Questions tagged [usage]
For questions on how and why certain words are used in varying ways within various contexts.
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1answer
10 views
more than I could hope to
I'd like to know the meaning of "could hope to" in a sample sentence from my grammar book:
He earns more in a month than I could hope to in a year.
I think it's hypothetical situation. But I don't ...
0
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0answers
15 views
do you use 1st, 2nd 3rd, etc with word annual such as 3rd annual conference
should 1st,2nd, 3rd, etc be used when announcing a conference that is held annually such as "3rd Annual Winter Conference"
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0answers
17 views
Any suggestions for a good boutique name? [on hold]
I am looking for a good catchy store name for a new clothing business. Any suggestions for a good boutique name?
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0answers
14 views
Verbs followed by a description \ 2 Verbs in a row
I have a question regarding the usage of Verb-ing and V1 when we have 2 verbs in a row, or a verb with a description.
For example:
"My mom doesn't let me bring a cat home." "Let's go eat." "I
...
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0answers
44 views
“Have you ever gone to Europe?” is corect? [duplicate]
I want to know the meaning of these two sentences and the differences
"Have you ever gone to Europe?"
"Have you ever been to Europe?"
(As one of the fellows said, it is not like the mentioned ...
0
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1answer
15 views
What’s the difference between “unalterably” and “unchangeably”? [on hold]
The word “alter” and “change” both express a meaning that becoming different. So what are the differences between “unalterably” and “unchangeably”
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0answers
22 views
What is the correct way to use “impeded”? Can I say, “Natural product discovery pipelines are impeded due to the rediscovery of known molecules”?
I feel that impeded is being used incorrectly in the above sentence but I lack the grammatical knowledge to back up this feeling. Would this be a better way to say it:
"Y impeded X"*
A commenter ...
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0answers
21 views
Reading decimal point [on hold]
How do you read the number when multiplying $239087 by 7.3 and when computing the number reads as 32 751.6438 US$
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1answer
22 views
Use of parentheses/brackets in legal titles
Legal systems descended from British jurisprudence seem to like to use a lot of parentheses in titles:
Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order 1958, India
Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act ...
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0answers
38 views
use of “Well” in response to being summoned [closed]
In the 1940s and 1950s, if Mother were to call for one, "Oh, Jamieeee?", one was to respond "Well, Mother..." and never "What, Mother...?", the latter being considered vulgar and ill-spoken.
Locale ...
0
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1answer
27 views
Is “…should I have done…” a correct tense? [closed]
Can you please tell me if my tenses are correct in the following sentence? If so, what are the tenses I am using? Thank you!
"I was hoping to get a response before the upcoming deadline, so I could ...
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0answers
24 views
Informal construction with “even more” [closed]
Is it informal to remove the verb preceding the comparative adverb even more and the following compared term?
For example:
Ancestors are revered in Korea, royal ancestors even more.
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0answers
12 views
“the effect of the music is nuanced by the social situation of listeners” [closed]
What is meant by 'nuance" here? By what i understand nuance refers to subtle difference in meaning or expression but that doesn't seem to go here.
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0answers
19 views
Correct sentence in informal context
A: We haven't got any holiday.
B: Did you just say we haven't got any holiday?
OR
B: Did you just say 'no holiday ' ?
Can both of these be used in an informal context? Can we shorten the ...
0
votes
1answer
14 views
“have a refined bearing” OR “have a bearing with/of refinement”
thank you for answering my question.
I was learning "bearing" with all its collocations, and there I learned that it can be used to describe the way in which someone move/stand/behave.
I recalled ...
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0answers
35 views
What does “they” refer to in this sentence?
People have professional talents. With SBV, they are matched with nonprofits that need help in relevant areas.
Do they refer to "People" or " Talents" ( People's Talents )??
Also, Could I combine ...
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0answers
31 views
Is the term “BIOS” still prevalent when referring to UEFI? [migrated]
First of all, I am not sure whether this belongs to programming SE or in here- because I am asking about the usage of terms in English language, I decided to ask on here.
I was chatting to my ...
10
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3answers
454 views
About the word 'finewirer' and researching obscure words
I can't seem to find anywhere where I can look up reliably the meaning and etymology of this word: finewirer. A quick search on Google gives you uses of this word in texts such as Terry Pratchett's ...
3
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1answer
53 views
Cat 'overturns' my monitor?
I'm wondering what is the correct verb to describe when a someone causes an object like monitor or vase to fall on side from its upright situation?
Is overturn the correct verb for this circumstances?...
1
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0answers
23 views
“fall prey to” or “fall a prey to”
Thanks everyone for checking this question.
I was reading Great Books of the Western World, and there is a phrase "fall a prey to" and since I didn't know about it so I went to Collins Dict and ...
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0answers
9 views
The correct usage? [migrated]
I want to my friend to choose the right people in her life. Which one of these sentences should I use ? Be around the right people or be around with the right people ?
3
votes
4answers
204 views
Being a persistent or persevering learner?
If someone is studying something for a longer period, concentrated, focused: is he rather a "persistent learner" (which yields more hits at google) or a "persevering learner" (which seem to be used ...
6
votes
2answers
165 views
“I hope she hangs the moon”
I am always on the watch out for new unfamiliar idioms, especially in American English, and today I found one “to hang the moon”.
"And so she's now talked about a lot," McCaskill added. "I'm not ...
1
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0answers
7 views
I hope vs I don't want [migrated]
one says from bottom of his heart,
I don't want him to be humiliated because of me.
I hope that he will not be humiliated because of me.
Until this day, I thought "I don't want" makes more sense, ...
2
votes
1answer
45 views
Present perfect tense and specific time expression?
According to many grammar textbooks, present perfect tense should not be used with specific time expression. Therefore, it is grammatically wrong to say "I have sold my house on 10 December 2018."
...
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0answers
15 views
“It were” + adjective / conditional?
In books of a certain age, I have come across the formulation “it were” to conditionally apply an adjective to a subject of the sentence. For instance,
“Trial by combat was common in the Middle Ages. ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
Is this archaic usage or a mistake in the gutenberg version?
In the version of "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" available on gutenberg.org here, this appears:
"she told him at last that if he didn't quit using around there"
Is the use of the word "using" here ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
Draw my attention (from something) to something
"A beautiful woman always draws my attention".
"While I was chatting at Laura's party, a beautiful guy suddenly drew my attention".
«Now I wish to draw your attention to what has attracted my ...
1
vote
1answer
28 views
What is the difference between “progress in” and “progress toward”?
Are these examples correct?
I made progress in losing weight.
I made progress toward a slimmer body.
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0answers
24 views
What 'type' of a word is the word “goings-on”?
I'm not sure how to phrase this correctly, but I noticed that the word "goings-on" has the plural suffix of '-s' before the end of the word. If this wasn't the case, it would be "going-ons" which of ...
0
votes
1answer
21 views
Use of 'Dignified'
I have a doubt ! I'll be very thankful if anyone can answer it for me
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
I feel dignified right now.
Few responses will be I feel honourable that I ...
0
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0answers
40 views
“We met” vs We've met" [migrated]
Can somebody please explain the different between the following sentences?
"Thank you to all of the people we've met and worked with in 2018."
&
"Thank you to all of the people we met and ...
4
votes
5answers
1k views
Can you describe someone as a no-brainer? [closed]
I understand the meaning, and to be sure I searched its definition: something that requires or involves little or no mental effort. This noun literally can have another meaning logically to describe a ...
0
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1answer
28 views
to serve for..? Which of the below is correct [closed]
Which of the below is the correct usage?:
The seminar served for relevant discussion.
The seminar served for a relevant discussion.
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0answers
23 views
What is the difference between magick and magic? [duplicate]
I've seen people spell magic as magick. And I'm not sure if magick is an actual thing or what the difference between the two are.
0
votes
1answer
50 views
Is it acceptable to use “to ever happen” in future time, like “I don't want this to ever happen”
this is my first time posting here so excuse me if this is not the place to ask. I wanted to use the "She didn't want it to ever fade", but I'm not sure if this is grammatically proper. I have ...
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0answers
29 views
What verb to use with the noun “groundbreaking”?
I need some help with the noun groundbreaking. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, 4th Edition, it is
The act or ceremony of breaking ground to begin a construction project.
My question ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
usage of “in other words”
I have read the following sentence in a 5 score independent writing TOEFL test.
"After stating that everyone’s opinion can be different about this, for me honesty,
in other words, always telling the ...
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votes
1answer
49 views
The first/last/next/only to V or Ving
Recently, I'm quite confused about the usage of the first(second,third……)/next/last/only.
He was the first ____ the school in that area.
(A)to open (B) opening
The answer is (A).
But,I ...
3
votes
2answers
107 views
The best way to write down my English name [closed]
I would like to ask for native English speakers’ opinion on the best way to write down my English name.
My name is Minhyuk Lim(Korean name), and in the most of business circumstances, foreign ...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
“How” as relative adverb or indirect question
Today I'd like to ask you about the "practical" interpretative way of "how".
That is, do you really distinguish an use as relative adverb from the one as indirect question?; For in spite of academic, ...
1
vote
0answers
17 views
How did Shakespeare have characters tell each other to calm down? (“Paradise Lost” Play Adaptation) [closed]
Basically, I was helping a friend with a play. To be specific, it's an adaptation of "Paradise Lost" by John Milton. In the scene, Eve is perfectly calm. Adam is a little confused and worked up by a ...
1
vote
2answers
64 views
The comparison using a single “not”
Today I'd like to present my question about the passablity of what I'll post below.
Just as I talked with my american friends(I am Japanese) on discord, a certain person said to me;
Are romantic ...
0
votes
1answer
35 views
Usage of tense in sentences with “in case” [closed]
"I will give you a map in case you get lost."
"I will give you a map in case you will be getting lost."
Which use of the tenses of the bold portions of the above two sentences is correct?
2
votes
1answer
59 views
Can “darling” be used as an adjective in the sentence “You look so darling”? [closed]
I've never heard of the word "darling" being used this way until yesterday, and a discussion came up about whether this would be correct use or not.
Edit: Some additional info I wrote in reply to an ...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
delayed 45 minutes or delayed by 45 minutes
I have found this sentence in an English book : "Your plane is delayed 45 minutes"
I would spontanously have said " your plane is delayed by 45 minutes" I 'd like to know if both sentences are correct....
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votes
3answers
160 views
What is the basic difference between Migrant and Immigrant [closed]
Can anyone tell me what is the difference between Migrant and Immigrant . This is a hot topic of today news. I hear and read those terms almost interchangeably. Searching in google and it give me ...
7
votes
3answers
758 views
How old is the use of “steal” for non-rival goods?
In the debate on copyright, there is a long-time discussion on the appropriateness of the word steal to refer to "make a copy of a non-rival good"; see for instance this article, or this essay.
How ...
1
vote
1answer
61 views
“Departed” or “departed from” before place/object?
I'm working on an essay and the first line of my introductory paragraph currently reads as:
Too many times, when sitting in an English classroom, have bitter
groans departed the lips of around ...
0
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0answers
21 views
Is using “Sirs” when addressing a group of men incorrect? [duplicate]
When I was in the Army, I was taught that you addressed an individual officer as "Sir" or "Ma'am". You address groups of officers as "Gentlemen" or "Ladies", not "Sirs" or "Ma'ams".
Example:
...
