Questions tagged [grammaticality-in-context]
For questions about whether something obeys the rules of English grammar in a certain context.
545
questions
0
votes
1answer
26 views
Exclamations with verb
How to make an exclamatory sentence with a verb?
For example:
Someone plays football incredibly and you want to exclaim how he plays.
I guess I made the sentences wrong.
How he plays football!
...
1
vote
2answers
15 views
How to understand “keeping the complaining customer satisfied”?
I'm trying to understand the below sentence,
"Which sectors does he say have most problems when it comes to keeping the complaining customer satisfied?"
Especially, "keeping the complaining customer ...
0
votes
1answer
19 views
i'm in a catch 22 situation vs i have a catch 22 situation
Two people were conversing in something I read (I forget the details)
— I'm caught in a catch 22 situation..."
—"I have a catch 22 situation myself, and it's going to be the reason I die early."
...
-1
votes
1answer
45 views
grammar of the sentences
Do these sentences sound grammatically correct? I mean, for example, you were bad person at school, so you will be your whole life this way or something like that.
Who you were in the same way ...
3
votes
2answers
530 views
“…saw someone out…”: grammatical role of “out”?
Sentences:
My dad is out on vacation.
I saw her out on a bicycle.
Is the word out an adjective in this context?
Or is the word out the short form of out of home?
Thanks in advance.
6
votes
5answers
2k views
Grammar from Sherlock Holmes: Count Dracula and Ebenezer Scrooge come to mind
Here are two adjacent sentences from Sherlock Holmes
Few fictional characters have taken on a life of their own outside the pages of their stories the way Sherlock Holmes has.
Count Dracula and ...
0
votes
0answers
46 views
use of could / would - correct the sentence - I like that piece of furniture. I wish it could fit in my apartment
I like that piece of furniture. I wish it could fit in my apartment.
Options: -
was able to fit
might
would
My answer: I like that piece of furniture. I wish it would fit in my ...
0
votes
0answers
12 views
Construction of
If I swap words, will this sentence still grammatically correct?
"You're his one weakness — he should never have met you"
"His one weakness is you — he should never have met you"
1
vote
2answers
57 views
Not always I understand what she's saying vs. what she says
Is there a difference between:
"Not always I understand what she is saying".(present continuous).
Vs.
"Not always I understand what she says". (present simple)
I would tend to use the ...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
When to say “to be” and “to have been”?
In situations like this one (neither I know if this sentence is gramatically correct, nor I know who is Merkel):
"In her campaigning, Ms Merkel never pretended to be a dissident or an oposition ...
7
votes
1answer
1k views
Reluctant to understand “and more often than not one”
I am reading SICP-Chapter II
and encounter such a sentence
In this chapter we are going to look at more complex data. All the
procedures in chapter 1 operate on simple numerical data, and simple
...
1
vote
2answers
47 views
We ARE / WERE just done with our meal now?
If finished our meal last minute, and my friend call me and ask us to come to have a meal with him, which of the following two is correct in this context?
We are just done with our meal now, Thank ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
Using present perfect simple in a real world situation
I do not know when I have to use the present perfect simple (and others tenses in perfect form). I normally use: present simple, present continuous, past simple, past continuous, future, ... for write/...
1
vote
1answer
43 views
meaning of “getting in” in “spent time getting in”
The government is seeking to take out things from the political declaration that Theresa May spent time getting in.
What does getting in mean?
0
votes
1answer
24 views
Can I express a trend like this?
This city has experienced a decrease of
1% per year in the visibility, a meteorological parameter partly
affected by atmospheric pollution.
I would like to include the parenthetical clause to ...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
Reduce subordinate clauses to adjectives/ adjective phrases?
(1) If subordinating clauses contain adjectives or adjective phrases, like
these below, how do you reduce them? Do you reduce them to adjectives/ adjective phrases or something?
I think the 1c and ...
0
votes
1answer
28 views
“No more someone doing something” meaning
By the phrase no more we mean Someone doesn't want something anymore.
Eg:
Son: Mom, I am going to play cricket.
Mom: No more cricket! Your exams are very close.
The same way, can I say:
No ...
1
vote
1answer
22 views
In present-day reality no-one actually uses classical Latin any more.Why can we use “Classical Latin uses the ablative” in present tense?
What is the difference between (a) and (b)
(a)"Classical Latin uses the ablative"
(b)"Classical Latin used the ablative"
0
votes
0answers
18 views
When teachers introduce the outdated theory(for example:Classical element) to students,should teachers use present tense or past tense to describe it?
Example:
1(a)Classical element comprises the simplest substances,namely earth, water, air, fire and Aether.
1(b)Classical element comprised the simplest substances,namely earth, water, air, fire and ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
“Survivors clinging to a raft.” Is this sentence right?
"Survivors clinging to a raft."
There is no verb in this sentence.
I know this sentence is not the present progressive/present continuous.
But can this sentence be used independently?
I found this ...
1
vote
1answer
44 views
“I learn a lot talking to you” vs. “I learn a lot by talking to you” [duplicate]
I've heard both of the sentences:
I learn a lot talking to you.
I learn a lot by talking to you.
Does the first one means I learn a lot while I talk to someone and the second I learn a lot as ...
1
vote
3answers
41 views
How can I choose between using (in) or (on)?
Consider the following example: “In making his choice, Otto Frank had to bear several points in mind.”
You see, there is no particular pattern that helps me decide whether I have to use “on” instead ...
0
votes
2answers
32 views
When should I use adverb “there” twice in a sentence?
For example, I've recently read this:
Basically, Homer just had a lot of fun hanging out with gay men, and
drinking in bars, and dancing at discos, and all that, and there was
nothing – there ...
0
votes
1answer
15 views
Here the word “meaning” is qualifying which subject?
An English teacher uses this kind of sentence:
We all know the first meaning of the word kite that is what you flew yesterday, but we also use the word meaning a kind of bird.
My confusions are:
...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
Make me a trust
Is it possible to say in this way, implying trust in something or someone, at the same time using the article?
As from the lyrics of the song Imagine Dragons "Make me A believer."
Grammarly suggests ...
10
votes
6answers
3k views
“I will not” or “I don't” as an answer for negative orders? [duplicate]
She: "Don't forget to bring washing powder.
I: Okay, I don't. (or I will not?)
I know the rule of thumb that in interrogative sentences we always have to answer in the same tense that we were ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
“It helped the north remember” or “It helped the north remembered” or “It helped the north remembers”
https://www.lingq.com/el/lesson/lesson-28-the-gettysburg-address-431424/
It helped the north remember what they were fighting for-- freedom and equality for all people, black and white and ...
0
votes
1answer
36 views
What is the “subject” in the sentence?
A sentence from Longman Dictionary
That smell of oil and candles and that light from a distant window and him on his knees, mumbling.
I can't make out the meaning of the sentence and thesubject.
...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
On 'unknown to' in “As for how we know, the equipment used is unknown to be in the Houthis’ arsenal.”
I am generally acquainted to seeing unknown to followed by a noun, pronoun or noun phrase. What about this case
As for how we know, the equipment used is unknown to be in the Houthis’ arsenal.
Is ...
2
votes
1answer
33 views
Present simple / present continuous in this context
Several countries have attempted to do this, ours being the last one.
This is not a participal clause as there are two different subjects.
What if I put is instead?
Thanks in advance.
2
votes
2answers
19 views
“Up” as an adjective
We typically say:
The roof of the cave is 100m tall.
But I just saw in Cambridge Dictionary:
The roof of the cave is 100m up.
Explain me the usage.
Thank you.
NOTE: I have been taught up ...
0
votes
2answers
53 views
present perfect associated only with the past
Is the following correct?
I went to see a friend to see how she's been but when I got there
she wasn't in.
I think it should be "had been" because it is in the past. What do you think?
0
votes
0answers
22 views
Can I use two identical pronouns to indicate different people or stuff in one sentence?
For instance, I would like to speak as follows:
The black ants like to eat the liquid produced by aphids. In order to
earn their own livings, the black ants help guard and feed
their young. As ...
0
votes
0answers
32 views
Which one is correct between these two sentences
Which one is correct
Students are more interested to study.
Students are more interested in studying.
Please explain
0
votes
1answer
35 views
The usage of “it” after verbs
-Do you speak German?
-I speak it quite well.
Is the usage of it as a substitute for german grammatical?
Does providing context make a difference?
Does it sound off to the native ear?
Is ...
1
vote
2answers
24 views
verb after “I thought”
Is below sentence correct? Or what is a better form for it?
"It is good news (that there is no problem) since I thought a problem has raised"
I am not sure about using the verb "has raised". Is it ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
Doing something than doing other thing or than to do other thing?
She pulled her toolbox toward her on the table, fishing through it
for no other reason than to keep her hands busy.
If this sentence use "than doing", does it sound natural?
... fishing through ...
0
votes
1answer
74 views
Why does it use “if will”?
From 2 Broke Girls:
I'm going to the prom with Brandon, if his dad will lend him the car.
Why does the quote use "if ... will"?
After reading this ELL question, I think it should be if ... would
0
votes
2answers
507 views
Which is more formal - “bit urgent” or “urgent”?
When I am writing a formal email, let's say I wanted to let someone know that it is urgent but not extremely urgent. So what is a formal way of telling my boss:
If you sees this message, please ...
2
votes
1answer
27 views
He delivers top notch (advise/advice)?
I understand advice is a noun while advise is a verb. Advise is the act of giving advice. Despite knowing what they mean, I am still confuse how to use them correctly.
I came across this sentence ...
1
vote
1answer
40 views
Long-standing effort?
Does long-standing sound right to native speakers in this context? Example: Your long-standing effort has paid off.
Does this sound idiomatic?
0
votes
3answers
30 views
I cannot make up my mind: “at the moment” has the same meaning than “At this moment”?
Example: The police arrived and the police chief says: I want to know if there is anybody in the house at the moment!! or..at this moment?
0
votes
1answer
26 views
How to use So Inversion
I came across "so" inversion without "that" do you ratify this clause and supply more examples ?
The attitudes towards the use of insect in animal feed and resulting livestock products are generally ...
0
votes
0answers
24 views
Is there any difference between restrictive and non-restrictive clauses, and defining and non-defining clauses?
Are these the same things called differently or not?
Restrictive clause:
The person who taught the ceramics class is a friend of my mother’s.
Non-restrictive clause:
Every journalist has a ...
1
vote
1answer
21 views
Is it right to use “how important” as a subject in this sentence? And what does it mean?
I wonder if it's correct to use “how + adj.” as a subject in a sentence, just the way I saw in the following sentence :
“Everybody stay where you are. Chill out,” Quill said, slowly circling
...
1
vote
2answers
9 views
Placing “through” after a subject
I wrote this sentence and my teacher underlined it as a mistake because I didn’t add a verb before the preposition “through”
Children through getting exposure to media and listening to daily ...
0
votes
1answer
16 views
Adjective + Preposition Verbing
Everyone wants to be a student of this university because its good reputation is helpful in landing a job when graduating.
When the adjective(helpful) is possitive, seems like the Adjctive+ ...
0
votes
1answer
27 views
When exactly can “to be” be omitted in the sentence? (want ~ to be p.p)
UEFA said it wants the rules of soccer changed to protect players from concussions, after its own policy for dealing with head injuries came in for critism.
I think in this sentence, "to be" was ...
0
votes
3answers
34 views
The function of “it”
If it is public knowledge that anyone can purchase followers and likes, then why does an "influencer" hold weight?
I wonder if "it" derives its meaning from "that anyone can purchase followers and ...
0
votes
1answer
26 views
Explain this case please
Yesterday I had to answer to this seller question: -Will you come back?
I thought that I could answer like that:
I will come much more times here.
I will come here more often.
How to answer ...
