Questions tagged [word-choice]
This tag is for questions about choosing the best word FROM A GIVEN SELECTION for a particular context or meaning. The selection to choose from must appear in the question. If you do not know the word already, use single-word-requests.
11,319
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"They say that our uniform looks cool and easy to move."
I'm not sure if the use of "easy to move" in this sentence is correct.
They say that our uniform looks cool and easy to move.
It sounds strange to me. I can use the word "comfortable&...
0
votes
1
answer
34
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Don't come here " dressed like this vs Dressing like this [closed]
What is the difference between Don't come here dressed like this vs Dressing like this.?
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5
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316
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Does a restaurant 'make' sushi or 'do' sushi?
In the following sentence, which is idiomatic: make or do? Is there any difference in register, meaning, or usage?
There’s a little Japanese place near my office that makes/does great sushi!
I've ...
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2
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Is there an emotion that encapsulates a mixture of disbelief, anger, and hatred?
For all the words I know, I can't seem to find the right word for this strange emotion. Some words I have tried come up short in one way or another. Confusion lacks the underlying hatred, annoyance ...
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2
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172
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Refresh vs. Update
I need some advice on the use of these two words - update and refresh.
I am currently working on the desktop app and I need to give a button a correct name.
There is a big number of objects that an ...
0
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1
answer
118
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How to tell which is "port" and which is"interface" on electronic devices (e.g., PC)
I cannot simply know where to use "port" and "interface", because these two words translate into one same word in my native language. So, I wanna figure out the difference between &...
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1
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134
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Is it Reunion after 50 years or 50 year Reunion?
We have recently conducted a reunion party after 50 years. The party was conducted by the old students of a Highschool. We thought of some titles for it:
50 year Reunion
50th Reunion
Reunion after 50 ...
- 2,714
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0
answers
22
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"Who" vs "whom" in a specific phrase [duplicate]
I'm having a discussion with somebody online about a 911 dispatch call, the dispatcher uses the phrase, "Who did you shoot?" This seems like a perfectly normal phrase to me, and ...
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Does seating sit or stand?
A new Wikipedia page (Theatre of Nero, July 2023) includes
The first structure . . can thus be identified with the cavea of the theatre, where the tiers of seats for the audience stood . . .
...
Donald Phillipson
1
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1
answer
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Which one is correct? "many privileges" vs. "much privilege" [closed]
Which one is correct? Is it many privileges or much privilege?
e.g.
You have many privileges/much privilege as a child of a rich family.
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1
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Please help me with one sentence - struggling [closed]
Which horse shall we ___ in the 2.17 race?
A. back
B. win
C. place
D. bet
I think something is wrong with the question. “Bet” seems to be the first choice but “on” is missing.
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86
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Is "both" incorrect when it refers to "different" things?
Is it correct to use the word "both" when referring to different things?
For example:
The twins both went to different colleges
Both David's hands worked at different tasks
I would have ...
- 151
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0
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23
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Atom forge or Atomic forge? [duplicate]
What would be the correct form of this phrase?
Atom forge
or
Atomic forge
I know 'atomic' is an objective and 'atom' being a noun is correct when used with forge because you are forging something. ...
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-1
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1
answer
303
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Should the salutation when addressing a principal be 'Dear Principal' or 'Dear Sir'? [closed]
Write a letter to the principal of your school, giving him at least two reasons why he should allow you attend your elder sister's wedding.
Question: Should the salutation be 'Dear Principal' or 'Dear ...
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2
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271
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Best article to use in complex-compound sentence
I'm writing documentation for a piece of software I worked on and I came across an odd sentence format that puzzled me. I was wondering if there might be a conclusive answer on the matter:
In the ...
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3
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105
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What is a word that means "pushed" that has a negative (specifically angry) connotation?
I am writing a book and currently have a scene where there are two people – one is sitting on the ground, and one is laying on a mattress next to them before pushing himself up to respond to the other'...
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"Control and certainty over / of" [duplicate]
Is any or both of the following correct English?
The software gives you full control and certainty over the execution of the search.
The software gives you full control and certainty of the execution ...
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1
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Is "volume bar", "volume slider” and “volume rocker" the same thing on mobile phones?
I just came across the words from the site "https://www.androidpolice.com/gmail-mark-all-messages-read/", which indicate, as for me the same thing but by using different words in the article ...
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0
answers
40
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Can the word "Parse" be used in creative writing [closed]
Can I use parse as a verb in this example?
The clouds began to parse and the day opened up.
Meaning the clouds began to separate from one another and dissolve. Parse is commonly used to describe ...
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2
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1
answer
100
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A word to describe a person who loves anything related to celebrities/gossips/trends and is easily affected by them
I'd like to know a word to describe a person who loves celebrities, gossips, trends or anything that is popular and is
easily affected by them.
She said she had moved to Paris because she loved "...
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1
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400
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Two dozens or two dozen [closed]
Is there any slight difference between these two?
She bought two dozens of eggs.
She bought two dozen eggs.
In an online course a tutor told that second one is more appropriate if both options come ...
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0
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549
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"Is one of you" vs "Are one of you" [closed]
Is one of you near my office?
Are one of you near my office?
ChatGPT says that they are both grammatically correct which means people use both (i.e., there exits mass confusion). The subject is "...
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1
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221
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Faced with vs faced by
I am faced with a problem.
I am faced by a problem.
What is the difference between these two sentences? Is there an agent when using “faced with” since it is a passive construction? Or is “faced with”...
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0
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Should I use CONTAINS or CONTAIN? [closed]
An example of a miniature Sudoku puzzle is:
Notice that it consists of four rows, four columns, and four 2 x 2 boxes.
I was thinking of using the following wording for the instructions:
Fill each ...
1
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1
answer
186
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What do you call someone who is being lied to? [closed]
Someone who lies is called a liar but someone who is being lied to is called what? A victim?
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0
answers
28
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What is the extension of "pair" to more than two? [duplicate]
What comes after "pair"? Maybe "quad" for four? In cards it's "three/four of a kind" but what about contexts beyond cards (like science)?
For example, in physics there's ...
- 111
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0
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78
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"This leads to the question" followed by a comma or a colon
I am saying something along the lines of "this leads to the question, why does x happen" or "this brings up an interesting question, why does x happen" but I'm not sure if it ...
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1
answer
167
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Can a graduating class be described as the "15th Batch"?
Is it correct to describe a group of students who has graduated from school as "15th Batch". It seems that the group has spent 15 years in the school. I saw the phrase on an international ...
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0
answers
37
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"Do" vs. "does" with both singular and plural subjects [duplicate]
I know multiple singular subjects have been addressed here and singular compound subjects here. However, I came across a sentence with multiple subjects, one single paired with one plural. I could not ...
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I need a word for a Noun that has only one function or use [duplicate]
Let's say that an AI was created to toast bread. That is its only function, and only use. How would I describe such a thing in one word?
For instance: Like a _____, it executed its task.
2
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0
answers
50
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"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 ...
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1
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613
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Use of Disapproved vs Unapproved vs Denied
When submitting a memorandum request for approval of something and providing options of for the signer... what is the best way to word the denial option ? Disapproved? Denied? Unapproved?
This is ...
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1
answer
248
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Mother tongue vs vernacular
Having been a non- native speaker, several times I had been asked to write my name IN VERNACULAR or IN MOTHER TONGUE during my college days. I couldn't tell apart the subtle difference and thought of ...
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165
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Malady vs Disease
How does the word malady differ from disease? Also,in what contexts can the word malady be used?
Below are my findings / details I have collected about the two:
Many dictionaries list the word ...
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2
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Someone's inheriting a castle: 'Castle heirs', 'Heirs of the Castle', or 'Heirs to the Castle'?
What is the correct way to describe people inheriting a castle? (American and British English)
Castle heirs
or
Heirs of the castle
or
Heirs to the castle
It's just a phrase I've heard, but I've ...
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1
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Is it "making a ripple" or "creating a ripple"?
So, I'm preparing for a PTE test and came across this problem in the Fill in the Blanks section.
Gators can move through the water oh so silently, barely ___
(making/creating/adding/showing) a ripple....
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Should it be "...in the invoice." or "...on the invoice."?
Should it be
The shipping charges are in the invoice.
or
The shipping charges are on the invoice.
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1
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Has the word “supposably” really been added to the Oxford Dictionary? [closed]
I used to always correct my illiterate friends whenever they would say the word “supposably” instead of supposedly, by snarkingly saying, “There’s no B in suposeDly!” Then I read that one of the big ...
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Diminutive forms - usage
Reading from some grammar sources, I came to know that bullet is a diminutive of ball.
Nevertheless, as far as I know, bullet is nowadays mostly used in the sense of "gun-bullet".
So can ...
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2
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An adjective for concern meaning that the concern is relevant/right/correct [closed]
Many people are concerned about the pollution problem in the city. The
concern is ——————— because over the last year the city has been on
unhealthy level for 200 days.
What adjective to use in the ...
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9
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Why is "at least" unnatural here? "It won't take at least 15 minutes to walk there."
(1) It won't take at least 15 minutes to walk there.
(2) It won't take more than 15 minutes to walk there.
Am I right in thinking (2) sounds natural but (1) doesn't?
If so, what is the reason for ...
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Is there a word equivalent to "sighting" but for hearing?
I'm trying to write a sentence like
Nobody goes near the caves because of monster noises.
"Nobody goes near the caves because of monster sightings" doesn't work because people have not ...
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5
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What terms describe humorous acceptance of a compliment?
My wife complimented a chef on his delicate fish cookery last night.
Reply: "They're great, these boil-in-the-bag dishes."
I complimented a violinist on his performance recently and ...
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1
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Word choice - When you use a too generic term to describe something specific
Suppose I have a taxonomy, which describes animals, that looks like this
+ Animal
+ Mammal
+ Cat
+ Dog
And I want people to use this taxonomy to label a set of 100 images of cats and ...
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2
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What noun phrase can be used to describe a couple that has registered their marriage?
In my native language there is a noun phrase for 'legally-married couple'. I wonder if there is something similar in the English language. I have looked up the following phrases, but they all seemed ...
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3
answers
325
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Word to describe someone with all knowledge in some field [closed]
Word that describes someone that has all possible knowledge in some specific field, like an expert.
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3
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131
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Do book scorpions 'pinch' or 'sting'?
Snakes, spiders, and other creatures with venomous fangs are said to bite rather than sting when they use their venom. Does the same apply to other venomous organs: for example, most book scorpions ...
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"He is a worthless person vs He is a futile person." which sentence describes a useless person? [closed]
I want to talk about the personality of someone who is useless for any task assigned to him. Which term is more appropriate?
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An inner-product space or an inner product space?
I have seen both of these being used for referring to a mathematical object (a vector space with a certain structure on it called the inner product). I am assuming both are accepted since they appear ...
user205527
1
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1
answer
77
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Is "a constellation of" similar to "a series of"? [closed]
What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence is a constellation of many different technologies working together to enable machines to sense,
comprehend, act, and learn with human-like ...
