Questions tagged [grammar]
This tag is for grammar questions, but only if you're not certain what other tag to use. If possible, tag as tense, verb, articles, prepositions, or some other more specific tag or tags instead.
1,620
questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
3
votes
2
answers
272
views
Can "unless" be used in unreal past (with would have)?
I found conflicting information about the subject:
BBC World Service states that:
And we cannot use unless with would to talk about unreal future
situations:
If he didn't take everything ...
- 1,635
3
votes
3
answers
73
views
Tense Usage in Personal Passive Voice Construction
Example Sentence:
They believed the bridge was constructed badly.
⇒ The bridge was believed to [be/have been] constructed badly.
Which should I use in this case, "to be" or "to have ...
- 389
3
votes
1
answer
74
views
"which" acting as relative pronoun standing for verbal phrases?
1: Metal will bear beating with a hammer, which a stone will not.
2: He can write a letter in English, which I cannot.
In these examples does "which" act as a relative pronoun and stand for ...
- 2,923
2
votes
1
answer
38
views
Question about Comma - Determining Clauses
In the sentence below, should there be a comma after "President"?
John comes to RNW from the Office of the President, where he supported the RanTech systems for the last 20 years.
- 53
2
votes
1
answer
29
views
Is it correct to use the Past Perfect Continuous with the time expression 'after'?
Is the sentence correct?
After my cousin had been studying Nuclear Physics for six years, he couldn't find a job
I don't think I've ever seen the Past Perfect Continuous used in this case; it's ...
- 21
2
votes
1
answer
51
views
I had not (or never) known that he was a vegetarian
(Before someone told me that he was a vegetarian)
I had not known that he was a vegetarian.
I had never known that he was a vegetarian.
It seems that the first sentence is correct while the second ...
- 1,555
2
votes
1
answer
237
views
In this sentence, should I use "hit" or "hits"?
In this sentence, should I use hit or hits?
I threw a small stone, then I was worried about a car with a driver
inside; if the stone hit the car, I would be miserable.
- 49
2
votes
1
answer
68
views
Wrong Past Perfect Tense Structure
I read this sentence:
After we had eaten lunch, we flew
our kites.
I feel like this sentence has a weird structure, although it's grammatically correct.
I feel like saying this is better:
After we ...
- 323
2
votes
3
answers
205
views
Usage of "his + Ving"?
I'm completely fine with both these sentences:
I am sure of my brother's passing the exam.
I am sure of my brother passing the exam.
So I suppose it's OK to use "his + Ving" or "him + ...
- 2,999
2
votes
1
answer
124
views
Conditionals without 'if'
I can see lots of sentences like
"You touch my bag again, I kill you."
I guess this is also a conditional, even though I don't see any 'if' clauses. (Am I right?)
In this case, can I say &...
- 21
2
votes
2
answers
722
views
What's the difference between "If I had done" and "If I did"?
If I had known she was coming, Id have come too.
1st Question: I really understand this sentence but what if I say it like “If I knew she (would come or not or was coming or not?), I'd come too.”
Am ...
- 21
2
votes
1
answer
21
views
Is this the correct use of "will it"?
Once the spirit is broken, only when the human has lost all hope WILL IT be transferred to the soul extraction chamber.
It should be "it will be" for conditionals here, right??
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
of the form vs in the form
The structure is of the form of X.
The structure is in the form of X.
What is the difference in meaning and which one is grammatically correct?
I think 1 means the structure is united with the ...
- 2,467
2
votes
2
answers
2k
views
to understand vs to understanding
I was wondering why we use "understanding" instead of "understand" in this sentence? can we just use "understand"?
Math is the hidden secret to understanding the world.
- 157
2
votes
2
answers
113
views
grammar/ meaning “To look at him, you'd never think he was 80!”
Is the title sentence the short form of
(If you were) To look at him, you'd never think he was 80!
Likewise,
In other part of the country again, to give the example of Minnesota, you would ...
- 121
2
votes
1
answer
360
views
"The+ comparative" form
I know that when something changes (whether it increases or decreases in size, number, or whatever) along with another change, it can be expressed with
" the+ comparative, the+ comparative" form.
ex) ...
- 407
2
votes
1
answer
66
views
People He Thought Were/To Be
I have a question about this:
1a. The people he thought were missing showed up.
1b. The people he thought to be missing showed up.
2a. The people he guessed were missing showed up.
2b. The ...
- 7,555
2
votes
1
answer
199
views
Past perfect or past simple in these sentences
I know this is not really a new question but . . .
I got a letter from John yesterday. We were at school but I lost touch with him because he was very ill and could not go to school anymore.
...
- 6,291
2
votes
1
answer
13k
views
How to use "make" and/or "make for" in this sense?
Which of the following sentences are grammatically correct? Which ones are formal, idiomatic and proper to use in writing an essay?
What makes for a good job?
What makes a good job?
What does make a ...
- 2,040
2
votes
3
answers
162
views
Which phrase or word does “as” belong to?
As, in order to will, it is necessary to be free, a difficulty no less great than the former arises: that of preserving at once the public liberty and the authority of government.Source: Rousseau, A ...
- 5,737
2
votes
2
answers
65
views
Is the preposition "for" missing, though at the end of the relative clause?
I've come across this sentence in a document.
Newly-built village houses refer to village houses for which a certificate of compliance is applied.
Is a "for" missing after "applied&...
- 21
2
votes
1
answer
517
views
Is it okay to put "cannot" in a present perfect tense?
Is it okay to say "we cannot have achieved this without the participation of your company.
- 35
2
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Preposition to use for challenge (in or of)
I'm struggling with the choice of preposition to use for the following sentence.
Amy enjoys the challenge of doing X,Y,Z to improve her run time.
Amy enjoys the challenge in doing X,Y,Z to ...
- 215
2
votes
2
answers
131
views
Which version is correct? (it or them)
Our clients are not only surprised by how much savings we find, but where we find it.
OR
Our clients are not only surprised by how much savings we find, but where we find them.
- 29
2
votes
1
answer
374
views
The categories of indefinite pronouns
I know everything.
They know all of their pen pals./ They know all the fathers of the
family here.
I think "everything" is an indefinite pronoun, and "all" is also an indefinite pronoun, so what ...
- 599
2
votes
1
answer
196
views
using V-ing after When
Actually I'm doing a Grammar exercise that require me to identify mistake in a sentence. Here's the sentence:
(A)When hearing the weather forecast, we decide (B)not to go camping (C)in the (D) ...
- 129
2
votes
2
answers
203
views
Past continuous vs. Past perfect
It's a story that happened in the past at an airport.
It starts this way
When I got to the check-in desk my parents were nowhere in sight.
I was waiting for them until it suddenly occurred to me ...
- 1,101
2
votes
1
answer
44
views
"Reflection off of surfaces" vs "Reflection of surfaces" vs "Reflection off surfaces"
In this link I came across this sentence:
1 Reflection of sound waves off of surfaces can lead to one of two phenomena.
Is it a grammatical sentence? Isn't the usage of "off of" a little ...
- 1,018
2
votes
1
answer
8k
views
Good Wishing for someone's success
Here are some sentences:
Can I use 'May' for wishing someone? For example:
May you get success in your goal.
OR,
Is it compulsory to use the word 'wish' for wishing someone ? For example:
I ...
- 2,708
1
vote
0
answers
25
views
Framing a sentence for a short meeting
"Could we connect for a short meeting?"
Is this sentence correct or could it be phrased in a better way? The intention is to send this message to someone and do a zoom meeting. I feel there ...
- 463
1
vote
0
answers
31
views
Is it correct to say “Welcome to John” if you want to welcome somebody to John’s house?
If you want to welcome somebody to John’s house, would you say:
“Welcome to John”
“Welcome to John’s”
“Welcome to John’s house”
For instance, which of the previous can be written on doormat?
Thank ...
Ernesto
1
vote
1
answer
25
views
Is "as" in "NativeScript allows you to write logic in C or C++ in a similar fashion as you would write a GDScript file." a conjunction?
I got contradictory answers from bing chat to a question.
First part of the chat:
So I started a new topic
The queston is:
"NativeScript allows you to write logic in C or C++ in a similar ...
- 111
1
vote
0
answers
29
views
Sooner or earlier or both?
I know similar questions may have been asked, but I believe each question has its own merits and explnation for the asker.
If I have joined a team a while ago, is it correct to say, "I think I ...
- 223
1
vote
2
answers
50
views
Is 'own' in the phrase 'of my own' a pronoun or determiner?
“ I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent ...
- 25
1
vote
1
answer
35
views
Do we use a preposition or not in "What year did you buy your car (in)?"?
Do we use a preposition "in" in this sentence?
Or we just skip it?
What year did you buy your car in?
- 21
1
vote
1
answer
40
views
since without perfect tense in the main clause
According to Michael Swan's Practical English Usage, it is possible to use since without perfect tenses in the main clause, especially in sentences about change. The examples given are:
You're ...
- 406
1
vote
0
answers
33
views
Active and passive voice
Which of the following statements is correct?
It is I who am to be blamed.
It is I who am to blame.
1
vote
1
answer
56
views
Is "which" omittable in this sentence?
I wrote a sentence in an assignment, which is something like:
*"The magazine has a vocabulary of 4,000 to 7,000 words, which is the same as that the GSAT requires."
My teacher, who is a ...
- 53
1
vote
1
answer
13
views
Omission of subject/verb and grammar
"One of the reasons this was mysterious to me was that the wrong answers would typically be ones that I'd expect a person with no particular expertise in the area to realize are wrong if they ...
1
vote
2
answers
35
views
Difference between "allow" vs "are allowing"?
I would like to know the difference between these two sentences. Are they different tenses? If so, what tenses are they in? I alternate between these a lot in my writing and I want to know what the ...
LC1987
1
vote
0
answers
24
views
What a member of the sentence is it?
In the sentence "I think desire to be smart is a normal thing" what a tipe of members of a sentence Is "smart" regarding the infinitive "to be"? Is it a direct object, ...
- 366
1
vote
0
answers
34
views
There are twice as many cars on the road (than OR as?) there used to be
How should I say and why?
There are twice as many cars on the road than there used to be.
There are twice as many cars on the road as there used to be.
grolegor
1
vote
2
answers
28
views
How to use "and" to connect three verbs?
Here is my question.
A burning stream of whisky ran through the streets of Dublin's central district, stretching over four hundred meters and reaching up to two feet wide and six inches deep.
Why ...
jo W
1
vote
1
answer
36
views
Come vs go - grammar
Should go or come be used in this sentence?
Is the answer come since the cat is moving towards the people?
So, Alex decided to organize a meeting with his friends in front of
the voluntary ...
- 337
1
vote
1
answer
24
views
At the vs With the
My heart grieves with the thought that he will stay back. Vs
My heart
grieves at the thought that he will stay back.
Grammarly corrects the first sentence to the second one. However, I have come ...
- 503
1
vote
1
answer
29
views
Usage of would for conditional with only result-clause
In all the resources that I have seen, I always find that would for conditional 2 and 3 is made up of a sentence with if-clause (or similar) and result clause (would).
But then I find many phrases ...
user13535
1
vote
1
answer
35
views
How do I change tenses when describing my thoughts about the past within a past tense narrative?
I am probably missing something very simple, but when you have a present + past simple sentence like the following:
I think that he looked uncomfortable when he was reading my essay.
How do you put it ...
- 33
1
vote
1
answer
16
views
"I wonder what was the difficulty" vs "I wonder what the difficulty was."
"I wonder what the difficulty was." vs "I wonder what was the difficulty."
"I wonder when was the toughest time." vs "I wonder when the toughest time was."
I ...
- 11
1
vote
2
answers
32
views
Direct and indirect objects
I don't really know where exactly to start, but it's a matter too hard for me, A non-native, to comprehend, so please bear with me.
He asked me to do.
He Threatened me to do.
I was told that the ...
1
vote
0
answers
25
views
I don't understand the "be done" part in this sentence. Please help
That vocational education and all electives except foreign language be eliminated from the secondary curriculum was the proposal of a group led by Mortimer Huxley.
This is the sentence. I understand ...
- 81
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