Questions tagged [phrasing]
The phrasing tag has no usage guidance.
153
questions
2
votes
2answers
27 views
“Under what form would our government operate?” Is this correct phrasing? [closed]
In this sentence
Under what form would our government operate?
I am wondering whether Under what form or In which/what form would be the correct phrasing, and I realised that I can't find the answer....
1
vote
1answer
36 views
How to express gratitude to an interviewer regardless of the interview outcome? [closed]
I'm drafting a thank-you note to the recruiter after a series of onsite interviews with the team. And wondered if it might seem less polite or render a discounted feeling if I included the following ...
0
votes
0answers
13 views
How can I express that I'm registered at faculty of physical therapy but actually I'm self-studying English to become an English instructor?
If I want to express that I'm registered at faculty of physical therapy but I actually want to become an English instructor -I'm, currently, self-studying English-, how can I phrase that if I'm ...
0
votes
2answers
25 views
“Humanities studies is my zone of interest.” Is that sentence natural?
"Humanities studies is my zone of interest." Is that sentence natural?
I want to express that I love anything related to the humanities division.
Should I use "is" or "are&...
0
votes
3answers
66 views
A word or 5-6 word phrase for “an aliquot can only be a member of a batch one time”
I'm a software engineer trying to come up with a word or phrase to describe that relationship in a way that future software engineers can look at the code I've written and either understand what's ...
2
votes
1answer
28 views
How would you say a person has made a choice out of being of noble character?
Let us say a person is noble/of noble character/noble-hearted. As in, he isn't a person of a social rank of nobility, but rather is a good, selfless person.
I'd like to say that this person has done a ...
-1
votes
1answer
52 views
Wording a sentence for “A, B, C, D, or E” with inclusive and exclusive “or”
In my papers, I often need to formulate disjunctions textually (for example, when providing conditions for the fulfillment of a statement).
Let's see two examples:
When you eat (a) apple, (b) pear, (...
0
votes
1answer
77 views
“Open onto” vs. “open into”
When is one preferred over the other?
This is in the context of the door to a large room. My sense is that "into" is preferred for closed spaces and "onto" for open spaces. This ...
1
vote
5answers
194 views
Which adjectives can describe 'intellect' and 'education'?
I use 'great' too many times, I would need something more lively and original. I have a sentence like this:
In order to acquire this, one does not need a great intellect, nor a ... education
Thank you!...
0
votes
1answer
35 views
Can I say “how eager” and “awaits me”?
The fish used to bawl when I left, and the chicken would tell me how eager the fish awaited me.
Disregard the chickens and fish, I just needed something tangible.
ABC is sad when I go; XYZ tells me ...
0
votes
0answers
20 views
Ambiguity in assigning a clause to one of the two preceding clauses
Consider the sentence:
We use a transmitter to communicate with a device that is placed in the package using a new technology.
Here, the part "using a new technology" applies to "We ...
1
vote
2answers
93 views
Word for compound event: “At least one of these events will happen”
Over on Math.stackexchange I was discussing probability jargon. Typically the events considered in probability theory are constructed from other, simpler events by a series of unions, intersections, ...
0
votes
0answers
31 views
Examples of people that have really low name recogniton?
Not exactly sure how to phrase the title, but here's the sentence I'm asking about:
Our job? Somehow get XXXXX, (a candidate with less name recognition than _____ ) to the top of the polls.
I was ...
0
votes
2answers
69 views
“-Based” vs. “ Based”
I am in the process of finalizing an academic research paper and I am struggling to identify the correct hyphenation for the title:
Option 1: Adaptive Chirplet Transform-Based Machine Learning for ...
1
vote
3answers
144 views
Should I use “the” in the phrase “the check-in for a flight”, in this context?
I have this sentence in Russian I need to translate into English:
"Звучит объявление о регистрации на рейс Кабул - Гонконг."
The best I can come up with is this:
"An announcement rings ...
0
votes
1answer
110 views
How to word “…but with whom we shared…”
I just told my life's story to someone I've known for only two days, but with whom we shared an instant, platonic connection.
I know that we in this sentence "should" be I, that this ...
0
votes
0answers
59 views
How can I construct phrases only to work with one of Given, When, or Then?
I think the following is a problem which falls firmly between two stools, so please forgive me if this is the wrong place, but I think it's more of a linguistic question than a computer question.
...
0
votes
1answer
1k views
What is another way of saying “we cannot guarantee”?
1. Summarize the problem
I work for an IT solutions provider and we always try to get the customer anything they inquire. We also want to avoid negative connotations with our brand, so we avoid ...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
It's a great honour to find myself being [closed]
I have received an email from someone I admire. Is there anything wrong or unidiomatic about the following sentence? How would you say it?
It's a great honour to find myself being addressed/approached ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
Is the usage “multiple logistic regression analysis” correct?
I encountered a manuscript where the author writes:
Risk associations for metabolic syndrome and diabetes were analyzed using multiple logistic regression analyses..."
In this case, is the ...
0
votes
1answer
78 views
Whats a word for saying that someone said something but later turned around on it?
Im trying to find a proper word or phrase to describe this situation.
A person initially claimed that theres no pollution. Then later he or
she turned around to say that there is some pollution ...
0
votes
0answers
37 views
Wording for post-graduation plans
I am sending announcements about my daughter’s graduation from college. I want to include a sentence about her post-graduation plans. Originally I wrote,
Rose will pursue her master of ...
-1
votes
2answers
956 views
A better way to say 'very different'
What is a better way to say 'very different'?
Is there one word that is an extreme of 'different'?
Example: Person A and Person B embraced the spirit of evil in very different ways.
Is there a ...
0
votes
1answer
539 views
How do other words can you use for “the way something is written”?
I was racking my brain when pressed with a discussion posting in math class the other day, and I was coming to answer someone’s question when I got stuck in a bind.
The question was pre-Calc, and I ...
0
votes
0answers
28 views
Does “One example of that would be it's trophic cascade” make sense?
I'm trying to write a paragraph for a question for my biology class. The question is "How are organisms (and non-living things) interconnected within Serengeti National Park? He wants us to include "...
-2
votes
1answer
99 views
“What time is it? At 8 o'clock” [closed]
I am unsure about this phrasing, does answering the question "What time is it (now)?" by saying "At 8 o'clock" or "It's at 8 o'clock" sound natural?
0
votes
1answer
81 views
Correct form of saying of what will be left?
Imagine a hypothetical situation that someone is left to do home duties and you are writing a note to him.
Which is the correct form?
1) "Turn on the robot cleaner. After it finishes all that will be ...
1
vote
3answers
122 views
Can an inanimate object “get something wrongˮ? [closed]
The following is an excerpt from an article about spelling mistakes:
Can you spot the mistakes? Building signs which get standard English phrases wrong; posters and other material featuring ...
2
votes
1answer
455 views
Indicating Possession Between You and Another Person
Is there a good way to indicate that something belongs to you and another person when you want to mention the other person by name?
As an example, suppose some friends ask you "Where's the party at?" ...
-2
votes
2answers
77 views
What ways do you describe changing from existence to non-existence?
In a paper, I need to talk about things "coming into and leaving" existence multiple times. I feel this phrase is clumsy and there are definitely better ways of saying it that I just can't think of ...
0
votes
1answer
20 views
How do you describe a study which attempts to isolate the compounding effect of factor A on factor B? [closed]
Shameless cry for academic help here.
I'm working on my thesis, which is a study that will focus on the compounding effect of group dynamics on persuasive technology. The control and treatment group ...
1
vote
3answers
93 views
Idiom/phrase for “example picked purposefully”
For example, when one is talking about a chemistry equation and they use values one wouldn't see in real life to illustrate a point better, or give a specific example that requires extra steps that ...
2
votes
1answer
97 views
Can a writer refer to himself as “your author”? [closed]
I am drafting a nonfictional manuscript that, not being about me, seldom refers to me. I do nonetheless appear in the manuscript, though—or at any rate my perspective explicitly emerges—a ...
0
votes
1answer
913 views
Should a comma be included when listing age?
When listing age under someone's name for reference, does there need to be a comma between "age" and the number?
My company is running an ad for a beauty supplement featuring our brand ambassador for ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
Where should I put swiftly?
These treatments can swiftly help patients be on their way to a more active life.
or
These treatments can help patients swiftly be on their way to a more active life.
Please help!
1
vote
1answer
6k views
“Happy Birthday <name>” or “Happy Birthday to <name>” on a cake? [closed]
What is better to write on a cake? "Happy Birthday <name>" or "Happy Birthday to <name>"?
Or are both of them equally fine? Or is there an alternative that's better than both?
1
vote
2answers
157 views
How can I make this sentence correct? It sounds wrong to me [closed]
The sentence, "Innovation requires more exploration and risk-taking than architects are typically used to." sounds incorrect tome, but I cannot put my finger on what the problem is. Please help me ...
0
votes
3answers
83 views
Single word for “is nothing until it becomes”
Example: Data is nothing until it becomes information, with context.
The above sentence is a bit wordy so I was hoping to find a single word to replace that phrase. I could shorten it to: Data ...
1
vote
2answers
315 views
Two consecutive sentences that begin with in
I start off two sentences with "in" and it really irks me. Is this okay, does it sound bad? Any recommendations on how to reword the beginning of my sentences would be appreciated.
"In response to ...
5
votes
1answer
702 views
How to address today and the following 9 days
Would you think "the next 10 days" includes today?
If not, would there be a clearer way to put it, to refer to today and the following 9 days?
0
votes
1answer
35 views
How to adress personified concepts like “love” like they're people? (with no ambiguity)
There's a song lyric in a French song that goes like this:
Je t'attends depuis longtemps, toi l'amour
Which means, more or less:
I've been waiting for you for a long time, love
But there love ...
1
vote
1answer
39 views
Help with parenthetical phrase
first time poster here. Can someone help me with comma placement in the following sentence:
Margaret loved music, especially the compositions of Joseph Haydn, which inspired in her an irresistible ...
0
votes
2answers
4k views
“Had Come” or “Came”
My mom and I are editing my book and we got stuck on a sentence: "It seemed like such a big question for someone her age — at least she thought so — for it had only been a few seasons after she was ...
0
votes
1answer
237 views
“Quench bloodthirst”? Is this correct?
I was writing a text and got to this part.
"Characters can turn hostile quickly, drawing in interested bystanders that will either help the player or try to kill them. Nothing less than murder will ...
2
votes
1answer
102 views
How to use two parenthetical qualifiers on the first mention of a noun? [closed]
I'm writing a paper that includes a reference to the University of North Georgia. The first time I mention this university, I'd like to add a qualifier stating its commonly-used acronym "UNG" that I ...
1
vote
2answers
187 views
Is there a word for when you use a descriptor in place for a word/phrase you've forgotten?
Best example I can give is a post I saw a while back where someone was trying to remember the name for a manta ray and described it as a sea pancake instead. Logically you could call it a sea pancake ...
0
votes
1answer
172 views
What do you mean by Communication Network? [closed]
In the following concept, what do you mean by Communication Network?
There is an association (an inter-continental one) in which each member participates in building relation among its member through ...
0
votes
2answers
3k views
Oasis vs Oases - Which to use?
I am looking over something before posting it online and I have a sentence that simply doesn't seem to 'sound' right either way I write it. Specifically, I am trying to decide whether it is more ...
4
votes
3answers
161 views
Lingustic term for three consecutive synonyms used in a sentence?
If I recall correctly, in David Brin's "The Uplift War", a species called the Gubru frequently use sentences in which three consecutive synonyms appear to emphasize a topic--presumably a grammatical ...
1
vote
1answer
66 views
Is there a word for phrasing something as a question?
Ex: Bathroom -> Bathroom?
I know there is one, I just don't remember the word for it
