Questions tagged [logic]

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could do nothing that is not better done elsewhere

What does the following sentence mean? Does the principle of "two negatives make a positive" apply here? If not, how we do derive the meaning in a stepwise fashion? A full-scale ...
Apollyon's user avatar
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0 answers
28 views

Can “vice versa” be used with exclusion?

Normally, the phrase appears as either a conjunction or disjunction of a proposition with its swapped form: Alice is good enough at chess to play exciting games against Bob, and vice versa. Let's ...
leftaroundabout's user avatar
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1 answer
22 views

What makes these two sentences cohesive?

I wrote the text with the help of some native speakers. I'm learning coherence and cohesion. I want to ask how the flow is created between the last two sentences. There isn't any connectors used to ...
newbie forever's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
102 views

How do I put three reasons together in a sentence?

In conclusion, as there is no incentive for the people to contribute, the government becomes dangerously dictatorial, and corruption is widespread, socialism does not work. By the above sentence, I ...
tryingtobeastoic's user avatar
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1 answer
16 views

That helps to achieve

Is this sentence correct both grammatically and logically speaking? The sentence is part of an email to a teacher and the context is a school play. Dear Mr Lyons, Thank you for email. In my view, ...
Simo Ita's user avatar
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1 answer
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Is this sentence logical?

Recently I came across this sentence: commercial air travel has revolutionized global tourism due to technological developments in jet aircrafts since the 1950s. Is this sentence logical? I have ...
rain soupreme's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
94 views

Logic-grammar question

Here is a logic-grammar question that I am struggling with. Say I would like to say something like this: [1] "If X did not happen, Y would be different." The intended meaning of [1] is, of ...
user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
25 views

What does the following sentence mean in this paragraph?

I'm reading an article of TheEconomist. In the first paragraph(quoted below), I can't understand its last sentence(bolded below). I mean, literally, I think I understand its meaning. But it's not ...
Shawn C's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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"I won't go unless Jack goes" - What's the logical information behind it?

When a native English speaker says: I won't go unless Jack goes. I think it's clear that if Jack doesn't go, the subject will neither. Does it mean that the subject will surely go when Jack goes, or ...
AGamePlayer's user avatar
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13 votes
6 answers
5k views

What is the logic behind "I am X years old"?

In most languages (I know of), people say their age with a construction like "I have X years". In English, however, you say how old you are instead. So I'm curious about what is it about the ...
San Diago's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
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Logical understanding of this sentence

I'm having trouble with the last sentence: "My very first day wearing clipless pedals on a road bike I got run up on by a couple of big dogs. My instinct was to stop, as it disarms their chase ...
user avatar
-2 votes
2 answers
37 views

Logical approach to “nobody’s” [closed]

“I didn’t grow up under anybody’s care”. It means “I grew up under no care”. To express it, isn’t “I grew up under nobody’s care” incorrect? Logically, I think it should be “I grew up under no body’s ...
Gabriel's user avatar
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2 answers
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Is this a double negation: "doesn't exist for neither X nor Y"

I'm having doubts about how to best put this in English, I'm torn between 3 options. Which of them are legal, and which is stylistically the best? I want to convey that a solution does not exist for A ...
Cornelius Roemer's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
33 views

Should I use the subject?

Ice melted and then froze. Ice is already frozen water. So it can’t freeze. So shouldn’t it change into this? Ice melted and the melted ice froze.
Jennifer's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
39 views

Do comma-separated options in a list default to relate as "and" or "or"?

A native English speaker said: ...with respect to any given country a person can: be a citizen, be a national but not a citizen, be eligible to become a citizen by taking some active step(s) - a ...
Greendrake's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
62 views

"Between each": illogical construction

Page 112 of Garner's fourth edition reads ✳Between each and Other Constructions with Fewer than Two Objects This phrasing is a peculiar brand of illogic, ✳between each house/speech, instead of, ...
GJC's user avatar
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1 answer
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What does "<plural noun> ... to be identified" exactly mean?

Let's assume that I received several packages but don't know where some of those came from. In this case, is it correct to say that the origins of the packages are yet to be identified? I wonder if ...
Nownuri's user avatar
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0 answers
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Relationship between intransitives and transtives [closed]

If I flew a bird, the bird flew. If a bird didn’t flew, I didn’t flew the bird. Is this English logic valid? If I exemplify it, A: my car broke. B: who did break the car. A: C broke the car.
user0010202's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
34 views

Is it ok to use "chip in" like this in an IELTS writing task

I want to express that the purpose of education should serve the development of whole society. My writing: On one hand, in most countries, education is invested with national revenue. In other words, ...
HAIly's user avatar
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1 answer
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Problem with True or False questions in an exam

I'm taking an A2-Virtual English Course from a university in a Latin America country. I had an exam the past week and had difficulties with two "True or False questions" based on the ...
Alberto's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
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Are the references in my articles with disclaimers also my own, logically?

Concerning that some of the opinions I post on social media, like Twitter, Quora, and StackExchange may get me in trouble, I want to add a disclaimer on my profile. I have searched and found the ...
Lerner Zhang's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
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What is the meaning of "at least as close as"?

Suppose there are two locations: A and B. It is given that A is closer to me than B, or A and B are equidistant. Which of the following statements are logically correct? A is at least as close as B ...
Inuyasha Yagami's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
56 views

Is "always" implied in everyday sentences?

Case 1 When for example we say "At weekends I play football" what do we mean? 1). I always play football at weekends. 2). Some weekends I play football. How "strong" is always ...
ado sar's user avatar
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0 answers
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Is it logical to say "English is a balance"?

An American tutorial says English is a perfect balance between the long versus short, the high versus low, the stressed versus the effortless ... It seems to be a little bit illogical to say "...
JJJohn's user avatar
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1 answer
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"a clothing style to suit everyone", how do I make it less like an Ad?

Consider this conversation question: Why do you think jeans are popular in your country? answer: they come in many different styles, so there is a style to suit everyone. In clothing, there ...
PutBere's user avatar
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-2 votes
1 answer
100 views

Is object X *like* object Y if X=Y?

Imagine we have two names, X and Y, which describe the same object. If X and Y are identical in every possible way, and therefore X=Y, is X is like Y. a true statement?
Micah Windsor's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
92 views

The use of the phrase ‘all but’ in this context

“So far, 686 people have been tested in the U.K., with all but three negative” In this article, the use of the phrase ‘all but three tested negative’ doesn’t make sense to me. In my head it should ...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
58 views

Is the use of "why it is" in this sentence correct?

The following is an excerpt from this NYT article ( 9th paragraph). It is a comment that senator Romney made over Trump's decision to pull back the U.S. troops. Critics in both parties condemned ...
Norbert's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
46 views

Could you give examples and logical conjectures of 'call on'?

I still can't understand the meanings for 'call on' officially ask someone to do something ask a student a question decide to use something produce a quality ask someone to prove ...
Vitaly's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
2k views

Meaning of "premise of something?"

In the following question: What's the premise of money? What's the premise of email? What's the premise of the book / movie? Does the word 'premise' refer to the reason behind the existence of money,...
user92131's user avatar
  • 397
0 votes
1 answer
43 views

Can we really use "Same here" in this context?

Why do you sing? Because I love it. I want everyone to hear my singing. Same here. Huh? I am a cop, because I want to save people. Isn't that enough of a reason? It doesn't ...
Sayaman's user avatar
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17 votes
6 answers
13k views

Can things "grow smaller"?

This is the headline of an online article: Tasty Fish Grow Smaller in Warming Ocean. And this is from Google search: Why Belgian coins grow smaller. Growing is all about increasing in size and ...
Sara's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
724 views

What does "x is not as y as z" mean?

I am still confused with the following pattern. "x is not as y as z" For example, A: x is not as stupid as y. B: p is not as small as q. Which are the correct interpretations? A': x is smarter ...
Second Person Shooter's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
71 views

Meaning of "or" in this sentence

In my text book I saw the sentence: If a request is made to a web service, then the response will be returned within 5 seconds or the service is under DoS attack. I cannot understand the usage of or ...
selubamih's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
158 views

Help to understand this question from reading comprehension in my GRE textbook

The organizers of tomorrow's outdoor concert announced that it will go on tomorrow on schedule unless bad weather is forecast or too few advance tickets are sold. If the concert is canceled, refunds ...
dan's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
63 views

"The statement is witnessed"

The derivability of a given statement can be justified by exhibiting a derivation tree [...] For example, if [ some definitions ] then the derivability of the statement if t then false else ...
DevNewb's user avatar
  • 103
2 votes
2 answers
222 views

What's the vice versa of "they go low, we go high?"

The expression "vice versa" seems to have been used to express something opposite, but there are a bunch of "opposite" things. My question is when one writes or says When they go low [TL], we go ...
takasimiz's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
413 views

Using none for three or more nos. in mathematics

Which form is correct? None of A,B or C divides X or None of A,B and C divides X
user244722's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
344 views

What is the logic in "more than one + singular noun/verb"?

More than one game was lost. The singular form confused me. Does "more than one" here indicate plural or "more than" itself emphasis some quality? How should I parse this sentence to make sense?
A Learner's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
6k views

"have no patient" vs "don't have patient"

Which one is correct guys? You have no patient and courage You don't have patient and courage If both are correct explain me in detail please
user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
8k views

Does "before Dec 10 midnight" mean "before Dec 09 - 23:59" or "before Dec 10 - 23:59"?

When a deadline says, submit "before Dec 10 midnight". Does it mean "before Dec 09 - 23:59" or "before Dec 10 - 23:59"?
Student's user avatar
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-1 votes
1 answer
68 views

Tenses logic understanding

Let's look at Present Simple. As far as I understand there is [almost] no difference between I play this game. I do play this game. The first question: can I form negative sentences this way? (1) I ...
Andrey Kardashin's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
2k views

Correct answer from options: True, false and not given

I would like to have some clarification on the below question and its given answer. Does the following statement agree with the views of the writer in given passage? You have to answer, ...
Codeformer's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
2k views

"It is not always true that he ... " and "It is not true that he always" have the same meaning?

He like to plays outside on a fine day, but sometimes plays games at home. I would like to describe this using "always", but am confused on whether which of the followings is better: It is ...
rama9's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
4k views

Most/Second most + after

Russia is the most powerful country after the US. Or Russia is the second most powerful country after the US. Question: Which one of the above should I use to convey that Russia is ...
JUNCINATOR's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
76 views

Is "Good times take precedent over every incident" correct?

1) Is it right sentence in terms of grammar? 2) Is it right sentence in terms of logic? Good times take precedent over every incident Link to lyrics I think: Good times to take precedent OR ...
Max's user avatar
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1 vote
3 answers
1k views

Are these sentences grammatically and logically correct by using "miss not doing something"?

I came across this sentence today, I’m the oldest child in my family and have missed not having an older sibling to lean on. I don't think the sentence is right,because miss is mostly a transitive ...
dennylv's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
7k views

Better to do it sooner (rather) than later

Now I know the phrase 'sooner rather than later' has already been explored here But I would like this to be seen as a follow up question that further examines the phrase. After doing some research, ...
JUNCINATOR's user avatar
  • 1,733
2 votes
4 answers
1k views

“And” in negative sentences with “haven’t got”/ “hasn’t got”

Are these sentences correct? I haven’t got freckles and glasses. She hasn’t got straight, blond hair and freckles. He hasn’t got glasses and freckles. Can I use and with negative sentences with ...
user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
2k views

All I know (how/what) to do

Below are three examples: That's all I know to do. That's all I know how to do. That's all I know what to do. Which of the three is the most idiomatic way of expressing the idea that what was ...
JUNCINATOR's user avatar
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