Grammaticality refers to whether something obeys the rules of grammar for English.
2
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1answer
168 views
Use of gerund without preposition “to”
Can I use gerunds with the word "concede" without using preposition "to" as in the sentence below?
He concedes killing his wife.
1
vote
1answer
60 views
comes to think of it?
Which of the expressions, "come to think of it" or "comes to think of it", grammatically correct? Or are they grammatical at all?
If it is a short form of,
When one comes to think of it, I would ...
3
votes
2answers
223 views
“Sites to see” or “Sights to see”?
A google search turns up results for either. The two are seemingly interchangeable. Which is it? Does one see sights or see sites?
-1
votes
1answer
116 views
Is this sentence correct - “what an ephemeral rendezvous we had”?
I met some girls last month, and recently I came in contact with one of them. And I really wanted to say something about our first meeting. Can you please tell me if the following sentence is correct ...
4
votes
3answers
222 views
“Italy-based company” or “Italian-based company”
When referring to a company that is based in Italy, I am never sure which of the above is correct. Logically speaking, "Italy-based" seems the most appropriate (since the company is based in Italy, ...
7
votes
3answers
452 views
Do two people have “breaths”?
In some books, I see the use of the word "breaths" in the phrase "they held their breaths". Is this correct? And if it is, should I go by the Ngram (below) in spite of grammaticality?
Or are both ...
1
vote
1answer
85 views
“Pa. man bagged deer Wal-Mart lot deer” Is This Headline Grammatical or Sensical?
http://news.yahoo.com/charges-pa-man-bagged-deer-wal-mart-lot-145951272.html
I just cannot parse this headline. I understand the story - a fellow was standing in a Wal-Mart parking lot, saw a deer ...
1
vote
2answers
151 views
Can you say “within 90 days after”?
I understand that you can say, "within 30 days of receiving your application", but I am seeing more and more "within 30 days after your application is received". Is the latter grammatical?
0
votes
1answer
132 views
Singular or plural “set”?
I'm having some issues with a sentence that is part of the purpose in a report that I'm writing. I'm not sure if the word "communicate" (in bold) should be singular or plural.
The applications in the ...
0
votes
1answer
145 views
What is the proper way to ask two questions in one sentence?
Every now and again I find myself writing a sentence like this:
INPUT in LPINPUT is some data structure I can identify — what does LP mean, array?
I don't know what to call this type of ...
-1
votes
1answer
91 views
“At step” or “in step”
When I searched I found many usages of both "in step" and "at step". For example, Google returns:
"at each step" — about 55,000,000 results
"in each step" — about 45,000,000 results
But which one ...
1
vote
2answers
780 views
Is “I already have two stamps drawn” grammatically correct?
Is it grammatically correct and is it the right way to say that I have something already made and I'm still doing it, in this case drawing the stamps?
Because as far as I know, 'have' should be ...
4
votes
5answers
1k views
What is the correct positioning of “Please” in a sentence or indeed is there one?
Please can you help me with this question?
Can you please help me with this question?
Can you help me with this question please?
Is there a correct place for please in this question or ...
-5
votes
1answer
117 views
“To have to” vs. “should” [closed]
I wonder which one to choose here:
My father should drive carefully when it’s raining.
My father has to drive carefully when it’s raining.
3
votes
3answers
153 views
Is using “she” when the gender is unknown ungrammatical? [duplicate]
I often come across the use of "she" not as an gender neutral pronoun as such but as the pronoun of choice when the gender is unknown. This is particularly common in scientific/technical documents but ...
-5
votes
1answer
135 views
Please correct my grammatical mistakes, if any [closed]
we have done cams db setup.
After discussing with Mark we will do the pas db setup.
Please assist me correcting any grammatical mistakes.
-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.
2
votes
1answer
112 views
Relative pronoun verb agreement
In the sentence, “The dog gave me, who feeds him, a lick”, feeds does not agree with the person of the antecedent to who. I know that a verb used with a relative pronoun has the same number and ...
1
vote
3answers
975 views
“lie on the basis of” versus “lie at the basis of”
I often read in scientific papers a sentence of the form "X lies on the basis of Y." or "X lies at the basis of Y." to indicate that Y is caused by X in some fundamental way. Are both forms valid and ...
1
vote
2answers
100 views
How to explain simple math with correct preposition embedded on explanation?
I have a construction to say a ratio. I think of or and would be the correct prepositions.
So, If I give you my practice case
The ratio of minimum rectangle’s floor area to enclosed circle ...
-2
votes
2answers
79 views
Is this ellipsis grammatical?
Which of these sentence constructions is correct? The only difference is the last word.
Sometimes questioning others' assumptions is not the hardest part of being an activist; the hardest part ...
3
votes
3answers
110 views
“Both the first and the last [plural]” vs. “both the first and the last [singular]” [duplicate]
There is a recorded announcement I hear several times a day on the trains I catch to and from work. Here is part of the announcement:
This train contains quiet carriages. Both the first and the ...
0
votes
3answers
65 views
“It's time everyone had access” or “It's time everyone has access”
Is this sentence gramatically correct?
We think it's time everyone had access to the means of media production so we have developed a set of tools for it.
Or should I use has instead?
We ...
-1
votes
1answer
103 views
Is the advertising slogan “Clean happy” grammatically incorrect?
I came across this slogan and it just rubs me the wrong way. Is it just me?
-1
votes
1answer
56 views
Is “along” correct in “You were the best along with person X and Y”?
You were the best along with person X and person Y.
When I want to tell someone that he was one of the best in the group of people, but not the only one, can I use the word along? Or is together ...
1
vote
1answer
139 views
Which one is correct — “at the city” or “in the city”?
I want to know the correct preposition to use with the word city in the following context:
He arrived in the city.
He arrived at the city.
So which one will be correct?
44
votes
5answers
3k views
What's wrong with “I'll open you the door”?
When I call the buzzer outside my girlfriend's flat, she sometimes says *"I'll open you the door". I correct this to "I'll open the door for you".
I've never heard a native speaker say it the first ...
7
votes
1answer
2k views
Ellipsis or Ellipses?
Inspired by this question: What is the correct term to use when describing the "three dots" (. . .), ellipsis or ellipses? And are either of these terms considered plural?
For example, if I wanted to ...
-1
votes
1answer
68 views
The future as reported in the past
Is (1) correct, or must it be written as (2)?
John told me yesterday that this contract will not be renewed when it ends next month.
John told me yesterday that this contract would not be ...
5
votes
4answers
249 views
Indian English use of “only”
I am from Bangalore and people here tend use the word only to emphasise something in a sentence. For example:
We are getting that only printed.
What is the proper way to put it?
2
votes
2answers
5k views
Burst in or into laughter?
Which of the following phrases is correct grammatically?
burst in laughter
burst into laughter
Or are they both correct (this is my guess)?
I'd think that to "burst in laughter" could ...
8
votes
2answers
198 views
“Compose” and “comprise”
The whole comprises the parts, for example
The board comprises five members.
and the parts compose the whole such as
Five members compose the board.
The preceding sentence can be written ...
3
votes
3answers
85 views
Parallelism with “in order to”
Which of the following is grammatically correct, or are they both gramatically correct?
We use this product in order to increase work efficiency and to streamline testing.
We use this product in ...
1
vote
2answers
70 views
Present and past perfect dilemma
This sentence is giving me trouble:
For several days I (have/had) not had the chance to see her until a
few hours ago.
I think had is correct because the time reference is a few hours ago, ...
0
votes
1answer
98 views
4
votes
3answers
74 views
Can we say “front of spring” or merely “beginning of spring”?
In an answer to a Writers SE question, I used the phrase “a bright morning at the front of spring”. John M. Landsberg commented:
Nice revision, but note we wouldn't say "the front" of a season. ...
-1
votes
3answers
204 views
What article should be used in such sentences?
What article should be used in the following sentence?
He was English by [a/the/] blood.
I feel there should be a zero article here, but I was taught that the zero article is impossible in ...
1
vote
1answer
180 views
“Heard me [infinitive]” vs. “heard me [gerund]”
"Heard me [infinitive]" vs. "heard me [gerund]"
At that time, you wouldn't have heard me talk about it.
At that time, you wouldn't have heard me talking about it.
At that time, ...
-1
votes
4answers
4k views
Appropriate preposition in “your preference of/for time and venue”
What is the most appropriate preposition for the following sentence?
I would like to talk to you. Please let me know your preference of/for time and venue where we can meet.
I would also be ...
2
votes
3answers
185 views
“Be in a dilemma” vs. “have a dilemma”
What is the correct form? "We have been in a dilemma" or "We have had a dilemma"? Or are the two of them incorrect? I'm a non-native English speaker discussing this with another non-native speaker.
4
votes
1answer
146 views
“Your order has shipped”
I ordered a CD from an online music store. My confirmation email reads "your order has shipped." English is not my first language, and this strikes me as odd. Shouldn't it be a passive-voice sentence, ...
3
votes
2answers
7k views
“Angry with” vs. “angry at” vs. “angry on”
Which is the most appropriate/correct usage?
Are you angry on me?
Are you angry with me?
Are you angry at me?
1
vote
0answers
35 views
Is the adverbial in sentence on a right place? [closed]
The institution name I used was "Institution name".
Is the "I used" on the right place in sentence?
Moved to ell.stackexchange.
2
votes
2answers
78 views
“What questions are there?” vs. “What are the questions there?”
Imagine this scene: "a non-native student asking another student about the questions in a paper on the table of the teacher". Which is the correct way for asking this between the two questions below:
...
1
vote
2answers
632 views
Indirect questions using “do you think”
When we ask an indirect, closed question we usually use if:
Will he be home soon?
Can you tell me if he'll be home soon?
Do you know if he'll be home soon?
Why do we not use if with do ...
1
vote
3answers
124 views
Is this grammatically correct?
Using MS Word, I typed, "As Roblin and Adelaide are reading the reviews, Roblin thinks that women may get the vote and their rights after all.
MS Word puts a green squiggle under "reviews," and it ...
-1
votes
3answers
75 views
Is a comma needed here?
If I were to try and describe a book called "Book", is this sentence grammatically correct?
The book Book by Joe Bob is set in...
I was told that this sentence is incorrect, that commas must ...
1
vote
2answers
48 views
Which is more common, using “who . . . is” or “whom . . . are”?
Which of these would you say?
The married couple who the police caught is on drugs.
or
The married couple whom the police caught are on drugs.
Why?
1
vote
3answers
132 views
Usage of “provided” and “providing”
I'm not sure if I used the word "provided" in a right way in the following example:
In general, this algorithm solves Fibonacci problem with higher scores rather than the original algorithm, ...
2
votes
2answers
175 views
'All that' vs 'all what' [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“all that” vs. “all what”
How can I be sure when to use 'all that' or 'all what' in making sentences. Is there any differences in their meaning. ...
