Descriptive grammar is a set of rules about language based on how it is actually used. In descriptive grammar there is no right or wrong language. It can be contrasted with prescriptive grammar, which is a set of rules based on how people, mostly writers of style books and grammar text books, think ...
0
votes
2answers
41 views
Alternative to “less good at”
Is there an alternative, yet polite way of saying:
"For those less good at English"
I know it's technically correct but it doesn't sound right to me. The context is that we are offering a service ...
0
votes
0answers
28 views
Could you help me check these English use? [closed]
Here are some passages provided by an English training institution. Would you help me find out mistakes in these passages?
I think there may be some mistakes. But the teachers of this institution ...
1
vote
1answer
30 views
Which sentence is grammatically correct? “skills to learn” or “skills to be learned”
which one of the following sentences is correct?
There are four skills to learn.
There are four skills to be learned.
I am used to the first one, but not sure which is actually correct?
-1
votes
0answers
16 views
Adverb “qualitatively” and “quickly”
i have susuch question: when i can put adverbs "qualitatively" and "quickly" better and is it correct if adverbs are on the first place in sentence? I have such sentance:"quickly and qualitatively we ...
0
votes
0answers
26 views
Difference between Adverb of reason vs Illative Conjunction
Can you please tell the difference between adverb of reason and illative Conjunction?
I am confused whether it is Adverb of reason or illative Conjunction in below sentence
I was not well so I ...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
How to recite more than two things
Is this way of reciting two things (objectives of a charter, in this case) correct?
Charter XX is set up with a view to ensure that citizens live in a safe environment, and maintains a good ...
-1
votes
0answers
23 views
What is the difference between the use of part away and part with?
I am confused with the usage of part with and part away please help me to understand it .
0
votes
3answers
35 views
Pronoun: what does it refer to here?
In the following sentence, what does the pronoun it refer to?
A differs from B in that it is....
I read before that a pronoun refers to the closest name (B in that sentence); however, here it ...
0
votes
0answers
36 views
What is the best way to remember causality verb and how to identify it easily anywhere? [migrated]
I am getting a bit to confuse while considering whether it is causality verb?
I need some help/tips to detect it easily as well any similar topic like causality verb which resembles to it.
0
votes
0answers
9 views
Will vs going to [duplicate]
I want to say the feeling of missing to my friend but i'm confused to say,i will miss you or i'm going to miss you
0
votes
0answers
32 views
reference of what he wants/wanted the cover to look like
Days ago, I received an email from a friend asking me to design a cover for his upcoming albums. He then...
shared a reference of what/how he wants the cover(s) to look like.
shared a reference of ...
13
votes
1answer
2k views
He discovered that his father had a special box in the basement
He discovered that his father had a special box in the basement
I was told that I should not use "that" in the above sentence although it is grammatically correct to use it. Why I shouldn't use "that"...
1
vote
0answers
25 views
parts of speech of a word in a sentence
What is the part of speech of before in the following:
Long before anyone coined the term sci-fi?
I am wondering whether it is an adjective, an adverb, or a preposition?
0
votes
0answers
44 views
Using 'by + -ing' form in a sentence and it's difference without 'by'
I've come across several (scientific mostly) literature where the use of by+-ing was present.
However, every time I do, I just get the feeling that is redundant. (I actually once thought that it was ...
0
votes
0answers
114 views
Neither will I. / I won't, either. What is the difference?
If you hear the following conversation between A and B,
which line would you say, B1 or B2?
What is the difference?
What is the point of learning inversion as is used in line B1?
Thank you!
A) "I ...
0
votes
2answers
41 views
Is “Provincial Centre for Public Administration Services” correct phrase?
My little province in Vietnam has just established a center, which is meant to be a central place for all services provided by the local government that the provincial citizens can come and deal with ...
0
votes
0answers
44 views
Cohesion in English writing using antonyms
Can someone help me to understand how antonyms can be used effectively to achieve cohesion in English writing along with some simple examples? I have tried to search the relevant information a lot on ...
0
votes
1answer
221 views
of the highest quality vs high quality
Which sentence makes the most sense:
...produce the most sophisticated tool and of the highest quality to perform the job
or
...produce the most sophisticated and high quality tool to perform ...
0
votes
0answers
14 views
Omission of repeated components in the sentence
Is it correct to say:
"The A ratio is increased by 20%, and B ratio by 30%"?
I feel the omission grammatically correct and more natural in:
"The A ratio has increased by 20% and B ratio by 30%,"...
1
vote
0answers
35 views
What is the phrase called when a noun is either given an article or doesn't need one? [closed]
As I understand it, there are singular nouns such as cat and spaceship that need to be preceded with some kind of specifier like an article (a, an, the) or a possessive word (my, Jane's, etc.) or the ...
0
votes
1answer
49 views
is “all” implied in a list?
If I have a list that begins with:
"Cars He Wants to Buy"
Is it implied that that list contains ALL the cars he wants to buy? Or is it implied that it is just some?
My thought was that an "all" is ...
2
votes
2answers
217 views
Why do we say “eat healthy” instead of “eat healthily”? [duplicate]
Why do we say "eat healthy" instead of "eat healthily", even though the latter is the only "correct" one, according to the comments in
"eat healthy" or "eat healthily"
What ...
1
vote
4answers
133 views
I am looking for a word that can be used to describe a person who can switch bodies with another human
Not to be confused with a person who can morph themselves into someone else or a creature by will, but someone who has an ability to body swap - without necessarily having control over it. I am ...
1
vote
2answers
45 views
When describing an action by two persons is it ever correct to name oneself first? [duplicate]
When describing an action by two persons and that action has a negative outcome or nature, is it correct to name oneself first? As in I and he played poorly.
-1
votes
2answers
56 views
“you is” in place of “you are” [closed]
Recently I listened to this song "You is smart, you is important ..."
This is the link for this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H50llsHm3k
Can I say "you is" in place of "you are"?
Thanks ...
0
votes
1answer
86 views
Harry Potter grammar question
In the book Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 2, page 14, last paragrapgh appears 2 sentences like this, "They lets Dobby get on with it" and "Sometimes they reminds me to do extra ...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
Difference between “as” and “like”
Can anyone please tell me what the difference between as and like in the following sentence is. And which one is correct?
Here's the example:
None of the other students helped the old man across the ...
0
votes
0answers
14 views
Proper wording for health assistance
Is the following correct?
Psychological counselling, as well as support from a health assistance team during recovery.
We are unable to use the phrase medical assistance team.
1
vote
1answer
52 views
Multi-colorful or multi-colored? [closed]
Is multi-colorful a word? Or is the correct word multi-colored?
0
votes
1answer
122 views
“no one” vs “no one else”
Can anyone please tell me if I should use no one or no one else in the following sentence?
Here is the example:
John is a very good friend of mine. No one (else) likes me more than he does.
I think ...
0
votes
0answers
28 views
Different tenses in paragraph writing [duplicate]
I am trying to write a paragraph about Mahatma Gandhi Who died in 1948. Can you please tell me which tense I should choose?
My problem is that I can't decide present or past which tense I should ...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
The usage of “…that one might assume” [closed]
I have a question about the following sentence. In the (A) option, I'm aware that's a classical "as .... as you assume". But my main confusion is that (B) option seems really legit to me gramatically. ...
0
votes
2answers
93 views
Would a drinking straw, made out of natural straw, be called a 'straw straw'?
Significant efforts are afoot to reduce plastic waste and one way of doing so is to revert to using natural straws as drinking straws.
This example uses wheat straws but it doesn't matter which plant ...
1
vote
2answers
36 views
Term for noun phrase containing contrasting things
For a sentence along the lines of "There were celebrations and not-so-celebrations among the people." what would the correct term for a this phrase? I thought it may be a comparison or something along ...
3
votes
1answer
87 views
Are people now “watching a lot of phone”?
It used to be said of some people that they "watched a lot of television". In those days there was nothing else to watch, in that kind of way.
But how do I describe what is being done today ?
Are ...
0
votes
0answers
275 views
Tense in newspaper reporting
I have a grammar question. I have seen that in news paper reporting writers almost always use "past tense". Can you please tell me why?
Silliguri, November 15 : Another Mig fighter plane of the ...
0
votes
1answer
197 views
Is letting someone know you'll provide details “to follow” correct? [closed]
I was told it is incorrect to send a meeting invite and note "agenda to follow"
I cannot find any grammatically info on whether this is incorrect. Is it because I have to say "Agenda to follow shortly"...
0
votes
0answers
7 views
Usage of “any” regarding singular and plural nouns [duplicate]
Which of the following sentences is correct? Can anyone please tell me whether I should use Singular or plural nouns after "any" in the following context?
1- If any car is parked in the road, it will ...
-1
votes
1answer
230 views
Preposition At + Place and/or At + The + Place
I know that I can use this structure:
I AM + AT + THE + NAME OF THE PLACE + TYPE OF PLACE
For instance, I can say:
I'm at the Empire State Building
I'm at the Hilton Hotel
...
0
votes
0answers
30 views
Phrase type - considerably more humble than this
I'm preparing for my exams, and I found an example that I cant figure out. The task is to find the head of the phrase: "considerably more humble than this", and determine it's type.
Meaning is ...
0
votes
0answers
69 views
Can the word “vernacular” be used as a way to describe a visual scene set in everyday life?
Can the word "vernacular" be used as a way to describe a visual scene set in everyday life? For example: Thomas is a photographer best known for his fine art series of nostalgic Star Wars scenes set ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong
What is "to" doing there in front of "choose"? It's part of West Point's Cadet Prayer.
2
votes
1answer
43 views
Is the verb “went” necessary? [closed]
I wrote the following sentence at Wikipedia concerning Bob Wian who later founded the Big Boy restaurant chain:
His father's furniture business bankrupt, Wian washed dishes in the school cafeteria ...
9
votes
6answers
2k views
Word to describe an absorbing activity which causes one to fail to notice the passage of large amounts of time
The phrase, "Time flies when you're having fun," is often used when one has become absorbed in an activity and lost track of time. I'm looking for a word to describe something that has a tendency to ...
0
votes
2answers
629 views
Why does “no problems” go with plural verb? [closed]
It is a general rule in English that singular verb goes with singular noun.
However, I find it strange when in certain clauses like "there were no problems", the verb is plural.
In this case, does "...
0
votes
2answers
2k views
Is using a comma after 'or rather' necessary?
Is using a comma after 'or rather' necessary?
The sentence would be: "So begins the most intriguingly opening book I’ve ever read. Or rather, the only book that was gripping from the very start."
0
votes
2answers
274 views
Which one of the following sentences is correct? (scrambled text question) [closed]
Which one of the following sentences is correct?
a. I drive to german used an old blue car.
b. I drive an used old blue car to german.
c. I used an old blue car drive to german.
My English ...
0
votes
1answer
129 views
Meaning of “Twice Upon a Time” and its usage in a sentence
This is my first question on english.stackexchange.com/questions/ask. Could anyone tell me the meaning of "Twice Upon a Time"? It's the title of Doctor Who's Christmas special episode, the last of ...
1
vote
0answers
840 views
Difference between “after” and “since”
I have a question related to the usage of "Since" and "after". Actually I found these three sentences on news articles. And I have seen a large number results both in "news" and "Ngrams". Are all ...
0
votes
0answers
869 views
“will be + verb(Ing) for” vs “will + verb for”
"simple future tense" or "future continuous tense", which one should I use when I want to express a span of time?
Tomorrow I will be playing in the field for two hours.
Tomorrow I will play in the ...
