The phrasing tag has no wiki summary.
0
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0answers
51 views
How do I improve the vocabulary in the sentence below? [closed]
The cost of unethical supplier is so high that the firm would rather prefer the expensive supplier A, through which it can reduce the negative effect on consumer demand while improving profits in the ...
3
votes
2answers
80 views
Wording an 'If-Then' Statement Tense
I need help phrasing the last part of this conditional sentence (assume I can't change the first conditional statement):
If I died tomorrow, I would have wanted to go skydiving.
or
If I ...
0
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3answers
150 views
Is there another way to say 'working on'?
Is there another way to say "We are working on to update our resort."? I do not want to use working on.
-2
votes
1answer
41 views
Not only & But also separated by full stop
Let's say we have the following sentence:
This powder is able not only to effectively wash your shirts and sweaters, but also to
clean out even the most terrible stains on your pants, ...
0
votes
0answers
1k views
Responding to “Sorry for the late reply.” statement in the email [closed]
I had applied for a job position, for which the interviewer replied me back after a couple of days. However, he started his email with 'Sorry for the late reply'. Now to revert him back with a ...
3
votes
2answers
485 views
Should I follow English conventions, or write what sounds better?
How a sentence sounds when read aloud or in your head can often "sound" different for each individual doing so; however, I was reading details regarding the usage of "data" and "datum" and was ...
0
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0answers
71 views
Alternate to the phrase “I want to . . . ”? [closed]
I need some alternate phrases for "I want to . . . ." Can anyone help me with this?
-3
votes
1answer
105 views
English flavour in this piece [closed]
The following piece (1) is a comment of mine posted on Area51 site, and I'm wondering if my phrasing has a proper British or American writing style or if the Google translate (2) has a better one.
...
1
vote
2answers
182 views
“Sorting on” vs. “Sorting by”
Recently asked a question of a colleague:
Are you sorting this list by acronym?
He responded:
Yes, I’m sorting on acronym (ascending).
Emphasis mine in each case.
Is one correct and not ...
5
votes
2answers
182 views
OK to use two “there”s in a sentence?
A teacher once told me that it is improper to use two there words in a sentence, such as
There is a woman there.
or
Is there a man there?
and instead state
A woman is there.
or
...
2
votes
1answer
340 views
Is it rude to say “how did you end up here”? [closed]
Is it rude to say, "how did you end up here?" to a teacher?
I said it to my English teacher, and then thought, "damn, I don't know if I'm supposed to phrase it that way or not."
So, is it?
4
votes
3answers
164 views
What do you call a statement like “No fake lures”?
We have a car dealer around here with an ad that reads "No Fake Lures". Now, as I understand the concept of a lure, if it doesn't attract attention, it's not a lure. And if a lure does attract ...
9
votes
6answers
468 views
learn how to [verb] vs. learn to [verb]
"learn to [verb]"
"learn how to [verb]"
Is [1] merely a less formal version of [2]? If not, does [1] communicate something subtly different? Consider the following:
In [2], the object of learning ...
1
vote
3answers
468 views
Different ways to say “hope to Learn”
I am writing a study proposal broken into three sections. The third section will cover "what I hope to learn," which is not the greatest phrasing for a section. Alternative suggestions would be ...
0
votes
1answer
207 views
Is 'I would like to make laugh from you' correct? [closed]
With the meaning to make jokes about somebody. Or, 'They love to make laugh from me', is it correct? or should it be 'at' instead of 'from'?
3
votes
2answers
3k views
“Should either be” OR “should be either”?
Which is more correct:
This rule specifies that an object should be either visible or invisible, but not partially visible.
Or
This rule specifies that an object should either be visible or ...
1
vote
1answer
129 views
Can “to revolve around” mean “to deal with/pertain to”?
... around which the book revolves.
Can I use this expression to say that the book is dealing with a subject, addressing an issue, or talking about something?
I'm open to suggestions if there is a ...
4
votes
3answers
852 views
“Each X” vs. “each of the Xs”
Are each X and each of the Xs interchangeable?
For example, in the following sentence, I would use each of the characters:
Each of the main characters is interesting.
But one could also write ...
3
votes
5answers
255 views
Can a negative be used to express a positive, such as “mangoes are sweet and so aren't papayas.”
Is it incorrect to use the positive/negative construction when the intent is positive/positive? In other words can these two statements be viewed as equivalent:
Mangoes are sweet and so aren't ...
3
votes
3answers
648 views
Wishing someone that something goes easily for them
I'm trying to phrase a sentence in which I'm wishing that something goes easily for someone, but can't get the wording to sound right, and not awkward.
For example, someone may be studying for a test ...
5
votes
7answers
534 views
Is there any suffix expressing “demand a lot”?
For example, a job that demands a lot of effort is effort-***? Or a program costs lots of money is money-***? Or a task needs high patience is patience-***?
3
votes
4answers
637 views
Can you rephrase this sentence (about storing files)?
Starting from this date all such files will be stored in folder B.
Is it possible to re-phrase this sentence without changing its meaning in such a way that it would start from "Starting from ...
2
votes
2answers
119 views
What's the name of this kind of act?
What's the name of this kind of act? It is commonly seen between friends. (I mean the act between two people, not necessarily 4 people like this one.)
Or can you describe it with a few words?
2
votes
3answers
3k views
Alternative structures for “not only … but also …”?
I'm trying to write this essay and I find myself writing too many "not only ... but also ..." structures. Can you guys help me come up with some alternatives?
Basically, I want this kind of ...
0
votes
2answers
104 views
is that + <subject> + <verb> OR is the + <noun>
I am writing a paper and I want to criticize some other related work. I want to say that the problem of their work is that they don't support advanced composition rules. So which one is a better ...
1
vote
2answers
270 views
Is it redundant to say, “…based on any arbitrary criteria?”
Should "arbitrary" suffice on its own, or does it make sense to include "any?"
