Conjunctions are words used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause, such as "and," "but," and "if."
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2answers
28 views
Singular or plural usage for ellipsis in direct object
Suppose I have the following sentences:
There should be an X and a Y chromosome.
There should be an X and a Y chromosomes.
Is the second grammatically correct? If the last word had to be plural for ...
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votes
2answers
53 views
“Only for A, B, and C”: Includes cases where not all are present? [closed]
After submitting the report, changes can be made only for the font
size, margins, and line spacing.
Does this sentence imply that changes can be made only if all three types of changes are ...
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votes
1answer
55 views
Using multiple coordinating conjunctions “ … , and … , but … ” [closed]
Is it ever acceptable to use multiple coordinating conjunctions?
"It was never my intention to become wealthy, but opportunities seemed to just happen, and I was not about to refuse them."
2
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1answer
72 views
“Still” and “Yet” as Conjunctions
I know there are already many posts on still and yet, but I really find it difficult to use them as conjunction as in following sentences:
It's a small car, yet/still it's surprisingly ...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
A function of “that” in “who are you that you are afraid of man”
I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass,
(Isaiah 51:12 , English Standard Version ©2001)
How to express the ...
1
vote
1answer
74 views
Is it good style to factor out the common root word of two (or more) prefixed compound words?
I see sometimes in conjunciton or disjunction, the common root of two or more compound words are factored out, for example, "super- and sub-script" (maybe bad example, but it suffices to describe the ...
2
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0answers
90 views
Use of “any more than” to relate two different situations [closed]
In the following quote by Billy Sunday “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” can anyone pls explain/elaborate the usage and meaning of ...
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1answer
83 views
Fill in the blanks question problem (Conjunctions) [closed]
Question:
Fill in the blanks with best fitting answers.
No single country owns Antarctica. (22)----, countries
wishing to have a say in how the Antarctic (both the
continent itself and the ...
2
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1answer
90 views
When a sentence contains both “not” and “or”, which one has priority?
I am changing a piece of text which current reads:
Payment not deducted
to also include the situation where payments are withheld. The suggested revision of text given to me is
Payment not ...
1
vote
1answer
94 views
Usage of 'and' as a noun
I am reading The day that changed the world by Stephen King and in the beginning he mentions that there is a correct usage of and as a noun. Unfortunately, he only mentions it.
I Googled for a long ...
0
votes
1answer
107 views
Is 'that' necessary for this sentence? [duplicate]
My friend and I were playing this game, in which we were complimenting others.
For example, she said, "You're so pretty, all the boys want to 'holla' at you."
Then I said, "You're so pretty, that all ...
1
vote
2answers
122 views
Can I start a text with “While”?
I know it’s OK to start sentences with While, but is it OK to start a text with it? For example:
While electron-electron correlations and interactions are crucial in the descriptions of atoms and ...
1
vote
3answers
157 views
“Where” as a conjunction
There were two sentences I wrote:
We did a science experiment where we dissected frogs.
This is the last day where I'll be waiting for you by your locker.
I'm not sure if where can be used as a ...
1
vote
3answers
86 views
When to use the words “how” and “that”
I wrote this sentence:
Tyray also thought about how he would see Darrell’s dead face.
However, I remember my teacher telling us the distinction between how and that, and that how is often used ...
1
vote
1answer
143 views
Use of “what” vs “that”
The following sentence was on one of the tests:
What would you like to do that others have told you is impossible.
Students have asked why that could not be replaced with what. I.e.,
What ...
1
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0answers
34 views
The verb “should” as a conjunction [duplicate]
Here is the phrase from Wikipedia:
CFO Peter Klein has said that Microsoft has no alternate plan should its current mobile strategy fail.
Another example:
Should Microsoft’s tablet and phone ...
3
votes
3answers
128 views
How to join two phrases sharing a common ending
One of my professors asked me if I would be working on an assignment alone or in a group. I responded by saying:
I was looking at the assignment and I feel that I am capable of, and therefore ...
1
vote
1answer
228 views
“so long as” vs. “as long as”
I just googled the difference between as long as and so long as. The difference has alredy been discussed here. There are, it seems, two contexts for these expressions:
lengths and physical ...
0
votes
1answer
59 views
Pluralization of nouns left out with conjunction
Can a repeated noun be left out in a conjunction? The particular example I am thinking of is a sentence that starts:
Element A and element B....
Which I would shorten as:
Element A and B...
...
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votes
2answers
87 views
Is there any nice conjunction which fits the meaning of “as a continuation of”?
I want to use it in my thesis. Like secondarily, but I don't want to use that one or similar words, as these specify an order.
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votes
1answer
57 views
“Bridging X and Y” or “bridging X with Y”?
Which is the correct (or more correct) version of this phrase and why?
Bridging ancient wisdom with contemporary science
Bridging ancient wisdom and contemporary science.
1
vote
2answers
393 views
Use of a semicolon before and comma after “however”
Several years ago, a previous boss told me to use a semicolon and comma with the word "however". I've always questioned this and would like to know if the following random sentences are using the ...
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2answers
116 views
Must the verb tense following “prior to” always be in the past? [closed]
I’m writing a paper in present tense. However, I am wondering whether using prior to requires me to change my sentence to be in the past tense instead. For example:
Thus, prior to their visit, ...
1
vote
1answer
125 views
Is this a relative pronoun or conjunction?
I want to know everything (that) there is to know about you.
I chanced to come across ‘expletive there’ in a syntactic textbook. It says in this type of sentences: there is an expletive, to know ...
3
votes
4answers
208 views
Can “as soon as” ever mean “immediately after”?
Does as soon as mean "immediately after" in the following sentence?
He got home as soon as 2 hours.
I know that this could be a tad messy without context, but I found it as an example with the ...
0
votes
1answer
146 views
Meaning of “either”: “not /A or B/” = “not /either A or B/”?
In a positive sentence, "either . . .or" is sometimes used to express an exclusive disjunction.
However, what happens when “either” is used in negation, as in sentence two below? Is the meaning the ...
3
votes
2answers
180 views
Too many “and”s? Is it grammatically correct?
A friend of mine (a non-native speaker of English) has asked me to check her CV and I'm afraid / ashamed to say, I'm having trouble.
Are there too many "and"s in the given sentence? It seems OK to ...
2
votes
3answers
119 views
What is the grammatical function of 'since' in this sentence?
What is the grammatical function of 'since' in the following sentence?
Four years had passed since his father died.
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vote
2answers
100 views
Is this an adverbial or a noun clause?
Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was
still alive and well behind the locked door. (Harry Potter)
Do you call the that-clause as an adverbial clause, or a noun ...
2
votes
3answers
323 views
Clauses, and comma before “nor”
Does this sentence have two independent clauses?
I do not like biology nor do I like chemistry.
To me the last clause seems dependent, but I find sources that tell me to place a comma before ...
2
votes
3answers
153 views
Does “or” mean both conditions?
We are ordinary Russian folks playing an English board game and came across this sentence:
You may splay your green or blue cards left.
We expected that it meant you must choose only one card ...
3
votes
2answers
91 views
“Changing and improving are not always the same thing” or “Changing and improving is not always the same thing”
Are both valid? I think the first is the only option, but I have been challenged on this and I can't explain exactly why the second is wrong. It does make sense, I suppose.
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3answers
122 views
Is “tell neither X nor Y” equivalent to “not tell both X and Y” or “not tell either X and Y”? [closed]
Given the sentence "John told neither the boss nor the secretary.", which of the following has the same meaning?
John did not tell both the boss and the secretary.
John did not tell either ...
1
vote
1answer
140 views
“As smart as you may be” means “However smart you may be”?
As smart as you may be, there are always difficult problems making you in trouble.
In this sentence does "As smart as you may be" mean "No matter how smart you may be"?
So, the first as is a ...
4
votes
1answer
229 views
Is “the way how” wrong?
I was correcting an ESL learner who said "It is the way how we write."
I realize "It is the way we write" is correct and "It is how we write" is correct, but "It is the way how we write" looks wrong ...
0
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2answers
174 views
Grammaticality of “I have a car, neither does Sara” [closed]
Can we say "I have a red car. Neither does Sara." or must we say "I have a red car but Sara doesn't."?
I have read this on a website and they said that the first sentence is incorrect but I don't ...
3
votes
2answers
176 views
Should we use “like” as a conjunction?
I know that like is a preposition but why not using it as conjunction?
Examples:
It's as if I'm walking on air
It's like I'm walking on air
What is the difference?
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vote
2answers
124 views
Mixing adjective and noun enumerations
I am having trouble writing a seemingly simple sentence. I am organising an event where three kinds of food will be served:
hot beverages
cold beverages
finger food
My trouble deals with putting ...
8
votes
4answers
851 views
Can you use two “and”s in a sentence?
For example,
I like chocolate, vanilla, and lemon and orange ice cream.
Indicating "lemon and orange" is a combined flavor, as an item in the list needing an initial and.
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votes
9answers
1k views
Is it “Check and mate” or “Checkmate”?
I found the expression “Check and mate!” in the following sentence describing furious exchange of words between CNN host Piers Morgan and rightwing radio host and anti-gun-control propagandist Alex ...
3
votes
3answers
332 views
“Medicine is good when your family gives it to you not when your friend gives you one or when you take it by yourself”
I am editing a 5th grade paper. He has autism as well as some learning difficulties. He wrote:
Medicine is good when your family gives it to you not when your friend gives you one or when you ...
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votes
1answer
189 views
Is “even when” a conjunction?
Does even when grammatically work the same as even though and even if work? Or is it more of a time expression?
Following the rules is essential, even when it’s difficult.
Following the rules is ...
1
vote
1answer
105 views
“We have” vs. “we have that” [closed]
In a mathematical context, which of the following options is more appropriate?
Since the fact A is true, we have B=C.
Since the fact A is true, we have that B=C.
1
vote
2answers
56 views
'and to' quagmire
Consider:
Her goal is to pioneer the idea of gardening in small or urban environments, and to inspire and educate people everywhere to grow their own organic food and live sustainably.
The comma ...
7
votes
2answers
552 views
Use of “Or”, inclusive or exclusive?
My wife and I are playing a game where you roll dice and move so many spaces in a grid "vertically or horizontally".
In the use of English it is very common to say, this or the other when it comes ...
3
votes
1answer
111 views
Where shall I put the comma in this sentence?
I'm not sure whether I should write like this:
Try A or, a more famous one, B.
Or like this
Try A, or a more famous one, B.
Or try other forms to avoid expression like this.
Does anyone ...
2
votes
2answers
111 views
How to format “and” or “&” in a three-line header or title [closed]
I need to know which formatting is more appropriate. Should I place the connecting and or & at the end of second line or at the beginning of the third line?
Here is what I mean:
Lorem ipsum
...
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vote
2answers
460 views
“A, B, C, or etc.” vs. “A, B, or C, etc.” vs. “A, B, C, etc.”
I think correct usages of "and" and "etc." are:
A, B, C, and etc.
A, B, and etc.
But the example usage of "or" and "etc." I found in my dictionary is:
A or B, etc.
Why it is not:
A, ...
3
votes
1answer
73 views
Is the “or not” in “whether or not” optional? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Whether or not” vs. “whether”
I am not sure about the usage of whether. My doubt over it is whether or not is optional. Suppose I have the following sentence:
The ...
0
votes
0answers
25 views
Should there be a comma before ‘and’ with respect to different nouns? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Should I put a comma before the last item in a list?
What is the difference between tomato puree, paste, and sauce?
OR
What is the difference between tomato ...
