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.

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Is "accept" correct in this case? [closed]

This is an example sentence from my student's book: Furthermore, pupils in cities are able to accept better education. Oxford Learner's Dictionary says accept means: to take willingly something ...
KaiKai's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
42 views

How old are you—if you don’t mind me/my asking?

How old are you—if you don’t mind me asking? How old are you—if you don’t mind my asking? In TOEFL tests, 'my asking' was correct because 'my' is in a possessive case having 'asking' as an object, ...
gomadeng's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
84 views

“the room whose door is broken” vs “the room which door is broken”? [duplicate]

Which exactly is the difference in meaning and usage between choosing whose versus choosing which in this first sentence? He chose to live in the room [ which / whose ] door was broken. How do these ...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
70 views

If she learns the violin, she {get/will get} a job in an orchestra

If she learns the violin, she {get/will get} a job in an orchestra. She get or will get and why?
Dunusel's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
49 views

Is there any obligation to invariably use commonplace collocations in English?

For example, these four words are synonymous: become, get, go, turn. But you would probably say go crazy and become famous, not become crazy and turn famous. However, is saying become crazy or turn ...
Kyamond's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
25 views

most often vs the most often the smaller one chases the bigger one

"The funny thing about these dogs is that the smaller one most often chases the bigger one." [so whenever they meet in the park that's how they play] I feel like leaving out "the" ...
ASDASD ASDASD's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
45 views

What is correct (English grammar): Combination of singular/plural but is it was OR were?

Could someone please tell me what is correct: Shareholders’ ownership of ABC-Company was 1,000,000 shares, which equals 1.5% of equity. or Shareholders’ ownership of ABC-Company were 1,000,000 ...
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2 votes
1 answer
54 views

Another vs the other when there are two in total

I have two uncles, one in Chicago and another in Dallas. ( From a workbook) Stewart summed up the general feeling of the American public today, saying that CNBC and the financial news media could ...
ForOU's user avatar
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7 votes
4 answers
1k views

If someone is volunteering information does that mean they are being transparent?

For example if I ask you a question and you share everything with me truthfully, then you are being transparent with me. But for example if you voluntarily tell me about your spending habits, without ...
Aditya's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
74 views

Is it correct to say "I wish you always beautiful"?

We use the construction "to wish sb + N", for example, "I wish you a happy new year", "I wish you luck", "We wish you every success" and we don't say "to ...
Tom's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
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Does "I keep/raise hens in my backyard" imply the hens are my pets / the hens are my meat?

Someone says: "I keep hens in my backyard" suggests that you have hens as pets or for personal enjoyment. It implies that you are responsible for their care and well-being. "I raise ...
Tom's user avatar
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17 votes
4 answers
7k views

Does "I slept in" imply I did it on purpose or by accident?

There are 2 situations: Situation 1: I have to get to work at 7:30 am so I often set my alarm clock for 7 am on a weekday. Now the alarm clock goes off and I wake up at 7 am but I feel very tired so I ...
Tom's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
37 views

How do i get better at knowing complex english words?

I would like to extend my literature, what do you guys think is the best way to do that? I currently read books and also like to create flashcards. What do you guys think is the best strategy next to ...
ungarmichael's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
46 views

What is the difference between "suspicious" and "suspect"? [duplicate]

What is the difference between "suspicious" and "suspect"? Which option is correct, "The witness's claim was suspect." or "The witness's claim was suspicious."?
hhhh's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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Holds no benefits to alleviate the problem

Two people are arguing/quarrel and the arguing/quarrel they have will not alleviate the problem the already have. It is like someone telling him that stop arguing/quarrel that won't alleviate the ...
Rafeq's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
34 views

How to say "Automation parts supplier" in a broader way?

I need a more general term that could refer to any type of product that is sold to factories. This could include raw materials, machinery, equipment, and parts. I came up with a few terms but I don't ...
Michael George's user avatar
4 votes
6 answers
783 views

What is the difference between "the spacecraft is in the sky" and "the spacecraft is in space"?

It's hard to understand meanings of words by just reading their definitions in dictionary In the Oxford dictionary space: the area outside the earth’s atmosphere where all the other planets and stars ...
Tom's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
98 views

Does "Her hair was tied back in a neat bow." mean the ribbon in her hair is in a bow?

Does "Her hair was tied back in a neat bow." look like this picture when her hair is in a bow? or look like this picture when she used the ribbon to tie her hair and the ribbon is in a bow? ...
Tom's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
40 views

was 'constructed by' or 'constructed from' or 'built by' or 'built from'

This data set was constructed from 50 participants .... Which of the four expressions in the title in correct?
seo hyun's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
20 views

this/that with time expressions

"This" can refer to situations and events which are going on or just about to start. "That" can refer to situations and events which have just finished, or which are more distant ...
Kyamond's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
51 views

Is "so" omissible in "so their makers claim"?

"The Painting Fool" is one of a growing number of computer programs which, so their makers claim, possess creative talents" Is "so" omissable in this context? If not, what ...
hhhh's user avatar
  • 167
0 votes
1 answer
57 views

Is it correct to say "get to sleep" in this situation?

Now it is 10 pm and you put your daughter on the bed and tuck her in and you want her to fall asleep quickly. Now your daughter sit up and talk and play with toys on the bed. I see this in Oxford ...
Tom's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
79 views

Are 'unmatched' and 'unparalleled' always interchangeable?

Their definitions seems to be the same, and both are said to be formal. Is there any difference between them? unmatched: having no equal; better than any other of the same type unparalleled: having ...
Michael's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
73 views

A pervasive, consistent, .... root-soil net?

I am translating a technical book on agriculture, despairing over the German phrase "ein durchgängiges Wurzel-Erde-Netz," meaning soil that is alive will form a root-soil net that pervades ...
Karina's user avatar
  • 151
0 votes
3 answers
56 views

What is the common verb used to say you jerk a little bit because someone suddenly calls you while you are focusing on something?

Sometimes, I was watching TV or studying when my daughter suddenly called me or suddenly tap me on my back from behind. That action made me jerk a bit or give me a little shock. Is it correct to say &...
Tom's user avatar
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18 votes
5 answers
2k views

Can the conjunction "while" always be replaced by "whereas"?

In the fragment, "While the novel captures the daily life of the city in the 1940s, it is also a wonderful guide to the cuisine of Salvador", the word while can be replaced, without altering ...
Daniel's user avatar
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-2 votes
1 answer
46 views

Determine which statement is grammatically correct [closed]

I don't know how to choose between which and who in these phrases. Which of these phrases is grammatically correct? Tom Smith, which is John Smith’s brother Tom Smith, who is John Smith’s brother
MICHAEL CRANDELL's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
52 views

The difference between "Each cake's piece" and "Each piece of the cake"

The difference between "Each cake's piece" and "Each piece of the cake". What's the correct option to use when writing IELTS writing task 1 discussing a pie chart? Example: "...
user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
950 views

"can" or "could"- general possibility

Context: My friend has been using computer a lot recently, I want to warn him Spending a lot of time using computer can lead to eye disorders. Spending a lot of time using computer could lead to eye ...
LE HANH's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
70 views

What is the difference between "he ran to the park" and "he went running to the park" and "he came running to the park"?

go Ving: can mean -to move in a particular way or -do an activity The dictionary says "go + Ving" and "come + Ving" means to move in a particular way while doing something else. ...
Tom's user avatar
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8 votes
6 answers
1k views

Word/phrase for straight-lined

I don't even know how to describe my question, but it's like going in straight line vs not going in straight line, like: what's the proper word/phrase to express the idea that I've __________ the ...
xpt's user avatar
  • 2,268
0 votes
1 answer
35 views

"slip free in one clean piece"

When she was five, Harumi lost her parents in a car crash. It was an uncanny collision; a truck crossed over the median into their lane. Harumi was in preschool, rehearsing for a school play. She had ...
hhhh's user avatar
  • 167
2 votes
2 answers
333 views

"Are gone" or "be gone" in this sentence?

Are both alternatives correct in this sentence? Let's enjoy the party now. Later, when all the guests are gone, we can talk about this. Let's enjoy the party now. Later, when all the guests be gone, ...
Itamar's user avatar
  • 1,153
0 votes
1 answer
42 views

At two hours past midnight, should I refer to the day that officially ended at midnight as "today" or "yesterday"?

If I am still awake two hours past midnight, thinking about what I have done since the last dawn, should I call the day that officially ended at midnight "yesterday" or "today"? To ...
Roberto's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
80 views

Pupil or student?

I'm at a loss! When I check e.g., Cambridge Dictionaries and Merriam Webster, the word "pupil" seems to be perfectly fine to use about (young) school students (students in compulsory school),...
Helen's user avatar
  • 1,702
1 vote
1 answer
31 views

Is it natural to use the verb "cause" for a good or neutral happening?

I checked the word "cause" in Cambridge Dictionary. It says: "to make something happen, especially something bad" The examples provided: The difficult driving conditions caused ...
alireza's user avatar
  • 1,050
1 vote
1 answer
63 views

‘any way’ vs ‘in any way’ – When Do I Use Which?

my gut tells me i need to say ‘in any way’ in ‘associative means you can parenthesise terms in any way’, but why? what about the following sentences? what exactly are the rules? any way Michael, You ...
Min's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote
2 answers
132 views

what is the difference between a plank and a board?

According to my study, a plank is a long narrow piece of wood and a board is a thin flat piece of wood. Now if a piece of wood that is long and narrow and thin, is it a board? and if a piece of wood ...
Tom's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
33 views

What's the difference between before, until, and unless?

Here are two fill-in-the-blank questions in my grammar exercises. A man is not old ______ regrets take the place of dreams. Success always hides behind the next corner in the road, so you'll never ...
Simon Sun's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
37 views

Is "words in <suffix>" correct?

As I was writing an answer in another SE language forum, I used "words in -act" for words ending in -act like impact or contact. Words in -act are always pronounced /akt/ I said this both ...
Teleporting Goat's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
49 views

Is it more fitting to say, "I left two comments on the page" or "I made two comments"?

Which is more appropriate "I left two comments on the page yesterday" or "I made two comments on the page yesterday" Context: The page contains some changes to be reviewed by ...
pensee's user avatar
  • 375
0 votes
1 answer
55 views

Which word is closer to (I'm asking for finding a word for someone "who doesn't know but acting like know"?)

Hello everyone. At first, thanks for helping me🙏🏻 I'm looking for a word that describe someone: With few or less information "about something or an issue in a conversation", comes from ...
Derelict Paradise's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
20 views

The difference between " considering formalities " with " standing on ceremony "

Which one is used in a situation in which someone is regarding politeness or is shy to join for eating food in someone else's house? And Which is more common and friendly?
Metissia ESL's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
27 views

What do you call a subject open for doctoral studies?

Universities generally have a set of subjects open for doctoral studies. In my own language we call them "forskarutbildningsämnen", which translates as "doctoral education subjects"...
Helen's user avatar
  • 1,702
0 votes
3 answers
74 views

distinctive vs distinct [closed]

The distinctive long neck of a giraffe, for example, developed as individuals that happened to have longer necks had an advantage in feeding on the leaves of tall trees. The distinct long neck of a ...
gomadeng's user avatar
  • 4,158
5 votes
5 answers
3k views

Manager, boss, superior – which should I choose?

In my language, we have one single word for what is referred to in English as "boss", "manager", "superior", "senior staff"... and I have a very hard time ...
Helen's user avatar
  • 1,702
0 votes
2 answers
59 views

He had or He did

This is a question I saw in an English Grammar test. Who had an apartment? a. Tony did. b. Tony had. c. Tony was. d. Tony has. As far as I know when have means own we use do, does, and did to make ...
Englishfreak's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
50 views

Should I use 'Combo', 'Set' or 'Assortment'?

In the context of common hardware items, for instance: 2 screws 2 bolts If these are sold in a single packaged product, should it be called a 'fastener combo', 'fastener set' or 'fastener assortment'...
Jiro F.'s user avatar
  • 49
1 vote
1 answer
52 views

In IT, how should it be, "View Option List" or "See Option List"?

In the IT field, the interface of a computer program displays a button that shows the user a list of options when clicked. What should be the verb used in the button's text? "View Option List&...
Juan José Melero Gómez's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
88 views

Which is correct, "a consequence of the fact" or "an explanation of the fact"?

I’m a bit struggling to do the questions below: The swordfish can swim very fast up to 97 kilometers per hour (km/hr)-but it is significantly slower than the frigatebird, which can fly at speeds up ...
Cam's user avatar
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