Questions tagged [descriptive-grammar]
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 language should be used. See https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/descriptive-grammar .
259
questions
-1
votes
0answers
22 views
Which one of the following questions is grammatically correct? [duplicate]
1.The government want to increase taxes
The government wants to increase taxes
1
vote
0answers
35 views
“He will be a doctor” [closed]
Am I right, interpreting these sentences?
He will be a doctor= Either he is a doctor now or he will become a doctor in future.
He might be a doctor= Either he is a doctor now or will become a doctor ...
0
votes
1answer
46 views
Usage of we instead of us [duplicate]
Lest they do anything before we.
Lest they do anything before us.
One of my students, for their creative writing coursework, phrased his sentence as shown in quote 1, but I have a confusion as to ...
0
votes
0answers
32 views
“you all” correct at the end of a sentence?
If I say "I do not know about you all." Is it correct?
This is referring to an action I will do and I do not know what their intentions are, if they will do the same or not.
Is the use of &...
0
votes
1answer
57 views
Is this grammatically correct? I am not sure of the sentence structure. “She saw two boys in white dresses standing by the road?”
I am kinda confused of the participial phrase in that sentence. Is that grammatically correct? Do I need to put a comma? Does the sentence make sense?
0
votes
0answers
27 views
Complex transitive complementation
Would it sound appropriately if to relay a sentence: "We expected him to make a good job of that" in the following ways:
We expected for him to make a good job of that.
We expected it for ...
0
votes
1answer
39 views
What is “what” in “what has been called“?
Climate change is thus a prime example of what people have called a "social ecological system" with factors from different domains interacting on different spatial and temporal scales.
The ...
-1
votes
2answers
128 views
Is “persuasive techniques” or “persuasion techniques” more grammatically correct?
I've tried looking this up on various sources. Wikipedia has a category called Persuasion Techniques.
However a couple of different Google searches for "persuasive techniques" and "...
-2
votes
2answers
66 views
Verbs “COME” and “GO” followed by the gerund
Good evening everyone,
I was listening to Tears for Fears' song Everybody wants to rule the world, and I came across the line "when the walls come tumbling down". I looked the expression up ...
0
votes
1answer
58 views
Single word equivalent for short, natural length grass?
I am trying to describe the length of grass in an area without dwelling on it too much with multiple adjectives or a more in depth explanation. The main point I am trying to get across is that the ...
17
votes
4answers
3k views
Why can’t I turn “fast-paced” into a quality noun by adding the “‑ness” suffix?
I needed to write a word that expressed the quality of being fast-paced.
"Fast-pacedness" sounded off and I looked the dictionaries up.
Collins is my favourite one. Webster I use when I need ...
0
votes
1answer
116 views
What should be the correct form of 'be' verb in the following sentence? [duplicate]
So I was asked to rewrite the following sentence with the correct tense of the verb given in bracket:
It is I who (be) to do it.
Initially I believed, the following would be correct:
It is I who has ...
1
vote
3answers
72 views
Is “considering stealing” grammatically correct? [duplicate]
I am working with a student who sends me essays and I help edit them. In one of his paragraphs, he wrote "The lecturer indicates this is illegal since it is considering
stealing." In my head,...
0
votes
0answers
10 views
is there an expression to describe “something/someone that is more real than the original item/thing”
I’m looking for a word or a phrase that describes the following:
“something/someone that is more real than the original item/thing”
I am looking for something specific, if possible! Thank you!
0
votes
1answer
46 views
“I found that, on average, there are…” or “I found, on average, that there are…”? [duplicate]
So if you couldn't figure out the question from the title, does the subordinating conjunction (the word "that") precede or succeed the extra information between the commas?
0
votes
4answers
162 views
Does saying “I was stolen by my sleep” make sense in English?
In my native language, we say "my sleep stole me" when we unintentionally fall asleep. I'm guessing it's more of an idiomatic expression.
My question is, can it work in English?
0
votes
0answers
32 views
Sentence structure and form
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
"The great sea creature came alongside Lotty and nudged him, so he climbed on board its strong back.
I don't get what sentence structure the second part ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
How to describe the use of 'them' with nouns? [duplicate]
I'm looking for a short and precise word to describe the use of the pronoun them with plurals, i.e.
Let's kill them zombies!
Them townsfolk sure are full of baloney.
I hate them bees.
It appears to be ...
0
votes
1answer
31 views
Can I use where instead of from which? I want to migrate this question to English Learner Site [closed]
Imagine something secretly entering your body and controlling your behavior, turning you into one of those zombies from science fiction movies. Does that sound creepy? That's exactly how a parasitic ...
0
votes
2answers
62 views
Word choice - Grammar! [closed]
I came across these questions in an old English Language book from the 70s and was wondering if one form of the following sentences is more correct than the other.
Only the team with the lowest ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
In descriptive grammar [closed]
As descriptive grammar is defined, if I say, for example, 'I postpone to play soccer' meaning 'I postpone playing soccer,' and a listener knows what it means, so communication is achieved, then I make ...
0
votes
0answers
14 views
adjectival/adverbial grammar issue relating to “undisturbed”
In the sentence "The blackbird was singing undisturbed on the outskirts of the wood" Could the word "undisturbed" be seen as both adjectival (qualifying "blackbird") as ...
0
votes
0answers
81 views
Agree with/on/about/to the book - In what scenarios are these correct?
Is my current use of these correct:
We agreed on that book. - Eg.: When in a book club you are choosing the book for the next session.
We agreed about that book. -Eg.: When two friends discussed a ...
0
votes
0answers
43 views
Can 'where' introduce a specific manner without an antecedent?
I came across this sentence when reading Eclipse, where Sam (werewolf) was the leader of the pack: “ Sam approached Carlisle where he stood in the front, the huge pack right on his tail.”
I've known ...
0
votes
1answer
158 views
Why is the article “the” used with “population?” [closed]
Why do we need an article before "population?" Why is "the" the correct article to use in the following sentence?
The population is suffering.
0
votes
2answers
95 views
What is right? (English question)
I am a high school student studying English in Korea. I am asking this question because school changed the original text on the English test. So, I have some question and want to get your explanations....
0
votes
2answers
81 views
The doctor prescribed that the child must take/should take/take the medicine every 8 hours
Non-native here. The reason why this question confuses me is that this should be "took" based on what I have learnt in grammar classes. But that doesn't sound right. I am confused between ...
0
votes
0answers
71 views
Passive and active verbal adjective
guys. Hope you are all in greatest condition. I do know that a verb can serve as an adjective when it is placed before a noun and this verb is either a past participle or a present participle in this ...
1
vote
1answer
78 views
Why is the order “is not” instead of the more rationally intuitive “not is”?
He not is.
He is not.
Using the second method, you have to listen to the third word 100% of the time, instead of only when "not" is used.
2
votes
2answers
21 views
Is the phrase 'top-level' appropriate to describe data that makes general obeservations as opposed to more detailed ones?
I am trying to find an appropriate term to describe general data in the form of statistics or reports that give somebody a general overview on a topic. I am trying to distinguish this from very ...
1
vote
2answers
333 views
Should I use the word “might” to express someone's wish/hope in a past situation?
The dictionaries are very clear as to the use of "may" to express a wish or a hope - and one can easily infer that a sense of future is always implied in such use. For example: "May she ...
0
votes
0answers
24 views
'Such' in place of a demonstrative pronoun. Such a configuration or such configuration?
I read some explanations about the use of 'such' as a determiner, but I still could not figure this out. If, in scientific/formal writing, I want to use 'such' instead of 'this' to specify a ...
0
votes
0answers
47 views
Which one of the sentences is grammatically correct?
1: In their article published 10 years ago, they concluded that the ant was an amazing creature.
2: In their article published 10 years ago, they concluded that the ant is an amazing creature.
0
votes
2answers
61 views
First conditional sentences
Certain grammar websites describe type 1 conditional sentences as the ones in which the time is the present or future and the situation is real.
Examples given are:
If I have time, I'll finish that ...
0
votes
1answer
158 views
Grammar - for you / with you?
I am writing a letter and got stuck here:
Will that be alright for you? or Will that be alright with you?
Which one is the correct version?
1
vote
2answers
41 views
does an “issued” a threat become “rescinded/revoked” when acted upon?
In the sense of a direct threat like "If you do X, I will beat you", which is a threat with a promise that is clear. One would say a threat was "issued".
If something can be issued, it can be revoked/...
0
votes
2answers
74 views
Elided Compound or Simple sentence
In the example
"He gave Tom a cycle and Jack a bike"
Is this a simple sentence or an elided (stripping) compound sentence which can be expanded to “He gave Tom a cycle and he gave Jack a bike.” ...
0
votes
2answers
100 views
Combination of the present perfect and the simple past?
Is there a chance to combine these two tenses this way, I have checked with several sites, and I found out that it's seemingly some jobless old latino, definitely not Willis.
0
votes
1answer
51 views
With object adjective
I just watched a movie in which someone more or less says "Oh yeah, with him dead, you want me hacking the computer"
My question: to what extent can I use this construction? Is it grammatically right ...
0
votes
1answer
52 views
After and Before Clauses
guys. I would like to ask whether a clause should always be in the past if it follows another clause starting with after in the past. For instance: After she read the note, she understands/understood ...
0
votes
0answers
267 views
Is it grammatically correct to say ( can I kindly bring your attention to … )?
Is it grammatically correct the position of the adverb in the following question ( can I kindly bring your attention to .... ) ?
1
vote
1answer
18 views
How to create inline reference to all preceding items?
I need to create a list of items where each item is associated with a descriptive clause that comes at the end of the list. One way to accomplish this is with formatting. E.g.,
If Client does not ...
0
votes
0answers
60 views
Should the asterisk of a postscript correspond in size to the first asterisk, or be the same font size as the postscript's lettering?
The former makes sense in terms of its intent--which is to take off where it leaves off, the reason why an asterisk is used on both ends--but perhaps this is trumped by the importance of font size?
0
votes
0answers
26 views
Describe something will be made to do smth in short
Good day, all!
I'm writing an IT specification for adding a new feature to some existing functionality. Let's say some "sender" plugin will be improved in a way it'll be able to access attributes of ...
0
votes
0answers
33 views
Time reference of imperatives/modals
What time reference is indicated by imperative sentences/Sentences with modal verbs (present or future)Some say it is present time others say it indicates future since the action can only happen ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
Adjective /Adverb modifier
"The decision affects people at large/in general" what role does the phrase 'at large/in general' perform here? Are they used as adjective modifier of noun 'people ' or adverb modifier of verb '...
1
vote
0answers
19 views
Can 'on one occasion' and 'at 5am' be called sentence connectors /conjunctive adverbs?
In the given examples:
He never invited anyone. On one occasion, somebody came.
Does "on one occasion" act as sentence connector here acting as conjunctive adverb?
He has a tight schedule. At 5 ...
0
votes
0answers
25 views
Mixing Conditional 1 and 2
Are the following sentence ok to use ?
Are they related to the mixed conditions where you mix between conditional 1 and 2 ????
1-I want to travel abroad and complete my study if I could.
2- I want ...
0
votes
1answer
130 views
When do we use Verb ING at the beginning of sentences?
Could someone please explain the grammar structure of the lyrics below?
Sitting here wide awake
Thinking about when I last saw you
Since the beginning of these lyrics starts with an "ING" ...
0
votes
2answers
3k views
Make a questions without auxiliary verb
As a non-native speaker, I found some context in movies or general speaking, they make a questions without an auxiliary verb for example
Who knows the answer?
Who wants to go to Thailand ?
Why ...
