The collocation tag has no wiki summary.
0
votes
2answers
31 views
“The city raises above…” [closed]
I need to describe a city which is located above another city.
Should I say: "The city raises above X", "The city rises above X", "The city looms above X,...? I need help with the verb, please!
10
votes
3answers
159 views
Make/take a photograph?
In English we say "take a photograph" whereas in some other languages one would say "make a photograph".
The French say "take" even though they "make" far more often than we do in English, and ...
-1
votes
1answer
44 views
Proper adjective to use with the word “chance” (“low”, “small”, “slim”, etc.)
What is the proper adjective to use with word chance? Can chance be low, small, slim?
What would be your suggestion?
1
vote
2answers
100 views
Why “knowledge of English” and not “English knowledge”?
Why is the following sentence correct:
"A candidate with a good knowledge of English is required for this teaching position."
And NOT this sentence:
"A candidate with good English knowledge is ...
-2
votes
0answers
59 views
“Аmple innocence”, “enough innocence” or something else? [closed]
Is the phrase "enough innocence" valid? Or is it "ample innocence" or something else? I am looking to translate the Russian "достаточная невинность".
2
votes
2answers
61 views
“Starting with” vs. “starting from”
I would like to ask about the difference between the two phrases starting with and starting from.
Take the following two sentences for example:
Please give me all the names starting with A.
...
-2
votes
0answers
83 views
“Fit one's needs” vs. “suit one's needs” vs. “meet one's needs”
In a formal letter, which verb should I choose?
The programme perfectly suits my needs.
The programme perfectly fits my needs.
The programme perfectly meets my needs.
0
votes
2answers
80 views
Grammaticality of “a high number of”
Is the phrase "a high number of" considered correct? Or is it only correct to say "a large number of"?
Example:
Japan has a high number of active volcanoes.
2
votes
2answers
73 views
Can I bother someone “for” something?
If I want someone (in this case, a Professor) to do something for me that they don't need to do (in this case, a second opinion on another Professor's paper), can I ask whether I can "bother them for ...
3
votes
2answers
157 views
“In the market” or “on the market”
I am trying to help a friend of mine proofreading an English email and she has a preposition there that I am not completely certain is correct. The original sentence was this:
[Name of the ...
1
vote
1answer
87 views
Prepositions used with “command line” and “shell”
I found the following variations on the use of "command line" and "shell" in computing and wonder which are correct and how to use them appropriately.
Command line: is it "at the command line" or ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
Does “approbate one's flaws” make sense?
I'm going for a little stronger word than accept and I like the word approbate.
To approbate my flaws.
Does it work?
-1
votes
1answer
51 views
Using 'show' with 'treatment'
Is it proper to say 'show special treatment' for example in "He showed him special treatment."?
I know it sounds more natural to say, "He took a special interest in him because of his background." ...
-1
votes
1answer
85 views
Which is the preposition to go with “best”? Is it “best at”?
Is it right to say:
We take pride in doing what we are best at, delivering unsurpassed levels of service, so our customers can do what they are best at.
-3
votes
2answers
104 views
Is it “sneak peek on” or “sneak peek at”?
I would like to post a screenshot of my upcoming app. What is correct to say, "sneak peek on" or "sneak peek at"?
Here is a sneak peek on my app for iPhone.
Here is a sneak peek at my app for ...
0
votes
2answers
62 views
What can we do with a problem? [closed]
We could solve a problem, obviously.
Is it possible to use "break", "beat", "hit", "crack" with the meaning of "solve"? I'm trying to find some more emotional equivalent.
0
votes
1answer
68 views
“Quench thirst” vs. “still thirst” when “thirst” is used figuratively
Do I say "quenched my thirst" or "stilled my thirst" when I speak of something that I desire and not actual thirst? E.g. a thirst for a new car or something.
3
votes
1answer
65 views
Can something “hold a property”
In academic writing, it is common to refer to or prove properties about the main object of an article.
If I prove a property for (some object), I know I can use the phrase:
Property X holds for ...
0
votes
2answers
50 views
“leverage 'x' with 'y'”?
I read through other questions regarding the use of "leverage" and wonder if you can "leverage one resource with another? For example "Leverage our resources with your own to help you gain market ...
1
vote
2answers
97 views
“Offence threat” vs. “offensive threat”
I was watching an NBA game. After Omer Asik missed an easy shot, the commentator said that Omer was not much of an offensive threat. I used to say offence threat often. Which usage is more established ...
1
vote
7answers
188 views
Proper verb to use with “test”
Assume that somebody has created a test/quiz like this one.
Has he developed the test? put it together? wrote it? something else?
What verb would you use?
2
votes
4answers
270 views
“Fall term”, “autumn semester”, “autumn term” or “fall semester”?
Please clarify which is UK English, American English, and where and when to use which:
Fall term (American English?)
Autumn semester (UK English?)
Autumn term (wrong?)
Fall semester (wrong?)
-1
votes
1answer
231 views
“Take advantage” vs. “make advantage”
I'm worried that 'take advantage' could have a slightly negative connotation. Could you say "make advantage [of a situation]"?
2
votes
1answer
40 views
“To consolidate cost”
Is it correct to use the expression "consolidate cost" when you add cost figures in a specific period of time? The context is a description of what a piece of code is doing:
consolidate cost over ...
1
vote
2answers
112 views
“Stop a loophole” vs. “fix a loophole”
Which is the preferred usage — "to stop a loophole" or "to fix a loophole"?
1
vote
4answers
610 views
“Large amount of calories” vs. “high amount of calories”
Is it more typical to say that there are a large amount of calories or a high amount of calories?
For example:
Chocolate cake contains a high/large amount of calories.
1
vote
1answer
116 views
Is there a difference between “depressive” and “depressing”?
Is news depressing or depressive? In what situations would you use these two words?
According to dicionary.com:
depressive - tending to depress
depressing - serving to depress; inducing a ...
0
votes
1answer
94 views
Is “low physique” idiomatic?
Is "low physique" idiomatic? If not, what is the adjective to be used with physique?
2
votes
4answers
299 views
”Demand in/on/for something”
I am not sure whether to use in, on, or for after the word demand in the following sentence:
The continuing demand on high-quality software that is reusable and
easy to maintain and modify after ...
1
vote
0answers
493 views
“Particular” vs. “specific” [closed]
The Free Dictionary lists particular and specific as synonyms, but there still seems to be a subtle distinction between the two. What is that distinction?
In a phrase along the lines of:
the ...
3
votes
1answer
53 views
switch genders or gender?
Recently I read an article on Wired.com "Apple Hires Hacker Who Helped Save Windows From Security Hell", http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/12/apple-hires-hacker/
Here is a sentence I'm kind ...
-1
votes
3answers
248 views
Cynical used to describe a noun [closed]
My brother recently stated that a pet hate of his is was the use of the term "cynical challenge" to describe a football tackle.
Can a nasty challenge be worded as a "cynical challenge"?
2
votes
3answers
835 views
“Gain/acquire/gather/get experience”
According to my Longman dictionary, gain experience and get experience seem to mean the same:
gain/get experience: The programme enables pupils to gain some experience of the world of work.
But ...
0
votes
2answers
114 views
What does “to be caught in a controversy” mean?
Can I use something like "I am caught in a controversy" to express that I am witnessing and confused by the controversy between other entities?
4
votes
2answers
225 views
Is “sound approach” an accepted phrase?
English is not my first language, and in my language (Bosnian) we write just as we speak ; so from time to time, I encounter phrases which I know I have heard before, but am not sure if I am writing ...
2
votes
1answer
113 views
“Slit one's wrists” vs. “cut one's wrists” [closed]
Which one is used more often? You can cut your leg, hand etc. but do you slit or cut your wrists? Is the correct word related to the method of action that causes wrists to bleed?
10
votes
3answers
1k views
“Quick question” vs. “short question”
Which one would you prefer: "quick question" or "short question" for a question that you know is simple and will only take a moment to answer? Or maybe "simple question"? The problem I have with ...
1
vote
5answers
100 views
“Photo playback” — can photos be played?
The phrase "photo playback" has about 35k Google hits, especially in production descriptions, but is it correct English?
It seems that “playback” can be used with video and audio, because we can play ...
2
votes
3answers
121 views
“Broad surface” or “large surface” [closed]
When comparing the total surface area of (geometrical) bodies, can I describe it as "large surface" (or "largest") or, as an editor suggested, do I have to use "broad surface"?
Edit:
Example ...
0
votes
4answers
286 views
What is the correct word to describe a turn or a bend — “hard”, “sharp”, “heavy”…?
If there is a very sharp turn or detour or bend — in a piece of plastic, for example, — what is the correct word to describe it (hard, sharp, heavy...)?
-3
votes
4answers
1k views
“Big budget” vs. “large budget” — which one to use? [closed]
What is the difference between big and large? I am trying to use one of these words but I'm skeptical which one is the right one.
The context I intend to use one of these words in is:
Small ...
0
votes
2answers
113 views
“Rotate image” vs. “spin image”
I need to title an application button that moves an image 90 degrees clockwise/anticlockwise.
Which of the following fits better?
Spin image
Rotate image
3
votes
3answers
3k views
“No point in” vs. “no point of” vs. “no point to”
Point in, point of, point to. (Point in the sense of "purpose".) What are the differences among these — in meaning? in usage (each is used in certain constructions or with certain ...
8
votes
1answer
220 views
Use of “medicine students”
Recently I used the term medicine students to mean students of medicine. This was corrected to medical students. I googled and found that the term I chose is not really used.
However I still hear ...
0
votes
2answers
160 views
What are proper collocations of 'revision'?
Can I say: I will do/make revision of the material that we have covered so far.
Should I say : I will revise the material that we have covered so far.
1
vote
5answers
680 views
“Director at”, “founder of”. What is the correct usage of “at” and “of”?
I have a twitter account and I see some people having in their profiles mention:
Company Director at ABC
and others
Company Director of ABC
Also, I come across:
Founder of ABC
and
...
4
votes
3answers
282 views
Construction of to cheat
I am not a native speaker and I would like to write a sentence using the verb "to cheat on". The situation I want to describe is that someone (Mr X) has lied to someone else (Mr Y) convincing Mr Y to ...
5
votes
4answers
3k views
“Take a degree” or “do a degree”
In university I learned that we say to do a degree in X but I saw many other sources where it says to take a degree in X.
Which is correct? Is there a regional difference?
7
votes
5answers
4k views
When to use words quite, rather, pretty, fairly etc
Is there any logic to this or just decision?
I would use the following combinations:
quite amazing
rather large
pretty good
I would not use the following combinations:
pretty amazing
quite large
...
1
vote
3answers
340 views
“Write out a prescription” vs. “make out a prescription”
Are "write out a prescription" and "make out a prescription" used more or less interchangeably?
