Questions tagged [usage]
For questions about how certain words, phrases or grammatical aspects are typically used.
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0answers
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Which phrase is correct or better? [on hold]
I wonder which use is correct or better in sentences below to say a written phrase to someone ?
I saw a car on which it says “ fast boy “.
I saw a car that says “ fast boy “.
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10answers
13k views
Ways to say 'get smaller', 'decrease in size' in one word
What are the proper ways to say that something gets smaller (decreases in size) in one word?
I am not asking about cases when what we discribe represents a measure of something (price, volume, ...
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1answer
18 views
correct form of word 'exist
Correct one?
1) Nepotism, a practice that has existed as long as mankind permeates our society, from business to politics.
2) Nepotism, a practice that has been existing as long as mankind permeates ...
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2answers
29 views
help with the correct usage of 'Ensure' in a future tense [closed]
Please tell me the correct form(s)?
1) How can parents not use all their resources to ensure that their children will succeed?
2) How can parents not use all their resources to ensure that their ...
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1answer
28 views
How to use 'my own self' in this sentence?
Would you say "My own self is doing his homework" or "My own self is doing my homework"? Or is it wrong to use "my own self" in this way?
Technically, I think it should be possible even if not widely ...
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2answers
18 views
Set store by improved or improving?
I read a sentence in "The Hindu" which was:
The Narendra Modi government has set much at store by India's improved ranking in terms of the EDB index.
Shouldn't there be "improving" instead of "...
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1answer
27 views
Help + in + v-ing or Help + on + v-ing?
Help + in + v-ing or Help + on + v-ing?
Example:
I used to help my friends in coding C++
or
I used to help my friends on coding C++
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3answers
23 views
You eliminated me(game) ,out
We were playing. So a girl got eliminated.(out). What's a more natural to say that?
Why did you out me?
I mean doesn't "eliminate" sounds a bit formal. I know "out me" sounds unnatural. What would ...
2
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1answer
38 views
two consecutive adverbs ending in -ly
Please consider the following sentence:
"He walked home seriously angrily."
This sentence sounds a bit funny to my ears, even as a non-native speaker of English, an impression that is shared by ...
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1answer
22 views
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0answers
42 views
Cambridge English Certification
I'm not sure if this is the right place to post a question like the following (and if not, I'd be happy to be redirected to a better one, maybe still on StackExchange), but since I have no other ideas,...
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1answer
26 views
many more complex problems vs. much more complex problems
I think much in much more complex problems is grammatically correct because it modifies more complex though it convey a different meaning from many more complex problems. Do you think my assumption to ...
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1answer
33 views
Why “change my schedule around”, instead of “change my schedule”?
I heard some people say
I changed my schedule around,
instead of just saying "I changed my schedule." when they, for example, are making college class schedule.
Can I use this expression without ...
3
votes
1answer
29 views
What is the meaning of the phrase “staring at starvation”?
I read a sentence which was:
A lack of dignified employment, non payment of adequate wages on time
and insufficient food mean that the family of four is in a dicey
situation and staring at ...
3
votes
4answers
54 views
Can “Madame” be used instead of “Madam”?
In President Trump's letter to Speaker Pelosi, he addressed Pelosi as "Madame Speaker".
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear ...
5
votes
1answer
42 views
Is “10% finished” or “finished 10%”?
I have worked on a task for 3 days and finished about 10% of the tast.
How to report to my boss about this status?
The task was finished 10%
The task has finished 10%
The task was 10% ...
6
votes
1answer
685 views
The difference between sick and ill [duplicate]
I feel ill or sick. Both mean the same. But when they modify a noun, do they mean the same? For example,
Sentence A: He is a sick person.
Sentence B: He is an ill person.
Do they mean the same?
I ...
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1answer
36 views
How can i use both of them correctly (“there + a place” in a sentence)
I know that " There Refers to a Place ". However, i'm a little bit confused. I know it's wrong but I'm trying to use both words "there" and "a specific place" in a sentence and the examples below make ...
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2answers
59 views
Is “get hairs cut” proper English?
A friend always writes in her emails that she and her husband are going to get their “hairs cut at a salon”, not hair cuts or haircuts. She grew up in the 1930s in L.A. so perhaps this was normal for ...
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1answer
37 views
Would using “one of either” be correct?
I was writing a comment the other day when I wrote a sentence similar to the one below:
You can choose one of either (Pizza, Mac and Cheese, or Spaghetti).
Obviously the choices are made-up, but ...
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2answers
30 views
Usage and grammar rules for the verb “remain”
i have google the usage with different combination of tenses for the verb remain such as
is/are remained
will be remained
it seems like it's wrong in grammar to use past participle and future ...
0
votes
1answer
23 views
The correct usage?
I want to my friend to choose the right people in her life. Which one of these sentences should I use ? Be around the right people or be around with the right people ?
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1answer
13 views
Using non-continuous verbs in continuous form
I was learning non-continous verbs once again when I came across a site (I won't post a link to it, it's in russian). And it says that sometimes when we want to emphasize the action, we can use non-...
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2answers
30 views
“I hope” vs “I want”
One says from bottom of his heart,
I don't want him to be humiliated because of me.
I hope that he will not be humiliated because of me.
Until this day, I thought "I don't want" makes more ...
2
votes
2answers
199 views
“What a relief?” – Why do we need an article?
“Oxford learners Dictionary” states that “relief” (at least when it means removal of anxiety/pain) is an uncountable noun. Then why do we use the indefinite article in this phrase? Are there any other ...
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1answer
71 views
words a speaker says in the video?
I cannot make out what the speaker said in this video. It is at the 9 minute 44 second point. It sounds like he said chores up, but that doesn't make any sense. Here is the context:
It is difficult ...
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1answer
21 views
Distinction with non-finite clause/subordinate clause
He left the party and went home, not having anyone to talk to.
**A clause is a collection of words that has a subject that is actively doing a verb.*
Non-finite clauses contain a verb which does not ...
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1answer
24 views
Do you sometimes omit “what” in the “No matter what + noun ~” structure?
Do you sometimes omit "what" in the "No matter what + noun ~" structure? I came across one, and I want to make sure the omission is acceptable.
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1answer
103 views
“We met” vs We've met"
Can somebody please explain the different between the following sentences?
"Thank you to all of the people we've met and worked with in 2018."
&
"Thank you to all of the people we met and ...
2
votes
1answer
28 views
Does the word “otherwise” disregard the sentence before it or include it?
I filled out a form for permission to use a branding logo.
The reply I received was something like the following:
"You may use the icon only if it (does a specific something A). Otherwise, as a ...
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votes
1answer
20 views
Where to put the word “then” in this sentence?
When I sat with a friend yesterday, she told me that she was sad a day ago and she wanted to call me. I told her that If I knew it I'd call her then. It was as follow:
She: I was so sad yesterday.
...
0
votes
1answer
18 views
Using 'a' + 'kind of' + noun [closed]
Is there any difference in using kind of + noun with or without a at the beginning?
For example,
It is kind of animal.
vs
It is a kind of animal.
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vote
2answers
61 views
“As far as I know” v.s. “as I know”
As Katy Perry has sung,“After hurricane comes a rainbow.” We should bravely face the hardship together.
In this sentence,"as" means "in the same way".
Thus,can the following sentence make sense by ...
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vote
1answer
24 views
Using was versus were
Which one do I use for this sentence?
"I would be jealous if John was/were kissing another girl."
I'm guessing "were" would be the correct choice?
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vote
2answers
101 views
Hadn't/haven't- difference in meaning in the given context
Life would be so much easier if people could anticipate your needs and work to satisfy them.
Like, if somebody got you that cup of coffee you hadn't asked for yet.
Life would be so much easier if ...
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votes
1answer
22 views
May I know which are those contexts in which state verbs are used in progressive forms?
I heard the following news a while ago.
59 percent of the voters are wanting Mr Modi to be the next PM of the nation. What is the justification for the usage "wanting"?
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3answers
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A dog ran down/along the street- meaning difference
The dog ran along the road.
The dog ran down the road.
I was doing a test paper on English and came across this question "the dog ran __ the road", and from the options only two made sense, along ...
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1answer
27 views
In an auditorium a comperer announces and asks the audince to take their seats on the left side. What does it mean? [duplicate]
In an auditorium the announcer asks the audience to be seated on the left side seats. Doesnt it mean the left side of the audience??
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2answers
39 views
How to talk about “vision problems ” and “eye glasses ”? [closed]
How can we ask a person if one has a vision problems? and what is the other name for "eye glasses?
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3answers
2k views
Difference between “I know where I stand” and “I know my place” and their interchangeability
I shouldn't have talked back to him. I know where I stand.
I shouldn't have talked back to him. I know my place.
What's difference between the two sentences and the difference between I know where I ...
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votes
2answers
55 views
What expressions are used to mean “people who usually meet to consume alcohol together”?
In my home language in a very informal situation the English term TABLE MATE is used for a group of people who get together usually to consume alcohol. Is this expression in use in English? Or else ...
0
votes
1answer
30 views
Is “NASDAQ to launch etc..” is a right usage? [duplicate]
I saw this title at a website:
What Crypto Winter? Nasdaq to Launch Bitcoin Futures Market: Report
It seems to me that there is a problem with this sentence. To my point of view, it should be : ...
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votes
3answers
75 views
Prepositions of Place: “next to” or “behind”?
I'm a non-native teacher of English and I work with adults.
On Monday we studied prepositions of place and when my students were working with the picture one of them asked if we should say
"The ...
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1answer
26 views
Ourselves, together or separate?
When I say "ourselves", am I talking about us together, separate or it actually depends on the context?
Example:
In the context of a project that involves many people I am talking with a colleague ...
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2answers
55 views
A full head of hair vs a head full of hair
Someone who has a lot of hair on their head is said to have a full head of hair. The order of the words, I must admit, struck me as strange when I first saw the phrase (just as a full man of pride ...
1
vote
2answers
65 views
What is the difference between 'detail' and 'example'?
Sometimes I've encountered some questions which ask me to state my opinion and give details or examples to support my opinion.
I am a little confused about using details and examples. For me, as ...
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2answers
24 views
get product by name or from name [closed]
Is there a difference between:
"get product by id" and "get product from id"
"get product by name" and "get product from name"
2
votes
2answers
165 views
In cases like the one mentioned, can good/nice be interchangeable
He can't have good things because, he doesn't look after them.
He can't have nice things because, he doesn't look after them.
In cases like this are nice and good interchangeable?
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1answer
33 views
Usage of ellipsis as a pause or break in the sentence
Are the ellipsis used like em-dashes or pauses in these examples? They are not omitting information but rather feel like unneccessary breaks in the sentence where commas should be used.
I ask because ...
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1answer
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Can I say “Here are the celebrity SAT scores you are looking for, up to 80 rows of data.”?
I want to say that I have found 80 celebrities' SAT score information for my boss. Can I say this?
Here are the celebrity SAT scores you are looking for, up to 80 rows
of data.
Thanks
