You are right, I just consider that the three sentences are the same with a few differences.Read More...

By the way, how would you read symbols like [21iia]. Is it okay to read "twenty one two a"？Read More...

Thank you SO much!! I had to get the report in, and luckily my intuition was correct. I love this forum, I just found out it existed.Read More...

Thanks a lot AhmedRead More...

Hi, Azz—While I agree with your analysis in principle, I do not like any of the sentences. The only one that has a chance of sounding natural is (a), but only with special emphasis on "good" and a context that works for it—e.g.: a1. Generally, when I hear an improbable story, it's a bad story. This was different. He told me a good improbable story. It is not an accident that "good" is in italics in (a1). As for (b) and (c), we can fix (b) by placing "albeit" before "improbable" and adding...Read More...

Hi, Freeguy, Judging from the title of your opening post, your doubt seems to revolve around the use of the infinitive (in this case, the passive infinitive) after a superlative. There's nothing wrong with it, but according to this source I found on the Internet Iranian examiners would prefer, according to your claim, option (1) to (4): Both (1) and (4) are grammatically correct. See how in this other version of the same exercise (which is also superior because they revised the inconsistent...Read More...

Hi, Tony—When asking about words or phrases in another sentence that refers to those words or phrases, you should use quotation marks around those words or phrases, or place them in italics, so that it is clear that those words or phrases are not being used in the sentence but are being referred to. Background and context can be the same thing, but they can also be different. When the context is the background, they are interchangeable. Background involves the past. When the context is...Read More...

Thanks AhmedRead More...

Hi, Subhajit—Normally, (2) would be "I mounted a TV on the wall," and (3) would be "They installed smoke alarms on the ceiling." Regarding (1), what are you trying to say? "I fitted a door in my house" would mean that you managed to accommodate the door in your house. Is the door gigantic?Read More...

Personally I still prefer "In loving memory also of...". It seems to me that the grammar here reinforces the sentiment (even if "Also in loving memory of.." would be read the same way in this conetext). This is all rather interesting, though. We think of grammar (syntax) and semantics as seperate, but in English at least they interact in many subtle ways. English isn't a computer programming language!Read More...

Thank you David.Read More...

Hi, Habiboullah, and 'Happy Ramadan', Since there are two courses, then ' d ' is the correct answer.Read More...

Thank you, David. I now understand the difference. AppleRead More...

Yes, they mean the same thing. The difference arises when a V-ing is used, for example: if you help (to) make the bed, you help somebody (to) make the bed; if you help (by) making the bed, you help somebody with the housework and the specific task you assume to do on your own is making the bed.Read More...

Hi, Ahmed, I don't think this question is related to grammar. However, I will give you a clue. C) is ungrammatical. However, if you include a proper subject before 'acquire', it will be the topic sentence. Now, if you want to start a paragraph, which one will be the topic sentence and which one will be the supporting sentence? Apparently, 'c' is more general and expresses the paragraph's overall subject. a) could be a supporting sentence which develops or explains the topic sentence. Anyway,...Read More...

Thank you Mr. Ahmed.Read More...

Hi, Ahmed, ' Comment ' is the correct answer. 'Be' a comment on something = 'Be' a sign of the bad quality of something.Read More...

Thanks XianneRead More...

Oh, it certainly was an opener for me. Thank you, David. AppleRead More...

Hello, aliciaballerina, The comma is used to mark the absence of the verb, as in: - I use this microphone and you, the other. In: "Cone of silence lifted" I don't feel that "is" is omitted so, in my view, no comma should be used. See how the comma is also omitted in this similar construction: "Everybody ready to speak."Read More...

Hi, Ahmed, Although both sound grammatically correct, I see that time backshift is not necessary here, so, I'd go with ' believed ' which, I think, is the model answer here.Read More...

Hell, Mister Mohamed, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange. Yes, both of those orders are possible. "A big old traditional flat" indicates that not all traditional flats are big, but the one the speaker is referring to is. "A traditional big old flat" indicates that traditional flats are characteristically big.Read More...

Hi, Azz—Yes, the intended interpretation is grammatically possible in each sentence. However, in view of the fact that a "not both" interpretation is also possible (creating ambiguity), as well as the fact that all the sentences are awkward and could easily be rephrased, why settle for any of them? Try this: e. His play does not induce boredom and is (very) original.Read More...

Hi, Ahmed—Yes, an apostrophe- s following two names indicates joint possession. If you mean to indicate that they have separate offices, then you should use the apostrophe- s after each name.Read More...

Hi, Ahmed, In such a case, ' would ' is the better answer. If you wish that something would happen, you want it to happen, and you are annoyed because it has not happened already. (See this link: https://www.thefreedictionary.com/wish ). It is possible to use 'could' here, but that would mean that the addressee is not able to hurry because of an injury or something.Read More...

Hi, JessyA—Please see item 6 in our Guidelines . Your post is missing examples.Read More...

Hi, Ahmed, See definition 10 here: https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/seriousRead More...

Hi, Gustavo, Appreciate your additional explanation, which has made me to be fully understood the point. RGDS,Read More...

Hi, Language learner, (1) is a valid conditional sentence, though not the canonical type I conditional where the condition expresses an unreal situation. The condition refers, as you say in the second part of your post, to a real past situation. "Would" is used to express tentativeness, not a hypothetical meaning as in a typical conditional sentence: - If if is the case that I met your brother somewhere unexpectedly (if this is what happened), I (will) say "I bumped into him (yesterday)."...Read More...

Then both are incorrect; (1) should read "Having opened itself . . .," and (2) should be rephrased so that the participial phrase doesn't dangle.Read More...

Hello, Emad—The correct answer is "wasn't." "He is used to doing something" is being contrasted with "He wasn't used to doing something."Read More...

Thanks DavidRead More...

Thanks GustavoRead More...

Yes, it can. However, I don't think this sounds right: - Whether (the) massive success / massive action is losing weight, building a business, writing a book, winning a championship, or achieving any other goal, we put pressure on ourselves to make some earth-shattering improvement that everyone will talk about. My understanding is that each of those actions (count noun) are significant improvements (count noun) that will demand massive action (non-count noun) and in turn result in massive...Read More...

Hello, Cristi—In general, you need to use a comma before "but" when "but" introduces a second independent clause , but you don't always need need to use a comma before "but" when it conjoins other types of phrase: None but the brave deserve the fair. It was warm but very windy.Read More...

Thanks a lot GustavoRead More...

Thanks alot AhmedRead More...

Hello, everybody—I agree that both choices are correct. As I see it, the choice depends on context, and I interpret the addition of "from others" as being opposed to, say, "from a bank." A: Are you rich? B: If I were rich, I wouldn't have borrowed money from others. A: Why did you borrow money from others? B: I regret doing so. If I had been rich, I wouldn't have borrowed money from others. But I really needed the money and didn't see any other way.Read More...

Hello, troubled_clown, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange. While the attributive noun (the first noun) in a compoun-noun structure has an adjectival function, an attributive noun should not be mistaken for an adjective. You can recognize adjectives by their ability to be intensified by "very" (e.g., " very cold water "), a property not shared by nouns (" a very water bottle "). Also, unlike nouns, adjectives can appear in predicative structures in which the meaning of the attributive...Read More...

Yes, Ahmed, the sentence is correct. You could also used "slowly disappeared."Read More...

Hello, Subhajit I would think that we use "what kind" if there are many possible answers or the answer is not expected, for instance: What kind of books do you prefer to read? On the other hand, "which kind" is used when the answer is expected or there are only a few answers, for instance: Which type of essays are you writing, the argumentative, the persuasive or the informative? So, I would think the second one is more acceptable as you mentioned two options.Read More...

Yes, Hussein, there are those who believe there is that difference. I am not one of them, though. I use them interchangeably and hear them interchangeably.Read More...

Hi, Grama, Please always include the sentence in question in the body of your post. You can read our Guidelines here . Let the truth reveal s itself is wrong because the verb "let" is always followed by an object and a bare infinitive , as in "let it be ," "let him go ," etc.Read More...

Hello everyone Could anyone please help me with my little problem as I’m not English speaker. I’m looking for YouTube channel name. One what came to me is *resteffect* or *rest effect*. Could you please tell me does it make any sense or it’s completely stupid. Channel going to be for relaxation purposes like nature sounds. Thank youRead More...