This tag is for questions about choosing the best word for a particular context or meaning.
1
vote
2answers
1k views
The correct usage of “too” and “also”
I always have problems in deciding whether to use "too" or "also". For example, if the previous sentence is:
Peter ate the cake.
Which of the following should I say?:
He ate the pie too.
He ...
7
votes
7answers
3k views
“Season” vs. “series”
TV shows, other than ones that have new episodes year-round (e.g. news, soaps), typically group episodes in batches — most often per year, although not necessarily calendar years, and sometimes there ...
1
vote
3answers
5k views
What is the difference between “information on”, “information of”, “information about”
"Information on something", "information of something", "information about something" — these three usages all sound having the same meaning for me. Are there any differences?
-5
votes
1answer
46 views
What's the difference between during and over… [closed]
What is more correct? During the last year or over the last year.
8
votes
6answers
3k views
Do native English speakers use the word “touristic”?
A word usage that always annoys me and feels like Euroenglish to me is "touristic".
I don't believe I've ever seen it printed or heard it used by a native English speaker and I've travelled in most ...
2
votes
3answers
67 views
What's the most common verb to use when you are undergoing medical exams?
I think you can say the following:
I'm at the hospital, doing medical exams.
I'm at the hospital, undergoing medical exams.
I'm at the hospital, having medical exams.
I'm at the ...
-2
votes
1answer
65 views
Superlative for stomach pain [closed]
I am an English learner and want to drop a question. When talking about stomach pain I'd normally say: I have a stomachache, or, I have stomach pain. How can I express that the pain is intense: I ...
3
votes
3answers
544 views
“There do not appear to be any comments to delete.”
In a CMS I am using, when a user with the right permission tries to delete a comment that is not found, the CMS outputs the following warning message:
There do not appear to be any comments to ...
3
votes
2answers
47 views
“Would you mind if I use” vs. “would you mind if I used” [duplicate]
Would you mind if I use/used your mobile?
One of my friends said used is wrong here. But I think it's grammatical. Who is right?
-3
votes
1answer
28 views
To what extent [closed]
What is the best word to replace the word 'To what extent...' in this question: 'To what extent is the media nowadays spoiling the youth with bad contents and visuals?
2
votes
2answers
355 views
“Could not happen” vs. “could have not happened”
Which one is correct?
These changes could have not happened without outstanding help
kindly provided by the queen.
These changes could not happen without outstanding help kindly
provided ...
10
votes
9answers
6k views
Difference between “I'm fine” and “I'm good”
When my coworker in the US asks me "How are you?" I usually answer "I'm fine", but the last time I told him "I'm good" and he replied "I'm glad to hear that".
It looks like "I'm fine" means "I'm OK" ...
0
votes
3answers
116 views
How do you properly say “missing each other” (that's SO the wrong word!)?
Imagine I sent a message to someone over Instant Messaging, and then went offline.
5 minutes later, they come online, send me a message and go offline.
10 minutes later, I come online, find their ...
15
votes
6answers
2k views
In the context of family, what is the opposite of “immediate”?
In the context of family, the term "immediate" refers to member of the family connected by birth, adoption, marriage, civil partnership, or cohabitation.
Is t here a term that refers to the rest of ...
7
votes
1answer
185 views
What is the correct use of “safety” and “security”?
I was chatting with three friends this evening, when one of them asked about the use of some english words (we are not native speakers):
What is the difference between "security" and "safety"?
...
11
votes
4answers
1k views
What determines whether a sporting event is a game, match, contest, or something else?
There are many sports and other events that are contested, but why are some contests called matches, like tennis match, golf match, and soccer match, and some contests called a game, like baseball ...
-1
votes
1answer
41 views
designtime vs. design time, are both valid?
I have seen people using
Runtime and designtime for a computer program.
Is designtime a valid word?
3
votes
2answers
111 views
What is the term used to describe the relationship between two words that are both the opposite of another word, but also the opposite of each other? [duplicate]
To start this off light, I was initially thinking about this with Oreos. There are fresh Oreos, and then there are two different ways they can go stale: dry/hard (in low humidity) and soft/mushy (in ...
6
votes
7answers
2k views
Single word for taking advantage of the situation?
What is that word that is used to say someone "takes advantage of the situation". This word usually has a mildly negative connotation. It is related to being clever.
0
votes
1answer
53 views
“Choose from” vs. “choose of”
Which one of these is correct?
I had two options of which I chose the former.
I had two options from which I chose the former.
2
votes
1answer
40 views
What's a good adjective to whether a set/range can be “tessellated”
Say I have the concept of a "Range", which is basically an "Interval" in Mathematics. If a range is inclusive ("closed") on one end and exclusive on the other, it has the following property:
It ...
17
votes
3answers
22k views
Which is correct: coming down the “pike” or “pipe”?
Is the expression "coming down the pike" or "coming down the pipe"? I've always used pike, but I've heard a few people use pipe recently. I can see how both could make sense, but which is correct?
1
vote
0answers
50 views
Is there a difference between 'reform' and 'reformation'?
According to the OED, 'reform' is defined as,
[mass noun] the action or process of reforming an institution or practice.
The same definition appears in its entry for 'reformation'.
In terms of ...
1
vote
1answer
38 views
Can “in its own right” be used to mean “in itself”? [closed]
I’d like to use the phrase “in its own right” to mean “in itself” as in:
This subject has no practical application, but is interesting in its own right.
Is this a correct usage of the phrase? ...
7
votes
4answers
704 views
“1 out of 100 chickens is” or “1 out of 100 chickens are”?
I'm in an argument. To me "are" makes more sense. I understand the rationale for is because it's only one chicken, but chickens itself is plural. Help?
0
votes
1answer
43 views
How to use “that is”?
My question involves the usage of "that is." I would like to use this construction in such a way that it will provide further qualification to the previous passage or sentence.
An example might be ...
6
votes
3answers
582 views
“How far” vs “How long”
I am not clear how to use "How long" and "How far". Suppose I got in a taxi or cab to my hotel, how should I say to the driver if I want to know the distance to the hotel? Which of the following is ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
“It could/might/may be funny” — what is the correct usage?
What is the difference in meaning in these three sentences?
it might be funny
it could be funny
it may be funny
The answer was partially touched on in this post.
4
votes
3answers
16k views
To gain insight into or on?
Should I write:
To gain insight on this obstacle, she will begin to analyse . . .
or
To gain insight into this obstacle, she will begin to analyse . . .
Google shows (much) more results ...
3
votes
1answer
7k views
“Being ran”, “being runned” or something else?
The past tense of run is ran. However, you couldn't say something was being "ran" poorly i.e. the business was ran poorly. However, saying "runned" would be wrong as well. What would be the word to ...
4
votes
4answers
21k views
“I would like to ask you a favour” vs. “I would like to ask you for a favour”
Which form is to be preferred?
I would like to ask you a favour.
I would like to ask you for a favour.
1
vote
1answer
43 views
Administer or administrate? [duplicate]
I'm writing a book, and I'm having trouble wording this:
"I have a forum to __," he said as he walked out the door.
Should the blank be filled in with administer or administrate?
-1
votes
3answers
40 views
What word or phrase can I use to replaced the word “stopped” in the following text? [closed]
This is the text:
Erin scanned the room for a moment. She suddenly stopped, and
went over to the bookshelf. Then, as if she were searching for a secret
passage, she examined each book ...
-1
votes
0answers
50 views
What is better “with respect to” or just “with”? [closed]
I am comparing two products from satellites F and G to a reference S.for instance, I computed the correlation between F and S, then I computed the correlation between G and S. I found that the ...
0
votes
0answers
5 views
Should I use “went over” or “went over it” in the following sentence? [migrated]
Given that I'm not a Native English speaker, sometimes I find myself having a hard time deciding whether I should add "it" at the end of a sentence or not.
Here's an example:
She scanned around ...
-1
votes
0answers
32 views
Delete list or deletion list? [closed]
I need to name a table in a database that containts the names of folders that have to be deleted. Should I use DeleteList or DeletionList? What is the difference? Is only one of them correct or can ...
0
votes
2answers
73 views
Can “duration” mean “remainder”? [closed]
On multiple commercial domestic flights, I've heard a flight attendant make an announcement just before final descent back to the ground that "the seat belt sign will remain illuminated for the ...
0
votes
1answer
83 views
“Instructions on” vs. “instructions for”
Which of the following is correct?
Instructions on how to do this will be provided in the User Manual.
Instructions for how to do this will be provided in the User Manual.
2
votes
2answers
72 views
“In undertaking a review” vs. “by undertaking a review” [closed]
In undertaking a literature review, it became clear that not always is there coherence between the principles...
By undertaking a literature review, it became clear that not always is there ...
-2
votes
0answers
53 views
“will” vs “going to” [duplicate]
Which one is [more] correct?
I think I'm gonna travel abroad next year
I think I'll travel abroad next year
Obs.: I'm not a native English speaker.
24
votes
9answers
26k views
“Lunch” vs. “dinner” vs. “supper” — times and meanings?
I've seen cases where a noon-time meal is referred to as dinner, and the evening meal is called supper. There's also lunch around noon followed by dinner in the evening. Is there a particular ...
13
votes
9answers
6k views
What would you call a person from India?
My guess would be "Indian", but that sounds like a guy with a feather on his head who hunts buffalo.
Is there a better name?
11
votes
1answer
167 views
Expression for parents who are “silly” happy?
I was wondering if there is an expression to describe parents (usually newly-made) that are extremely happy with having children, with this happiness manifesting as "childish" behavior on their part ...
6
votes
2answers
171 views
A word for something that's done only half-consciously
In writing fiction, I find myself using the word "absentmindedly" a lot, but I don't think it's really the word I'm looking for. I'm not looking so much something done in a distracted manner, but ...
1
vote
1answer
3k views
Is it “on Facebook“ or “in Facebook“?
For preposition of places, should Facebook, an internet space, be used as in or on? E.g.
Find us in Facebook.
5
votes
3answers
125 views
to invest: can you invest in luxury items that you know will lose value?
A question about the proper usage of the word "to invest".
The dictionary definitions for the verb "invest" that I have found all mention the idea of gaining a financial return from the investment. ...
0
votes
2answers
77 views
“Committed to supporting X” vs. “committed to support X”
I'm trying to edit a speech and found a commonly used phase which I'm not sure if I should amend it or not. The sentence goes like this:
[a subject] is committed to supporting [a project].
...
8
votes
3answers
7k views
“I'm home” or “I'm at home”
The second form looks more correct to me, but the first expression is present in several titles of movies and songs. Which form is preferable?
3
votes
6answers
223 views
Alternative to “minuend” and “subtrahend”
In math, I just learned that when performing subtraction, the terms for each number are as follows:
minuend − subtrahend = difference
I have never heard of minuend and subtrahend before, and I'm ...
9
votes
1answer
144 views
How did “inmate” evolve to only apply to prisons and asylums?
If you look at census records from the 1920s and before, dorm residents in schools, seminaries, and institutions are referred to as "inmates." The term, then, was not limited just to prisons as ...
