New answers tagged word-usage
2
Refer can be a direct reference; it has multiple meanings
The verb refer has several meanings (or different shades of meaning).
One of these is:
refer to [somebody/something] -- phrasal verb
B2 to talk or write about someone or something, especially in only a few words:
In her autobiography she occasionally refers to her unhappy ...
0
Which phrase is correct?
They are both correct.
From the perspective of meaning... they mean nearly the same thing.
"being" implies the way someone is acting at the moment. Without that word, it's more generic and universal. It could refer to the way someone is at the moment, or it could be all the time. However, in your example there isn't any ...
0
Your title is more clear than the body of the question. Are "left" and "right" significant? If so, "...left partition, the rest constitute the right..." is clear. If not, your title has the better phrasing: "...a partition; ...the other partition."
2
"Just go through it once" sounds fine.
"Just read it once" does not sound natural. It might be said, but there are other, likelier options.
"Just give it a read" is definitely casual, but not necessarily too casual for a teacher to use with a student (that's really a question about teaching styles, more than language styles, but in short most American ...
1
From the first paragraph we know that he got to 'throw away the useless items and sort the remainder in piles according to whether or not he would need them from now on'.
The following comes the first pile was 'His school and Quidditch robes, cauldron, parchment, quills and most of his textbooks' which would be left behind; the second pile was 'His Muggle ...
1
"This" is referring to what happened in the previous paragraph. Most commonly, "this" is used for things like ideas physical objects, e.g.:
"Look at this! It's a computer!"
"This is a very nice website."
Looking at Dictionary.com, the first definition of "this" is (emphasis added):
used to indicate a person, thing, idea, state, event, time, ...
1
No.
When you use "does", "did" then verb is not to be changed to past or past participle.
The computer does not receive its updates
1
In this context, "rubbish" is strictly British. Along with "lorry", "flat", and "petrol", it's one of the common words that show up on lists of differences between the two countries, and how to immediately tell someone is likely to be from the UK (aside from the accent, of course).
Americans do say "rubbish", but not normally as a metaphor for something of ...
1
Signing the contract was a great victory / triumph for me.
Both are figurative in meaning, and the choice depends on how much you want to emphasize your emerging as victor. I'd prefer the former over the latter because in this particular instance, a triumph is already great enough, so a victory is what I think would be the usual choice.
In an example (...
2
For all of these examples except the fourth, I would choose victory. The reasons why are a little different for each, so I'll do my best to explain them individually. The differences between these words are few and relatively minor, but one to take note of is that a triumph is very explicitly made against something or someone in particular, whereas a victory ...
5
Regarding "the dishes":
A dish, in my area of the USA is more often called "a plate". It is a flat, usually round thing made from plastic, glass, or ceramic that you put non-liquid food on and eat from.
However, the dishes can either mean a collection of plates, (especially as compared to bowls, as in "put the dishes here and the bowls there"), but most ...
0
A good reference in the comments -
This is asked in this EL&U question. – Jason Bassford
I believe those answers are correct, and they include:
"I am pretty sure it's this slang usage..."
"The expression x much is a sarcastic expression meaning that the target of the expression is engaging in x, and is generally used when x is undesirable."
3
(a) The film was a real rubbish. NO
(a) This car is a rubbish. NO
(b) This car is a lemon YES
The word rubbish is an uncountable noun, you cannot count "rubbish" individually. The correct way to state the OP's sample sentences would be
This car is rubbish
That film was rubbish
That film was really rubbish
Man, this job is rubbish.
...
13
In my experience, silverware is the most common term for metal eating utensils (forks, knives, spoons), though flatware is also perfectly acceptable. I've also heard and used cutlery to describe this set of items, though in the U.S., cutlery can also refer to kitchen knives of all kinds.
Crockery is very common to refer to ceramic dish sets, also just ...
1
There is a difference in meaning between the two given examples.
In the first case one is using python to process external data. You are processing the pdf with python.
The second is about the internal handling of data. You are writing the program in python.
There is some flexibility here, and this should not be treated as a hard "rule".
2
The key thing to keep in mind is that lips touch makes "lips" the subject and "touch" the verb. On the other hand, lips that touch is a noun phrase. that touch acts as an adjective in this case.
Lips that touch mine
is short for
The lips that touch my lips
It is a noun phrase and not a sentence. On the other hand,
Lips touch mine
as it stands is ...
0
In this context, are the following expressions appropriate?
In that specific context, even though "supplements" does fit the dictionary definition, the more common expression would be "additional information" or "additional instructions". If the instructions for Mac or Linux are notably different, then it should be "alternate" or "alternative" instead of ...
1
The choices have different meanings.
expression_1 "those are all possible outcomes"
This is ambiguous because one potential meaning is "those are possible outcomes". The all referring to "all the items I just listed" even if it's not an exhaustive list.
expression_2 those are all the possible outcomes
The preferred answer.
expression_3 those are ...
2
"Be expected to" and "needed to" are not general synonyms.
Our guests are expected to arrive before two o'clock
does not at all imply that
Our guests need to arrive before two o'clock.
Nor do I believe that "need" is socially considered to be rude, at least not in the U.S.
However, in your specific context, you are practically correct to equate "are ...
-1
Yes: though unnecessary, it is perfectly valid to remove "reference to."
1
I doubt that a native reader will perceive any material difference in meaning, or indeed any difference at all, between "even though" and "despite the fact that."
English can express subtleties in many ways. Those ways are not always lexical. You can make your point clearly in probably many different ways. For example,
That S received a benefit more than ...
0
"For" refers to the purpose. In the sentence, "I have to be at the doctors for 9 am appointment," states the purpose is to attend at that specific time because it has been assigned. In a way, this statement says the purpose of going is to take possession of the opportunity that that particular time slot brings; to fullfill an obligation. "I have to be at the ...
1
In general, I do not expect several to start with two, just as the dictionaries state:
several adjective
being more than two but fewer than many in number or kind:
several ways of doing it.
(Dictionary.com)
Several is used to refer to a number of people or things that is not large but is greater than two.
I had lived two doors away from this ...
1
"Opposite" cannot go in either slot. Opposite is very specific; it must be a mirror image of X in reverse on the other end of the spectrum. "Contrary" describes something that is just NOT X but can be anywhere along the spectrum. It is far less precise.
0
Require is a chosen restriction or policy imposed with thought and some element of fore-planning. It can be changed if desired to do so. There is little grey area to this term. A need is by nature, simplistic, and not optional.
1
For indicates the purpose or goal. At [time] or on [day] specify when.
These overlap, but native speakers go more by the sense than any grammatical differences.
For someone's birthday means in order to celebrate the birthday
On someone's birthday means it's on that date
Examples to illustrate the difference:
I gave him a book for his birthday -- It's a ...
3
Both sound fine to me, although they do represent different perspectives on being "out" of the game. In a game like Monopoly, one doesn't just "go" out -- one is "kicked" (or "sent") out by the player who takes all your money. However, when the girl says
I got out of the game.
it implies that she did so more or less voluntarily. It's not incorrect ...
0
We can use 'experiences' with an object or thing, which does not have to be conscious, or even alive, to discuss actions performed on it, or something undergone by it.
This is observable evidence that an object moving in circular motion
at constant speed experiences an acceleration that is directed towards
the center of the circle.
Acceleration
...
1
"tl;dr" did originally mean "too long, didn't read". But some use it preemptively as if to say "I know this that I wrote is too long, and most won't read it, here is a short version".
Personally I think the best way to use "tl;dr" is not to use it at all. It is disrespectful and dismissive. But many do not agree with that view.
1
The original post's suggestions are grammatically correct. Their literal meaning is also semantically correct. The "at me" examples are more consistent with the intended meaning than the "to me" examples, but the "to me" examples are accurate enough.
But none of the original post's examples convey the original poster's intent.
The original poster's ...
1
I believe "got out" would be preferable. Her losing the game was a definitive moment -- there is a single time at which she ran out of money, lost, and departed. To say she "was out" doesn't refer to a specific time, only a state of not playing, which is vague, though not incorrect.
They're both fine, but saying:
"You guys still playing? I got out like ...
2
I am never ever going to use this. Never ever is an intensifier
Question form: When am I ever going to use this?
In the background of this particular interrogative usage, there is always this idea of the declarative with never ever.
Please note: The expectation of this type of question is a negative answer. These types of question can also be somewhat ...
0
The general rule is the one below. anyone/anybody etc. are exactly the same. No difference at all.
Somebody ate all the bread. [declarative pronoun]
Did anybody eat all the bread? [interrogative pronoun]
[The expectation is that a person
OR
Did somebody eat all the bread? [alternative interrogative pronoun]
Nobody ate the bread. It's on the table. [...
0
In the sentence above, ever means if the person is actually going to use it at least once. The person is questioning whether they will actually need the item and if it will ever benefit them.
-2
In a simple way
Mention is used to describe something in detail
Nd point out is also used to describe something but in a brief nd straight forward manner....
2
I'd like to point out that you are correct on many counts:
The two words have similar, overlapping meanings.
You could use pointed out in some of those sentences, and they would still be grammatical and sound natural.
Here is one that I think is troublesome, though:
My wife pointed out seeing you the other day on the street.
I don't think that one ...
1
To summarise the comments by myself and @FumbleFingers:
Don't point! - An adult aggressively "squaring up" to another adult showing such disrespect probably wouldn't want to use this language since it's considered something one would say to a child i.e. "child-centric" language.
An exception would be if it was expressed in a roundabout way, such as
...
1
Pointing a finger at someone may indeed be rude. Pointing a finger to someone is usually not rude at all.
The reason is that these imply different contexts. Pointing at someone is an aggressive gesture often indicating accusation.
The prosecutor pointed at the defendant as she addressed the jury. "Ladies and gentleman," she exclaimed, "the state ...
4
In the first choice, something’s missing
Will the pickup here tomorrow?
Something’s missing here.
You can correct it to be either
(A) ✔️Yes: Will the bus pick up (people) here tomorrow?
OR
(B)✔️Yes: Will the pickup be here tomorrow?
In the first one, notice that “pick up” is two words. This is acting as a phrasal verb.
Also: sentence (A)...
0
Use "in".
"To be in a group" is the correct form, whether or not it's AmE. We usually don't say "to be on a group".
However, you can use "to be in/on a team". You should look up verbs that collocate with your nouns of choice.
2
Well, your first and third examples pass muster for me as grammatical and reasonably natural, especially the simpler first one. You could also say "not in how she looks" or "not so much to look at but..." or "not to look at but..." (and many others) etc.
There are a lot of ways to express this idea, especially around the secondary idea of "thinking like"-- ...
1
Let me preface my breakdown by saying this: connotations are everything. This is difficult as an ELL, since you're less likely to have heard enough context surrounding these words to get a proper feel for them. My answer will largely focus on these connotations, which are inherently highly subjective, so I welcome other answers to support mine.
1) Let's ...
1
Since this is an imperative sentence, the implied subject is you.
So, the object pronoun must be a reflexive pronoun.
A reflexive pronoun is used when the object of the verb is the same as the subject. Since the person is sending a picture of themselves, you would have to use the reflexive pronoun yourself.
Of yours implies possession, so if you were to ...
51
A studio is a working space for an artist.
a: the working place of a painter, sculptor, or photographer
b: a place for the study of an art (such as dancing, singing, or
acting)
1
"Come from" means your origin.
By itself,
I come from Canada.
typically means only #1 or #2:
Yes: 1. I was born in Canada.
Yes: 2. I am a Canadian citizen.
No: 3. I am arriving from Canada.
With the context that "my parents are Chinese", the first part of the sentence should have the same idea -- national origin (nationality) or ...
0
Your examples are a "rhetorical" use of the word "endeavour". The meaning is still "an attempt to do something new", but it has lots of good associations: It suggests exploration and discovery; excitement and the potential for great success.
So when we are saying goodbye to a colleague we could say:
John is leaving this company. He wants to find another ...
1
The literal difference between these sentences is simply one of time limiting. "What was the most painful experience you have ever experienced as a mother" would be "from the time you became a mother until now, what was your most painful experience?" — if you choose to interpret the questions completely literally.
However, when people ask these ...
1
It seems that "consisted of" is not grammatical, at least not idiomatic, right?
The above statement is Wrong; "consisted of" is both grammatical and idiomatic. Let's take a look at some examples:
The team consists of four Europeans and two Americans
Would be correct for a team that exists in the present, but if you were talking about a past team, you ...
1
Yes, this is perfectly acceptable and will be understood as colloquial English.
We take Saturdays and Sundays off work
"Take off" implies that it wouldn't be usual to have them off, but your original suggestion also implies that.
It really depends what you are trying to say. If you always have the weekend off it might be less ambiguous to say:
We ...
3
Either could be correct.
"Were" is most often correct.
In most cases, as user @Jason Bassford said in the comments, you will make the tenses match:
A. I thought you were a healthy guy.
X. I think you are a healthy guy.
In the context of an online quiz: as a native speaker, I would select "(A)" but there could be exceptions.
"Are" can also be ...
Top 50 recent answers are included
