the meaning of "revolving deeds"?

texts:
My friend made a sentence:

  Don't humiliate a person lest you should get revolving deeds.

Probably, he wanted to say that we should not humiliate a person, because that person may humiliate you in return someday.

Is that sentence correct? Is this what "revolving deeds" means?
When I look it up in dictionaries, I find no other meanings than:

deed→a good/bad act; a kind of document
revolving→something that is able to be turned around a point


texts:
Look at to these three sentences:

  My mother was born in the 1950s.
  My mother was born in the 1950.
  My mother was born in 1950.

My questions:

What is the role of 's' in the end of '1950s' in the first sentence?
Is any of the above sentences false in terms of grammar?
Is there any difference in meaning between the above sentences?


texts: When should we use preposition "of" after number, amount or unit?

texts:
This question may sound hard to English learners and too basic for English speakers. So, the placement of the question on the appropriated Stack Exchange website (ELL or English Native Speakers) can be arbitrary. The thing is: the use of the preposition "of" after numbers, amounts and measurement units always confuses me.

What is correct?

-3 kilograms OF oranges or 3 kilograms oranges?

-80% OF humidity or 80% humidity?

-At the spacing OF 3 meters or at the spacing 3 meters?

-100 kg OF N or 100 kg N?

-30 inches OF precipitation or 30 inches precipitation?

-50 meters OF height or 50 meters high?

According to Cambridge Dictionary preposition "of" is:

  used after words or phrases expressing amount, number, or a particular unit

BUT, at the same time, I have found many scientific papers and websites not using the preposition "of" after such numerals. The Cambridge Dictionary does not say anything about cases of non-utilization of the preposition "of", when it is used and when it is okay.

Please, inform which of the pairs are correct. Especially if there is a general rule or common usage, you don't need to specify the correctness of each sentence. Just tell me if using "of" after the numerals/units is correct.


texts: Imperatives, Sentences, not Complete Sentences?

texts:
I think someone wrote, "go", may seem a sentence, maybe, a complete sentence.

It seems I read, "Read the sentence", and maybe, "Don't worry".

They seemed to contain periods. May these seem complete sentence? May they seem, "imperatives"? There may seem, imperative sentences, declarative sentences, interrogative sentences and exclamatory sentences?

I may not get how you may write, "don't worry" like a complete sentence.


texts: necessity of "will" to indicate the future even if there is tomorrow in the sentence

texts:
Jim  was talking with his parents earlier this evening when his girlfriend from Paris telephoned to let him know that Crossinglives & Co. had decided to merge with a company in Australia. The two companies had been negotiating for the past month, so it really was not much of a surprise. Of course, this means that Jim  will have to catch the next plane back to Paris. He  will be meeting with his boss at this time tomorrow.

Why "will be meeting" and not "is meeting" the meeting has been scheduled or planned is to insist to the continuity of the event, the word tomorrow indicates that the event  will take place in the future


texts:
Out of nostalgia, I was rereading Harry Potter and the goblet of fire, this time in the original English, and I came across the following sentence (beginning of chapter 2, end of page 26 in my copy)

  [...] Dudley was a very gifted boy whose teachers didn’t understand him.

If I were to write this sentence, I'd write

  [...] Dudley  was a very gifted boy whose teachers didn’t  understand.

My reasoning is that "Dudley" is already acting as the object of the subordinate clause where the teachers don't understand. Why is the sentence as I wrote it incorrect?

As another example, which of these two sentences is correct?

  Dudley, whose shirt was red, was a boy.

or

  Dudley, whose his shirt was red, was a boy.

I'd say the first one, but the above example seems to contradict me!


texts: How to respond to 'Would you like to come with us?'

texts:
Would you like to come with us?
Oh, sure. I'd love to.

It is from our OXFORD student book. So my question is

Can students just answer 'I'd love to.' , 'Sure.', 'OK.' or 'That sounds great!'? without 'Yes or No'?


texts: An elegant, neon-embellished installation of which...?

texts:
The New Yorker

  After his recent move from Italy to Los Angeles the artist found himself creatively blocked, so he put aside painting and made wooden bows and arrows instead, an elegant, neon-embellished installation of which opens the show.

I want to comprehend the meaning of “of which” in the context, because I don’t know who is meant by “of which”.


texts: "the first {who / to} call" -- Which is preferred?

texts:
Can I say

  Why should I be the first who call him?

Or should I say

  Why should I be the first to call him?

in present tense, referring to the future?


texts: What do you call it when people lay flowers etc. at a specific place?

texts: What do you call it when people lay flowers, bring toys, light candles at a specific site (near an embassy, for example) to express their condolences with respect to some tragic loss of life (a plane crash, etc.)? Is there some expression in English?


texts: Adjective + Pronoun - what kind of sentence structure is that?

texts:
I was teaching English to my daughter and stuck up with this structure.

  Adjective + pronoun

Say,

  Poor him!

She said that there is no preposition between the adjective and pronoun like 'Shame on you.' [sic] This all came when she asked about the latest movie 'Despicable Me.'

Help me to answer her! :)


texts: Structure of "reason that I was confused"

texts:
What kind of structure does the sentence below have?

  The reason that I was confused is ...

Is that I was confused an adjective clause or not?

Also we can omit that and say: the reason I was confused.

Why can that be omitted?


texts: Meaning of streak clear down in football (soccer) context

texts:
What does "streak clear down" mean in football (soccer) context?
United streak clear down the other end and Luiz slips to allow Welbeck through. He passes for Van Persie and the Dutchman can't make up his mind and the chance is gone.


texts:
1.Has an assessment been conducted to evaluate potential products impact due to this nonconformity?

---In this sentence, is the word POTENTIAL describing PRODUCTS or IMPACT?

  2.In circumstances where the company needs to amend a permanent employees rostered day off, the employee will be provided with at least 1 week of notice

---In this sentence, is the PERMANENT describing EMPLOYEES or ROSTERED DAY OFF?


texts:
I came across two occurences of the word 'twist', in my opinion, with the meaning of style. Here are the two mentioned phrases:

The first one from the Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet.

  On the fly-leaf, in very faded ink, is written `Ex libris Guliolmi Whyte.' I wonder who William Whyte was. Some pragmatical seventeenth century lawyer, I suppose. His writing has a legal twist about it."

The secon one is again about Sherlock Holmes, explaining another work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

  It has many similarities with the canonical stories, most notably the metafictional twist in which Watson supplants Doyle as the author publishing his own stories in a magazine.

In both examples I interpret the meaning of the word as 'style'. If not what is the real meaning? I could not find any dictionary reference for this kind of use.


texts:
How do I know when to use V+to+present simple, v+ gerund, or v+to+gerund?

I look forward seeing you.

I look forward to see you.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I look forward to hear from you.

I like to skating.

I like to skate.

I like skating.

Are there any differences? Which one is correct and incorrect?

Thank you.


texts:
I found an example sentence that is "I am now the proud owner of the first trading post". but I don't know means of the proud owner. According to Urban Dictionary, it means

  Any customer who purchases something that is non refundable.

And in example it means proud. Is this an idiomatic?


texts: Do you really "see someone about something"?

texts:
I've got to see my GP about vaccinations for my trip.

It's a sentence written by a British English native speaker.

Is it grammatically correct or it's just brachylogy?
Is "to see sb about sth" a common expression or it's only used in a medical context? Can I say e.g. "I need to see my mum about Crimbo" (meaning "I need to see and talk to her about organising Christmas")?
Is it likely to be said by non-British English native speakers?


texts:
What is the difference between somewhere and elsewhere.

My understanding is:

  Somewhere-at a particular unknown place.

  Elsewhere-at some place.

They seem identical.


texts:
In the text, planners like to put these items (poles) very close to the edge of roadways..., where I (biker) might be nudged by a wayward vehicle into a shredding horror.

I tried to look up the word, but it always comes up as the present continuous tense of the word shred, which obviously does not fit the definition here.

What does it mean?
What other nouns can this adjective describe?


texts: Mutually exclusive options depending on condition: "It will be possible or not, depending on ..."

texts:
What are the common ways to express this kind of sentence:

  "It will be possible or not, depending on ..."

  "It will be possible or it will not, depending on..."

Are they correct? If not, how can I say it?


texts: What does "It's working time from here." mean?

texts:
Person A: For several days I am not able to open Internet Archive
  http://www.archive.org. Is the site closed now?

  Person B: I use it every day and just checked, It's working time from
  here. (Source)

What is intention of B by saying "It's working time from here."?


texts: Can you use two verbs in simple past tense in a row like this?

texts:
Is the usage of the verbs "measured & compared" correct in the following sentence?

  We will assess network performance in this regard measured compared to the protocol which hops over other nodes


texts:
I need to find the man whose son you said (((he))) tried to find a job .

Should I use “he” after “you said” ? Or it can be understood that “ the one you talked about is son of the man ?


texts:
There is a sentence:

  Acute aortic dissection represents the only hypertensive emergency where rapid, aggressive blood pressure reduction is indicated.

Does the "where" on the former sentence represent for which or something else?


texts: Which tense should I use when describing the following facts?

texts:
On this webpage it states that "The Simple Present can also indicate the speaker believes that a fact was true before, is true now, and will be true in the future. It is not important if the speaker is correct about the fact." The examples are straightforward, but I am still a little bit confused about tense. Which tense of simple present and simple past should I use in the following examples?

  When he was a kid he thought that the earth was/is flat. Now he knows it's round.

  In the 5th century people believed that the earth was/is flat.

I think in both examples is instead of was should be adopted. The reason is that the subjects (the kid and people in the 5th century) considered the proposition to be universally true, and according to the foregoing rule it doesn't matter whether they were correct.

Am I understanding the grammar in the correct way? Many thanks for your help :-)


texts:
"Andersen" is the surname of the famous Danish fairy tale writer, Hans Christian Andersen.

"Anderson" is a common surname in Anglophone countries.

Do they have the same root?


texts: Differences between "How are you?", "How are you doing?" and "How do you do?"

texts:
What are the main differences between the three sentences written below? When should we use these greetings?

How are you?
How are you doing?
How do you do?


texts:
Here's part of an article:

  Experienced envoys have retired or resigned in droves. John Feeley resigned as ambassador to Panama on March 9th. He is no "squishy hand-wringer". A former Marine helicopter pilot, he oversaw cartel-busting operations as deputy chief of mission in Mexico..

I don't understand what it means when squishy and hand-wringer are combined together. Somebody who likes to wring his hands?

"Hand-wringing" means worried talk/behavior, perhaps somebody who doesn't show worried behavior?


texts: What does "Yer makin’ my neck itchy.” mean?

texts:
No need ta be so formal. Yer makin’ my neck itchy. Talk normal, got it? (Source)

I have no idea what does "Yer makin’ my neck itchy."  mean. I guess the phrase has some figurative meaning.


texts:
What does 'across the level' mean here, and 'striking off across' mean

  With a short laugh he threw it down on the bed, and pulling on his old
  black hat, he went out, striking off across the level.

On the Divide
by Willa Cather


texts: verb agreement with "a laptop and some books"

texts:
There is / are a laptop and some books on the table.

Question: What would be grammatical to use in the above sentence; is or are?

Grammarly (a grammar checking tool) considers, somehow, both to be incorrect; here!

Ginger (another grammar checker) finds both is and are to be correct; here!

As for as I think, when ever a noun-phrase contains two and-separated noun-phrases, the noun-phrase is considered to be plural and plural verb form is used for them. However, may be, there is more to it than just seeing an and in a phrase and using a plural verb with it.


texts: Can you say a system is a "productive system" to mean the same as a "production system" (as opposed to a test deployment of said system)?

texts:
I see a lot of people around me use this phrase, but it sounds wrong to me: "The security test will be performed on the productive system" rather than "... on the production system". The context is a system (such as a server) that is used by real users, i.e. for production work, rather than solely for development or testing purposes.

Searching online, it seems to be incorrect to substitute the word, but I can't find anything that answers the question directly. The main pointer is simply the number of times one phrase ("productive system" vs "production system") is used in the context that I'm looking for.


texts: Until I went to army, I (had been / used to be / was ) a introverted person. - which one is right?

texts:
Until I went into the army, I (had been / used to be / was ) an introverted person. And after I I finished army service, I became more confident.

I think all of these are possible.

As for had been, I'm referring to the state of me being introverted before the accident that happened in the past. So, I think I can use had been.

And at the same time I feel I can use used to be and was.. If I don't want to emphasize the time gap between two accident, I feel I don't need to use past perfect. So I think this problem depends on how I'm going to say something.

which one is preferable? and what is the difference?


texts: Is using active and passive voice in a single sentence correct?

texts:
Could you check following sentence? Indeed, I do not know whether using active and passive voice together in a single sentence is correct. Thanks for your help.

  Founded by Zadeh in 1965, fuzzy set theory has advanced in many diciplines and has been investigated from many aspects.


texts: What is the meaning of peotic sentence about woman's dresses?

texts:
Aaron say this words to Robert about woman's dresses:

  I had this girl, Tina. She said the dress made the woman. I say the
  woman makes the dress.

Sentence is taken from movie Entrapment (1999), My Doubt: How can a Dress(non-living) made the Woman(living creature)?

I heard English sentences earlier like this:  Dress made woman beautiful, but above sentence doesn't make any sense to me.


texts: What does this misleading sentence mean?

texts:
As I think, I am becoming a God!

How does it sound to native speakers?


texts: "Would like" vs. "should like" vs. "may like"

texts:
What are the differences between 1, 2 and 3?

  I would like you, too.
  I should like you, too.
  I may like you, too.

Is 1 in agreement with politeness?


texts: Difference between unspecified and undetermined?

texts:
My mother language is Farsi (Persian) and in my language "Unspecified" and "Undetermined" have exactly the same meaning. I did a little search and what i found is as follows:

Unspecified means "Known but not named"
Undetermined means "Not seen or understood clearly"

Are these actually true? Is there really any difference between the two words? If so, can you provide some examples that clearly demonstrates the difference between the two?


texts:
Is definite article needed when we refer to metrics like impressions, visits and purchases (terms used in online marketing) which tend to change with time?

For example, let's say I'm preparing an August performance report for a client. Highlights would include changes from the previous period. Would I say "impressions went up by 70% from July" or "the impressions went up by 70% from July"? It sounds weird when I add "the" because what am I specifying? (impressions in August or July? impressions changed by day, by hour, and even by minute)

What about rates? Would I say "purchase rate" or "the purchase rate"?

My confusion is in the fact that I have to use a definite article is a context known to both the speaker and listener. In my case, my client knows which "impressions" and "purchase rate" to look at (there is only one each in the report). I am merely reiterating the numbers in text.

I don't know if I've made myself clear. Please let me know if there is any confusion.

Thanks


texts: "more than one does" or "more than one do"?

texts:
However, if no x satisfies the equation or more than one x does—that
  is the solution is not unique—the problem is said not to be well
  posed.

In the line(source: Wikipedia) above it uses "more than one does", but logically and intuitively it should be "more than one do" since "more than one" means two or more, then it is plural. I have tried my best to interpret it as it is, but hardly can I convince myself to make "more than" collocate with "does" as an adv., which may only make it make sense.


texts:
I know that to learn and to study work differently in non-continuous tenses.
I learnt English doesn't mean I studied English.
But what about the present? I hear people say "I learn English every day". Does it make sense? Or should it be "I study English every day"? Does the sentence with "learn" sound as if I learned all of the English language but forgot it during the night and learned it again the next day?


texts:
The time children spend (or spends) watching TV.
The time children spend (or spends) working prevent (or prevents) then from focusing on their school work.

Could you please help on the above sentence corrections. And the explanation as well.


texts:
Do I need to repeat on the word "word" in the following sentence?

  "The word “lumbar” came from Latin word “lumbus” that means loin. "


texts:
Is the phrase, ‘I will love you endlessly’ grammatically correct?
I'm just trying to write a song, and I wanted to use this phrase. However, I wanted to make sure it was said correctly before I showed it to anyone.