Questions tagged [difference]

This tag is for questions about the difference in meaning between certain words, phrases, or sentences.

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Would you say "I would like to express my worries ON/IN or ABOUT"?

I know ABOUT is way more common but could you also use: ON? I asked ChatGPT (sorry) this same question and it gave me the following answer: "I would like to express my worries on the current ...
Daniel Costa González's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
1k views

Are "unloaded" and "not loaded" interchangeable?

I had the impression that not loaded and unloaded had different meanings: not loaded: has never been loaded, or is currently not loaded unloaded: has been loaded at least once, and then the load has ...
anol's user avatar
  • 347
1 vote
1 answer
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"They ventured nervously into the water." & "He nervously ventured out onto the ice."— Difference between "ventured nervously" & "nervously ventured"?

oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com: (1) They ventured nervously into the water. my variant: (2) They nervously ventured into the water. What's the difference between (1) and (2)? britannica.com: (3) He ...
Loviii's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
33 views

Cut off and cutoff/cut-off

From my understanding: cut off is a verb and cutoff or cut-off is a noun. Am I right? Or is the BBC right? Can "cut off" also be a noun? I am confused because of the following sentences ...
E.V.'s user avatar
  • 389
2 votes
2 answers
33 views

Is it always necessary to use "the" before "youth" when it means "young people (considered as a group)"?

When "youth" means "young people considered as a group", oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com gives examples for this meaning both with "the" and without it. The examples where ...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
3 votes
1 answer
115 views

Why do they use 'persons' rather than 'people' here?

One entry of Merriam-Webster's definitions of 'follow-up' as an adjective is: done, conducted, or administered in the course of following up persons. Why do they use 'persons' rather than 'people' ...
Michael's user avatar
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0 votes
3 answers
43 views

Difference between search online and online search

Is there any difference between search online or online search or is only one of them correct? Example sentence He's been doing a search online for a while.
banan3'14's user avatar
  • 379
2 votes
2 answers
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Should we continue to think about the project advantages?

Is this sentence correct: Should we continue to think about the project advantages? Duolingo prefers Should we continue to think about the advantages of the project?. Are those not equivalent? What ...
banan3'14's user avatar
  • 379
0 votes
0 answers
20 views

Past simple tense

He told me that the meeting was in the hall before I had even framed the question. Could I change above explanation as follow He told me that the meeting was in the hall before I even framed the ...
Thamilay's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
128 views

Conditional sentences and usages

If I were born in 1984 my name would have been thamilay. If I were born in 1984 my name would be thamilay now. Which sentence is wrong. Correct me!
Thamilay's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
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But then,but then again,then again

I am confused about those but then ,but then again and then again.Can I use them interchanggeably?what I understand is those are similar as Although.Can I use them as although when I translate ...
Thamilay's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
36 views

"How interruptions are going to be handled?" versus "How are interruptions going to be handled?"

Are How interruptions are going to be handled? and How are interruptions going to be handled? both correct? If yes, then is there a difference in meaning? What form is used more often and in what ...
bansheenocturno's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
30 views

It suits me more OR It suits me better

When speaking about features of character, which form is correct? smiling suits her more being a bit drunk suits him better
Jury Akhmylov's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
79 views

"I was waiting at the airport when who should come along but Mr Pettigrew!" — What does this mean? What if we replace "who" with "someone"?

a sentence from the section "More examples" from cambridge.org: (1) I was waiting at the airport when who should come along but Mr Pettigrew! What does "when who should come along but ...
Loviii's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
40 views

What is the difference in meaning between "offer" and "offering" when used as nouns in business situations?

Can you please tell what is the difference in meaning between offer and offering when used as nouns in business? We might find a good offer/offering at Progressive. I've tried to find an explanation ...
Dmytro O'Hope's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
42 views

Typing vs writing on a computer keyboard

I see the terms “type” and “write” used to describe putting text into a computer using a keyboard. What is the difference between them? Examples: “typing a document” “typing on a typewriter” “writing ...
matj1's user avatar
  • 57
-1 votes
0 answers
120 views

Why is miscellaneous used more often when miscellany and miscellanea seem to mean the same thing?

Many websites or programs have a "miscellaneous" tab, section, tag or category. I was wondering why I never see the noun "equivalents" that are "miscellanies" and "...
Gao's user avatar
  • 363
0 votes
1 answer
34 views

"The government <withdrew> <recalled> its diplomats from the capital." — Are "withdrew" and "recalled" synonyms here?

I'd like to understand in what cases the meanings of the phrases "to withdraw someone" and "to recall someone" overlap. For this purpose I prepared some examples from dictionaries. ...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
1 vote
1 answer
69 views

Can I use the phrase “Something survives us”, and if I can, could it have two meanings?

One day, when the human species will have disappeared, Nature will have shown that she, in fact, survives us. I believe I can use this phrasing to mean both; That nature survives/lives longer than ...
Mertle8's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
106 views

Jobseeker vs job seeker – is there a difference in meaning?

Online dictionaries define a job seeker as a person who is unemployed and looking for work and a jobseeker as someone who is trying to find a job. Is the unemployment factor important here? Does the ...
Milena Kotelba's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
19 views

Uses of selected candidate or candidate selected

The selected candidates are or candidates selected are? I was reading one article and i came across the candidates selected are .... So Which one is correct ? Is there any differences?
wasbo's user avatar
  • 1
-1 votes
1 answer
49 views

"Not clear", "not precise", "not accurate", "not exact" — Which of them is it possible to use when a photo or contours are vague?

I'd like to understand the difference between "clear", "precise", "accurate" and "exact", when we're talking about a vague image. A blurred photo of a town: (...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
0 votes
1 answer
37 views

Does "being in despair" imply more severity than being desperate?

Or, do the two words- depair and desperate convey the same feeling
megamonster68's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
1k views

Are "All right, so ....." and "So, yeah, ....." interchangeable when we start to talk about a subject?

"So yeah,...." "All right, so..." I sometimes hear these two expressions being used when people start talking about something to other people. For example, I hear that some ...
Yunus's user avatar
  • 7,247
0 votes
1 answer
79 views

What's the difference between "for" &"by" in the sentence —"Can you do it for(by) tomorrow?"?

Can you do it for tomorrow? Vs Can you do it by tomorrow? Can you do it for tomorrow? —From Collins dictionary Why I should choose "for" in place of "by"??
Sam's user avatar
  • 1,903
12 votes
4 answers
2k views

"This might occur when a male and female horse see each other." — Why is it correct to use the singular "horse" with the plural "see" here?

an excerpt from the book "Walking the Way of the Horse", page 111: ... horses can use their front legs and hooves to strike at other horses. This might occur when two horses meet for the ...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
1 vote
1 answer
37 views

If "I did Exercise 1 but not 2" is correct, then why is "The exercise I did was 1 but not 2" not correct?

a conclusion from one of threads on forum.wordreference.com: (1a) I did Exercise 1, not 2. — correct (1b) I did Exercise 1 but not 2. — correct (2a) The exercise I did was 1, not 2. — correct (2b) ...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
0 votes
1 answer
37 views

The rides are dangerous to the teenagers {to play/playing} there

The rides are dangerous to the teenagers to play there. The rides are dangerous to the teenagers playing there. Are both acceptable expressions? Is there any difference in meaning between the two ...
TUALL's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
72 views

What difference is between playing with someone and playing someone?

Played myself in scrabble. I won! What is the difference between playing with someone and playing someone? What if someone is replaced with the speaker themselves? Is the sentence in the quote ...
Tim's user avatar
  • 3,339
0 votes
2 answers
52 views

difference between "as" and "with"

Could anyone please explain to me if there's any difference between the two sentences in meaning and style? As 2024 begins, will you support us? With 2024 beginning, will you support us? Thanks a ...
Erika123's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
35 views

"Come on, anyone/someone, join me up here on the stage." – What's the difference between "anyone" and "someone" here?

a sentence from the textbook "the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language", page 382: (1) Come on, anyone, join me up here on the stage. my variant: (2) Come on, someone, join me up here ...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
4 votes
1 answer
393 views

What is the difference between "He got himself injured" and "He got injured"?

wordreference.com: (1) He got himself injured. (1) doesn't have a word-for-word translation into my home language. Could you tell me please what exactly (1) means? To better understand (1), I want to ...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
0 votes
1 answer
42 views

After a/the trial that

I came across the following excerpt in a book about Hitler. Before reading this sentence, the reader had been already informed about the trial that Hitler had faced. Why is, then, this trial referred ...
Penguin422's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
45 views

Distinguishing Between 'Periodically' and 'Sporadically': Usage and Differences [closed]

I've encountered some confusion while trying to differentiate between the terms "periodically" and "sporadically." Both seem to relate to the frequency of events, but I'm unsure ...
Iman Mohammadi's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
24 views

When to use "was" in past tense?

I noticed that people sometimes use "was" in the past tense where the sentence would also make sense without it. For example, "The paperweight was preventing the documents from blowing ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
54 views

Understanding the Distinction Between 'Goal' and 'Target' in English

As a non-native English speaker, I often encounter the words 'goal' and 'target'. While they appear to be used interchangeably in some contexts, I suspect there might be subtle differences in their ...
Iman Mohammadi's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
33 views

Is there any difference between past continuous + past simple and past perfect continuous + past simple?

Compare: We were watching a film when the power went out. We had been watching a film when the power went out. Can you see any difference in meaning?
Kyamond's user avatar
  • 400
2 votes
1 answer
86 views

What is the difference between "will", "be going to" and present continuous when expressing something in the future? [closed]

Are all of these sentences grammatically correct? Have all of them exactly the same meaning? Anita is taking an English exam tomorrow. Anita is going to take an English exam tomorrow. Anita will take ...
Mohamad Mohseni Ahuii's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
71 views

Distinguishing Between "Greet" and "Welcome": What are the Differences?

I've encountered a question about the verbs "greet" and "welcome." While both seem to involve acknowledging someone's presence, I'm not entirely clear on how they differ in usage ...
Iman Mohammadi's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
50 views

"She spoke in broad Yorkshire dialect." — Why is "a" not used here? — I mean: "She spoke in a broad Yorkshire dialect."

an example from "Extra Examples" on oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com: (1) She spoke in broad Yorkshire dialect. As far as I understand, "dialect" in (1) is uncountable since it's ...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
-1 votes
2 answers
60 views

She paints in oils vs. She paints with oils

She paints in oils. She paints with oils. What's the difference between them?
gomadeng's user avatar
  • 4,306
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

"Both the local authority and <myself> <me> <I> have gone to the minister." — Do all these pronouns work here?

I'd like to know what pronouns I can use inside the construction "both ... and ..." when it's used as a subject. For this purpose, I have the following example: the textbook "the ...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
1 vote
2 answers
73 views

In/inside/within two minutes

This sentence uses inside with time. What is the difference between in two minutes and within two minutes? Brentford led inside two minutes. Mads Roerslev whips a perfect low cross in from the right, ...
Nyambek's user avatar
  • 329
7 votes
5 answers
2k views

"The house has a cat in it." — Why is "it" grammatical? Why is there not "itself" instead?

ell.stackexchange.com: (1) The house has a cat in it. my variant: (2) The house has a cat in itself. As far as I understand, "itself" must be correct here. But I can't understand how it is ...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
5 votes
2 answers
652 views

What's the difference between "35 mile ish commutes" and "35ish mile commutes"?

ell.stackexchange.com: (1) 35 mile ish commutes Such placement of "ish" isn't clear to me. Why is it grammatical to place "ish" after "mile"? What does (1) mean? my ...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
-1 votes
1 answer
33 views

V+ing Vs. is v+ing? [closed]

What's the difference between those two sentences? Why don't they equal each other? Robert is eating launch. Robert eats launch. Does one expresses continues action and the other don't?
user8437733's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
67 views

"He rallied his friends to help <him> <himself>." — What's the difference between "him" and "himself"?

I'd like to understand the difference between "him" and "himself" in the following sentences: collinsdictionary.com: (1) He rallied his friends to help him. I think "him"...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
1 vote
3 answers
83 views

What is the difference between "to rally the defense/support" and "to rally to the defense/support"?

I'd like to understand when to use "to rally + noun" and when to use "to rally to + noun". For this purpose, I prepared the following examples: oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com: (1) ...
Loviii's user avatar
  • 3,924
2 votes
2 answers
93 views

What's the difference between "lesson" and "program"? [closed]

I'm looking at a tennis coaching website and they have tennis lessons and programs for adults and children. What's the difference between them?
Kansas's user avatar
  • 21
3 votes
2 answers
118 views

"confusing for tourists" vs "confusing to the user"

(1) The new signs will be very confusing for tourists. (2) All this information can be confusing to the user. (source) Question: Could you please explain to me why (1) uses for while (2) uses to?
Kaguyahime's user avatar

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