Word choice of "one" and "a"?

Should one use "one" or "a" in the following sentence? > Each path is sampled and evaluated in **a** （ **one** ） separate thread > executed on the GPU. Note that each path corresponds to one thread. So there are many threads with each executing one unique path. Thanks!


Can the term "G-Man" be used to describe a Government official who is not an FBI agent?

Earlier today I was doing Merl Reagle's crossword and one of the clues was "Fraud fighting Fed." The answer turned out to be "T-Man," being short for "Treasury Man." So, this got me thinking... Though the slang term **"G-Man"** is short for " **Government-Man,** " it seems _exclusively_ used to describe FBI agents. I think I understand _why_ this is the case (given the origin of the term and its subsequent dramatization in popular culture). However, many departments within the U.S. Government fight organized crime and conduct criminal investigations. _With that in mind, can, for example, a CIA operative be considered a G-Man? Or a Secret Service agent?_


"I was used to do" vs. "I was used doing"

Good day everyone, Looked around and didn't find the desired answer to my question. Would you please be kind to give me a hand with the following: "I was used to do..." or "I was used to swim here" vs "I was used doing..." or "I was used swimming in here" Are they all correct? Thank you


> Girl: "I've made my decision, Father". > > Her Father: "You've ruined so many prospects, Lucy". > > Girl: "Hmm.Nothing but boys, following in their father's footsteps. **I'd > know my life before I had even lived it** ". Is this sentence ( _I'd know my life before I had even lived it_ ) past or imaginary present? If it is past then why aren't we saying "I **knew** my life before I had even lived it"? What does "would" mean here? Here is a link http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=savannah It's from a movie 'Savannah'


Should I be using "require" or "requires" in the sentence below?

An established South African survey business specialising in engineering and topographical surveys for infrastructure development & construction projects across Africa **_requires_** a Survey Manager to join their team based in Pretoria.


Unsure whether to use "enquire" or "inquire"

I have read the post Enquire and inquire. It was illuminating, but I am unsure which version to use. I am an American, but am writing to a woman in England. It is a formal business letter, and the context is: "I am writing to _enquire_..." Is this appropriate, as I believe it fits the criteria mentioned in the other post, or should I use _inquire_?


Is 'I had it sent him' an appropriate sentence?

> (1) I had it sent to him. > > (2) I had it sent him. I thought the first one is right, and the second is wrong. Yet Google Books has the second example’s graph. Is the second also an appropriate sentence? ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/P4Sh0.jpg)


"That hurts" or "that hurt"?

I checked on the Internet, it's all out there, sometimes it is "That hurt" and sometimes it's "That hurts", so which one is correct?


Use of "it" in titles

Is the following question title grammatical or not, despite some missing articles? > Way of obtaining Chomsky normalform, does it influence performance of CYK > parser? P.S.: is there an English grammar web site that shows the used "it" pronoun pattern or a similar pattern? Maybe something along _Participial Phrase_?


Differences between "inasmuch as" vs "as much as"

Can anyone provide me with some examples illustrating the differences between mentioned adjectives. Is it possible to use them interchangeably on various occasions?


Single Word for "Clip-Clopping" Sound

> The clip-clopping of the businessman's footsteps against the linoleum floor > echoed down the hallway. Is there a better word I can substitute for "clip-clopping" here?


Origin of square and cube as verbs

Whence did the verbs 'square' and 'cube', in the sense (if there exist others) of 'to the second power' and 'to the third power' respectively, originate? There is some degree of similarity between the verbs and the nouns, but not really a great deal, seems more of an evocative relation. While not strictly applicable to this site, more for a sense of the age of the terms, do any other Romantic or Germanic languages use the same constructions for their powers? And finally, given the pattern, is there any precedent at all for tesseract or one of the myriad other words for a 4-cube being used to indicate the fourth power? This may be too esoteric, but it is, strictly speaking, English usage, so it probably belongs here more than the math board.


Preciseness and precision

Fowler says to avoid _-ion_ words to describe a state or quality and to instead choose _-ness_ words for this purpose. _-ion_ should describe a process or action. Yet he writes: > So far as the words are used with overlapping meanings, preciseness is > differentiated by implying the importance of precision is exaggerated. > Preciseness rather than precision is the attribute of a precisian. So what does this mean? Merriam-Webster also seems to say that _preciseness_ carries "so strong implication of severity or strictness", and gives an example as "there was a certain amount of preciseness about the young man". What do you think is the best choice? By ear, I was just going to replace _preciseness_ with _precision_.


'Letters as letters', 'words as words'

Aside from italics, is it okay (especially in British English) to denote the plurals of 'letters as letters', 'numbers and numbers' and 'words as words' as I've done below? Also, I'm aware of doing it like this—a's, 8's, etc. Are these okay with single markers on each side?   1. Harold's 'a's look like '8's.   2. too many 'whereas's and 'maybe's Thank you.


What does 'even' mean in this context?

Even is one of those words with lots of meanings. It can mean divisible by two or flat/level. But it can be used in a sentence such as this: > Are you even listening? > > What time does the shop even close? I realise how it makes a difference to the meaning of the sentence... but how? What does it actually mean something in this sentence? Does it _even_ mean anything?


What word will literally convey '52 times a year'?

If I do something twice a year, it's semi-annual. But what if I do something 52 times a year? I have to send a reminder to my team about our weekly meeting (update their minutes, time, projects, etc). Traditionally, we all add some personal flavor to it. I'm looking to spice it up by referring to the meeting as a [word- meaning-split-into-52]annual meeting. Additional commentary: It has been suggested that 'duoquinquagensimannual' may be the proper term. However a search on Google has provided yields only this post, leaving me to believe there may be a more appropriate term. Additionally, I sent the reminder this morning using the phrase 'Hebdomadal' as suggested. It does accurately convey what the meeting is, while still making it less boring than 'weekly'. (Pff, how boring is weekly?) However, despite its usefulness at solving my business concern, it fails to meet the specific criteria set forth by the request. So it will indeed be useful for anyone else potentially seeking the same phrase I seek, we're unfortunately left with an unanswered question.


Is there any difference between "talk to someone" and "talk with someone"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "Speak to" vs. "Speak with" Well, the question is in the title. I always had the impression that "talk to someone" refers to situations when some information must be conveyed to someone else, while "talk with someone" refers to cases that involve a more complex two-sided interaction. E.g., I "talk to my colleague" to tell him that I'm going for a lunch break (no response is required apart from maybe an acknowledgment), while I go and "talk with my colleague" if I have to discuss something with him in detail. Is this correct, or is there any difference between the two phrases, or is there no difference at all?


'May I speak to....' vs 'May I speak with...' vs 'May I talk to...'

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  "Speak to" vs. "Speak with"   >  What is the difference between “speaking” and “talking”? What is the ideal opening line for a phone conversation? In my opinion, 'speak to' would ideally denote a one-sided conversation and 'talk to' sounds more aggressive than the other 2. Is there a particular telephone etiquette which clarifies this? What is the difference between 'talk' and 'speak'? Also, does the rank/designation/seniority of the other person affect the use of 'speak' or 'talk'?


"Speak to" vs. "Speak with"

What are the differences between these two phrasal verbs and what are the best situations to use each?


Is there a sentence containing every letter without repeating?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Shortest pangram Does anyone know of a coherent sentence that contains every letter in the alphabet without repeating any?


Perfect English Pangram

Is there a perfect pangram for English language, a sentence that uses all 26 English letters that appear only once? Polish, Dutch and Russian, all has perfect pangrams. > Polish: _Pójdźże, kiń tę chmurność w głąb flaszy!_ (perfect pangram: all 32 > letters of the Polish alphabet appear only once). > > Dutch: _Lynx c.q. vos prikt bh: dag zwemjuf!_ (perfect pangram: all 26 > letters, containing 26 letters). > > Russian: _Любя, съешь щипцы, — вздохнёт мэр, — кайф жгуч_ (perfect pangram: > all 33 letters of the Russian Cyrillic alphabet appear only once). I was wondering if there is such in English.


Alphabetical listing of film names with articles

I am making a list of movies, where should I put films that contain articles in their names? I know normally articles are ignored but in this context the naming is also part of a film's design, so should it be different? So how would you list the following from A-to-Z? Of Mice and Men   A Serious Man   The Bourne Identity   Amelie   Batman   Terminator


Is the word "savage" offensive?

Is it? If it depends on context, please provide some examples of offensive and not offensive usage ;) What I have in mind is to say something like "The Zulu were a savage people compared to e.g. the United Kingdom".


Is there a word to describe a highly desirable cursed treasure?

Is there a single word to describe an object or idea that is so desirable that everyone wants to attain it but once they have it they are immediately cursed? The idea is often used in literature—some examples:   * In _Lord of the Rings_ , the 'one ring' is a perfect example of this.   * In Guy de Maupassant's story _The Necklace_ , the necklace might be considered to be this.   * There are many stories of people making deals with the devil (see question: What does "Faustian bargain" mean?), or being granted three wishes by a Djinn or fairy, which inevitably turn out bad.   * In the Twilight Zone episode _Time Enough at Last_ , Bemis's desire to be left alone with his books would be an example of this word. 'Bane' covers the _cursed_ part, but no one desires it. Is there a single word to describe a most highly desired treasure that (knowingly or unknowingly) comes with a curse?


Usage of "please" at the beginning of a sentence

> Please report more details.   >  Please do not send your faxes from the office.   >  Please do not hesitate to contact us from our website. Does _please_ have the same meaning, in those sentences?   In the second sentence, could it be understood as _I demand/ask you don't send your faxes from the office_? What is the difference between _please do not sent your faxes from the office_ , and _do not sent your faxes from the office_?


"What can I be of help"

In a forum of a website, I read the following sentences (the writer is referring to a session in a conference): > Makes lots of sense. Not sure what can I be of help (and I already have two > sessions on the official schedule), but would be happy to be of help. Is it correct to say _what can I be of help_?   Is it commonly used? Is it used in restricted groups?


Is the hyphen used in British publications in lieu of the em dash? I've seen the hyphen used (in place of the dash) in 'The Guardian' and 'The BBC'. Is this okay to do? Would you ever use the hyphen as a replacement for the em dash? Or is this heavily frowned upon and out-and-out wrong? I think it looks good; the em dash is too dang long. Example: _Her qualities - determination, dedication and commitment - have not gone unrecognized._


"Attempts to acquaint" vs. "attempts at acquainting"

> The research study is an eye-opener and **attempts to acquaint/attempts at > acquainting** us with the problems of poor nations. For me, _attempts to acquaint_ sounds more apt. But I am not sure about the latter one. Also, in my answer sheet, the latter one is given as the right answer. But I have heard phrases like _attempt to murder._ Could anyone explain the correct usage?


What's a better replacement for the word "enemy"?

What's a better replacement for the word _enemy_? I'm not simply looking for a synonym, I'm looking for one that fits this context: > When you don't know how to use your firearm, you could essentially become > the **attacker**. My superior has been slightly vague, saying he'd like the word _attacker_ changed to something else, as it doesn't "sound right." (His suggestion was, 'You become the danger', but in my opinion that's not much better.) The synonyms I found for _attacker_ didn't fit very well, so I'm trying to find another way to express this thought.


What's the phrase for "learning throughout one's life"?

How should one refer to somebody who wants to gain knowledge all the time and keeps learning in life even when very old? What's the phrase for the same? My dictionary says "learn and live."


Is it common to end an email with a question?

Lately, I encounter marketing emails which are concluded with a question and followed by a name/position signature. Schematically, these are constructed as follows: > I notice you were once interested. Here is more information I would like to > bother you with. > > Are you familiar with these newer technologies? > > Joe Doe,   >  The Chief Marketing Specialist Is ending an email with a question like that permissible?


One - does common English usage equate that to "you" (2nd person) or "he/she" (3rd person)?

I am proof reading an academic paper on computer programming and am trying to ensure pronouns conform. This is an example sentence: > Accordingly, _one_ considers some entry fees in _his_ strategic bidding, > even in a single-shot static auction... Can one swap between "one" and "his"?


What does "open up a vein" mean?

I found the phrase 'open up a vein of fury' in the article of today's Washington Post as shown below. > The New Year's Day suicide bombing of a church that killed 21 people has > **opened up a vein** of fury among Egypt's Christians, built up over years > of what they call government failure to address persistent discrimination > and violence against their community. What does 'open up a vein of' mean exactly? Why should the writer use 'open up a vein of' in this particular case, instead of other expressions, for instance 'a spell of anger' or simply 'has infuriated'? Can somebody teach me?


U-English of the 1950s: what was used instead of "ON holiday"?

I am reading _U and non-U_ by Alan S.C. Ross, written in 1956. He wrote that the preposition _on_ was non-U in the following sentence: > She's _on_ holiday This made me wonder what the correct U preposition or other expression was. I tried some prepositions in Ngrams, like _at, with,_ and _in_ , but none made me any wiser; I saw mainly noun adjectives and other noise. Does anyone have an idea what other preposition or expression might have been used? * * * (Search words: `on holiday, U, non-U`)


Sentence comparison

> According to a survey of graduating medical students conducted by the > Association of American Medical Colleges, minority graduates are nearly four > times **more likely than are** other graduates **in planning to practice** > in socioeconomically deprived areas. > > * * * > > According to a survey of graduating medical students conducted by the > Association of American Medical Colleges, minority graduates are nearly four > times **as likely as** other graduates **to plan on practicing** in > socioeconomically deprived areas. Which sentence is better?   1. Does the "conducted" modifies "survey" or "Medical students"?   2. What is the difference between "in planning to practice" and "to plan on practicing"?   3. Shouldn't the second sentence be "minority graduates are nearly four times as likely as are other graduates to plan on practicing ..."


Simple past or present perfect when describing a series of recent actions

I, as an American, would opt for the simple past rather than the present perfect in the following sentence: Today she has gone to a class, and after that she has been shopping. Is this sentence permissible in British English? My understanding is that British English favors the present perfect when talking about a time period that is not yet over, as in this case, but I still can't help thinking that this sentence sounds terribly wrong. Thanks for any help you can give me.


Whilst plodding through Patrick Rothfuss' "The Name of the Wind", I came across: > Our dinner was nowhere near as grand as last night's. We **made due with** > the last of my now-stale flatbread, dried meat, and the last potatoes baked > on the edge of the fire. I've seen "make do" mangled into "make due" before on the Interwebz. But this is the first time that I've run across it in a professional work. A quick search on Google Books reveals that Rothfuss and his editor are not the only ones who are happy to let this one pass. Most language sites on the net including this one continue to gently correct the questioner by pointing out the correct form. Yet, there are some which appear to condone this practice with a dispassionate that-is-the-way-language- works stance on the matter. So, what's the deal? Is "make due" now considered acceptable? P.S. It might be relevant to note that Rothfuss is a professor of English at the University of Wisconsin.


Which one is correct sentence usage

In the below sentences which one is correct and formal one ? > Will you accept the credit card for payment ? or > Can you accept the credit card for payment ?


"Makes them difficult to simulate" vs "makes it difficult to simulate them"

Which statement is correct? >   1. The complexity of these systems makes them difficult to simulate on > computers. >   2. The complexity of these systems makes it difficult to simulate them on > computers. >


When asking readers to consider a question, what punctuation is needed?

If a quote is preceded by "consider" or "think about", what punctuation is needed? I have some sentences like this:   * Consider "What will you do next year?"   * Think about "What are your plans for the holiday?" The sentences ask the readers to think about an answer to these questions themselves. What is the proper way to punctuate these? Is quotes suitable? Should commas be placed?


Why "being" is incorrect in the sentence below

* When Charles Lindbergh was attempting his solo transatlantic flight, being very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane, he refused to carry even a pound of mail, despite being offered $1,000 to do so.   * Very reluctant to have any extra weight on his plane when he attempted his solo transatlantic flight, Charles Lindbergh refused to carry even a pound of mail, despite being offered $1,000 to do so. Which one is better? First sentence is my answer, the second one is the correct answer, why "being" cannot be used. I felt second sentence is too redundant: after reading the sentence until the first comma, then the subject, Charles Lindbergh, appears in the sentence. Is it correct. Anyone could explain those type of question to me? Thanks for your help, really appreciate it.


Verb agreement with "what"

This came up when reviewing a written English exercise, and I realized that I don't entirely trust my intuition on the answer. Which of the following is correct? Or are both valid? (Or is it strongly advisable to rewrite the sentence in some other way?) "I see what appears to be a man and his son." "I see what appear to be a man and his son."


Why does there exist a difference in spelling between British English and American English?

I understand that the use of different terms for the same item (e.g., "car park" vs. "parking lot") has already been discussed, but I'm interested to know why we spell the same words differently in the UK. Obvious examples include:   * _favourite_ and _favorite_   * _cancelled_ and _canceled_   * _dialogue_ and _dialog_   * _honouring_ and _honoring_   * _behaviour_ and _behavior_ My guess would be that this has something to do with British spellings preserving their Latin roots more strongly than the American equivalents, but I don't know. I'd also like to know why present and past tense variations are derived in different ways too, as in the derivatives of "cancel" above.


How to quote multiple lines of verse inline

When quoting multiple lines of verse inline, is it proper to put spaces around the slash? For example, with a slash but no spaces: > "Beside the lake, beneath the trees/Fluttering and dancing in the breeze." Or a slash with spaces: > "Beside the lake, beneath the trees / Fluttering and dancing in the breeze." I tried googling this and didn't come up with much. Wikipedia says to use spaces around the slash, but I'd like some additional insight. I think the spaces usually aren't necessary, and they look kind of silly every time I try using them. I can see the logic in adding spaces; in the example above, someone may think the slash is joining "trees" and "Fluttering" instead of joining the two lines, but I find that exceedingly unlikely.


How to cite Shakespearean Blank Verse or Free Verse in an MLA Paper

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How to quote multiple lines of verse inline If I am using a quote that is only one line, I would not need a / between lines. But, when do I use a / - for free verse or blank verse? I'm a bit confused. Thanks!


Does the order matter in being "okay with"

Are the following two sentences interchangeable? "Are you okay with that?" "Is that okay with you?"


"They knew what mercy is" vs. "they knew what mercy was"

> They knew what mercy is.   >  They knew what mercy was. _Mercy_ is something that always exists so can I say _is_ as in the above example?


What is the etymology of the word "dinlo"?

**dinlo** n. _stupid person; idiot_ Suggested etymology from urban dictionary > a Romany (gypsy language) word that has been adopted widely by the east > coast. Sorry if this language offends but I think it is necessary that I post the actual sentence in which I saw it, and in any case the word is probably itself quite offensive already. > Christ, could you sound like any more of a fuckin **dinlo** in one thread? I would love to know if this really is Romany.


Is there a word for "clever fool?"

What do you call a person who despite being very clever in one field, e.g. math or physics, behaves very unwisely or impractical in real life?   I know some people who are very well educated and can solve difficult scientific problems, but they seem to belong to some different society. They can easily be cheated by any fraud, they are often absentminded so they lose their belonging all the time etc.   Do you have a word for this kind of people?


Is it possible for 'crying' in this example to refer to 'them'?

'He made them stand against the wall crying.' Is it possible for 'crying' in this example to refer to the pronoun 'them'?


Are these sentences grammatical?

Are both of these sentences grammatical? > It was starting raining.   >  He was contemplating creating a problem.


"Badly" versus "poorly"

I was saying to an American friend, "I pronounce still bad," which she said is a mistake, saying it should be _poorly_. Well, I get that part, but when I asked if I can say _badly_ , she said I shouldn't. I asked an Englishman and he said it's perfectly fine. So is it a difference between American English and British English, or am I just not getting it?


What is the term for practitioners of pseudoscience?

Certain disciplines, generally called pseudosciences, falsely claim that they make **actionable** truthful statements about observable objective reality. Examples are astrology, homeopathy, psychiatry. How would you call a _sincere_ practitioner (not a researcher/populariser) of such a discipline? Not "charlatan" - the perpetrator is as deluded as the victim. Not "pseudo-scientist" - just like a practicing surgeon would not be called a "scientist": this term seems to imply "original contribution" to the discipline as opposed to simply "plying the trade".


What are the jimmies that are being rustled?

> This rustles my jimmies seems like a commonly used idiom recently to denote being annoyed, angered, touched. Still, every idiom has some origin, and I wonder what is the original meaning of this one.


Origin of 'tada'

What is the origin of the word _tada_ — as used as an exclamation? Is it an onomatopoeic form of sound effects used in, say, television or does its origin lie elsewhere?


Is the construct “Strength cannot beat MORE strength without ...” correct?

Is the following quote correct English? > Strength cannot beat **more** strength without ju jitsu


"Advertising" vs. "Advertisement" in US political commercials

This is the first year I noticed the verbal boilerplate at the end of US political commercials states: > Group X is responsible for the content of this advertising. compared to what I recall (and prefer) from previous years, > Group X is responsible for the content of this advertisement. I understand **advertisements** to be the end result of **advertising** (supported here) - and my second example _feels/sounds_ more right to me than the first. However, I also found a number of definitions similar to the second definition on dictionary.com: _paid announcements; advertisements_ suggesting the two words are completely interchangeable. Is this a result of some crusade in the _advertising_ business to change terminology, a result of the plurality of the times the _advertisement_ is run, or am I just being overly picky and I need to get over my distinct preference for **advertisement**?


Is there a stronger word than "incite"?

I am looking for a word that conveys the strongest level of inciting someone, pushing someone to do something: > Their boss _VERB'd_ them to work as hard as possible. The strongest I can think of is _spur_ , is there something better?


What does "long enough to" mean?

> "Around 10pm, I finally stopped drinking _long enough to_ remember I had a > car in a garage somewhere." I can't understand the above sentence clearly, especially the meaning of _long enough to_ in this case. Could you give me another expression or and example which has the similar meaning?


What does “I really get the juices flowing when I’m driving” mean?

New York Times article “In golf, moments good and bad are well remembered” (June 14) ends up with the following episode: > "Jerry Kelly (PGA golfer) said that his steely memory of golf extended to > his personal life, especially when driving. > >> 'I remember all those people who have cut me off,' Kelly said. 'I try to stay ahead of everybody so that I don’t let them cut me off again, especially when I come back to the Northeast. I really **get the juices flowing** when I’m driving here.'” >> >> http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/sports/golf/in-golf-moments-good-and-bad- are-well-remembered.html?pagewanted=all What does “get the juices flow” when driving mean? Does it mean to get the thrills and spills? There’s no entry for “get the juices flow” in English dictionaries at hand, nor Google Ngram shows any incidence of the phrase. Is this an idiom, or just a casual turn of phrase? If it’s a not-unusual phrase, in what else instances can I use “get the juices flow”? **PS.** Someone placed “This question may have an answer here -Where did the "juices" in "creative juices" come from? on top of my question. It doesn’t. I read through the said question, and find no connection / answer to mine. **My question has evidently nothing to do with “creative juice"** asked in that particular question. My question is simply what Jerry Kelly meant in his remark, which now I wrapped my brain after posting this question, and getting a lot of inputs from you.


"Shade" vs. "shadow"

What are the differences between _shade_ and _shadow_? Do they have different meanings or can they be used interchangeably? > Let's sit under the **shade/shadow**. > > The cat was afraid of its own **shade/shadow**.


Make it clean vs Get it clean - difference?

I would like to know if there is a difference in the following: > Get it clean! Make it clean!   >  Get it wet! Make it wet! And which of the following are suitable: > Make the baby calm   >  Get the baby calm   >  Shut the baby up


Is it "peek", "peak" or "pique"?

I have always thought the phrase was "pique my interest" as in: "Her mysterious background piqued my interest". However, of late, on blogs and social networks, I have seen people using "peek my interest", as in "Disney is starting to peek my interest", and I have even seen "Samsung's latest display peaks my interest in the company". Which is the correct phrase?


Repetition of certain words in an or statement

I have the following sentence in my thesis: > It appears that if A is a certain language, either the converse of > Proposition 1 holds or the converse of Proposition 2 holds. I am wondering whether I can change it to the following without changing the meaning of the sentence and without violating any grammatical rules. > It appears that if A is a certain language, either the converse of > Proposition 1 or Proposition 2 holds. English is not my native language, so if you find any other grammatical or style errors, I would greatly appreciate tips!


'Of ' in the line 'I really felt quite distressed of not receiving an invitation.'

This is a line I encountered in _Sleeping Beauty_ , cried by the malevolent fairy when she found out she was not invited to the celebration of the new- born princess. Question: What kind of grammatical role does 'of' play in the sentence? Can it be omitted without changing the meaning?


What kind of word is "place" in "take place"?

I'm currently analyzing verbs with Stanford CoreNLP and WordNet. I'm interested in particular in verb meanings. I came across sentences like "`The scene takes place on the grass.`" and I found the verb take place in WordNet. However, these sentences don't seem to be discussed anywhere. It is known that phrasal verbs are formed with particles, prepositions or adverbs. Now, which one is it here? By the way, Stanford CoreNLP suggests it's a direct object (I guess that's wrong?): ![a screenshot of Stanford CoreNLP tools for the example sentence](http://i.stack.imgur.com/qXSkO.png)


Pronunciation of "a"

I'm really confused about the pronunciation of the letter "a". Why is there a difference when it is used in a sentence and when "a" is single? When it is single, we read it like dwelling on it, like /eɪ/. On the contrary, in a sentence, it sounds interruptedly. What's the reason?


Difference between "seems like ...", "sounds like ..." and "feels like ..."

I want to know if there are differences between the three following sentences, since for me they all have the same meaning: > It **seems like** an adventure. > > It **sounds like** an adventure. > > It **feels like** an adventure.


Different meanings for phrase "off the regular price"

What is the correct way to say a product can be bought with a discount of 30%? Is it: “Buy this by 30% off the regular price.”? What I want to say is that a 30% discount is being given, so the product will cost 70% of the regular price. There seems to be a difference between _of_ and _off_. Will this wording be misunderstood to mean that the product can be bought by 30% of the regular price instead of 30% “off” the regular price? How do I say it correctly and without creating doubt?


Past Perfect - Right or Wrong?

I am in an English course, in Cambridge School, in Lisbon, Portugal, and I am learning Past Perfect. I am also in a Pastry course, and today we had our first English lesson. The teacher wrote some vocabulary in the board, and we had to make sentences with the vocabulary. I suggested this sentence: > Before I baked the cake, I had already mixed it. But, she told me that this sentence was wrong. I explained to her that I was taking an English course in Cambridge, my Cambridge teacher is Scottish, and she taught the Past Perfect this way. I am confused now, I don't know who is right. The Pastry teacher said that the right way is: > Before he bakes the cake, he had already mixed it. -Or- > Before he had baked the cake, he had already mixed it." Can somebody help me please?


Lexically recognized synonym for "humblebrag"?

As one might guess, a _humblebrag_ is one who uses a pretense of humility as a vehicle for boasting. This word can be found at Urban Dictionary but, it appears, nowhere more authoritative. Yet, of course, the concept is neither new nor esoteric; and one would expect there to be a word to cover it. Of course, we have the idea of _false humility_ and could speak of one who is _falsely humble_ or who is guilty of _false modesty_. But isn't there a noun to denote the person who behaves in this way, and an adjective to describe him?


Different types of whistling

Are there terms or succinct phrases that describe the different ways of _whistling_ listed below?   1. The standard put-your-lips-together-and-blow   2. Tongue against bottom teeth   3. Sticking two fingers (thumb and middle/index) of a single hand in the mouth   4. Sticking two fingers (index and middle) of both hands in the mouth Please feel free to point out any techniques that I've missed. I'm also interested to know if there's a term that distinguishes the skill of being able to whistle both while exhaling and while inhaling.


One-word alternative for "double-check"?

From the given paragraph: > I frequently forget to lock the main door. But, I know I double-checked if > the door was locked today. > > (more texts...) > > I realized I became very anxious about my **___ __ ___** about the locks on > the main door. Do we have one word to fill in the blank of the above?


What is the etymology of "look out"?

What does English idiom "look out" (or "watch out") come from? When you want to warn somebody. Usually, in case of a danger, it is better to hide rather than move your head out to see. (I know it is an idiom, but maybe there is some reason in it)


What's the difference between "teacher" and "professor"?

Is one more formal then the other?


Is there a word for practicing in secret to surprise or impress?


Can there be a "100% sale"?

I'm an iPhone developer and I've recently changed the price of my app from $0.99 to free. Wordnet defines sale as: > an agreement (or contract) in which property is transferred from the seller > (vendor) to the buyer (vendee) for a fixed price in money (paid or agreed to > be paid by the buyer); In this case there is no price in money, so I guess I shouldn't use the word sale. What should I use, then? "A giveaway" doesn't sound nice.


Plural of "roof"?

_Roofs_ is generally used, but is _rooves_ archaic or just wrong?


What is the proper use of the word "state of the art"?

I am a bit confused with using the phrase _state of the art_. Is the following usage correct? > My motivation relies on the fact, discussed above, that there is **little > global state of the art evaluation** of this product.


How do you get from the literal meaning of "all bets are off" to the idiom?

Most everyone knows what the common turn of phrase _all bets are off_ means: "anything can happen." But all idioms have to start from somewhere, and the question I'm wondering is how did this one start. Google informs me it comes from a gambling context, and I'm inclined to believe that, having seen the movie _Snatch_ , but what I'm not understanding is how the literal meaning of "all bets are off" -- that is, the house will not be taking any bets today -- would have evolved into "anything can happen." Can someone enlighten me to a plausible pathway?


Can and can't pronunciation

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How to distinguish can & can't from pronunciation? How do native American English speakers pronounce "can" and "can't" so that these two very similarly sounding words would be distinguishable? Or do native speakers also frequently recheck: "[You said] can or can not?"


How to distinguish "can" and "can't" pronunciation in American English?

I am a student in China learning American English. I have listened to some videos and found it hard to distinguish _can_ from _can’t_. I am looking for some advice that may help me.


Can I omit the verb in the second part of this sentence, after the colons?

Is this sentence grammatically correct? I mean, can I omit the verb in the second part after the colon? > Differently from other works, they consider all information usually > available in social media collections: both user-provided information such > as textual content (titles, descriptions and tags) and automatic generated > content (creation time and geo-coordinates).


The usage of "savor" in The Great Gatsby

In Chapter 1 of _The Great Gatsby_ , part of a sentence went like this: > ... a national figure in a way, one of those men who reach such an acute > limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterward savors of anti- > climax. I went to COCA and searched for `[savor].[v*] of` and it gave nothing, meaning that in contemporary usage, "savor" as a verb is never followed by an "of." I know that today we usually say "savor something" instead of "savor of something," so does that mean it is a deprecated usage of the word "savor" in that sentence?


Different answers for questions with how + adjective

If someone asks "How far is Brazil from Argentina", a possible answer is "It's about X kilometers". However, if someone asks "How high is this mountain?" you can answer "It's about X meters **high** ". I think that "It's about X kilometers **far** " would sound weird, but I don't whether it's correct or not. Could you help me?


"Everybody is not" vs "Not everybody is"

> Everybody's got a water buffalo, yours is fast but mine is slow. > > * * * > > You can't say everybody's got a water buffalo! Everyone does not have a > water buffalo! This construction: > Everyone does not have a water buffalo! really irks me, because there are people who **do** have a water buffalo, and the sentence seems to imply the opposite. I would much prefer the sentence: > Not everybody has a water buffalo! Is the first construction somehow grammatically defensible, or is it just used because it better parallels as a negation of the sentence, "Everybody's got a water buffalo"?


What does "soda" mean in places where it doesn't mean soft drink?

The title is pretty self explanatory.   "Soda", "Pop", "Coke", etc. all refer to the same thing in different parts of the world. Where the word for soft drink is "soda", "pop" is a verb, and "Coke" is only a brand. But what does "soda" mean in places where the beverage is called "pop" (or something else)?   Does it have any meaning at all?


What is correct: "we prove statement X by / by using / with / through / ..."

First, I'm sorry for any duplicates (although I could not find a similar question). My question is: how do I correctly fill in the **???** in the following sentence? > We prove Statement X **???** the following equivalences. I'm not sure what to use: by, by using, with, through, ... The meaning is that we use the equivalences to prove the statement. Thank you! Dan


Pronunciation Help

My wife and I want to name our baby Ruud. Would we need to use two dots over the u so that people know how to pronounce it or is it fine the way it is?


Adjectives to describe the word "questions"

I'm writing an ad for yoghurt. It's about telling the truth about the consumer's new favourite flavour. I would like to say, > You'll need to answer some **___ ____** questions. They're personal questions that will be asked so I was in the region of _saucy_ or _juicy_ but that's just not sounding right. As you can hear I'm trying to tie the adjective back to the subject of yoghurt.


One word for "easily understood"

What is a one word substitute for something which is "easily understood"? I can think of _clear_ but I guess there are other better words. _Edit 1._ Will the answer be different for _easily understandable_? (As opposed to _easily understood_ ) _Edit 2._ Here's an example to more narrowly indicate the sort of usage desired: > The manual should be precise and _easily understandable_.


Which style of Latin plurals should I use?

Many Latin words in English have both Latin-style plurals and English-style plurals:   >   * referendum – referendums, referenda. >   * minimum – minimums, minima. >   * gymnasium – gymnasiums, gymnasia. >   * aquarium – aquariums, aquaria. >   * amoeba – amoebas, amoebae. >   * antenna – antennas, antennae. >   * formula – formulas, formulae. >   * index – indexes, indices. >   * appendix – appendixes, appendices. > In technical language, generally, Latin-style is the only proper form of Latin plurals.   In all other contexts where both Latin-style and English-style are proper, which style of Latin plurals should I use?


Why is it "choruses" and not "chori"?

> **Possible Duplicates:**   >  Which style of Latin plurals should I use?   >  Irregular plurality situations in English This is really weird IMO; the plural of _cactus_ is _cacti_ , so why is not the plural of _chorus_ , _chori_?


Why do some words with Latin etymology use -ae suffix while others use the -s?

Why do some words in English with Latin etymology use the suffix -ae while others use the more common -s?


Irregular plurality situations in English

Why do some nouns in English not take the plurality suffix in the plural form? Could you give me a list of plural nouns which don't take "-(e)s" suffix? For example, I know about "fish" and "sheep".


"Stadiums" vs. "stadia"

I'm not that old, but when I was a child/teen, _stadia_ was the common term. As in: >   * Wembley, the Nou Camp, and the Santiago Bernabeu are football stadia. >   * The MCG and Lord's are cricket stadia. > But now _stadiums_ is the more common term. Is this shift essentially redundant? I've read some sources say that it better reflects English language pluralisation, but then I think "so what?" _Stadia_ better reflects the Latin root, and English isn't a wholly logical/systematic language (very few languages are). If we call more than one dog _dogs_ , more than one ox _oxen_ , and use _cattle_ both as singular and plural, then why does it matter?


What is the plural of the word formula

I study mathematics and as I'm sure you can imagine, often read the word _formula_. I also quite often come across _formulas_ used as the plural. This always annoys me as I was under the impression that the correct plural of _formula_ was _formulae_? Is there any consensus or information as to why there is two (seemingly) accepted forms of this? I thought that _formulae_ probably has a Latin derivation and _formulas_ may be Americanized?


Special plural forms without -s

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Irregular plurality situations in English **'sheep, deer, fish** ' are some of a row of animals where singular and plural have the same form, i.e. the plural (normally) has no -s. But of course there are cases when the normal plural with -s can be used. Is there any information why there is such a peculiarity?


What is the correct plural of "stadium"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Which style of Latin plurals should I use? If my memory of Latin lessons serves me correctly, it should really be > stadia However, I think most people would probably write > stadiums Which is right?


Connotation of "to expatiate"

Only the online Cambridge dictionary marks the verb “to expatiate” as ‘formal disapproving’. Nowhere else could I find the reference to a ‘disapproving’ connotation, although all the online dictionaries agree upon its formality. Do you deem it to be used to criticize the act of “speak[ing] or writ[ing] about something in great detail or for a long time” or can it be simply used as a synonym of “talking at length”?


What does "You end up having somebody that’s a problem" mean?

I've read one article about the murder of one guy and stumbled across one sentence, which I can't understand fully. > It's within the Chinese culture. You end up having somebody that’s a > problem, that doesn’t give you what you want, they’re eliminated. I think, I got the basic idea but it still looks odd to me. What does the first part ("You end up having somebody that’s a problem") mean? Why it is said in that way? Can you please give some examples of similar construction?


What is the word for one who refuses to capitulate the status quo?

What are some alternative words/phrases for one who refuses to capitulate the status quo? Similarly question for the capitulators of the status quo. Alternatives I came up with are progrssionalist (positive for improving on the status quo) and, mundane perpetrators for the capitulators.


How do you refer to someone who has access to an abundance of resources?

From what I can gather, "resourceful" seems to refer more to someone who can use the available resources in efficient ways. I'm thinking more about someone who has lots of resources at hand (money, connections, information, etc.), ~~but doesn't necessarily make good use of them.~~ regardless of how well they use them. * * *   * **edit** : to clarify, I am not looking for a word describing someone who (purposely or not) makes wasteful use of the resources they have at hand. In fact, the use of the resources is irrelevant; I'm looking to describe only the existence (and abundance) of such resources. * * *   * **edit 2** : I was looking for something generic, to place in a sentence similar to: "when choosing the person to perform a task, one should take into account their skills, availability, and X", where X would ideally be "resourcefulness", but instead meaning something like "how good is their access to the relevant resources" (assuming resources could be various things, but mostly material and social).   There doesn't seem to be a single term to define this, so despite many good answers, I'm afraid I'm going to have to go with "influential" (or, in the example sentence above, "influence").


Why is the "round figure" of a person associated with being "comforting"?

**Example:** > Miss Beam was all that I had expected middle-aged, authoritative, kindly, > and understanding. Her hair was beginning to turn grey, and _her round > figure_ was likely to be comforting for a homesick child to look upon. Here, I think "her round figure" means the "fullness of her figure". But how exactly would it be comforting? (Especially when in movies, the bad guardians are mostly represented by big, fat people.)


Is on/before 15 July better than by 15 July if I want to be precise and unambiguous? Which is the more common form?

When the last day of registration is, let's say, 15 July, we currently say "please confirm your registration _before_ 16 July" but students often send their confirmation on 16 July, rather than 15. I guess it's the date itself that's misleading.


How to say that something that was inappropriate for some particular purpose now works?

Say, that phones were not suitable as a payment medium, but now they are the best payment method. I think "cellphones finally fit for payment" implies they are now good enough, and not THE best solution. A candidate would be "cellphones made work for payment".


More specific antonym to "lodger" than "landlord"

You can distinguish between someone who's paying for a room and paying for an apartment or house with lodger versus tenant. Is it possible to distinguish between someone who offers a room for rent and offers an apartment or house for rent? Are there any hyponyms for "landlord" that make this distinction? I checked onelook.com's reverse dictionary, and the thesauri recommended on meta, and didn't find anything.


What is the etymology of "golden boy"?

I used to watch an anime titled _Golden Boy_. A few years after I saw it, I heard the lyrics of a Shins song say "you're finally golden boy". In both cases it seems to refer to a young man coming of working age or maybe the first signs of success (probably in terms of a carrier or something). I was wondering how widespread that usage is, where it comes from, and if I'm right about the meaning. Anyone know of this?


What's the difference between a cathedral and a basilica?

The references I've seen so far have alternated primacy between one and the other.


How to ask the gender of someone if you have to?

In a global company, I often need to address someone in another country without knowing his/her gender in emails with a third person or with a group of people. It's awkward and inefficient to spell his/her name every time in reference of this person, especially if it's a long name. The only solution seems to find out the person's gender after all. If I have to do so, using emails only,   1. Should I ask someone who knows him/her or should I ask the person directly? Personally I feel awful to approach the person with this kind of questions.   2. How should the question be worded to be appropriate? Examples? Please indicate the culture background of the answer if you don't mind.


One word for someone who thinks they can do anything, and believes everything they do is right but others are wrong

If someone thinks they are always doing the right thing, and believes others are wrong, what would I call them? Say, for example, I did something that person considers wrong. But then on another occasion, the same person does the same thing I did and believes they are right. So they feel like they're an exception, but at the same time, others are wrong and can't act like that.


"At the beginning" or "in the beginning"?

Are both expressions   * "At the beginning"   * "In the beginning"  valid and equivalent? The first "seems wrong" to me, but it has more Google results.


What’s the difference between “kerfuffle”, “commotion”, and “fuss”?

What’s the difference between _kerfuffle_ , _commotion_ , and _fuss_? For example: >   * What’s all this **kerfuffle** about? >   * What’s all this **commotion** about? >   * What’s all this **fuss** about? >


"crenelated" writing?

What would it mean for writing to be "crenelated"? From this review: > Lisa Zeidner of The New York Times Book Review elaborated: > > As usual, Gibson's prose is ... corpuscular, crenelated. I thought crenelated just meant having ridges / being like the top of a castle wall.


Books and other things with the same name

Is it proper to say "the book and movie _Of Mice and Men_ " even though the two identical terms " _Of Mice and Men_ " do not refer to the same entity? An alternative would be "the book _Of Mice and Men_ and the movie _Of Mice and Men_ ", which strikes me as very awkward. If the first phrasing is valid, does that imply that "the book and man Abraham Lincoln" would be OK too? Secondarily, if so, could "Abraham Lincoln" be italicized? This seems much less likely for practical reasons although the man and the book are arguably as distinct from one another as the movie and the book are, above.


Why has "sware" become "swore", "bare" "bore", etc?

As far as I know, there are four verbs ( _swear_ , _bear_ , _tear_ , and _wear_ ) whose simple past forms used to be (archaically) _sware_ , _bare_ , _tare_ , and _ware_ ; but are now exclusively _swore_ , _bore_ , _tore_ , and _wore_. There seems to be a pattern here — the simple past of _-ear_ used to be _-are_ , and is now _-ore_ — but I've never heard an explanation of why that change occurred. I tried graphing _sware_ and _swore_ together (since _bare_ , _tare_ , and _ware_ are all ambiguous) on Ngrams. According to this chart, the two forms were once coexistent, and _swore_ has always been dominant; however, Ngrams has proven to be a less-than-satisfactory authority on issues such as this. ![](http://books.google.com/ngrams/chart?content=sware%2Cswore&year_start=1500&year_end=1800&corpus=0&smoothing=3) Why did _-are_ switch to _-ore_?


How to punctuate an answer to a question when the answer is also a question?

The title to this question is sort of long-winded but the example here should clarify it. Which of these is correct?   1. Who should be baby-sitting your children, your neighborhood teenagers or professionally trained people?   2. Who should be baby-sitting your children? Your neighborhood teenagers or professionally trained people?   3. Who should be baby-sitting your children? Your neighborhood teenagers? Or, professionally trained people? I think option 1 is definitely wrong. Option 2 or 3 could both work but I am not sure.


Do Americans also typically use the word "aesthetic" spelled that way?

As far as I know, the word "aesthetic" can be considered the "British" or "European" way of spelling the word, like "caesium" or "haemophilia". The spelling "esthetic" (which replaces the _ae_ with _e_ as so many American spellings of those words do) does exist, but I've barely ever seen it written that way anywhere. Do Americans also typically use "aesthetic"? If so, how come?


Full-time or full time, part-time or part time?

Having a debate here over how to form the description of employment. A) Bob works **full time** on the project. B) Bob works **full-time** on the project. The same applies for part time/part-time. Which is (more) correct?


Where to insert comma(s)?

Compare these: >   1. She tried, and, as expected, failed. >   2. She tried, and as expected, failed. >   3. She tried and, as expected, failed. >   4. She tried and as expected, failed. >   5. She tried and (as expected) failed. > The first seems most correct, while the last seems most elegant. Is it all a matter of taste/style? I'm also curious of these: >  6\. She tried, and failed.   >   7\. She tried and failed. Is there ever a need for the first form?


to "sleep" vs to "go to sleep"

I'm from the northeast US. When describing the phenomenon of going to bed at night, or falling asleep, I always formulate the verb like that, as in "I went to bed at 10" or "I didn't fall asleep until midnight." However I frequently hear the formulation "Last night, I slept at 10" or "I usually sleep at midnight". I'm interested in whether there's any interesting known dialect or historical distinction between the formulations. I now live on the west coast US and know many people who use these latter forms, and it still sounds wrong to my ear, like it's missing the helper verb (fall, go). (The one case where I might crossover is in the sentence "I couldn't sleep until midnight", which sounds right to me, although "I didn't sleep until midnight" sounds wrong.) * * * It _feels_ to me (though I don't have the professional vocabulary for this) that for me, "sleep" is an indefinite-duration, continuous action ("I'm sleeping"). So when I want to mark the time that it starts, I need to help it with "go to sleep". When I hear people say "I slept at 10", it sounds to me like they were asleep for only a moment, at 10 o clock, but not after, if that makes sense.


Proper use of "has been" versus "have been" after plural reference

What is the actual "rule," and which one is correct? > Ports 10-20 have been or has been opened. I strongly believe that "have been" is correct. I do not however remember the "rule," so I cannot explain why it is correct. Can anyone give me some foundation to build my case, please?


Hyphens within decades

Should there be a hyphen in the sentence, early '80s or should it be written without the hyphen between early and '80s?


Does hunx have an origin?

I was reading Anthony Trollope's The Way We Live Now. A character calls an old man, "an old hunx" during an argument. I was wondering if Trollope was writing in an accent or if hunx was an old slang word. I tried Googling it, but only found websites relating to "Hunx and His Punx." The reference can be viewed here on Project Gutenberg.


What is the origin of “I calls ’em like I sees ’em”?

This expression seems to be pretty widespread, for example being in Wiktionary and Futurama. Does anyone know what the origin is? Also, what kind of dialect might _I calls_ or _I sees_ be?


Are there English equivalents to the Japanese saying, “There’s a god who puts you down as well as a god who picks you up”?

There is an old Japanese saying, “捨てる神あれば、拾う神あり-Suterukami areba hirou kami ari,” meaning “There’s a god who puts you down as well as a god who picks up you.” In other words, “In this world, some people help you, and some people harm you” or “Fortune and misfortune come alternately.” For example, when you are fired from an IT company, and then hired by its rival company with a higher salary three months later, your peers will say to you “You're a lucky man. There’s a god who throws you away as well as a god who picks you up.” I’m curious to know if there are similar sayings in English to “Suterukami areba hirou kami ari.”


Is there a non-romantic phrase for missing someone?

The phrase "I miss you" can be equivocal: suggestive of (a) romantic longing and/or (b) regret of loss. Certainly, context can shape its meaning, including geography, historical period, and the speakers and their relationships. Given the circumstances in which it would be desirable to eliminate ambiguity, such as a platonic friendship, is there an alternative phrase for expressing (b) without (a)?


meaning of edge in this sentence

belligerent speeches by leaders of the Soviet Union and the United States throughout the Cold War were keeping the world on edge.


Meaning of "run its course"in this sentence

The American War of Independence was first viewed by the British as a minor rebellion that would soon run its course.I don't know how to paraphrase 'run its course' in this sentence.


The bottom graph shows the acceleration profiles, while the top the corresponding speed changes

Are the verb and noun omissions in the following sentence correct? (The words enclosed in parentheses are the omitted ones.) > The bottom graph shows the acceleration profiles, while the top (graph) > (shows) the corresponding speed changes.


"Flowers that never fade"

I am looking for the mythological flower names such as "amaranth" _\- An imaginary flower that never fades._ Are there any more flowers used in poetry in this context? **NOTE:** Please, exclude "asphodel" - _"In Greek poetry and mythology, the flowers of Hades and the dead, sacred to Persephone._ It's present too much.


Punctuation after "Yes"

A common construction is "Yes, that's right." Is that acceptable, or should a semicolon (or period) replace the comma? If acceptable, how can it be justified grammatically?


To die or to kill?

In the Boney M song 'Ma Baker', one line is: > But she knew how to die I always wondered if this is correct English, or that it should be: > But she knew how to kill Since dying seems to relate to oneself?


Crusade of vs. Crusades for - which is correct?

> **Crusade of** or **crusade for** > > **Crusades of** or **crusades for** Which expression is correct? Also, do any express the party the crusade against? For example, is "crusade _for_ peace against dictators" the correct term to express that people against dictators so that the people may have peace?


Is it right/appropriate to say "double bag it?"

What one would say to get another (plastic) bag for carrying heavy groceries? Is it right to tell the cashier "would you please double bag it?" I am asking this question because when I tried to search the web for such phrase, I ended up with many results suggesting perverted, sexual connotations about condoms! Thus, I am a little worried about saying it in public or at stores.


How should foreign words (with foreign characters) be written in English text?

This question is not about italicisation or how to construct plurals. I wonder what are general guidelines for writing foreign words based on a Latin alphabet in English text. I know that, for languages written in completely different script systems, there exist more or less standard per-language “romanization” procedures (such as writing Japanse in rōmaji). My question is about words from languages with Latin script, where some glyphs are not found commonly in English. Examples of such characters include:   * accents of all kinds (é, ô, ñ, etc.)   * ligatures (æ, œ, ĳ, Å, ç, ķ, etc.)   * characters not found at all: thorn (Þ), eth (ð), german ß,  How should these words be written in English text? Should they be copied entirely, normalized in some way (e.g., ß → ss, é → e), or transliterated so that they can be read as they should be spelt? My personal preference is to borrow them as they are, but I would like to know what style guides recommand and what is common usage in press. **Added:** data from some research is inconsistent:   * New Oxford American Dictionary has _piñata_ , but _Anschluss_ (vs. _ß_ ) and _oeuvre_ (vs. _œ_ ).   * The Guardian uses the two variants of both _Anschluß_ and _œuvre_   * I don’t know other languages well enough that I know what to look for :) **2 nd addition:** I’m starting a bounty on this, because I style haven’t found any reference to actual **style guides** , or research from data in **open-access corpuses** /corpora (which I don’t know how to do myself).


Foreign names: Transcription or literal spelling?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  How should foreign words (with foreign characters) be written in English > text? Sometimes, you want to use the names of foreign people in English texts. This presents no problem if the person's name is composed of the 26 letters in the English alphabet. If the name contains another character, e.g., _é_ or _ß_ , a decision has to be made:   * Do I stick to the original spelling, or   * do I find some sort of transcription into the 26 English alphabet characters. It is of course useful to make sure that the target audience can still understand the text, which probably means that you would have to go with transcription for everything that's originally Cyrillic or Chinese. In a scientific article, however, _Schrödinger_ with the umlaut is widely used (instead of the transcription _Schroedinger_ ). _Gauß_ however is typically spelled as _Gauss_ in English literature, although I would attribute this phenomenon rather to the lack of the key _ß_ on the English typewriter. What are the rules, guidelines, recommendations for transcription of names as opposed to literal spelling?


the job is not up to one's qualifications and standard, in fact it is below his standard

what "word" can I use to tell someone that the job is not up to his qualifications and standard. The job in fact is below his standard.


How do I better ask question which may not contain subject?

Which of the following sounds better: > How do I cook an omelet? – or > How to cook an omelet? If I am asking which steps someone, in general, should take to cook an omelet.


Can you use past and present tense in the same sentence?

Could you please confirm if the following sentence is correct or not? > ...he comes over quite often, he and I **got** on quite well when we see > each other so not much issue there. Or should it be: > ...he comes over quite often, he and I **get** on quite well when we see > each other so not much issue there. Which one is correct, or are both, depending on context?


Can an "or" question be answered "yes" or "no"?

I recently moved to the West Coast for a new job. I periodically ask if someone is going to take choice A or choice B. Commonly they answer "yes" or "no." I always asked them to re-state by writing "choice " or "choice ". A few said I knew exactly what they meant, I just like to be difficult. I tried to sincerely ask a few coworkers what "yes" and "no" meant in this context and they just frowned and sighed. Where I'm from no one answers "yes". Is this grammatically correct and if so what does it mean? Bob: Jim, are you taking next week off or the following week? Jim: Yes Which week is Jim taking off? I know this. Bob: Jim are you taking either next week or the following week off? Jim: Yes Means Jim is may be taking next week off or he may be taking the following week off. He's not indicating which week, he's just indicating that it will be one of those 2 weeks, not neither of those 2 weeks.


Finance metaphors for relationships

I've recently read that there are quite a few metaphors describing relationships between humans that are taken from the financial sector. However, examples were very scarce. On my list I have "invest" or "to value", "priceless". Relationships can be "bankrupt". I have a hard time coming up with other examples. Any suggestions?


Using apostrophes

Hey guys! I hope you can help. For homework, I was asked to write an essay using some words the teacher gave in class and the last word I need to use is _country_. Can someone please tell—does _country_ need to have an apostrophe-s at the end of the word? And is the following sentence I wrote correct? > The country's best pizza, is served at buca. I appreciate your help.


Is 'Blood libel' an established expression?

I came across the word, 'Blood libel,' apparently associated with Ms. Sarah Palin's agressive statement which was zeroed in at Democratic lowmakers in today's Washington Post.   Neither Concise Oxford Dictionary nor Oxford American Dictionary carries this word. The latter defines 'libel' as:   1. Published falese statement that damages a person's reputation.    2. A statement or anything that brings discredit on a person or thing. Both of which doesn't seem to me fitting to 'Blood libel' used in the context of the above statements. I think I can guess what the word means here, but is 'Blood libel' a broadly received expression in U.S. and U.K? Who coined this word on the earth?   I'm asking this because it's in many cases shown in parentheses. Quotes: > Questions about whether Palin knew what she was getting into by using " > **blood libel** " miss the mark. Right now, she is as much provocateur as > politician. And: > Within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not > manufacture a **blood libel** that serves only to incite the very hatred and > violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible.


"Stick it in the boot." "Er, don't you mean the trunk?"

Does anyone know the etymological history or the reason behind the different names that British and American speakers use to refer to the automobile's largest storage receptacle, or more plainly, the _boot_ or the _trunk_? Perhaps a prominent company's advertising or a prior related usage on either side of the Atlantic influenced this divergence?


Name for a work attitude

I am looking for a name for a work attitude that can be described as the person treating their job as something of their own. To take some examples, they treat every single project or piece of work almost as if it was their own children, like something they will be identified with say long after their death; they try to save money as much as possible on business trips even if the expenses would be paid by the company in full regardless of the amount; they don't terrorize the bathroom or other public spaces. Let me add that the concept is very close to "wholehearted, passionate, earnest" etc.; but these words miss the "feel like my own" component.


Are “could I have been able to cope with” and "could I have coped with” the same?

I am a bit confused with the formation of this sentence. My lines are: > What if I were a girl? **Would I have been able to cope** with the ordeal > that women and girls live through every day? But I am still confused about whether writing _would I have been able to_ is the correct form. Would it still be correct if I change that to > What if I were a girl? **Could I have coped** with the ordeal that women and > girls live through every day?


What does the phrase "before too long" mean? Excerpt from where I read this phrase: > The response to the SDK has been quite good and I expect to start hearing > about some great apps and success stories before too long.


What is the term for words that can be used as the opposite of themselves? I know there are a few of them out there, it is possible to 'Dust a cake with Icing' and if the cake were on a shelf for a long time (must be a bad bakery) then it would be acceptable to 'Dust the cake' to remove any dust particles... In this case, 'Dust with Icing' implies the addition of something to the cake where 'Dust the cake' implies the action of removing dust from the cake Other examples: Bolt - To hold in place or to Run away with haste... Trim - To remove a small portion or to add small bits that make it pretty...


What does the expression 'justified for him his own idea' mean?

I am reading a novel, and I did not understand one of the sentences in it. Following are two lines from the novel. The narrator is talking about a guy called Paul and her father. > They were once caught in a three-week rainstorm, my father said if you could > spend three weeks in a wet tent with a man without killing him or having him > kill you then he was a good man. Paul justified for him his own idea of the > simple life; but for Paul, the anachronism was imposed, he'd never chosen > it. I did not understand the last sentence - `Paul justified for him his own idea of the simple life; but for Paul, the anachronism was imposed, he'd never chosen it.` Could someone explain it to me? From the context, I think that it means - 'My father liked Paul's simple life, but for Paul it wasn't an option'.


What does "to beat someone to something by some time period" mean?

> **Beat me to it by about 30 seconds**   >  _(Source: The first comment underthis answer.)_ I can't find "beat to" in my phrasal verb look up table, nor this usage makes any sense to me. But it looks like I'm the only one who didn't understand it, because nobody asked him "What did you mean by that comment?" there. Can you please explain this sentence to me?


What is the origin of using the word "our" preceding a first name when speaking directly to the person so named

In the BBC's _Keeping Up Appearences_ , and _Lark Rise to Candleford_ , "our Rose" and "our Laura" are used in both the third person and second person. The usage seems understandable as a third person reference offering distinction from other persons with the same name: "Our Rose is out with her gentleman friend tonight." In the second person it makes less sense (to me): "What have you been doing all afternoon, our Laura?" or "Bring us a fag, our Rose." This second person usage occurs frequently in direct address and seems odd to my American ears.


"but otherwise" in a sentence

"But otherwise" means"except for what has just been mentioned". In the sentence below, what does it mean? > Galicia, on the Atlantic coast of northern Spain, is the homeland of > Generalissimo Francisco Franco, but is otherwise famous for being a place > people try to leave.   1. Galicia is famous for being the homeland of Generalissimo Francisco Franco and a place people try to leave.   2. Galicia is not famous for being the homeland of Generalissimo Francisco Franco, but famous for being a place people try to leave.   3. Galicia is famous for being the homeland of Generalissimo Francisco Franco, but is more famous for being a place people try to leave.   4. Galicia is famous for being a place people try to leave, but is more famous for being the homeland of Generalissimo Francisco Franco. Is there another meaning _but otherwise_ could have?


What is a term that means "to force into a particular form"?

I'm looking for a term that describes "forcing into a particular form", "forcing into looking like something else", or even "forcefully fitting into a category" Ex: "We (word) the function/statement/etc. into this particular form _so that_ we can make statements about it using what we already know"


Preposition placement mid-sentence

I was recently reviewing a piece of writing for a friend of mine who wrote > Though such a theory does not describe the world we live in, it will > undoubtedly shed light on... I told him to change this to > Though such a theory does not describe the world in which we live, it will > undoubtedly shed light on... I'm not entirely sure why I think this is correct besides the indirect evidence obtained from recalling that one is not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition. Was I correct? Is there a general, corresponding rule? If so, what is it?


Retire Vs Retirement

I am confused between the two: > My father is due to **retire/retirement** in a few months and is restless. According to my understanding, _retire_ sounds more appropriate. But I am not sure. Could anyone explain the correct form.


What is the meaning or context of this Mark quote

“I once sent a dozen of my friends a telegram saying 'flee at once - all is discovered.' They all left town immediately.”


"Prefer to" vs "prefer than"

I am confused as to when to use "prefer to" and "prefer than".   For example, we write: > I prefer coffee to tea. So why can't we use **than** instead of **to**?   Also, can someone give me an example of a sentence where we use prefer **than**? I exactly can't remember a sentence but I'm sure I've read it somewhere.


Noun verbs a-gerunding - the meaning of the "a-gerund" form?

The first time I saw this antiquated form was in Steeleye Span's interpretation of The Elf Knight ballad, but I tend to see it now and then and I don't quite know how it is used. > Lady Isabel sits **a-sewing**   >  Fine flowers in the valley   >  When she heard the elf-knight's horn **a-blowing**   >  As the rose is blown What is the name, role, history (how it came to be, and how it died) of that prefix? Does it affect the gerund in any way, modifying its meaning or such, or is it just "the way it was spoken back then"? Is this related to the indefinite article `a` put in front of normal nouns, treating the gerund as any noun, or is it something completely different?


Meaning of 'pedal' in sentence?

What does the following sentence mean: > “Mattan and the yellow jersey were right in the middle of the pack as it > peddled hard in the blistering heat.”? I don't understand what "peddle" means in this sentence, taken from Longman's Dictionary of Contemporary English 5th edition.


Revealing that someone else is gay — counterpart to "come out"

If I reveal to my friend that I am gay, I'd say > I _came out_ to my friend. How would I say that my friend told his friend (without asking me for permission) that I am gay? > My friend [insert verb here] me to his friend. Of course, I could say > My friend told his friend that I am gay But I am wondering if there is a phrase analogous to "come out".


I am going to go?

My English teacher told me that "going to go" doesn't exist in English but I saw it many times. For example "The whole band is going to go to show their support". I'd like to know if it's possible to use it or not.


"Snapping out" vs "snapping out of it."

I wrote the following: > Eri was still staring at the screen, but her eyes were expresionless, as if > in a trance. > > Her father laughed. "I admit it was a shocking footage. But Eri, you look > like you've just seen a ghost." > > "Oh," Eri said, **snapping out (of it)**. "It's nothing. I just had a long > day." Should I just write, _snapping out_ , or _snapping out of it_?


she had been working / she had worked

I'm really curious what difference do native speakers conceive in these two sentences: (She joined our firm ten years ago.) She **_had worked_** for the previous five years with an advertising company. vs. She **_had been working_** for the previous five years with an advertising company. These are sentences taken from a book with grammar exercises and the key gives these two options. Is there any difference in the meaning?


"Not only" and "but also" separated by a full stop

I have the following sentence: > This powder is able not only to effectively wash your shirts and sweaters, > but also to clean out even the most terrible stains on your pants, > handkerchiefs, socks, jackets, shawls, veils and most other kinds of > clothes. Now I want to split it into two sentences for better readability: > This powder is able not only to effectively wash your shirts and sweaters. > It also helps you clean out even the most terrible stains on your pants, > handkerchiefs, socks, jackets, shawls, veils and most other kinds of > clothes. Is this grammatically correct?


"Wanting" or "want"?

Lately I have noticed that a lot of people use "wanting" in sentences, or in books, but I don't get it because my English teachers have always said to me that with verbs like "love", "like", "want" etc. we can't write the verb ending "-ing". But how it is possible that it's in book then? Some examples:   * > She reached her hand out, wanting to touch him...   * > Not wanting to talk about it, Clary turned...   * > Actually, I’ve been wanting to ask you how...  I really want to know where I can use it and where I can't. It really drives me crazy that I don't know it.


Two parenthesized sentences in direct sequence

Is it permissible/good style to have two parenthesized sentences in direct sequence, such as in the following example? > However, this could lead to problems with A (for given B) (though not > necessarily affecting C). I can think of no arguments either for or against such a practice, but for some reason I've always avoided it.


Why is it correct to say "to negate a double"?

In programming you can _negate a double_. At least Google hits tend to that, but there are, though, a lot of hits for _invert a double_. While the definition of _to invert_ is clear > to invert: > > to change the normal position of something, especially by turning it upside > down or by arranging it in the opposite order the definition of _to negate_ seems to have a bit different meaning > to negate: > > 1 to stop something from having any effect   > > > 2 to state that something does not exist Other dictionaries like merriam-wesbster back that up: > to deny the existence or truth of > > to cause to be ineffective or invalid Having said that I wonder why there are so many Google hits for _to negate a double_. We neither make it invalid nor we cease its existence. I found one definition that goes into the direction of turning a value to its opposite but the definition fits more to a boolean than a double because _NOT 5_ is unequal to _MINUS 5_. > Computer Science: To perform the machine logic operation NOT gate. > thefreedictionary But the noun _negation_ fits at all: > negation: > > the exact opposite of something; the act of causing something not to exist > or to become its opposite So, why do we _negate a double_ instead of _invert a double_?


I've been through that stage "ages ago" or "ages before"

Like in the title, I wanted to say something like "I'm no longer that way, it was long long ago", so should it be "ages ago" or "ages before"? For some reason, the first instinct was "ages ago", then it is an "I have been......" pattern, somehow, I felt "ago" just doesn't fit here? Plzzzzz help


A word for the beginning of a street?

Is there a word for the beginning of a street? What word would be used to describe where a street begins? I have a friend who says that in Persian, it's described as the "head" of the street, but I can't think of how it would be described in English. Does anyone know?


What is the origin of the phrase "in your backpocket"? As in "What song have you got in your back pocket?" for "what song have you got ready to perform comfortably now, without preparation".


"Prolers" is in no English dictionary and yet it's in several online Scrabble dictionaries. Is it an English word?

Is the word _prolers_ an English word or just rubbish/noise added to the Scrabble dictionary? If it's a real English word, what does it mean? (Not a general reference question by virtue of this word not being in the OED, Merriam-Webster, or any other English dictionary I could find.)


"equally skilled as X" or "equally skilled to X"?

Which of the following (if either) is correct? > I consider myself equally skilled as LeBron. > > I consider myself equally skilled to LeBron.


Is “spend (a lot of) pixels” becoming an idiom?

I found the expression, “ _spend a lot of pixels_ ” in the article titled “Handicapping the Veepstakes: Romney’s Rules of the Road” in today’s (April 25) Time magazine. It begins with: > “We’ve _spent a lot of pixels_ analyzing some of Mitt Romney’s vice > presidential options. There’s a reason for this, and it’s not simply because > surveying the field and weighing the candidates’ strengths and weaknesses is > a popular parlor game.” I remember that Mitt Romney once mentioned “waste trees” to mean “waste papers.” What does ‘pixels’ represent for here? Is it TV time, or PC usage (for analysis)? Is “spend a lot of pixels” a received expression today, or just the Time writer’s purple verse?


"If anybody answer this question" or "If anybody answerS this question"

What is correct - "If anybody answer this question please let me know" or "If anybody answers this question please let me know" Thank you.


This almost feels like a SO question. Is there an EBNF that covers all of English, and if so, what is it?


Is there some English Grammar Specification?

Every programming language has some sort of language specification. For example, here's Python 3.3's Full Grammar Specification. This kind of documentation is necessary for people to program a compiler/interpreter that understands the meaning of the language. My question is whether there is some sort of (unofficial) grammar specification like this for English.   Something like this would have many practical uses, although it might be hard to define. I imagine it would start something like this:               sentence:    noun_phrase verb [[indirect_object] direct_object] end_punctuation     noun_phrase: (adjective_phrase)* noun      # (0 or more adjectives followed by a noun)


Is "to fight with" ambiguous?

I've read about a Dutch volunteer, who died in Syria _"fighting **with** the rebels"_. Obviously from the context you could understand, that he was fighting for the rebels, against the government troops. Article was written by non-native speaker. Is _"to fight with"_ ambiguous and can be used both as _"to fight for"_ and _"to fight against"_? Or is is unambiguous and only _"to fight against"_ is the only valid interpretation?


Is a whole cake still a "piece"

If someone eats an entire cake, is it correct to say that he ate _just a piece_ of cake? Can a whole cake still be considered a **piece** of cake if consumed in one sitting?


Difference between present perfect and perfect continous

What is the difference between these two sentences:- > The traffic police has blocked the road for heavy vehicles since last Friday and > It has been raining heavily since morning.


A dream come true - is it correct

I was confused by a company slogan I saw, and that made me wonder: **Is it correct to write "a dream come true"?** If I was the one writing it I would use "a dream comes true" but is the initial form wrong?


Which is correct: "Grails" or "The Grails"?

Should it be > Grails has integration with jUnit or > The Grails has integration with jUnit If the correct answer is the one without the "The", then why? P.S. (The) Grails is an open source web application framework.


-phobia word for fear of hearing speeches

I'm looking for a **_phobia_** word for someone who hates listening to speeches because they find them so embarrassing. For example, a bride at a wedding or someone about to receive an award might be embarrassed to hear speeches in their praise, not liking to be in the spotlight. Or a member of the audience might be embarrassed because they find speeches false/formal/sycophantic etc. Google has lots of hits for _fear of public speaking_ ie giving a speech, but nothing I could find for _fear of listening to speeches_. I already looked on Wikipedia and Phobialist but could not see anything obvious. I'm not looking for adjectives such as shy, awkward, unassuming etc, I'm looking for the specific _phobia_ word. If one does not exist, can anyone suggest one? It doesn't have to be suitable for psychology text books, it can be on the lines of 'Monday Morning-phobia'.


"Will be doing" vs. "will do"

What's the difference between:               I will be eating cakes tomorrow.     I will eat cakes tomorrow.      And, when should I use the first form?


Sorry to muck you about

what is the meaning of the expression "Sorry to muck you about?" Is it informal? Thanks


what does " something makes the pain worth it " mean?

I mean in this sentence > Glad you could enjoy that. Really makes the pain worth it. What does it mean?


"At various occasions" versus "on various occasions"

Which of these sentences is correct? > The importance to eat fruits and vegetables of different colors has been > demonstrated **at various occasions**.   >  The importance to eat fruits and vegetables of different colors has been > demonstrated **on various occasions**.


Should we use joinee or joiner?

If a new person joins our firm, should we use the word "joinee" or "joiner"? As I can see there is no word "joinee" in dictionary. And joiner says: >   1. a person who constructs the wooden components of a building, such as > stairs, doors, and door and window frames.   > >   2. informal a person who readily joins groups or campaigns: a compulsive > joiner of revolutionary movements. > As second definition says, informal and I have been using "joinee" for years. So I would like to clarify my doubts regarding usage of these 2 words correctly.


Word for an experience or entity that is enjoyable with repeated exposure, but not interesting or unpleasant if experienced once or a few times?

I've seen > Age like wine to describe this phenomenon, but I'm thinking that there's a single word or a more concise and descriptive phrase for this. I'd appreciate any help.


What does a "meteoric rise" imply?

Does the phrase "meteoric rise" connote that the rise is short-lived? Particularly bright? Generally lateral? It just seems like a meteor is not the best metaphor for a triumphant and lasting ascendancy.


Should "Project Manager" be capitalized?

I am pretty sure it shouldn't, but want to make sure that I am doing this correctly in a proposal that I am working on. Should job titles like "Project Manager" ever be capitalized, and if so when? In particular I am concerned about capitalization in sentences like this where the title refers to a specific person, not the role in general. > "The Project Manager will evaluate the alternatives and offer a solution." I'm a lot more certain that it should NOT be capitalized in sentences like this. > "A project manager is the person who manages the budget and deliverable for > a project."


When is it appropriate to use "titled" vs. "entitled"? For example, which is the correct word to use in the following sentence? > I really liked the conclusion to rands’ latest blog post entitled “How to > Run a Meeting”.


Non-offensive equivalent to KISS

Is there a non-offensive way to tell someone: > is better to (k)eep (i)t (s)imple, (s)... **Update** Let's say someone came with his part of the homework done, then it turns out to be a rather complicated approach. Then I say to the guy _" That is somewhat complicated dude, let's keep it simple "_


what do you call an insult where the person is disappointed in themselves for expecting better out of the other party?

Person A says to B: "I thought you were smarter/stronger/better/more trustworthy than that. I should have known better." I was thinking it would be termed passive aggressive, but after reading up on it, that doesn't seem right. I'm tripped up on how focused on the Person A the two sentences are. Typically an insult would be "You're not very smart" and that would be that. But this is "I'm disappointed in myself for thinking better of you." Is there a good term for this sort of insult?


“Stuff happen” or “stuff happens”?

Is it “bad stuff _happens_ to good people” or “bad stuff _happen_ to good people”?


A word for something you didn't know you'd like

I need a noun that succinctly describes the enigmatic concept of something that, based on your tastes, you would probably like, but didn't know you'd like. Anyone game? Edit: If it can be understood in context, a made-up word is just as good, if not better. Edit2: I've seen a lot of mentions of the word "serendipity". "Serendipity" carries too many connotations of "fate" and "luck." This concept would have to deal with the idea of something being introduced to you by someone who _knows_ , evidently, that you would like this thing.


Is "most part of" plural or singular?

Is "most part of" singular or plural? Which is correct: "most part of the banks **are** corrupt" or "most part of the banks **is** corrupt"?


"Interested" is to "interesting" as "curious" is to what?

I can't find any perfect matches in dictionaries. Does there exist such a word at all?


Who coined the phrase “trickle-down government” and what does it mean?

“Trickle-down government” or “trickledown government” seems to be one of Mitt Romney’s more memorable lines from the October 3, 2012 political debate between the Republican presidential candidate and President Barack Obama. But he didn’t coin it. _Google_ finds examples in political discourse going back to the 1992 presidential election.   * Who invented the term?   * What does it mean?


I often have trouble speaking good English when negative numbers are involved. Would it be correct to say that negative five is less than positive two? If not, what expression is most appropriate? The issue, of course, is that the absolute value of negative five is greater than the absolute value of positive two.


Imperative followed by "rather than"?

> Have in mind what you want to take a picture of beforehand - shoot a single > shot rather than taking many random pictures. I came across this sentence and I'm confused about the verb following "rather than", it's in the -ing form but is it possible to have it in the infinitive as well? I looked it up in my grammar book and it says that when using "rather than", the words before and after it should match, so the format should be infinitive-rather than-infinitive. But this is in the imperative. What is the rule for this?


Does one capitalize "communism" and "communist"?

Suppose I have the following sentence: > I lived in a communist country during the fall of communism in 1989. Should "communist" and "communism" be capitalized?


After you "are finished that"/"are finished with that"/"have finished that", brush your teeth

I've been hearing constructs of the form, "are ___ _ed that," which sound wrong to me. To my ear, the awkwardness would be dispelled if the word "are" was replaced with "have," or "with" inserted before "that."


Opposite of disciplined with positive or neutral connotations

Is there a word or phrase that means the opposite of disciplined, but which doesn't have negative connotations?


Can "nighttime" be used instead of "night-time"?

I forgot where but I saw the word "night-time" written like "nighttime". Now is that correct or accepted? Can it be written as a single word? I am specifically concerned about British usage. I did check the dictionary before posting but a dictionary can't tell me about real-life usage frequencies.


One single word for honour killing

honour killing is a word that carries sentiments. But its Google synonym don't. Like assassination - is a more of a war machine word. butchery - is not right either. Do we have a single word for honour killing?


Is there any difference between Present Perfect and Present Perfect Continuous?

I have studied "present perfect" and "present perfect continuous" for a week. I know forms, verb and helping verb I should use when I write them. For me, they have nearly same definition because I can use them interchangeably in Thai language. (My native language) For example, the sentences >   * I have learned English language in the past few weeks. >   * I have been learning English language in the past few weeks. > have no difference in meaning to me. They both mean "I began learning the English language in the past and I am still learning it" Can I use them interchangeably in English? Or is there any difference between them? For example, when should I use present perfect but not present perfect continuous?


What conditional statement is the following?

I was reading an AP report and I came up at the following passage: > If the NATO troops **do** pull back, it **would** leave vast areas of the > country unprotected including border areas with Pakistan. It **would** > essentially mean the end of the strategy of trying to win hearts and minds > by working with and protecting the local populations. Shouldn't this be 'did' at the first place?


"Does not make changes" or "makes no changes"

I was thinking of using this sentence on my computer program: > This action does not make changes on user's machine. Just to be sure, I checked Google Translate which suggested: > This action makes no changes on user's machine. I suppose that both are correct and have the same meaning, but is there reason to use one instead of the other?


How did the spelling "demesne" come about?

The word _demesne_ seems to just be an alternative spelling of the rather more logically-spelt _domain_. I'm wondering how this strange spelling came about? Even taking into account its given etymology from the Old French _demein_ , how did the letter "s" get in there?


Paraphrase this sentence please

It made her fear some conspiratorial, punishing power had carried her back home.


what is the etymology of the word "none-so-pretty"?

Merriam Webster defines the word as: 1 a decorative braid or tape used in the late 18th century 2 a : london pride b : lobel's catchfly It looks like an interesting word to know but very little information is available online. Also, there is no mention of its origin neither on Online Etymology Dictionary nor any other sites.


Present tense in a question with verb in past tense

I have got following two questions. > I wanted to ask am I correct in thinking that we can’t test token system? > > I wanted to ask was I correct in thinking that we couldn't test token > system? I want to know which of the two is correct. In both the question I have mentioned _I wanted to ask_ (which is past tense) In #1 I have written _Am I correct_ (which is present tense), but in #2 I have written _Was I correct_ ( which is past tense). Can we write a question in present tense followed by a past tense?


Is it acceptable to begin a declarative sentence with "Am"?

I want to know firstly if it's grammatically correct to start a declarative sentence with "Am". For example: > Am excited about the game today. Secondly, if it is grammatically incorrect, then I wanted to ask how much "head room" there is for the above usage. I can't think of an example now, nor find one here at english.stackexchange. However I imagine there are usages of the english language that grammatically are illegal, yet have somehow become accepted as colloquial or idiomatic perhaps.


Is it ok to eliminate the "I" in informal English (e.g. "Am sorry" vs "I am sorry")?

I have seen writing where "I" is being dropped in sentences. For instance, "Am on my way" vs. "I am on my way". Is this acceptable usage?


Is it important to use the word "I' in this sentences

I've read how the use of the word I isn't always necessary when writing a resume as the employer already knows that the resume belongs to the job applicant. However some of these sentences sound incomplete without the word I, So i would like to know if its really necessary to include the word I in the beginning of these sentences. 1. **I have** maintained a clean record, both at school and work, by always acting with honesty.  2. **I** grew up in a respectable household and was brought up to appreciate and uphold moral values. 3. **I** strictly adhere to instructions and devote undivided attention to details. OR 1. **Maintained** a clean record, both at school and work, by always acting with honesty.  2. **Grew** up in a respectable household and was brought up to appreciate and uphold moral values. 3. **Strictly** adhere to instructions and devote undivided attention to details. Note: I am not asking anyone to proofread my sentences , I just want to know if i can use the sentences with or without I in the beginning.


Should I use a pronoun in the second sentence?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Is it acceptable to omit “I” when it’s the subject? I'm chatting with my friend, and I want to say to him that I want to go to shower and I'll be back soon. What is correct: > I'm going to shower. **Will** be back soon. or > I'm going to shower. **I will** be back soon. or other variant?


Is it acceptable to omit "I" when it's the subject?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Is it acceptable to begin a declarative sentence with “Am”? Is it correct English to omit _I_ from the beginning of a sentence when it's clearly implied? For example... > How are you? Hope everything's okay? as opposed to > How are you? I hope everything's okay?


Is it grammatical to omit the subject from "I did my work"?

> **Possible Duplicate:**   >  Is it acceptable to begin a declarative sentence with "Am"? Is it correct to start a sentence with _did_. > Did my work. instead of > I did my work. while answering my emails?


Is “am” ever proper English without an “I” somewhere before or after it?

For a long time, I have been convinced that the use of the word _am_ without the word _I_ either before or after it is incorrect. For instance, saying _Am going_ all by itself. However, I recently ran a search on it to try and clear up the confusion, but that has left me even more confused than I was to begin with!


Omitting the subject in writing

I wonder whether it is formal to omit the subject in writing. Must all sentences always have a subject when I'm writing an English test? Ìs it colloquial and reserved to speech?


Difference between "ask of me" and "ask me"

Can somebody please explain the difference between "ask of me" and "ask me"? Why do we use "of" between ask and me?