Questions tagged [verbs]
A verb is a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence.
2,844
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"if you had caught" vs "if you were caught"
If you had caught the train in time, you would have reached there.
If you were caught the train in time, you would have reached there
Which one is correct, and what is the difference between them?
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1
answer
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Aiming to discern verbs and what may get requested to go after them or not
I think I may get transitive verbs, (request an argument after them) and intransitive verbs, (may not request an argument after them).
"Being chosen is".
I think this got discerned a complete ...
2
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5
answers
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Single word expressing positioning two objects
Suppose that I have two objects, A and B (let's say two wooden cubes). If I arrange them in space like this:
A
---
B
############
the action would be stacking. I'm looking for a single ...
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1
answer
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Why is "he seems doesn't need the money" wrong?
Instead of
he seems [to] doesn't need the money
(I'm not sure about to)
The grammar editor suggests:
he seems not to need the money
Doesn't need get negative with doesn't?
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vote
1
answer
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I see/saw my baby crying OR my baby cry?
I'm quite confused how to use "I see (noun) (verb/ing)" in these situations:
My baby's crying now:
1a. I see my baby crying.
1b. I see my baby cry.
(Does the 2nd option mean that the baby ...
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4
answers
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What is the verb for "to wake up from anesthesia"?
Is there an English verb meaning "To become aware after surgery, to wake up from anesthesia (sedation)"?
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1
answer
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"wish you have sweet dreams" and "hope you have sweet dreams" -- are they grammatical?
I hear people say, or read people write, stuff like:
(I/we) Wish you have sweet dreams
(I/we) Wish you have a good day
(I/we are?) Wishing you have a Happy New Year!
are these grammatical? Why or ...
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1
answer
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Should the function be 'asking questions' or 'ask questions'?
for example:
A: How old are you?
B: I'm 20 years old
What's the function of the previous mini-dialogue?
Should the answer be:
Function: asking and answering questions
or
Function: ask ...
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vote
1
answer
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Can I use "enter" to mean "join a club"?
I think we usually say "I am going to join the basketball club."
Is it all right to say "I am going to enter the basketball club."?
I know that enter can mean "to start to take part in a particular ...
1
vote
2
answers
415
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the reason why there has been used a"ing" form of a verb
Today Goodall divides her time between traveling and lecturing about her findings at Gombe and running the Gombe Stream Research Center, where she has been the director since 1967. She has also ...
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2
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Meaning of "get" in a sentence
In these sentences (in a book about human rights) I can't understand the meaning of the word "get":
Treat a person like a human being and you'll get a human being.
Treat people like human ...
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1
answer
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Usage of "all that" and "what"
Although I have already raised a somewhat similar question, I still need to know more about the following:
What is the difference between these sentences? Or, could you show me the point by using ...
2
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2
answers
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Jack eats up his dinner
Eat up your dinner.
Eat your dinner up.
Jack eats up his dinner.
Jack eats his dinner up.
Could we say in these way?
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1
answer
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Usage of "Go Into" and "Enter"
I have a question about the usage of "go into" and "enter". It seems that one can write these:
1a. He went into politics.
1b. He went into this profession.
1c. He entered politics.
1d. He ...
0
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1
answer
258
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differentiating between the usages of "seem"
I am wondering if the explanations correct and whether what is the difference between different "seems".
He seems happy.
He seems a happy fellow.
He seems to be a happy fellow.
He seems to ...
2
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1
answer
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What does "to be doing" mean?
To be talking about the dimensions of faithfulness as mediated by religious symbols is to be doing theology, not the practice itself.
(Source: Robert C. Neville: The Truth of Broken Symbols)
I ...
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1
answer
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distinguishing between grasp and understand
Extracted from the second thesaurus explanation in the Oxford Dictionary:
Understand or grasp?
You can use understand or grasp for the action of realizing the meaning or
importance of something ...
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1
answer
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Get or become (+ adjective)?
The hen got happy.
The hen became happy.
Which verb should I use between got and become? And Why?
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2
answers
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Deverbals: is there a rationale which allows deverbing to a noun and using the plural form or is it about usage?
There are nouns which are formed from verbs; deverbals. If I take teaching, running and rambling, I have the strong intuition that the first and last can be used as nouns, whereas I can't really ...
3
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2
answers
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Alarm bells, rings, or triggers?
Daily at 7 am, my alarm clock sounds "triiiinnngg'. Now, my concern is how do I describe alarm's action? I'm searching for a 'verb'.
My alarm rings at 7 am.
Or
My alarm bells at 7 am.
Or
...
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1
answer
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Verb Agreement error?
Peter's seemingly effortless flights, achieved through the use of sophisticated technical equipment, continues to delight those who see the play Peter Pan.
In this sentence 'continues' is incorrect, ...
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2
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"Thanx to" or "Thanx"?
I want to have two different meanings as:
I am grateful to Ali.
I order Ali that he should be thankful to Zohaib.
Which of the following is used in each case:
"Thanx Ali" or "Thanx to Ali".
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1
answer
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"This (should present/show/other) the (best/other) contrast of all"
While posting an answer on UX.stack (then moved to Graphic Design) I found out I wasn't sure about how to express this:
The Go button size should be bigger and present the best contrast
of all ...
2
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1
answer
573
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When and how to use *Have* as an auxiliary verb?
In the sentence (a), is the word have used as an auxiliary or a main verb?
a) Decades of neglect have now come to haunt governments.
If I say (b), does it convey the same meaning?
b) Decades of ...
2
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2
answers
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Is 'going blind' simple future verb?
Is 'going blind' simple future verb?
And you're gonna spend the next three
months going blind on paperwork
5
votes
2
answers
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'agent' vs 'agency'
What are the similarities and differences? I already know about (and therefore am not asking about) a reserved number of definitions unique to each noun, but what about the following definitions that ...
1
vote
1
answer
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Will there be multiple main verbs in any sentences?
Short sentences like:
She is a girl.
She writes composition.
She will be killed by him.
She loves to shop in the mall.
The main verbs are obvious.
But I am wondering will there be any cases ...
1
vote
1
answer
436
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Which is the main verb in this simple sentence?
This sentence will automatically tell you that it is written in English Language.
I supposed to use it as an example in my answer, but after much considerations, I became confused.
I eliminated will ...
1
vote
3
answers
810
views
Can "used to" be a verb?
In the sentence:
I used to hurt people.
to hurt is an infinitive. I read somewhere that infinitives are not verbs. So can used to be a verb? If not, should we treat used to as one entity which ...
0
votes
1
answer
539
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Adjective/Noun usage with "get" in the sentence
From the below sentences, which one is correct?
Primary school teacher gets award.
or
Primary school teacher get awarded.
Please give justification, if possible.
Thanks,
Charmi
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2
answers
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Published or released? [This book was "released in 1890" or this book was "published .." ?]
What's the difference in meaning between publishing a book and releasing a book?
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2
answers
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Adjective after "to be" verb
I have observed some sentences where past participle like "to be delivered" or "to be given" was used after the verb "to be", however, today I have observed a sentence given below where sentence ...
2
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3
answers
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attend VS. enter
Would anyone please show me whether there is any difference between the two?
to enter a school/college/university
to attend a school/college/university
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1
answer
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Does the verb "unvelcro" exist or what can we use instead?
I know that the following word pairs exist:
button – unbutton
tie – untie
Can we use an analogous process with the verb "velcro"?
2
votes
2
answers
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The age and weight of the person is/are known? [duplicate]
I am not sure whether to use singular or plural forms of the verb in the following example sentence:
The age and weight of the person is/are known.
Thanks for any advice.
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4
answers
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What is different between look, see and watch [duplicate]
I have confusion about following words because it's Gujarati meaning for all are same. What is actual difference between following words
Look,
See,
Watch
If possible then explain with example.
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1
answer
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Different mechanisms in isolation is/are not effective? [closed]
Should I use "is" or "are" in the following sentence?
Different mechanisms in isolation is/are not effective.
2
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1
answer
812
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Came to hate / had come to hate
I have a female friend and we used to have good feelings about each other, but we didn't end up becoming a couple. The problem was whenever we planed to meet at the time we were supposed to meet, she ...
0
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1
answer
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"He took my joy away" What verb can I use to describe this?
Let's say that I've met a guy who seems perfect. We go out and we are having a great time. While we're dancing he tells me that he likes women who obey their husbands. All the magic is gone, I just ...
4
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1
answer
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"Message/letter was read?" - Sentence help!
I am writing an essay and it needs to be in formal language, I am referring to a letter/message and I am supposed to quote it for the readers, but before jumping right into quoting that letter, I like ...
3
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3
answers
557
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Could anyone please explain the sentence
I saw the sentence in a dictionary.I couldn't understand what he did, even though I understood what the verb meant which was to be unable to move.
He jammed the window open with a piece of wood.
...
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2
answers
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Verb for when you want to make tea
If I wanted some tea, which verb would Americans use to ask someone for tea:
to make some tea?
or to brew some tea?
Which of these two verbs are commonly used? Is there a better word?
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1
answer
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restricted to do something? from?
I have a question.
Restrict to do something and restrict from doing something have the same meaning?
for example,
I am restricted to smoke one cigarette one day
I am restricted from smoking one ...
0
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1
answer
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How to professionally express a desire to relocate?
I want to start applying to jobs in the UK, and in my cover letter I wish to include my desire to relocate.
What would be a preferred way of wording this?
I'm XYZ, looking to relocate to ABC this ...
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2
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I can't find the main verb here
Whatever I have up till now accepted as most true and assured I have gotten either from the senses or through the senses.
What does this sentence mean? I can't find the main verb here.
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1
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My grandpa died 30 years ago. I "have never met" / "never met" him. - Which one?
Which one of the following two sentences is correct/proper?
My grandpa died 30 years ago. I have never met him.
or
My grandpa died 30 years ago. I never met him.
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2
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How long have you (been having or had) driving lessons?
A friend of mine is having driving lessons.
Can I ask him both?
How long have you been having driving lessons?
or
How long have you had driving lessons?
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5
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The difference between "prevent" and "avoid"
The accident could have been prevented
The accident could have been avoided
Would you show me semantically what the difference between the two is?
Also, are there any scenarios in which both ...
0
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1
answer
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having been + past participle
A. Having been eliminated the public aid and what with/ on account of an increased rate of inflation as well, it seems that the earnings of the low-paid classes (of society) will /fall/diminish/.
...
4
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1
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to TA a course vs. to be the TA for a course
In the academic language, do we say "to TA a course" or "to TA for a course"? (TA = Teaching Assistant, and when verbalized it means to serve as a TA)
I have read both:
http://web.stanford.edu/~...