Questions tagged [sentence-patterns]
Questions relating to the pattern of words in a sentence.
279
questions
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0answers
32 views
Is there an English sentence 'equation' I can use? [duplicate]
I'm working on a chat-bot, however before I can do so, I need to understand the English language a lot better, in order to make the bot understand. Say I have 'The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy ...
0
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0answers
42 views
A choice between participle and relative clauses
Sometimes my editors changed participle clauses in my articles to relative ones, and vice versa. I hope to figure out the rationales behind the changes. Below please see two examples. Thank you!
...
0
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1answer
24 views
find something good/ find something to be good
May I ask if there is any difference in connotation/ formality, when switching the sentence structure 'find something good' to 'find something to be good'? Sometimes my editors did this change in ...
0
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1answer
26 views
"I could be something approaching myself''
This sentence
Partly this was because she was the only person on the island with whom I could be something approaching myself
is from John Harding, The Girl Who Couldn’t Read (2014). I can't ...
0
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0answers
21 views
Proper noun followed by description in parenthetical commas vs. description followed proper noun in parenthetical commas
Which one of the two sentences is the correct way to add a parenthetical description about a person?
Jim, the sculptor of the statue at the town square, is known for his lectures on visual arts.
The ...
0
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0answers
30 views
Asking a college senior for coffee catch up
Hi I want to ask a college senior for coffee catch up through the below note:
"Hi xx- hope you are doing phenomenally!
I am in xx and was wondering if it would be possible to catch up over coffee ...
1
vote
1answer
80 views
What does it mean when you say 'What I wouldn't give to be there?
I was watching tv, and a guy was talking about outer space and said this sentence.
What does it mean when you say 'What I wouldn't give to...?'
1
vote
1answer
61 views
How can one use 'would' and 'could' both, consecutively?
I encountered a sentence in an article. The writer (an Australian) has used both 'could' and 'would' consecutively in a sentence.
The sentence is
But I was determined to make a statement: would ...
-2
votes
1answer
57 views
Is there a mistake in this sentence? : “Ms Park was left the money by her former husband, from whom she was divorced in 2005.”
Namely - is "was left the money" a correct structure here? Wouldn't "has left the money" make sense here also?
-1
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0answers
35 views
“would (enjoy)” + “if (I could)” referring to the past
I studied diligently when I was a student and I took as many projects as they were provided. I would also enjoy it if I could help my fellow classmates with theirs.
Is the above sentence ...
0
votes
2answers
39 views
Is this dependent or independent sentence?
"Making trial of everything, with trust in new joy, and stirring the human kindness in all eyes that looked on her."
If it is an independent clause, could you please tell which is the subject and ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
Single choice and multiple choice questions helper sentences
I am trying to find the more appropriate helper sentences, e.g. for a single choice question:
"check" only one of the options
OR "check" only one of the answers
Is there a better way to say this!...
1
vote
1answer
41 views
Is the structure of this sentence correct? “She was awarded with a medal and a trophy, giving her the rights to brag.”
"She was awarded with a medal and a trophy, giving her the rights to brag."
Often when I use Microsoft word, I get a squiggly line if I wrote sentence structures like the example given. The program ...
0
votes
3answers
72 views
Sentences begin with 'that'
just encountered a sentence that begins with the word 'that'. I haven't seen this approach before. May I ask how we can decipher its structure? What special emphasis / feeling does this struture ...
0
votes
1answer
56 views
Present continuous vs will + infinitive
The body of this question is divided into four sections: Exercise, Theoretical context, Answer and Questions. I believe this is the right site to ask given that this is a question about "word choice ...
0
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2answers
69 views
Hyphenating words with words in parenthesis
I know we could write
between high- and low-yield crop rotation groups
but how do we write the same sentence if we have to write
between high (CC and CCS) and low (CS and SCS) yield crop ...
1
vote
1answer
45 views
The state of being melancholic is called melancholia. What are similar words for other 3 Graeco-Roman temperaments?
Melancholic -> melancholia
Choleric -> ??
Sanguine -> ??
Phlegmatic -> ??
0
votes
1answer
44 views
Is this sentence structure a valid usage?
At one point in my story, I am trying to describe a fight. The action is that one of the fighters firsts attacks with a sword, disarming his opponent and then hits him with his foot.
The sentence is -...
0
votes
1answer
225 views
How to write from this, to that, to that, to that
For example, if I were writing the menu options for a restaurant, how would I write something like this?
Restaurant ABC offers many different dishes. From pizza, to burgers,
to shakes, to fries, ...
0
votes
1answer
27 views
Why does the last part of sentence be led by “given …”?
Anyone can help to know why the last part of sentence below could be led by "given ...":
Japan's government wants nuclear power to comprise 20% to 22% of the overall energy mix by 2030, drawing ...
2
votes
1answer
93 views
Is “A increases the bigger B becomes” a legal English sentence pattern? Is it really a disguised “the more X, the more Y” pattern?
For many years I’ve been using constructions of two interrelated clauses where each of the two verbs comes with a comparative adverb or adjective of some sort (so either with more or less, or else ...
31
votes
18answers
11k views
Is there a sentence that begins with “them”?
An online retail store is asking its customers to construct a sentence beginning with them in order to win a voucher. I just can't believe there's any such sentence, at least I don't know of any!
I'...
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votes
1answer
136 views
I am your learner and you are my mentor. question tag?
I would like to know whether there is a question tag for compound sentences.
There are question tags for complex sentences.For example:
I said that you were lazy.Didn't I?
What is the question tag ...
1
vote
0answers
35 views
“pp. v. phrase” — Is this sentence pattern correct?
I get these kind of sentence structure too often from Czech people:
a past participle, followed by a to be verb, followed by the rest of the sentence.
For example, instead of saying
The ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
Analysis of sentences
Are both these sentences correct, and do they mean the same:
a) "Having lost my wallet, and being far away from home, I felt I had TO BEG people's kindess in order to return home."
b) "Having lost ...
1
vote
1answer
23 views
Coherence in sentence (2)
Does this sentence make sense:
"After all other people had already boarded the bus, the bus conductor came to the hotel cafeteria and warned us to hurry up, or we would have to get to the airport BY ...
0
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1answer
54 views
Is there a term for giving context to a question directly following the question?
Example: Do you have lava flavored Ice Cream? I was recently on a trip
to Hawaii and they had the most amazing lava flavored Ice Cream and I
thought I just had to check to see if you had some.
...
0
votes
4answers
233 views
Is it acceptable to use “almost” at the end of a sentence to make it sound dramatic?
Does adding the word "almost" at the end of the sentence make it sound dramatic or does it change the context of the sentence? Additionally, is it grammatically acceptable?
This new laptop has ...
1
vote
1answer
195 views
What are the most common english words to start a sentence?
Backstory (You can skip):
I am programming a word parser that will do things like detect acronymns and abbreviations, which will commonly have periods appended to them. The goal is to determine ...
-4
votes
1answer
73 views
Are there any hidden words in this sentence? [closed]
Children growing up in Costa Rica are surrounded by some of the most beautiful and diverse landscapes in the world..........................................................................................
3
votes
1answer
65 views
“Can live no more” vs “can no more live”
Is there a difference in meaning between the two versions of this famous phrase/quote:
"Man can live no more without air than a fish can without water"
vs
"Man can no more live without air ...
0
votes
0answers
12 views
When to write numbers in digit and in words in a sentence [duplicate]
I've always had this problem of getting a little confuse when to write numbers in digits and when to write numbers in words.
Which is more appropriate?
10 teachers attended the meeting.
or
Ten ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
Love Experiences? Like Bonuses? Are these question fragments correct grammatically? [closed]
Or are they a product of digitalization of writing, where we shorten everything?!
"Love Experiences?" "Like Bonuses? Get more Rewards and Discounts" ...can one use these statements in writing or ...
0
votes
1answer
184 views
How to use “to a large extent” in a sentence?
I formed below statements with "to a large extent". Which one is correct? and What is the most common and formal way of agreeing with something?
I to a large extent agree with the given statement.
I ...
0
votes
1answer
240 views
Usage of neither/nor vs none
Which is the correct option between these two lines?
1) But none of your obnoxiousness or charm
2) But neither of your obnoxiousness nor charm
I'm writing a poem for somebody and am currently ...
1
vote
1answer
178 views
Usage of second sentence posed as a question [closed]
"He might wait till Christmas to gorge on rum cake.
Why should you?"
This is an ad copy for an online food delivery site.
I want to know if the second line - Why should you?, is grammatically ...
1
vote
1answer
51 views
Is “you have so many double standards” idiomatic and if not, why and what would be?
The noun double standard is countable. Looking at some ngram you can see the plural form used for titles (to mean something like the topic of...) or when there's a number preceding it (i.e. referring ...
0
votes
1answer
21 views
“contains possible faulty output” or “contains potential faulty output”?
Is there any difference between saying this? I'm using this to report system output that might contain output that is worth investigating for the maintainers.
0
votes
1answer
585 views
“I am not starving yet” is that correct English?
I am trying to say "I am not feeling hunger at the moment, but I probably will in the nearest future." "I am not starving yet" - is that a proper English in general and particularly in that case of ...
0
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0answers
26 views
The Structure of “They'll both be dead come winter.” [duplicate]
While I was watching Game of Thrones, I encountered with the sentence below:
They'll both be dead come winter.
I am a little bit confused with the the usage of "come winter". Is this structure has ...
0
votes
1answer
30 views
Usage of for versus by
Which of the following sentences is correct grammatically ?
Can I know the procedure for booking rooms in the department, for Teaching Assistant(TA) to hold office hours.
Can I know the procedure for ...
0
votes
1answer
35 views
Alternative in parenthesis before or after?
When a sentence describes there are multiple alternatives, but one specific is the common one, it can specify the common in parenthesis. But there are multiple ways to do it.
For example, should it ...
2
votes
2answers
110 views
Sentence with two 'than's in a row [closed]
I'm looking for a sentence with two 'than's in a row. I'm sure they exist but I just can't think of one!
0
votes
1answer
1k views
“Get involve” or “get involved”? [closed]
I'm little confused.
Which one's grammatically correct?/sound correct?
"I've no obligation to get involve in the situation"
or
"I've no obligation to get involved in the situation"
PS. I think that ...
2
votes
0answers
30 views
What's the rule for bare infinitive in a dependent clause? [duplicate]
I've been reading a chapter in a certain (programming) book and stumbled upon the following sentences (and I'm sure I've seen more examples like this in the book):
Since randomized tests are ...
1
vote
0answers
181 views
Imperative sentence patterns …
Please let me ask you native or very well-trained Eglish speakers if there’s some patterns, rules, or formulas in regards of an imperative sentence’s structure.
For example, I was reading this ...
0
votes
2answers
2k views
will soon receive or will receive soon
I was wondering if there is a specific preference for the soon position in the following line:
You will receive a message with the activation link soon.
Or if it is better/more common to use:
...
0
votes
2answers
79 views
How do you casually describe in English a possession of thing(s) belonging to/shared by two people? [duplicate]
Neither of the following sounds quite "right" to me:
This is the book of Kelly and I. (Maybe valid but still sounds too rigid)
This book is of Kelly and mine's. (I know, sounds the weirdest)
This is ...
0
votes
0answers
18 views
Where or where from? [duplicate]
I was wondering where you bought that book (from)? Is 'from' necessary in this sentence ?
1
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1answer
47 views
How do we use two 'as..as' pattern together?
What is difference between as big and as noisy as their car and as big and noisy as their car. Which is more accepted usage among English speakers? How do we use two 'as..as' pattern together.(as big ...
