All Questions
-1
votes
0answers
19 views
error detection of sentences [closed]
There must be one error in the four choice.
Error Detection
[Without][A] green plants, the sun's energy [could not be used][B] on the earth, and [all other][C] organisms [live][D] on the earth ...
2
votes
0answers
14 views
Sub-classification or subclassification?
We’re debating this at work.
Merriam-Webster says it’s “subclassification”.
Dictionary.Reference.com allows “sub-classification” and “subclassification”
Is there a ‘more correct’ word to use?
...
1
vote
1answer
25 views
Superlative for stomach pain
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 ...
0
votes
1answer
21 views
“It can be safely deleted” vs. “It can safely be deleted”
What's the SUBTLE difference between the following two sentences:
"It can be safely deleted"
"It can safely be deleted"
I guess you guys may say:
"They are interchangeable"
If so, ...
1
vote
1answer
21 views
Use Vs used in the following sentence?
While chatting with one of my friends I came to know that used is wrong here. But grammatically I think used would be apt here.
Would you mind if I use/used your mobile?
Please clear my ...
-1
votes
1answer
17 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?
1
vote
0answers
20 views
who is the “goodman of house” in the 17 century of England?
I found its description from googling:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodman_%28title%29
http://www.genealogytoday.com/columns/everyday/040607.html
But I'm not sure that 'the goodman of the house' ...
1
vote
3answers
48 views
Is it acceptable to capitalize class names and attributes when referencing my programming code in a message?
In programming we often create reusable data structures that contain attributes to store information. For example, if writing a piece of software that has to do with cars we may have a Car class that ...
3
votes
1answer
34 views
Where do you put the suffix when listing the last name first?
When listing names with the last name first, where should you put the suffix if there is one present? For example, if given the name John Doe Jr., which of the following would be correct?
Doe, John ...
1
vote
2answers
56 views
Is the adjective “nothing loath” still in common usage?
Google Ngram Viewer shows a decline in the use of “nothing loath” since the 1970s unlike its antonym “loath” which is still widely used.
Would it be appropriate for me to use it or has it become ...
-2
votes
1answer
41 views
When two titles are separated by “and” how do you show “and” isn’t part of the titles?
When two titles are separated by “and” how do you show “and” isn’t part of the titles? For example, if I'm on a swimming team named Jaguars and a rowing team named Cheetahs how would I remove the ...
-1
votes
1answer
31 views
What's the meaning of “roll out” here?
The following is an advice given to someone who is looking for ways to make a couple thousand bucks in a short period:
With no deets on your situation it's really hard to help you. But I will say ...
5
votes
2answers
104 views
Does English allow a zero copula in subordinate clauses?
In a casual search of the web, I found a few indications English does not allow zero copulas (http://linguistics.stackexchange.com/a/1468). However, I frequently see sentences with subordinate ...
-4
votes
1answer
33 views
In the past 2 years [duplicate]
We are now at year 2013. What does it mean by saying in the past 2 years?Whats the period
it refering to?
0
votes
2answers
44 views
What would be the complement of the title “Goals Achieved”?
What would be a title that is complementary to the title "Goals Achieved"?
By "complementary", I mean a title that can be used in contrast to "Goals Achieved" to refer to the goals that now need to ...
1
vote
0answers
34 views
how to use the verb 'face' [duplicate]
This is one of the questions from SAT.
Preserving rare and valuable books is one of the challenges facing the Librarian of Congress.
My question is if the sentence above has no error.
Isn't the ...
1
vote
6answers
59 views
Which has more positive implication “I'm envious of you” or “I'm jealous of you”? [duplicate]
I read some definitions about "envious" and "jealous"
but still not sure which has more positive implication and is common used in conversation. If you were me which would you choose? For example, if ...
-2
votes
1answer
43 views
The equivalent of “Fiche d'affectation” (French) in English [closed]
I'm developing a template of a sheet for allocation of new employees in the company. The template should be in English. I know the title of such a document in French. It's "Fiche d'affectation". And ...
2
votes
5answers
75 views
Can the phrase 'is contained in' be substituted by a single word?
If a lunchbox contains an apple, then the apple is contained in a lunchbox. Is it possible to replace the phrase 'is contained in' with a single word? I can't think of one, and the thesaurus hasn't ...
-2
votes
0answers
21 views
Word for user/reader/etc [closed]
Is there a general word to describe the following words:
User/End User
Reader
Audience
I imagine that it would be used as follows: "Use of the [word] in instruction manuals is common and has the ...
2
votes
1answer
43 views
What term captures “three groups”?
Is there any one-word term that can capture the meaning of "three groups".
For example, there are three groups of people in the world....
-3
votes
0answers
26 views
Assuming the existence of ~ or assuming an existence of?
I would like to use one of the following phrase:
~ assuming the existence of A.
~ assuming an existence of A.
Edit: There can be various A's. We picked just one particular A.
Which one make ...
-3
votes
1answer
19 views
For our purpose or which fit our purpose?
I would like to use one of the following sentence:
I discuss A which fit our purpose.
I discuss A for our purpose.
-2
votes
0answers
25 views
Is it possible to use both rising and falling intonation in one sentence? [closed]
I just wanted to know if we could have 2 intonations in just once sentence..
2
votes
3answers
204 views
One-letter word at the end of line of text [closed]
In English language, is a one-letter word (such as I or a) allowed to be at the end of line? (This question is about a single-letter word within a sentence, placed just before a linebreak.)
For ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
what is the meaning of 'if form holds'?
If form holds, the 250,000 women each year who undergo the same genetic testing Jolie had will be joined by the thousands more; but the mutation that was detected in her, in what's known as BRCA1 ...
0
votes
0answers
23 views
I want to know a one word for the person who always make your day [closed]
Is their a single word to describe a person that how happy you are to have them?. Like some people are your "lucky charm" as that they bring luck in your life by some reason. So, in that way can we ...
0
votes
1answer
39 views
?thesaurical, adj
The adjectival form of thesaurus does not seem to have been listed on (all) standard dictionaries. However, thesaurical occurs in literature1 and is also defined in Urban Dictionary.
1 These are ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
Word for long chain of causes [closed]
What may be the conceptual, phenomenal word for
a long chain of complex causes and reasons, that doesn't believe in coincidences, accidentalities, karma etc.?
1
vote
3answers
63 views
Which word to use, “again” or “anymore”?
I'd like to describe an action which I'm used to do but I won't do it in the future. Which word is correct, for example:
Just a little more work, I'll never need that tool again.
Or:
Just a little ...
0
votes
0answers
35 views
“By Novikov additivity” vs. “by the Novikov additivity” [closed]
I am referring Novikov additivity in very specific situation.
Which one is correct?
By Novikov additivity,..
By the Novikov additivity,..
0
votes
1answer
62 views
What exactly does this sentence mean?
Consider the violinist Jascha Heifetz, known for his blank expression when performing. A 1925 article remarked on his deportment: "Cold, calm, dispassionate, he stands on the platform and performs ...
1
vote
1answer
34 views
scattered from, against, or by?
A quick Google search gives me the following sentences:
An electron is scattered from a nucleus.
An electron is scattered against a nucleus.
An electron is scattered by a nucleus.
Which one is ...
2
votes
1answer
44 views
The proofs of theorems vs the proof of theorems [closed]
Suppose that there are three Theorems, say Theorem A, Theorem B and Theorem C.
I want to refer all of proofs of Theorem A,B,C at the same time.
Which one is correct?
From the proofs of Theorem A,B ...
1
vote
2answers
47 views
Is this correct grammar with the semi-colon
This sentence is from my essay. Is the semi-colon correct?
His most famous residence is the Kaufmann Residence; esteemed for its use of organic architecture with Japanese architectural components ...
-3
votes
1answer
43 views
Comma before while?
After much searching, I am still finding (potentially) conflicting information regarding commas before subordinate conjunctions when they come at the end of the sentence.
Specifically, I have read ...
5
votes
1answer
155 views
Why can a bird be pulled but never caught?
In the UK there is a popular idiomatic saying:
To pull a bird.
"Bird" is a well known Brit expression for a young woman. In the USA, I think "chick" is more popular. The above expression means ...
-2
votes
0answers
13 views
Is incorrect capitalisation considered bad grammar or bad punctuation? [closed]
Is incorrect capitalisation considered bad grammar or bad punctuation?
"When i went shopping i saw a cat. the cat was black."
versus
"When I went shopping I saw a cat. The cat was black."
4
votes
1answer
53 views
What is the origin of the word “skunk” as a verb?
Merriam Webster defines the word as:
1 a : DEFEAT b : to prevent entirely from scoring or succeeding : SHUT OUT
2 : to fail to pay also : CHEAT
While the origin of the noun form of the word is ...
-3
votes
0answers
27 views
Where does the (possessive) apostrophe go in the following sentence? [closed]
I'm helping my friend publish a song today on the internet and we have the following description. The sentence seems unusual to me, and seems to relate to the apostrophe.
Can anyone assist me in ...
-4
votes
1answer
89 views
Have there been any movements/tendencies that to remove definite and indefinite articles from English in the recent history of English?
My question is if there were some "movements" that propose to remove definite and indefinite articles completely in the last 100 or 200 years (or even more older).
E.g.
"a book" will be just "book"
...
4
votes
1answer
58 views
Unambiguous Opposite of “The Subtitle of a Film”
A word to refer to the "The Far Side of the World" part in the film title Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (MC:FSW) might be subtitle. By here, the "Master and Commander" part is called ...
-1
votes
0answers
25 views
likelier vs. more likely [duplicate]
There seem to be two possible comparative forms of the word likely, namely
likelier and more likely
Similarly in the superlative we also have
likeliest and most likely
Now I'm wondering ...
-1
votes
0answers
17 views
Am I using “is that of” correctly? [closed]
"I admit, my greatest fear is that of being the one who is left behind."
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
0
votes
1answer
52 views
Is “You have behoved me” the correct way to use “behoved”? [closed]
You have behoved me.
I'm speaking to a woman.
1
vote
2answers
51 views
The use of any with plural/singular words
I always thought with "any" I should use the plural, but on the internet I can find both:
It can be found in any book.
It can be found in any books
Do you have any books?
It can be said in any ...
-1
votes
2answers
56 views
Comma before “As if”
In which of the following cases would a comma be used before the as if clause? Does this follow the restrictive/non-restrictive rule?
"Hmmm," giggled the girl as if hearing the funniest joke ...
-4
votes
0answers
59 views
Which dictionary is the de facto English dictionary (and where might I download it) [closed]
Have seen Where can I obtain an English dictionary with structured data? and US Equivalent to the Oxford English Dictionary
The problem
I am in England. There are dictionaries all over the place. ...
-3
votes
1answer
54 views
Online checker for articles
I seem to have dropped most use of articles in my written English, however they seem to fall in correct(?) places in my spoken English.
And as there are quite few of special cases when you would not ...
1
vote
1answer
42 views
Should “How long were you at work?” have a simple or a compound tense?
I would like to know, if the following sentence can ever be correct in any context?
How long were you at work?
Or it must be:
How long had you been at work?
For example:
How long were ...
