Questions related to the use of proper writing style in English
6
votes
5answers
299 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.
11
votes
3answers
832 views
Does the abbreviation for Saint in a church name require a period?
In referring to a local church, does the name "St Giles" require a period after the "St"? I was told that to add a period confuses it with the abbreviation for street.
3
votes
3answers
193 views
Spelling out non-cardinal small numbers
I understand that it's common to spell small numbers in words. However, all examples of this rule I could find use cardinals (i.e. expressing the size of a set of entities) like in:
We met two cats ...
1
vote
3answers
257 views
“A smile cures the wounding of a frown”
I found the following on a poster of a professional photographer:
A smile cures the wounding of a frown
The sentence seems awkward and wrong to me. I think something can cure a disease and heal ...
3
votes
1answer
111 views
Avoid using 'at' twice while addressing subset programs/centers
I was wondering if there is a better way of saying the following sentence:
I received the ABC scholarship at the PQR center at the University of Education.
I have seen this in many places, but I ...
1
vote
1answer
84 views
Why and when to use “end-of-period”? [closed]
I came across some manuals that refer to end-of-period. I wonder as to when and why they would use this style? Please support your answers with examples.
3
votes
8answers
384 views
Commas around “and”
I'm at a loss as to how I should title this. I have this sentence:
We have the option to provide notifications via
telephone, and, possibly, email.
I am trying to express several things:
...
4
votes
2answers
7k views
“For the time being” vs. “for now”
Consider the following passages:
A litter made of two rifles and two field jackets would suffice for now. That was good news; another bit was that the EPW was a lieutenant, a regimental REMF ...
3
votes
1answer
61 views
From which you have received (it)
Consider the following sentence:
Please return the box back to the address from which you have received it.
Is the last it absolutely necessary? If not, what is the recommended style? Google ...
2
votes
5answers
461 views
“not found” or “is not found”
Why there is
file not found
access denied
and so on everywhere, when it should be (as far as I know)
the file was not found
the access is denied
I wonder which is actually ...
2
votes
1answer
151 views
Are general questions formed in plural or in singular?
When asking a general question about something in English, should they be formed in plural or in singular? Or rather what is a good way of forming it?
How are articles used in English?
Or
...
1
vote
1answer
82 views
A question on “case history” [closed]
I'm usually perplexed on whether it is the better usage of "case history". The following sentences shown three different way to handle this phrase:
a) In discussing the case's history, you assert ...
0
votes
2answers
131 views
Tense for online instructions over the phone
What tense should we use for giving online instructions?
Open your Kinlde application, click on the Cloud tab. Now, tell me what it's showing?answer: It is showing the list of the books.
...
1
vote
1answer
182 views
“30 year” vs. “30 years” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Pluralization rule for “five-year-old children”, “20 pound note”, “10 mile run”
Reading a report online, I read something like this.
...
1
vote
2answers
234 views
Usage of contemporary, casual, and elegant when describing an object in one sentence [closed]
I came across this sentence and I got a mixed feeling about the usage of the below terms in one sentence describing a characteristic of an object.
Here is the full sentence:
"To achieve that the ...
3
votes
4answers
492 views
“You know” in spoken English [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How to use “you know”
Why is "you know" most commonly used in spoken English. Or to phrase it differently, why do native speakers use this expression a lot ...
1
vote
3answers
352 views
Phase transition: 1st order, first-order, 1 superscript st - order
I have read several articles from non-native speakers about phase transitions. They are roughly classified in different orders, depending on the behavior of thermodynamic potentials at the phase ...
3
votes
3answers
200 views
Can one suppress the pronoun “one” in a list?
On another site it sometimes happens that I give answers like:
The first formula is correct but not the second one.
This is probably grammatical, but I find the formulation a bit clumsy, ...
1
vote
2answers
271 views
Is it common to end an email with a question? [closed]
Lately, I encounter marketing emails which are concluded with a question and followed by a name/position signature. Schematically, these are constructed as follows:
I notice you were once ...
3
votes
2answers
409 views
“The likeliest problem” vs. “the most likely problem”
The likeliest problem vs. the most likely problem:
are they both correct?
do they mean the same thing?
is one preferable over another?
3
votes
2answers
344 views
Emphasising that a date is near
What is a good way to emphasise that a particular date is near or coming very close? For example, suppose today is the 22 of May and there is the submission date for a project is on the 25 of May. I ...
2
votes
1answer
152 views
Level of illiteracy, ______ of innumeracy?
What noun would one use in the titular phrase? To my mind, level sounds absolutely correct for the former, but very out of place in the latter. Instead, I think degree fits better for innumeracy. I ...
6
votes
2answers
195 views
“Lessen, poisoned gulls, ditcher wander hair annulled furry tell a boarder Slipping Booty?”
This is the prelude to an article published in Sports Illustrated magazine on August 17, 1959:
Lessen, poisoned gulls, ditcher wander hair annulled furry tell a
boarder Slipping Booty? Hoecake? ...
4
votes
1answer
306 views
Inconsistency in Strunk and White regarding serial comma
From Strunk and White's The Elements of Style, Chapter 2, Lesson 2:
In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a
comma after each term except the last
Thus write,
...
0
votes
3answers
308 views
Omission of agent in active voice
I love writing but grammar is seriously not my cup of tea so please forgive my ignorance.
The case in point is:
Henry’s eyes were gouged out by George.
Is it possible to write this in active ...
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 ...
1
vote
2answers
249 views
Scientific article style: present or future
This question often pops up when writing scientific articles. Which of the two is preferred?
This issue is described in detail in Section 4.
or
This issue will be described in detail in ...
0
votes
0answers
254 views
What does “Systematic analysis” mean? [closed]
I have a report due in soon and one of the pointers in the report guide is:
"Give a systematic analysis of the relevance of your placement to your degree programme, and vice-versa;"
Does anyone know ...
3
votes
2answers
605 views
Difference in male vs female use of the English language
Is there a somewhat reliable (like, for example 70% success rate) way to determine whether a paragraph in the English language was written by a man or a woman (adult male/female)? Any credible ...
1
vote
1answer
756 views
Is it correct to combine multiple clauses into one sentence?
Is it correct to combine multiple clauses (sub sentences) into one?
For example, let us consider this sentence:
On managerial side, I am experienced in accounting software, have been working ...
1
vote
4answers
5k views
“Henceforth” vs. “hereinafter”
What is the most suitable way to express that a sentence/word will be "replaced by" another sentence/word, from that point (in a text, for instance)?
Henceforth called/named...
Hereinafter ...
0
votes
2answers
4k views
Difference between “already know” and “have already known”
I've been thinking that the phrase "already know" is different from the phrase "have already known".
Already know: I know something clearly at this point of saying (present)
Have already known: I've ...
1
vote
4answers
1k views
Past participle after noun: “proposed cost” vs. “cost proposed”
I have the following two examples:
Our proposed cost is expensive.
Our cost proposed is expensive.
Is there any difference between them? Or is the second sentence wrong?
3
votes
4answers
7k views
Should we use “in terms of”?
I have came across this reference: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/styleforstudents/c3_p35.html
This phrase is virtually meaningless, but we often hear it on the news and in bloated speeches. “In ...
1
vote
2answers
197 views
Difference between 'Forgetting' and 'would forget' in this sentences
Is there only an issue of style difference between the following sentences:
If he had to describe himself in five words, he'd say he's curious,
forgetting to give you four more words.
If he ...
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 ...
5
votes
4answers
9k views
Is it correct to use this expression in an email: “Attached you may find …”?
Is it grammatical to use the expression "Attached you may find ..." in an email? For example:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Attached you may find the documents you requested.
...
If this is ...
2
votes
3answers
4k views
How should we write the phrase “one of a kind”? [closed]
I have seen two kind of written format of "one of a kind" phrase,
one of a kind
one-of-a-kind
I'm confused, which one is the proper way of writing "one of a kind" phrase?
7
votes
5answers
1k views
Strunk and White says “Charles's” is correct — is this still the case? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the correct possessive for nouns ending in s?
When did it become correct to add an 's' to a singular possessive already ending in 's'?
I just ...
6
votes
7answers
2k views
How often do people say “gotta”, “wanna” or “gonna” in English speaking countries?
I learned these three words from Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.
got|ta /g'ɒtə/
Gotta is used in written English to represent the words 'got to' when they are ...
5
votes
1answer
228 views
Is it acceptable to use 'that' followed by a direct quote?
New York Times:
Even before President Obama declared this month that “I have Israel’s
back” in its escalating confrontation with Iran, pro-Israel figures
like the evangelical Christian leader ...
0
votes
4answers
4k views
“Has not been updated” vs “Doesn't seem to be updated”
I was talking to the computer guy at our school about my grades, and I came across the following two options:
I hadn't received my grades for one of my courses until last week. But it doesn't seem ...
2
votes
4answers
419 views
Ambiguity from the placement of a prepositional phrase
Consider:
The executive director presented to the board her final recommendations on fundraising and the dissemination of those funds.
This does not read well and moving to the board would be a ...
4
votes
1answer
151 views
Should the use of apostrophes be consistent?
It is time to rock, but don't be too loud.
Is it recommended to stay consistent with the use of apostrophes? Should it instead be:
It's time to rock, but don't be too loud.
If that is fine ...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
'To take something into account' vs. 'to take something into consideration'
OALD defines the expressions as follows:
to take something into account: to consider particular facts,
circumstances, etc. when making a decision about something
to take something into ...
3
votes
2answers
383 views
“Does not make changes” or “makes no changes”
I was thinking of using this sentence on my computer program:
This action does not make changes on user's machine.
Just to be sure, I checked Google Translate which suggested:
This action ...
4
votes
3answers
133 views
“Watched them get married” vs “watched them getting married”
I read the following:
The next day as I watched them get married...
How does it differ from the following? Is one more eloquent and accurate than other?
The next day as I watched them ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Comma after To at the beginning of a sentence
I am just writing my master thesis and I am unsure whether to place a comma in sentences starting with "To".
Here are some examples:
To be able to improve the performance[,] it is important to ...
3
votes
3answers
629 views
“Already” at the beginning of a sentence
Is it considered good form to use the word already at the beginning of a sentence? For instance:
Already in 1930, certain people were watching television in their homes.
I have seen it used in ...
1
vote
3answers
295 views
let you know a couple of facts OR bring couple of facts to your notice [closed]
Which of the following is more appropriate / polite?
I would like to bring a couple of facts (or things?) to your notice.
OR
I would like to let you know a couple of facts.
Please advise.
