Questions tagged [sentence-construction]
This tag is used for questions about the proper construction of sentences.
263
questions
28
votes
3
answers
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The summer training or (just) summer training
Should we use the summer training or just summer training in the paragraph. As per me training is a noun and before singular noun we have to use an article and I am using the because I am talking ...
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3
votes
1
answer
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"had they known" or "if they had known"
Can this:
These same officials, however, would have been appalled had they known what was going on behind this façade of self-help.
be rephrased as
These same officials, however, would have ...
user288
6
votes
2
answers
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It's time I go to bed vs It's time I went to bed?
What does It's time I went to bed mean?
and can we say It's time I go to bed ?
and what's the difference between the two sentences?
- 995
14
votes
3
answers
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When can I remove the word "that" in a sentence?
I have this bad writing habit, I use the word 'that' so many times. I know it is grammatically valid, but using 'that' too often is not good. But I don't know in which sentences I can remove the word '...
- 3,742
14
votes
2
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"me [gerund]" or "my [gerund]" at the beginning of sentences?
A.1 The lions reacted to my singing.
A.2 The lions reacted to me singing.
B.1 My singing alarmed the lions.
B.2 Me singing alarmed the lions.
As far as I know, both A.1 and A.2 are grammatical: "...
user114
4
votes
3
answers
522
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How to parse 3 successive negations: '... does not ... without ... unless ... ' ?
I apologise for this long quote's intricacy, but I simply wish to practice parsing long sentences replete with negations. Below, the bolded 3 negatives (because unless is a negative conditional), ...
user8712
4
votes
3
answers
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"As if he knows" vs "As if he knew"
First, here's a material that made me keep thinking about this issue in the first place.
http://www.grammaring.com/as-if-as-though
He looks as if he knew the answer.
He is pretending as if he ...
- 3,688
1
vote
1
answer
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until + perfect present / present
1.I will study hard until I get a high score on this exam.
2.I will study hard until I've gotten a high score on this exam.
I think these sentences are grammatically correct. but if I add a specific ...
- 3,688
1
vote
1
answer
316
views
to-infinitives against bare infinitives
I have a clearer understanding on to-infinitives, as in the following sentences:
I allowed her to go to the party.
I got him to do his homework.
But I still need to be clear on a similar structure, ...
- 25
9
votes
1
answer
120k
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What are the differences between "sorry to keep you waiting" and "sorry for keeping you waiting."?
What are the differences between "sorry to keep you waiting" and "sorry for keeping you waiting"?
It seems that a lot of native speakers do not distinguish "sorry to do" and "sorry for doing".
But ...
- 19.1k
9
votes
2
answers
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Difference between “was seated” and “was sitting”
What is the difference between below sentences.
He was seated in front of me.
and
He was sitting in front of me.
- 91
8
votes
1
answer
51k
views
Use of "From where" and "Where from"
I'm a little confused about which of the following sentence is correct. If both of them are correct, then when to use each of these?
From where have you done your Bachelors?
Where have you ...
- 241
5
votes
1
answer
6k
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“Are” vs. “is” after “parents and the family”
I was reading the news on Yahoo and found a mistake (as per my opinion). I need your valuable feedback to make sure if it was a mistake or I am wrong! It is a paragraph on Yahoo. Please check and let ...
- 3,977
2
votes
2
answers
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Can we use WHOSE for things? (or should I use 'that' or 'which'?)
I have changed the net connection to a package that/which cost is $15 per month.
Which relative pronoun is proper to use in such scenarios? Can we use whose for abstract or non-living things?
2
votes
1
answer
150
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Different usage of "that" [closed]
In my native language, Persian, we do much use "Ke" which almost corresponds to "which, who, that" in relative clauses and many other cases (maybe in conversations to start or continue a narration or ...
- 8,771
2
votes
1
answer
189
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"preferred respectively" or "respectively preferred"
I want to write a sentence and say something like this:
After these, X, Y and Z are respectively preferred.
The main purpose is to say that these are the things which are preferred :
1. A
2. B
3....
- 997
1
vote
1
answer
868
views
How do we split a two-words verb in a sentence if the object is a bit descriptive?
Let's see these two-word verbs first -
Wake up,
Kick off,
Pull out, and many more...
Now, I'm adding an object there...
Wake me up after an hour.
I'll kick him out.
You see a thread ...
- 65.4k
0
votes
1
answer
5k
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had better to get or had better get
The sentence is
Travellers ________________ their reservation well in advance if they want to fly during winter vacation.
Which is suitable to complete this sentence. Please give some explanation ...
- 343
0
votes
1
answer
116
views
Participles to modify the subject of the main clause
"Essos is an immense landmass located to the east of Westeros,
extending into the far east of the known world." (Here, "extending"
describes the Essos or does it describes the landmass? )
Having ...
- 1,758
0
votes
2
answers
127
views
Does '...time zone of in the morning' make sense?
I waited for my favorite time zone of in the morning.
Does the sentence above make sense? I mean that time zone is 'the range of time' in this sentence.
- 3,281
-1
votes
2
answers
774
views
"Replace" versus "Substitute" - Sentence structure
I have a question about the words order and their effect on the meaning of a sentence when it comes to use the verbs "replace" and "substitute"!
As far as I know, "to replace someone / something with ...
- 14.1k
28
votes
3
answers
21k
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Is the SVOMPT word order necessary in creating a sentence?
I learned the English word order SVOMPT (Subject, Verb, Objects, Manner, Place, Time) rule at school. Although it was a quite straightforward rule when I was studying, now (under more influence from ...
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17
votes
2
answers
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This is a good news. This is good news
This is a good news.
This is good news.
Which one is correct? Clarify the difference
- 2,573
17
votes
3
answers
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"When this battle will be finally over" - shouldn't it be "When this battle is finally over"?
I read something in the manga:
When this battle will finally be over... take me out to eat some tasty yakiniku.
"when...will be" seems strange to me, isn't it better saying "When this battle is ...
- 2,999
14
votes
4
answers
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What's the difference between "used to like" and 'liked'?
What is the difference between used to like and liked?
What is the difference if I say...
When I was 4 years old, I had one pink dress. My cousins used to like it (my dress) very much.
Or
When ...
- 2,265
14
votes
3
answers
2k
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What is the difference between "Wasn't it supposed to have started 30 minutes ago?" and "Wasn't it supposed to start 30 minutes ago?" in this case?
If I want to ask my teacher if the lesson should have started earlier, Could I use the sentences below?
1 Wasn´t it supposed to have started 30 minutes ago?
2 Wasn´t it supposed to start 30 ...
- 937
13
votes
5
answers
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"She need not worry" or "she needs to not worry"?
I just came across this weird use of "need not" on Twitter:
Madam/sir,
My daughter is stuck in Uk . She has lost her BRP . She is difficult to return back India home [sic]. Please help
In ...
user119042
13
votes
3
answers
323k
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Uses of "have you had" and "did you have" [duplicate]
When to use have you had and did you have in sentence?
e.g.
1) To ask some if he had his lunch or not?
Have you had your lunch?
Or
Did you have your lunch?
2) To ask some if he faced this ...
- 2,265
8
votes
9
answers
26k
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Is "Hello." a sentence?
I've seen this at many places, that people who know very good English (even native speakers of English) write "Hello" followed by a full stop. My confusion is that the use of the full stop indicates ...
- 1,100
7
votes
2
answers
3k
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Understanding "still" and "yet" usage
A1. I still can't speak English.
A2. I can't speak English yet.
B1. *I yet can't speak English.
B2. *I can't speak English still.
As far as I know, A1 and A2 are acceptable English.
But, I wonder, ...
user114
5
votes
3
answers
12k
views
"as much as me" & "as much as I"
Sentence 1: He doesn't earn as much as me.
Sentence 2: He doesn't earn as much as I.
In sentence 1, the second "as" is a preposition so it is followed by an object pronoun.
In sentence 2, the second ...
- 2,933
5
votes
2
answers
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What kind of grammatical structure is "It's time we stopped talking."?
Is it in any way different from We should stop talking now? Of course the sentence structure is different, but do they imply the same thing?
- 807
5
votes
1
answer
923
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"Have you ever seen anyone walk (walking) the streets like that?"
Have you ever seen anyone walk the streets like that?
Have you ever seen anyone walking the streets like that?
Are both the above sentences grammatically correct?
Do they mean the same?
I saw him ...
- 2,697
4
votes
4
answers
3k
views
How to identify if a sentence is in the Passive or Active Voice?
Examples:
"A car was parked outside of the gate."
"My work volume is increased"
"He was arrested"
"He was informed about this"
“My heart was broken”
All ...
- 2,265
4
votes
2
answers
635
views
Does placement of "not" have significance? Not to be verb, To not be verb, To be not verb
Question #1: What is the difference in meaning between "[to be] not invited" and similar negated forms? Is "to be not invited" an idiomatic form that has a meaning distinct from other ways of ...
- 8,216
4
votes
1
answer
8k
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How to excuse if we sleep more than we should
Consider both formal and informal (among friends ) situations. How to excuse if we slept more than we should have therefore we were late somewhere we were supposed to be. For example:
Situation 1: ...
- 10.7k
4
votes
2
answers
83k
views
"Did have" versus "had"
In the following sentence, why have author used "did have" instead of "had" ? Is it grammatically correct at all ?
I don't want to diminish her achievements, but she did have a lot of help.
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4
votes
1
answer
676
views
"For doing" vs. "To do"
I have some problems to relate some sentences to each other, specially when they get long. I observed "to" and "for" could be used for such relations, but don't know their proper usage and their ...
- 8,771
3
votes
1
answer
125
views
Usage of any with except
Can I use plural nouns after any in the following sentences?
1- We don't have any options except to go there.
2- I don't have any friends except John.
3- I didn't meet any officers except him.
- 1,212
3
votes
2
answers
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Meaning of the phrase "over a cup of tea"
I came across a sentence recently:
We shall discuss this matter over a cup of tea.
Why is the preposition over used here ? I first thought that it would be with, but then, we discuss things with ...
- 824
3
votes
2
answers
245
views
Using 'on' with any social media platform
I normally use 'on' with mentioned site whereas I would like to know the main reason behind it.
I am wondering that should I always use 'on' with related sites?
To put it more clearly,
I saw your ...
- 1,283
3
votes
1
answer
265
views
mixed tenses/tenses agreement
Would it be okay if I called you when I got back home?
Would it be okay if I called you when I get back home?
Are both the above sentences grammatically correct?
I'm still kinda confused ...
- 2,697
3
votes
1
answer
976
views
Should we cut "so" in this sentence?
Ducks, geese, and swans are different types of waterfowl, but because they are similar in behavior and physical characteristics, so they comprise a single bird family.
I have to find an error in the ...
- 2,425
3
votes
1
answer
626
views
such..that / so.. that
Here's a sentence.
Feeling flushed is such a natural response to sudden self-consciousness that if it weren't part of an emotionally crippling experience, it could almost be overlooked.
and can I ...
- 3,688
3
votes
1
answer
1k
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Reported speech: When to not change "was" to "had been"?
Recently, I was studying about reported speech and while thinking about a few "directly" reported constructions came to mind.
I'm trying to change those sentences to reported speech.
Barbara ...
- 133
3
votes
3
answers
23k
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Can we begin a sentence with a 'number'?
3 more votes from other users are needed to close this question.
This is the message I got hovering the mouse over close voting tab.
I wonder can we begin any sentence with a numeric value? Is it ...
- 65.4k
3
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Go (to / in) your own way
Imagine a son who wants to work as X in the future (an occupation that seems quite odd to others.)
For this reason, the surrounding people and his friends start to mock him or treat him outrageously ...
- 14.1k
3
votes
3
answers
4k
views
when do we use 's in a phrase
Which of the following phrases are correct?
"Tasks execution time"
or
"Tasks' execution time"
do we need to use 's in the above phrases or not? and why?
And, what is the correct form of this ...
2
votes
2
answers
899
views
When someone has a plastic surgery on the face
Imagine someone has done a plastic surgery on the face. What is the best and the most natural way to say this in English? What comes to my mind is:
He had a plastic surgery on his face.
But ...
- 14.1k
2
votes
1
answer
106
views
Where to place 'only' [duplicate]
I have seen the word 'only' placed both before and after a noun. Where should the word 'only' go in this sentence? Is it the writer's choice?
If you have attended every lesson, only the songs need to ...
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