Questions tagged [writing]
This tag is for questions specifically related to written English. PROOFREADING essays, emails, abstracts, etc. is strictly OFF-TOPIC.
531
questions
-3
votes
0answers
25 views
Which is correct - “Looser” or “Loser” [closed]
The title is pretty self-explanatory. Which is correct to use in a sentence "Loser" or "Looser"?
Don't be such a loser.
Don't be such a looser.
0
votes
0answers
13 views
English Learner Roadmap [closed]
Please share your english learning roadmap or an suggest for learning.
Thanks
-1
votes
1answer
21 views
I may go VS I would go [closed]
''I … not go there because it will be hot and crowded'' which one is correct 'may' or 'would', or both are correct but have different meanings?
I think ‘may’ is correct, but people told me that ‘would’...
0
votes
0answers
40 views
Grammar question, I don't know which one should i use 1, 2 or 3 Thanks. I have searched internet and i didn't find something [closed]
1.The creating process of a video
2.The creation process of a video
3.The process of creating a video
1
vote
0answers
20 views
Is it a proper paragraph for introducing myself? [closed]
I have prepared this paragraph for introducing myself in my Linkedin about part:
"I was in love with computers since my childhood, Now I study Computer Engineering and love Programing, Algorithm ...
-2
votes
2answers
46 views
The Grim Reaper, death itself/herself/himself? [closed]
I want to write a sentence about the Grim Reaper (symbolism for death). I have this sentence -
The commander winced, almost if he thought Death herself came to collect him and Mary.
Somewhere I ...
0
votes
1answer
54 views
Is there a name for the literary device of having multiple speakers alternating in the same paragraph?
In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, C. S. Lewis has:
. . . Lucy could only say, "It would break your heart." "Why," said I, "was it so sad?" "Sad!! No," said ...
2
votes
3answers
77 views
Name for a conversation where two people are talking about two things, without their knowledge [duplicate]
The show Arrested Development uses a writing technique I haven't seen very often, but I find very interesting. The idea is that two people will have a conversation where they are both talking from two ...
0
votes
0answers
30 views
Is it correct to replace dashes with hyphens and how should it be done?
I often see sentences like this--made when people don't have the care or ability to input the correct character--where two hyphens are supposed to form an em-dash.
Based on the sizes of various dashes,...
0
votes
0answers
26 views
What are parts of writing like “statement”, “assertion”, “argument”, “hypothesis”, etc collectively called?
Consider the following made up paragraph
Suppose I give you a word, any word. Would you be able to make sense of it? Is it even possible to make sense of a word without surrounding context? I do not ...
0
votes
0answers
44 views
Using present tense in past tense narration
Is it grammatically correct to use the present tense in fiction that's narrated in the past tense? Sometimes, as a writer, you add "general statements" into your narrative. Example:
But ...
-2
votes
2answers
55 views
Cooliving or coliving? Are they the same? Any difference? What this the correct way to write it? [closed]
Update
After reading the comments, I think not everybody knows this word. Let me find a definition for you.
According with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Co-living, it means: Generally coliving is a ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
Is it proper to describe a noun using an apostrophe? [duplicate]
For example, if I wanted to say, "This student is large.", would it be proper to instead say, "This student's large."? I don't recall ever reading something like this, but I ...
3
votes
8answers
1k views
What are natural ways to express 'contra-positively' in writing?
I often see 'conversely' being used when the meaning is to express the 'contra-positive'.
I know that the contra-positive of a statement is logically equivalent to the statement, but they're still ...
1
vote
2answers
79 views
American reading of the British expression “look around impressively”
In British English, "he looked around the room impressively" is a somewhat common expression (warning: I grew up in the colonies and lived in the UK for only about 5 years, so please correct ...
0
votes
0answers
25 views
How to use an idiom in a paper?
I am writing a short reflection and I'm describing a situation where I am joking around with someone. What I mean by "joking around" is playfully teasing. Would I just write, "I joked ...
0
votes
0answers
27 views
Can you tell me about the style of writing used in the Federalist Papers?
I've always found the Federalist Papers extremely hard to read. They have many complex words, long sentences, subordinate clauses, and large paragraphs. Here are two examples of sentences to frame ...
0
votes
1answer
30 views
Dramatic Writing and Behavior of primary characters in a screenplay
A way to describe a person who is smirking or their lips purse? A simple phrase or word that describes a series of conflicting and contradicting emotions being displayed by a person. The description ...
0
votes
0answers
27 views
Question regarding the order of adjectives, strictly for native American English speakers
I am a native American English speaker, although, I am interested in the following syntactic aspect, regarding the order of adjectives, as, here in the U.S. (Savannah, GA, to be exact), I've come ...
2
votes
0answers
62 views
Why were full stops used in old texts after singular words or incomplete sentences?
This is a table of 17th-century mathematical notation standards by Samuel Jeake. It looks completely alien, compared to our modern notation, but that's not relevant. What is important to note, ...
0
votes
0answers
52 views
Using the adjective “specific” as suffix
are the following structures interchangeable ??
1- This course is more specific to engineering.
2- It is more of an engineering-specific course.
0
votes
0answers
32 views
Using “to” instead of “and”
I read the following sentence in an essay:
The number of visitors to France is approximately between 8 and 10 million each year.
Can I replace "and" with "to", as follows:
The ...
0
votes
2answers
65 views
what is difference between “on” and “about”? [duplicate]
which preposition is more suitable to use and why ?
1-To find more information about the available scholarship.
2-To find more information on the available scholarship.
0
votes
0answers
13 views
Is there any free writing correction website like lang-8 for TOEFL test takers?
I found the https://lang-8.com website and it's pretty cool for writing correction in general, but I would like to know about any alternatives for specially TOEFL test takers if exist?
0
votes
1answer
49 views
Hyphenate 3/4 word compound adjective
The phrase I don't know how to hyphenate is
asset type specific keywords and patterns
and the negated version
non asset type specific keywords and patterns.
I looked around and found this Q&A ...
0
votes
0answers
17 views
Need help with a sentence in my book [duplicate]
So I'm an aspiring author and I can't wrap my head around how to write multiple peoples names in one sentence but I wrote it as...
"...while I went over Kyle, Jenny, and Marcos’s homework they ...
0
votes
0answers
43 views
Looking for a word that means helpful but not needed
This may be an odd word (not even sure if one exists), but I will give some context and maybe someone will be able to point me in the right direction.
I am writing an essay on technology that is ...
0
votes
0answers
24 views
Singleton letters in direct speech
I am writing a scene where one of the characters screams, "H" and "O-H." I want to know the best to indicate that to the reader, that the distinct letters are being pronounced, not ...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
Is it correct to write Stand accused of something by someone?
I want to know if it's ok to write:
The police stand accused of violence by protesters.
I searched the web for example of this but I didn't find any sample.
0
votes
1answer
59 views
What does this quote of Elizabeth Gaskell mean?
How easy it is to judge rightly after one sees what evil comes from judging wrongly!
-Elizabeth Gaskell
0
votes
2answers
172 views
How to describe putting on a coat [closed]
Is there a way to "he put on his coat" without actually using the verb "put on"? A friend suggested "he dressed his coat" but it sounds very strange to me.
1
vote
1answer
92 views
1
vote
1answer
93 views
“For the sake of ” in IELTS writing [closed]
Can I use "for the sake of" in my IELTS writing essay ? Thanks
0
votes
1answer
44 views
Change someone to do something
Is it natural to say "change someone to do something instead of something"?
For example, I would like to say
"I changed my program to use linear layer instead of convolution layer"....
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Can I use the word “impotence” and not refer to erectile dysfunction
I wonder whether I can use the word "impotence" to describe something as being weak or as it having fallen off.
I'm using this word in the "about me" page in stackoverflow.
...
0
votes
1answer
54 views
What word is used to describe speech patterns?
By speech patterns I mean writing out how an accent sounds. The form of writing used to analyze accents and ways of speaking in the past. I was watching The Lighthouse yesterday and I remember hearing ...
-1
votes
1answer
20 views
What means “eHealth intervention” [closed]
I am aware what eHealth is, however I cannot figure out, what "eHealth intervention" exactly means.
Specifically, can I call an app that is healthcare related an eHealth intervention?
-1
votes
1answer
42 views
indicates? indicated? indicating? [closed]
Given in the curve chart is the information indicates the share of the elderly (65 and over) among the total population spanning from 1940 to 2040.
Given in the curve chart is the information ...
0
votes
0answers
133 views
Is this right answer for “Do you like the area where you live in?” in grammatically?
Is this right answer for "Do you like the area where you live in?" in grammatically?
My answer: "To me, the best part of Seoul is there are many museums and galleries. For my major, I ...
-1
votes
1answer
266 views
Are the French words related to perfume actually used in speech by English native-speakers?
I've been shopping to buy perfume and I noticed that there are quite a few French words on the packaging of perfumes. Indeed, the English word "perfume" was not written on any of them, ...
0
votes
0answers
51 views
When a noun followed by a restrictive clause is preceded by “whichever” or “whatever”, it is incorrect to introduce the clause with *that*
When a noun followed by a restrictive clause is preceded by whichever
or whatever, it is incorrect to introduce the clause with that in
formal writing: Whatever book you want to look at will be sent ...
1
vote
0answers
27 views
Can I write this about eyes?
I looked into her egocentric eyes and told her to get lost.
Is it okay to use this kind of adjective before eyes? thanks
0
votes
1answer
93 views
<ie ⟷ y> before the ·ing suffix
Page 1579 of the CambridgeGEL reads
For die the ie is the default spelling, so that the replacement
works in the opposite direction: ie is replaced by y before the
·ing suffix.
Why was a replacement ...
0
votes
0answers
20 views
Using “the” for institutions
I would like to know when we use "the" for the institutions particularly when it is written in letters or newspapers as title/body.
As far as I understood, you don't put "the" for ...
1
vote
1answer
3k views
Is “bestfriend” an acceptable spelling now?
I'm a non-native speaker and I'd like to know if it has been grammatically acceptable in the UK or the US to write "best friend" as "bestfriend". I've seen such spelling used a lot ...
0
votes
0answers
32 views
Do we still use “for” like “because”? [duplicate]
I was wondering if the use of “for” like “because” was current use.
For example: “I haven’t come to the party, for I was tired.”
Is this used nowadays?
Or shall we say “I haven’t come to the party ...
1
vote
1answer
36 views
Which of these is correct? I or me? [closed]
“Do you want to come with Lucy and I?”
“Do you want to come with Lucy and me?”
When do we say “I” instead of “me” and “me” instead of “I”?
Thank you 😊
0
votes
2answers
53 views
Which of these sentence is correct? subjunctive or not?
“Unless he be mean, I will help him.”
“Unless he is mean, I will help him.”
Do we use the subjunctive mood? What are the verbs that require this mood? Is “unless” always followed by this mood?
(Not a ...
2
votes
2answers
181 views
Compound interrogative pronouns
I'm confused what compound interrogative pronoun are used for? And what meaning does it give to a sentence? For ex
Whoever told you so?
Which also means who told you so? But what meaning does a ...
0
votes
0answers
86 views
What’s a matter-of-fact tone?
I was wondering if a matter-of-fact tone was the same as a straightforward tone, and if these terms all mean “simple” or “without emotions”. (I am not a native speaker for that matter).
If I speak or ...
