Skip to main content

July 2021

New2 replies

"yet"

0 likes · 93 views
“Most non-Africans alive today trace the bulk of their ancestry to Africans who burst forth on an unprepared world about 60,000 years ago. Indeed, the oldest representative of the species yet found in Britain retained the dark skin of his African forebears.”[from The Economist ] What does “yet” mean in this sentence? Does it mean “but”？ Most non-Africans alive today trace the bulk of their ancestry to Africans who burst forth on an unprepared world about 60,000 years ago. But the oldest...Read More...
David, Moderator
Hi, Sarah—In the first example, "yet" means "to date"/"up to now"; in the second example, it means "still." You can find both definitions in dictionaries.Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By David, Moderator · First Unread Post
New4 replies

being OR to be

0 likes · 98 views
1) The first person to have got shot by the police was Firoz, a 16-year-old boy who was playing cricket at the beach. Media had released visuals showing Firoz being dragged away from the site by the police. 2) The first person to have got shot by the police was Firoz, a 16-year-old boy who was playing cricket at the beach. Media had released visuals showing Firoz to be dragged away from the site by the police. Dear Sir Which sentence is correct and why such sentences are being used?Read More...
Former Member
Thank you so much, Gustavo 😄Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By Former Member · First Unread Post
New2 replies

GOT = DID GET?

0 likes · 81 views
Is "Got" means "Did get"?Read More...
Gustavo, Co-Moderator
Grammar Man, This thread is closely related to this other one . "Did" is only used in the affirmative for emphasis: A. He wasn't injured during the shootout. B. You are wrong. He did get shot. That said, the phrase "the person to have got shot" is equivalent to "the person who got shot." The perfect infinitive "to have got shot," which is passive (similar to "to have been shot"), refers to the past, and means "who got shot" (or "who was shot).Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post
New5 replies

The airport has been being built.

0 likes · 187 views
Had a student who wanted to make this kind of sentence, in the passive voice and it's an ongoing process. "The airport has been being built" just sounds wrong to me, but is it? Could say "...has been under contruction" of couse, but is "...been being built" wrong? It's twisting my melon - any thoughts/ideas appreciated!Read More...
Gustavo, Co-Moderator
I accept your apology. This is a grammar forum and we value discussions. Saying that something is not correct is not acceptable unless a valid reason is provided. You have misread what I wrote: "to mean" above is an infinitival of purpose: - "is being built" is possible (= can occur) to mean (= to express the meaning) "is (currently) under construction" I'm well aware about the uses of the present perfect and the present perfect continuous. Having clarified that, I'm afraid there's nothing...Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post
New2 replies

magnificent or magnificently?

0 likes · 143 views
Hi, could you tell me whether the adjective 'magnificent' is correctly used in this sentence? If you knew which cream is the perfect one to use, or how you should actually whip it, don’t you think that cake would have turned out magnificent ? Would I be correct in assuming that the adverb 'magnificently' would be the better word to use? Thank you.Read More...
gilbert
Hi Ahmed, glad to see you too! You've given me an awesome answer, Ahmed, and for that, I thank you! Have a nice day and stay safe!Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By gilbert · First Unread Post
New9 replies

Possessive Pronouns

0 likes · 166 views
Hi, everyone. A possessive pronoun replaces both the possessive adjective (determiner) and the noun in a sentence. So, if I wrote This lantern is mine , would my sentence be grammatically incorrect based on the definition above, if the noun [lantern] still appears in it? Thank you. Gilbert.Read More...
gilbert
Hello David! A gem of an answer! Thank you so much.Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By gilbert · First Unread Post
New3 replies

strike somebody as (being) something

0 likes · 90 views
“ Universal may strike investors as more appealing still. Its back catalogue of 3m songs, by everyone from the Beatles to Lady Gaga, is twice the size of Warner’s. Its slug of the recorded-music market is creeping up.”[from The Economist ] the explaination of " strike somebody as (being) something " from ldoceonline : to seem to have a particular quality or feature So 1. "His jokes didn't strike Jack as being very funny." means "His jokes didn't seem fuuny to me."? 2."Universal may strike...Read More...
David, Moderator
Yes, Sarah.Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By David, Moderator · First Unread Post
New6 replies

TO HAVE

0 likes · 126 views
The first person to have got shot by the police was Firoz, a 16-year-old boy who was playing cricket at the beach. I paraphrase the above sentence below: - The first person, who has got shot by the police was Firoz, a 16-year-old boy who was playing cricket at the beach. Is it right?Read More...
Former Member
Thank you, Ahmed. Ot is clear now 😄Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By Former Member · First Unread Post
New1 reply

You are allowed to go if you promise to let us know when you arrive.

0 likes · 54 views
1) You are allowed to go as long as you promise to let us know when you arrive. 2) You can borrow the car as long as you promise not to drive too fast . 3) You are allowed to go if you promise to let us know when you arrive. 4) You can borrow the car if you promise not to drive too fast . Are these sentences correct?Read More...
ahmed_btm
Hi, Language learner, Yes, they are.Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By ahmed_btm · First Unread Post
New7 replies

To be

0 likes · 118 views
(1) "You want the reason to be death by suicide, right?" (2) "You want the reason to death by suicide, right?" Story : The lady doctor killed the criminal in the jail with the support of Police. And She came upto the Police room and asking this question. Which sentence is the right one and why? Please explain this in detail. 1st sentence is used with "TO BE" and 2nd sentence is used without "BE". (Enclosed attachment herewith)Read More...
Gustavo, Co-Moderator
No. I never said that. Sentence (1) is not grammatical. Please read carefully what I wrote: If you use the verb "want," you have to use (2). Yes, "to" is followed by an infinitive. "Be" is an infinitive, not a verb in the past.Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post
New0 replies

they live there

0 likes · 52 views
a. I have found out something about bears. They live in the forest near our town. (Some of them live in the forest near out town.) b. Tom and Harry were talking about old books. They were in their father's library. (Some old books were in their father's library.) c. We need to learn more about rats. They live on the streets of our city. (There are rats living on the streets of our city.) Are (a), (b) and (c) grammatically correct and do the convey the right meaning? Many thanks.Read More...
Posted
New0 replies

How do I look?

0 likes · 39 views
Could you tell me whether <how> is an adjective or an adverb? It looks like a complement of <look> to me, but many English dictionaries say it is an adverb. I don't get it. If an answer to the question, < how do I look>, is <You look fine >, then I think it could be an adjective. What is wrong with my thinking this way?Read More...
Posted
New0 replies

Grammar Treatises and Textbook Recommendations

0 likes · 36 views
Could you recommend to me an English Grammar reference book that is complete and readable at the same time? Could you recommend to me something with exercises and answers of which they will put my understanding to test? There are certain things such as the articles and the present perfect tense that I'm having trouble understanding, which I wish that they taught in school.Read More...
Posted
New2 replies

“As well as” & “both of which”

0 likes · 74 views
I tried to use “as well as” and “both of which” to make sentence. Please help to take a look if my sentence is correct. There is much to be said for having roommate to live together. Firstly, as well as sharing monthly renting fee, a roommate can also bears half of the cost of utilities, both of which are inevitable expenses in each month bill.Read More...
Sarah Zhou
Thanks Ahmed, There is much to be said for having a roommate. As well as sharing a monthly renting fee, a roommate can also bear half of the cost of utilities and both of which are inevitable in each monthly bill.Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By Sarah Zhou · First Unread Post
New2 replies

It's double what it was two weeks before~

0 likes · 75 views
Hello, Grammar Exchange members! I sometimes listen to a short news clip and transcribe it to practice English. I transcribed the following news clip and ran into a sentence that can't be analyzed with my current knowledge about sentence structure. News source: Hyper-infectious Delta variant spreading rapidly through U.S., Texas ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_TN7u9FmKg ) As of June 1st, across the nation 20 % of new cases are caused by the Delta variant. Here in South Texas that number...Read More...
KDog
Thank you so much, Gustavo! Always crystal clear explanation!Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By KDog · First Unread Post
New4 replies

hailing from

0 likes · 84 views
What is the meaning of "hailing" in the sentence below? Is it meant 'come from'? The company's day-to-day functioning leaves much to be desired in terms of promoting diversity. Recently, the owner's cousin was promoted to the post of a branch manager while three suitable candidates hailing from different cultures were blatantly overlooked. The company's day-to-day functioning leaves much to be desired in terms of promoting diversity. Recently, the owner's cousin was promoted to the post of a...Read More...
joshua
Yes, thanksRead More...
Updated
Last Reply By joshua · First Unread Post
New0 replies

a reflexive pronoun

0 likes · 55 views
I am wondering if I write them right. Actually I wonder which one I should use, just the pronouns or the reflexive pronouns after prepositions, or whether both are possible. Do you have some money on yourself? He put the box next to himself Did you bring my umbrella with yourself ?Read More...
Posted
New0 replies

participle

0 likes · 46 views
I have a question about the followings I know 'rising, changing, and falling' are correct, but I don't know exactly whether the other risen, changed, and fallen are wrong. If they could be wrong, could you tell me why, please? On my way back home, I saw smoke (rising/risen) from somewhere. I felt the temperature of the water in the bathtub ( changed/changing) slightly. Did you see the pipe (falling / fallen) off the roof.Read More...
Posted
New5 replies

Ellipsis

0 likes · 105 views
Hi, Could you tell me if these sentences are grammatically OK? 1 He can run as fast as he did when he was 19 years old. 2 He can run as fast as when he was 19 years old. 3 He can run as fast as did when he was 19 years old. 4 He is as healthy as was before 5 He is as agile as he has so far 6 He is as agile as has so farRead More...
GBLSU
Thanks always for enlightening me. By the way, this sentence, 'He runs as fast as when I last saw him' be right? could be right?Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By GBLSU · First Unread Post
New6 replies

a present participle

0 likes · 106 views
I am wondering why 'doing' is not correct. It makes sense to me, but I can't figure out what is wrong with using 'doing' I helped him (doing/do ) the job Also, I don't know whether this sentence is correct or not. I was helped to do the job Could you explain it, please?Read More...
GBLSU
Thanks.Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By GBLSU · First Unread Post
New4 replies

Intransitive Verb

0 likes · 103 views
1 a dream come true (o) 2 a person studied alone (x) As you know, the first phrase is grammatically right and the second one is wrong. But What I am confused about is why the first one is right despite both intransitive verbs, which are come and study, being used as a passive form. To my limited grammatical knowledge , an intransitive verb is not used as a passive form. How can I distinguish which one could be a set expression or which one not? Is there any 'Verb' category defining this...Read More...
GBLSU
Got it. Thanks.Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By GBLSU · First Unread Post
New5 replies

All men are mortal

0 likes · 237 views
Can we remove the 'all' in 'all men are mortal' whilst still retaining the meaning of the sentence? i.e. Does 'men are mortal' have the same meaning as 'all men are mortal'?Read More...
David, Moderator
"Birds" can refer either to some members of the class of birds (e.g., "There are birds in the warehouse" means that some birds are in the wearhouse, not that every bird in existence inhabits the warehouse) or to the whole class of birds in the abstract, as in sentences like "Birds fly" and "Birds have wings," which do not make the claim of every bird in existence, some of which are injured or deformed and therefore do not realize all the qualities of "bird" in the abstract.Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By David, Moderator · First Unread Post
New3 replies

What does ''to the surprise of many'' mean?

0 likes · 170 views
''In the first quarter, the message from the yield curve seemed clear. A steepening in its slope—a rise in long-term yields relative to short-term yields—said the economy was accelerating and inflation was coming. A lot of that steepening has since been reversed, to the surprise of many. Of the many interpretations of this change, one stands out. It says the early-cycle phase is over. The markets have entered a new and more difficult stage.''[from The Econimist ] A lot of that steepening has...Read More...
David, Moderator
"To the surprise of many" is a sentential adverbial of viewpoint. It comments on the content of the clause to which it is attached in the same way that "Surprisingly" does. "To the surprise of many" is in the same family of sentential viewpoint adverbials as "Much to my surprise," "To their dismay," "To his chagrin," etc. What are you trying to ask? Sentences are not entities that possess any type of knowledge, grammatical or otherwise. It is speakers that know things.Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By David, Moderator · First Unread Post
New3 replies

“whatever-clause”

0 likes · 110 views
“Yet in early April the curve began to flatten. The yields on two-, three- and five-year Treasury bonds perked up as money markets began to price in the prospect that the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates in 2023. There were bigger moves at the long end of the curve. By this week the ten-year yield had fallen to 1.5%, more than 0.2 percentage points lower than at the end of March. The 30-year yield fell by even more. Whatever lies behind this, it cannot really be laid at the Fed’s...Read More...
David, Moderator
Yes, Sarah, it does.Read More...
Updated
Last Reply By David, Moderator · First Unread Post
Post

Membership Required

We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. Sign In or Register
×
Are you sure you want to remove from your Block List?
×
Loading...
×
When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content.
Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following .
×