Questions tagged [spoken-english]
The way in which English is spoken, either formally or informally. As opposed to written usage.
610
questions
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0answers
25 views
Articles -Do we use the article 'the' before the word 'chess'? [closed]
Do we use the article 'the' before the word 'chess'?
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1answer
23 views
Using preposition “on ” with the words(forbid/forbidden)
In the following contexts, and regarding the words (forbid/forbidden) I get confused alot.Actually I looked the words up in the dictionary and I couldn't find any thing about using these words with ...
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0answers
64 views
I can't distinguish words while listening to someone
I can't know that how can I explain. When listening to English speaking people I cannot understand some words. It's like they roll in their mouths. There are times when I cannot understand a sentence ...
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0answers
10 views
What is the meaning and part of speech of 'For' if it placed at beginning of a sentence? [closed]
What is the meaning and part of speech of 'For' if it placed at beginning of a sentence?
For, without maintaining a disciplined life, none can succeed in life.
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0answers
21 views
When saying “thanks” is an exaggeration
Once I visited one of my English-speaking friends' village. And my friend was showing me round their garden. Suddenly I asked him:
What is this flower called?
He said:
It's called ABC.
Then, I was ...
0
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1answer
8 views
By before reflexive pronoun
Is using by before reflexive pronoun at the end of a sentence optional?
Example:
He can do it by himself
Or,
He can do it himself
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2answers
24 views
Past perfect vs past simple confusion
Should I say :
1-My hair was uneven for years.
2-My hair had been uneven for years.
For sure I'm talking about a past time.
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0answers
18 views
Does this line mean right?
I wanted to say to my friend that, I did excercise for 10 mins and after its completion, I waited for 30 mins and then I drank water. I constructed it as
"After 30 mins of doing the excercise, I ...
0
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1answer
17 views
moving data in the network stream
My English teacher said that it isn't correct to say:
"current of data"
Is he right?
so how can I say a moving data from one hardware(e.i. computer, memory) to other?
I think about:
"...
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1answer
45 views
Difference between could and would [duplicate]
What is the difference between above two sentences?
Would you let me know, why did you go there?
Could you let me know, why did you go there?
I guess would is kind of expecting a yes or no answer, ...
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0answers
34 views
Can I say “He would be taller more”?
We know we can't say more taller but can we say
He would be taller more.
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1answer
28 views
Using “of” or “out of” big confusion
I'm really confused which one to use?
1- Don't make a big deal out of it
2- Don't make a big deal of it
The second part : are the following sentence makes sense in terms of meaning and using the ...
0
votes
2answers
48 views
What is the difference between ‘The meeting is/has finished’ and “meeting over” or “meeting done”?
What is the difference between ‘The meeting is/has finished’ and "meeting over" or "meeting done" and can use like "meeting completed"?
Could anyone please advise which ...
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4answers
326 views
Attitudes and concerns over Indian-English accent
What are common attitudes and concerns over the Indian-English accent (see video) among those who are teaching or learning in ESL? How do these attitudes make the Indian accent compare with others, ...
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1answer
18 views
Word request for “someone meant to do something doesn't do it”
Talking about a surgeon, one said that Dr. Sam never did any surgery himself, rather he get it done by his assistants, that is to say, he is a surgeon only in copy and pen.
In our native language we ...
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0answers
22 views
Starting a song with this sentence
In a Bollywood film of srk a song start with this:link
The amalgamation before the fluctuation and ramification of the constitutional ambiguity and the judicial paradoxical position can be a verbal ...
1
vote
1answer
21 views
Meaning of an expression from 'Spider-Man(2002)' movie?
In 3:25 an expression of 'Spider-Man(2002) -"But let me assure you,this,like any story worth telling is all about a girl."
Can anyone interpret this expression please?
Thanks in Advance.
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2answers
22 views
How do we build a dialogue?
I struggle a lot with dialogues, and I was wondering if you could tell me which of these sentences is correct. If neither is, could you tell me how to build it correctly? :)
“I told her my secret.” ...
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0answers
17 views
Can I use the word “debt” to talk about some tasks that I didn't do in due time?
Can the word "debt" relate to something not connected to money? More precisely, can I use it to talk about some tasks that I didn't do in due time?
Example:
I had to turn in math homework ...
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0answers
18 views
Can we congratulate someone on a birthday or a new year?
What verb should I use instead of an ellipsis?
Suppose I said "Happy birthday" to John. Then, I decided to tell my friend that I ... John with/on his birthday.
The point is I want to ...
2
votes
2answers
65 views
“I haven't heard” or “I didn't hear” while asking to repeat something
I wonder how I should reply if someone said something to me, and I haven't made out some words.
I fluctuate between these two options:
I'm sorry. I haven't heard what you've just said.
I'm sorry. I ...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
“I use my phone to keep in touch with my friends asking them about homework.”
I heard a native speaker say this sentence
I use my phone to keep in touch with my friends asking them about homework.
I wonder why he said ‘asking’ instead of ‘to ask’. Is it a gerund?
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1answer
26 views
The importance of cultivating a scientific temper is needed. How is temper counted here and is a countable noun and the use of article ‘a’ here?
How to distinguish countable and uncountable nouns? How can temper be counted here?
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2answers
56 views
What are the alternatives for “If I were you”?
What alternative phrases should I use for "If I were you" / "If I was you"?
Is there any alternative to say the above-mentioned phrase?
Are the below sentences can be used as alternatives:
If I'm ...
0
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1answer
19 views
refer to a place in speaking
Consider a conversation:
A: Where do you live?
B: I live in Madrid, Spain.
A native English speaker told me the following rules.
If B's answer is in the form of writing, everything is OK. ...
0
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1answer
20 views
Criminals commit a crime and people commit suicide. Why can’t we omit the article ‘a’ before crime and include ‘a’ before suicide?
Why can’t we say criminals commit crime and people commit a suicide?
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1answer
15 views
Context check (using adv in a context)
Is the following phrase is ok to be used :
I have been doing this for five years (consistently /successively)
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1answer
24 views
I am leaving town for a few days. can I use definite article ’the’ before the uncountable noun ’town’ here
Here the town is an uncountable noun When referred to work place or place where I live and don’t use an article.But in the conversation if I had mentioned the word town or spoke about it already,...
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1answer
18 views
We are hoping for ‘mutual divorce’ or ‘a/the mutual divorce’. Is divorce here countable or uncountable?
How to recognise uncountable nouns.? When should we avoid using articles especially before the nouns that act as both countable and uncountable nouns?
3
votes
1answer
42 views
How to ask for someone’s time?
How to ask someone you know for their time for setting up a phone call or meeting, to talk about something important in a productive and focused way. Like your asking your manager in a formal way?
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0answers
25 views
“They told me to come tomorrow?”
I'd like you to help me with this simple question. I want to know if the question is correct, I do also would like to know what tense is used in it.
Thanks for helping me.
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0answers
28 views
Why do native speakers sometimes call some one 'name + boy'?
I've heard male native speakers call their male friends by their name + boy.
For example, a man's name is David, and a male friend of his once said to him 'Hey David boy...' And I've heard another ...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
When using “until”, is the time mentioned inclusive or exclusive? [duplicate]
Examples:
"I'm going to study until 8PM" Is he going to stop studying at 8PM sharp or 8:01PM?
"I'm not going to study until 8PM" Is he going to start studying at 8PM sharp or 8:01PM?
"I'm working ...
0
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1answer
22 views
What’s the difference between We need someone to take ownership of the issue. and We need someone to take ‘the’ ownership of the issue?
What does having ‘the’ before ownership in the second sentence indicate? When to use ‘the’ if I want to use ‘the’ before ownership?
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1answer
30 views
it’s a pleasure meeting you or it’s pleasure meeting you.Why do we put the article’a’ when pleasure is an abstract and uncountable noun?
How to use uncountable nouns as countable nouns? Here pleasure is abstract noun and how to identify uncountable nouns as countable nouns according to situations?
0
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1answer
8 views
“Or rather” vs “in fact” in this context
The dictator has fled the country, or rather you can say we have scared him away.
And
The dictator has fled the country, or in fact you can say we have scared him away.
Are they both ...
1
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2answers
21 views
What is the meaning of “Not much something than yours”?
For example, if a guy tells another that "My hair is not much spikier than yours". Does it mean:
Both their hairs are about the same spikiness
The first guy's hair is little less spikier
I know the ...
1
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0answers
12 views
Using “now” with the past tense
I'm confused because I think the use of word "now" is kind of idiomatic in phrase 1, but on the other hand I think it should be as phrase 2.
So, is it normal to use "now" with the past simple ????
1-...
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2answers
37 views
How to ask a question about a person's order among her /his siblings? [duplicate]
In most of the indian languages ,there is a WH question word used to ask about a person's order among ones siblings . That is if she/he is the first , second or third child of ones parents. How to ...
0
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1answer
15 views
Is “see something done” a valid construction?
I have read about the construction: want something done, as in, I don't want it done this way.
But today I found the construction: see something done, in the example,
I have never seen this used.
...
1
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1answer
26 views
What does no longer of this world mean?
Example sentence: but the ecstasy in which he lay drifting seemed that of a man no longer of this world
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0answers
4 views
Confused about reported speech and reporting speech
Look at the following example:
David said, “I’m baking a chocolate cake for you.’’
Some says the sentence between the inverted commas is called reporting speech.
and some says it reported speech.
...
1
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1answer
21 views
“I was supposed to get off TWO STATIONS BACK” Is it valid?
My dad had told me to get off at station 5 but I got off at station 7.
Can I say it like:
I was supposed to get off two stations back?
Is the opposite also true, ie.
I was supposed to get off ...
0
votes
1answer
51 views
What’s the difference between due to lockdown and due to a lockdown? Can I use article before the word lock down?
People are working from home due to lockdown or people are working from home due to a lockdown? Which one is true? And why the other one is not true incase one of the usages is not correct?
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0answers
43 views
Complex sentences with when and until in reported speech – a problem with back-shift
Could anyone explain to me why, according to the key provided by my teacher, sentences below should be rendered in reported speech with no back-shift of certain verbs:
"When I first came here," ...
0
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1answer
19 views
Can I say “yeah” to mean “keep going”?
If someone(like a professor) is correcting me or teaching me something I don't know, and there is a pause, can I say "yeah" to mean "yes, I understand, please keep going?". Because it's a really small ...
0
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1answer
23 views
After ankle replacement surgery ,the pain was gone. Why can’t we use the article ‘an’ before ankle? [duplicate]
Is the word replacement in my question is uncountable? But how?
0
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1answer
22 views
What is the difference between all night and all the night? Can I use ‘the’ if I am referring the night specifically as last night
people say night is singular and the night is seen as plural and night is usually singular so it should be all night not all the night. What if I want to talk about last night or the listener ...
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2answers
44 views
'My source has video of the crash site' and why not 'my source has a video of the crash site'? Why the article ‘a’ cannot be used?
My source has video of the crash site. and why not my source has a video of the crash site?
Why the article a cannot be used?
Also there are other sentences like we had a video made of our wedding. ...
1
vote
1answer
19 views
He was detected with brain tumour or he was detected with a brain tumour. Please correct the sentence
He was detected with brain tumour or he was detected with a brain tumour. Please correct the sentence. How to use the article and what’s the difference between two sentences?
Thank you
