June 2021

So, what's important is not that there are em dashes, but that what is between them is regarded as an afterthought or a parenthetical, a kind of whispered aside in the course of formulating the sentence subject. The problem is that dashes can also be used to emphasize what they set off. Unless there is some phrase like "to some extent," as in the Chicago example, to signal that it is a parenthetical, it is unclear that that is how it is intended. In the Egyptian example that Ahmed Imam Attia...Read More...

As always, thank you for your help.Read More...

"Explanation" is a count noun, Grammar Man. Both examples are missing an indefinite article. Would you like to try to rewrite your examples?Read More...

Hi, Azz—Sentence (a), though clumsy at best, is marginally acceptable, whereas (b) is ungrammatical and (c) abominable. For the meaning you have in mind, the sentences you have used to state the meaning are much better than (a).Read More...

Thank you GustavoRead More...

Oh, I see. I just have to think about it as periods of time. Thank you!Read More...

ThanksRead More...

That was clear-cut. Many thanksRead More...

No worries, @ahmed_btmRead More...

Hi, David, Thank you for taking time to explain. I will take some time to digest and will re-post if I don't fully grasp.Read More...

Hi, David. Thank you so much for your reply. It has helped me better understand the intended meaning of that article. Help much appreciated.Read More...

Oh sorry, thanks DavidRead More...

Good. That's right. And "not" does not change anything in that regard.Read More...

This, too, is a ridiculous question to be asked on a test. Without context or special emphasis, the only tag question that works there is informal: "right?"Read More...

I agree with Ahmed that "wanted" is the better answer, because the meaning of the sentence with "had wanted" would require a very special context. For example, if someone suffered amnesia and forgot what his previous desires were, he might come to various decisions about what he had wanted (earlier).Read More...

Hello, Bradaun, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange. Gustavo has nicely explained the construction already. I'd just like to add that what you thought was a clause ("Mr. Bloggs") isn't a clause. It's a noun phrase. Clauses have subjects and predicates. Thus, except in the case of imperatives (e.g. "Stop"), which have understood subjects, a clause is never just one word.Read More...

Hello, Atiye, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange. With a noun ("area," in this case), you need an article: - Education is considered the most important area in life. (superlative) - Education is considered a most important area in life. (= an extremely important area, an area of utmost importance)Read More...

Yes, I do. I find (1) and (2) to be different from (3) and (4). I understand the infinitival in (1) and (2) to be one of purpose, similar to "for" + V-ing. Syntactically, it's a subject complement of adjectival value: 1.e. Its surveillance apparatus is (mostly) for monitoring budget deficits in real time, but it could also help to evaluate the future consequences of policy decisions. (with or without "mostly") 2.e. This money was (mostly) for tackling youth unemployment. (with or without...Read More...

Hi, Gustavo, appreciate on your additional comment.Read More...

Thanks, David. Can I also understand the way: There hasn't been a similar increase after the end of the inflation war？ Just like "I haven't seen him since he lived here" means approximately "I haven't seen him from the last second of his living (or from the time he left) here to now".Read More...

"As" is optional. There is not much difference between using and omitting it. I think "as" sounds more idiomatic, while it will be omitted immediately after a noun if the participle refers to the noun: - The original budget constraint is (as) shown in the diagram shown below . (I do not recommend repeating "shown" — I'm only using it twice for pedagogical reasons.)Read More...

Thank you, David, for your opinion. I know that Black Americans sometimes call themselves "N****" or "N*****". I also know a girl who was sometimes called by the term generally considered derogatory, but she was dearly loved and respected by the people in that community. When she had to leave the community, her host family held a surprise farewell party and many people came to say "good by". They cried and she cried and the fond memory stayed with them forever. So it's not, as you say, a cut...Read More...

I agree with Ahmed_btm that the model answer is wrong and that "none" is needed. In addition, the sentence would make more sense if the past perfect, rather than the past simple, were used in the second independent clause: I asked all my colleagues about my lost dictionary, but none of them had seen it.Read More...

Hi, Navi, I agree with your interpretation. "Underscoring" seems to me to be a sentential participle: 1.a. Delta is now the variant of the coronavirus identified third most often in California, according to new data, which underscores that the variant is highly contagious, a danger to people who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19.Read More...

Dear Gustavo. Unfortunately I couldn't locate the source origin, but I will look up more and update as soon as I find it. Thank you for your warm welcome and help on my question. paydaypanda.Read More...