Questions tagged [spoken-english]
The way in which English is spoken, either formally or informally. As opposed to written usage.
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Is the use of “till” natural here?
I am writing about a book. So what should I use "till/to"?
This book is so gripping, that it keeps you ensnared till the last word.
This book is so gripping, that it keeps you ensnared to the ...
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0answers
20 views
I'm in (name) and she's in math or she's in math class
Here in my country, the eleventh graders are spilt up into fields like Commerce ,Medical , Non-Medical , Humanities.
.
So here's some basic knowledge:
Commerce: Business Studies, Economics, Math, ...
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1answer
8 views
This was not a full deck, the deck was not full
A few people were playing cards. So in the end the person who lost thought that "a few cards were missing". So can be expressed as:
This was not a full deck.
The deck was not full.
What ...
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1answer
27 views
Can you “change/exchange” it to an orange juice?
I know we don't ask the waiter to get us a different order once it has been put on our table, but anyways if you changed your mind and the waiter brought your order and you want to say "can I get an ...
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1answer
50 views
She's in my bus
If two people take the same school bus everyday to get back home, will it be natural to use:
She's in my bus.
Actually our teacher asked us if someone took the same bus as S. Actually we have ...
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1answer
9 views
“It's around evening” is it correct to use
I was chatting with one of my overseas friends:
My friend: Is it evening over there.
I: It's around evening here.
I want to express that it's not evening right now but very soon.
Did I ...
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1answer
20 views
“Go in” instead of “go inside”
I have a question. Actually when we're talking to a kid asking him/her to go inside, can simply "go in" be used? Does it sound natural?
Go in.
It is not angry command like "get inside" , just a ...
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1answer
33 views
Is “gonna” wrong, or should it always be “going to”?
So gonna is not "proper" but is it technically wrong? When you speak properly could you say gonna or not?
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1answer
34 views
I got this shirt for 10% off, I got this shirt 10% off
If a person gets 10%off on a shirt, then what is the most natural way out of the two below:
1.) I got this shirt 10% off.
2.) I got this shirt for 10% off.
I guess #1 doesn't sound natural ...
3
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2answers
20 views
“I want $20 worth of this.” Or "I want $20 of this
If someone has to buy something "worth a particular amount", which will be the more natural way to express this?
I want $20 worth of X.
I want $20 of X.
Which version is more common in AmE,...
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3answers
41 views
“Is someone sitting here” or “is anyone sitting here”?
What's the most common way to ask someone, if a particular seat is already taken (of course other than asking:"is this seat taken" or "is this seat free"?)
I mean what sounds more natural and what is ...
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1answer
33 views
Close/block a road
Sometimes people don't apply for official warning and encroach the roads just like that, thus leading to traffic backing up at times. So here it isn't official but can "close" be used?
They closed ...
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1answer
31 views
Make a line/stand in a line
If a teacher asks her students to line up (or form a line), will it be equally natural to express this idea this way:
Please make a line.
Please stand in a line.
Is the use of "make/stand" ...
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1answer
53 views
Stop swinging on your chair
If someone is "rocking" his or her chair, will it be natural to use:
Hey! Stop swinging on your chair!
Is the use of "swing" natural in this context? It is a normal chair.
The person leans back ...
2
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1answer
33 views
What will be a natural way to describe something someone has already sipped or eaten
If some takes a sip of a juice or any other liquid and another person drinks that from the same glass, what will be a natural word in English for that?
And of someone eats something that a person has ...
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1answer
22 views
The rubber band has become loose,is loose
If a rubber band loses its elasticity, will it be natural to use "loose" in this context?
The band has become loose.
This band is now loose.
Is the use of "loose" in this context natural? ...
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1answer
26 views
Putting a bike on/off side stand, did I take the side stand off?
So is it :
I put the bike on the side stand.
I put the bike off the side stand.
Do these sentences sound natural?
And my mom asked me:
Did I take the side stand off?
Do these sentences ...
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1answer
13 views
Read it from the book
If a teacher asks a kid to read something aloud, will it be natural to use "from"?
Read it from the book.
Is the use of "from" in this context common?
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1answer
17 views
World or phrase for warming your eye after accidentally poking your eye
A person accidentally poked his eye with his finger. So he had to warm his eye by covering his eyes with a cloth that was warmed(cloth) by bringing it close to the mouth and breathing on it:
So what ...
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2answers
19 views
With someone/someone has it [closed]
A kid asks for another kid's notebook, because he had to take down a few questions. So the other kid said:
Sorry but it's with Miss Watson.
Sorry but Miss Watson has it.
So what sounds ...
1
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1answer
24 views
Period or class (school) and; back-to-back or consecutive
In AmE is "period" used to refer to different classes during a day in the school? Or is it classes?
Science is my third period.
Or
Science is my third class.
What is actually used? And if we ...
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2answers
46 views
The velcro has come off/undone. Lemme stick it for you
A kid is wearing shoes with velcro. So it wasn't sticking so the parent said:
It has come off/come undone. Lemme stick it for you.
And what about asking another person:
Come on stick it back on!...
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1answer
63 views
Your ponytail is off to one side
Someone was trying to make a ponytail. So by mistake that person made it off to one side,(off-center i.e.
not in the middle of the head) ,will it be natural to say:
I did my ponytail a little bit ...
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vote
2answers
25 views
Give someone a tip …(that is “tip someone ”)
Is it natural to say:
She gave the waitress a tip of $10.
Or
She gave the waitress a $10 tip.
Do both of them sound natural. I guess the second sentence sounds natural, whereas the first one ...
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2answers
30 views
Why does “opening a zipper” or “your zipper is open” (zip) sound natural but not “your button is open”?
It sounds natural (of course other than "unzip, "come undone") to use open with zips. Like (if they sound natural)..
Open your zipper.
Your zipper is open.
But it does not sound natural to ...
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1answer
24 views
Just turn around from there or right there
If we want a person to turn around from where he's standing, and don't want that person to enter our room, will it be natural to say:
Just turn around from there.
Just turn around right there.
...
2
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1answer
79 views
Rain/water droplets are coming in through the window
It's raining heavily outside and a window was open, so if the action" of closing has to be explained by using the rain that is falling into the house through that window, what will be used?
1.)The ...
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1answer
621 views
“I tend to make it about me” - What does this phrase mean?
I know I tend to make it about me
I know you never get just what you see
But I will never bore you, ba-a-by
And there's a lot of lame guys out there
And when we had that fight out in the rain
...
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vote
2answers
26 views
“Please continue” or “please complete your sentence”?
Today I went to a company and saw a man A entered a meeting room and interrupted a remote video meeting in the room. The remote meeting stopped suddenly and the man A (non-native English speaker) said ...
2
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1answer
38 views
“It's standing in the front”: describing position of objects in line
In our school, the school buses are parked in a line, from where the children board their respective buses.( according to where they live). So if someone has to tell about the position like the first ...
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1answer
21 views
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2answers
27 views
Light a candle or burn a candle
What is more common "light" or "burn" in this context?
Do you know how to burn a candle?
Do you know how to light a candle?
Are either of them equally likely?
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1answer
22 views
Talk down to someone
What is this phrase actually used for? "Talking to someone in a condescending manner " or "talking to someone in simple terms" or does it mean both?
Source 1:(Cambridge Dictionary) https://dictionary....
4
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3answers
103 views
Exchange,swap or switch
If someone has something that the other person wants and vice-versa, is it natural to use:
I switched my red scarf for her blue scarf.
I swapped my red scarf for her blue scarf.
I ...
3
votes
3answers
37 views
Do you twist your pillow when you sleep
Some people have the habit of moving their pillow and also twisting it (it makes them feel more comfortable). So is it natural to use "twist" in this context? If not, what are the more common ...
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2answers
33 views
Is there a rule of thumb for simplifications like “it looks like rain today”
I am wondering if there's any rule to know when or where we can simplify sentences like
It looks like rain again today
Which I think it's the short version of
It looks like that it's gonna rain ...
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1answer
14 views
Someone's on a round
Our Principal was walking around in the school, inspecting the kids and see what they were doing(such inspections are always sudden). So our teacher said:
Sit up straight, Ms.X is on a round.
...
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2answers
15 views
What should I use here?
All I see is a dead crowd and people on their phones
All I see are a dead crowd and people on their phones
Which one is grammatically correct?
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2answers
39 views
It has come out,come undone?& Pull out
Question1
If we tuck in a bedspread or covers on the corners of the bed and after a while they're sticking out again, what will be a natural way to express it:
The bedspread has come undone.
...
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1answer
27 views
Increase the speed of the motorbike by mistake(by throttling it more than you should)
If someone just learnt to ride a bike and is not very good at controlling the speed. That person (by accident) increases the speed by twisting the throttle towards him/her more than (s)he should. So ...
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2answers
20 views
It rained well or rained good this year
If there is adequate, in fact a lot of rain in a year, is it natural (colloquially) to say:
It rained well this year.
It rained good this year.
Do the bold words sound natural?
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2answers
34 views
I don't know how to express this,but I hope you'll get what I'm talking about
I know it's a bit weird but I can't express this idea naturally....
When someone has food or water quickly(especially water) we start coughing. The food or water don't get stuck but we start ...
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1answer
19 views
Come from behind, sneak up on someone from behind,walk up to from behind
Our teacher was telling us about a "murder" in our psychology class. So she said:
A man came from behind and stabbed a lady.
A man sneaked up from behind and stabbed a lady.
A man walked ...
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1answer
17 views
It comes later in the chapter, it comes in your chapter
Is the use of "come in" natural in these sentences:
It comes later in the chapter.
(That is, it happens a little further on in the chapter).
This comes a little later in your chapter.
(Of a ...
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1answer
19 views
Go from there/go that way
I was working and my brother started poking me because he had to go out through the door. But I was busy and said :
Go from there. (There are two doors in the room).
And if he asks me to move, ...
2
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1answer
159 views
Cut your dress down to your length/size
A girl buys a size that fits her, but is too long for her. So she says:
I guess I'll have to cut it down to my "length/size". (It fits her perfectly but is too long)
So what should be used "length/...
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0answers
22 views
“Cause unwholesome inspiration and impact on viewers”
So I have this sentence, and I don't know if you can say "cause" or if I should replace it with another word.
Thank you,
thegirlinneedofhelp
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1answer
60 views
Where did we come out at/end up at
My mom was showing me around the city, so that I don't get lost and I know my way around when I'm alone. She kept asking me where we were. We were driving down a narrow street with huge buildings all ...
2
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2answers
34 views
Sign/give someone your autograph [closed]
People like getting star's autographs,so once a star refused to sign autograph as he didn't like signing the autographs. So what sounds more natural:
Sorry but I don't sign autograph.
Or
Sorry ...
1
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2answers
47 views
What is the basic difference between these two?
1) I have seen everything today
2) I saw everything today
How is the first line different from the 2nd please explain?
