Questions tagged [learning]
For questions related to improving one's proficiency in English or specific English language skills.
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Are imperfectly constructed sentences understandable? [closed]
As an English learner, when building a sentence in my head it is almost impossible to get it out idiomatically. For example, before I knew the word "regarding" I built this sentence:
"...
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to flip the phrase around and keep the same gist?
is that grammatically accepted to flip:
1.0 "of just enhancing the film they used a lot of technology"
as
2.0 "they used a lot of technology of just enhancing the film"
I believe ...
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is this an example of acts as a prepositional phrase?
watching this interview posted on YouTube yesterday with Paul McCartney:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21pcVuPHoek
from 7:26 Paul McCartney
says: "I owe it to him and his team who were briliant ...
3
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1
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Using ing verbs
How many times can you use ing without it becoming wrong?
The waiting room was empty except for an old man sitting in a corner reading a book.
Is two times the limit?
The waiting room was empty ...
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ESOL teacher claims present perfect equals s-form
A person I know learns English as a second language. The teacher introduced some basic grammar concepts, mostly simple present, past, and future. For some reason, he introduced present perfect as well....
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using "willing" in negative form
I built this sentence:
"I was going to go for a run after waking up from the nap, but I didn't feel willing."
and my English teacher said I should use "...didn't feel motivated" or ...
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1
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what is the adverb "improperly" is linked to in this sentence?
in the sentence:
"improperly Covid Aid Flowed to Fishery Businesses, New Jersey Official Finds"
is the adverb "improperly" describing "Flowed" or Covid?
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how to interpret the ambiguity of this little text?
based on this short headline:
For These Veterans, ‘Free’ Health Care Is a 5-Hour Flight Away
Citizens of three Pacific Island nations, eligible to serve in the U.S. military, find it hard to make use ...
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to which phrase/sentence the word "happiness" belongs to in this lyrics?
in guns and roses' since I don't have you lyrics:
" don't have plans and schemes
And I don't have hopes and dreams
I don't have anything
Since I don't have you
And I don't have fond desires
And I ...
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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
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Which one is the correct to use "onto" or "Into" in this context?
in the text:
"In a rosary, beads are threaded onto a string to attach the beads together."
which make more sence:
1 -threaded onto a string
2 - threaded into a string
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Do uncommon and rare both have same meaning? [duplicate]
"Do 'uncommon' and 'rare' both have the same meaning, and can one replace the other in a sentence?"
Can you explain what is the correct usage.
Uncommon (of an event, situation, or condition)...
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How to interpret which is the troubled one?
Only by this Healine:
"In “Infinity Pool,” the latest film by Brandon Cronenberg, a troubled writer’s vacation to an idyllic island resort turns into a surreal, existential nightmare."
Can I ...
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what is the role of the word "Top" in this text? [closed]
came across this headline from New Yort Times
"Obamacare Sign-Ups Top 16 Million for 2023, Setting Another Record"
I'm having trouble interpreting "Top" in this. sounds like that ...
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should words be flip around for correct understanding? [duplicate]
In this Headline:
"Local leaders hope that a new streetcar system would jump-start development downtown."
the way I see it: "development downtown" should be inverted to "...
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Is "development downtown" correct in this context?
I this NYtimes Headline:
"Local leaders hope that a new streetcar system would jump-start development downtown."
is: "development downtown" correct?
had I been wrtiten this, I ...
- 417
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What is the proper way to interpret this?
that is the HeadLine I came across from New York Times:
Google Calls In Help From Larry Page and Sergey Brin for A.I. Fight
is it correct call in "help"? I mean should the "help" ...
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How to interpret the sense of these phrases?
in the lyrics of Paul McCartney's song This One
https://genius.com/Paul-mccartney-this-one-lyrics
I am trying to interpret this:
What opportunities did we allow to flow by
Feeling like the timing ...
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1
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Is "working" the right word for this case? [closed]
From NYTimes:
"With Their Eyes on the Future, the Red Sox Pick Their Man
“We want to build around him,” Chaim Bloom, Boston's chief baseball officer, said of Rafael
Devers, the star third baseman ...
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what is the difference between "vote" and "voting"?
the reason I ask this question is that I see in most cases if not all cases "vote" can be replaced by "Voting" right?
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any difference on phrases: "old foggy London" and "foggy old London"?
Can these phrases be interpreted differently:
1 - old foggy London
2 - foggy old London
I tend to think the first imply London has always been foggy and the second that Lodon became foggy at one point ...
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How to understand this construction?
I read a headline in The New York Times that went like this:
Times Past:
We’re diving into The Times’s archives with the help of a professional.
my thought revolve around "Times Past". what ...
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What is the role of "at" in this case?
I came across this on NYTimes:
"New Orleans Saints (5-9) at Cleveland Browns (6-8), 1 p.m., CBS"
source:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/22/sports/football/nfl-week-16-picks.html
I don't get ...
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Is "depending" an adverb in this context?
is this text:
"does the meaning of a song change depending on who wrote it?"
is "depending" an adverb modifying "change" in this case?
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What is the definition of "dating" in this context?
I was reading the stackoverflow for some answer that would help my case and came across this comment of a user:
With current browsers (this question is dating a bit now), you can use the much simpler ...
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Why the use of "mystery" instead of "mysterious" in this case?
In this text:
New Yorkers are contending with a bewildering and miserable mix of symptoms as Covid, flu, R.S.V. and various mystery illnesses circulate.
Why "mystery illnesses" instead of &...
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Any implication of using "that" instead of "The" in this headline?
In this HeadLine:
"lace, that most coveted textile"
the way i would have tought if writing this would be:
"lace, the most coveted textile"
using "That" feels to me the ...
-1
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2
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How to understand the phrase "of the trend" in this context?
The Headline is:
if there is a ‘male Malaise’ with work, could one answer be at sea?
Maritime transportation firms are desperate for new mariners, a labor shortage that’s emblematic of the trend for ...
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what is the definition of this phrase? [closed]
A library in Hayward, California is called Weeke branch library
I found out weeke is old spelling of week. by definition of branch I know, I can't see any sense in "weeke branch"
what does &...
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Does losing means loser in this context?
In a NYTimes Headline I came across this:
"The Big Liar and His Losing Little Liars"
why not use "loser" instead of "losing" I mean isn't it the sense little liars that ...
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are theses phrases similar in sense?
learning English I keep trying to translate what I think in my native language to english all the time.
When I wake up most of times my voice is hoarse, and I use to test my voice before I send some ...
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What is the definition of "Cue" in this context?
the context is:
"In Kherson, national songs were banned, speaking Ukrainian could lead to arrest and students were told they were Russian. Cue the resistance."
I don't have enoght knowledge ...
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An election for election official? or Am i interpreting it the wrong way?
In this HeadLine by NYtimes:
"Every election denier who sought to become the top election official in a critical battleground state lost at the polls."
seems like there is an election to ...
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So I locked myself in my office and went to work
So I locked myself in my office and went to work so I could share my
Intention Point techniques for the post-pandemic world.
In the above sentence, does I locked myself in my office mean:
I have ...
user164163
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How to understand "round up" in this context? [closed]
In this HeadLine from NYTimes:
"Bob Dylan’s new book rounds up and riffs on 66 classic songs, Dwight Garner writes."
how is "round up" being applied there if it is only one book? ...
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What would be the definition of "pivot by" in this context?
In this NYTimes Headline:
"Tightening polls, fears about crime and apathy in their base are driving a wave of Democratic hand-wringing and a pivot by Gov. Kathy Hochul."
what did author ...
- 777
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Can you explain meaning this sentence please?
"You can never place enough emphasis upon the importance of safety"
what does this mean, there is safety is more important than anything.
Am I correct or not?
If not ,can you explain me ...
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what is "evening series" referring to in this context? [closed]
The Headline I came across is:
"Yankees keep season alive by evening series With Guardians"
what is the "evening series" refering to?
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Can I use fight in place of fighting?
In the context below:
"Months of American diplomacy have failed to stop the fighting in northern Ethiopia.
Now, the civil war is plunging into its most alarming phase yet."
is "fight in ...
- 777
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What is the meaning of "by design" phrase in this context? [closed]
Came across this in NY Times:
"Pete Souza’s intimate backstage portraits of the Obama West Wing are missing one person by design, he said."
what did the author mean by "by design"??...
- 777
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what is the difference between "for" and "at" in this context?
in the sentece:
"Community Rules means written rules and regulations that govern the conduct of tenants for and at the Community."
it might be about technical English but I see some grammar ...
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Is "oceans past" correct against "past oceans"?
I came across this phrase on NY Times mais page:
"echoes of oceans past"
shouldn't it be written:
"echoes of past oceans" instead??
Or is there any difference?
- 777
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should words in this sentence be flipped around a bit?
In this Headline:
"New Inflation Developments Are Rattling Markets and Economists. Here’s Why.
Inflation is less about pandemic and war surprises and more about economic momentum. That could make ...
- 777
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What is the role of the word "run" in this little text?
I read on The NY Times this headline:
"Serena Williams rose to the occasion of her farewell run with a fitting win in the first round, our columnist writes."
I can't interpret "farewell ...
- 777
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Why are universities these communities called "Town and gown"?
What is the link of those communities with towns and gowns?
I read 'town' being the non-academic population but I don't get the logic of that also gown being the university community such as Oxford, ...
- 777
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What is meant by "A still life featuring" in this context?
on the article source by:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/18/t-magazine/hot-chiles-pepper-spice.html
I came across this text under a photograph:
"A still life featuring, from left, orange ...
- 777
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WHat would be the definition of "The Pengest Munch"? [closed]
although I know the word peng and pengest I can't fifure out the meaning by the joint of words pengest and munch
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Isn't the phrase "minutes show" grammatically weird at the end of this text?
The headline:
"Fed officials anticipate 'significant' interest rate hikes until inflation eases, minutes show"
from this source.
Although I understood what was the link of "minutes show&...
- 777
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How to memorise numeric sequence for English test?
I'm preparing for IELTS test and sometimes there are questions require memorizing long sequences such as weird names or phone numbers.
Normally in my mother lang, it's pretty easy to memorize such ...
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how exactly the word "alike" is functioning in this text?
The headline is:
"The Points Guy discusses his new app and explains how his credit card guidance can help travelers and non-travelers alike."
is "alike" saying the guidance will ...
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