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 ...
- 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, ...
- 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' ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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.
...
- 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.”
- 5,850
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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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" ...
- 739
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 ...
- 5,850
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 ...
- 5,850
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]
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 1,061
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 "...
- 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 ...
- 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 &...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 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 ...
- 48.9k
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