This tag is for questions specifically related to written English.
-2
votes
0answers
75 views
The heat makes the them to sweat a lot. A dusty wind blows on them [closed]
The heat makes the them to sweat a lot. A dusty wind blows on them.
I want to rewrite this sentence in one sentence. How can I do that? If you ask why, I'm trying to improve writing skill for ...
-1
votes
1answer
45 views
Conjunction vs comma for creative writing [closed]
Mark is crying, sitting in the middle of the hall.
Mark is sitting in the middle of the hall and crying.
I know both sentences are grammatically correct. But which is good for creative writing?
...
-1
votes
1answer
42 views
They give very less attention to the him [closed]
Ron gets inside room filled with people. They give very less attention to the him.
Here what I mean by "give very less attention" is - out of all the people in the room only few people looks at ...
0
votes
2answers
109 views
A water circle of few radius is around the park
Look at the below image. Do you see the water in few feet radius around a land? How do you describe this? Let's assume that the land is a park and there is no fountain. Can I express it as "A water ...
-1
votes
0answers
63 views
How to write numeral intervals where numbers are percentages? [closed]
If a numeric value is fluctuating between two points, we can write it as "between 10 and 20 hours" or "10-20 hours later". If these values are percentages, which one of the following is more proper in ...
0
votes
0answers
106 views
Reform of English writing?
As is commonly known, English is quite notorious for having a writing system that is far removed from the actual way it is most commonly pronounced. I understand that there are important historical ...
-1
votes
0answers
66 views
Punctuations and “tumbles down the hill”
He jump but hardly reaches the stone and tumbles down the hill. He tries to catch some other edge or stone as he falls and catches a small hole with his two fingers in the left hand.
Something ...
0
votes
1answer
85 views
Avoiding repetition — “hallway” [closed]
In many forums, I have seen people keep saying to avoid repetition of the same word in a paragraph. But in the sentence like below, how do you avoid the repetition?
Suddenly, the dog stands up and ...
-2
votes
0answers
66 views
Order of the phrases matter? [closed]
I'm not a native English speaker. Which of the following is correct? My friend claims, the first one has schematic and logical mistakes and not the way a native English speaker would write. He claims ...
-1
votes
0answers
31 views
There's, He's, there're, you're, what're, they're, she's [duplicate]
There's, He's, there're, you're, what're, they're, she's
vs
There is, He is, There are, You are, What are, They are, She is
While writing a story, like novel, what is the rules in terms of following ...
0
votes
0answers
39 views
How long would it take for me to get comfortable at “English speaking”? [closed]
I know how to read and write in English. I am familiar to English for more than twenty years, but i do not communicate in English. How long would it take for me to get comfortable at "fluent English ...
0
votes
2answers
62 views
Introducing a character [closed]
JOHN MICHAELSON, in his late 40s, is sitting in a couch, reading a
book. He is lean and hard. His eyes look tired and depressed, and
there is a vacuum in his life; we see that in his face.
I ...
-2
votes
1answer
54 views
Numeric abbreviations in business quotes [closed]
When writing a quote for an order for products, would you write
25K or 25M to refer to 25,000 parts or pounds or units?
0
votes
0answers
45 views
Which form of address in motivation letter? [duplicate]
I am writing a motivation letter for a university in London, and I wanted to know which form of address is common?
Dear Sir or Madam
To whom it may concern
Thanks in advance.
-1
votes
0answers
39 views
What kind of language should be used when writing a manual? [closed]
When writing a manual that customers who will be paying for, what kind of language is more acceptable?
Eg:
"You can click on this icon to create a file".
OR, the more indirect options,
"This icon may ...
4
votes
2answers
66 views
Why is the pronoun “I” written with an uppercase letter, even when it's not at the beginning of a sentence? [duplicate]
In the following sentence, the pronoun I is written capitalized, even if it is not at the beginning of a sentence. Why?
What kind of questions can I ask here?
should I capitalize all the ...
1
vote
1answer
55 views
How to write in English for international readers? [closed]
How to write in English for international readers?
I'm not a native English speaker but I've been learning the language for many years in many fields (Mathematics, Physics, Mechanical Engineering and ...
2
votes
2answers
104 views
Is there a correct grammatical way to state computer model number in plural form?
For example if I said -
"I shipped ten Dell 360s this morning".
where Dell 360 is the model number and I don't want people to get confused by the "s", how should I write this?
Is it more ...
-1
votes
1answer
90 views
“At step” or “in step”
When I searched I found many usages of both "in step" and "at step". For example, Google returns:
"at each step" — about 55,000,000 results
"in each step" — about 45,000,000 results
But which one ...
1
vote
3answers
194 views
Must OK only be written in capital letters? [duplicate]
Whenever I write ok the spell checkers underline it with a red line and suggest that I should OK. Not even Ok works. Why is this so?
4
votes
3answers
74 views
Can we say “front of spring” or merely “beginning of spring”?
In an answer to a Writers SE question, I used the phrase “a bright morning at the front of spring”. John M. Landsberg commented:
Nice revision, but note we wouldn't say "the front" of a season. ...
-1
votes
1answer
141 views
What's the correct way to format a date range, time range, and days of week in a single line?
I'd like to write the date and time for an event that runs for one week. Currently I have:
June 3-7, 2013, 8:30am-5:30pm; Monday-Friday
Is this stylistically acceptable? Is there a better way?
...
-1
votes
2answers
81 views
Defective Passage [closed]
Could this small passage be defective in some way:
book
KENT SAW Helen at each evening meal, but otherwise only the spotless kitchen remained as a clue that another person shared the house.
...
4
votes
1answer
182 views
Is it necessary to begin a new paragraph after a person speaks?
When I was in school, I was taught to always begin a new paragraph after a quotation or after a speaker concludes a segment of dialogue. However, in recent years, I have seen authors abandon this ...
0
votes
2answers
115 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, ...
0
votes
1answer
66 views
How to quote a list from a paper? [closed]
I'm writing a paper and I need to quote the following list:
Step1: Compute the center of each triangle and the correspondences between the center and three vertexes of the
triangle;
Step2: Set up ...
4
votes
3answers
209 views
Do I use “argued” or “argues”? Past or Present? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What (grammatical) tense to use when doing reference in a paper?
Should I use present or past tense when referring to a (scientific) paper?
“has been raised” or “was ...
0
votes
3answers
128 views
Is “setup” an acceptable noun in formal writing?
I'm editing a draft of a scientific paper which repeatedly uses the word "setup" to refer to the, well, experimental setup.
Example:
The dimensions of the setup are 250 mm × 250 mm × 50 mm.
...
2
votes
4answers
132 views
Is “the changes you intend to make will not do us any good” polite?
I would like a polite (formal) way to say:
The changes you intend to make will not do us any good.
or should I say "intend on making"?
-1
votes
1answer
110 views
Examples of written stereotypical Italian English? [closed]
I am doing a project on different European languages stereotyped in English writing. For Italian, I remember reading some work of fiction that had a character that would talk really fast in a "It's a ...
-1
votes
5answers
1k views
Official e-mail
How should I begin an official e-mail if I don't know who I am writing to? I mean, normally I would write "Dear x", but when I have to send an e-mail to an institution, what should I write?
1
vote
2answers
84 views
Is it suitable to use “trump card” in scientific papers?
Suppose you improved an old method with a novel technique. Is it OK to say that it (your technique) is your trump card in paper? If not, what is your suggestion?
-1
votes
5answers
573 views
“that's why” in formal essays
"I'm", "it's" are forbidden in formal essays.
Can I use "that's why" in the opening of my Statement of Purpose?
Fancy flights used to fill me with euphoria, that's why I named myself Joseph, but ...
0
votes
2answers
149 views
“Feeding” data or “entering” data: which one is correct?
Which is the better verb to use with data: feeding or entering?
Furthermore, which is more common in the
literature of the field and which do people who
work in the field say more often?
Are they ...
0
votes
1answer
142 views
How can I say “I know him well” in a formal way [closed]
I need help in formal writing.
Can somebody tell me how to say "I know him well after 2 year teaching him" formaly?
Thanks in advance.
0
votes
2answers
984 views
Is the abbreviation “etc.” or “and so on” acceptable in formal writing? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
On the usage of “etcetera”
Is the abbreviation etc. or "and so on" acceptable in scientific writing papers?
2
votes
3answers
671 views
Meaning of various valedictions or closing expressions
Related to, but I believe distinct from, the following questions:
What does the "yours" in "yours sincerely" mean?
What are some expressions that can be used to end an email?
...
0
votes
4answers
357 views
Why is this considered a “romantic” poem? [closed]
In Willam Blake's poem, what makes it a romantic poem?
I wandered through each chartered street,
Near where the chartered Thames does flow,
A mark in every face I meet,
Marks of weakness, ...
0
votes
0answers
79 views
can “love” be used in place of “like” [closed]
I am not a native speaker, and I am not sure whether this sentence is stylistically correct: "He loves to see his orchard bloom" meaning that he enjoys seeing his orchard bloom. Please help.
1
vote
1answer
318 views
Using the correct tense in writing
Should I use past tense to describe something of a permanent nature/situation?
"The Taipei 101 stands at ... (height) is the most famous financial centre in Taiwan and it has 101 floor of ...
-1
votes
1answer
115 views
Correct headline in scientific pro/contra table
Which words are appropriate for the headline in a table with pros and cons in a scientific paper (physics)?
PROS CONS
ice cheap cold
fish expensive warm
0
votes
2answers
236 views
Mixed tenses in a sentence [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
‘Had’ or ‘has’ to describe a past condition which is still present?
Tense change: previous actions on something that's currently true
The employee was injured while ...
-1
votes
1answer
91 views
What's a punchline? [closed]
What's a punchline in a paragraph? Is it the same as topic sentence, or is it a conclusion sentence?
Can you provide a concrete example of punchline?
70
votes
6answers
3k views
What the #$@&%*! is that called?
Is there a name for the use of symbols in place of curse words, for example #$@&%*!?
-1
votes
5answers
420 views
“Concatenate” vs. “merge” vs. “join” in scientific text
I wonder what the difference is between concatenate, merge and join from the lexical point of view.
These words are often used in scientific or programming text. It seems to me that different authors ...
0
votes
0answers
83 views
Sentence with capitalised words [closed]
Some time in a web advertising page I see whole sentence with capitalised words.
I am wondering if it is correct or not..
Here is an example:
Easy, and Powerful Sales Contest Builder to ...
2
votes
1answer
347 views
Periods after directional abreviation in address
I am creating a business card, and I need to put the address of the company on it. What is the proper way to write this address?
555 14th St NW, Atlanta, GA 55555
555 14th St NW., Atlanta, ...
10
votes
4answers
289 views
Is there a name for the practice of dropping pronouns in written speech?
I’m specifically thinking about emails I receive all day where someone will write:
Haven’t seen it yet. Will respond when received.
If it were spoken, we would certainly hear:
I haven’t ...
0
votes
1answer
76 views
Reword “increasingly too late”
How should I fix a sentence which says "As X disappears, it is increasingly too late to do Y with X"? The sentence seems awkward to me, but "too late" is an adjective, so is the sentence ...
0
votes
1answer
196 views
Why did author use a different sort of articles in sentence, which describe a picture? [closed]
I am not a native speaker.
I am doing a exercise "Answer the questions about the pictures" from my Grammar Book and I checked Keys at end of the book:
I saw:
In A the man is lying on the ...
