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 .
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Which type of sentence is- May I please have an ice cream sundae after dinner?
Type of sentence-May I please have an ice cream sundae after dinner?
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1answer
39 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.
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35 views
What is wrong with grammar of this sentence? [closed]
In order to stay in an old architecture, we may have to go back in time as well.
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2answers
44 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....
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42 views
I can't tell whether it is right or wrong
This question is from the Korean high school English test. I wonder if the summary is a proper (ex English composition, collocation or grammar) in the box below.
[Question]
Many advertisements cite ...
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2answers
48 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 ...
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21 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 ...
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25 views
Has “was” been left out before shown because of parallelism?
If this work could be discovered, it might, he thought, in all probability be restored. Some of the country people were therefore seized, and, inquiry being made of them, the line of the canal was ...
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1answer
69 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.
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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 ...
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2answers
65 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 ...
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17 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 ...
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45 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.
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2answers
26 views
First conditional sentences
Certain grammar websites describe type 1 conditional sentences as the ones in which the time is theĀ present or future and the situation isĀ real.
Examples given are:
If I have time, I'll finish that ...
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1answer
58 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?
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2answers
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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/...
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2answers
57 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 āHe gave Tom a cycle and he gave Jack a bike.ā ...
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2answers
50 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.
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1answer
26 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 ...
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1answer
27 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 ...
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48 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 .... ) ?
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1answer
17 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 ...
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0answers
20 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?
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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 ...
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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 ...
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1answer
26 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 '...
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14 views
Type of co-ordinator
In the example sentence
Ā
"He cannot compete, let alone/much less win //// not to mention/not to talk of winning"
What role/s do let alone / much less / not to mention / not to talk of perform?
Are ...
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0answers
6 views
Making sense of Complex conjunction
1.When a connector is added to a co-ordinating conjunction what is the combined entity called ? An emphatic conjunction?
Example-He is young and therefore,strong.(and therefore)
2.Similarly, when ...
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15 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 ...
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0answers
22 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 ...
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1answer
106 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" ...
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1answer
68 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 ...
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0answers
45 views
Got arrested or Was arrested
Not really sure how to use Get/Got + V3 or V.to be + V3 ( Passive voice )
Can anyone explain, are there any differences between these two grammar structures ?
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1answer
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correctly punctuate each sentence to make it meaningful
Ten(10) editor-in-chiefs from two(2)media houses were present at the seminar
During the nineteen eighties(1980's) there was severely famine
All seven former heads-of-states were at the inaugural ...
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0answers
26 views
Grammatical status of Question tags in Sentences
When a question tag is added to a simple sentence, what does the combined sentence become? (compound sentence/complex sentence)
Can it be classified as asyndetic co-ordinate clause?
If question tag ...
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0answers
25 views
there WOULD be at least 10 people and out of that 10 people at least 2 WOULD
Context- I was teaching a child about how the economy is being effected by the corona-virus. I pointed at a street with some stores and restaurants and said:
"If it weren't for the virus there would ...
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0answers
28 views
Grammatical rules describing use of “um”, “so”, “basically” in spoken language?
Use of filler words seems to be proscribed as bad or incorrect, yet they also seem so common that they are part of spoken language. Whether desirable or not, are there grammatical rules that describe ...
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1answer
68 views
Some problems with present perfect tense
I have read all the questions and i have answered them. Or I have read all the questions and answered them. Which one of these two perfect tenses is correct. Do keep using have many times to represent ...
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2answers
128 views
Can “in order to keep” be used in place of “allowing”?
A quote from a Wikipedia article is as follows:
An alternative approach commonly used in spacecraft is to divert surplus PV power into a resistive load, allowing the panel to operate continuously ...
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2answers
532 views
Is there a difference between “started to go” and “started going”? [duplicate]
Is there a meaning difference between started to go and started going in this example sentence?
"...", he said and started to go/going away.
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1answer
8k views
“Thought on” vs. “Thought about” vs. “Thought of”
I googled the exact phrase "He thought on" in quotes and get back mostly quotes from the Bible or old texts.
Does it sound antiquated to say, "He thought on his cat, how he would chase mice..." vs. "...
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1answer
681 views
Follow vs Follow after
Is the expression "follow after", e.g; "He followed after her", grammatically incorrect or an awkward phrasing?
I use the phrase "follow after" to put an emphasis on the action, it also gives me a ...
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1answer
344 views
Using commas and pronouns correctly in “Not only because, but also” construct
Firstly, I know that there are plenty of questions concerning "not only, but also" construct on StackExchange. However, none of them could give me an explanation for what I am trying to ...
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1answer
4k views
In the next year vs. For the next year vs. Over the next year
I want to know the differences among these three:
In the next year
For the next year
Over the next year
Thanks in advance š
2
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1answer
912 views
“will be finally” or “will finally be”?
What I know is that adverbs are positioned between "be" verb and passive verb, but I can find many examples of both sentences:
"will be finally deleted" OR "will finally be deleted"?
"have ...
3
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2answers
205 views
Acclamation vs. acclaim as nouns: When to use one or the other?
Back when life was simpler, the words āacclamationā and āacclaimā behaved within precise heterogeneous bounds. The first acted publicly as a noun and the second as a verb. I was naive, oblivious to ā...
2
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1answer
72 views
An English Descriptive Word for Two Words
I'm currently after a synonym for "middle-aged". However, I'm needing the word to be appropriate to describe a non-living thing.
Middle-aged is more or less associated with animals and humans, not ...
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1answer
190 views
Which of these sentences is grammatically correct? [closed]
Upon learning about the incident, the agency launched an internal investigation to accurately determine the impacted customers.
Upon learning the incident, the agency launched an internal ...
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1answer
144 views
if you would have told me to move I would have moved
I was standing I gave this answer this answer . is this a correct way
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2answers
54 views
Does “Verb to be” imply something?
This is.... blah blah. They shocked and angered, when the people sought to deprive them.
compare to this
This is.... blah blah. They are shocked and angered, when the people sought to deprive them....
