All Questions
128,114
questions
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Multiplication sentence grammar: indefinite article before the product: ‘a ten of twos is a twenty' or '‘a ten of twos is twenty"
In the English oral multiplication sentence, is the indefinite article before the product required? So is it ‘a ten of twos is a twenty' or '‘a ten of twos is twenty"?
Intuitively the former ...
- 103
1
vote
0
answers
14
views
What explains the restrictions on determinative "you"?
As Huddleston & Pullum note, "you" can sometimes be used as a determiner:
You idiots never learn.
I'll never understand you idiots.
But this generally can't occur in the singular:
*...
- 6,093
1
vote
2
answers
28
views
A binge is on its own
I am quiet sure that the sentence
There was a binge yesterday
is grammatically correct. But what about semantics? I mean, there was an event like a drinking party yesterday. Do I use the binge word ...
0
votes
0
answers
20
views
Meaning of "was to have" [closed]
Mr Macron was to have hosted the king at a banquet at the former royal palace of Versailles.
This sentence confuses me a little, especially the fact that "was" and "to have" are ...
-1
votes
0
answers
12
views
Sound pattern/poetry [closed]
Is "feet" or "foot" similar to "meter" in case of poems in literature?If there's any slightest difference anyone know of please let me know how to distinguish between ...
- 1
-1
votes
0
answers
24
views
Comprehension of lines [closed]
I am not able to comprehend the meaning of 2nd paragraph, and especially the line which talks about descendants
0
votes
0
answers
19
views
If you have to choose one, which sentence is more correct? [closed]
If you speak English, you will not find it hard to let other people understand what you want to say
or
If you speak English, you will not find it hard to make other people understand what you want ...
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
62
views
How are words ending with "-edly" pronounced?
I knew that "-ed-" in supposedly and assuredly are pronounced out as a syllable unlike when they don't have "-ly". I found a list of words ending in "-edly" (1), and ...
- 185
1
vote
2
answers
45
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Name for the category of complex tasks/process where the standard is perfection
I'm looking for an English adjective, idiom, phrase, or principle to describe complex tasks/jobs/processes/things where the baseline is "perfection". And where people only notice the ...
- 111
-1
votes
0
answers
14
views
'Structural Integrity Assessment' vs 'Structural Integrity Evaluation' [closed]
What are differences between the meaning of "structural integrity assessment" and "structural integrity evaluation"?
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-2
votes
0
answers
21
views
Documentary by a man that tried different hallucinogens from different cultures [closed]
I watched a documentary probably more than 10 years ago where there was a man that I believe was an author. He traveled the world and visited different cultures, how they make their hallucinogen used ...
2
votes
1
answer
39
views
Term for (humorous) sentences that end in unexpected ways [duplicate]
I'm trying to find the term that refers to a certain type of joke. These jokes generally have the following characterstics:
generally only one sentence long
the first half is straightforward and ...
- 23
-2
votes
0
answers
19
views
What is the difference between "confirm" and "affirm"? [closed]
What is the difference between "confirm" and "affirm" ?
- 127
0
votes
1
answer
46
views
Meaning of " trapping "? [closed]
This is the passage I'm reading:
Using this
method—and both human and inhuman
spirits can do this—the entity bypasses
the physical eye and projects the desired image directly to the ‘mind’s eye,’ or
...
1
vote
2
answers
69
views
Knowing who can be?
This is a phrase from one of my favorite songs by John Lennon, LOVE.
Love is knowing we can be
As a speaker of English as a second language, my first response was like we can be what?
I know it's ...
- 435
3
votes
4
answers
107
views
Established onomatopoeic word for sound of rolling chairs?
I attempted to search for an onomatopoeic word for a chair rolling the floor- such as an office chair across a tiled surface- but to no avail. All that comes is "scraping" and similar for ...
- 143
1
vote
4
answers
768
views
When to use "the" in front of plural demonyms? "Americans" vs "the Americans" vs "the American people"?
When do you use the before plural demonymic expressions like "Americans", "British people" or "Chinese people"?
Chinese people celebrate Lunar New Year on the first days ...
- 5,246
4
votes
1
answer
50
views
Usage of "high school" and "secondary school" in British Columbia
I grew up in British Columbia, Canada. In the area where I grew up (Greater Vancouver), the school system was generally separated into elementary and high school, with elementary starting at ...
1
vote
2
answers
58
views
(The) unemployment in the country has fallen recently
I have been recently wondering about the reason why is "the" omitted in such a phrase like the one quoted below.
"The unemployment in the country has fallen recently."
My ...
- 19
-1
votes
0
answers
26
views
The effects of non-homogeneous complements on lexical aspect [closed]
Which sentence is more felicitous?
She loved dogs in five minutes.
She loved the dogs in five minutes.
Does sentence 2 imply 'start to love'?
- 1
-1
votes
2
answers
59
views
Is there a proper word that conveys the same meaning as “stealthed”?
I’m looking for a word to replace the word “stealthed” in my manuscript. I’ve been using it as an verb/adjective to mean “to enter stealth mode” or “currently in stealth mode” as the characters I’m ...
- 569
0
votes
0
answers
49
views
Is there a word that cover "length of things"? [closed]
There's several measurement words that shares the same standard units, e.g.
Measure
Unit
Example
Size of things/animals
feet/metres
The crab is 91 cm (35.8") long
Height of things/animals
feet/...
- 181
0
votes
2
answers
70
views
Plain coffee or tea VS black coffee or tea
A coffee drink with no additives- no sugar no cream or no milk is called "black coffee". Can it be also called "plain coffee?"
If yes, then can these callings be carried over to ...
- 107
1
vote
1
answer
50
views
How to write s/he at the beginning of a sentence? [closed]
In a document I want to use the gender form of personal pronouns. But if I use "s/he" at the beginning of a sentence, are both "s" and "h" to be written in capitals? It ...
- 161
22
votes
8
answers
4k
views
Can you use 'amok' without 'run'? How?
I've only ever seen the word 'amok' used in conjunction with the verb 'to run'. As in, 'running amok' or 'to run amok'. Is there an accepted way to use 'amok' without the verb 'to run'? Do you have ...
1
vote
3
answers
49
views
Synonyms for "use" with positive conntotion?
"First, we will look into the representations of the mind as
multifaceted and beautiful, examining how Moore [uses] these
aesthetics to challenge notions that the mind is solely useful for its
...
- 13
6
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Does the idiom "step on a rake" mean making the same mistake twice?
In Russian there is an idiom "наступать на грабли" which is literally the same as "step on a rake" in English. I'm trying to figure out whether these idioms have exactly the same ...
- 193
0
votes
0
answers
27
views
Report vs. Narrative? What is the difference linguistically? [closed]
I am a sociolinguist and I am working with a data set where speakers were asked to (i) talk about a time when they were close to death (i.e., Labov's danger of death prompt) and (ii) talk about this ...
- 9
-1
votes
0
answers
15
views
Use of THIS in writing a paragraph [closed]
In constructing a paragraph, can we use "this" to refer back to parts of a text of previous paragraph?
8
votes
7
answers
2k
views
Is there a term that describes reducing a person's identity to certain characteristics?
Is there a term that describes reducing a person's identity to certain characteristics, behaviours or traits that are not physical? The term should have a negative connotation. I've heard the ...
- 91
10
votes
18
answers
2k
views
Word for "separating a group of similar-but-not-the-same things into categories"?
I'm writing up the changes I have made to some software; said changes include separating some things into categories (I'm trying to avoid making this readable only to people who know about programming)...
- 209
0
votes
0
answers
12
views
happens next vs would happen [closed]
The dog went barking at them
What is the difference between What happens next? and What would happen now? to complete the above sentence
- 99
-3
votes
1
answer
54
views
What's the word for when you implement a variable? [closed]
What's the word for when you implement a variable?
I'm sorry it's a bit of a simple question. I just can't seem to remember the word.
It's not implement, assign, or pass.
I tried reading a few lists ...
0
votes
1
answer
52
views
Is the phrase "in place" a good synonym for "appropriate"? [closed]
Would it be appropriate to use "in place" as a synonym for the word "appropriate?"
In this sentence, for example:
"I thought it would be in place for us to erect a statue for ...
0
votes
1
answer
56
views
What is the proper handling of Mach number?
My question mainly concerns named numbers like Mach, Reynolds, Weber, etc.
Considering the eponymous noun is 'Mach number', is the following grammatically correct?
His plane reached Mach 2.
...
- 101
0
votes
1
answer
36
views
What is a prepositional phrase starting with "in" that substitutes "necessary"?
To elaborate using an example, I'll use the following sample sentence: "It would be necessary for us to expand our office campus."
The substitution would look like this: "It would be in ...
-1
votes
0
answers
16
views
"on/in browser on/in my phone"? Which one is correct? [closed]
Statement is -
Twitter is not working properly "on/in Chrome browser on/in my phone"
Which one is correct in each case?
14
votes
8
answers
3k
views
Word for a choice that is not really a choice
A long time ago, I read an article about wearing or not wearing a hijab. In the article, there was a term that described the fact that while, on paper, there was a choice, that decision would be so ...
- 159
1
vote
1
answer
29
views
Why is a plural noun followed by present participle incorrect? [duplicate]
Discussing what they do to earn extra cash, a friend told me: "I get paid for dogs walking." I think they should use the singular, "I get paid for dog walking". My friend replied,...
- 11
1
vote
2
answers
58
views
Get the path "to" vs "of" vs "for" a file?
Which phrase would be most correct to use?
Or are they all correct, and it just depends on the situation, which to use?
In my case it's regarding getting a path from a method in a Java program.
A ...
- 163
1
vote
1
answer
90
views
What is the negative form of "As soon as I saw her, I recognized her"? [closed]
Whether "No sooner had I seen her than I recognized her" is equivalent to the expression " As soon as I saw her, I recognized her" or " As soon as I had seen her, I recognized ...
0
votes
1
answer
31
views
Using "grow" in a subject + verb collocation
I have a problem with the usage of the word “grow.”
Sentence 1: The wings grow.
Sentence 2: The chick grows wings.
I know “the hair grows” but not “I grow my hair.” But how about the sentences above? ...
- 13
-1
votes
0
answers
22
views
competitive exam question [closed]
Comprehension:
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.
We sit in the last row, bumped about but free of stares. The bus rolls out of the dull crossroads of the city, and we are ...
0
votes
3
answers
46
views
Difference between how and why
I know how and why are different, but in certain situations it seems like the same answer would work for both of them. “How is the boy so big?” “Why is the boy so big?” Would the answer to both of ...
- 11
5
votes
3
answers
117
views
Can two verbs have the same direct object?
I’ll do whatever it takes to get the job.
Is whatever a direct object for do and takes?
- 51
0
votes
0
answers
19
views
What kind of reforms WERE or WAS made? Which one is correct? [duplicate]
What kind of reforms WAS/WERE made?
I usually know the subject-verb agreement. But someone asked me this, and I'm now questioning what I know about this. He said it should be "was" since ...
- 9
0
votes
1
answer
36
views
"Set in" vs "Set to"
I came across a sentence while proofreading, and it sounds wrong to me but I don't have the knowledge to understand why.
Set it in the OFF position
The following sounds more natural to me:
Set it ...
- 366
1
vote
0
answers
45
views
Y'all pronounced as "yah"
I grew up in Texas, and I've heard and often said "yah" instead of y'all. I've never seen it listed as an alternative word to y'all.
Has anyone else heard this pronunciation? I cannot seem ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
51
views
Word order after "that"
Why are we not able to delete those questions which are downvoted by someone that we have no clue what was in their mind?
Is the first sentence grammatically correct? I think it is probably wrong to ...
- 117
0
votes
0
answers
9
views
Is the text written correctly? [closed]
Think of something you have tried to do and failed. How long was it before you gave up? What made you finally give up?
Let me see. I can’t even count how many times I gave up. I think it depends on ...
- 1