Verbs are words that express an action, occurrence, or a state of being.
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votes
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How do the tenses in English correspond temporally to one another?
Non-native speakers often get confused about what the tenses in English mean. With input from some of the folk here I've put together a diagram that I hope will provide some clarity on the matter.
I ...
12
votes
8answers
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The grammaticality of “that don't impress me much”
I'd like to know how the sentence "That don't impress me much" sounds to a native English speaker.
The phrase is the title of a song by Shania Twain, and to my eyes it contains a clear error. It is ...
9
votes
4answers
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When is the present perfect tense used instead of the past tense?
When is the present perfect tense used instead of the past tense?
I know that the present perfect tense is used when some adverbs (e.g., never, ever) are present in the sentence.
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votes
3answers
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When should I use the subjunctive mood?
In which cases should I use the subjunctive mood?
I suggest that every applicant fill out the form carefully.
If she were rich, she would live on Long Island.
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votes
10answers
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What is the correct way to use infinitive after the verb “help”: with or without “to”?
What is the correct way to use infinitive after the verb "help": with or without "to"?
For example:
Please, help me to understand this.
or:
Please, help me understand this.
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Inversion in “only [adverb] have they”
I have seen this construction quite often:
Online ads have been around since the dawn of the Web, but only in
recent years have they become the rapturous life dream of Silicon
Valley.
What ...
37
votes
11answers
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Central Pennsylvanian English speakers: what are the limitations on the “needs washed” construction?
In the Central Pennsylvania dialect of English (and possibly elsewhere), the following construction is possible:
This car needs washed. (=needs to be washed)
The room needs cleaned. (=needs ...
13
votes
2answers
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“did shoot” vs “shot”
This morning I read this sentence (see story):
On July 24th and again on July 29th,
Egyptian police did shoot dead unarmed
African migrants attempting to cross
that border.
Why "did shoot" ...
19
votes
2answers
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When is “L” doubled?
Some verbs can have double Ls in the gerund form; for example:
modeling; modelling
traveling; travelling
Which form should we use, or which form is used more in the literature?
8
votes
4answers
1k views
“Neither Michael nor Albert is correct” or “Neither Michael nor Albert are correct”?
What is the correct sentence?
Neither Michael nor Albert is correct.
Neither Michael nor Albert are correct.
16
votes
3answers
1k views
What is the difference between “lay” and “lie”?
How do I know when to use lay and when to use lie, and what are the different forms of each verb? I'm always getting them confused.
13
votes
4answers
10k views
Difference between “I have got” and “I have gotten”
I see these two expressions are used almost identically in different contexts. Is there a difference between I have got and I have gotten?
33
votes
9answers
4k views
When should I use “shall” versus “will”?
Which is the correct use of these two words, and in which context should one be used rather than the other?
23
votes
2answers
895 views
Why are clothes hung and men hanged?
I've heard it said that clothes can be 'hung' but men are 'hanged'. Is this correct, and, if so, why?
17
votes
5answers
3k views
Is it acceptable to use “is become” instead of “has become”?
In the King James version of the Bible there is a verse like this:
The Lord is my strength, and my fortress, and my song. And He is become my salvation.
Is it still feasible to use "is become" ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
When do I use present perfect tense instead of the simple past?
I've finished my work.
I finished my work.
When do I use one or the other?
3
votes
5answers
1k views
Is it acceptable to begin a declarative sentence with “Am”?
I want to know firstly if it's grammatically correct to start a declarative sentence with "Am". For example:
Am excited about the game today.
Secondly, if it is grammatically incorrect, then I ...
19
votes
1answer
1k views
What is the origin of the 'do' construction?
Modern English seems to require this verb in several circumstances, where most other European languages don't seem to need it. (See? I just used it.)
For example, in questions: "Do you have a dog?" ...
8
votes
2answers
365 views
“Try to save” or “try saving”
Are both try to save the file and try saving the file grammatically correct? If so, is there any difference in meaning?
8
votes
3answers
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What happened to the “‑est” and “‑eth” verb suffixes in English?
What happened to them, and how were they once used? Straining my mind to sound archaic, I came up with the following:
Dost thou thinkest thou can escape thy sins?
and
Bringeth me my armor ...
15
votes
1answer
4k views
Why is “ask” sometimes pronounced “aks”?
We've recently moved from New Zealand to New York City, and have noticed that many people (most of whom have good English) pronounce "ask" as "aks". For example:
Could you please go aks her ...
7
votes
2answers
459 views
Are there specific rules to build expressions with or without articles?
In English, there are lots of expressions built using articles like:
at the station
to the cinema
play the piano
have breakfast (no article)
take a bath
take a shower
Are there specific rules or ...
3
votes
3answers
260 views
What are the guidelines for usage of “will” and “is/are going to”?
I use them interchangeably, however I'd like to know when one is better or more appropriate than the other.
2
votes
3answers
192 views
“To do this or do that” or “to do this or *to* do that”?
I saw on the bottom of an email:
To change your email preferences or unsubscribe from certain
messages, click here.
Is that correct or should it be:
To change your email preferences or to ...
8
votes
2answers
13k views
How to use “to + V-ing”?
I saw some scenarios that used the structure "to + V-ing", such as the following:
Looking forward to hearing.
Disposed to using few words.
I would like to apply what I learned in school to helping ...
11
votes
9answers
975 views
Must present perfect tense be used if the action takes place more than once?
I was told that if an action is completed once in the past, the simple past is used.
Ex: I saw that movie.
If the action is completed more than once, the present perfect tense must be used.
Ex: I ...
14
votes
3answers
9k views
“Let's” vs. “lets”: which is correct?
Say I'm promoting a product. Which is correct?
[Product] let's you [do something awesome].
[Product] lets you [do something awesome].
Or neither?
13
votes
2answers
5k views
Why is the phrase “should have went” so widely used?
Rarely do we hear "should have gone" in common speech.
Some background: My father immigrated to the US in the late 60s. He learned English first overseas, British English. Then he studied extensively ...
9
votes
4answers
2k views
Usage of the verb “provide”
Does the verb "provide" always have to be used with "with"? For example,
Can you provide me with some good
examples?
Can you provide me some good
examples?
Can you provide some good
...
6
votes
4answers
6k views
What is the difference between “speaking” and “talking”?
It seems more politically correct to say that someone is speaking rather than talking. What is the definitive difference between these terms?
4
votes
2answers
2k views
Should I say 'What I wanted to say is' or 'What I wanted to say was'?
Following Martha's advice I am splitting up a question Compound sentences, the punctuation and mooore.
Let's put what I said / wrote something in the past. And now I want to elaborate some key points ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
Plural/singular verb agreement with units
When writing about specific quantities, should the verb reflect a singular or a plural value? Do abbreviations vs. spelled-out words make any difference?
I took 2 ml of water, which was/were then ...
2
votes
2answers
581 views
Use of “do” in affirmative statements [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When do you use “Did + 1st form” instead of “2nd form”
When is do used in affirmative sentences? For example:
I do think that this is going to be...
Is it only ...
1
vote
2answers
1k views
“If I would have lost you” vs “If I had lost you”
I watched a (Hollywood?) film the other day where a character visiting his just-hospitalised wife (who it seems will actually survive) says "If I would have lost you [I don't know what I'd do]".
I'd ...
57
votes
10answers
7k views
How many tenses are there in English?
Do we have 16 tenses in English?
With
future
present
past
future in the past
in these forms
simple
continuous
perfect
perfect continuous
Can we manipulate these together to create English ...
38
votes
10answers
5k views
“Eat” is to “feed” as “drink” is to what?
I can say "I feed someone". Am I forced to say "I give someone a drink", or is there a single word for this (as in "I [verb] someone")? Unfortunately my thesaurus can't really help me.
4
votes
2answers
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When to use “has lived” vs. “lived” vs. “had lived”
Jim has lived there.
Jim lived there.
Jim had lived there.
Are there any differences?
When do I use one or the other?
I'm trying to teach this to a foreign person and am having a hard ...
6
votes
6answers
4k views
“I'm done” or “I've done”
When someone asks whether you have completed a task e.g. shopping, dinner. What should be your answer?
I am done.
or
I have done.
To me, the former sentence's formation, Sub + VBe+ Past ...
15
votes
2answers
1k views
Why is 'present perfect' present if it happened in the past? And why is it 'perfect'?
Why is 'present perfect' present if it happened in the past? And why is it 'perfect'?
4
votes
1answer
274 views
“Help rule out” vs. “help to rule out” [duplicate]
Duplicate of:
What is the correct way to use infinitive after the verb “help”: with or without “to”?
“Could help avoid” vs. “could help to avoid”
“Helping you do ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
Is “either you or [third-person]” followed by a singular verb or a plural verb?
Or, put in examples: which of the following is grammatically correct?
Either you or your sister is going to have to do the chores.
Either you or your sister are going to have to do the ...
3
votes
3answers
177 views
What sentence parts needs to be repeated here?
What of the following is right?
"We need to find out..."
"...how to lower the costs or how to produce more."
"...how to lower the costs or to produce more."
"...how to lower the costs or produce ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
'Did see' and 'Saw'
The blog post here uses the title `
"Isn't this just the cutest thing you
ever did see?"
` I am sure this is correct, but my question is, but what difference it would have made had he used
...
0
votes
4answers
5k views
“I understand you” vs “I do understand you” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the difference in meaning between “I play” and “I do play”?
What is the difference between "I understand you" and "I do understand you", ...
0
votes
2answers
1k views
When do you use “Did + 1st form” instead of “2nd form” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“did shoot” vs “shot”
I often notice such sentences as:
"EEG did show tumors"(from this week House M.D.)
Why not "EEG showed tumors"? Is that ...
32
votes
9answers
19k views
“Unregister” vs “Deregister”
The concept of "undoing a registration" is widely used in my line of work. While most dictionaries define unregister as the proper verb for it, several widely used and highly considered sources also ...
44
votes
6answers
39k views
“Login” or “log in”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“log in to” or “log into” or “login to”
Is there accepted terminology for the process of logging in?
As a verb, would you say "Go to ...
21
votes
7answers
3k views
Is “must” ever grammatical as a past tense verb?
I have seen uses of must that appear to be in the simple past tense. Sometimes these seem grammatical, but sometimes not. Examples that help illustrate my confusion:
He knew he must go to New York ...
5
votes
5answers
3k views
Is there any difference between “talk to someone” and “talk with someone”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Speak to” vs. “Speak with”
Well, the question is in the title. I always had the impression that "talk to someone" refers to situations when some ...
19
votes
5answers
3k views
Is there any other way you can “wax” as you do when you “wax philosophical”?
The wax in the phrase "wax philosophical" is a pretty strange bird. Its wax is obviously not the ordinary definition of wax, which my dictionary summarizes as an "oily, water-resistant substance", a ...
