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December 2019

New7 replies

Mandative should vs Putative should.

0 likes · 1,218 views
Hi, everyone. The following 2 paragraphs are quoted from: https://www.thoughtco.com/puta...ould-grammar-1691554 1, In English grammar, putative "should" is the use of the word should in contexts that indicate surprise or disbelief, or that refer to the occurrence (or possible occurrence) of some situation or event. This usage differs from the should of obligation (i.e., the mandative "should"). 2, In addition, putative should "occurs in subordinate clauses as an alternative to the...Read More...
Palm
Thank you for your quick reply and your welcoming. I feel grateful to have found this useful page that experts like you can help me with some advanced grammar.Read More...
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like X better than Y

0 likes · 435 views
A teacher's note for the lesson on expressing preferences with " like ... better than... " says that "It is also possible to use an infinitive after like ; the text presents only the gerund pattern here. Using an infinitive with like ... better than can lead to awkward sentences and confusion with placement of the to . Native speakers would be likely to avoid such structures and, therefore, they aren't presented here. Recommended Pattern in the text: 1. I like tea better than coffee. (Like...Read More...
Hussain
Thanks Gustavo.Read More...
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New14 replies

noun phrase complementation

0 likes · 880 views
please can any one tell me the difference between noun complement and post modifier .Iknow that pM is optional and nouncC is necessary but i still have difficulty please see these examples and tell me they are noun complements: that great experience THAT WAS BOTH AMUSING AND INTEESTING .and why these are post modifiers: THE DECISION TO MARY might be intriguing. The fact THAT THE INQUIRY RAISES A NUMBER OF ISSUES should surprise me . please any suggestion can help me .😣Read More...
Philip
Hi David, Apologies for the delay reading your comments and thank you for clarifying the book reference. I'll continue researching as I only have about 85% understanding. The gap description has helped and Payne mentions it in his book (which I now have). Kind Regards, PhilipRead More...
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New2 replies

A vague lyrics

0 likes · 132 views
Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry You don't know how lovely you are I had to find you Tell you I need you Tell you I set you apart Tell me your secrets And ask me your questions Oh, let's go back to the start Running in circles Coming up tails Heads on a science apart Nobody said it was easy It's such a shame for us to part Nobody said it was easy No one ever said it would be this hard Oh, take me back to the start I was just guessing At numbers and figures Pulling the puzzles apart...Read More...
David, Moderator
Hi, Freeguy, Initially when you asked this question, the line made no sense to me whatsoever. Have you considered writing to Coldplay or consulting a Coldplay fan group? This is just a guess, but today I think that perhaps the singer means that their heads are (screwed) on such that each is a science apart from the other. If that grammatical interpretation is correct, the meaning is probably that they process things in life in two completely different ways.Read More...
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New10 replies

Past tense

0 likes · 217 views
I want to know the meaning behind the past tense. (1) I was happy. Could we realize I was happy, but now I am not happy. (2) I lived in New York. Could we realized I don't live in New York now. (3) I was a teacher. Could we realized I am not a teacher now. Thank You!Read More...
David, Moderator
Hi, Levy, There are a number of grammatical errors in the text of yours that I have quoted above, but I am going to overlook them so that I can go straight to the point. While it is true that the past tense is often used in reference to things that are no longer true, the notion of "discontinuation" is not inherent in the past tense. To see this, imagine someone asking you where your friend is. You might say, "I don't know, but he was in the kitchen about five minutes ago." Your friend might...Read More...
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New2 replies

Correct preposition for superlative adjectives

0 likes · 405 views
Although the English language doesn't have the largest number of native speakers in the world, (1) it has the widest reach of any language spoken today. Or (2) it has the widest reach than any other language today. Or (3) it has the widest reach among all the languages spoken today.Read More...
Shivam Raj
Thanks very much. Much appreciated.Read More...
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New2 replies

Gerund

0 likes · 101 views
" It was a difficult business getting everything ready in time." " It was a difficult business to get everything ready in time." Which one is correct? Is it wrong with 'to get'? why? I don't know the difference of the two.Read More...
sly
So, you mean that both are correct and have same meaning, don't you?Read More...
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New2 replies

A crammed sentence?

0 likes · 116 views
Hello everyone, The apartment that the maid who the service had sent over was cleaning every week was well decorated. source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.co...l/10.1111/cogs.12247 The first sight of this sentence makes me think of the word "cram", though the term for such sentences is "embedded ones". This sentence can be broken into three smaller ones, so it is not so hard to understand. Honestly, I cannot remember seeing such crammed ones outside my grammar books, though embedding itself...Read More...
Mengxin_2009
It's really interesting and it's really a slicing the salami thin thing. I like your example and thank you very much, David.Read More...
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New2 replies

Plays on

0 likes · 111 views
Hi, "The story plays on the idea of perspectives ..." What does plays on mean here exactly? According oxford advanced learners dictionary the phrasal verb 'play on' means ' to take advantage of somebody’s feelings, etc.' and the synonym listed is 'exploit'. Also, would it be more correct to say "the story plays with the idea of perspectives"? Thank you. Prashobhini.Read More...
prashobhini
Thank you!Read More...
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New2 replies

weekday engineer/ engineer on weekdays

0 likes · 100 views
Hello, what is the correct form if I want to say as short as possible that I am en enginner on the weekdays? Is "weekday engineer" ok form? I would like to use it for a tattoo but I am not sure if it is correct or not. The tattoo text should be: "weekday engineer weekend punk" Thanks a lot for your help.Read More...
Tundi
Hello, thank you very muchRead More...
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New1 reply

During

0 likes · 79 views
It is clear that we use either a clause or a noun after "during". Some colleagues insist on using nouns only after "during" and refuse to use the gerund at all. What about the verbs that their noun is formed by using "ing" as ( swimming, reading ........ etc). Note: I am not asking dangling modifiers.Read More...
Gustavo, Co-Moderator
Hello, elsayedelsaidy, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange. I agree with your colleagues. This is what the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English says: ► Don’t say ‘during doing something’ or ‘during someone does something’. Use ' while' : They chatted while waiting for the train (NOT during waiting for the train). | He stole her money while she slept (NOT during she slept).Read More...
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New7 replies

Ing clauses in final position

0 likes · 163 views
Hello. Sentence: -He broke the glass, thus being scolded by his mother. Out of context, I came up with 2 interpretations of this sentence: 1. He was scolded by his mother almost right after he broke the glass. Considering this sentence has the same formulation as: -He fell off the bike, breaking his knees. The time differential between these 2 actions is very small. 2. He broke the glass some time ago and he is being scored by his mother now. Which interpretation is correct? or maybe both?Read More...
Robby zhu
Thank you，GustavoRead More...
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New1 reply

a trip

0 likes · 103 views
Are these sentences correct: 1) He thinks this is a good time for a trip to Washington talking to senators. 2) He thinks this is a good time for a trip to New York interviewing artists. If they are, do 'talking to senators' and 'interviewing artists' modify 'a trip'? Would it make any difference if one had 'to talk to senators' and 'to interview artists' instead of 'talking to senators' and 'interviewing artists'? Gratefully, Navi PS. I think these are a bit like 'He found a job teaching ...Read More...
David, Moderator
Hello, Navi, Neither sentence aptly expresses what it is intended to express. Grammatically, it appears as though it is the trip, rather than the man, that will be doing the talking. The impression wouldn't really go away if "talking" were changed to "to talk" and "interviewing" to "to interview." However, the intended reading would at least be possible, since "for a trip" can charitably be interpreted as "to take a trip." For the best results, don't rely on reader charity. If you use...Read More...
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New1 reply

The Fewest or least number

0 likes · 233 views
What is the difference between using the fewest or the least with the word (number) e.g. Fridays have the( fewest / least ) number of cars on roads. Thanks in advance.Read More...
Gustavo, Co-Moderator
Hi, Mr.Musa, Here you can find the answer to your question. In addition to what David explained, you could also say "the lowest number of cars" (as opposed to "the highest number of cars").Read More...
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New6 replies

Article usage in "X wrote a book entitled XYZ."

0 likes · 240 views
Hello! My question is about article usage in sentences like, (a) "X wrote a book, song, etc. called "XYZ". On one hand, such sentences provide new information, which is the reason for using the indefinite article. On the other hand, objects in such sentences are obviously definite and unique. If I said, (b) "X came to the conclusion that..." , I would use "the" because there were only one conclusion which X came to, though the sentence also provides new information. Why is it incorrect to...Read More...
Alexey86
Maybe "an idea + a complement" implies that one can come up with many ideas in contrast to "the conclusion + a complement"?Read More...
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New2 replies

clauses of result in final position

0 likes · 101 views
Hello, everyone. Sentence: 1, In order to put out the terrible fire in a high building, 20 firefighters in Hengyang, Hunan province succeeded in rushing into the building, unfortunately caught in the fire. 2, He walked a long way home, exhausted. Sentence 2 seems correct. "Exhausted" expresses the state after his walking home. I want to know if sentence 2 also works if I understand "caught" as a state after they rushed into the building. The question derives from a previous discussion:...Read More...
Robby zhu
Thanks, Gustavo, my idea was that "caught" probably needs to parallel with "losing", and that is part of the reason why "caught" doesn't work there. So I dropped the "losing" part. Now I get it .It doesn't work on its own with or without "losing"Read More...
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New2 replies

"and" vs "or"

0 likes · 103 views
There are two kinds of English-English dictionaries: dictionaries for learners and dictionaries for native speakers. Dictionaries for native speakers are used by Americans, Britons, etc. to look up rare words, such as inextricable ____ tintinnabulation. Dictionaries for learners are used by people who are learning English as a second language. 1) or 2) and .... As for the usage of coordinating conjunctions, which one fits the blank space better? I prefer “or” because it suggests that there...Read More...
Alejandro
"2" because they are talking about being together in one dictionary.Read More...
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New4 replies

Is "absolutely anything" B1 or B2 on the EGP?

0 likes · 132 views
Can anyone see the difference in complexity? I can't... I am trying to see the difference between two entries on the English Grammar Profile. They have this point of grammar under adverbs and under pronouns but have given it different proficiency levels (I tagged the example with claws 7 tagset): B2 degree adverbs to modify pronouns. This_DD1 is_VBZ the_AT most_RGT crowded_JJ place_NN1 in_II my_APPGE town_NN1 and_CC you_PPY can_VM buy_VVI absolutely_RR anything_PN1 you_PPY like_VV0 ._. B1...Read More...
EG
Hi Gustavo, Thanks for the extra information. I too see useless ambiguity in this case, but generally find there is potential value in the overall system for those who make thousands of level placement decisions for new classes. I'm trying to automate the tedious parts to leave more time for the rest. Your grammar points were helpful. Unfortunately, they don't explain the complexity criterions since they seem poorly exemplified in the first place. Thanks again.Read More...
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New2 replies

Settling a discussion

0 likes · 113 views
Hello, so I wanted to settle something about the grammar of two sentences and the conclusions I drew from the grammar of these sentences that caused quite a heated discussion with my dad. Quick brief, I receive Youth Allowance and one of my parents started receiving a new income, and I had to update my parent's financial details via my account. I received a letter on the 16th Dec (got the notification on the 19th) about needing to update my parent's financial details so they can (maybe)...Read More...
jono123
@David, Moderator Thank you for the wonderful help! Appreciate the elaboration and other grammar options.Read More...
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