May 2021

Hi, Grammar Man, According to our Guideline 2 (please read it here ), we are not a proofreading service and generally don't accept posts entitled Are there any grammatical errors in the sentence/text below? However, since there is only one specific issue with your sentence above, I'll answer your question, but please follow our guideline next time . The sentence should be revised as follows: - It is said to be an attempt to drive off locals and pave the way for monopolies like Ambai and Adan...Read More...

Hi, Jiho—The difference is that "on top of that" refers to one thing, and "on top of all that" refers to more than one thing. Would you like to discuss an example?Read More...

Who is the writer? What is the source? Provide an exact quotation, please.Read More...

Hi, Azz—All of them are correct and meaningful. In (a) and (c), the speaker knows that such things were done, and asserts that it sometimes got the doers into trouble. In (b) and (d), the speaker doesn't know whether such things were done, but speculates about what might have happened if they were.Read More...

Hi, Azz—I agree with you that none of the sentences is correct with the given meaning. I recommend: Whatever I can't do for you, we will have John do for you.Read More...

Thank you.Read More...

Thanks, Gustavo. I apologize again. It was not completely clear to me the rules yet.Read More...

Yes, rasaa960. "Confusing" is the right word there. "Confusing" is used to say that something or somebody generates confusion. "Confused" is used to say that something or somebody experiences or shows confusion. - It's confusing to talk to two people at the same time. - You get confused if you talk to two people at the same time.Read More...

Hi, Joshua, "Be of assistance" and "be of help" are correct collocations in English. You can of course modify "assistance" or "help": be of any further assistance, be of more help , etc.Read More...

Hi, Joshua, All four are run-on sentences, that is, they have a comma splice that should be replaced with another punctuation mark, such a period or an em dash, or by a linker. I guess that by "marking" you mean "grading." Also, it is unclear what "all" refers to. Anyway, I will focus on the semi-modal, which is what you are asking about. The only one that works is (c). Alternatively, you can say: (a.1) This subject needn't have double marking. (without "to") (b.1) Double marking is not...Read More...

That is an interesting use of "rationalize," Ahmed. I've never heard it. I do see that there is an article from Egypt that uses "rationalize" that way. The author is Mohammed Abdo Hasanein, who I doubt is a native speaker of English. I think that this British usage of "rationalize" mainly is used with other types of direct objects. It seems common with "rationalize water consumption ." I could also imagine "rationalize management of water resources. " In California, where water shortages are...Read More...

Hi, bear_bear—Do you want to suggest that he walked on the wall? The sentence would be OK if you were talking about a superhero like Spider-Man. walking across a wallRead More...

Hi, Joshua, Below you can find the answer to each of your questions: "Alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu" means that the Prime Minister accompanied Blinken during his speech. Because that is the context in which Blinken said the things mentioned earlier in the article. This is typical of journalistic style: Blinken said XXX. He was speaking in a conference ... No. The sentence should be parsed as follows: - Blinken was speaking alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday...Read More...

This is an interesting question, Joshua. Both the verb "contribute" and the noun "contribution" are usually followed by to and a noun. The gerund (V-ing) is a noun. In fact, we could also say: - The United States will make significant contributions to the rebuilding (= reconstruction) of Gaza which will be announced later Tuesday. You can use the infinitive with a meaning of purpose: - The United States will make significant contributions to rebuild Gaza but in this case "to rebuild Gaza" is...Read More...

Hi, Cristi, Both sentences are correct, but (b) emphasizes the contrast: "I" went to "you"'s house and expected "you" to be there, but "you" was not there.Read More...

Yes, you can use "than."Read More...

Hello, Ahmed Imam Attia—Both sentences are possible. The one to use will depend on the meaning called for by the context. You would use "Did you wait until . . .?" if you were asking about what happened after a certain point of time in the past. You would use "Had you waited until . . . ?" if you were asking about what happened before a certain point of time in the past.Read More...

Both of (1) and (2) are clumsy, and (1) doesn't work at all. Try one of these: A child's parents know what is best for him/her. A person's parents know what is best for him/her. Your parents know what is best for you. Parents know what is best for their children.Read More...

Thanks Gustavo!Read More...

Hi, Eidgreer, and welcome tot he G.E, The answer here should be ' hadn't seen' because it is related to the past. - I saw her last week. I hadn't seen her since 2019 (until last week). - I haven't seen her since 2019 (until the moment of speaking/ now).Read More...

Hi, Robby zhu, No. The main verb is "risk." "As much" is pronominal, not adjectival.Read More...

Ah ha. Okay, could you check if my understanding is right? Yesterday: XXX Team was defeated by ZZZ Team. Today: XXX team is now coming into a new match with GGG Team off the back of [=right after / on the heels of] a defeat to ZZZ Team.Read More...

Hello, Gustavo, Really appreciate that you didn't forget to answer me. Your answers're always enlightening me.Read More...

Thanks to both of you.Read More...

Yes, "I bought ten dollars' worth of pen" is a funny way of saying that you spent ten dollars on a pen. Compare: A: What kind of car did he buy? B: A Honda. A big one. A: How much did he buy it for? B: About fifty grand. He bought fifty thousand dollars' worth of Honda.Read More...