Questions tagged [sentence-construction]
This tag is used for questions about the proper construction of sentences.
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Is 'He would always say' a valid alternative for 'He always said'?
He would always say Hello to me when he saw me in the street.
Is this sentence equal to 'He always said Hello to me when he saw me in the street'? If not how can I write it without 'would'?
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Are there words missing from "Agriculture accounts for 80% of water consumption..."?
In the first clause, I think agriculture is short for agriculture water consumption. People understand that water consumption is being discussed so can be omitted. What about the second clause? I ...
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is it possible to modify this sentence as below ？
Position the tree however you like, creating the different shapes and angles by rotating and moving the branches.
Is it possible to modify this sentence as below?
Positioning the tree however you ...
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What is another way to say or summarize asking for answers to many but all being unsuccessful attempts?
I am contacting a tow company looking for my homemade trailer , below is what I have typed out but I am stuck on how to further explain that I've asked taken steps within my community for any kind of ...
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checking if or that?
In this area, we are checking if the pin penetrated through the wood with a sensor
In this area, we are checking that the pin penetrated through the wood with a sensor
In this sentence, should I use ...
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Relative clauses (defining or non-defining)
There is a question in a test as follows:
Combine these two sentences into one with a relative clause:
My brother is a great doctor.
He works in a famous hospital
My friend insists that there is ...
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Usage of "as" as a conjunction
Clearly here is a usage of "as" that i can't understand; as far as i understand, "as" is a subordinate conjunction that joins main clause + sub. clause.
Here we have ",as"...
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“disparate” as a noun vs the gerund-participial clause “waiting outside” as modifier of the head
In legal contexts, “disparate” as a noun is often associated with the concept of disparate impact or treatment.
The noun phrase "two people waiting outside" has “people” as head with the ...
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Does the expression ( is rewrite) correct? [duplicate]
I found the following sentence in my Mathematics book.
All we need to do is rewrite it.
I knew that rewrite is a verb. In that sentence, is rewrite a noun or an adjective.
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Can "find that" be followed by a subjunctive clause, i.e. bare form of verb is used instead of inflectional form
I saw the following sentence in a book that I'm reading:
We will therefore find it imperative that the real number system which we're in the process of constructing also exhibit these qualities.
It ...
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Why do commit title sentences start with an infinitive without to?
I am a developer and I am not native English speaker. When I see commits I can't understand why titles for them start with infinitive without to. For example from Spring commits
Add missing runtime ...
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Is "it is looking good" slang?
I heard American people often say this.
Say, a person is drawing a picture. When he is halfway to finishing it, he says "it's looking good".
I was taught at school that many linking verbs (...
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Who did you reach out to get the job done? [closed]
So I’d like to know if this sentence is correct
Who did you reach out/get in touch to get the job done?
Or should I say
Who did you get in touch with to get the job done?
Could you help me please with ...
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Can I ask a question as part of another sentence, like in "I think she's nice what do you think?"?
Is asking questions in a middle of a sentence grammatically correct for example
I think she's nice what do you think?
That's correct or should I make two sentences out of that?
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Apply sealant in or to the designated locations?
I'am trying to translate technical document. Which of the sentences below is correct?
Apply sealant in the designated locations/areas
Apply sealant to the designated locations/areas
The designated ...
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"not only....but (also)" or "not....but"?
"Soft skills are skills that apply not only to one specific job but are universal."
I think this sentence is correct and it means that soft skills are not limited to one specific job but ...
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Difference between using in and up north
Difference between using in and up:
I live in London, but my relatives live up north, in Manchester
This sentence can also be written as:
I live in London, but my relatives live in north, in ...
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1 to 10 vs 1 through 10 - How to include the end values
How do I refer to an interval of numbers, such as book chapters for a reading list, while including both end values of the interval?
Take a sentence like:
For next time, read chapters 2 to 6.
or, ...
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report by or from?
I am translating a meeting agenda which includes 1)Overview, 2)Goals, etc.
I want to translate a content that suggests each project group to report their progress, issues, improvements or anything ...
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Is this form correct "afraid that " and what is the difference with "afraid of doing something and afraid to do"?
I know the difference between "afraid of doing something" and "afraid to do something" but what is the difference between these and afraid that . When can I use this form ?Is it ...
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"Best"—adverb or adjective (in the sentence)
The medicine is best taken after meals.
I think it's an adverb modifying verb, but it can be an adjective after the copula.
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My hope will get me killed - Is it a correct phrase as an alternative to the phrase I will get killed by my hope?
This phrase was used in my student´s English poem.
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What structure/grammar point is this?
"Several disturbing dreams had given me a restless night, though I could only remember them vaguely. In one dream I recall shouting at someone and being involved in a fight. There was also ...
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Is it correct to say l enjoy seeing places?
How to use the present participle of the verb to see. Can I say, "I enjoy seeing new places"?
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install in or on place?
Install a water-shut-off lever (in/on) a place that is easy for the operator to use.
Is it in or on? How about when I use location/position instead of place?
Or is there any better way to say it?
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Are the sentences "She wishes he would join them","I wish I could go with you tomorrow" and "I wish you would grow up" grammatically correct?
I found in eslbase the following 1
Wish and hope
To express that you want something to happen in the future (not wanting a situation to be different, and not implying impatience or annoyance) "...
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Is it okay start a sentence with a numeral? [duplicate]
Is it okay start a sentence with a numeral?
Style guides suggest otherwise.
7 a.m. is my favourite time to jog.
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Could this structure be correct: "There is the cleanest park I've been to"?
I was asked to say if the sentence "There is the cleanest park I've been to" is correct or no. I said no and it should be "This is the cleanest park I've ever been to".
Then I ...
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Order for signature in email or document
I always get confused when I write my signature on word/powerpoint documents or in email.
If I want my signature to include:
my name, section name, department name, factory name, and company name
...
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Are "as follows" and " "the following" the same in the following sentence?
Are the specifications of the product (the following/as follows)?
In this sentence, is it okay to use 'the following' instead of 'as follows'?
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Using "that" or not [duplicate]
Which one is correct? / Which one is more natural?
Can you tell them I'm busy?
Can you tell them that I'm busy?
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Correct ussage of "what" and "which" in a sentence. And second sentence ussage of "what's going on"
A sentence:
Let's enjoy a freedom in which/what you can be.
What is a correct?
Second question - sentence:
What is going on,
on your mind.
Is it possible to use it this way?
Let's say, that I sing: ...
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"Are gone" or "be gone" in this sentence?
Are both alternatives correct in this sentence?
Let's enjoy the party now. Later, when all the guests are gone, we can talk about this.
Let's enjoy the party now. Later, when all the guests be gone, ...
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Why don't we need to use "was" in this sentence?
A quote from "The Great Gatsby".
As if his absence quickened something within her, Daisy leaned forward again, her voice glowing and singing.
Do we need to use was before "glowing and ...
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Is the bare infinitive a verb not conjugated acting as a verb?
I've asked this question multiple times, and I hope I can clarify it here. One of my teachers told me: - Unlike the infinitive, the base form is a verb.
So, the bare infinitive, wich is the base form, ...
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Usage of "To Be" in Complex Sentences? [closed]
The sentence I read was
"At least 22 Americans were reported to been among those killed."
Is it correct? Shouldn't it be
"At least 22 Americans were reported to HAVE been among those ...
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Subject omission in a compound sentence with both affirmative and negative sentences
These alerts are part of the testing process, do not indicate an
actual emergency, and do not require any action at your end.
Is it grammatical to omit the subject in a compound sentence with both ...
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2
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A exclamatory sentence with a question mark
What time is it? [if asked to know about the time, is a direct question]
What time it is! [an exclamatory sentence]
What time is it? [if asked to draw the addressee's attention, is a rhetorical ...
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"They’re just kids, so treat them as." — grammatical?
I stumbled upon this sentence on Quora.
They’re just kids, so treat them as.
I understand what it means but don't know how its grammatical construction works. Shouldn't the sentence be like this?:
...
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Is "Indeed," at the beginning of a sentence natural?
I am French speaker, writing my (physics) PhD dissertation in English.
One of my supervisors read it and mentioned that 'beginning a sentence by "indeed" is not correct or at least not ...
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grammar help. "how you find it ...? [closed]
your friend sent you a picture of her holding a baby porcupine to her chest. you are not a fan of little creatures. how do you comment on her picture? can you say : - "i cant imagine myself ...
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"Do you want there to be?" VS "Do you want there was?"
On TV, a physicist is talking about space, planets, etc. He tells about anything related to space in a very loving way. So, when it comes to whether there will be a civilization in space, the ...
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A sentence that contains all punctuations
I am trying to teach punctuations to my little daughter. For that I am looking for a way to memories the punctuations and their correct usage. Particularly, I am looking for one or two sentences that ...
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Can we say 'here goes your husband' or 'there comes your husband'?
We can say 'here comes your husband' and 'there goes our bus' so why not 'here goes your husband' or 'there comes your husband'?
Also, am I correct that "comes" means approaching the speaker ...
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"I got worried... city, and I might not be able to get it back to the store and ask for a replacement."Is that sentence correct?
Consider the following sentence:
I got worried because the store was in another city, and I might not be able to get it back to the store and ask for a replacement.
My question is about this part: &...
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Why is the verb "did" used in the sentence "I almost did succeed"?
Why is the verb "did" used in the sentence "I almost did succeed"?
Why is the verb "did" used, and not "was"?
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Why is the past tense sometimes used in a sentence together with the present tense?
Why in the sentence "I used to be in the government service, but am no longer" is the first part used in the past tense, and the second part in the present?
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'Smaller than A and B' or 'Smaller than A or B'?
If the height of a shim is smaller than the thicknesses of B and C, it will be buried and you cannot take it out.
The shim is inserted between B and C, vertically. I don't want the shim height to be ...
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'more than or equal to A and B'?
The height of A should be more than or equal to the thickness of B.
The height of A should be more than or equal to the thickness of C.
I want to say these two things in one sentence. Can I say
The ...
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Use of "could" to refer to a hypothetical situation
Can the expression "could I" be used as in the examples below to refer to a hypothetical situation, or about something that would be desired but is not possible? As far as I know, the ...
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