Questions tagged [grammaticality]

This tag is for questions about whether something obeys the rules of grammar in English. The question must INCLUDE THE SPECIFIC GRAMMATICAL CONCERN. If your question is about grammar itself, please use the "grammar" tag.

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Is it grammatically correct to use a sentence which lacks an object? [closed]

For example, there is a subject and predicate, but no object. Thus, the additional information is not specified, it is not said where, for what, etc. For example: I didn't allow enough time and missed ...
Jess3032's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
19 views

Which is correct? "I helped him" vs. "I was helping him" [closed]

Which sentence is correct? I helped him every day. I was helping him every day. As far as I know, it should be Past Simple, according to the rules. But it feels like if I'll use "helped" ...
Roman Skakovskyi's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
25 views

Which of these possible multi-choice answers is correct and why? [duplicate]

A Chinese teacher of English asked me about the following, taken from an English test for Chinese people. It's quite tricky I think. I would like to know three things: Which answer or answers do you ...
Pedroski's user avatar
  • 101
-1 votes
1 answer
79 views

Is "hadn't got" correct? [closed]

Yesterday in my English class, I tried to say 'I hadn't got that book' and my teacher told me my sentence was incorrect, she said I should say 'I didn't have that book'. I bought Grammarly, and it ...
AmerllicA's user avatar
  • 109
-1 votes
0 answers
22 views

Grammatical name it is a highly organized capital market [closed]

It is a highly organized capital market Grammatical name
user481320's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
34 views

High-end tourism make more affordable [closed]

Can I write in my pitch We are working on a solution that would make high-end tourism more affordable for middle class earners, by giving rewards for staying with us. Our start-up will work as ...
MikiBelavista's user avatar
-1 votes
0 answers
8 views

"They've grown so much" vs "They've 'been' grown so much"? [migrated]

In this sentences the difference is the been. I've been seen this two ways to write this same thing. In the translater, the two ways is right. Why? "They've grown so much" vs "They've '...
Erick Luz's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
47 views

Is "as well as" a preposition here or conjunction?

A short passage from a book piqued my interest: Nevertheless, it is this third line of argument which offers the most hope, by bringing us into a largely unexplored area of moral philosophy which has ...
desmo's user avatar
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0 answers
25 views

Does this sentence sound natural for English native speakers? [closed]

I’m writing a story and I’d like to know if this sentence sounds weird for English native speakers. “Swamped in anger, regret, and pain, she decided to run away” Thank you!
Jonathan's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
26 views

Find the incorrect part in those sentences [closed]

I am working on a scholarship English exam, and I have some trouble with these questions, where the question is to choose one incorrect part from the parts in bold: 1. In different part of the English-...
Kholoud's user avatar
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0 answers
20 views

If I would have known [duplicate]

Is the title of one of Kyle Hume's songs "If I would have known" grammatical? If so, what's the difference between If I had known and If I would have known?
Nonta's user avatar
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-1 votes
0 answers
21 views

Negative Imperative - do not do vs not to do [closed]

Guys what's the difference? I told you do not do that vs I told you not to do that I do not try to do that vs I try not to do that You'd better not to do... vs You'd better don't do... Are these ...
mohamad hashemi's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
30 views

"Made in planet earth" or "made on planet earth"? [closed]

I'm confused about this. We usually say 'Made in China', but what about planet Earth?
ratib90486's user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
1k views

Why the passive "are described" is not grammatically correct in this sentence [migrated]

A student wants to use "are described" (because it's passive) in the blank space although the correct answer is "described". How can I explain the grammar of why it is incorrect? ...
Anna's user avatar
  • 409
6 votes
2 answers
867 views

"in the Hebrew it ..." vs "in Hebrew it ..." - what is the difference of meaning in this paragraph of Milton and in general?

In book one of The Doctrine & Discipline of Divorce, it is written: The cause of divorce mention’d in the Law is translated some uncleannesse, but in the Hebrew it sounds nakednes of ought, or ...
John Smith's user avatar
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-1 votes
2 answers
46 views

Missing word? "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's"

Consider the following sentence Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's. When I put it into a few grammar checkers like Grammarly, I get no errors. But I feel that there should ...
alex's user avatar
  • 9
0 votes
2 answers
40 views

Conditional clause within a relative clause

Is the following sentence grammatically correct? The word "if" is not used in this sentence, which I'm not sure is a mistake or not. And if anyone has a link to a reference on conditional ...
Just Wondering's user avatar
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0 answers
25 views

SImple present to talk about the future [duplicate]

Here is my question, are both of the following acceptable? I start dieting after Christmas. I will start dieting after Christmas. This is the task from Oxford English Grammar Advanced. Note: I know ...
linaaa.styrczula's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
48 views

"What's it worth"? [duplicate]

Recently I encountered the sentence "What's it worth?" in a book. I cannot understand the structure of this sentence. From my perspective, "worth" means "value" in this ...
Arash2020's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
64 views

When can compound verbs be split? [duplicate]

Is it wrong to say: He took the hat off. when you could keep the compound verb “took off” together? He took off the hat. And is the rule changed at all by more words being placed in the phrase? ...
Lonely Guy's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
24 views

Can we not use to be + v3 negatively [duplicate]

To be + v3 These clothes are to be washed. These clothes are not to be washed. Likewise, These clothes have to be washed. Now If I have to say it negatively, how can I? These clothes have not to ...
Junaid's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
50 views

Be ambigious about "which" relative pronoun

I have seen an example referring to "on a par with something" at Cambridge Dictionary: "At this rate, they'll have 600,000 visitors to the exhibition, which will put it on a par with ...
noname18's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
21 views

Can a series unite independent clauses with other fragments?

It's common to unite multiple independent clauses with an "and" in order to form a sentence. For example, consider a sentence that says, "The weather is warm, campsites are abundant, ...
will's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
54 views

Similar to how/what/why structure

I see the statement that: Similar to how a car needs fuel to run, a computer needs electricity to power it. In this case, I comprehend its meaning. However, I don't really get why "similar"...
noname18's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
77 views

Is “if they are still not…” right and what is an alternative way to phrase this? [closed]

The sentence was this: In his process of dying; the children, if they are still not independent of his guidance, shall perish. The expression 'are still not' does not seem grammatically correct. ...
Aurelius's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
25 views

'The power is out' vs 'The power has gone out' [closed]

Suppose a person is using an electrical appliance and suddenly there is a power outage- would it be correct if that person immediately said to their family members that 'the power is out'? Or would it ...
RAVI KUMAR's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
57 views

Is using ‘down’ with ‘descend’ acceptable?

Is the following sentence grammatically correct? A cascading silence that descends down the phone line.
dreams23's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
50 views

Is this sentence grammatically correct? "We are supporting troops that we don't even know who they are." [duplicate]

Is this sentence grammatically correct? We are supporting troops that we don't even know who they are. I hear it from a video on Youtube, where Trump was debating with someone.
shepherd's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
17 views

Definite article in attribute object sentence [closed]

Is that true that example (2) is incorrect? Or are the both correct but example (1) refers to a single incident, act of honesty? I admire the honesty in him. I admire honesty in him. If we change ...
Mendy's user avatar
  • 55
0 votes
1 answer
33 views

Is this sentence correct? "Adele says new album will explain her divorce to her young son." [closed]

So there's this debate ongoing on one post that this phrase is incorrect. People are getting confused and wondering how can Adele take a divorce from her own son. The sentence is: Adele says new ...
VisuaL HippocracY's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
9 views

Why should we say "watch it go"? [duplicate]

Why is "watch it go" correct? Why can't we say watch it goes? And it is like watch, it go? Or watch it, go?
Fatemeh's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
554 views

Is "The good food keeps us healthy and adds pleasure to our lives." grammatically correct? [closed]

Is this sentence grammatically correct? The good food keeps us healthy and adds pleasure to our lives. I believe that the article "the" is incorrect, but why is it?
chupper100's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
49 views

Does word order matter in “…(that) we do in the same manner” vs “…in the same manner (that) we do”?

Are both these sentences grammatically accurate and can they be used interchangeably? It is dangerous for ecologists to assume other species sense the environment we do in the same manner. It is ...
nina's user avatar
  • 11
-1 votes
2 answers
31 views

Logical entailments of the verb frighten

Are the following entailments (examples 1-2) and sentences (examples 3-4) possible and well-formed? Tom frightened Mary and he still frightens her. Tom frightened Mary and he didn't stop frightening ...
Mendy's user avatar
  • 55
0 votes
1 answer
101 views

Using the word ‘had’ four times in a row is it grammatically correct?

The man that willed me all he had had had had my name on his will since I was born. My mind is broke trying to figure it out.
Izzi Polini's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
31 views

Why can say "diminishing weakened"? [closed]

The resource as: However, the ability of the rainforest to pull in more carbon than it releases is diminishing weakened by changing weather patterns, deforeststation and increasing tree mortality, ...
icase233's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
66 views

"I don't know what the story is about, except that it's about a basketball team." Do you reply to first or second clause; me neither / me too?

I am a native speaker, but I know that natives often use incorrect grammar. "I don't know what the story is about, except that it's about a basketball team." Do you reply to first or ...
Nacho's user avatar
  • 33
1 vote
1 answer
40 views

Is it grammatically correct to say "I have just wanted to say that..."? [closed]

Is it grammatically correct to say the following? I have just wanted to say that... Considering that just=only and I have been waiting for my turn for some time before saying it.
Anastasia's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
17 views

Participial phrase with a subject unomitted [duplicate]

I wonder this sentence is both grammatically and idiomatically correct. "That movie having a pretty big budget, filmmakers did not need to have one in order to succeed."
runner's user avatar
  • 17
0 votes
1 answer
41 views

Possibility of omitting preposition phrase

I wonder if I can omit the parenthesized part here? Extraordinary success is achieved by working on commissions one after the other rather than (by doing all of them) simultaneously.
runner's user avatar
  • 17
1 vote
1 answer
71 views

Is it grammatical to use a participle phrase with a different subject from the preceding clause? [duplicate]

As I understand it, the standard use of a participle phrase is something like, The man walked into the room smoking a cigarette. In this case, the subject for the participle phrase smoking a ...
Sam's user avatar
  • 19
-1 votes
1 answer
67 views

Does "It would be the last time..." refer to the past or the present?

From my understanding, in direct speech/conversation (not as a narrative), "That would be the last time..." refer to the past event, and "This would be the last time..." refers to ...
Dearyme's user avatar
0 votes
4 answers
130 views

Meaning of "I was never meant to be..."

I don't clearly understand the meaning of "was never meant to be" in sentences like this: "I was never meant to be your friend." Can someone explain it to me? For the example in ...
Dearyme's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
32 views

Can later be used for expressing distance?

I was wondering if " Can you stop at the later gate?" when trying to ask a cab driver to stop at gate 8 instead of 4 was a valid way of saying it?
Ruth Willard's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
50 views

Is the use of the phrase 'There is no woman like me' for this content correct?

If someone wants to say that no one looks as beautiful as her, is it correct to write it like this? "There's no woman like me." For example, if I write a dialog like this, does that reply ...
Dearyme's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
67 views

Singular vs plural after "One example of such"

In sentences like "One example of such X is Y" should X be singular, plural or can it be either? For example: Some methods are {description of this group of methods}. One example of such ...
RuRo's user avatar
  • 123
1 vote
0 answers
30 views

"who/what should ... but" structure, examples with different tenses?

Here's an example sentence with that structure: I looked under the bed, and what should I find but the keys I lost last week? Are the following sentences correct in different tenses? I was looking ...
Vasilii's user avatar
  • 11
0 votes
0 answers
18 views

"Aren't your hair long enough to be washed often?" [duplicate]

Is this statement grammatically correct? Aren't your hair long enough to be washed often? Should I say "Isn't your Hair...?"
Archit Garg's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
25 views

Is " A friend of his dad " a correct sentence? [closed]

A whole sentence is He remembered that a friend of his dad's regretted not doing what he wanted to. Which is from my textbook. I am wondering if changing "a friend of his dad's" to "a ...
user477523's user avatar
7 votes
4 answers
3k views

Is "The heart wants what the heart wants" grammatical? If so, why?

Normally one would say (as Emily Dickinson did) "The heart wants what it wants." But consider these few examples from professional writers (screenwriters in this case). "The heart ...
K Adams's user avatar
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