Questions tagged [idiomatic-language]
is for questions about whether or not a particular phrase or sentence is a usual or common way that fluent English speakers might express something.
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Infinitive as modifier
Infinitive used as modifier can have a passive meaning:
the bench is too wet to sit on
"this bench can't be sat on"
The action "sit" is directed at the subject as if it were in ...
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Double "in", is it natural? [duplicate]
I made up a sentence:
She sold the house that she lived in in her childhood
Obviously, these 2 "in" relate to different words in the sentence, but is it natural and idiomatic?
I've heard ...
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I have known him vs I know him
I know him for a long time.
I have known him for a long time.
There doesn't seem to be any doubt that 2 is perfectly correct and perfectly idiomatic; however, I'm not so sure about 1.
My questions:
...
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With (a) consistently high Net Promoter Score/scores?
Lead and build proof-of-concepts for various enterprises utilizing our services with a consistently high Net Promoter Score (NPS).
Lead and build proof-of-concepts for various enterprises utilizing ...
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What's an idiomatic way to end an invitation in English?
In my native language, the most natural way to end an invitation of any kind (to a party, to first day of school, to a meeting, to a knitting course – whatever) is to write "Varmt välkommen!"...
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What does the "aura of office" mean?
I am reading the introduction to The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism and I bumped into this phrase which I've never heard before. The sentence reads:
Weber located the origins of ...
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“Lose (the) [noun]” as in “get rid of [noun]”
Apart from the common expression “to lose weight”, I am unsure about when it is idiomatic to use the word “lose” to mean “get rid of”. I’ve prepared a few example sentences, and would be grateful to ...
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Meaning of "make" in "Can you make me a copy of this?"
I found it's spoken quite commonly but if I'm a speaker, I'd rather try to say something like "can you make a copy of this for me", that is using "for me". The original sentence ...
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to reach/get hold of someone on the phone
I desperately tried to reach him but he wasn't answering.
I desperately tried to get hold of him but he wasn't answering.
What would be the most idiomatic way for native speakers to say this sentence ...
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Is a noun used for multiple adjectives singular or plural?
An example is probably easiest.
In the context of programming, we are talking about a value which has two fields, a field pointing to a previous value and a field pointing to a next value.
Are all ...
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My dad doesn't want me to TOUCH alcohol
My dad doesn't want me to touch alcohol before I turn 21.
Is it perfectly natural to use 'touch' here? I searched for it and found some examples, but not enough to make me sure.
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What are more natural ways to say that your test scores are decreasing? [closed]
"My marks are decreasing." Does that sound natural?
And when I want to indicate to a more severe decline: "My marks are plummeting."
What are other natural ways to say it?
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Would rather + Instead of
I know the idiom is "I would rather... Than" as in ”I'd rather play football than stay at home", but can I substitute "than" with "instead of"?
"I'd rather play ...
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Then why didn't you come? / Why didn't you come then?
Are "then why didn't you come?" and "why didn't you come then?" always completely interchangeable and equally natural?
Example
A: I thought we had an appointment. Did I bore you ...
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Did you spend it with her?
How did your daughter's birthday go? Did you spend it with her?
I know you'd normally be talking about who you'd be spending your own birthday with, but do you think the question in the above context ...
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What does "professor of sorts" mean?
I find this expression really hard to understand for non-natives.
Could you please let me know its meaning? Link to the original text
Each group allegedly consists of between 8 to 10 officers, ...
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left a message on my phone
Jake left a message on my phone, but I've been busy at work, so I have
only just seen it.
Would 'left a message on my phone' always be taken to mean a voicemail?
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Was it good seeing him? [closed]
A man hasn't seen his son for a long time. He finally does. Later that same day he talks with his ex-wife on the phone. She asks him:
Was it good seeing him?
Is it OK and natural to use 'good' in ...
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What's the difference between 'In a way of her own' or 'in her own way'?
What's the difference between 'In a way of her own' or 'in her own way'?
I'm going to make an example for clarity.
Brenda is always very funny, although in a way of her own/in her own
way.
What I ...
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it tastes/it's tasting wonderful(ly) [closed]
Let's say my girlfriend has made me/us dinner and I want to compliment her for her cooking (while we're eating). Would all these be equally correct and idiomatic?
It tastes wonderful, honey.
It tastes ...
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What prepositions should I use with "want" in the following sentences?
I just cannot decide whether to use "for" or "in" in the following examples.
We want two engineers (for / in) the project.
We want two violin players (for / in) the show.
...
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took home with Emma after school
Emma's mom: This is Emma's mom. I'm calling because your daughter's here. She took home with Emma after school.
Is 'took home with' correct here? Is it a natural thing to say? Thanks.
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Is 'puts it on speaker' the most natural way to expess when...?
Jeff's phone rings. It's Billy. He doesn't pick the phone up, just answers, and puts it on speaker.
Jeff: Hi, Billy.
Is 'puts it on speaker' the most natural way to express this? And is it enough ...
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"They have got water coming up to their knees". vs "Water comes up to their knees". Which one is more idiomatic?
A native speaker is telling about the floods, how it happens, how people behave during floods, etc. and she says:
They've got water coming up to their knees.
I know this structure is commonly used ...
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What does "communication enthusiast" mean?
As I screen profiles of candidates, I have come across the term "communication enthusiast" used by candidates to describe them. Something like this: "A communication enthusiast who is ...
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A drowning man will catch a straw. (vs. catch at a straw)
A drowning man will catch a straw. (also correct?)
A drowning man will catch at a straw. (a commonly used and fixed expression: maxim)
'catch a straw' is also idiomatic? You know the verb 'catch' is ...
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What is the difference between "the one thing" and "only thing"?
Do "the one thing" and "only thing" mean the same?
Consider the following:
Basketball is the one thing that X is can do and Y cannot.
Basketball is the only thing that X is can do ...
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Are you really?
Is "Are you really?" often used sarcastically/condescendingly in contexts like this to mean something along the lines of "do you believe that yourself"?
Example:
A: I thought ...
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You mean (like) a therapist?
A: Have you talked to someone about it?
B: You mean (like) a therapist?
I believe I've heard 'like' being used in similar sentences, but what would adding it do to the question here? Thank you.
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How to ask when a product will go bad idiomatically?
How to ask when a product will go bad?
Maybe:
What is its expiry/exparation date?
How long until its expiry/exparation date?
How long until its shelf life elapses?
How long until the milk expires?
...
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Does 'work' mean 'working' or 'my job' here?
Friend/Colleague: I know he only wants the best for you. So do I. I
would like to see you back at work, and--
Man: Work? I don't care about work.
Would 'work' in the bold-face line of dialog mean 'I ...
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Correct usage of 'would have'
In Lord of the Rings The Two Towers king Theoden says the following line:
Saruman's arm would have grown long indeed if he hopes to reach us here.
As a non native speaker I would have said it like ...
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want to see you back at work
I know he only wants the best for you. So do I. I want to see you back at work, and...
Is this the most idiomatic way to say this, or would I need "I want to see you come/get/return to work"?...
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but now it's not about me
Man: I don't want to talk about it. I doubt you'd find it particularly interesting to hear about, either.
Psychologist: ...Probably not. But now it's not about me. It's about you.
Hi. In my language, ...
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Phrase meaning of: "A man who maintains."
Of course I can check a dictionary for the meaning of "maintain" but I don't think the phase "a man who maintains" makes sense as a whole.
The full context:
... a man who knows ...
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Listen to the/a class
Can we say, “listen to the/a class,” to mean “listen to what the teacher teaches or says in class”? For example, can we say something like,
“All good students listen to the class properly”?
Or can a ...
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“Star Wars video game” VS “Video game of Star Wars”
Can we say,
“video game of Star Wars,” “book of Star Wars,” “movie of Star Wars” etc.
instead of
“Star Wars video game,” “Star Wars book,” “Star Wars movie” etc?
For example, can we say these ...
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A few questions about "particularly"
I don't want to talk about it. I doubt you'd find it
particularly interesting to hear about, either.
I have a few questions about "particularly":
Would "particularly" sound ...
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I thought instead of... I'd cook something myself
Look, I thought instead of eating out today, I'd cook something
myself. What do you say to that?
Would I'd=I would be the most correct/common option for this sentence construction? Or would I will or ...
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Calling someone an “attentive person”
If someone is a person who pays great attention to detail and who does things precisely, can we call him an “attentive person”? I think we can call someone, “meticulous” to mean that. I am not sure ...
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do you see/are you seeing
A: Why don't you just focus on making the best of it for yourself as well as for your children?
B: Maybe that's what I'm trying to do.
A: But then why do you only see / are you only seeing them a ...
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This is stated on Monday. "3000 visas granted as of Saturday". Does it mean "......until Saturday". or "Starting from Saturday until Monday, 3000.."."
This is from the BBC web site: https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-60717902
3,000 visas granted as of Saturday.
Today is Monday. And this sentence is said today. So, I got confused what they ...
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Is 'Is that so?' perfect here?
A: Really? You like the Lakers? Actually I happen to have two tickets
for tonight's game.
B: Is that so?
A: Yeah, would you like to go with me?
Hi. Would "is that so?" be perfect here? In ...
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Was that all you wanted?
A friend, who I haven't seen much lately because of a fall out, comes to my apartment. I let him in.
Me: What do you want?
Friend: I just came to pick up the book I lent you.
I give him the book. He ...
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Live in a state/situation/circumstance
Do you think we can say someone is living in a situation/state/circumstance? If things are going bad in our life and we have bad life circumstances etc, can we say any of these sentences?
I live in a ...
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Is "can't" the best possible and most natural option here?
Girl: Mom says we can't eat with our hands when we're out.
Is "can't" the best possible and most natural option here if the mom doesn't want the girl to eat with her hands when out? Or would ...
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Not for me/Not to me
A: Isn't it hard to make ice cream?
B: Not for me. / Not to me.
I haven't been able to find the answer to this, so... Would both be natural in the given context or is only one correct? Do they mean ...
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How to ask about the percentage of a device's battery that has been gained after charging?
Here is the situation:
The battery level of a device before and after charging is X% and Y% respectively.
How to ask for (Y-X)%, using the words "percentage" and "charge"?
And for ...
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seemed irritated/annoyed with them
They thought you seemed irritated/annoyed with them.
As I understand it, irritated and annoyed are pretty much interchangeable. I thought annoyed was a bit stronger in meaning, but that's not so? Also,...
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You done/finished already?/You already done/finished?
I'm out eating with a friend. The friend suddenly places his knife and fork to indicate that he's done eating, even though he hasn't even finished half of the food on his plate. How should I phrase ...
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