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24 votes

What's the modern version of 'I will drown and nobody shall save me!'?

There is no 'modern version'. The point of the joke is that I will used to be regarded as expressing resolution (it famously occurs in the Book of Common Prayer marriage service) and you shall as a ...
Kate Bunting's user avatar
  • 49.4k
12 votes

What's the modern version of 'I will drown and nobody shall save me!'?

The man has got it wrong (which is the point: he would have been rescued if his grammar was correct). In the first person (according to the grammar books) "I shall" is used for future, ...
James K's user avatar
  • 203k
10 votes

the proof of <the> pudding is in the eating

The principle of this idiom is that each individual pudding can be judged on its taste. Some might be good, some might be bad - you'll know when you eat it. Without the definite article, 'pudding' ...
Astralbee's user avatar
  • 96.2k
10 votes

"Make Our Life ..." vs "Make Our Lives ..."

There are many people but we each only have one life. This means it is a situation of multiple possession. Compare with "We all own a car" (does it mean we have one car each, or that we ...
James K's user avatar
  • 203k
10 votes

"Make Our Life ..." vs "Make Our Lives ..."

Why does the singular form "make our life ..." work too? People who share their lives together can use our life. For example, a married couple could say: Throughout our married life, we ...
apaderno's user avatar
  • 20.6k
7 votes

any problem these children have

That seems a good analysis. The grammar doesn't say that the children do have a problem, and the speaker seems to accept the possibility that no problem will be found. However you would infer that ...
James K's user avatar
  • 203k
5 votes
Accepted

Symbols used in a dictionary

Symbols used should be explained in the dictionary. If it was a printed dictionary, then usually at the beginning. Upper and lower marks resembling apostrophes or commas are often used to denote ...
Divizna's user avatar
  • 560
4 votes

"Make Our Life ..." vs "Make Our Lives ..."

A married couple or any close companions could say "our life," in the same sense as "our home." It is a single thing they share. In that sense life would not mean the lifespan of ...
RC_23's user avatar
  • 276
3 votes
Accepted

"brother," "brotha," or "bro" when I just want to sound good and sociable and don't want to be associated with cowboys, etc

You should avoid this, unless you are sure. This kind of use is very specific to particular groups. If you are not part of that group it would sound odd to call a person "brother". If you ...
James K's user avatar
  • 203k
3 votes
Accepted

Why is in this example?

The author presumably chooses "is", because the door is still the same muddy colour at the time of speaking. But you are right, you could backshift this "is" to the past perfect. ...
James K's user avatar
  • 203k
3 votes

Can 'it' refer to a plural noun?

Here, it refers to the hypothetical event of your considering “all the tasks AI-powered machines could actually perform.”
Paul Tanenbaum's user avatar
3 votes

Either this or that in the sentence

With "either...or" structures (as with many others), grammatically speaking, anything that is present in the first part can be optionally elided from the second. So all of your example ...
gotube's user avatar
  • 48.9k
3 votes
Accepted

Is it an error to use "it" to refer to two different things in one compound sentence?

Context is everything. The simple answer to this question is no, it's not always and automatically an error to use the same pronoun word twice in one sentence to refer to different antecedents. But ...
Andy Bonner's user avatar
  • 10.2k
2 votes

Understanding this particular usage of "only if"

Only means what it says; it emphasises that P is the only circumstance in which Q will happen. "If the two votes are in agreement the deal will go through" could describe a routine procedure ...
Kate Bunting's user avatar
  • 49.4k
2 votes

What's the modern version of 'I will drown and nobody shall save me!'?

The version I heard was that an English schoolmaster was the only one who heard the Scottish boy’s plea, said, “Very well then, have your way,” and walked off. The Oxford English Dictionary had ...
Davislor's user avatar
  • 8,393
2 votes
Accepted

Why don't we use "a same" in some cases?

First of all you are correct that the proper sentence is: "They both chose the same option", rather than: "They both chose a same option". If you want to use the "a" ...
Nike Dattani's user avatar
2 votes

Is 'adapt to [infinitive]' generally used?

To adapt to process is to change in a way that permits —or, depending on context, in order to be capable of —processing, whereas to adapt to processing means to change as a result of or through ...
Paul Tanenbaum's user avatar
2 votes
Accepted

Why is it present perfect here?

In both of the fragments you enquire about, “Often in the notes and essays I have had to…” and “in this book at least this range has been my priority,” the author is conceiving of the writing of ...
Paul Tanenbaum's user avatar
2 votes

"Make Our Life ..." vs "Make Our Lives ..."

For a family unit or couple or even friends: This advice has made our life better. [life is viewed as a unit] This advcie has made our lives better. [viewed as separate individuals in a unit]
Lambie's user avatar
  • 41.7k
2 votes

"Make Our Life ..." vs "Make Our Lives ..."

I'm not an English teacher,and I've not thought about it before, but I am a native English speaker. Here are my thoughts: If you say make our life easier,it implies that we have a collective life, or ...
Simon H's user avatar
  • 141
2 votes

How does "would" work in "I would agree"?

"I would agree" is a weaker version of the direct statement "I agree" because it is less direct and imparts less commitment, due to being possibly a future conditional but more ...
Nate's user avatar
  • 142
1 vote

it's high time or time

First of all, if one is saying it in the present, then present tense is also an option: "It's about time we work" or "It's about time we get to work," though past simple is more ...
Andy Bonner's user avatar
  • 10.2k
1 vote

There is a table in a/the kitchen? (if 1st sentence)

"Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a table in a kitchen. The kitchen was very large with tiled walls." [a generality, and notice how one moves from a to the] "Let me ...
Lambie's user avatar
  • 41.7k
1 vote

any problem these children have

The particular wording is open to various queries. What you seem to want would be more clear if you used instead '… any problem these children (may/might) have.' Rightly or wrongly in grammar or ...
Robbie Goodwin's user avatar
1 vote

Is 'adapt to [infinitive]' generally used?

This usage (process rather than processing) throws the emphasis back on the subject, so it is the brain itself which has adapted IN ORDER to process information through other senses. If you say "...
timchessish's user avatar
  • 1,099
1 vote

Difference between “somewhat like” and “something like”

"Kind of like", "something like" and "somewhat like" have similar meanings. They are mostly interchangeable. "Something like" is a general, common, idiomatic ...
Sam's user avatar
  • 9,432
1 vote

Either this or that in the sentence

My preferred version would be one the OP doesn't mention. You should go to either a hospital or clinic as it applies the "either" to the only thing that is different (where you go). If &...
Dragonel's user avatar
  • 179
1 vote
Accepted

Using 'powerful' as a noun - "Britain's powerful"

It is possible to use an adjective such as "powerful" to mean "powerful ones" or "powerful people". You can talk about "the poor" or "the rich", for ...
James K's user avatar
  • 203k
1 vote

Understanding this particular usage of "only if"

"only if" sentences can often be usefully rephrased with negatives. Only if the two votes are in agreement will the deal go through. <=> If either of the two votes are not in ...
James K's user avatar
  • 203k
1 vote

She sees her boyfriend vs She is seeing her boyfriend

One of the several meanings of "see" is "have a meeting" or simply "meet", and it can be used with any verb tense. The verb "see" can also have the meaning of ...
gotube's user avatar
  • 48.9k

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