Words describing college gates

Are there any particular words to describe gates like theses ones?![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/GQ42m.jpg) ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/5i1nk.jpg)


Is there such a sentence — "I do what I am"?

There is a sentence "I am what I do" by Martin Buber, but is there such a sentence as "I do what I am"? Do both sentences mean the same or is there a difference?


What do you call a person who loves to sit in front of the computer?

Be it surfing the net, doing work, playing games, what do you call such person who loves to stick in front of the computer? I know of some word like _netizen_ and _cybernaut_ but mostly they are referring to someone who is Internet-obsessed.


Is the word "Ambivalent" = "Ambiguous"?

`Ambivalent` = `uncertainty to do two opposite or conflicting things` = `of doubtful or uncertain nature` = `Ambiguous` The above is my understanding of the two word `Ambivalent` and `Ambiguous`. Are there any kind souls that can enlighten me by telling me the distinct differences (if there is any) of both the word?


When should the words yes and no be in quotations?

I am wondering how yes and no should be quoted when transcribing. A few examples: 1-Is that no you don't know, or no you weren't there?/Is that "no" you don't know, or "no" you weren't there? (I presume these aren't capitalized?) You said "no," right?/ You said no, right? 2-Her answer was no./Her answer was "no." 3-She said no./She said "no."/She said "No." 4-I take your silence as a no./I take your silence as a "no." Obviously, just saying yes or no to a question is a complete sentence, so should it be capitalized when quoting?


Should "yes" always be in quotation marks when written?

There is a sentence in a diary: > When I asked if my passport would arrive next week, he said "yes". So should _yes_ always be in quotation marks when written like that?


"Best Before" says "11 MA 23"; is it May or March?

I bought a bottle of juice today, and the "Best Before" date it's "11 MA 23". I always see "MA" as for March, but the store staff said that was May. What is your opinion?


Is there a difference between "cash paid" and "cash tendered"?

I notice that some receipts have the words "Cash Paid" while others have "Cash Tendered". Are there differences between them? Can they be used interchangeably? Are there situation(s) where one of them will be more suitable than the other?


Use of the superlative when only two items are present

When speaking with my mother a couple of days ago, I read to her a message I was sending to my cousin on her behalf ending with: **"... the birthday of your youngest."** [implying her child] She immediately leapt on this and said that as my cousin only had two children, the use of the superlative was not permitted and the comparative must be used instead: **"... the birthday of your _younger_ child."** She was adamant that this was a solid grammatical rule that she was taught throughout her education. As a younger Briton, I have relatively little formal grammatical education to older people who were better taught in this regard, so I usually defer to her on grammatical rule knowledge. Is she right? **Are superlatives not permitted when the domain of the object is only two?** To me it seems bizarre. The minimum or maximum of any set does not only exist when there are different minima and maxima, or indeed something which is neither.


If it is the "better" of two options (rather than "best"), is there still the "worst" of two options?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Use of the superlative when only two items are present When choosing between two items, I've always been told it's incorrect to say one is "the best". Rather, you should say one is "the better" of the two. First, is this correct? Second, if this is correct wouldn't it be inconsistent to say one is "the worst" of the two? What should you say instead?


Comparing "better" and "best"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Use of the superlative when only two items are present Is the word _better_ used in comparing two things, or do you use the word _best_? Example used in a conversation: > A: Is there any way to get over the anxiety? > > B: Drink a shit ton of alcohol or caffeine. > > A: I like the first suggestion **better/best**. Are they both correct to say?


"We provide you the ideal environment"

I wonder if I can also write "We provide you the ideal environment" or only "we provide you with the ideal environment"


Difference between "rip on someone" and "pick on someone"?

The free dictionary gives this definition for _rip on_ : > give someone a hard time; to hassle someone and this one for _pick on_ : > to harass or bother someone or something, usually unfairly It sounds pretty much the same to me, but maybe there's a slight difference I don't catch?


Only requires or requires only

I am always unsure about the position of "only" in the sentence. For example: > This ticket _only costs_ 5 dollars.   >  This ticket _costs only_ 5 dollars. Are there any difference? Which one is better?


What's the hypernym for "owned" and "rented"?

If I must ask a person if his house is owned or rented, which word would make a proper relation? I am looking for something like this: > What's your [...] with the Property (or Car, or Camera)? (Owned, rented.) I want a single word to place in there, without rephrasing the question. And doesn't need to be just a real-estate property, the subject could be anything that can be owned or borrowed.


What's the antonym for Schadenfreude?

Schadenfreude is the joy or pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others. What is the word for joy or pleasure derived from the happiness of others?


Should there be a comma in "Tell <name> <other name> says hi."?

I just wrote to someone, > Tell Alivia Wyatt says hi. Am I missing a comma? It seems like there almost has to be one between the names. I find it a strange sentence to punctuate.


Systematic version of "rummage"

What is an "antonym" of "rummage?" I cannot seem to figure out a word which means "searching systematically and tidily through a mass or receptacle."


Is the phrase "the alive animal" grammatically correct?

Is it wrong to use the phrase "The alive animal"? Is it alright to say, "The animal was alive."?


“between” vs. “among”

Today I was cut off in the middle of the following sentence: > Between Cook, Strauss, and Pietersen— My friend said I was wrong. He said that for more than two entities, _among/amongst_ are used, and that _between_ is only for two entities. I vaguely remember some rule like this, but I asked him to hear the whole sentence, which was: > Between Cook, Strauss, and Pietersen, they’ve notched up 56 centuries in > Test cricket. Should I have used _among_ here? Seems correct to me to use _between_ , but my friend was certain. Another friend pointed out the following sentence: > I’m still choosing between Harvard, Yale, and MIT. Certainly _among_ doesn’t fit seem to fit here, and she, to me, was correct in using _between_.


Is "between" always used for two things?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "between" vs "among" I know the word **"between"** is used when we are concerned with two things. But can it be used with more than two things?


"Find a new job between the posted jobs" or "Find a new job among the posted jobs"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "between" vs "among" I have a question which one of these two is the correct sentence: > Find a new job between the posted jobs. or > Find a new job among the posted jobs.


between and among? Alternate among?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "between" vs "among" I want to use the following line item under a job in a restaurant Alternated between various job roles to meet the needs of a busy fine dining restaurant Is this correct? Or should it be among instead of between. Can you use alternate with among? "


"Difference between" multiple choices (vs. "among")

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "between" vs "among" I learned that "between" refers to two objects or concepts and "among" refers to three or more. However, in situations when I am asking about distinctions, it seems correct to say, for example, "What is the difference between a horse, a zebra, and a mule?" as opposed to saying, "What is the difference among a horse, a zebra, and a mule?" What is the rule for questions like this about the "differences between" several things?


Formal expression for "talking about something unrelated"

What are some words or phrases that can be used when a person is discussing a particular subject with a group of people and unintentionally she/he talks about something unrelated? I need a formal expression.


Is there a term/word for using an incorrect homophone

What would you call the following: > Speak now or forever hold your piece.


What are the semantic roles of the nouns following the adjective 'suspicious' in this sentence?

> 'A suspicious policeman looked at a suspicious man.' Can anybody define the semantic roles of the nouns which follow the adjective 'suspicious' in the above sentence?


What does 'set up' mean in this sentence?

'Authorities are reporting a spike in thefts of Tide, and in some cities they have set up task forces where the detergent is sold to track the number of bottles in stores' Can we say its meaning is 'organize or plan something'?


Why does Amy say "So needy" in this context?

I watched an episode of Big Bang Theory, here's a recap: Subtitle of Big Bang Season 4 , Episode 17 I don't quite get it when Penny told a joke and then Amy said "So needy." over the phone holding by Sheldon. Well from ODO, needy means `poor or emotionally insecure`. I'm not sure if I'm right: `Amy thought Penny is needy because Lenerd left her`? But from the previous conversation it doesn't sound like so.


Can 'post' and 'after' used interchangeably?

I notice few colleagues use 'post' almost everywhere. Today one of them said 'lets meet up post noon' and I thought shouldn't it be 'afternoon'? I could be okay with 'post lunch' but somehow 'post noon' felt very awkward.


The Nissan manual or the Nissan's manual?

I would like to know which of the following sentences is correct and if possible, a source accompanying your answer. (Note: Only choose which sentence is correct as regards to the title, do not mind any mistakes you might find in the sentence.) > The Nissan manual is there to help you with any trouble you might have. OR > The Nissan's manual is there to help you with any trouble you might have. I do not think there is any difference, but preferably the answer follows British English rules. Also, there is no specific Nissan, it is just in general.


Word for someone talking about something as if he understands it when he doesn't

Not someone overstepping boundaries, but if, for example, I was at Jiffy Lube and suggested different things as if I knew anything about cars. Ideally (though I know it's a long shot) I'd want a word I could use when I caught myself doing it (i.e. not super derogatory, but acknowledging the social gaffe). > Sorry, I don't actually know anything about cars; I'm just [being a] __.


"Food for thought" in a word

How can I express " _food for thought_ " in a word? Does such a word exist? Example usage: > The world will only know peace when our love for power is exceeded by our > power to love. That's **__** (something to think about).


"How to *verb* this thing *another verb*..." vs. "How to *verb* this thing TO *another verb*..."?

Which one from the following two variants is the correct one?   * How to make this thing **_to_** work...?   * How to make this thing work...? I'm not an English speaker, but for me, the first variant sounds good and I used it until today. However, just today I observed that the second variant is used in many places on the internet.


Is there a word that encompasses both "receiving" and "sending"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Word for application that is both sender and receiver In the sentence _"There are many ways to receive and send information."_ , is there a word that can replace _"receive and send"_? I was thinking of the word **transmit** : _"There are many ways to transmit information."_ , But transmit seems to convey only a one-way direction instead of a two-way direction. Is there a word that encompasses the meaning of both "receiving" and "delivery" ?


Which does ‘rising’ here mean, to stand up or to get angry?

Harry was sitting up on a bed in the hospital wing at school, surrounded by his visitors. Fudge, one of them, started to insult Harry. Did Mrs. Weasley want to prevent him from getting angry or from standing up and leaving his bed? (Psychologycally or physically?) > ”Insane,” whispered Fudge, still backing away. “Mad …” > > And then there was silence. Madam Pomfrey was standing frozen at the foot of > Harry’s bed, her hands over her mouth. Mrs. Weasley was still standing over > Harry, her hand on his shoulder to prevent him from rising. Bill, Ron, and > Hermione were staring at Fudge. ( _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_ [US > Version]: p.709)


“Fire” a weapon before firearms existed?

Did the verb “fire a weapon” exist before the actual introduction of firearms on battlefields? More specifically, does it make sense for a creative work to have archers (or whatever ranged weaponry) be told to “fire!”, when the world they live in has not yet seen firearms? It seems some kind of an anachronism to me, since before firearms, “fire” would never propel any projectile... I've seen several movies do it; I can't remember them all, but for instance I verified it in _The Lord of the Rings_ trilogy (left), _Kingdom of Heaven_ (top right), and more recently _Frozen_ (bottom right): ![Snapshots of several movies using “fire!”](http://i.stack.imgur.com/R6QEr.jpg) The first two do it several times (with _Kingdom of Heaven_ also using it on ballistae, and _The Return of the King_ even having Aragorn ask Legolas to “fire a warning shot past the bosun's ear”), whereas firearms never appear on the battlefields they feature ( _Kingdom of Heaven_ is set in the 12th century; as for _The Lord of the Rings_ , apart from one occurrence of a witchcraft-ish bomb, it's archery and medieval siege engines all the way). _Frozen_ may be debatable, happening probably somewhere in the 18th or 19th century, but since we only see swords, spears and the like, it made me flinch to hear crossbowmen use “fire!”. I've also noticed other movies avoiding this, using “loose!” instead, such as _Troy_ (left) and _Gladiator_ (right): ![Snapshots of two movies using “loose!”](http://i.stack.imgur.com/gmgvp.jpg) This makes me think it would be the right thing to say instead... although I'm still wondering why not use “shoot”, which seems simpler to me.


What is the (explicit) meaning of "Till daddy takes the t-bird away"

I first heard this in an audio-book. I do understand the implicit meaning but I always wondered what this really means and the background of this phrase. I have tried searching the Internet but all I could find were lyrics of a song and other places where this is used. I am not very good at English idioms so please bare with me if I am asking something that's well known. Thanks for your time!


The grammaticality of "that don't impress me much"

I'd like to know how the sentence "That don't impress me much" sounds to a native English speaker. The phrase is the title of a song by Shania Twain, and to my eyes it contains a clear error. It is obviously intended, and I want to know what was the effect that the author wanted to obtain. Other examples that come to mind:   * “She's got a ticket to ride, but she don't care” — The Beatles   * “My love don't cost a thing” — Jennifer Lopez   * “It don't matter” — Akon   * “She don't care about me” — heard in the _Lost_ series   * “It Don't Mean a Thing” — a jazz album title   * “The Sun Don't Lie” — another album title


It Don't Mean a Thing?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  The grammaticality of "that don't impress me much" There is a jazz piece called "It Don't Mean a Thing". Should that be "It Doesn't Mean a Thing?" I've also seen an album title called "The Sun Don't Lie". Is this grammatically correct? If not, what kind of "effect" does it have?


"She don't care about me": how to explain this?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  The grammaticality of "that don't impress me much" I know the rule, the correct form is: "she doesn't care about me," but I heard it in Lost series, I read it in many lyrics; is it a mistake by the speaker or the writer? Or is it informal? I googled for it, but I didn't find useful results.


Is the expression "It don't" grammatically correct?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  The grammaticality of “that don’t impress me much” > It doesn't. Usually, we say it this way, right? But I have seen some song lyrics using "it don't". (Examples are _Breakeven_ by The Script and _Don't Matter_ by Akon). So is the expression "it don't" grammatically correct?


Double negations

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Is there a rule about double negations that aren't meant as double > negations (e.g. “We don't need no education”)?   >  Meaning of "you don't need no memory" and its grammar or rhetoric Is there any consensus yet on how double negations should be treated? For instance: > I don't need no doctor. (coll.) Does the speaker need a doctor or not? Some authorities emphasise that logic prevails, in which case the speaker would need a doctor ( _no and no means yes_ ). However, there are plenty of others who say this is not true. When one starts from the meaning of what a speaker wants to express, he would easily come to tell that double negations do NOT make a positive sentence. The aforementioned logic-thinker, however, would just call that _rum ram ruf_ and continue by saying that the world needs to learn their language again. So: intention of speaker > logical structure of language, or not? Also, as a side note, my _mother dialect_ (a Dutch (Flemish) dialect) does have double negations as its default way of making a sentence negative. Da'k 'et **nie** -j- **en** wee = That I **not** -* _en_ * know


"I don't know nothing" vs "I don't know anything"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Is there a rule about double negations that aren't meant as double > negations (e.g. "We don't need no education")?   >  Double negation I'm not a native English speaker, and this question may be very basic, but I want to learn English better, so don't hurt me with downvotes. What is the difference between "I don't know nothing" and "I don't know anything"? Do they have the same meaning or opposite ones?


Honey badger don't / doesn't care!

Why is it "Honey Badger don't care!" and not "Honey Badger doesn't care!" ?


"I give nothing to no-one" or "I do not give anything to anyone"

I have a bit of an issue with negations. Are the following correct? _I do not give anything to anyone //I guess this is correct   I give nothing to no-one //can I say that?_ Generally, is it the same to use these two statements? e.g.:   _This humour does not hurt anyone.   This humour hurts nobody. //is this acceptable?_ I do not know whether there is any difference or not.


Meaning of "you don't need no memory" and its grammar or rhetoric

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "We don't need no education" > You don't need no memory. Just don't know what it means.


Is there a rule about double negations that aren't meant as double negations (e.g. "We don't need no education")?

How can you explain that this double negation is not a double negation? Is there a rule in English about this kind of sentence? _PS / Do I have to mention Pink Floyd Copyright ? :-)_ Edit : Since there are a lot of Pink Floyd related explanation, I'll bring a Freddy Mercury one : " _I don't have time for no monkey business_ ", which I also understand as "I don't have time for monkey business". Am I right ?


When can one break the rule of using "does" instead of "do"?

> Listen, Walter, because you shot Jesse James **don't** make you Jesse James. > -- Breaking Bad Why is it _don't_ and not _doesn't_?


confusion of dont vs doesnt

i have heard that it should does/does not for he/she/it and do/don't for i/you/we/they But I am confused when i always get to hear people talking do and don't for he/she Even in a lecture i listened now it was said as, "That lady don't" instead of "that lady does not" Which one is correct?


Grammar Mistake in Jennifer Lopez Song

What is wrong with the following Jennifer Lopez's pop song ? My Love Don't Cost a Thing


"I ain’t gonna give nobody none of my jelly roll" (Armstrong, 1958)

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Is there a rule about double negations that aren't meant as double > negations (e.g. "We don't need no education")?   >  "I give nothing to no-one" or "I do not give anything to anyone" > (a)  "I ain’t gonna give nobody none of my jelly roll." Is (a), the title of one of the odder songs in the Armstrong discography, equivalent to (b) below? > (b)  "I am not going to give anybody any of my jelly roll."


Double negation

How should I interpret the following lyric from America: `we ain't had no time to drink that beer`?


"It doesn't matter" or "it don't matter "?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  The grammaticality of “that don’t impress me much” I am not a native English speaker, but until now what I read was to use **does** with **it**. But in a song _Don't Matter_ , Akon uses _**It don't matter**_ in a sentence. How's this grammatically correct?


“She’s got a ticket to ride, but she don’t care” — why?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  The grammaticality of "that don't impress me much" In the famous Beatles song _Ticket to ride_ , it is said of the protagonist that **_“she don’t care”_**. Why isn’t that _“she doesn’t care”_? Is it 1960s slang, Liverpool slang, something specific to music? I welcome any hint… ![“Ticket to ride” cover](http://i.stack.imgur.com/lLwY0.jpg)


"A child don't know anything" in Gadsby — grammatically right?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  The grammaticality of "that don't impress me much" In Gadsby, which is almost grammatically not wrong at all, occurs just a solitary construction that I thought was awkward. It is said that "... folks today who claim that 'a child don't know anything.'" "No child knows anything" could own its position, as it _is_ grammatically right, and contains not that symbol that Gadsby's author is trying to avoid. Could I obtain a justification for this display of grammatical inaccuracy? Is it a willful play on grammar? For additional information, Gadsby is a lipogram, by Mr. Wright. You can flip through it at this link.


"My love don't cost a thing"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  The grammaticality of "that don't impress me much" In the Jennifer Lopez song "My Love Don't Cost a Thing" she says: > My love don't cost a thing Shouldn't it be like this? > My love doesn't cost a thing Why does she say so?


Is "He don't mean it" correct?

When I was reading the book _Because of Winn-Dixie_ , on page 89 I found a paragraph as follows: > "Oh, lay off her," Dunlap said to Stevie. Then he turned to me. " **He don't > mean it** ," he said. Can anybody tell me why the writer uses "don't" instead of "doesn't"?


What is wrong (if anything) with the phrase "it don't mean nothing"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  The grammaticality of “that don’t impress me much”   >  “I don’t know nothing” vs “I don’t know anything” I've noticed that sometimes people say "It don't mean nothing". But I would expect to hear "It doesn't mean anything" or at least "It doesn't mean nothing". Could anyone clarify why is that? Or it's totally OK to say that? Here is an example from the movie "Hamburger Hill", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ernKt7JpNfM


What are the differences between "disseminate", "propagate" and "spread"?

What are the differences between the three words: _disseminate, propagate_ and _spread_? Here are some examples from a fill-in-the-blank test: >   1. News is __ by means of television and radio. (disseminated) >   2. Don't __ malicious reports. (propagate) >   3. Some people are keen on __ rumours. (spreading) > I want to know the specific differences of the three words, and why they cannot be replaced with each other.


Past Perfect sentences with "before"

> I had seen a documentary on the _Whydah_ before we visited it in Providence.   >  Sir Francis Drake had worked for the British Navy before he became a > pirate. These two sentences seem quite awkward to me because of the use of the Past Perfect. If Past Perfect clarifies which of two past events occured first, does the word _before_ render it unnecessary, and could they simply be written in past tense? > I saw a documentary on the _Whydah_ before we visited it in Providence.   >  Sir Francis Drake worked for the British Navy before he became a pirate.


What is the difference between "super" and "superb"?

I have seen usage of both **super** and **superb**.   I also searched for meaning of these two words and found they are almost identical. **Example sentences -**   1. She is a **super** girl.   2. His performance in the last game was **superb**. Use of any of those two words doesn't change the meaning of those above sentences either.   Need suggestion of proper usage of these two words. When to use and why?


"I hope this computer work"?

Why is the phrase "I hope this computer work" unacceptable? The word "hope" makes the phrase subjunctive, so why isn't it correct to use the infinitive verb form?


Difference between an acronym and abbreviation?

_TLA_ is an acronym for "Three Letter Acronym". Is it also an abbreviation, since it abbreviates the original phrase?


Can a word that sounds the same as the way it is spelt be an initialism and an acronym?

Initialisms are pronounced as words and acronyms are spelt letters. However, some words sound the same, said and spelt. e.g. Input Output can be abbreviated as IO. It can be spelt _I-O_ or pronounced _Io_ as in the moon/god. There is no way to tell the difference in how it is said or written. Is a word which is pronounced the way it is spelt, an initialism, an acronym or both?


Is an acronym is always pronounced as a single word?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Difference between an acronym and abbreviation?   >  Can a word that sounds the same as the way it is spelt be an initialism and > an acronym? With reference to this question Difference between an acronym and abbreviation? I am getting confused in pronouncing them as a separate entity or not. When I searched on internet it confused me more. According to it, > Unlike an abbreviation, an acronym is usually pronounced as a word. You do > not pronounce it letter by letter. The British Broadcasting Corporation is > often abbreviated to BBC. We pronounce all three letters. In the case of > acronyms like NATO and AIDS, we pronounce them as words. On the contary, _PHP is Hypertext Preprocessor_ , a recursive acronym which is not pronounced as a word. Rather, we do say each letter separately but it is still an acronym. So clear my confusion over it.


Acronym or abbreviation?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Difference between an acronym and abbreviation? My question refers to the term/word ET. Some dictionaries define it as acronym standing for "extra terrestrial" and others say it is an abbreviation for extraterrestrial. Could ET be both an acronym _and_ an abbreviation?


The word "Overachieving"

Does "Overachieving" have negative connotations? I was considering the title "The Overachieving subconscious" I am trying to convey that 'your subconscious is a very powerful tool' with this title; however, reading it aloud has me second guessing the titles effectiveness.


Where to position adverbs

They may sound both correct but which one is more acceptable in standard written English? > She is writing a letter **now**. or > She is **now** writing a letter. Thanks


Is "have" as in "I have to go" a stative verb or a dynamic verb?

You generally have two types of "have": > (1) He has two sons. (stative) > > (2) He has lunch alone. (dynamic) A stative "have" can be followed by "got", whereas a dynamic "have" cannot: > (1a) He has got two sons. (stative) > > (2a) *He has got lunch alone. (dynamic) A dynamic "have" can appear in the progressive, whereas a stative "have" cannot: > (1b) *He is having two sons. (stative) > > (2b) He is having lunch alone. (dynamic) Now, is the following "have" stative or dynamic? > (3) I have to go. > > (3a) I have got to go. > > (3b) I'm having to go.


Pluralization: No's vs Nos

I was watching an Apple ad, and came across a sentence in which they form the plural of "no" with an apostrophe: > There are a thousand no's for every yes But shouldn't it be nos? Or is this just for the sake of readability? Like, > We need to dot the i's and cross the t's Edit: Apparently this has been discussed all over the web.


Proper apostrophe usage?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is the proper way to write the plural of a single letter? (another > apostrophe question)   >  Plurals of acronyms, letters, numbers — use an apostrophe or not? Take for example, you ask somebody is there's two of one letter in somebody's name. I normally write: > Two n's in Hannah? Because this looks weird: > Two ns in Hannah? Is there an English rule that approves of this apostrophe usage? Do you do it? Am I wrong for thinking _ns_ looks wierd?


What's the proper usage of apostrophes in plural abbreviations?

If I were to abbreviate the word _university_ , I would most likely write _uni_ — or would _uni’_ be more correct? If I wanted to say _universities_ , would I write _unis_ or _uni’s_? My gut instinct would be to go with _unis_ , but are there any particular rules regarding this?


How should one talk about multiple Greek letters in text?

I'm writing an academic paper in economics, and I'm using several different instantiations (I guess) of the Greek letter mu in several different mathematical equations. If I want to refer to all of them in my descriptive text, how should I do so? Should I write "mus"? Or "mu's"? Or should I insert the character itself, followed by just an "s"? Or followed by an " 's "?


"Hail Mary", "Glory Be" in the plural

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is the proper way to write the plural of a single letter? (another > apostrophe question) In the rosary, a Catholic sacramental composed of prayer beads, there is a short prayer concluding each decade called "Glory Be" ("Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit..."). Would the plural be _Glory Bes_ or _Glory Be's_? Likewise, do you say _10 Hail Marys_?


How should I pluralize letters?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is the proper way to write the plural of a single letter? (another > apostrophe question) Sometimes, it becomes necessary to refer to, for instance, the instances of the letter "A" in a document. When doing so, how should I format the plural letter? I have seen `A's`, `"A"s`, `"A"'s`, and `"A"es`. Is one of these the optimal formatting, or is it something else entirely? I would like to ignore the option of rephrasing the sentence, if at all possible.


Plurals of acronyms, letters, numbers — use an apostrophe or not?

When I was in high school back in the 1970s, I was taught that to make a plural of an acronym, a letter, or a number, one should add an apostrophe and "s". Like I would have written this sentence, "... back in the 1970's ..." I would write "one CD, two CD's". Etc. I followed this rule faithfully for years until a co-worker told me it was wrong. Now I can't find _any_ source that agrees with what I was taught. Is this a rule that has changed over time? Was the convention in the 70s that one should use an apostrophe but this has changed and now we do not? Or were my high school English teachers just confused?


What is the proper way to write the plural of a single letter? (another apostrophe question)

When writing (a blog post, script, etc..) what is the proper way to indicate two or more instances of a single letter? For instance, in Monty Python's _Bookshop Sketch_ : > C: I wonder if you might have a copy of "Rarnaby Budge"? > > P: No, as I say, we're right out of Edmund Wells! > > C: No, not Edmund Wells - Charles Dikkens. > > P: (pause - eagerly) Charles Dickens?? > > C: Yes. > > P: (excitedly) You mean "Barnaby Rudge"! > > C: No, "Rarnaby Budge" by Charles Dikkens. That's Dikkens with two Ks, the > well-known Dutch author. > > P: (slight pause) No, well we don't have "Rarnaby Budge" by Charles Dikkens > with two Ks, the well-known Dutch author, and perhaps to save time I should > add that we don't have "Karnaby Fudge" by Darles Chickens, or "Farmer of > Sludge" by Marles Pickens, or even "Stickwick Stapers" by Farles Wickens > with **four M's** and a silent Q!!!!! Why don't you try W. H. Smith's? > > C: Ah did, They sent me here. I had always believed that plural never uses an apostrophe before the 's' (it's only used for possession), but I have rarely seen in written material the format "four Ms". (On a side note, whoever wrote this transcript also used "two Ks".) On a side note, and perhaps this should be a separate question, if a Compact Disc is a CD, then two Compact Discs would be two CDs right? (I see "CD's" written _everywhere_ )


uninterested / me too or me either

Which statement is grammatically correct? A: I am uninterested. B: Me too./ So am I. * * * A: I am uninterested. B: I am uninterested either./ Neither am I.


What is the difference between using "over" and "against" with the word "outrage"?

Examples: > 1 - An outrage against the ruling. > > 2 - An outrage over the ruling. It seems that they are almost the same thing to me.


When is it appropriate to end a sentence in a preposition?

Like many others, I commonly find myself ending a sentence with a preposition. Yes, it makes me cringe. I usually rewrite the sentence, but sometimes (in emails) I just live with it. _To_ , _with_... you know who you are. Should I keep fighting myself on this one, or is it okay in some circumstances?


"I'm very interested in." vs "in which I'm very interested."

> You should sell me that book I'm very interested in or is it better to write it as > You should sell me that book in which I'm very interested I know that the former is more informal than the latter, but what I do not know is whether the former is well written or not (I'm not used to write sentences that end up with a preposition)


Do prepositions at the end of sentences, and split infinitives any longer matter?

In the 1950s we were strongly discouraged from placing prepositions at the end of sentences, and also from using split infinitives. Is this considered important now?


Ending a clause with a preposition, rule of thumb or hard rule?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it okay to end a sentence in a preposition? So we've all heard the admonishments from our teachers not to end a clause with a preposition > A plumber visits a wealthy estate to fix a clogged toilet. As the butler > opens the door, the plumber barks out,"I'm here to fix the toilet. Where's > your bathroom at?" > > "Please try to speak with more discretion. We do not want to disturb our > neighbors with the details of our plumbing issues. And we most certainly do > not end our sentences with prepositions, sir. > > So the plumber lowers his tone and says more cordially, "I'm here to fix the > toilet. Where's your bathroom at, asshole." Anyway, back to the matter at hand. I have come under the impression that this is a rule of thumb to help the elementary student avoid mismatching case for the target of the preposition rather than a hard rule. For example by placing the preposition closer to its target, you avoid constructs like: "Who did you give the invitation to?" instead of the proper "To whom did you give the invitation?". Moving the preposition closer makes the incorrect case sound absurd. No one would ever say "To who did you give the invitation?" All of this introductory text leads up to this simple question: Is this phrase correct "Whom did you give the invitation to?" or is it still incorrect english even though we addressed the issue of case?


A question ending with preposition "of"

I would like to know whether this is correct: > He uses a car **instead of** a bus. > > What does he use a car **instead of**?


Is this sentence grammatically correct?

> **Duplicate of:**   >  When is it appropriate to end a sentence in a preposition?   >  Possessive connecting word for inanimate object I am not sure about following sentence being grammatically correct: > ..such as the X fund the board of directors of which I have just became a > member. OR > such as the X fund whose board of directors I have just became a member > (of?).


"for which 'blah blah'" vs. "which 'blah blah' for"

When is it appropriate to use "for which" instead of "which .. for"? e.g. (talking about webpages) > This method is useful for deprecated pages **for which** users have made > bookmarks vs > This method is useful for deprecated pages **which** users have made > bookmarks **for** My instinct is that both sentences are semantically the same. The first example seems a little archaic, and it seems to clash with my prior use of "for". However, the second example doesn't seem to emphasis that the bookmark is for the deprecated page. Is there any meaningful difference? Which should I prefer, and it what other circumstances should I use one over the other? Thanks for reading


Can I end a sentence with "on"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it okay to end a sentence in a preposition? Does this sentence make sense "I would like to propose forming a partnership where we work together to provide optimal service to the new developments you are building, or have already started construction on."


There is a new search of which I've become aware / .. I've become aware of?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it appropriate to end a sentence in a preposition? I would like to know which is correct and why: > There is a new search of which I've become aware. or > There is a new search I've become aware of.


What would be proper grammar for this sentence?

Could you please tell me how to properly write the following sentence? I believe I know the grammar rule but I must not be creative enough to think of an alternative sentence structure. Here's the sentence: > I would love to see houses you've been looking at. I've never really figured out how to change a sentence like this without sounding really pompous. Such as, "I would love to see houses at which you've been looking". This sentence sounds weird and awkward to me.


Clauses ending with prepositions

I often hear the rule, "Don't end a sentence with a preposition." As long as we ignore the prepositions in phrasal verbs, it makes sense that an object should follow a preposition. By the same logic, it seems like clauses should not end with prepositions either. This makes me think that the rule I've heard is oversimplified. Where does it come from, and do any standard guidelines have anything to say about trailing prepositions in the contexts of clauses and/or phrasal verbs?


History of the non-rule that proscribes ending a sentence with a preposition

Famously, if not accurately, Winston Churchill is supposed to have responding to an editor who had "fixed" a sentence ending with a preposition by writing, "This is the sort of thing up with which I will not put." The terminal preposition/adverb construction is often required in German grammar and I am asking if the English "rule" that proscribes the usage arose as an expression of anti-German sentiment around about the time either the two world wars started up. What is the history of this "rule?"


Why do so many people use a preposition with which to end a sentence?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it okay to end a sentence in a preposition? I see it a lot, even though my elementary teacher told me it is wrong. This is probably a new development, a sign that our language is in decay. Soon none of us will be able to understand each other. But this sloppiness is a disaster, up with which I will not put. What are your own experiences with this terrible phenomenon? How may we roll it back? Should moderators strike out at such language abuse? What do you do to correct your friends, family, and colleagues? Do you leave them notes, too? Voice mails? Should all existing literature be corrected and republished as well, the old editions burned?


ending a sentence with a preposition

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it appropriate to end a sentence in a preposition? "a soul can sense when it’s being talked to." Does this sound OK? I don't like ending with a preposition, but it does get the point across. Any suggestions to replacing the phrase "being talked to" Thanks After reading similar questions on this topic, Edward Tanguay referenced a site, http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/prepositions/ending-a- sentence-with-a-preposition.html which basically states to avoid confusion try not ending with a preposition. So I'll change it from: "a soul can sense when it’s being talked to." to one of these: "a soul can sense when it’s being summoned." "a soul can sense when it’s being addressed." Not exactly the meaning I wanted, but gets the preposition out of the way. Thanks,


Sentences that end in "with"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it appropriate to end a sentence in a preposition? If I can't end a sentence with the preposition "with", does this mean that the following sentences are grammatically wrong? If so, why? > At least we have some information to work with. > > She is finding the job very hard to cope with. > > Blasphemy is one thing I will not put up with. Does anyone else have any examples of sentences ending with, with?


Is it ok to end a sentence with a preposition?

I have a sentence: > It can be derived from either A or B. But I’m not sure how to ask the following question: > Which one of them can it be derived from? Is that ok, or would it be better if it were like this: > From which one of them can it be derived?


Placement of preposition

Which of the following is the correct placement of _of_ -   1) Separate the subject from the group which he is a part _of_.   2) Separate the subject from the group _of_ which he is a part.


Where to put the preposition of "approve"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it appropriate to end a sentence in a preposition? In this answer I wrote > [You can use it] to take pictures of a movie in a cinema, of which the > cinema guys probably wouldn't approve. but I am not sure if it should rather be > [You can use it] to take pictures of a movie in a cinema, which the cinema > guys probably wouldn't approve of. I found this page but I'm still unable to find out which example it relates to. (... to which example it relates?)


"Should I" vs. "Shall I" vs. "Do I" in AE

In colloquial prose, is there some difference to saying "Should I/we", Shall I/we", "Do I/we" to ask someone's advice? E.g. > Should I call the police? Sounds like I'm asking someone (or myself) if I would be well advised to call the police. > Should we call the police? Sounds like I'm asking someone (or a third party) if we would be well advised to call the police. > Shall I/we call the police? Sounds like I'm asking someone to decide on whether I/we should call the police. > Do I/we call the police? Sounds like I'm asking someone if it's necessary I/we call the police (e.g. in case something in the neighborhood doesn't look or feel right to me/us) Am I right on these ones or are there some other differences I didn't notice?


Using "are many" in sentence

I saw this sentence somewhere, and since I am not native speaker, this seemed weird to me. The part "are many" made the sentence not complete in my eyes and made it weird. Did they use it correctly? > The techniques and tools we use to defend our castle are many, most of them > not available to random people. Please don't mind that the sentence does not make much sense in general.


"Have been born" vs. "are born" vs. "were born"

> We are native to this country. We have been born here to serve it. Is the use of "have been" acceptable here? I think the simple past _were_ is more appropriate. Also, what about: > We are native to this country. We **are born** here to serve it Does that sound grammatical?


Fox and dog terms as applied to women

My curiosity here arises from the fact that it seems bizarre that "fox" and "dog" (not terribly dissimilar creatures - see Belyaev's fox experiment) would have such opposite meanings when used in reference to women. According to the online etymology dictionary fox n. > Meaning "sexually attractive woman" is from 1940s; but foxy in this sense is > recorded from 1895. In addition to the noun form, foxy, "stone cold fox" and vixen (a female fox) all carry connotations of sexually-alluring women (though vixen, as seen below, seems to have a more negative origin): > The figurative sense "ill-tempered woman" is attested from 1570s. The > spelling shift from -f- to -v- began late 1500s (see V). Referring to a woman as a dog or a "female dog" is an insult (for the most part). dog n. > Slang meaning "ugly woman" is from 1930s. Assuming that humans do not find foxes more sexually attractive than dogs as a matter of course, I'm wondering how the origins of these meanings may have shaped their divergent connotations.


What is the difference between "safe" and "vault"?

What is the difference between _safe_ and _vault_ , where both the words refer to a place where to put things you want to keep safe? As additional question, why does _vault_ seem more frequently used in computer jargon? For example, the Mac OS X has a _File vault_ , and _vault_ is the word used from anti-virus programs to refer to a place where infected files are kept.


Appearance of "is is" in speech patterns

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  “The thing is, is that…”   >  Why do some people say “the reason is is that,” with “is” twice in a row? For the past few years I've been noticing a curious phenomenon. People are quite commonly saying things like "... the problem _is is_ that we don't have access to ...". It appears that the first "is" has been grafted onto the semantic unit of "the problem" and is no longer being perceived as being present, so the speaker has to add the second "is". I first thought that this might be related to situations where a repeated "is" is valid, such as               ... the question is "Is this our only option?" ...      but it seems to occur mostly in constructs of the form               ... the [x] is that ...      instead. I seem to be very sensitive to this and hear it several times a day, often on local or national news broadcasts. In fact, it's now jarring (in a good way) when I hear someone NOT repeating "is".   1. Is there a name for this phenomenon?   2. Is it as rampant as it appears to me?


What is the grammar of the double 'is' in these examples?

Some sentences have a double 'is' in them. I know that we must have the verb to be in a nominal sentence, but these sentences have a double 'is'. Can anyone tell me which 'is' acts as the verb to be as part of the nominal sentence - and therefore whats the grammar of the other 'is'? Examples: 'What it **is is** a legal device which confirms the working of a release from debt which would otherwise be invalid.' (This example was taken from the BNC online language corpus) Here's two examples that I would hear in Britain: 'Why don't you take the job?' 'Well, what it **is is** that I hate dealing with customers.' 'What's this strange machine?' 'Well, what it **is is** a new type of coffee maker.'


The problem is is that

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  “The thing is, is that…” Does anyone know when or why people started saying things like > The problem is is that... or > The thing is is that... It's as if they are using _isthat_ as a combined single word. Does the word _isthat_ exist in any modern dictionary? I can't find it anywhere.


Repeated word use - Terminology

Can anyone tell me what this type of repetitive use of two words together in a phrase is actually called? For example:   * "What it is, is..."


What's up with "is is"

I keep hearing people who do not ordinarily stutter or stammer say "is is" when they mean "is". Is this a known mental disorder?


Why do some people say "the reason is is that," with "is" twice in a row?

Does anybody have any conjectures as to why this quirk is so common? For an example, see this TED talk by Kevin Slavin.


What is the origin of the slang term “book” meaning “leave” or “hurry”?

This verb is used in expressions such as “I’ll see you later – gotta book now”. _Dictionary.com_ has: >   1. Slang. b. to leave; depart: _I’m bored with this party, let’s book._¹ > Anybody know the origin of this slang term?


Verb agreement of "heaps"/"lots": uncountable nouns

I am a non-native English speaker and I recently started noticing that most people do not do the correct agreement of the verb with the noun when saying "there is"/"there was"/"here is". They say, for example, > **There's two** things in my pocket instead of > **There are** two things in my pocket as it should be. In discussing this issue in two distinct occasions I was asked whether the word "heaps" also should be preceded by the plural form of the verb (and the same for "lots"). I could not answer it, but I think the answer depends on whether the noun is countable or not. So, for example, I could say > There **are heaps** of glasses on the table.   >  There **is a heap** of glasses on the table. but if the noun is uncountable, I am not so sure. I would think that the only correct option is to say > There **is a lot/heap of** water in the glass but native speakers say > There **is lots of** water in the glass Is the latter correct in terms of usage ("lots of"/"heaps of" + uncountable noun) and in terms of verb agreement ("there is" + "lots"/"heaps")?


What are words that use to mean due date and cut date of a credit card?

Let's say my due date is on 15 of every month and the bank summarize my spending I made on 1 of everyone. For example, I have to pay all expense I made from January 2, 2012 to February 1 2012 on February 15, 2012. I have two questions here:   1. What to call the day that the back summarize a monthly payment, February 1 in this example?   2. Is there another word to call due date, February 15 in this case?


A single word for an inanimate object that is very old and held in high esteem

What is an adjective for an inanimate object that is very old and held in very high esteem? Especially in the context of buildings for example: The government building is **___ __ ___** . Many people flock to visit it every year. Antique doesn't seem to be a good choice as it doesn't always give the meaning of something being held in very high esteem.


What is “context specific”?

In the following sentence: > They neglected the fact that development necessarily is culture and context > specific and that the specificity concerns the observer as well. What does it mean that something is “context specific”? Or did I misunderstand, and it means that development _is_ culture? Should it be “development is _culturally_ and _contextually_ specific”?


Person, Persons, People, Peoples

Can you please clarify the relation and differences between these nouns? For example, is it proper to use "persons" instead of "people"? Are they the same? As I believe that "people" is plural, how come there exists the plural of the plural (=peoples)? Does it have any usage?


Correct usage of "persons" (vs. "people")

I had a little fight about _persons_ vs. _people_. Could you advise if both of the following are correct, if possible with reference to a dictionary? >   1. A table for two people please. >   2. A table for two persons please. > Besides that, how would you ask for a table in a restaurant? I read http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/persons and Person, Persons, People, Peoples, but they didn't really solve the question if both are correct. I also found the last paragraph of http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/person, which suggests that (1) is "more correct", but doesn't say (2) is wrong.


Does the word "peoples" exist, and if so, when do you use it?

> **Possible Duplicates:**   >  "People" or "peoples" when referring to an indigenous population?   >  Person, Persons, People, Peoples I've seen someone using the word "peoples" today, with a vehement claim that it "is NOT grammatically incorrect". I searched on the net, but I got links (such as this) which suggests it is correct. Either way, is there a reference which could settle this issue ?


"People" or "peoples" when referring to an indigenous population?

Let's say we are talking about the indigenous pukapuka who live in Pluto. What is correct: "the pukapuka people" or "the pukapuka peoples"? I've read somewhere the usage of "peoples" in this context, and it has surprised me.


Would the word "peoples" be used to mean many different cultures?

I'm writing a book, and I don't know if I'm using the word peoples right. I'm fairly sure it IS a word, but I don't know its exact use.


Determiners and Plurality in literature

Many times we come across examples like these :- > Hobbits are **an** unobtrusive but very ancient people... > > For they are **a** little people, smaller than Dwarves... ~ From The > Fellowship of the Ring, JRR Tolkien Is the first sentence grammatically correct? To me it seems 'an' shouldn't go with 'people'. Is it just a play of language by Tolkien or a regular form. When are such phrases correct and when would they be incorrect? In the second sentence, 'a' ruins the regular English and sounds weird. Again, are there examples from other writers? When are such sentences correct?


The plural of "people"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "People" or "peoples" when referring to an indigenous population?   >  Person, Persons, People, Peoples Is it possible to add "s" at the end of the word "people" to make it plural? If so, what does it mean?


"Should character education be part of the curriculum that perspective teachers are exposed to in their credentialing program?" — is this too wordy?

> Should character education be part of the curriculum that perspective > teachers are exposed to in their credentialing program?


Pronunciation of foreign words by foreign speakers

I've used English for a long time and it isn't immediately obvious to others that I'm native French. Whenever I speak a French word or place name in English I wonder whether I should pronounce it like English or French speakers would. (Of course I always use English pronunciation for common place names like Paris.) Using French pronunciation can sound pretentious, but English pronunciation can too, especially if part of the audience speaks French and knows that I am native French. This question is similar. My question focuses on native French speakers that speak in English to an audience of both English and French natives. Which pronunciation draws less attention?


What is the difference between an apocalypse and a cataclysm? I've been told that an apocalypse is an act of God, but we seem to use it as a generic term for any grand disaster. What is the difference in original and current usage?


When should "farther" and "further" be used?

I know I learned the difference between the usage of **farther** and **further** in school, but I can never remember where each one should be used. Can someone help me out here?


"fluent with search engines" - is fluency only related to languages?

I'm helping my friend write her CV in English and there was one phrase that felt natural to me at first, but then I was not exactly certain if it's correct: > fluent with search engines Is it allowed to say so in English?


Which is more correct here: "find" vs. "have found"?

I recently came across this sentence from an e-mail I received and have pondering thoughts about it: > I have completed an evaluation of your application file and **find** that > the items listed below must be submitted. Should it be "have found" in place of "find" since the activity of completing the evaluation and finding the items occurred in the past?


Is a “blue bird” the same as a “bluebird”？

Is “blue bird” in the following quotation from _Lady Chatterley’s Lover_ referring to an actual bluebird? > The lush, dark green of hyacinths was a sea, with buds rising like pale > corn, while in the riding the forget-me-nots were fluffing up, and > columbines were unfolding their ink-purple ruches, and there were bits of > **blue bird** ’s eggshell under a bush.


What concepts are formed in a mind of a native English speaker when using the articles a, an, the?

I have been learning English intensively for 8 years and have been living and speaking in the UK/USA for the past 5 years. It has been 7 years since I have been thinking in English without the need of translation to my mother tongue, however I have to admit I cannot use the articles in English properly. I could learn all the standard rules (indeed I have), but there are many exceptions as it seems to me. I just do not imagine the right use of the articles automatically. When writing I frequently come across dilemmas or even trilemmas: a definite or an indefinite article or no article? I would like a native English speaker to describe to me in detail what exactly one imagines in one's head when hearing a word with no article, an indefinite article and a definite article. I think in the text I wrote here I managed to use the articles properly, however in more complex situations I waver. For example my current imagination can be described:   1. When hearing a word with an indefinite article, I imagine one item of something new I do not have in my consciousness right now or one item for which I am concerned only with its existence, any other item of that type would do.   2. When hearing a word with a definite article, I search the concept in my head which I already know about, have heard just now or is somewhere present around me or it is something specific that the other speaker tries to convey to me.   3. When hearing a word without an article I imagine it is either something I cannot count and then the imagination is similar to 1. Or it is the name of something, not necessarily a given name, but the name I use for that concept, e.g. father (referring to my father).


all but.. none but.. usage

I'm a bit confused with the usage of _all but_ and _none but_ : >   1. " _We are all but defenseless_ " - should mean we are **definitely** > defenseless? >   2. " _None but misfortunes follow_ " - **only** misfortunes follow? > Were _all but_ and _none but_ used correctly here? How do you use them correctly? There seems to be a contradiction.


Should I put an indefinite article in front?

> There are two main approaches to extracting information from less structured > or even free text web pages: classification-based approach and sequential > labeling-based approach. It is from my thesis. A revision suggestion from the committee is that I should add an indefinite article before "classification". In other words, change the whole sentence to: > There are two main approaches to extracting information from less structured > or even free text web pages: a classification-based approach and a > sequential labeling-based approach. The revised version would sound a little strange to my ears. Is it correct?


What do you call this type of lock?

What is the general term for the locks in these photos? ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/HL1fu.jpg) The trademark name is _Codelock_ , and I would call them _electronic locks_ or _keyless locks_ , but is there another term, especially for the kind that operates by mechanical rather than electronic means?


"Created them flawless/flawlessly"

Which is correct? > He created them **flawless**. > > He created them **flawlessly**. If _flawlessly_ is correct, what is it an adverb of?


What are differences between a "panel" a "board" and a "think tank"?

I am sorry if my question is stupid, but I can't figure out the difference between these three.


What is the origin and scope of usage of the phrase "Voodoo That You Do So Well"?

I heard it in the couple movies and podcasts, and was able to trace it to the Cole Porter song "You Do Something to Me" from 1929. I think it's where it came from, but I just want to be sure. Also, how popular it is among native speakers/Americans, and what group of people using it the most? Age, race, gender, type of a person if possible.


Grammar behind the song title 'The Way I Are'

You might know the song called _The Way I Are_ by Timberland featuring Keri Hilson. I am very confused here. How does _The Way I Are_ make sense?


Does "criticism" imply positive as well as negative?

I thought I was always taught at school that _criticism_ meant evaluation and opinion, either positive _or_ negative. These days, it seems _criticism_ , or to _criticise_ , is almost exclusively used to mean negative commentary. Dictionaries seem to acknowledge both variations, but has there been a semantic shift in the words recently, and what is the usual meaning? Wikipedia, for example, has many _Criticism_ sections which are generally a list of negative opinions. Whilst I know they are discouraged for this reason, would they semantically be better named _Negative Criticism_ sections? On the other hand, a film _critic_ is still assumed to give as many positive reviews as negatives, so this would seem inconsistent.


Word for a "grand, symbolic action"?

What word would mean "a grand, symbolic action" more specifically, taken in an attempt to prove a point?   For example, I am trying to figure out the word that would fill in the following sentence using the above definition: > "Charlie gave every last dime he had to charity, just to prove that he > didn't care about material possessions. That's one hell of a [ _word-for- > grand-symbolic-action_ ]!"


What does "on its way out" mean?

What does this phrase mean? I think of maybe something is going to be really famous in the future, but now it's just not so popular. And it's on its way out. Is that correct?


What is the proper substitute for "Batmanning"?

After planking, owling and leisure dive, now there is the trend which is called "Batmanning". Obviously it is a made-up word. Is there a proper substitute for it? What is the verb that defines the act when a bat hangs from somewhere?


It's ideal for "you" or "yourselves"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it correct to use "yourself" and "myself" (versus "you" and "me")? Are both _It's ideal for **you**_ and _It's ideal for **yourselves**_ grammatically correct? If not, why certain persons use 'you' while other ones use 'yourselves'?


When to use "myself" or "me"

Which is grammatically correct? >   * "Request you to register me for the course" >   * "Request you to register myself for the course" >


Use of reflexive pronoun (you or yourself)?

Given the choice in sentences: >   * I appreciate the help from both yourself and Bob. >   * I appreciate the help from both you and Bob. > Which is correct? I'm stuck because I can't seem to understand reflective pronouns. Can "yourself" only be used when the subject is also "you"?


Myself / Me--Which is correct here?

I gave everyone at the company, including myself, a huge Christmas bonus. Is "including myself"—not "including me"—correct here? Thank you.


"Me" or "Myself"- which one is correct here?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it correct to use "yourself" and "myself" (versus "you" and "me")? > you and **_myself/me_** will enjoy the function being arranged in honor of > the new principal. "Me" or "Myself"- which one is correct here and why?


You can contact John, Jane or me (myself) for more information

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it correct to use "yourself" and "myself" (versus "you" and "me")? In a conversation, how is is correct to say: > You can contact John, Jane or **me** for more information ... or > You can contact John, Jane or **myself** for more information ...


Can "myself" stand for both "me" and "I" in "my mother and I/me"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it correct to use "yourself" and "myself" (versus "you" and "me")? In one of my older questions I asked for an explanation of the difference between “people like you” and “people like yourself”, where it's clear that **yourself** can stand instead of **you** in such sentence. What bothers me more is another, more difficult situation: * * * Let's define the correct sentence: > My mother and I were standing at the bus stop. Now, in the above sentence, can I emphasize my own person by doing the following? > My mother and myself were standing at the bus stop. * * * Also, trying with another sentence, but a bit difference: > They saw my mother and me standing at the bus stop. Can I do the same with this sentence too? > They saw my mother and myself standing at the bus stop. * * * If both of the above situations are correct, that means that _myself_ can be used instead of both _me_ and _I_ , thus becoming ambiguous?


reflexive pronoun use

Which is better? "You" vs. "Yourself" (referring to God) "Draw us close to You." or "Draw us close to Yourself." "Bring us back to You." or "Bring us back to Yourself."


"Ourselves" versus "Us"—sentence-specific use?

I'm confused about when to use _ourselves_ and when to use _us_. I looked at this question, but I'm not sure how to generalize that answer to the sentence I am working with. > We need to base our judgments about how safely people will act toward > ourselves and our children on how well we know them and their behavior in > the moment. My inclination is to tell the author to change _ourselves_ to _us_. Is that correct? > We need to base our judgments about how safely people will act toward us and > our children on how well we know them and their behavior in the moment. In the sentence, _we_ refers to parents in general as a whole in society.


Jim and Myself?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it correct to use “yourself” and “myself” (versus “you” and “me”)?   >  Doubt about the subject in this phrase: I, me, or myself?   >  Use of “myself” in business-speak Does it make sense to say that? For example: Jim and myself could not attend the party. If not, how would I say it? Thanks.


"I am I", "I am myself", or "I am me"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  When is it correct to use “yourself” and “myself” (versus “you” and “me”)? According to Google Ngram, "I am myself" is more common that "I am I", but which is correct? Also, the verb "to be" is intransitive. That means a subject must follow the verb. So does this mean "I am I" is more grammatical?


Use of pronouns with "and"

Which would be correct: > Bill is making a cake for Karin and I or > Bill is making a cake for Karin and myself


What should I call the English spoken in UK?

I have read that saying British English is too specific, and that I should say English English. Is that true? When I say British English, what do people think I am referring to?


"Half an hour" versus "half hour"

> I'll be back in half an hour. > I'll be back in half hour. Which is the correct sentence? Are there any differences between British English, and American English?


Is there a fine line between symbolism and metaphors in literature?

Assume we have a literary masterpiece that is abundant in symbolism and metaphors. Within this masterpiece, the author uses a brook running through a glade of trees to represent a couple of things within his novel. Here is where I get confused with the true difference between what is a symbol and what is a metaphor. The brook supposedly represents a character within the book, so to me this means it's a symbol. Yet the path that the brook takes through the glade is also supposed to represent various aspects of the life of the character, which to me is a metaphor. So here is my question: can an object be both a symbol and a metaphor at the same time? If not, then how does one determine which of the two it is?


“I like to do (be) something” vs “I like doing (being) something”

This is what I read in an answer to a previous question: > **Verbs Followed by Either Gerund or Infinitive** > > Sometimes the meaning changes according to the verb used. > >   * <…> >   * (dis)like >   * <…> > I’d like to ask a more specific question: What is that change in the case of _(dis)like_ , exactly? What is the difference between, say, _I like being married_ and _(?) I like to be married_ , _I like to eat paper_ and _I like eating paper_?


being p.p or to be p.p.? and the reason?

I like being taken to the park. I like to be taken to the park. Which one do you say? or do you say both of them? if so, when? Could you possibly elaborate your explanations? Thanks in advance


Catenatives followed by infinitives and gerunds

What is the difference in meaning when the catenative verb “like” is followed by an infinitive, or by a gerund? For example: > Do you like ski jumping? vs. > Do you like to ski jump? Also, what is the difference between: > My brother taught me to read and write. vs. > My brother taught me reading and writing.


what is the difference between to be p.p. and to be a simple verb?

I do not understand the difference between the followings except the part that I have already marked *. I know the * what it means but I can not understand its different with B. >   * B: like to be taken to the park. > >   * *:I like being taken to the park. > > * * * >   * I like to be married. > >   * I like being married. > > * * * >   * I like to be forty. > >   * I like being forty. > >


I don't like [you to go there]

>   1. I don’t like you **going** there. >   2. I don’t like you **to go** there. > _Like_ can take both _-ing_ and a to-infinitive as complement. But can the expression that the matrix subject and the subject of to-infinitive are different, as (2), be used? OALD says “We'd like **you to come** and visit us” is possible. But I’m not sure if (2) is possible. * * * added samples after consulting Angela Downing's English Grammar, BNC, and COCA: > And her mother did not like **her to be out** for too long. (Angela Downing, > English Grammar, from BNC)   >  He did not like **her to leave** his side for more than a day. (T S Eliot. > Ackroyd, Peter. London, from BNC)   >  Christina did not like **them to receive** such a bad impression of Crystal > Springs. (BNC)   >  she did not like you to call them geraniums! (BNC)   >  However, schools did not like **students to feel** at home in arts and > science. (BNC)   >  Mrs Mantini did not like **Rachaela to sit and read** in the shop. (BNC)   >  Dear mamma did not like **me to use** them. (COCA)   >  David McCutcheon talked with therapists about the one thing he did not like > **women to do**. (COCA)   >  We did not like **them to run** free, leaving us at the mercy of their > floods. (COCA)   >  Dad did not like **kids to touch** his desk. (COCA)   >  The woman did not like **him to speak** of dying, death, burial. (COCA)


"love to be with" or "love being with"

My sons have a good friend called Ben. I thought I could say, " My sons love to be with Ben". But when I said it to his mother, she replied to me by saying, "Ben also loves being with them as well." Can't we say "love to be with" or are both "love to be with" and "love being with" correct? Is there any difference between these two?


"I love to [verb]" vs "I love [gerund]"

> **Possible Duplicates:**   >  Catenatives followed by infinitives and gerunds   >  “I like to do (be) something” vs “I like doing (being) something” What is the difference between "I love to sing" and "I love singing"?


Is "still" being used correctly in "I love you still"?

I've heard this sentence in a song ('Build me up buttercup'): > When you say you will, **but I love you still** I'm used to seeing _still_ in front of the verb or auxiliary verb as in "I still love you". Can _still_ be used at the end of the sentence as in the song?


What does "short" mean in "Did the flight crew simply land the aircraft short?"?

The sentence in the title is from a piece of news online: > Based on the debris field, the aircraft appears to have struck the rock sea > wall well before the start of the runway. There are some marks on the sea > wall, consistent with an impact of some part of the plane. Some aircraft > debris ended up in the water.   >  What we don't know: _Did the flight crew simply land the aircraft > **short**?_ I've looked up the Merriam-Webster dictionary and have found that "short" has the following meanings as an adverb: 1 : in a curt manner   2 : for or during a brief time _short-lasting_   3 : at a disadvantage : UNAWARES _caught short_   4 : in an abrupt manner : SUDDENLY _the car stopped short_   5 : at some point or degree before a goal or limit aimed at or under consideration _the shells fell short_ ; _quit a month short of graduation_   6 : clean across _the axle was snapped short_   7 : by or as if by a short sale I think both (1) and (4) make sense. Nevertheless I would like to know which one is more accurate in such context. Could somebody explain the differences between (1) and (4)?


Is integer a commonly understood term?

Is it common for an English speaking person to understand the word "integer" (i.e. the whole numbers ..., -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, ...)? Or should I not use that word outside the domain of mathematics or computer science.


abbreviations as participles

When an abbreviation serves as a verb, the past participle generally takes an apostrophe followed by a _d_ : _KO'd ID'd OD'd OK'd_ What is the proper present participle? If _KOing IDing ODing OKing_ is correct, then why should the past participle require an elision? It seems to aid readability, so should the _-ing_ form be _KO'ng ID'ng OD'ng OK'ng_ ???


We had the game controlled

I have come across these two sentences: > We had the game controlled. We didn't have the mental energy to finish these > games. Is in the first sentence used the construction have something done? If so, I don´t understand. I thought that by means of this construction „we describe situations where we want someone else to do something for us“. I would understand „We controlled the game“ or „We had controlled the game“.


Is the phrase "the subcontinent" well understood?

In the past, I have used the phrase "the subcontinent" in conversations but it has not always been clear if people know what I'm talking about. I find it a useful term as it covers (amongst others) India and Sri Lanka; the IT industry has a lot of people from those countries thus it covers a lot of the people I work/play with. It would appear that English consider those countries Asian. I have also heard Americans referring to Indians as Asians, though not as commonly. This is not common in Australia. So, is this a term I can use safely?


"Responsible for" vs. "responsible in"

Which sentence is incorrect and which one is correct? Why? >   1. She is responsible for answering the phone. >   2. She is responsible in answering the phone. >


Proper term for knowing four or more languages?

If _bilingual_ means you know two languages, and _trilingual_ means you know three, what would be the proper term for knowing four, five or even six languages?


Origin of "chuck a wobbly"?

**Chuck a wobbly** is Australian slang for someone throwing a tantrum, and I like it because it invokes amusing imagery. I'm not certain of its origins however. I can see how it may be equivalent to the similar-meaning idiom "throw a fit", where "chuck" is also Australian slang for "throw", but I can't be certain of what "wobbly" is supposed to mean. It's more difficult to nail down because as far as I know, "wobbly" isn't used in other phrases in Australian slang.


Can I say 'co-student'?

I want to refer to a member of our lab, who is working with me on the same project, and I was wondering what would be the best term to use. We are both mainly students, but we also work as Research Assistants. I feel that **co-worker** might imply that we have a full-time jobs I also feel that **lab member** might imply that we do separate/different things since the lab could have many students. **co-student** seems perfect if this word existed - we're both students, but we also work together.


use of "not on purpose"

I was told that "not on purpose" cannot be used in the middle of a sentence. For example: > I was showering and, not on purpose, I participated in the > #icebucketchallenge. I am aware of the fact that there are more elegant expressions such as unwillingly, unwittingly etc etc but my question is: is the above correct? Am I allowed to use "not on purpose" in such a way? I know there is no language police but there are, seemingly, rules. I posted a sentence in a forum with this expression and I was told it is incorrect to use it this way.


what do we call the machine used in shops through which we swipe our ATM card to pay for something?

when you shop for things in a supermarket, clothing shop, restaurant, etc and you want to use your ATM card to pay, you slide your ATM card through a machine, what is that machine called in English?


Is this sentence grammatically correct, and is it an example of the subjunctive?

Is this sentence grammatically correct, and is 'your ensuring' here an example of the subjunctive? "We appreciate your ensuring all workstations are switched off before leaving the office locked at night." It seems to me that "We appreciate your ensuring" could be swapped out with "We would appreciate it if you ensured", which suggests to me that 'your ensuring' is in the subjunctive mood (given that the subordinate clause of a conditional takes the subjunctive mood). I'm curious about this because the sentence looks and feels fine to me, but I've never seen an explanation of the subjunctive which included it's appearance in this form (possessive pronoun + gerund).


Fluctuate vs. oscillate

I understand that you say `hesitate` in the moral context. But what is the difference between oscillation and fluctuation? Might be you could contrast these with swinging. Is there any difference when to use which?


Do I have to add LLC every time write my companies name in the same document?

I'm working on a quality manual for my company "Joe Blow, LLC"...do I have to use the LLC every time the company name appears in the manual?


Which one of these words is more suitable for "having" or "accomplishing"?

I want to express the achievement of a goal such as "Buying a car", or "Learning a Skill". Can I say: > "I obtained a new car."   >  or   >  "I obtained piano playing skill." Is there a word better than _obtained_ for expressing this, one that works both for acquiring a skill and acquiring property (the car)? I'm looking for a word that combines both concepts, is commonly used, and is clearly understandable for both types of acquisitions.


Origin of the expression "to run roughshod over someone"

What is the origin of the expression "to run roughshod over someone"? I have heard it being used by Mitt Romney, but I couldn't find if it has an American origin.


Etymology of the "Rats!" exclamation

> rat > > (...) > >   1. rats, _Slang_ . (an exclamation of disappointment, disgust, or > disbelief.) > (source: dictionary.reference.com) Where does this meaning/usage of "rat" come from?


"get" or "is" regarding the future

Which of the following would be correct? Is it a question of dialect?   * "If this question gets answered, ..."   * "If this question is answered, ..." (Inspired by this answer.)


“I am hungry/hunger of/for knowledge”

I am not sure which one is the correct one: > A: I am hungry of knowledge.   >  B: I hunger of knowledge.   >  C: I am hungry for knowledge.   >  D: I hunger for knowledge. But my feeling says that A and B are the correct ones.


How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number (e.g., the third prime)?

I want to make a question having an answer as follows: > 5 is **the third prime number**. The bold part is the answer. How to phrase the question?


How to ask a question to get an ordinal number answer

> **Possible Duplicates:**   >  How to phrase an asking sentence that must be answered with an ordinal > number?   >  Framing a question to which the answer is an ordinal number Given that I want to know Barack Obama is the 44th President of U.S.A, how can I frame a question like: > The how manyeth president is Barack Obama?


How would you phrase questions that require an "interrogative ordinal" which is absent in English?

> **Duplicate of:**   >  How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number > (e.g., the third prime)?   >  How to phrase an asking sentence that must be answered with an ordinal > number?   >  Framing a question to which the answer is an ordinal number   >  How manyth son to your father?   >  How will I ask this particular question?   >  How to ask a question to get an ordinal number answer   >  How can I ask a question with the answer “I'm eating the fourth apple”?   >  How do you say this in English?   >  How to ask “nth time” of something   >  Interrogative form of a sentence   >  What will be the question for “he is my second son”   >  How do you convert the sentence “George Washington was the first > president.” to a question?   >  How to frame a question to get answer about the turn that somebody has > taken in doing something?   >  Asking question about position of a person in a list   >  How do I ask this as a question in English?   >  A question for this answer   >  How do I ask what position in chronological order a person of a group is > in?   >  And others. English does not seem to have an _interrogative ordinal_ such as _how-many- eth_ and I can say most of you have heard of or taken part in debates over this issue before. While I heard some people call it a _serious handicap_ for English, I always thought there must be a way to get around the problem. But honestly, I haven't made much progress in getting around the problem. > Here is a statement as an example: _Abraham Lincoln was the **16th** > President of America._ > > Of course, we can't ask: _How-many-eth President of America was Abraham > Lincoln?_ I was wondering if you could share your ideas and suggest what you would consider the best way to ask questions to get an _ordinal_ as the answer.


How to ask "nth time" of something

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Framing a question to which the answer is an ordinal number   >  How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number > (e.g., the third prime)? If the answer is > This is my 6th bid what will the question be?


How do you convert the sentence "George Washington was the first president." to a question?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number > (e.g., the third prime)? How do you convert the sentence: > George Washington was the first president. into a question, preferably one in the form: > * ** _Missing Phrase_ *** president is George Washington? * * * If no equivalent sentence that is not awkward sounding exists, **_why_** is there no English equivalent for the word _how-many-th_?


Interrogative form of a sentence

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number > (e.g., the third prime)?   >  How to ask a question to get a cardinal number answer > Neil Armstrong was the first man on the Moon. I need to convert this into a question. If "Neil Armstrong" was the answer, the interrogative form would be > Who was the first man on the Moon? How do you ask this as a question if "first" was the answer? Another example would be > Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States


Framing a question to which you reply with "I am the third born in my family"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Framing a question to which the answer is an ordinal number would it be if i asked what is your relative position terms of birth order in your family


Translating a sentense from Swahili to English

So there's this sentence that people have been sharing on facebook that's in Swahili and requires a direct word to word translation to English. Superficially it seems like an easy translation but once you try it, it get really messy and every thing you try just doesn't sound right to the ear. So if figured you guys might help or have fun trying. Kiswahili: > Mama, mimi ni mtoto wako wa ngapi English: > Mother, I am child yours what number Essentially what this statement is about a child wanting to know from his/her mother what position she's on of all her mothers children. For example there are nine children in your family and you are the fifth born but you don't know for some reason and you wanted to ask your mother how would you pose the question? I have tried > Mother, I am your what born? Mother, what number am I on your list of > children? Mother, of all your children I am what born? Thank you I advance and my apologies if this is a stupid question.


How do you say this in English?

> **Possible Duplicates:**   >  Framing a question to which the answer is an ordinal number   >  How to phrase an asking sentence that must be answered with an ordinal > number (e.g., the third prime) ? It is very common in other languages to use the literal equivalents of **"How- manyth"**. But some how English seems to not have that word? How do I ask a kid? > How-manyth son are you? (To know whether he is first or second born) Maybe one more example, > Mr. XYZ is how-manyth president of this company? (Is he Mr. XYZ 3rd or 5th or etc) What is the solution? I want a single word for this!? I know the round abouts, why not English has created a word for this?


How to ask this as question

I am wondering how to turn the following into a question > "Narendra Modi is the 18th Prime Minister of India" How to ask this as question, so that answer will be **18th** I have tried searching these links but couldn't match my needs. How to ask "nth time" of something Framing a question whose answer is an ordinal number How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number (e.g., the third prime)? Some body could help me.. Sorry If I'm vague and dont lambast at me since this is my first post here.


What will be the question for "he is my second son"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number > (e.g., the third prime)?   >  How do you convert the sentence “George Washington was the first > president.” to a question?   >  How manyth son to your father? What will be the correct question to get an answer like "he is my _second_ son". Here the actual answer is the word ' _second_ ', which denotes the order. Can the phrase ' _ordinal status_ ' be used? Like "What is the _ordinal status_ of Mr. Singh among the prime ministers of India"? Is this correct?


How to ask about ordinal place of an offspring?

Here is the question: I want to know what is the ordinal place of someone in her family. For example, I'd say: I'm the second child of my parents. and afterwards, I'd like to ask something along these lines:               What nth child are you?       (So that I'm expecting something like first, second, third, etc. child as answer). Just wondering how the question should be asked.


Framing a question whose answer is an ordinal number

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number > (e.g., the third prime)? > I am the third daughter of my parents. How should a question that is answered with the above sentence be framed?


How do you frame a question for this situation?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Framing a question Let me explain the scenario. Say you have 'n' number of siblings (brothers/sisters) in your family,i.e your parents have n+1 children.A random person wants to know whether you are the 1st child or 2nd child or..so on, _without_ knowing apriori the value (n+1).Is it possible to frame a question for this?This has puzzled me for long because it is possible in many Indian languages to frame one which would prompt a response like this: "I am the 3rd child of my parents" Note:english.se warns me that "The question you're asking appears subjective and is likely to be closed."But asking it anyway :)


How will I ask this particular question?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Framing a question to which the answer is an ordinal number   >  How to phrase an asking sentence that must be answered with an ordinal > number?   >  How to ask a question to get a cardinal number answer My friend is the second child of her mother. How would I ask her that apart from asking - Are you the second daughter? - like i need to ask the order of her birth.. how will i ask it?


How can I properly ask this question?

I want to ask a question so that I can get the answer which gives the position of the President. So the answer I want to get is: > Barack Hussein Obama is the **44th** President of the United States. or > **44th**. or simply > **44**. How can I properly ask this question?


"manieth", is it acknowledged?

I believed that there is no question word in English for making a question when you want know the X in sentences like "Barack Obama is the Xth president of the US.". *Question words are words like "what", "who", "how many" and so on. Then I came across this word "manieth", which does not seem to be in any dictionaries I have. Is this even a word? If it is, how acknowledged is it? Futhermore, if there is any word or expression that means the same thing as "manieth", I would like to know what it is.


How manieth as an ordinal number question

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number > (e.g., the third prime)? In my native tongue, Malayalam, there is a question word - "ethraamathe" - which we use to get an ordinal number as answer. In other Indian languages, and also in many foreign languages like Dutch and German, such a question word does exist. But in English there is no one word for such a question. I have once read in a Phantom strip cartoon book from US a sentence that uses _what number_. Using this expression it is easy to ask "What number president of America was Abraham Lincoln?" to which one would answer "16th". A professor from Oxford University has said in one of his letters to me that _what number_ can be used in informal speech. In his opinion, "Where in the numerical order did Abraham Lincoln come as President of America?" can be used in writing. I would like to know whether American and British people use _what number_ in their speech. Some Indians also use _how manieth_ as an ordinal number question.


How to frame a question to get answer about the turn that somebody has taken in doing something?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number > (e.g., the third prime)?   >  How to ask a question to get a cardinal number answer I want to frame a question for which the answer will be : > Obama is the 46th president I am not looking for "who is the 46th president?" I trying to ask a question where I want to quiz the other person on Obama's turn (46) as a president. For instance(incorrectly) > "Howmanyth" president is Obama ?


How manyth son to your father?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number > (e.g., the third prime)?   >  Framing a question to which the answer is an ordinal number I know the title sounds stupid, but this is one question that has left me stumped for quite some time. I hope to get an answer in this forum. If the answer is "I am the fourth son of my father", what should be the question? In general, how do you ask questions with ordinal numbers?


How can I ask a question with the answer "I'm eating the fourth apple"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number > (e.g., the third prime)?   >  Framing a question to which the answer is an ordinal number   >  How to ask a question to get a cardinal number answer Assume that there are 5 apples must be eaten by Jack. When you want to know about how many of the apples are eaten, you may ask Jack, 'how many apples have you eaten?'; But how can I ask the question to make Jack answers, 'I'm eating the fourth apple'?


Making questions in English

I have follwing questions regarding English What are the interrogative forms of the following statements   1. Twenty third CHOGM was held in Sri lanka.(Interrogator needs to know the number)(Please compare (What was held in Sri Lanka ?)Do we have to use any word like when, how, why,...   2. Sam came 2nd in the race.(Interrogator needs to know the number) Thanks UB


What is the question for which the answer is "This is my third coffee today"?

> **Duplicate of:**   >  How should I phrase a question that must be answered with an ordinal number > (e.g., the third prime)?   >  Framing a question to which the answer is an ordinal number   >  How manyth son to your father?   >  How will I ask this particular question?   >  How to ask a question to get an ordinal number answer   >  How can I ask a question with the answer “I'm eating the fourth apple”?   >  How do you say this in English?   >  How to ask “nth time” of something   >  Interrogative form of a sentence   >  What will be the question for “he is my second son”   >  How do you convert the sentence “George Washington was the first > president.” to a question?   >  How to frame a question to get answer about the turn that somebody has > taken in doing something?   >  Asking question about position of a person in a list   >  How do I ask this as a question in English?   >  A question for this answer I would like to know: How to ask a question such that the expected answer includes the " _n th_ thing"? The only way I could do of to do this is by asking: > How many cups of coffee have you had today? but the answer to that would be, _"3"_ , not _"This is my third..."_


A question to ask about birth rank or serial number

_Are you the third of your parents' children? or the second issue?_ Or, _you are the third guy, eh?_ What is the question for which _"he came third in the race"_ is an answer?. Instead of resorting to such a questioning is there a single word to interrogatively seek information of placement on a time marker line ? All Indian languages have such a word, none in English afaik..


Is there a way to ask the ordinal number value in English without sounding weird?

If the answer expected is _It is an amazing car_ , then the question would be _How is the car?_ If the answer expected is _I got my red car_ then the question would be something like _Which colour car did you get?_ or _Which car did you get?_ BUT if the expected answer is _This is my third car_ / _This is my ninteenth birthday_ , then what would the question be precisely? How would you frame it, if possible? To clarify the importance of the precise question: So far, the only way I know how to elicit the above mentioned answer would be to hint it in the question itself, like _Is this you twentieth birthday?_ , and then they would answer _No, this is my ninteenth birthday._


How do you ask this?

"Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of USA" How do I ask a question that gets me this answer ? I want a direct question - not something like "How many presidents before Lincoln" (I mean, without involving math or logic - just English language)...


How else can we say " what number are you in the line "

How els can we say "what number are you in the line "


Could you frame a question for this answer?

I have a statement which I want to use as an answer. The statement runs as follows: Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States of America. Here the emphasis lies on the number 44. What would be the question for the above statement? Please help.


What is "what are you on about?" on about?

I live in Florida, and somehow picked up this phrase recently. I use it to mean, "About what are you making such a fuss?," either because I can't understand what is the big deal or because I genuinely have little-to-no idea what the person is talking about. Is this correct usage? Is this an English idiom (from England)? For bonus respect, why or from whence the unusual construction? Is it just that a word was dropped between "you" and "on," like "What are you carrying on about?"


Term for words such as "un-f**king-believable" or "a-whole-nother"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  What is it called when an interjection is inserted inside another word? Is there a term used to describe words such as _un-fucking-believable_ or _a- whole-nother_? These words have other words inserted inside of the original word, creating a sort of compound word.


Sound changes of "wild" and "wilderness"

I'm having a heated a discussion with a friend and we cannot really get on the same level. In the original pronunciation of the word _wild_ , the "i" was the short sound that we have in the word _wilderness_ today. How has the vowel sound in _wild_ changed up to its present pronunciation and why hasn't the "i" in _wilderness_ changed in the same way?


Which day does "next Tuesday" refer to?

At what point does _next Tuesday_ mean > the next Tuesday that will come to pass and no longer > the Tuesday _after_ the Tuesday that will come to pass? And, when does the meaning switch back?


What does 'next Monday' mean?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Which day does “next Tuesday” refer to?   >  Meaning of “last/this/next Monday” > Scenario: You get a phone call on Wednesday, saying "you have to report to X > next Monday". When do you report? The upcoming Monday or the Monday after that? Other questions on here have no solid answer.


"Next Friday" vs. "This Friday"

> **Duplicate:What day is next Tuesday?** I have always considered _next Friday_ to be _not this coming Friday, but the one after_. _This Friday_ is the Friday at the end of _this_ week. I have a Canadian friend, however, who enforces the more literal meaning of _next Friday_ — _the Friday that comes next_. Is there a _correct_ meaning for _next Friday_ , or does this entirely depend on cultural differences?


"This summer" versus "last summer"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Which day does “next Tuesday” refer to? This is October. We went to the hill station this year's (2012) summer. Now, how do I say this to others. I have been saying _this summer we went to the hill station_. Is _last summer we went to the hill station_ means the same thing? EDIT: I got this from the answers: `In essence you are saying: last summer is referred to summer of last year and this summer refers to summer of this year.`.


Meaning of "last/this/next Monday"

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Which day does "next Tuesday" refer to? Suppose today is Tuesday. What do _last Monday_ , _this Monday_ and _next Monday_ mean?