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July 2020

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a food-processing firm invest its profits in magazines

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Hi! When I was reading John Steinbeck's America and Americans , I came across the following sentence: (1) An oil company may extend into transportation, or a food-processing firm invest its profits in magazines, but there is one thing the corporation cannot do. (p. 57) I thought the "invest" must be "invests." I was wondering whether it is a simple mistake or whether it can be acceptable for some reason. I would appreciate your comments!Read More...
David, Moderator
That may be, Yasukotta. To me, the reason the ellipsis works so well in that example is that, without the ellipsis, it would be unclear whether "the moon (might) go up in red fire" was the second conjunct of the "that"-clause complementing "feeling." It could be mistaken for another independent clause. There are a number of advanced syntax books and articles dealing with Gapping, but I know of none devoted to the type in which the modal of a conjunct clause is the sole element elided. It may...Read More...
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On my PC/In microsfot word

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On my PC/In microsfot word. Why we don't say on Microsoft word or on Xero accounting software?Read More...
David, Moderator
Hi, Tony C—In addition to "I typed my essay in Microsoft Word," you can say, "I typed my essay on the computer ," "I typed my essay on a Microsoft Word document, " or "I typed my essay using Microsoft Word ." The sentence "I typed my essay on Microsoft Word" is a bit off, suggesting, awkwardly, that you typed your essay into the content of the Microsoft Word software program itself.Read More...
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The or without the

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For the 2015 income year, you stated that the majority of the expenses were paid out from the/ the bank account of ABC Pty Ltd. Which one is correct? ThanksRead More...
Gustavo, Contributor
You need to say: ... as a distribution from the ABC family trust. The difference between "account" and "trust" is that accounts belong to companies or individuals (you don't use an article but the possessive: ABC Pty Ltd's account, John's account ), while trusts are preceded by a name that identifies them and take an article, being sometimes capitalized ( the John Smith Trust, the ABC family trust ).Read More...
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Did I tell you about the time when...

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Is it correct to say: " Did I tell you about the time when I ran over a chicken?" If it's correct can I say: "Did I ever tell you about the time..." What does 'ever' add here?Read More...
Ashraful Haque
Thank you for the answer. I wish I could use the like button but it says that I don't have the right.Read More...
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formal vs informal language

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ayman
Hi, teachers, Mr @David, Moderator and Mr @Gustavo, Contributor Sometimes I find it confusing when it comes to formal or informal usage of a grammar rule: Does informal use mean that it is all the time wrong or does it mean it is OK to use? for example, using " none " with a plural form of a verb or using " both ", " all " in negative sentences as in: None of my friends is here. vs None of my friends are here. All students don't like maths. vs Not all students like maths. Can I get some...Read More...
David, Moderator
Hello, Ayman—I think you might find it useful to think about this question in terms of formality and informality in your native language. Although I don't know what language your native language is, I feel confident in supposing that, whatever the language is, it probably has formal and informal expressions, and that their level of appropriateness will vary according to the formality or informality of the context of utterance. Speaking at a job interview is different from having a...Read More...
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between John and Harry

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a. Between John and Harry, there are two people who say that they have seen you in Jeff's apartment on the night of the murder. b. Between John, Pete and Harry, there are three people who say that they have seen you in Jeff's apartment on the night of the murder. In (a) the two people are John and Harry. In (b) the three people are John, Harry and Pete. Are (a) and (b) grammatically correct with those meanings? Is that usage of 'between' legitimate? Is it slang? Many thanks.Read More...
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as ... as

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1. He is a good actor as much as he is a good singer. (Is this sentence correct?) 2. He is as much good in acting as he is in singing. (Is this sentence correct as well, though It may differ from the first one in meaning?) 3. He is as good in acting as he is in singing (Actually I cannot decide whether 2 is correct or 3 is). 4. As he is a good actor, so he is a good singer. (Is this correct and similar to the any sentence from 1,2 and 3?)Read More...
Nousher Ahmed
Thanks sir! Now I have got the fact!Read More...
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Objects in an adjective clause

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Hello, can you please help me to understand how the relative pronouns which and that are considered to be objects in the example below.Thank you. In Betty Azar's Chartbook (a reference guide to grammar p 82) the following sentence is given: The books which/that I bought were expensive. The subject-verb pair = I bought However, I don't understand why which (or that) are given as the object of the sentence given that the object of a verb is defined as being the thing/person that receives the...Read More...
Mrchuffie
Thank you again for such a clear answerRead More...
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Plural Possessives with Separate Ownership

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Let's say there is a group of knights called the "Knights of England", which we can abbreviate as "the Knights" if we want to. Each of these knights has their own bloodline. They are not related. If I wanted to refer to these bloodlines, which of the following would be correct? A. The Knights' Bloodline B. The Knights' Bloodlines C. The bloodline of the Knights D. The bloodlines of the Knights Would the context that there are a great many knights and they are very unlikely to share the same...Read More...
David, Moderator
Hello, Time-axis, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange. Yes, only (B) and (D) work with that meaning. If you are worried that people might think each knight has more than one bloodline, you can use "respective," "individual," "various," or "several" to reduce the likelihood of that reading: the Knights' respective/individual/various/several bloodlines the respective/individual/various/several bloodlines of the KnightsRead More...
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Form part

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Which one is more correct? Provide all general ledger details that form part of the financials or Provide all general ledger details that formed part of the financialsRead More...
David, Moderator
Hello, Tony—If you wish to speak of those details as forming part of the financials in the present, the sentence with the present tense ("form") is more correct. If you wish to speak of those details as forming part of the financials in the past, the sentence with the past tense ("formed") is more correct. P.S. Please do not start more than three or four threads in a day. In the last day, you have started five. You can see how much workload it would create for us if members were allowed to...Read More...
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Commas with And, But, etc.

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Do you use a comma if the clause following the main clause implies a complete sentence on its own? For example: 1) I went to the mall, and I bought more clothes than I intended. Correct. 2) I went to the mall and bought more clothes than I intended. Correct?--or should a comma before the "and" be used since "I bought" vs. "bought" is implied? Thanks.Read More...
David, Moderator
Hello, KC328, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange. You have labeled (1) as being correct. I'd say it needs "to" or "to buy" at the end: 1a) I went to the mall, and I bought more clothes than I intended to. The sentence is correct with or without a comma before "and." There is no need for a comma. There are not two independent clauses. Although you can expand the second verb phrase ("bought more clothes than I intended to") into an independent clause by adding "I," that does not mean that...Read More...
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A breadown of /Breakdown details

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Which one is correct and if both are correct? Is the meaning the same? Provide a breakdown of each type of overhead expense/ provide breakdown details of each type of overhead expenseRead More...
Gustavo, Contributor
"itemised" (AmE spelling is "itemized") means "presented as a list of items." I think "itemized breakdown" is redundant, or indicative that the breakdown should include all possible items in detail. What is definitely wrong in your sentence above is what I highlighted. You can say either "included" or "that are included."Read More...
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proper nouns

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1) Sally was dancing with Paul with a black jacket on, not with Paul with the blue jacket on. 2) Sally was dancing with the Paul with a black jacket on, not with the Paul with the blue jacket on. Let us say we are at a party where there are two Pauls. I want to say which Paul Sally was dancing with. Which sentence should I use? Gratefully, NaviRead More...
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judging by what he said/modals

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Which are correct: 1) Judging by the clouds, it must rain soon. 2) Judging by the clouds, it has to rain soon. 3) Judging by the clouds, it should rain soon. 4) Judging by the clouds, it ought to rain soon. 5) I was talking to Tom in Rome. Judging by what he said, it must be raining there. 6) I was talking to Tom in Rome. Judging by what he said, it has to be raining there. 7) I was talking to Tom in Rome. Judging by what he said, it should be raining there. 8) I was talking to Tom in Rome.Read More...
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It could have been worse

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There is an expression in my language whose literal translation would be: it's not a lot (it could have been worse.) We use this expression after some accident takes place and we realize that the damage is not much. For example: a running child falls down but only scrapes his knee a bit your car is hit by something hard but it's only the bumper, etc Could you please tell me if there is anything native speakers say when they want to say that the damage is not much?Read More...
Toaha
Thanks David 💖 My native language is Bengali.Read More...
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Use the or which

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Should I use "the" or "which" in the following sentence? In relation to the overhead expenditure invoices that/which were not charged to ABC Pty Ltd, you applied 25% discount on the invoicesRead More...
Gustavo, Contributor
Tony, both "that" and "which" are correct there, because there's no comma (the relative clause is defining or restrictive). If the clause is non-definining or non-restrictive (i.e. it is preceded by a comma), then only "which" can be used. Perhaps you could find a way to avoid the repetition of "invoices," for example: You applied a 25% discount on the overhead expenditure invoices that/which were not charged to ABC Pty Ltd.Read More...
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