Questions tagged [nouns]

A noun is a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify people, places, or things, or to name a particular one of those.

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Neighbour John saw cat Whiskers near pharmacy GBN when car Mercedes was there

Are there any restrictions as to which title nouns can be placed before proper names? How correct is this sentence: 'Neighbour John saw cat Whiskers near pharmacy GBN when car Mercedes was there.'
waterlily99's user avatar
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0 answers
41 views

What does "the strain I've given the credit" mean in this context?

I'm coming to that," said Jim. It isn't that I doubt the investment. Don't blame yourself for that; you showed a fine sound business instinct: I always knew it was in you, but then it ripped ...
philphil's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
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What does *monte* mean in the term *three-card-monte* game?

What does monte mean in the term three-card-monte game? I have looked up the dictionaries but couldn't find any applicable answer, I'm afraid.
philphil's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
121 views

What does a "three-card-monte man" mean in this context?

I know what a three-card-monte game is, but I don't know what the author wants to say when he says "he wasn't a three-card-monte-man". I don't find any really intuitive connection between ...
philphil's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
59 views

What does "phantom central" mean?

I would understand a central phantom. The word-order puzzles me. Does phantom central have a specific meaning? Is central a postpositive adjective there? Thanks in advance :). And now a madcap ...
philphil's user avatar
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0 answers
34 views

When can noun adjuncts or attributive nouns be plural?

I know that noun adjuncts or attributive nouns (are they the same?) are usually singular. However, I often see native English speakers using plural forms in such nouns. For example, the following ...
goshawk's user avatar
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4 votes
8 answers
4k views

Does "I saw a blue car and bus" mean "blue bus" or any coloured bus?

What is the outcome of any and every sentence in the following sentence format when the rules of English grammar is applied upon them. sentence format <Noun Verb Determiner Adjective Noun ...
Stechavy's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
46 views

Should I use 'Combo', 'Set' or 'Assortment'?

In the context of common hardware items, for instance: 2 screws 2 bolts If these are sold in a single packaged product, should it be called a 'fastener combo', 'fastener set' or 'fastener assortment'...
Jiro F.'s user avatar
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1 answer
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Are the words in "The 40th-anniversary restoration of the concert film" really in the right order? Is this semantical?

The 40th-anniversary restoration of the concert film is a funk spectacle. It has also united the band, which split up in 1991, to discuss the landmark. — NYT For someone learning English, the phrase &...
harola barros's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
198 views

Difference between 'gamer' and 'player'?

I saw a sentence today: Back in the last century, gamers were sometimes known to take advantage of players with slow (as in dialup) links; an opponent could be eliminated literally before he or she ...
Eason Wang's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
62 views

Is this sentence an acceptable idiom? "Is there any park near here?"

I know that we can use "any" with singular nouns, but there needs to be a proper context as well, such as "Any park needs a playground for kids, I believe". But what about the ...
Shahrooz's user avatar
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1 answer
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What is a English noun without determiner?

I read a sentence today: The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) uses a retransmission timer to ensure data delivery in the absence of any feedback from the remote data receiver. I saw in the ... of ...
Eason Wang's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
66 views

Count vs Number of

I am a software engineer and I struggle with the variable names, regarding this scope, what would be the best suited term for a counter. For example if I want to count parts, would "Parts Counted&...
DonMiguelSanchez's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
64 views

We can't remove article from a singular countable noun. So is that a noun modifier or complement?

We can't remove article from a singular countable noun. So is that a noun modifier or complement? We generally call it a modifier though it's mandatory...But why?🤔
Salim Uddin's user avatar
8 votes
5 answers
2k views

Is the 'a nice' in 'a nice to have' grammatical?

In this context, 'a nice' is used as a noun as 'a must': Design’s role has moved from a nice to have to a must have to a differentiator I wonder if the 'indefinite article + adjective' form can ...
Lerner Zhang's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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Why is it "submit to the veto"? [closed]

For the Economist Aug 11th 2023 issue article "Conservatives are attacking capitalism". "To tame corporate tyranny, Mr Ahmari would supercharge the state. It should encourage ...
user330039's user avatar
-1 votes
2 answers
60 views

Which way of saying is more general? [closed]

Consider the following two sentences, where I highlighted the differences between them: Technology has drastically improved the easy of obtaining information: from making a phone call in the forests ...
A Slow Learner's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
37 views

Mixing different forms of a noun in a paragraph?

I am sking if it is allowed to mix the singular form, the plural form, and "the + n" form of a noun within a paragraph, and whether the meaning changes at all. For example, are both (1) and (...
A Slow Learner's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
97 views

Singular nouns after 'any'

There have been similar questions on this site before, such as this one but none of them seems to be able to give a definite answer on this one. According to both Oxford Learner's Dictionary and ...
A Slow Learner's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
61 views

Meaning of "curtain pulls"

I have encountered curtain pulls used as a noun, seemingly to refer to pulled curtains. Is this a noun, is that what it refers to? The rays of moonlight shone through the gaps in between the curtain ...
Cheelin's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
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I get better at guitar, I get better at playing the guitar or I get better at playing guitar

Which of these sentences is correct in British english? I get better at guitar I get better at playing the guitar I get better at playing guitar And if all of them are correct, Which one is the most ...
Andony Anaya Barrios's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
59 views

Difference in meaning of a paragraph when using plural vs. using singular nouns

Consider the following two paragraphs where one uses "the pen" and "pens" in different ways: "Reed pens were used extensively until the development of the quill pen in 600AD. ...
A Slow Learner's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
56 views

The "chestnut " — is a noun or Pronoun in this context?

Everyone expected the chestnut to win. I think it's a noun but it's pronoun someone said..
Sam's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
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A remark upon the word insecurity

In the sentence: "I want to add a remark upon the word insecurity." and specifically in the prepositional phrase upon the word insecurity what is the function of the nouns word and ...
q0mlm's user avatar
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0 answers
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I will go home or I will go to home? [duplicate]

Why do we say "I will go home" instead of "I will go to home"? While we can say "I will go to school"
Rifpan Afriansyah's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
19 views

Prepositional phrase or adjective phrase

i think that we can make a step in the right direction In the sentence above, is "that we can make a step in the right direction" a noun clause or adverb clause? It's very confusing for me ...
Rifpan Afriansyah's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
42 views

Home or house, which one is grammatically correct?

I have been trying to see him at his house / home. I guess, since house is building we must say house, while using the word "home" is not correct there, right?
user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
62 views

Be verb+Noun(Used as an adjective)

I spotted it in a junk shop in Bridport, a roll-top desk. The man said it was early nineteenth century, and oak. I have a doubt regarding any grammar rules as to this "be+Noun"(using as ...
Sam's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
36 views

infinitive functioning as a noun or an adjective

I got him to repair the bike. In this sentence is the infinitive functioning as a noun or an adjective? Or without context is it just an <object + object compliment>?
sprbndt's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
12 views

Common noun and article, determiners

Should we use articles and determiners before a singular-count common noun all the time? Are there exceptions? For example: A teacher plays an important role. but why fish lives in water?
Muhammad Sayif ul islam's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
35 views

Did I parse "exaltation over the party" correctly?

This context comes from the show "Mindhunter". It's an exchange between a serial killer Edmund Kemper and an FBI agent Holden Ford. Ford is asking Kemper if he felt pleasure while he ...
Static Bounce's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
49 views

Difference between alikeness and likeness

Is there any difference between "alikeness" and "likeness"? My likeness to my mother is so striking. My alikeness to my mother is so striking. Can I use a preposition "to&...
nina's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
32 views

What is the POS of blame in "be to blame"?

You are to blame. In this accepted answer blame was claimed to be a noun, but in this accepted one, it became a verb. I wonder what its part of speech should be? If it is a noun, why?
Lerner Zhang's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
59 views

Is "bug" a negative word when referred to a person?

I'd like to know if "bug" would sound negatively in cases like this "You're an IT bug" or "you're a languages bug", for example. And, if not, could it be used negatively ...
oxonic's user avatar
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-1 votes
2 answers
54 views

"English learner" vs "math learner"?

ChatGPT rewrote my expression "English leaners with Chinese as native language" to "Chinese learners of English", and I don't know if it is right. What I want to mean is "...
Lerner Zhang's user avatar
  • 3,141
0 votes
1 answer
29 views

adjective or noun + for + object?

It's impossible for the job to be finished in time. It's a good idea for us to travel in separate cars. There is a definition in the books : adjective + for + object + infinitive noun+ for + object + ...
emilywenly's user avatar
-3 votes
2 answers
23 views

What is the definition for the noun "challenge" in the phrase "mount challenge"

This context comes from the book "Black Rednecks And White Liberals" by Thomas Sowell. Basically answer the question at the end of the post and I will be satisfied unless the answer is "...
Static Bounce's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
77 views

man’s : adjective or noun?

,,,but when his trunk was close to the tailor, he discharged the muddy water full in the man’s face. So the tailor was taught a good lesson. In the above example, is man’s not an adjective?
Abiy Ermias's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
35 views

What does "honor" mean in this sentence?

What does "honor" mean in this sentence? "Mather wanted the service to be available to everyone, so he tried a pay-what-you-can honor system—but everyone claimed to be poor." ...
hhhh's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
66 views

Does "money" mean "rich people" in this context?

This context comes from the movie "Heat" by Michael Mann "Roger Van Zant. Owns banks in the Caymans... runs investment portfolios for offshore drug money. Stuff like that." My ...
Static Bounce's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
57 views

What does "to be on the lay for" mean?

This context comes from the movie "Gangs Of New York" The phrase occurs when one of the characters is describing the types of gangs and people living in New York. "Hellcat Maggie tried ...
Static Bounce's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
43 views

Is there a noun corresponding to "to gather again"?

I'm putting together a timetable for a day in London, and one of the slots is about people gathering again to go back home. Now I'm wondering how to say this (the ??? in the example below): 10.15 a.m. ...
Gerda's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
89 views

How are these structures called in American and British English?

What do you call this little building in which a guard sits and lets people in and out of a company's premises and what is the name of that horizontal bar which he raises from inside of the building(...
Static Bounce's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
39 views

Which is correct and idiomatic, "irregular-verb appearance", "appearance of irregular verbs", or "irregular verbal appearance"?

Which is the most correct and idiomatic? I think that 1. and 2. are pretty correct and idiomatic, but 3. is just erroneous. The irregular-verb appearance is very interesting. The appearance of ...
Винни-мыслитель 's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
85 views

Is this statement correct : "Certificate of Winner/Champion in English Debating Championship 2022"?

I'd like to know how to write a statement in a cover letter telling people about a certificate that I got after winning an English debate. in my application letter where I wrote down like this: For ...
Abita Yay's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
22 views

"Some other reasons, e.g. technical or legal" or "e.g. technical or legal reasons"

In the following example: This could be motivated by some other reasons, e.g. technical or legal. Is it correct to write "technical or legal" or shall one write "technical or legal ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
60 views

Argentina or Argentine?

In the following extract, should "Argentina" or "Argentine" be used? The images, which show Messi and other Argentina / Argentine players celebrating their 2022 World Cup win, ...
Apollyon's user avatar
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-1 votes
1 answer
14 views

What is the role of "drive" in this context? [closed]

that is the HeadLine on new york times: "Google Employees Brace for a Cost-Cutting Drive as Anxiety Mounts" is "drive" here a noun meaning something like an effort?
cynthia grillas's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
46 views

Can I say "I cannot handle my starvation"

Is it proper to say this sentence below: I cannot handle my starvation. I am trying to express that I am very hungry using exaggeration. The word "starvation" represents: suffering or ...
U13-Forward's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
40 views

Why can a description be used as a name here?

Usually '3 apples' or 'one person' or 'a man' are used as description phrases, like: 'I am one man', how come we use phrases (dealing with cost) like the following: Three dollars is the price Why ...
Confused's user avatar
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