Questions tagged [sentence-construction]
This tag is used for questions about the proper construction of sentences.
5,603
questions
0
votes
1
answer
36
views
"How long a gap do I need between treatments." OR "How long do I need between treatments."
This sentence is from a web site about laser treatments.
"How long a gap do I need between laser hair removal treatments?"
"How long" refers to time anyway.
So, why do we need to ...
- 3,595
0
votes
0
answers
14
views
"How long has he been gone?" Does this sentence mean: "How long has it been since he went?"
This is from a native English movie Present perfect examples from movies (see:0:35)
A: "How long has he been gone?"
B: "2 weeks, 1 day, 15 hours."
I understand that this question ...
- 3,595
0
votes
3
answers
39
views
"A man is standing outside/on the outside of my house"
"A man is standing outside of my house" or "A man is standing on the outside of my house"?
"I will paint outside of my house" or "I will paint on the outside of my ...
- 392
-2
votes
1
answer
35
views
Using "is" to refer past event
I heard once my Boss salary.
"My Nephew came from US, He is sitting next to my seat and enjoyed front seat driving view. In US it is no allowed"
My question is He is sitting next to my seat ...
- 2,245
0
votes
1
answer
20
views
"...glue these shapes to the side of the box that doesn't have the drawers on." Why is there ".....on" at the end?
This is from a native British speakerMr. maker see 0:50-0:55
"...and carefully cut them out then glue these shapes to the side of the box that doesn't have the drawers on."
I don't ...
- 3,595
0
votes
1
answer
21
views
Using volume for a person
Situation: I am on a zoom call and could hear the other person, but the sound of his voice is too low causing difficulty in listening.
Is the sentence Your volume is too low correct?
- 467
1
vote
0
answers
40
views
How can I use reporting verbs
My sentence from a grammar site is "At least 6 people are believed to have been killed in a shooting rampage". Will there be any difference if I turn it into:
There are believed to have ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
36
views
Please asking about "walking my bike" phrase
Could we use the phrase " I walked my bike to home. Or I walked my bike into home. Or I pressed my bike to home. or I pushed my bike to home."? Are they correct? Which one is natural ...
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
31
views
Is it ok to use read instead of listened sometimes?
I read somewhere that "some fact". But actually, I heard that in a video. Is it appropriate to say that I read somewhere in an informal conversation and avoid being so precise?
- 467
0
votes
1
answer
20
views
Is or was? Which one is suitable?
I have question about is or was this this situation. Please help me!
The museum I went to yesterday is very beautiful.
The museum I went to yesterday was very beautiful.
Which one is correct?
Thank ...
- 157
0
votes
1
answer
22
views
A clearance between A and B or C?
I want to describe the positional relationships between 3 objects.
A and B are 1 m apart
A and C are 1 m apart
Can I say like this?
Provide a 1m clearance between A and B or C.
Or is there some ...
- 13
0
votes
1
answer
17
views
Metallica was a huge influence on/for/to me
I know that we can use “on” with “influence,” so I think it is fine to say a sentence like
“Metallica was a huge influence on me.”
But I wonder if it is also fine to use either “for” or “to”
with it ...
- 1,250
0
votes
1
answer
15
views
"The shop has been.open the whole day/for the whole day"
Please correct me if I am wrong. My interpretation is "The shop has been open the whole day" (as in it was open but now it is closing)
The Shop has been open the whole day= "The shop ...
- 392
0
votes
1
answer
15
views
Mixing grammatical numbers "What pictures is it that you would like to see?"
What pictures is it that you want to see?
This line reads fine to me, grammatical and natural, but I wonder if stylistically speaking I should try and get the grammatical numbers to match. Limiting ...
- 141
0
votes
2
answers
30
views
He will/must/might/could be at home till now
"He will/must/might/could be at home till now".
"Shop will/must/might/could be open till now"an I Could I use "model verb" with "till now"?
- 392
0
votes
1
answer
48
views
Why does TV presenter say "It is a friendly dinosaur, too" when there is only one dinosaur in the studio?
This is from a TV show Ellen's guest (see 1:40-1:42)
The guest is fond of dinosaurs . So, to surprise him, they bring a dinosaur into the studio. But before the presenter brings the dinosaur in, she ...
- 3,595
0
votes
1
answer
14
views
Using line of fire in an office scenario
"If we don't complete this task or continue with this quality, we will be in the line of fire soon".
Is this sentence correct? Because "line of fire" is generally used in the ...
- 467
0
votes
2
answers
21
views
Usage of facing the heat
"If you don't do this task in 2 days, you are gonna face a lot of heat" Is this sentence correct? I have seen uses like take a lot of heat, here I am using face a lot of heat.
The context is ...
- 467
1
vote
0
answers
26
views
Framing a sentence for a short meeting
"Could we connect for a short meeting?"
Is this sentence correct or could it be phrased in a better way? The intention is to send this message to someone and do a zoom meeting. I feel there ...
- 467
1
vote
0
answers
30
views
Can I omit the second "if"?
*Check if the value is within the specified range and (if) there are no cracks in the product.
Do I need to write if twice in this case?
*Check if there is no dirt on the surface and if there is no ...
- 13
0
votes
0
answers
14
views
How should I understand this sentence' quite the contrary is the case'?
In this following context, should I understand the sentence ''quite the contrary is the case.'' as: ''the case is quite the contrary''?
How should I understand this sentence?
Context:
You may not be ...
- 193
0
votes
1
answer
13
views
Is it "I'm glad to tell you" or "I'm glad I can tell you"?
Which one is right?
I am glad to tell you that ...
I am glad I can tell you that ...
Or can both be used?
I am from Germany and we use both (in German).
- 139
0
votes
1
answer
18
views
Sentence structures with "felt "
His words fell deep in my heart
I felt his words deep in my heart
His words made their way into my heart
Are they all grammatically correct? Do they mean the same?
Which one is more common?
- 503
0
votes
1
answer
33
views
Using "nerve" appropriately
Is this sentence grammatically correct "You got the nerves"? The intent is to convey that you have confidence or you are fearless under tough situations
- 467
1
vote
1
answer
34
views
In this sentence, due to or because of
In this sentence, due to or because of:
The energy difference between them is small because of the low electrical field in A compared to B
The energy difference between them is small due to the low ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
40
views
Can you "call in sick" via an email? Is it a metaphor?
Let's call in sick today for the office
Is this sentence correct? The intention is to take sick leave at work. Is using "call in" a metaphor? Because we usually write an email or send a ...
- 467
0
votes
1
answer
19
views
What is different between 'there are found' and 'are to be seen'? [duplicate]
There are two translated versions from the same source:
1.
For, good Gotama, human beings of short life-span are to be seen and
those of long life-span; those of many and those of few illnesses;
...
- 193
-1
votes
2
answers
19
views
Which one is right: "We need to determine what the risks are to you and your baby." OR "..... determine what the risks to you and your baby are."
The following is from a conversation between a midwife and a pregnant woman who wants to give birth at home instead of at a hospital. The midwife says:
"...I am involved with many births at home. ...
- 3,595
0
votes
1
answer
37
views
What does the word 'there' mean?
In this following context, what does the word 'there' mean?
Is it 'existential there'?
Should I take its actual sentence as: people who ...are found?
Context:
There are found people who are short-...
- 193
-1
votes
1
answer
35
views
What does "My husband is one of those whom I got to read my book" mean?
Imagine a woman writes a book and now she is talking about how she wrote it. She wants to get some feedback before she completes it, so she asks some family members to read the book and tell her their ...
- 3,595
0
votes
1
answer
41
views
What kinds of subordinate clauses can I use here? "She doesn't like (it) (if/when/that) I tell other people"
She doesn't like it if I tell other people about it.
This is a sentence I am writing. This version above sounds the best to my ear.
She doesn't like if I tell other people about it.
Without the &...
- 141
-1
votes
1
answer
32
views
How to analyze this long sentence [closed]
I got a sentence from the introduction of Ancient Bodies, Ancient Lives written by Rosemary A Joyce. I don't know how to analyze the structure of this long sentence.
Archaeologists look at images ...
- 111
1
vote
2
answers
47
views
"That is a lovely soup you are making." Is this structure "buttering up the person" or can it also mean "That is a nice soup and I like it."
A native English teacher is in a video making a soup, while also teaching words and phrases especially about cooking. Cooking vocabulary (see 17:05-17:10) And amongst many other phrases, he also ...
- 3,595
0
votes
1
answer
29
views
"Where did you find Sara"
I am pretty clear with this sentence interpretation, where i have added "from" with the sentence as in "Where did you find Sara from" but if i do not use "from" and ...
- 392
0
votes
1
answer
19
views
What does "go on with" mean?
I am going to strip down certain general ideas [...] and so preapare a
nucleus of useful knowledge for those who have to go on with this
business of making a world peace.
The new world order by H.G. ...
- 581
0
votes
1
answer
19
views
Does this question remain the same when it is a subordinate clause: "Who can tell me what day is it today?"
This is from an English teaching web site School conversation (see:01:15)
Who can tell me what day is it today?
As we know, a question sentence changes structure when it functions as a subordinate ...
- 3,595
-1
votes
0
answers
17
views
Relative pronoun who
Which one is correct?
Einstein was a scientist who was born in 1876
Einstein,who was a scientist,was born in 1876
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
46
views
Is 'as' missing in 'he died a virgin'?
'He died a virgin.'
Or, 'he died as a virgin'?
Why 'as' is not used in the first sentence? Is is grammatically correct to use the first sentence?
I remember in America's got Talent a contestant said ...
- 477
0
votes
0
answers
63
views
Is "Part of being a good teacher is to build..." grammatically incorrect?
In the sentence:
Part of being a good teacher is to build a warm and comfortable connection with your students.
Why did my teacher say it should be
To be a good teacher, it's important to build a ...
- 11
0
votes
2
answers
31
views
Until + Present Perfect + Noun + Verb
A friend and I are having a quarrel about the sentence:
"For operational reasons I am not able to downgrade as requested.
For this reason we ask you to take it for a (dud) until I've the access ...
0
votes
1
answer
16
views
I am a girl into music and art
A more complex version of this line appeared in someone's cover letter. I found it odd for some reason but I can't be sure what that reason is.
I am a girl into music and art.
I corrected it to &...
- 141
0
votes
1
answer
13
views
Who do you think is the best boy in our class
Who do you think is the best boy in our class?
I think this structure is not grammatical. I think the correct one should be:Who do you think the best boy in our class is?
Because we say "Do you ...
- 477
0
votes
1
answer
14
views
Should you use "those years" or "those year levels" to refer to the students at various Grades at school?
A parent in Australia is talking about the unusual figures about his son's school results, because the reading figures of the Year 3 students are better than the Year 5 ones. So, he wonders about that....
- 3,595
1
vote
2
answers
16
views
Can the structure "put someone to something" be considered another type of causative?
Today I heard someone (a non-native speaker) from Australia use the following structure:
"I will put him to reading in English for 20 minutes before supper."
He wanted to mean "He will ...
- 3,595
0
votes
1
answer
28
views
How is this sentence grammatically correct?
This means that approximately three-fifths of stone age children could not have lived to reproductive age if the estimated rate of less than .001 percent population growth was to be maintained.
...
- 353
1
vote
0
answers
29
views
How to rewrite 'she sings like a bird'
She sings like a bird.
If I want to rewrite this sentence using 'as' what would be the appropriate sentence?
1.She sings as a bird does.
2.She sings, as a bird does.
- 477
0
votes
1
answer
46
views
Meaning of He can run fast as I can
A. He is tall as I am.
B. He can run fast as I can.
C. He can sing as She can.
Are the sentences above grammatical? I used as instead of as...as construction. What are the meaning of these sentences? ...
- 477
1
vote
1
answer
25
views
A citizen questioning his government is not a crime
A citizen questioning his government is not a crime.
Is its structure grammatical? It sounds weird to me.
What I think the structure means is 'A citizen is not a crime' which is the reduced form of '...
- 477
0
votes
0
answers
12
views
He did the same thing I did or he did the same as I did
A. He did the same thing I did.
B. He did the same as I did.
C. He did the same as I.
D. He did the same as me.
Do they mean the same? Are they grammatically correct? Which one is the most preferable?
- 477
1
vote
1
answer
48
views
She is as intelligent as I or as I'm [closed]
Let's look at the following sentences.
He is better than I'm.(Than is used as Conjunction)
=>He is better than I.
=>He is better than me.(Than is used as preposition).
We've dropped 'am ' from ...
- 477