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December 2021

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adverb

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Most importantly, never leave your dog unattended in a vehicle under any circumstances. (source ) Most important, never leave your dog unattended in a vehicle under any circumstances. Can I say <Most important> instead of <Most importantly>? If possible, what is the difference? How is it possible to begin the sentence following an adjective like <most important>?Read More...
TheParser
As I understand it, the full sentence might be: "[What is] most important, never leave your dog unattended."Read More...
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have to - must

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Hello. Could you please help me? Which one is correct? Why) - Don't forget that I'm your employer. You (have to - must) take my permission before you leave work. Thank you.Read More...
David, Moderator
Hello, Ahmed Imam Attia—I agree with Ahmed_btm that "have to" and "must" are both grammatically correct. However, "take my permission" is not idiomatic, at least in American English. I recommend using "have my permission instead" (i.e., revise the test question). Then I would use "have to" (i.e. "have to have") and change "before you leave work" to the infinitive of purpose "to leave work." Don't forget that I'm your employer. You have to have my permission to leave work.Read More...
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a lot and lots of

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I ever read the function of "a lot of" for positive sentences and negative and questions using many or much. and I ever read also that the word 'a lot of' for informal sentence only and not for the formal sentence? what is actually the function of a lot/lots of in a sentence?Read More...
ahmed_btm
Hi, Aredy16, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange, I see that the best answer to your question can be found in 'Longman English Grammar'. "A lot of /lots of and plenty of (+ plural countable or singular uncountable) are normally used in the affirmative . They also occur in questions , especially when we expect the answer 'Yes': - I met a lot of/lots of interesting people on holiday. - Were there a lot of/lots of questions after the lecture? A lot of and lots of occur in the negative as well,...Read More...
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Fractions

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Hollo, everyone. 1. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. https://www.sociologygroup.com...ns-90-how-you-react/ What is the function of 10% ？ Adverbial？Is it used in the same way as in: 2. The production is 10% what it was last year.Read More...
Robby zhu
Thank you. I think this usage is relatively rare. Fractions, they usually function as a modifier, like sentence (2).Read More...
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as bad as

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Are these sentences both correct: 1) As bad as that piece of news is, I have even worse news for you. 2) As bad as that piece of news is, I have some good news for you. I read the first part to mean: although that piece of news is bad. I think '1' is more natural, but how about '2'. Could it be considered as equivalent to: 3) Although that piece of news is bad, I have some good news for you. I think '3' makes sense. Gratefully, NaviRead More...
Posted
New1 reply

superlative and preposition

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The question in the book is: "What sport is he best in?" The teacher would have liked to see the student answer: "He is best at football." (football was given as a picture clue) 1. Is it correct that the book poses the question using "in"? 2. If so, why would the student the need to answer "at"? Personally, I would have phrased both, Q and A with "at". Given that the book phrased the Q using "in", wouldn't you be prompted to use "in" then as well? Please enlighten me!Read More...
David, Moderator
Hello, wondering, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange. I agree with you that the question would be better if it were phrased with "at" instead of "in": "What sport is he best at?" We would use "in" with subjects of study, like math or English: "What subject is he best in?"Read More...
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for him to come in

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Why did you make noise? That was for Tom to wake up. He was oversleeping and would be late for his job interview. Is 'That was for Tom to wake up.' correct in this context? I don't think it works, but is there a reason why it doesn't? 'I opened the door for him to come in' works, doesn't it? Many thanksRead More...
David, Moderator
Hi, Azz—I agree with you that the sentence "That was for Tom to wake up" does not work (or work well) in this context, namely, in response to the question "Why did you make noise?" I think that "That was for Tom to wake up" would work much better in response to "Was there a reason for that noise?" In answer to "Why did you make noise?," one could naturally say, " That was to get Tom to wake up ."Read More...
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Contraction technicalities

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An ESL friend of mine, who generally has a very strong grasp of English grammar, recently wrote the following sentence: "The magic would turn him into a reflection of what he’s inside his heart." There's a slight Garden Path here, of course, but every native English speaker I've shown this to has had a vehement reaction against the contraction. None of us have been able to identify what the problem is, though, or in what other contexts would it be incorrect to contract "he is". Can anyone...Read More...
David, Moderator
Welcome back, Zeal. How long has it been? Like Gustavo, I don't know of a book that deals with this issue. However, I agree with the essence of Gustavo's reply—that the issue is partly syntactic and partly phonological—and was able to find some articles dealing with the matter. The most straightforward and thorough statement of the rule involved here comes from an article written by George Lakoff in 1970, titled "Global Rules" (see attached). Lakoff was an influential transformational...Read More...
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"met opposition" or "met WITH opposition"?

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The sentence is "Every proposal created so far has........." I think they're technically interchangeable, but I feel like they kind of have different inferential/situational connotations, if that makes sense?Read More...
Gypsy Firefly
Yes! I was having trouble verbalizing what I meant by the separate connotations and you put it in the most precise words for my intended concept, thank you!Read More...
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Only modification and sentence meaning

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I'd like to know the differences of meaning between these sentences! Are both Ok? 1. Functionality and safety must not be our only urgent priorities. 2. Only functionality and safety must not be our urgent priorities. Thanks million. I'm really looking forwrd to your answers!Read More...
Shinae
Thank you very much for your comments. It is really helpful. I WISH YOU A HPPY NEW YEAR!Read More...
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New6 replies

First conditional in the past?

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"If you attended a school, college or evening mathematics class during the18th century, you would most likely have used a ciphering book rather than a textbook for your studies." https://raunerlibrary.blogspot...4_11_09_archive.html Is it possible to replace 'would most likely have used' with 'would most likely use' and still refer to the past and not unreal present (second conditional)?Read More...
David Toklikishvili
I learn a lot from you, my namesake. Thanks again.Read More...
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Tired of trying/tired trying/tired by trying

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Hello everyone, How should I write following the sentence using tired? 1- I am tired trying to solve the problem. 2- I am tired of trying to solve the problem. 3- I am tired by trying to solve the problem.Read More...
ahmed_btm
Hi, Subhajit123, Nice to see you here again. Simply if your intended meaning is that you are bored with something, use 2 ( tired of ). If you want to say that something makes you tired, you could use ' tired from '. - I am tired from trying to solve this problem. = Trying to solve this problem makes me tired.Read More...
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am visiting - will be visiting

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Hello. Could you please help me choose the correct answer? A: "Have you made plans for tonight?" 8: Yes. I (am visiting - will be visiting) my sister after work. We need to discuss some family matters. Thank you.Read More...
David, Moderator
Hello, Ahmed Imam Attia—Both answers are correct and equally natural.Read More...
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over and out

0 likes · 34 views
1) The helicopter was flying over the mountains. Was it 1a) hovering above the mountains or was it 1b) going from one side to the other --------------------- 2) We travelled a mile over the river. Does that mean: 2a) We went one mile beyond the river. or 2b) At a place where the river was a mile wide we crossed it or 2c) We travelled a mile along the river Gratefully, NaviRead More...
Posted
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over 2

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1) We stayed there over the holidays. 2) We stayed there over the month of January. 3) We stayed there over January. Does 'over' mean a) at a time during b) during the whole length of or c) during a part of and then beyond Gratefully, NaviRead More...
Posted
New0 replies

over

0 likes · 48 views
Are these sentences correct: 1) I went to the library over the month of April. 2) I went to the library over the month of April. 3) I paid him a visit over the month of April. Does '1' imply that I went there more than once, or that I went there regularly? Gratefully, NaviRead More...
Posted
New2 replies

Adjective clause

0 likes · 35 views
Su's
Hello, my teacher gave me some sample sentences to practice to analyse every clause of it. Suddenly I bump into this case: can a relative clause that is reduced still be counted as a clause. E.g: 1) The book published last year is interesting. + Is this a simple sentence or complex sentence? + If it's a complex sentence, so the relative clause reduced here is also counted as 1 clause? 2) The garden projects are part of our team's effort to grow food and herbs for people in Chile, as well as...Read More...
Su's
Thank you so muchRead More...
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