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January 2023

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’with only two minutes to play’

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Hello, everyone, " With only two minutes to play , both teams were fighting for the football. It was the last home game for the seniors of Winston High, and they were determined to win. Since it had been a close game the whole evening, the best players of each team hadn't left the field. Once Winston High's coach finally knew that victory was theirs, all the seniors on the sidelines were allowed to play for the last few seconds." (* source; our local text for middle school students) About...Read More...
WinD
Thank you, GustavoRead More...
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"it" in "I'd appreciate it if you would ..."

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Hi, Is the "it" a dummy or regular pronoun in "I'd appreciate it if you would carry this chair to my room"? Could the if-subordinate clause be fronted to sentence-initial position? I'd appreciate your help.Read More...
raymondaliasapollyon
Someone told me that in "We have talked about it even though we cannot agree among ourselves on whether we should buy that car ," the "it" just accidentally refers to the whether-clause. Technically, it refers to something said in the previous sentences. The whether-clause is a mere repetition of the topic. Do you agree?Read More...
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"have been act after act", "has been act after act", "have been acts after acts"

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Sorry, I'm new here and far from an expert grammarian. I'm wrestling with the correct way to handle the phrase "X after X" as perhaps a singular collection or a plural. I see that X could itself be something plural or singular and in either case "X after X" when taken as a phrase implies more than one. I feel a bit embarrassed, but I'm lost. The only option below that I immediately recognize as incorrect is (d): (a) There have been betrayal after betrayal (b) There have been betrayals after...Read More...
David, Moderator
Hello, OldDog, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange. I agree with Ahmed_btm that the singular is needed in cases like this one. While notionally plural , "NP[singular] after NP[singular]" is grammatically singular . I find "There has been betrayal after betrayal" natural as well as grammatical. I'm reminded of a quote from Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now : "We must kill them. We must incinerate them. Pig after pig, cow after cow, village after village, army after army." ( source ) We can't...Read More...
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I will sacrifice whatever is necessary to be the best.

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Hi How should I parse this sentence, especially for the part 'to be the best'? 1) I will sacrifice [whatever is necessary to be the best] (in this parsing, 'to be the best' modifies 'necessary' or the whole 'whatever is necessary') 2) I will sacrifice [whatever is necessary] to be the best. (in this parsing, 'to be the best' modifies 'will sacrifice' or the whole 'I will sacrifice whatever is necessary') 3) Both of them are plausible depending on the speaker's intention. So, Q1. 'to be the...Read More...
WinD
Thank you, DavidRead More...
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Does "from" attach to "is" or "ask"?

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See here: You can ask whether our policy actually is a good deal from the hawks’ point of view. If it's ambiguous I could do this but this doesn't flow as well I don't think...maybe it's not bad at all though: You can ask whether our policy actually is—from the hawks’ point of view—a good deal.Read More...
David, Moderator
A more natural place to which to move the phrase is right after "whether": You can ask whether, from the hawks' point of view, our policy actually is a good deal.Read More...
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Is this an ambiguous syntax?

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See the bold (could "against" be interpreted as attaching to "cover" or to something other than "moves")? That’s exactly it—since earlier last year the Russians have been saying that Ukraine could be turned into a heavily armed de facto US ally with the US giving de facto cover to Ukraine’s moves at home against the Russian language and also with the US arming Ukraine so that Ukraine can attack the Donbass’s separatist areas.Read More...
David, Moderator
Hi, Andrew—Is it grammatically possible for the phrase "against the Russian language" to modify the noun phrase headed by "cover" rather than the noun phrase headed by "moves" in that sentence? Yes, it is grammatically possible.Read More...
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How can you indicate that you've transitioned away from paraphrase?

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See the transition between paragraphs (1) and (2): (1) Regarding the current war in Ukraine, Chomsky says: the bleeders’ ongoing policy “entails that we reject out of hand the kind of diplomatic initiatives that in reality ended the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, despite U.S. efforts to impede them”; Washington’s ongoing policy means gambling that the Russian leadership won’t “resort to the means of violence they unquestionably possess to devastate Ukraine and set the stage for possible...Read More...
David, Moderator
Hi, Andrew—In my opinion, the paragraphing and semicolons alone serve to indicate the transition from paraphrasing to commentary in each case.Read More...
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research & researches

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I know that ( research) is generally used as an uncountable noun. However ,in some dictionaries, I find the plural ( researches ) which is rarely used nowadays. My question is : Is it structurally right to say: There are five researches available per person. Or It is common to say: There are five pieces of research available per person.Read More...
David, Moderator
It is interesting that "researches" is correct as a plural noun in British English; I find that ungrammatical. I only use "researches," and only hear and read it used, as the third-person-singular-present form of the verb "research." When we (I guess I have to restrict myself to American speakers) want to refer to research in a countable way, we can, as you say, use "pieces of research." We can also refer to "research studies," "bodies of research," etc.Read More...
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"Short sentences are easy and quick to process."

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I am once again hesitant about a rather simple construction: "Short sentences are easy and quick to process." Am I correct in thinking that the use of "quick" is actually ungrammatical in this context? Compare: (a) It is easy to process short sentences. / Readers can easily process short sentences. ( both correct ) (b) It is quick to process short sentences. ( incorrect ) / Readers can quickly process short sentences. ( correct )Read More...
MlleSim
Splendid! I wonder when the construction will be added to dictionaries. I imagine it needs to earn a bit more currency... (pun intended )Read More...
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’he/him/*his being much the best qualified of the candidates‘

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Hello, everyone, “ We appointed Max, he/him/*his being much the best qualified of the candidates .” (from The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language p.1220) Can I parse the sentence above as follows?; 1. The original sentence with adverbial clause is; We appointed Max, because he was much the best qualified of the candidates . 2. Abbreviated form with a participle phrase is; We appointed Max, <he/him> being much the best qualified of the candidates . 3. Abbreviated form with...Read More...
deepcosmos
Hi, Gustavo, now I've understood what you're trying to tell me upto now. Really appreciate your supports so far for several days. How can I thank you, Gustavo?Read More...
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Fresh-cut or freshly-cut?

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Hello! Which would be the correct word to use with fruits (to show that they were very recently peeled and sliced up), and flowers (to show that they were very recently picked from the farm/garden)? Should I say they are fresh-cut or freshly-cut ? Thank you for your help.Read More...
gilbert
Hi, David. Sorry that I took forever to say thank you. Thanks for the analogy. It has put things in perspective, and I can see the difference in meaning now. Silly me! I thought there was an American-British difference in the use of fresh and freshly.Read More...
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'After' vs 'later'

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Hi there, which one is correct? 1- I found my lost book two days 'later'. 2- I found my lost book 'after' two days.Read More...
ahmed_btm
Hi, Subhajit 123, I see that 1 is the natural one to use especially if it is preceded by a specific action as that would mean that this period is mostly related to this action. Using 2 could have an implied meaning ( after two days of what ?). - I thought he had taken my book. Two days later, I found my lost book. (By chance). - I thought he had taken my book and dismissed him. After two days (of this incident / of my search / of not talking to him), I found my lost book.Read More...
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Comparative complements

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In the phrase "A better result than we expected", can the noun, "we", be omitted? In '"A Student's introduction to English Grammar", it states that ""Than expected" is permitted within an attributive AdjP" and "A longer phrase (as in "a better result than we expected") would have to be located after the head noun where it functions as indirect complement". Can someone clarify why this is the case? Thanks!Read More...
Deng123
Thanks for the clarification! There's a second edition of the textbook out now. Your explanation still stands.Read More...
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Short answers on negative questions.

0 likes · 57 views
Hello, Why do you think they have omitted the short answers in the following examples? A: - I'm not quite sure what happens at a clothes swapping party. - Oh, haven't you been to one before? I thought you had. - No , it's my first time. (No, I haven't) B: - Why are you giving away this dress? don't you want to keep it for a special occasion? - No , I'm bored with it these days. (No, I don't) C: - I like the colour of this shirt. Didn't you buy one like this last month? - No , mine was much...Read More...
Meriem
Yes, indeed. Thank you Ahmed.Read More...
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Negative questions - present perfect VS Past perfect

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Hello GE community, I have a question about negative questions. I can't understand why in the following example we use haven't instead of hadn't. A: I'm not quite sure what happens at a clothes swapping party. B: Oh, haven't you been to one before? I thought you had. Source: It's a "filling the gap" exercise from the MACMILLAN Openmind advanced workbook.Read More...
Meriem
Hello Ahmed, That was clear. Thank you.Read More...
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while

0 likes · 47 views
In this sentence: "Blaming the fossil fuel industry while engaging in this kind of behavior is a slap in our face" - from YEAR 2021 November Mock Test #21 for the first year students in high school : https://jjicksin.com/2021-%EA%...EB%AC%B8%EC%A0%9C-1/ Q. Does above 'while' used as preposition and 'engaging' as gerund? Is that common to use 'while' as preposition? So far, I've only seen 'while' used as conjunction. Thank you so much for your kind reply.Read More...
vegnlove
Thank you so much!Read More...
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than ~

0 likes · 69 views
In this sentence: A special feature of the real estate rental market is its tendency to undergo a severe and prolonged contraction phase, more so than with manufactured products. Q. Can you please explain me how this kind of sentence stucture in red highted is possible? So far, I only know that only clause or noun comes after 'than'. Are some words omitted in above sentence after 'than'? If so, what would be the rule for omission after 'than'? Thank you so much for your kind reply!Read More...
vegnlove
Thank you so much!Read More...
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disadvantage vs difficulty

0 likes · 103 views
Thank you always! I'd like to know how to use "disadvantage" in the sentence appropriately. "People often have difficulty in returning to their jobs or getting promoted after giving birth and raising their children." "People often have disadvantage of going back to their jobs and getting promoted to their positions after giving birth and raising their children." Are both grammatical? Do they have the same meaning? I would appreciate your reply.Read More...
mika
Thank you so much!!Read More...
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Is it grammatical to say "getting the money was a factor in his thinking"?

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I'm unsure. See here (my actual sentence): To what extent has making the US arms industry more dominant actually been a factor in Washington’s thinking when it comes to the Biden administration’s ongoing policy of prolonging the war? Also, does the "when it comes" attach unambiguously to "thinking"? Is there any way to eliminate any ambiguity on that front?Read More...
David, Moderator
Hi, Andrew—Those constructions are a bit strange, even if not they are not ungrammatical. You might wish to use "the aim/desire of making" or "the aim/desire to make" instead. The same goes for the question in your title.Read More...
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Is the bold a paraphrase or is the author asserting this?

0 likes · 28 views
See the bold (note that there are quotation marks after the bold that clearly indicate that something is being quoted, of course, but there's still the issue of whether the bold is the author's assertion): https://www.washingtonpost.com...IQA2ohKsT_story.html Mann and Ornstein rightly blame the news media for doing a mediocre job covering the most important political story of the last three decades: the transformation of the Republican Party. They are critical of the conventions of...Read More...
David, Moderator
Hi, Andrew—Given the semantic connection between "false equivalence" and "an impression that the two sides are equally implicated," my sense is that the words you have placed in bold do continue the paraphrase and think that it would have been better to precede them with a semicolon or use an absolute construction ("it being much easier to write stories that . . .") instead.Read More...
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The need to use article "a" and "an"

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Do I need to use article "a" or "an" in the below sentence? e.g. My client is husband and wife and they own an investment property . or My client is a husband and a wife and they own an investment property. if this is the correct one, why?Read More...
Gustavo, Co-Moderator
Hi, Tony, For the sake of grammatical agreement, I think you should say: - My clients are husband and wife and own an investment property.Read More...
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Is “beaten egg” countable or uncountable?

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Is “beaten egg” countable or uncountable? I understand that many English words used as a noun can be used as both countable and uncountable, and whether the word is used as countable or uncountable depends on how the word is used in a sentence. Having said that, I still find it confusing. My understanding is that the word “egg” is countable when it refers to an individual egg while the same word is uncountable when it refers to “beaten egg” as a substance. But I often see not only “into...Read More...
Green Tea
Hello, Gustavo. Thank for your explanation with an example.Read More...
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whatever

0 likes · 34 views
In this paragraph; The growing season in the Arctic region is short as well as cool, and plants must make the most of what warmth there is. Q1. Is this 'what' used as adjective to modify the noun 'warmth'? isn't that better to use 'whatever'? Is that common to use 'what' to modify noun? Q2. Is there any meaning difference when you use 'what' and 'whatever' instead? Thank you for your kind reply.Read More...
vegnlove
Thank you very much!Read More...
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Will or going to

0 likes · 51 views
Hi, What do you think about the sentence attached?Read More...
David, Moderator
Please type sentences you wish us to consider into the body of a post. Are you aware that the image you have uploaded does not even list "am going to" as a choice. Assuming the context is normal, "am meeting" is the best choice. "I think I am meeting him at entrance B. I can't remember." This means that, although the speaker can't really recall the plan, he or she believes that the plan was for him or her to meet the referent of "him" at the entrance labeled B.Read More...
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