Questions tagged [word-choice]
This tag is for questions which a dictionary cannot answer about the several possibilities available for a particular meaning, and which one of them would be the most appropriate.
4,817
questions
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7 views
can we use “continuous tenses” with the verb “get” when expressing illness?
In the dictionary,
get [transitive, no passive] get something to become infected with an illness; to suffer from a pain, etc.
I got this cold off (= from) you!
She gets (= often suffers ...
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0answers
19 views
Do you say I will know or I’m going to know
I will know the answer.
Or
I’m going to know the answer.
I’m assuming 1. means I’m going to know regardless as 2. means I will eventual know..
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2answers
41 views
what are the differences between “Her eyes twinkled” and “Her eyes lit up”?
In the dictionary
twinkle (intransitive): if someone’s eyes twinkle, they have a happy expression
twinkle with
Her eyes twinkled with amusement.
light up: if someone’s face or eyes ...
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0answers
16 views
Sentence containing my vs the
I have two sentences to comprehend correctly.
Do you say
Today is an opportunity to finish off my goal.
Today is my opportunity to finish off my goal.
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0answers
20 views
In time/times of war
Do I have to use time of times in the following sentence?
'This mood is created by the fragments of which the setting is a place in times/time of war'
1
vote
1answer
21 views
What are the difference between “shred” and “crumb”?
crumb(n) a very small piece of food, especially of bread or cake,
that has fallen off a larger piece
She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her sweater.
shred [usually plural] a small thin ...
1
vote
1answer
24 views
Going to or I will
I’m puzzled with going to vs I will in these sentences.
I’m going to always love you.
I will always love you.
What sounds better? But I do believe that “going to” implies I haven’t yet loved you but ...
0
votes
1answer
30 views
Cartoon/cartoon images/cartoony images/cartoonish images
Could someone please tell me which of the following phrases is the best?
They used real images instead of cartoon.
They used real images instead of cartoon images.
They used real images ...
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0answers
14 views
Can “glimpse” be used in formal writing
Is using the word glimpse appropriate in formal academic writing setting?
These are the questions along with a glimpse of their solutions.
I know there are some words that are informal and are ...
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0answers
25 views
What are the differences between “careful of / with / about the child”?
In the dictionary
careful [not before noun] giving attention or thought to what you are doing so that you avoid hurting yourself, damaging something
or doing something wrong
Be careful!
...
0
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1answer
22 views
Plural or singular after a number?
Which one of those is correct grammatically? I
We evaluate 1000 student result
Or
We evaluate 1000 student results
Or
We evaluate 1000 students' results
1
vote
1answer
24 views
On using “whether it be” with plurals
I use data to describe plurals (Xs or Ys). Is it correct to use whether it be in the following description?
The data, whether it be Xs or Ys, are collected from users.
Or shall I use whether they ...
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0answers
23 views
Multiple choice questions about word choice
(1) The loan officer of the bank called today and told me we got a _____on our home improvement loan.
head first
thumbs up
hands down
fingers crossed
My answer is 3
Is this right?
...
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0answers
16 views
“refer to as .. ” or “refer to them as …”
Which one is correct (the difference is using them):
There are many types of books, including those for children, which we refer to as children books
Or,
There are many types of books, ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
Is the plural form of the word “Sushi” really “Sushis”?
I guess people know where I am from.
Why this question came to mind is this story made a top breaking news debut at Yahoo America (when I saw it).
Then a question came to my mind, what is the plural ...
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2answers
32 views
Word for a person who sews at an industrial level
Some other questions.
Is it ok to say that someone is a "sewer"? Is that the noun for that verb?
So, I'm basically looking for the word "sewer" but at an industrial level. Mainly because in my ...
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0answers
32 views
Which makes more sense? [closed]
I'm writing a song, but I'm torn between what truly makes sense for this verse. The verse is, "Too early, to be swept away from, mothers." Should it be, "Took away", "Picked away", "Torn away", or ...
0
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1answer
35 views
The aisle seat is fine by me?
I found this phrase on a Mobil app,And I did not understand why it wrote "by me" and not "for me"
She: I will check if there is one available.
Me: if not,the aile seat is fine by me.
1
vote
1answer
29 views
I look forward to a resubmission or I look forward for your resubmission
Which is one correct of the above sentence?
OR
Can I say' I'm looking forward for your resubmission or I'm looking forward to your resubmission
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0answers
16 views
Can the word “Intense” be used in this context? [duplicate]
"He's here all by himself it seems. He's on the fifth drink or something since we got here. It looks pretty intense. Maybe we should go talk to him."
Can I use the word intense here, what do you ...
0
votes
0answers
17 views
Go outside vs Get outside
Word choice. What should I write here and why? is there a difference between "get out of a place" and "go out of a place"?
When I used to work at a gas station, the winters were always very rough. ...
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0answers
31 views
Looking/staring/gazing
A man sits by the window, looking/staring/gazing blankly out at the night lit city.
Context:
It's on a floor high up.
He's been there looking/staring/gazing out at the city for some time.
It's ...
1
vote
0answers
30 views
When should I say I apologize and when should I say I am sorry?
Is it related with the size of the wrong I did it or with the respect of the person or something else?
I made some researches and I found that :
An apology is a formal admission of a wrongdoing....
1
vote
1answer
57 views
How does it write correctly?
How does it write correctly and why? How can I write this in the past tense? and also in question form how to say this? I mean the second action that did not happen and then you don't know how to ...
0
votes
1answer
51 views
What is the difference between what's up and how are you?
When should I say what's up and when should I say how are you?
Is it about the person's age or the extent of my knowledge of the person?
0
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1answer
29 views
Gaze at it/out at it/out over it?
If you're standing next to a field gazing at it, do you gaze at it/out at it/out over it?
What's most natural?
0
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3answers
42 views
Difference between “human” and “people”
What is the difference between them in this phrase? And Which one is not correct or are they both correct?
These things happen. We are all human.
These things happen. We are all people.
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votes
1answer
24 views
“Not like that” and “such”
Is it possible to say so, meaning "like this"?
I know I used to be selfish, but I'm not like that anymore.
I know I used to be selfish, but I'm not such anymore.
-1
votes
2answers
45 views
if your child did bad things, which verbs would you use: “scold”, “rebuke”, “tell off” or “blame”?
In the dictionary
scold /skəʊld $ skoʊld/ verb [transitive]
to angrily criticize someone, especially a child, about something they
have done SYN tell off
Do not scold the puppy, but ...
0
votes
1answer
51 views
When you ask about some photos : “Did you take these?”/“Did you take them?”
If I ask about some photos that my friend has,
I could ask "Did you take these photos?". But I wonder if these two forms could be used too or only one of them is correct to use.
"Did you take these?"...
0
votes
1answer
21 views
Using “nevertheless” after “while”
Is the following use of "nevertheless" correct:
While this book is outside my subject area, nevertheless, it was
useful to me.
1
vote
1answer
18 views
Which word best describes the state just before a person is about to sleep?
I am looking for a word that describes the state just before a person slips into sleep. I am not talking about the state when the person is inactive or sedentary, but specifically in reference to ...
0
votes
1answer
28 views
What are the opposites of “put the finger in your mouth” & “stick your tongue out”?
When I play with my toddler, I often see him put his finger in his mouth & stick his tongue out.
So, I say "don't put your finger in your mouth" & "don't stick your tongue out of your mouth".
...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
Can “tied to” be replaced with “bound to”?
Atonement is not tied to suffering alone. It's much more complicated than that.
Atonement is not bound to suffering alone. It's much more complicated than that.
I want to convey that to atone is ...
0
votes
2answers
36 views
Questions in distant past tense
I'm a little confused about the use of did and had in past tense -- recent past and distant past.
For example, If I want to ask a friend whether he applied for a job (today), I would simply ask "Did ...
2
votes
1answer
28 views
Grab it/Pick it up
I'm driving. I have a coffee in the cup holder. I grab/pick up my coffee and take a sip.
Are "grab my coffee" and "pick up my coffee" equally natural?
0
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0answers
18 views
Is frantically synonymous with desperately?
I'm not sure about the word 'frantically'. Could I use it almost interchangeably with 'desperately' in the sentence below:
(Context: A girl is held hostage in a shed by a man. A woman has stopped by ...
0
votes
1answer
30 views
Is “worse” correct in “His Chinese is no worse than mine”?
Given the following sentence, am I correct to input the word "worse" to fill in the blank and make the sentence understandable?
I cannot speak Chinese very well, and he cannot either.
His ...
0
votes
1answer
30 views
“to poop / pee one's pants” or “to poop / pee on one's pants” which one is more common?
IN the dictionary
pee (one's) pants
Literally, to urinate while still wearing one's clothing.
I need you to pull over the car right now, or else I'm going to pee my
pants!
poop ...
0
votes
0answers
18 views
is it common to say “to brush something off” or “to dust something off” or “get something off” when you want to remove dirt?
Ok, in the dictionary
[transitive] brush something + adv./prep. to remove something
from a surface with a brush or with your hand
He brushed the dirt off his jacket.
She brushed the fly ...
0
votes
1answer
26 views
Should I use “when” or “where” in this riddle?
Here is the riddle:
When does Christmas come before Thanksgiving?
The answer is: "in the dictionary".
When I told that riddle, a coworker said it should be "where" instead
of "when". Is “when”...
0
votes
2answers
29 views
Word choice between us and each other
Hey I’ve got two sentences which sound almost the same to me
We have real intimacy between us.
We have real intimacy between each other.
Do they carry the same meaning or are they grammatically ...
1
vote
1answer
28 views
Instinctively or intuitively?
Jacob is sleeping in bed. His phone, which is on silent mode, is ringing silently on the nightstand. He instinctively wakes up, sees it's ringing, and picks up.
Hi, everyone. Is "instinctively" the ...
0
votes
2answers
41 views
What should I use: his or their
Should I use HIS or THEIR in the sentence:
Which of the students of your group does __________ homework together?
2
votes
1answer
48 views
Not sure if I should use “as” or “like” in this sentence
You see me just like an object
You see me just as an object
Which one would be correct ? Also I'm afraid the sentence construction isn't ok. I have to say that some person sees (or perceives, or ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
class vs. form vs. grade
I've been meeting all the three words (class, form, grade) related to schooling, but I can't get my head around the differences. Please could you explain the differences? I need to know which one of ...
0
votes
1answer
17 views
Move over / Move aside
Is there any difference?
I read somewhere said that "move aside" implies a little bit of ordering rather than asking.
Is it true?
Mom was cooking dinner and her little daughter was blocking her ...
1
vote
2answers
49 views
Two “distanted” cities?
The two distanted cities are included in our comparison.
Is it the correct usage for "distanted"? Do we have an adjective serving our goal here? I want an adjective to fill the blank to imply that ...
0
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0answers
10 views
The differences between the word “Manufacturing” and “Manufacture”
I'm translating a document and I came across to the word "manufacture and manufacturing" and i was wondering when i should use this word in a sentence.
For example:
The lamination processes are ...
0
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0answers
21 views
Should I use food list or foods list?
I am not sure which one I should use. For example, I want to talk about a keto food list or a dairy-free food list. Or is it a dairy-free foods list? I see both spellings, even on reputable websites.
