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December 2021

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How in the world does the hyphen work for disease-resistant

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Disease-resistant viruses. Viruses that are disease-resistant. Is it true that they do not need to be hyphenated? It seemed to me that it is imperative that disease resistant need to be hyphenated in order to be a verb to describe viruses properly. However I seem to have been told the opposite now.Read More...
GrammerNazi
Awesome explanation.Read More...
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New2 replies

you might get the weather forecast by watching the people on TV

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A report from the weather office ------------------------------------------------- Reporter1 : Well, you might get the weather forecast by watching the people on TV. But this is where the people on TV get their weather. Reporter2 : We’re at the weather office. This is the place where people who really know something about the weather try to figure out what the weather would be like today, tomorrow, the next day and so on. Weatherman : Turn to northern Ontario, looking at very pleasant … . .Read More...
rezabc
Thank you so much, ahmed_btmRead More...
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Should I use "put aside" or "set aside" in this context?

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(See my post here, by the way: https://thegrammarexchange.inf...ylization-and-usage. ) I have a new Substack piece: https://join.substack.com/p/are-people-in-denial . In it, I use the verb "put aside", but is "put aside" more appropriate where I used it or is "set aside" more appropriate in that context? This is the context (I put the verb in question in bold): But I think that Robinson hit the nail on the head in his article when he wrote that we should put aside cinematic criticisms and...Read More...
Gustavo, Co-Moderator
Hello, Andrew. Welcome to our forum and happy New Year. I've found your previous post: https://thegrammarexchange.inf...tylization-and-usage and, in answer to your question there, it is indeed redundant to use both quotes and italics to refer to publications. You should choose one of the two. In answer to your current question, just like you I also prefer the use of "put aside" rather than "set aside" to mean "to deliberately not consider or ignore." Although they are sometimes...Read More...
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a nurse in the prison

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1) They have a nurse in the prison to take care of sick guards. 2) They have a nurse to take care of sick guards in the prison. 3) In the prison, they have a nurse to take care of sick guards. Do all three mean the same? Could all be used if in the prison there are other nurses who are supposed to take care of sick prisoners? Could all be used if the nurse in question also takes care of prisoners? I think '2' might make 'in the prison' modify 'to take care of'. Then the nurse wouldn't...Read More...
Posted
New2 replies

verb + VerbING form sentence comparison

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OverlyCurious
I know these two sentences are correct, but when should I use them and why? What is the difference between them besides the apparent visual difference? He hates to go to work. VS He hates going to work. A million thanks in advance!Read More...
OverlyCurious
Thank you Ahmed, I understand completely. I appreciate the response and the link to more information.Read More...
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Causative structure/ future structures

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1.My parents.........me finish my homework before they allow me to watch TV A.stop. B.get. C.have D.make I think both (have/ make) are ok here 2 .This building is old .It ......at any time. A.will collapse. B.is collapsing C.collapses. D.is going to collapse I think D is the answer prediction based on evidence. What do you thinkRead More...
Ihab Darwish
Thank you so much,Sir في الجمعة، ٣١ ديسمبر ٢٠٢١ ١١:٤٠ م Ihab Darwish < ihabdarwish97@gmail.com > كتب: > Thank you so much my dear.so much obliged > > في الجمعة، ٣١ ديسمبر ٢٠٢١ ١٠:٤٩ م The Grammar Exchange < > alerts@crowdstack.com > كتب: >Read More...
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be supposed to

0 likes · 50 views
About three percent of the weight of sea water is accounted for by salt. The salt content of the ocean is being continually added to by runoff from the land, but it is not increasing. Yet salt cannot leave the sea by evaporation because the water vapor leaves it behind. So for many years it was a mystery as to why the sea should have so little salt in it, given the rate of runoff, and particularly if the world was supposed to be hundreds of millions of years old. The riddle was not solved...Read More...
Posted
New2 replies

reference

0 likes · 48 views
Journeys are the midwives of thought. Few places are more conducive to internal conversations than a moving plane, ship, or train. There is an almost peculiar correlation between what is in front of our eyes and the thoughts we are able to have in our heads: large thoughts at times requiring large views, new thoughts new places. Introspective reflections which are liable to stall are helped along by the flow of the landscape. The mind may be reluctant to think properly when thinking is all...Read More...
GBLSU
Thank you for the information and help.Read More...
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New6 replies

That or Which?

0 likes · 101 views
Hi. Kindly tell me whether I can use which in place of that , in the sentences below. If the answer is No , please explain why. I know that it has something to do with defining and non-defining clauses. Unfortunately, I'm unable to identify them in the sentences below. Although I love taking my bike out on long rides, there are cycling trails that I tend to avoid. Those are the ones that lack lush green surroundings. Thank you very much for your help.Read More...
gilbert
Thank you so much, David, for your time and trouble. It was very thoughtful of you. Your help is truly appreciated. Happy New Year's Eve!Read More...
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can I say I am buying ？

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Hi there. When I am in a shop buying a pen， can I say： I am buying a pen. I mean I want to express I am doing this action of buying. But I know "buy" is an instantaneous verb, and we can't use the instantaneous verb to make a progressive tense. So I'm not sure if the sentence "I am buying a pen" is correct. I'm looking forward to your reply. Thank you very much!Read More...
alexandra
Hello David, I really want to figure out, can all short action verbs like "buy" be used in present continuous or just some can be used? Thanks a lot. Look forward to your reply.Read More...
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New1 reply

the verb "to have"

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I understand that "have to" is a modal verb so that means that it's followed by a main verb. How is the modal verb "have to" distinguishable from the main verb "have" followed by an infinitive? Thanks. A) I have to shine my shoes. B) I have a new car. C) I have to do my homework.Read More...
David, Moderator
Hi, clueless—"Have to" is not a modal exactly. Modals don't change form or have tense. But "have to" inflects for tense and number: he has to; they have to; he had to; they had to . "Have to" does have modal meaning and it is commonly referred to as a "phrasal modal"—sometimes also as a "semi-modal" or "quasi-modal"—along with "be about to," "be going to," "be supposed to," "used to," etc. Syntactically, there is nothing wrong with treating "have to" as the verb "have" complemented by an...Read More...
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Infinitive vs perfect infinitive

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"I'll have a clearer idea of how we are going to adapt the project proposed budget to the real budget in February. I'm going to try to set aside money for research expenses like you. so I will know by then once I do the math. It sucks, they gave me the money, but not enough money, so I can't ask again and there is no appeal. It would have almost been preferable for them to simply refuse to fund it and try again next year." This is an email written to me by an English native speaker. Is the...Read More...
David, Moderator
Hi, DT—In that sentence, "to simply refuse" can be changed to "to have simply refused." The sentence will still mean the same thing, but the perfect infinitive will highlight the counterfactual meaning. If you make the change, the verb phrase "try again next year," with which the verb phrase "refuse to fund it" is coordinated, will need to be changed to "to have tried again next year." It would almost have been preferabe for them to have simply refused the to fund it and to have tried again...Read More...
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Thesis statement / Topic sentence / Hook sentence

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Hi, everyone. How can I differentiate "thesis statement" from "topic sentence" ? Or where are a "thesis" and a "topic sentence" exactly located in an essay ?Read More...
David, Moderator
Hello, Amir, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange. Your question is not about English grammar. This is a forum where only questions about English grammar are discussed.Read More...
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New1 reply

Correct or not?

0 likes · 53 views
1. We all want to buy some high-quality.................. from this factory. a. produce b. producer c. production 2. Which of the following sentences is/are INCORRECT? a. The match ended when one of the two players gave up to the other. b. The match ended when one of the two players gave up. c. The match ended when one of the two players gave to the other. My answer: 1. I think all choices are not correct. Am I right? 2. I think a & c are incorrect. Am I right?Read More...
ahmed_btm
Hi, Omar Ahmed, Yes, I agree with you. Concerning 1, I see that 'factory' requires 'high-quality products' while 'farm' requires 'fresh produce'.Read More...
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Was writing vs had been writing

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Hi, everyone. If someone died before he finished writing a book, and he had spent two years on it, which tense should I use: 1. He was writing the/a book for two years before he died. 2. He had been writing the/a book for two years before he died. I think the second one is correct, but I'm not sure about the first one. Is past continuous tense compatible with a duration for-phrase？ Thanks in advance.Read More...
Posted
New0 replies

be supposed to

0 likes · 50 views
About three percent of the weight of sea water is accounted for by salt. The salt content of the ocean is being continually added to by runoff from the land, but it is not increasing. Yet salt cannot leave the sea by evaporation because the water vapor leaves it behind. So for many years it was a mystery as to why the sea should have so little salt in it, given the rate of runoff, and particularly if the world was supposed to be hundreds of millions of years old. The riddle was not solved...Read More...
Posted
New2 replies

reference and meaning

0 likes · 49 views
It is a fundamental mistake to imagine that when we see the non-value in a value or the untruth in a truth, the value or the truth ceases to exist. It has only become relative. Everything human is relative, because everything rests on an inner polarity; for everything is a phenomenon of energy. Energy necessarily depends on a pre-existing polarity, without which there could be no energy. There must always be high and low, hot and cold, etc. so that the equilibrating process ― which is energy...Read More...
GBLSU
Thank you.Read More...
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ellipsis of should + be

0 likes · 43 views
"As a result of monitoring the implementation of the strategy, the effectiveness of the set measures should be regularly assessed and the strategy (should be) reviewed and updated in the light of new circumstances." Can the second "should be" be omitted? thank youRead More...
David, Moderator
Yes, DT, the second "should be" can be elided.Read More...
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difference

0 likes · 49 views
what maks him happy is money. to make him happy is money. the meaning of the two sentences is the same??Read More...
ahmed_btm
Hi, Pattaya, 1. What makes him happy is money. = The thing that makes him happy is money. = Money is what / the thing that makes him happy. 2. 'To make him happy is money' sounds ungrammatical and meaningless.Read More...
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A complete thought

0 likes · 42 views
Hi there everyone! This question actually has to do with the use of the full stop . Someone is about to leave the house and shouts out from the living room to someone else in the kitchen saying, " Where's the car key ?" The person in the kitchen yells back saying, " On the table. " Is 'On the table" considered a complete thought and can it be punctuated with a full stop? Thank you so much for your help.Read More...
gilbert
Hi, David! Thank you so much for explaining that to me. You can always trust the Grammar Exchange to give you the most well grounded answers! Your help is much appreciated.Read More...
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Present perfect or Present perfect continuous

0 likes · 50 views
Hi there, Which suitable tense should be used in the following sentence below: The driver ........................... his horn for the last ten minutes up till now. (has blown - has been blowing) I would say that Present perfect should be used as it's up to a point without further progressive action that might continue in the future; however, I have a doubt. Could you please pass your opinion?Read More...
ahmed_btm
Hi, Carlos, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange, I see that both are grammatically correct. I think the present perfect progressive sounds a better answer in an exam as it is preferred with short temporary, actions and situations.Read More...
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New4 replies

When

0 likes · 55 views
Hi, Is the following sentence OK? ''When he was drawing a picture, I was watching a movie.'' I think it is OK if ''when'' is used instead of ''while'' to express two actions happening at the same time in the past.Read More...
Ahmed.A.A
Thanks David, but concerning Sentence 2a, is it possible to use past simple after ''while'' instead of past continuous? Are they always interchangeable?Read More...
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ellipsis

0 likes · 60 views
"According to the survey, respondents have a clear idea of gender stereotypes in society and also identified areas where women are under-employed ." Is the sentence correct or it needs the subject pronoun "they" after "and" in the second clause? and another question: "Also, 43.8% of the respondents think that the local population, especially women, are not involved in discussing gender issues and drafting a policy document, which is a problem for a significant part of the respondents (80%)."...Read More...
David, Moderator
Hi, DT—Yes, that sentence is correct as written. Ellipsis is not involved, however. You're just seeing two coordiated verb phrases, as in "He runs and swims." Yes, both formulations can be used. Neither is more proper than the other.Read More...
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