Search found 336 matches
- Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:05 pm
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: whoever
- Replies: 3
- Views: 220
whoever
Can one use a. Whoever you manage to hire, your business will fail. instead of No matter who you manage to hire, your business will fail. ? Can one use b. Whatever unpleasant facts Jane learns about her criminal dad, she'll always remember him as a loving father. instead of No matter what unpleasant...
- Sun Apr 04, 2021 7:47 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: comma
- Replies: 1
- Views: 94
comma
a. I didn't leave the building thinking I would be shot. b. I didn't leave the building , thinking I would be shot. I think (b) is equivalent to: c. Thinking that I would be shot if I left the building, I didn't leave the building. I didn't leave the building because I thought I would be shot if I ...
- Mon Mar 15, 2021 7:05 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: as goes the country
- Replies: 3
- Views: 818
Re: as goes the country
Very interesting. It was put out yesterday.
I don't know much about US history and didn't know any of this. This account brings history to life and shows real human beings and human relations at work in forging the destiny of a nation.
Thank you, Eric.
I don't know much about US history and didn't know any of this. This account brings history to life and shows real human beings and human relations at work in forging the destiny of a nation.
Thank you, Eric.
- Sat Mar 13, 2021 11:00 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: as goes the country
- Replies: 3
- Views: 818
as goes the country
Can one say: a. As goes the country, so goes the world. b. As behaves the father, so behaves the son. Can (a) be used to mean We are losing the country and the world. ? Can it be used to mean The state the country is in reflects the state the world is in. You can tell what situation the world is in ...
- Sat Mar 06, 2021 3:15 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: determiner ambiguity
- Replies: 2
- Views: 704
determiner ambiguity
a. What can all of us do? Is this sentence ambiguous? First meaning: What can we all do together? Second meaning: What can every one of us do? ================================== b. What can each of us do? Is this sentence ambiguous? First meaning: Each of us can do one or more things, but they diff...
- Sun Feb 28, 2021 10:43 pm
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: too many
- Replies: 2
- Views: 737
too many
a. It was a few yards too many away.
b. It was a few too many yards away.
Are both sentences grammatically correct?
Are they both natural?
Many thanks
b. It was a few too many yards away.
Are both sentences grammatically correct?
Are they both natural?
Many thanks
- Fri Feb 26, 2021 6:58 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: who
- Replies: 3
- Views: 824
Re: who
Thank you so much.
I thought that that would be the case, but how about
A says: "The people standing over there are idiots."
B asks: "I am sorry, but who are idiots?"
Isn't the plural form correct in this case?
Many thanks.
I thought that that would be the case, but how about
A says: "The people standing over there are idiots."
B asks: "I am sorry, but who are idiots?"
Isn't the plural form correct in this case?
Many thanks.
- Fri Feb 26, 2021 2:35 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: who
- Replies: 3
- Views: 824
who
A says: Our neighbors make a lot of noise. B asks: Who make a lot of noise? Your neighbors above you or the ones below? Is B's sentence correct in this context or should it be 'who makes'? ============ A says: Tom and Jane spend a lot of time on the phone. B asks: I'm sorry. I didn't hear the names ...
- Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:41 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: was not to
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1054
was not to
a. Why he went to the restaurant was not to talk to John. Is that sentence ambiguous? I see two possible meanings. 1. He went to the restaurant, but it wasn't because he wanted to talk to John. 2. Why he went to the restaurant was to not talk to John. Why he went to the restaurant was in order not ...
- Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:30 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: unlike as in
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1364
unlike as in
a. Unlike as in Boston, the marches in New York were not massive.
b. The storms didn't do much damage in Los Angeles, unlike as in San Diego.
Are the above sentences grammatically correct?
I can see the logic, but the 'unlike as in' sounds really strange to me.
Many thanks.
b. The storms didn't do much damage in Los Angeles, unlike as in San Diego.
Are the above sentences grammatically correct?
I can see the logic, but the 'unlike as in' sounds really strange to me.
Many thanks.
- Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:33 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: so as to make me fall
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1910
so as to make me fall
a. He hit me such that I would fall, but I managed not to. b. He hit me in such a way that I would fall, but I managed not to. c. He hit me so that I would fall, but I managed not to. d. He so hit me that I would fall, but I managed not to. Which of the above is correct if the intended meaning is T...
- Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:10 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: subjunctive
- Replies: 1
- Views: 2187
subjunctive
a. He insisted that we work harder. b. He insisted that we should work harder. c. It is important that we work harder. d. It is important the we should work harder. Are all of the above sentences grammatically correct? Is there any difference in the meanings of (a) and (b) and in the meanings of (c...
- Wed Feb 10, 2021 10:27 pm
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: from when
- Replies: 1
- Views: 2099
from when
a. My friends from high school are all married.
b. My friends from when I was in high school are all married.
c, The friends I had in high school are all married.
In which case are they still my friends and in which case they aren't my friends any longer?
Many thanks
b. My friends from when I was in high school are all married.
c, The friends I had in high school are all married.
In which case are they still my friends and in which case they aren't my friends any longer?
Many thanks
- Sun Feb 07, 2021 7:06 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: his behavior when...
- Replies: 3
- Views: 2896
his behavior when...
a. A discussion of his behavior when he was under the influence of medications was helpful to him. b. A discussion of his behavior , when he was under the influence of medications , was helpful to him. Do the commas change anything? Can we tell whether 1. the discussion took place when he was under...
- Mon Feb 01, 2021 6:31 am
- Forum: Usage and Writing
- Topic: with not
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3484
with not
a. It was a small store with not a lot of choices. b. I went there with not a lot of money. c. With not a lot of time left, I decided to run. Are the above sentences grammatically correct? I heard a non-native speaker say something like (a) and it sounded a bit strange to me. I started having doubt...