Greatest Hits
87
votes
7
answers
702k
views
What does the phrase "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish" mean?
It was Steve Jobs's ending comment in the Stanford Commencement in 2005, and Jobs mentioned:
Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.
What does this phrase mean? I understand this may also seem philosophical, ...
- 3,033
37
votes
5
answers
1.4m
views
Difference between "How are you?" and "How are you doing?"
I've heard a lot of times that there is a major difference between saying:
How are you?
and
How are you doing?
Is that true? I've heard one was like an extension of “Hello” and does not mean ...
- 505
15
votes
6
answers
590k
views
A word for feeling simultaneously happy & sad
I'm looking for a word that means feeling both happy and sad at the same time. Here's a sentence I'd like to use it in:
"At least we got one vote," she said with a (word I'm looking for) smile.
- 151
54
votes
6
answers
1.4m
views
In sex talk, how many bases are there and what do they all mean?
I always hear people say "I hit the third base" or "I hit the second base" (sex related). I am not 100% sure what they all mean.
Additionally, in one of the House MD episodes, there was a dialogue:
...
- 22k
54
votes
3
answers
1.1m
views
When should I use "Would", "Would have", "Will", and "Will have"?
I hope someone, once and for all, can clarify (with examples) the difference in usage of will vs. would vs. would have vs. will have.
- 11.4k
36
votes
6
answers
1.0m
views
Why use BCE/CE instead of BC/AD?
When I was a kid, I was always taught to refer to years using BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini / year of our Lord). However, I somewhat regularly hear people referring to years as in the CE (...
- 12.8k
66
votes
4
answers
1.2m
views
When is it necessary to use "have had"?
I have come across a few sentences that contain "have had". I would like to know in what kind of situations we should use this combination.
- 901
80
votes
7
answers
676k
views
Where does the period go when using parentheses?
Where should the period go when using parentheses? For example:
In sentence one, I use this example (which has a parenthesis at the end.)
Should the period be inside, or outside of the parentheses?...
- 903
112
votes
15
answers
1.2m
views
Which is correct, "you and I" or "you and me"?
When the phrase is used as an object, why so many native speakers are saying "you and I" instead of "you and me"? I'm not a native speaker but I thought "you and me" is correct. Not sure if this falls ...
- 3,684
45
votes
3
answers
325k
views
What's the difference between a gerund and a participle?
What is the difference between a gerund and a participle?
- 2,055
39
votes
10
answers
1.1m
views
What is an appropriate response to "what's up" greeting?
Sorry if it's a trivial question, but when someone uses what's up as a greeting I have no idea what they want to hear. What are the possible answers and what does this question mean exactly?
- 5,101
30
votes
5
answers
745k
views
“Thank you very much” vs. “Thank you so much”
Some people used to say:
Thank you very much.
Where others say:
Thank you so much.
Could anybody please explain what differences there may be between those, whether of correctness or ...
- 301
21
votes
10
answers
845k
views
What is the difference between "curd" and "yogurt"?
Most people use the words curd and yogurt interchangeably.
Both are made by fermenting milk.
Is there a difference between the two, or are they the same?
- 337
88
votes
12
answers
1.3m
views
How do you greet multiple recipients in an e-mail?
How do you greet multiple recipients in an e-mail?
Assuming they're both male, I just use "Sirs", but it seems a bit informal.
- 2,444
124
votes
24
answers
1.1m
views
"Lunch" vs. "dinner" vs. "supper" — times and meanings?
I've seen cases where a noon-time meal is referred to as dinner, and the evening meal is called supper. There's also lunch around noon followed by dinner in the evening. Is there a particular ...
- 1,371
184
votes
12
answers
1.0m
views
When to use "If I was" vs. "If I were"?
If I was...
If I were...
When is it correct to use "If I was" vs. "If I were" in standard English?
- 2,071
21
votes
10
answers
508k
views
Any other good way of saying "Happy Birthday"?
Quite a few of my friends are having their birthdays in the coming weeks. I feel a little awkward posting plain words like "Happy Birthday" on their Facebook pages.
I've decided I should come up with ...
- 10.1k
34
votes
5
answers
820k
views
"At/on (the) weekend(s)"
Which expression is better? Which is right? Why?
A. Sorry to disturb you at weekend.
B. Sorry to disturb you on weekend.
C. Sorry to disturb you at weekends.
D. Sorry to ...
- 671
64
votes
9
answers
470k
views
Data pronunciation: "dayta" or "dahta"?
I hear "dayta" more often, but what's the correct pronunciation?
- 759
18
votes
5
answers
994k
views
I would like to kindly ask you could you check......?
I just want to know I would like to kindly ask you could you check......? could be a right structure for asking question?
regards
- 301
138
votes
2
answers
919k
views
"Which" vs. "what" — what's the difference and when should you use one or the other?
Most of the time one or the other feels better, but every so often, "which" vs. "what" trips me up.
So, what's the exact difference and when should you use one or the other?
- 1,531
73
votes
2
answers
1.4m
views
"Dear Sir or Madam" versus "To whom it may concern"
When is it appropriate to use the terms Dear Sir or Madam and To whom it may concern? The rules I was taught state that Dear Sir or Madam should be used when you're writing a letter to a person about ...
- 5,985
14
votes
2
answers
586k
views
Filling out forms that ask for “relationship with”
When I fill any form for my son this question “relationship with child” confuses me. Should the answer be “son” or “father”? To me, the ideal answer is always “a father–son relationship”.
A little ...
- 143
21
votes
6
answers
701k
views
Formal way to tell someone they accidentally sent you someone else’s email?
I have received an email from someone at work. He’s quite senior and probably would get quite angry to get an “accusing” message like:
I wasn’t supposed to get this email. It looks like you sent me ...
- 15.8k
12
votes
5
answers
946k
views
Is it correct to say "I kindly request you to..."?
Isn't kindness already implied when you say "I request you to..."?
When I say "I humbly request you to...", the word humbly helps me to label the state of my behavior during the request.
On the ...
- 985
35
votes
6
answers
456k
views
Difference between "résumé" and "CV"
What's the difference between résumé and CV?
When is résumé used? And when is CV used? Are they equivalent?
- 461
36
votes
4
answers
306k
views
What do we call the “rd” in “3ʳᵈ” and the “th” in “9ᵗʰ”?
Our numbers have a specific two-letter combination that tells us how the number sounds.
For example
9th
3rd
301st
What do we call these special sounds?
- 471
38
votes
3
answers
784k
views
"Angry with" vs. "angry at" vs. "angry on"
Which is the most appropriate/correct usage?
Are you angry on me?
Are you angry with me?
Are you angry at me?
- 483
35
votes
7
answers
801k
views
Difference between "at" and "in" when specifying location
I am used to saying "I am in India.". But somewhere I saw it said "I am at Puri (Oriisa)". I would like to know the differences between "in" and "at" in the above two sentences.
- 459
105
votes
3
answers
963k
views
Should I use a comma before "and" or "or"?
Is using a comma then an "and" or an "or" after it proper punctuation?
Example:
I fell over, and hurt my knee.
Should I go, or not?
- 1,053
84
votes
6
answers
1.2m
views
Is it "Yours faithfully" or "Yours sincerely"?
When should one sign a letter with "Yours faithfully" or "Yours sincerely"?
- 2,051
62
votes
3
answers
868k
views
"Agree on" vs. "agree with" vs. "agree to"
What are the differences between "agree on", "agree with" and "agree to"?
- 897
33
votes
4
answers
917k
views
"Could you please" vs "Could you kindly"
I am a non-native speaker of English. When communicating with a professor, would it be better to use could you kindly send me the document or could you please send me the document? I know both are ...
- 451
2
votes
3
answers
361k
views
Is this sentence correct? "I let you know...."
Is it correct to say the following?
I let you know that I have sent you a letter.
Or is there a better way to say this sentence? For example:
I inform you that I have sent you a letter.
- 29
95
votes
5
answers
762k
views
"Consist in" vs. "consist of"
I would like to clarify this once and for all: What is the correct use of "consist in" vs. "consist of"?
"Meditation consists in/of attentive watchfulness."
"The ...
- 1,380
6
votes
6
answers
266k
views
Grammatical Names and Grammatical Functions
What is the grammatical name and grammatical function of the part of the sentence that is in bold?
What the teacher taught was not in the students' text.
The principal ate what was left in the pot.
- 61
22
votes
4
answers
840k
views
Which one is correct, "best wishes to you" or "best wishes for you"?
Which one is correct, "best wishes to you" or "best wishes for you"?
- 699
47
votes
6
answers
970k
views
"Paid" vs "payed"
I think I have always used these two words interchangeably without noticing until my professor was saying how some students misspelled the word and he was amazed.
Can someone tell me when I should ...
- 637
62
votes
14
answers
992k
views
More formal way of saying: "Sorry to bug you again about this, but ..."
I was wondering if there was a more formal and polite way of saying:
Sorry to bug you again about this, but we still have not received a response about X ....
(if we still have not received any ...
- 1,995
19
votes
6
answers
596k
views
How did the word "beaver" come to be associated with vagina?
What is the etymology of the word beaver as it relates to a woman's vagina?
user5531
62
votes
10
answers
927k
views
Polite alternatives to "as soon as possible"
I’ve found myself writing the phrase “as soon as possible” just too often. Sometimes I wonder if it sounds a little rude. How can I convey the same meaning in a more polite way but without losing ...
- 1,555
74
votes
5
answers
927k
views
Should I put myself last? "me and my friends" vs. "my friends and me" or "my friends and I"
I've always been taught to put myself last when referring to myself in the same sentence as others but the usage of "me and..." seems to be everywhere these days. The misuse of the word "me" instead ...
- 1,463
32
votes
6
answers
978k
views
"All The Best" vs "Best of Luck"
I heard somewhere that if we wish someone younger than us then say "best of luck" and if we wish someone older than us then say "all the best". I don't know how much of this is true. Will you please ...
- 1,179
30
votes
6
answers
614k
views
"I use to", or "I used to"
Which is the correct sentence, if there is a correct one?
I use to be a hitman.
I used to be a hitman.
I've read the second sentence recently in a book, but I was sure it should be I use to be ...
- 591
13
votes
4
answers
741k
views
"Thank you all" — wrong or right?
On many occasions after we complete a speech, we often consider thanking our audience. In this scenario, I am not sure if "Thank you all" is the right English. Should it be "Thanking you all" instead ...
- 239
7
votes
5
answers
587k
views
How to ask if a person has done/had breakfast?
Is it "Did you do breakfast?"
or
"Did you have/had breakfast?"
- 963
54
votes
6
answers
761k
views
"Call me through/at/on this number"
What is the difference between the following when referring to telephone calls?
Please call me on this number. You can reach me on this number.
Please call me at this number. You can reach me at ...
user17857
20
votes
7
answers
941k
views
"Belated happy birthday" or "happy belated birthday"?
What's the correct sentence?
Belated happy birthday!
Happy belated birthday!
- 351
84
votes
2
answers
919k
views
"Have a look" vs. "Take a look"
What is the difference between Have a look and Take a look (meaning/connotations)? For example:
Have a look at the question.
Take a look at the question.
For some reason I only found first version, ...
- 1,285
15
votes
2
answers
908k
views
How to ask about one's availability? "free/available/not busy"?
Are the following equally appropriate to be used at work with a colleague or client? I don't want to be informal, but I don't have to be too formal either.
Let me know when you are free so that
...
- 2,296