Questions tagged [sentence-meaning]
Use this tag for questions about meanings of whole sentences rather than phrases.
2,279
questions
0
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1answer
10 views
How to use “how could” to express
I want to say, “No one can refuse this pretty face.”
Can I use, “How could someone refuse this pretty face?” as well?
Is it the same meaning?
0
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1answer
18 views
Sentence construction with participles
A: A is drinking cups of coffee nonstop in the kitchen.
B: What the hell! You trying to make your heart explode?
A: I am loading up on coffee. Because it is a pain in the ass
getting to ...
1
vote
1answer
17 views
Is it right to use “how important” as a subject in this sentence? And what does it mean?
I wonder if it's correct to use “how + adj.” as a subject in a sentence, just the way I saw in the following sentence :
“Everybody stay where you are. Chill out,” Quill said, slowly circling
...
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1answer
13 views
0
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1answer
33 views
It is almost too easy
Whenever she gets stressed out, she smokes. And it is almost too
easy to stress her out.
This line is from a sitcom called Brooklyn Nine-Nine
What does the marked phrase mean? I think ıt means she ...
0
votes
0answers
8 views
What does intuitive in this sentence mean [on hold]
What does it mean when someone says
"This (something) is so intuitive?"
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0answers
18 views
“As such” to mean “like that”
1- On any type of formal school exam, these sentences would not be
considered "correct" they are never written as such.....they're
only spoken as such.
2- Do not behave as such.
3- Doing ...
1
vote
2answers
24 views
Using “Like” And “As If” In Unreal Conditions?
1- Why do you talk about him as if he were an old man? (He is
not an old man.)
2- They treat me as if I were their own son. (I'm not their son)
Can I use "like" in these sentences above ...
0
votes
1answer
19 views
Using “only because” in a different way?
1- The squad is only on night shift because they disobeyed a
direct order to save me.
I saw this sentence above but it seems kind of unusual to me. I would say it this way:
2- The squad is on ...
0
votes
2answers
19 views
As + preposition phrase + as
A: I know this is weird to because I just shot you but it feels like
we are back in sync now.
B: Yes, I mean as in sync as I have ever been with someone who just shot me.
That marked phrase ...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
Struggling understanding IELTS reading comprehension answer key
I need some help with explaining this IELTS reading exercise.
The question from the exercise is: Rocket as war weapons were first invented or used by ________?
The options are:
a. The Chinese
b. ...
3
votes
0answers
27 views
Difference between “I write novels” and “I am a novelist”
When someone asks me "What do you do?"...
Do you think my following two answers have similar meaning and give him/her the same impression?
A: I write novels.
B: I am a novelist.
0
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0answers
19 views
Using “imagine” and “assuming” for hypothetical situations
1- Imagine that I had some money yesterday, it would have been so fun to go there. (I didn't have money so we didn't go there
yesterday.)
2- Assuming that I was the guy whom they were looking ...
0
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0answers
25 views
What does the phrase “She looked sixteen going on twenty-five.” mean? [duplicate]
She looked sixteen going on twenty-five.
Does this sentence mean that she is twenty-five but when somebody has a look at her believes that she is sixteen?
What is the meaning of the phrase 'going on'...
1
vote
1answer
16 views
Keep your head/chin/pecker up
We have two situations that the following sentences can be used in:
Keep your head up.
Keep your chin up.
Keep your pecker up.
a. When you want someone to be hopeful again after a ...
0
votes
1answer
18 views
Difference between “he drives a taxi” and “he is a taxi driver”
I wonder if the two following sentences have similar meaning and give you the same impression.
A: He drives a taxi.
B: He is a taxi driver.
0
votes
2answers
39 views
Participles to convey purpose
He called the Fun Zone, asking to meet the guys from the video.
Hi, I saw that sentence in a tv-series. I suppose I can rewrite it as:
1- "He called the Fun Zone and asked to meet the guys from ...
1
vote
2answers
45 views
Using “half-assed” as an verb?
You half-assed getting the phone back! (He supposed to get the phone
back but he got caught in the middle of getting the phone. So his
captain rebuke him.)
Is "half-assed" used as a verb here?
0
votes
3answers
30 views
“Over” means “because of”?
WHO rejects calls to move Olympics over Zika fears. (the
link)
The World Health Organization has ruled out any change in timing or
the location of the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro,...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
What does the given sentence mean?
Here is a sentence from an adventure game:
Although the game doesn't let you create your own character to play,
you’ll like the ability to choose heroes, then mix and match their
weapons and ...
0
votes
0answers
41 views
“Would ”or “Would have”
A: Look what I found? (They are all going through a weed farm
furtively to catch some criminals.)
B: French fries? (B is a silly character in this series. + B loves to
eat any kind of food.)
...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
Usage of “yet” and “as yet”
1- As yet it is not known whether the crash was the result of an
accident. (Original)
2- Yet it is not known whether the crash was the result of an
accident.
3- The report remains ...
1
vote
1answer
24 views
What does “less so” mean?
I was reading an answer on a forum and didn't understand what "less so" means. Here's the context
"Yeah, that combo is my work daily driver right now, in an MF108 case. It's the most tactile thing ...
2
votes
1answer
21 views
Is it sensible to say “Engineers find problems to solutions”?
A teacher was telling us about engineering the other day and she said that engineers solve problems. I thought about it and came up with "Engineers find problems to solutions".
The sense of the ...
1
vote
1answer
14 views
“Generations of pure-bloods, wizards all - more than *you* can say, I don't doubt!” meaning in this context
"So!" said Gaunt triumphantly, as though he had just proved a complicated point beyond all possible dispute. "Don't you go talking to us as if we're dirt on your shoes! Generations of pure-bloods, ...
1
vote
1answer
18 views
What does “Applies to something in principle” mean?
Could someone please explain this phrase to me: "applies to something in principle".
Thank you.
0
votes
1answer
13 views
be better to do/ be better doing/
1- l'll get engaged like all the others. Get married. Maybe it's
better doing things the way everyone does. (original)
2- l'll get engaged like all the others. Get married. Maybe it's
better ...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
Usage of “for whom”
1- This is the person for whom I have been looking. (I have been
looking for someone and this person is the one.)
2- People will now vote for whom they are told, forced to vote by
people who ...
0
votes
0answers
21 views
“I'd appreciate it if you didn't interrupt me any further” OR “I'd appreciate it if you don't interrupt me any further”, which one is correct?
I feel like they are actually both grammatically correct; however, I have no idea what the difference in their meanings is then. I'd be grateful if you helped me out with this.
(I'm always looking to ...
0
votes
0answers
26 views
What does it mean by “pinch a hole in one thing or another”?
https://youtu.be/9C20XmtHkQM?t=583
(9:45) “I’m not pinching a hole in one thing or another”
At least that’s what I hear, but I have no idea what it means. I know what “pinch” and “hole” is but can’...
1
vote
1answer
32 views
Using non-completed sentences with gerunds
These lines are from an American sitcom. I come across "non completed sentences" a lot. I suppose this is how Americans speak informally.
A: His pants were too tight.
B: Yeah, yeah.
B: ...
3
votes
2answers
37 views
I appreciate “you trying” or “your trying”?
You said the names wrong. But I appreciate you trying.
You said the names wrong. But I appreciate your trying.
I saw the first sentence in a TV-show. Is it grammatical? I thought sentence 2 was ...
0
votes
1answer
19 views
Decoding a quote about lying
I'm trying to understand the sentence construction and the meaning of this quote by Otto Von Bismarck. Can someone please help?
People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or ...
0
votes
2answers
44 views
What is the meaning of “WIPE PATHS HO”?
I'm reading a webtoon entitled Freaking Romance.
And in the second episode, there is a mat written "WIPE PATHS HO".
What is the meaning of this?
I would be grateful if someone tells me.
Freaking ...
0
votes
0answers
24 views
as…as + past participle
1- This case may not be quite as urgent as once thought.
Which one of the following sentences is the full version of the sentence above?
2- This case may not be quite as urgent as it was once ...
0
votes
2answers
35 views
Usage of “like”
1- This place smells like a squid farted inside a whale's butt.
I saw this line above from a tv-series. Using a full sentence after "like" seemed interesting to me.
1'- This place smells like a ...
0
votes
0answers
12 views
Probability of dangling modifiers
1- Do you know my brother Ben, living in Hong Kong.
I created a issue about this sentece above if it has a dangling modifiers in this website some time ago.
I received an answer saying this sentence ...
0
votes
1answer
21 views
“Keep justifying” Or “Keep trying to justify”
Let's suppose that someone who has committed a wrong doing is trying to justify their action and consequently themselves. You notice that although they are well aware that that they have done has not ...
4
votes
1answer
130 views
Would for willingness in the past
1- We had a terrible night. The baby wouldn't go to sleep.
2- I was late for work today because my car wouldn't start.
3- The CD wasn’t working so I brought it back to the shop but they
...
1
vote
1answer
30 views
The show of support includes binoculars and bomber jackets
Thank you for your consistent support. I appreciate it.
I am currently reading this article, and a paragraph says,
Every president since Ronald Reagan has visited the 1953 armistice line, except ...
0
votes
1answer
109 views
Usage of “thus”
I am having a hard time understanding the second meaning of 'thus' which is "in this way". According to this website, the 'thus' in the first sentence is used the second meaning.
Can I use these two ...
0
votes
1answer
20 views
Something of that kind/ that kind of something
Can I use these versions interchangeably?
1- I didn't say anything of that kind.
2- I didn't say that kind of anything.
3- It is a game of some kind.
4- It is some kind of a game.
...
0
votes
1answer
10 views
Sentence completion question (GRE) “writes with all the characteristics of ____”
It is his dubious distinction to have proved what nobody would think of denying, that Romero at the age of sixty-four writes with all the characteristics of ____.
Options:
maturity
...
1
vote
1answer
17 views
<Get along>, <Compromise>, <Put up> and <Cope with>
I wonder which choice works in my sentence and which one doesn't and why?
I never forget the time Sam fought the BBC's reporter when he offended Sam by saying those words! I think as a diplomat, he ...
4
votes
1answer
237 views
Subject + v-ing at the beginning of a sentence
A: I will help you to get your girlfriend out of jail.
B: That makes him very happy and says this: "My dreams are coming
true. You and me saving my lady together. "
I saw this dialogue in a tv-...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
Usage of past participles
1- The funeral is at 3.00, followed by a reception at Shawn's bar.
I saw this sentence in a tv-series. Can I say that this sentence is a reduced form of the sentences below?
2- The funeral is at 3....
0
votes
2answers
25 views
Using absolute phrases to show reason
I was watching a video and announcer said this:
"...over the weekend the LA Lakers gave away almost everything to the
New Orleans Pelicans, the sole reason being to bring Anthony
Davis to the ...
0
votes
1answer
13 views
what does it mean by “triple their share of the population”?
Considerable improvement in the treatment of HIV has also decreased premature deaths for black men, who were hammered by the epidemic. An estimated 42% of the 1.1m Americans living with HIV today are ...
1
vote
1answer
30 views
“We have shortly coming…”
These are lines from the movie Dumb and Dumber:
This is the Hotel Danbury Presidential Suite, gentlemen, normally reserved for royalty, visiting dignitaries, illustrious stars of stage and screen. ...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
Work + preposition + noun or work + noun
1- Doctors often work very long hours. (Why not "work
for..." ?)
2- He worked the clubs long before TV made him famous. (Why not
"work in/for the clubs..." ?)
3- I am working a drug case....
