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August 2020

Can I say “Do you enjoy the film?”

Hi. I have a question about two words enjoying and like I wonder which is correct or both are correct: Do you enjoy the film? Are you enjoying the film? What's the difference between like and enjoy in this case. If people say Do you like the film, why can't we say do you enjoy the film?Read More...
Thank you very much. It helps me a lot. Now I understand.Read More...
Last Reply By alexandra · First Unread Post

difference between staff and personnel

Hi All, I came across this in the beginning of an email sample on the web: "Dear Personnel Director, ..." So, my question is, would there be any difference if I said "Dear Staff Director,.." what's the difference between Staff and Personnel in any context, besides this one I'm bringing here? Thank you so much!Read More...
Hi, JessyA, "staff" and "personnel" are synonyms, but are not always interchangeable. In my experience, "personnel" is more usual in organization charts ( personnel department, director of personnel ) and accounting ( personnel expenses ). "staff" is more usual in collocations like a member of the staff or a staff meeting . We also use "staff" (not "personnel") to indicate that somebody is on the payroll, being thus a salaried rather than an independent or outsourced employee. Let's see what...Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post

I would rather you

Hello. Which tense is correct? - I'd rather you (didn't take - hadn't taken) my tablet. Thank you.Read More...
You are right, David, that the unreal past can point to the present or to the future ( I wish I had my tablet now / I wish I had my tablet tomorrow ). That's very interesting, David. I'd like to know what it is that leads you to prefer the present subjunctive over the unreal past to indicate future. I mean, there must be some association of ideas that, whether consciously or not, leads you to do that. I think it might have to do with "not take" being formally close to the imperative "do not...Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post

He claims he was...

☆ Are these sentences grammatical and have the same meaning? 1) He claims he was allowed to mingle with other guests with no social distancing enforced. 2) He claims he was allowed to mingle with other guests with no enforced social distancing. 3) He claims he was allowed to mingle with other guests with no social distancing being enforced.Read More...
Thanks Gustavo and David 💖Read More...
Last Reply By Toaha · First Unread Post

I could/might go to the beach if the sun were shining

1) I might go to the beach if the sun were shining. 2) I could go to the beach if the sun were shining. Are they both correct, in the second conditional format?Read More...
Yes, they are both natural. No. Truth is, the sun is not shining and I will not go to the beach. With "would," you add certainty to your going to the beach if the sun were shining. With "could" or "might," you only express probability: A. The sun is not shining now. What are your plans? B. If the sun were shining, I'd go to the beach (certainty). B'. If the sun were shining, I could/might go to the beach (probability).Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post

"an approximate...."

In English, there are certain situation, such as: "an estimated total of 20,000 people" in which the phrase "total of" can be omitted. I want to ask whether you can use "approximate" in the same way. If not, can you explain why. Thank you.Read More...
Thank you so for taking your time to respond to this. I really appreciate it.Read More...
Last Reply By Hendrix Le · First Unread Post

honoured, being honoured

Hello. Which form is correct or both? Why? - I talked to the girl (honoured - being honoured) for winning the gold medal. Thank you.Read More...
Hi, Ahmed, Both "honoured" and "being honoured" (AmE: honored) are correct. I talked to the girl honored for winning the gold medal may sound like an abridged version of I talked to the girl who had been honored ... (the conversation may have taken place after she was honored for her achievement). I talked to the girl being honored for winning the gold medal sounds like an abridged version of I talked to the girl who was being honored ... (the conversation took place during the ceremory in...Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post

Direct and indirect speech

When recording a conversation with the clients e.g. by minuting in the minutes of meeting, people often use indirect speech without changing the tense For example: He said that he wants to provide all the information in one go rather than drip feeding it. I think the above sentence should be worded in the following way: Direct speech: putting a quotation mark "…" so it goes He said that " he wants to provide all the information in one go rather than drip feeding" (Direct speech) Or Indirect...Read More...
I do not recommend that. Verbs of speech are the ones used to introduce reported speech: assert, ask, complain, suggest, propose, decide, agree , etc. In my experience taking minutes, reporting verbs are always used in the past and what follows can remain with the tenses unaltered because, as I said, it reflects a current situation.Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post

This is / It's so me

▪What's the meaning of this expression "This is/it's so me"? Please provide some examples ▪"It's so relatable" and "It's so me" have the same meaning?Read More...

his plan

a. His plan is for his son to go to college. b. His plan is that his son should go to college. Is his son's going to college his ultimate goal, or is it a means to achieve another goal? He wants to become rich. What is his plan? His plan is for his son to go to college/that his son should go to college, Then he can get a good job, makes lots of money and.... Many thanks.Read More...
Similarly to what I explained here , in (a) "for his son to go to college" may be the plan itself or the purpose of his plan, while in (b) it can only be the former.Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post

that plan

a. He came up with that plan for his wife not to leave him. b. He came up with that plan so that his wife would not leave him. c. That was his plan for his wife not to leave him. d. That was his plan so that his wife would not leave him. Are all these sentences grammatically correct? Do (a) and (b) mean the same? Does (a) give the impression that the wife does not want to leave him and his plan is to help her stay with him? Do (b) and (c) mean the same? Many thanks.Read More...
Hi, Azz, My impression is that (a) and (b) can mean the same as (c) and (d) (the plan consisted of avoiding his wife's departure), or can mean: e. For his wife not to leave him, he came up with that plan. f. In order that his wife would not leave him, he came up with that plan. While on my first interpretation the adverbial clause seems to complementize the deverbal noun "plan," in (e) and (f) it is a clause of purpose: with that purpose in mind, he came up with a plan.Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post

Is this sentence correct?

Hi, please take a look at this sentence: It's funny how Apple has become what it used to stand against: the monopolistic corporation hell-bent on maintaining hegemony in the industry. Is it correct? If not, how would you change it? Also, I would like to keep the colon.Read More...
Thanks, Gustavo! Yes, an em dash would also do the job nicely. I tend to prefer the colon or the em dash in this type of case to the comma, which feels a bit too light to me.Read More...
Last Reply By David, Moderator · First Unread Post

When a relative clause is far away from its antecedent

Hi. I got a question about the following sentence, After the flooding, people were suffering in that area, who urgently needed clean water,medicine and shelter to survive. Is it fine for the relative clause "who needed..." to work so far away from its antecedent"people"? Does this sentence need to be revised? Thanks if you would help.Read More...
"Have" and "have got" are readily interchangeable, but "have" and "got" are not. It is NOT substandard to say "I' ve got a question" instead of "I have a question," but it IS substandard to say "I got a question" to mean "I have a question."Read More...
Last Reply By David, Moderator · First Unread Post

Am I alone....

Do they both have the same meaning? 1. Am I alone in thinking so? 2. Am I the only one thinking about it?Read More...
- I think John is boring. Am I alone in thinking so? (Isn't there anybody else who agrees with me that John is boring?) - I think that something should be done to improve education. Am I the only only one thinking about it (about ways to improve education)?Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post

This will be the...

Which one is grammatically and naturally correct? Please explain. 1. This will be the first match we go into without a key player being suspended. 2. This will be the first match we go into without a key player suspended. 3. This will be the first match we go into without a key player's having been suspended.Read More...
Yes, you can say "a player suspended" or "a suspended player." When postposed, the participle allows for the addition of an adverbial: suspended for violating a rule, suspended as a result of a rule violation, suspended from the league, suspended for X games, suspended by the authorities.Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post

Can I start sentences with “because”?

Hi all, I have 2 questions: 1st: is this sentence correct, and is it ok to use “because” as it was used here: “... . Actually I just want to ask you to send me your report to my email please. Because I’d like to try a different kind of methodology in the next meeting.” 2nd: which is the best way to say the sentence below: I learned to cope with stress with time. With time, I learned to cope with stress.Read More...
Hi, JessyA, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange. I have deleted the duplicate thread you started. Please ask about only one grammatical topic in each thread. The second question is totally unrelated to the first. The sentence beginning with "Because" is not a sentence. A clause introduced by "because" is a dependent clause, not an independent clause. That's why a "because"-clause cannot function as a stand-alone sentence. A "because"-clauses can, however, come at the beginning of a sentence.Read More...
Last Reply By David, Moderator · First Unread Post

Upon which/On which

Hello, I am confused people seem to over complicate the sentence, is the use of upon which/on which has the same meaning? For example: The amount upon which/on which income tax ought to be levied. If it is the same meaning, what's your preference in terms of the usage.Read More...
Hi, Cristi, "upon" is merely more formal than "on," as is placing the preposition before the relative pronoun. In non-formal contexts, we'd tend to say: - The amount income tax ought to be levied on. Please note that none of the phrases above is a complete sentence, as they lack a main verb. This would be a full sentence: - The amount income tax ought to be levied on needs to be calculated.Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post

Considered good/ considered to be good

The new published book is considered good. Why cant we say The new published book is considered to be good.Read More...
Hi, Cristi, Both "considered good" and "considered to be good" are correct. Similar combinations can be produced with other verbs denoting mental process, like deem, think, believe, find . I personally find the to be addition to be more elegant.Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post

The leading two..

Are these sentences grammatical and natural? The leading two political parties of our country are using students as their political arms. Both two parties are now giving more importance to body and gun power. Thats why meritorious students are not joining in politics inspite of being willing.Read More...
Toaha, there are several mistakes in that text. Where have you taken it from? As you know, we don't proofread texts here. For your question to be acceptable, you should indicate if you have a specific doubt.Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post

USING THE ZERO ARTICLE Vs THE DEFINITE ARTICLE IN SIMILAR SENTENCES

Hello, I think I have a reasonably good knowledge about the use of articles. However, these two sentences have me perplexed. I would appreciate your help as I am dreaming about this now 1. The war between A and B has caused a lot of suffering. 2. War between A and B has caused a lot of suffering. At first glance, both seem to say the same thing, but #1 uses the which is used because the war is defined as being specifically between A and B. This makes sense to me. Why does #2 use a zero...Read More...
Thank you . That's clear now.Read More...
Last Reply By Mrchuffie · First Unread Post

"disbelieving smile" and "unbelievable smile"

Hello. Can you tell me the difference between "disbelieving smile" and "unbelievable smile"? Please some examples if possible. Thank you.Read More...
Hi, Ahmed, A disbelieving smile is a smile that expresses disbelief — you hear something you don't believe and put on a disbelieving smile. An unbelievable smile is an incredible smile, that is, a smile you did not expect, or one you hardly ever see.Read More...
Last Reply By Gustavo, Co-Moderator · First Unread Post
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