Tagged Questions
5
votes
5answers
369 views
Why put the verb before the subject?
The opening sentence to The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien reads,
In a hole in the ground there lived [verb] a hobbit [subject].
I wonder if there are accepted stylistic purposes for such a structure. ...
6
votes
5answers
300 views
How to use “used to use”?
Is it correct to say something like this?
I used to use the knife to open things like cans.
3
votes
1answer
129 views
X beats Y beats Z
On one of my pages, I have the following text:
If a tie occurs, the tie is broken as follows: Spicy beats Dry beats Sweet beats Bitter beats Sour, and Spicy beats Sour.
This text explains how ...
3
votes
4answers
210 views
Number agreement of “a thing of the past”
Is the pluralization correct in the following sentences?
To Do lists are a thing of the past.
To Do lists are things of the past.
A To Do list is a thing of the past.
Are they all ...
2
votes
2answers
3k views
Verb+ing as a verb beginning a sentence
Is this good English?
Falling into the ocean, the drop dies as a drop, but not as water.
Or should I say:
When it falls into the ocean, the drop dies...
4
votes
3answers
4k views
Is it always bad to use “get” or “got”?
Back in grammar, one of the many rules we were given was to always avoid "get," "got," or "gotten" due to their ambiguity and tendency toward poor grammar as in:
What happened to your arm? It got ...
