Questions tagged [expression-choice]
Choosing the best phrase FROM A GIVEN SELECTION for a particular context or meaning.
528
questions
-1
votes
0answers
42 views
What’s a good synonym for spreading a lie?
When someone circulates a lie, the common expression often uses diction that of puffing air and spread and diffusing.
I believe the perfect word I’m searching for has to do with the puffing and ...
0
votes
0answers
12 views
Do not express a sentence properly due to lack of vocabulary [duplicate]
I am searching for a specific phrase.
Sample Sentence
I am an avid reader so I go to our local library at least three times a week where I meet some other reader.
Now here I cannot express the ...
0
votes
0answers
27 views
Professional supplant for “Making an Inquiry”
Imagine you have a piece of paper by which you can pay a bill. First, you have to check how much credit it has inside. What is the proper word that describes the process of "asking an official about ...
0
votes
3answers
143 views
Désert médical translation
In French there is a phrase "désert médical", which means an area (usually rural) devoid of medical staff and hospitals.
The literal translation into English would be "medical desert". Is this phrase ...
1
vote
0answers
29 views
“of the value of” [closed]
I was reading a tech report and, in the Abstract, came across a sentence as follows:
This report is expected to contribute to a greater understanding of the value of applying (...)
The way that of ...
1
vote
2answers
50 views
What terms to use for figures related to questions and answers?
I am working on implementing a Q&A platform and I am trying to find some catchy figure names for the following: how many questions were asked by non-staff (non-admin) and how many answers were ...
-1
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0answers
35 views
The feeling when you realise you've spent more than you thought
How can I describe the feeling you get upon realization that you've spent more than you imagined when you see your monthly transactions or bills?
"I feel at a loss" comes to mind but I'm not sure how ...
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votes
0answers
41 views
“complexity of bug finding” or “complexity of finding bugs”
Which of the two following sentences sounds more idiomatic?
This report contributes theoretical results concerning the complexity of bug finding in finite-state programs with bounded queues.
This ...
-1
votes
1answer
32 views
Used to or would?
Is it better to say "I would always lose when I played chess with my father" or "I used to always lose when I played chess with my father" ?
Please justify your choice!
Thank you in advance.
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votes
1answer
40 views
users´ needs or users needs
Which one of the following is right/ better. I am still not sure after thinking about it for quite a while now. I am talking about the needs of multiple users. The first option (s´) is used when ...
0
votes
2answers
138 views
“My name is X and I come from Syria” vs. “My name is X and I am from Syria” [closed]
I am trying to edit English subtitles for a short video on an educational project. A person there says something (in Swedish) which the Swedish copywriter translated as
My name is Hamdi and I come ...
1
vote
0answers
437 views
“As per picture below” or “as per the picture below”? [closed]
Suppose you are sending an email which includes some details in a picture below where you are writing.
Is it correct to say
As per picture below, the meeting is in (...)
Or is it better/more ...
1
vote
0answers
31 views
How can there be any indicative if-clauses?
As far as I know, if-clauses always describe theoretical situations. Sometimes the theory is very obvious and self-evident, but it remains a theory. So how can we use the indicative in if-clauses all ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
What is the proper use of exaptable? [closed]
I have an assignment and I want to say that by using cosine similarity and word2vec, the project can easily be repurposed for other use. Would it be accurate to say this?
This project makes use of ...
0
votes
3answers
144 views
What's a nicer way of phrasing 'Aggressive schedule'? [closed]
The phrase 'Aggressive schedule' is often used to express a desire to achieve high performance and speed on a project, however has the negative connotation related to the word 'aggressive'. If I'm ...
0
votes
0answers
16 views
How can I express someone's workloads time period?
I need to specify that someone should accomplish an amount of hours in a certain job, saying that it is your workload. How can I express this in a phrase?
(1) The worker workload is 35 hours.
(2) ...
0
votes
1answer
64 views
How to better express “Dwayne Johnson has been given more footage than Jason Statham in the movie” [closed]
By footage I do not mean on screen time. I mean Dwayne Jhonson has been given scenes that show him to be better than Jason Statham. Although both were given roughly the same on screen time, Dwayne was ...
-1
votes
2answers
2k views
“Sorry if I bother you” vs. “Sorry to bother you” : Which one is more idiomatic? [closed]
I need to send an message via SMS to my supervisor.
Which is more a idiomatic introduction?
"Sorry if I bother you."
"Sorry if I bothered you."
"Sorry to bother you."
1
vote
0answers
25 views
how do I express that women who visit somewhere have no distinct age specific
I want to put more in to this sentence to say about that young women, old women all visit help desk. In other words, there is no varying age change in visiting help desk services.
Women seem to use ...
3
votes
2answers
291 views
Word meaning the opposite of “golden”?
I feel there must be a word I can use to mean the opposite of "golden", but I can't think of one. For example:
golden handshake: being sacked but with excellent remuneration.
****** handshake: being ...
-1
votes
2answers
42 views
How to say “I understand how to do something conceptually, but not concretely?” [closed]
As a programmer a situation comes up frequently, where I 'conceptually' know what I need to do, and I can explain the thing from a 'high level' - but I don't know exactly what to do.
Like, I know ...
0
votes
1answer
321 views
Is there an expression to say someone will replace me at a meeting?
I am writing an email to the top management to tell someone will replace
me at a meeting I cannot attend. Is there a good expression / a better
verb for this situation ? Or is 'replace' the good word ?...
1
vote
1answer
50 views
in southern Wales, in the south of Wales, in the southern part of Wales? [closed]
Can you tell me which one is correct? And if there is a difference in meaning between them, can someone explain it to me?
and here is the example of the sentence
Cardiff is the capital and the ...
0
votes
1answer
205 views
“abuse of which he was subjected” or “to which…”?
I am writing a paper and I can't figure out which of these is correct:
"...the neglect and abuse of which he was subjected..."
or
"...the neglect and abuse to which he was subjected..."
The ...
0
votes
2answers
157 views
What’s a catchy phrase that means get the most out of your dollar? [closed]
I’m trying to finish a speech, and I was thinking of a catchy last idiom to wrap it up. It was on the tip of my tongue and it I think it mean get the most out of your dollar or something like that.... ...
-1
votes
1answer
18 views
How to describe a customer's business [closed]
Which sentence is the most relevant for your point of view:
A client has a retail business consisting of lots of shops
distributed all over the world.
A client has a retail business that includes ...
0
votes
3answers
56 views
An expression for the trigger of something that was inevitable [duplicate]
I'm looking for a way to describe the thing that finally triggers something after rising tensions. For example, some isolated incident triggers massive protests, but the protests are really due to ...
0
votes
2answers
87 views
“Keep” vs “Record”
we have a meeting with our customers and I have to take the minutes of the meeting.
but can I say the sentences below to express I take the minutes of the meeting?
1. "I have to record the content of ...
0
votes
2answers
52 views
Question about the proper word choice
I would like to ask you a paricular question. Recently I had a job interview which, as far as I am concerned, went great. However, I might have made a stupid mistake and I would like you to tell me ...
0
votes
1answer
111 views
Which tag question is right for this sentence? [closed]
Nowadays the only thing people seem to be interested in is earning more and more money, ____ ?
a) don't they
b) isn't it
c) don't you
d) will you
Please explain which is the correct tag ...
1
vote
0answers
11 views
can the expression “by car” be used in the sentence below?
We are on the way to church by car.
Is this a correct sentence?
I am not sure if it is ok to use the phrase "by car" other than go, come, reach, get to or arrive?
Thanks.
1
vote
1answer
70 views
Using “proximity” to imply “next to each other”
I am currently writing the introduction to my thesis and I want to say that two genes are next to each other. I would like to use the word "proximity" without saying "close proximity" but am unsure ...
0
votes
1answer
2k views
Alternative sentence of “May I come in, please?”
What do you usually say in the UK when you come into the class while the teacher is teaching. Is it ok to say "excuse me, sir or miss" or "May I come in, please"? are there any other ways to say this?
1
vote
1answer
29 views
“Not just a XYZ” or “Not only a XYZ”?
Which expression is preferred? I found in writing the expression
"Not just a ___."
but maybe it is better to write
"Not only a ___."
What do you think? Does it even matter? The context is a ...
1
vote
1answer
247 views
It seems something … vs something seems to be
What’s the difference between it seems something ... and something seems to be (or any other verb)... ?
For example, This bottle seems to be very popular in Japan. Vs. It seems that this bottle is ...
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votes
1answer
32 views
He had problems learning and me too or He had problems learning and also I did [closed]
I want to write it as the second way but I'm not pretty sure if it is the correct way.
0
votes
3answers
75 views
“Some of the [superlative adjective] I've ever been” — another way to phrase this?
I can't seem to find a non-awkward way of expressing this sort of sentiment: suppose you want to tell a friend about some time you were really, really cold, but it wasn't the coldest you've ever been. ...
3
votes
3answers
292 views
What is the expression for sofa or cushion “go down”? [closed]
As we usually sit on the sofa or use cushion, it is not the condition of the first one. The part we usually sit become sunk(?)/ go down.
Then how can I say this?
Sofa [went down?].
15
votes
5answers
3k views
What is the third option beside 'accept' and 'reject' on a ballot?
Members of Parliament (MPs) in most countries have three options while voting for a law proposal. The third option means neither 'accept' nor 'reject', but recorded for quorum.
'Accept'
'...
0
votes
3answers
80 views
How to express that a decision has developed from a thought?
Good evening from Germany!
I'm currently writing a personal statement for my UCAS application and have got a problem concerning one of my sentences. Originally, I wrote:
The decision to study X ...
0
votes
2answers
3k views
“What is your hobby?” VS “What are you into?”
My British English teacher told us that the expression "What is your hobby?" sounds childish so use "What are you into?" instead. Is it true? If so, why does that sound so?
Thanks!
1
vote
1answer
100 views
How good an experience vs. How good of an experience [duplicate]
Which one of these sentences is considered to be more correct?
1) You cannot imagine how good an experience that has been.
or
2) You cannot imagine how good of an experience that has been.
3
votes
4answers
321 views
Word for ironically embracing own stereotypes?
For example, I came across a picture on Twitter of an African American gentleman holding a piece of fried chicken in one hand, watermelon in the other, while pulling the exaggerated smiling face ...
0
votes
1answer
3k views
Can I say “it was a pleasure meeting you” after a phone call? [duplicate]
Is it possible to say "it was a pleasure meeting you" after the phone call? Or should we better say ""it was a pleasure to talk to you"?
0
votes
2answers
2k views
Word or phrase for “shooting an arrow with a bow”
What's the right way to refer to the act of using a bow and an arrow to shoot?
Imagine a situation, in which Jack gave a bow and an arrow to John and asked him to shoot. John did, but since he had no ...
1
vote
2answers
273 views
words other than “performance” to describe a player's outcome?
I am writing a post based on various sports players and their performances, and would like to know which alternative words or phrases can be used instead of repeating the word "performance".
For ...
0
votes
4answers
103 views
Science to combine words the right way
Is there a "science" (or a tool/website) that allows us to combine words the right way?
For example, if I write "fixing a problem", the tool will suggest "solving a problem". Another example: "fixing ...
1
vote
1answer
573 views
Do we say “as it” or “as if” to say “as it is right now”?
In casual speech, take this conversation, for example:
Person A: Here's the message: "Hi, my name is [...] Cheers"
Person A: Do I send it as it is right now?
Person B: Yeah, no problem ...
0
votes
1answer
111 views
Does this sound natural? “We'd like to have any opportunity”
We'd like to have any opportunity we can to perform on stage.
Does this sentence sound natural and idiomatic?
And if you have any, please suggest me a better alternative. Thank you so much.
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votes
1answer
80 views
ending an email in relation to answering a job vacancy
I would like to end my email in relation to answering a job vacancy as
"I look forward with anticipation"
Kind regard
Jackie
(my CV will be attached)
Or should I say
"looking forward to hearing from ...
