Unanswered Questions
4,822 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
6
votes
5answers
167 views
ambiguity?: to infinitive phrase as a purpose clause or an infinitival relative clause
I think the grammar of To-infinitive is the most difficult part of learning English because it is hard for me like ESL students to know which is which.
I mean, I'm, well, just wanting to classify the ...
4
votes
2answers
379 views
What is the pronunciation of “Will you” in fast/connected speech?
I usually pronounce "will you" as "/wɪ/ + /lju:/", but seems that people have some troubles understanding me (at least here in the UK). Is my pronunciation wrong? That's the way we usually make the ...
4
votes
4answers
452 views
Use of Past Perfect Tense and Simple Past
Yesterday I called my doctor but could not get his appointment. Hence Today I again tried for his appointment.
I started our conversation with receptionist as follows.
Yesterday, I had called for ...
3
votes
1answer
55 views
Why was “dream of” used instead of “dream about” in this case?
“She lives in a large copper castle, surrounded by walls and towers. No one but the king himself can pass in or out, for there has been a prophecy that she will marry a common soldier, and the king ...
3
votes
1answer
23 views
Substitute for “prospection of” something
I'm doing a comparative analysis to determine the best device to be used in an academic project, and this analysis shall be recorded in a document.
For example, from all wireless keyboards available ...
3
votes
2answers
31 views
If “discuss about” is redundant, what about “discuss with you about”?
My research showed that "discuss about" is incorrect because "discuss" is a transitive verb which means an object have to be attached. So "discuss about" would be redundant as in "talk about about".
...
3
votes
1answer
37 views
Interpretation of adverbial clauses meaning time or condition, such as when, if
I'm learning English with text books, and one of them says tenses of adverbial clauses which means time or condition(such as when-clause or if-clause) depend on the main clauses to which they are ...
3
votes
1answer
78 views
to square it with your conscience or to scruple
to square it with your conscience means that something is congruent with your conscience. I would like to ask as to how to use it correctly and if the following example is correct.
For example ...
3
votes
1answer
42 views
How to pronounce unaspirated stop sound properly? Such as the /t/ in “ let me”, is it just/lɛ/ /mi/?
I'm not a native speaker, and I feel difficult to pronounce unaspirated stop sound properly, such as the /t/ in "let me". I found some learning materials on internet, but they are not sophisticated ...
3
votes
1answer
146 views
What distinguishes a predicative complement from a direct object?
What makes be an intransitive verb? How do we know that the analysis of It is me as transitive by tradtional grammars is incorrect? And how does this analysis apply to other verbs, like hurt for ...
3
votes
1answer
35 views
Is it a modal or main verb?
I don't need to do the work
Here, we can see that need is the main verb of this sentence.
But when I turn it to a passive then need works like a modal and do has became main verb.
The work doesn'...
3
votes
1answer
216 views
Subclausal negation and clausal negation: “not an uncommon mistake” vs. “a not uncommon mistake”
I'm confused about distinguishing the meaning difference in scope of negation.
This is a common mistake.
This is an uncommon mistake.
I know that (1) means the mistake occurs often, ...
3
votes
1answer
146 views
The plan that I want to give [to] you. Direct, Indirect object in attributive clause
I don't know the grammar rule I must apply in the following sentences. Do I need to add to?
Here is the book that I want to give [to] you.
Here is the plan that I want to give [to] you.
Here is the ...
3
votes
1answer
72 views
Cover letter: work in/work for/work with/work at
I understand how these work:
I work in IT.
I work at Google.
I work for Google.
I work with computers.
But how about these? To tell someone if I get this job, I would gain experience.
I will ...
3
votes
1answer
69 views
possessive ('s) used in the word “family”
Which of the following sentences is correct?
He's a friend of my family.
He's a friend of my family's.
