title: As yet + past simple/present perfect

text: I was unable to find out the rules here and what is the difference: > As yet, he has not received the package.   >  As yet little was known of the causes of the disease.


title: What metaphor do countries that don't play baseball use for intercourse?

text: > Related question: In sex talk, how many bases are there and what do they all > mean? There are lots of English-speaking (or English-learning) countries where baseball simply isn't played much if at all. Other sports -- soccer, rugby, polo, cricket -- are likely more common. Since language follows culture, I'm curious: **what do English-speaking nations with little interest in baseball use as their metaphor for physical relations?** Effectively, I'm asking for equivalent metaphors in other English dialects. Note that, in the baseball metaphor, there is an implicit "escalation" idea baked into the metaphor. As a "player" progresses from base to base, the conduct associated with each point represents an increase in intensity and/or intimacy. I'm hoping equivalent alternative metaphors preserve this.


title: Can't understand the meaning of "flogged" in this sentence

text: > There are products to be flogged and, Ms. Barberich added, “stars to be > made.” What does it mean by flogged here? I got these synonym: struck, propelled, electrical, beaten, flogged, chastised Full Context for Original Quote: Who Am I Wearing? Funny You Should Ask.


title: Difference between 'I would like to be' & 'I want to be'

text: > I **would like to** be and > I **want to** be What is the difference between them? I think 'want to be' sounds stronger than 'like to be,' but I'm not sure if this is true.


title: Difference between "pull over" and "pull away"

text: What is the difference between _pull over_ and _pull away_? I am still trying to get used to American English. It seems like if I do not understand the driving vocabulary I am going to fail in the driving test.


title: What does the "s" in "thanks" mean?

text: I'm teaching English in a non-English-speaking country where plural "s" and third-person "s" get confused a lot with no "s" at all. The dialogue in the textbook was explaining how you should respond when someone compliments you: > Mike: For example, when you have a new bag, I can say, "I like your bag."   >  Yuki: What should I say then?   >  Mike: You should say, "Thanks."   >  Yuki: Should I say anything else?   >  Mike: No. Just "Thanks." I was asked what the "s" in "Thanks" means, but I couldn't give a straight answer. I know in the phrase "give thanks" it's a plural noun, but what about when it's used as an interjection? Why does it go from "Thank you" to "Thanks"?


title: Is "if zoomed out" a complete clause?

text: Consider the following: > The picture loses its quality _if zoomed out far enough_. I found many instances of this on Google, but I dont see any subject in the _if_ clause and I wonder if it's correct at all?


title: Usage of "(in)capable"

text: I read the following question on meta: Questions incapable of a simple answer Now I am confused: Is that a possible correct usage of "(in)capable"? Can a question be capable of an answer? Wouldn't it have to be "incapable of being answered"? Or am I just confused by the possibly different usage of the German (my native language) "fähig"?


title: What does "first thing" mean in "You can change it back first thing tomorrow."?

text: What does "first thing" mean in the following paragraph? > "I'm Steve from IT. We're running network tests for the rest of the day. I > need you to reset your password to 'test123'. You can change it back first > thing tomorrow. Thanks!"


title: What is the term for a string that is made up of fixed-length components?

text: I have a data string that is defined as having two characters for the ID value, six characters for longitude, etc. "Fixed-length string" does not convey the requirement for internal bits of the string to be fixed-length as well.


What is the difference between "something else" and "something extra"? The answer for the blank in this question is "else", but is "extra" an alternative answer? If "EXTRA" IS WRONG, WHY IS IT WRONG? > "A land free from destruction, plus wealth, natural resources, and labor > supply – all these were important factors in helping England to become the > center for the Industrial Revolution. But they were not enough. Something > **__** was needed to start the industrial process. That “something special” > was men – creative individuals who..."


title: Phrase or idiom to mean "one at a time"

text: When you have too many tasks in your to-do list, you will like to clear them one at a time. Is there another way to say this? Or to say "worrying about the next one only after finishing the current one". In my native language, we say something similar to "cut one branch at a time (of a tree)"


title: Word for curiosity that gets one into trouble

text: Is there a term that describes a person's quality of being curious but getting into trouble because of it? For example, Odysseus in "The Odyssey" wants to see the cyclops so he decides to stay in the cave but because if it his crew almost dies. I am looking for a word that I can use to say: "Because of Odysseus's [insert word] he makes several decisions that nearly lead to the loss of his crew".


title: "How can you say it" or "How you can say it"

text: Just a simple question, which one is right? `How can you say it` or `How you can say it`. It's not a question. Thank you, guys!


title: The plural of "conch"?

text: There is a lengthy thread on the pronunciation of "conch" however I am curious about the plural form "conches." I've noticed that it can be found as "conchs" as well, but "conches" appears to be the prevailing spelling in British usage at least. Insofar as it ends in _-es_ it would imply a second syllable which would lend itself to the softer "ch" sound. Any opinions?


title: What does "buggy" mean in "a hot, buggy August morning"?

text: While reading a short story, I came across a use of the word "buggy" that I'm not familiar with: > It’s a hot, buggy August morning, too early for lunch, so we find a deserted > picnic table without much problem. I found two definitions of buggy (Dictionary.com):   1. infested with bugs.    2. _Slang._ crazy; insane; peculiar. To me, neither makes sense in this context. Why would anyone call a morning "buggy"? So I though maybe I'm missing something here. So my questions are:   1. If it means one of the above, is it in a good sense or a bad sense. Does the sounds of bugs make it a lively morning or an annoying one, etc. Is it a lovely morning or a gloomy one?   2. If it means/implies something else, how would you describe it?


title: "Each X" vs. "each of the Xs"

text: Are _each X_ and _each of the Xs_ interchangeable? For example, in the following sentence, I would use _each of the characters_ : > **Each of the** main characters is interesting. But one could also write the following: > **Each** main character is interesting. Instinctively, I prefer the former. Am I right, and if so, is there a written rule favouring the former sentence? For what it's worth, Google returns 724,000 entries for _each main character_ , and 11,600,000 results for _each of the main characters_.


title: The practice of identifying authors from their writings

text: Is there an English word for the practice of analysing texts to determine their authors? For example, comparing three texts A, B and C and realising that the choice of words, grammar and style of writing between A and B is so similar that they're likely of the same author, while C is clearly by a different author.


title: Word to describe a situation which is "untainted" by a character's usual circumstances

text: I am looking for a good word to describe and emphasize a duration of time in a different environment, where the relationship between two people is "unaffected" by the worries of their usual environment. A couple of words that came to mind were "unaffected" and "untainted," but they don't feel quite right with what I'm trying to describe. I feel like those words imply too much negativity. Do you have any suggestions?


title: What is the word or phrase for the revelation of finding a word for a concept you already knew but did not have the word for?

text: This has recently happened. I discovered Object Orientated CSS. I had the concept for a long time but had never had a title for the concept. Discovering this was a joy for me. **Is there a word or phrase that encapsulates that feeling?** Another example I have is being told about the German word _schadenfreude_ many years ago. Finding a word for that concept was a great feeling.


title: If subscription is a contract to receive something, what is a contract to send something called?

text: I'm using the word _subscription_ with the following meaning: > subscription: an arrangement to receive something, typically a publication, > regularly by paying in advance. ( _Definition taken from Google, I'm not sure how to link to the source_ ) Basically, I'm looking for a word that is _an arrangement to **send** something_. Does anyone have any good suggestions for what that might be? I have thought about Producer & Publication, but they seem a little off to me. A 'Producer' can produce the _something_ to send, but doesn't necessarily have to send them and a Publication seems like the _something_ that is being sent.


title: Are -er insults a British phenomenon?

text: In the UK there are a lot of insulting words which end in -er, like this: scrubb **er** (slut), toss **er** (masturbator), chanc **er** (untrustworthy person), pooft **er** (homosexual), wank **er** (masturbator, generally despicable person), nutt **er** (insane), pos **er** (affected/overdressed person). I think it’s a relatively modern British phenomenon because it seems like American English doesn't have all these -er insults. Can anyone give any insight into this? _(p.s. I am creating a plural tag "insults" since plural is winning votes over at meta.english.stackexchange.com; pleasegive your vote on whether tags should be plural or singular.)_


title: How can I speak as though I were from the Victorian era?

text: I think that it would be really cool to be able to speak as though I was from the Victorian era. How can I learn to do this?


title: Solution to needs

text: Is this expression correct? "solution to your recruitment needs" You don't really solve ones needs, I suppose... You meet somebody's needs... I see it being used widely but I'm not sure if it's logically correct. Thanks for your thoughts!


title: Is this sentence a run on? How to properly use 'such as' for this example?

text: > Many new forms of entertainment were unveiled, such as jazz music, salsa > dancing, and silent films. Should _such as_ be accompanied with a colon? Should there be a comma after _unveiled_?


title: He who accuses the whole world convicts only himself

text: Or something like that. Does anybody know the exact text and source of this quotation?


title: Pronunciation of "applicable"

text: Do you pronounce the word like...   * Ap-PLIC-a-ble Or:   * APP-lic-a-ble And if so, is there a difference between the two?


title: How to use "then" as a modifier

text: Which would you use or expect to see?   1. "Iggy accidently caught me in the eye when he was hugging a then friend, Howard Devoto."   2. "Iggy accidently caught me in the eye when he was hugging a, then, friend, Howard Devoto."   3. "Iggy accidently caught me in the eye when he was hugging a then-friend, Howard Devoto."   4. "Iggy accidently caught me in the eye when he was hugging a (then) friend, Howard Devoto."


title: Can single quotes be used as double quotes for the purposes of denoting words?

text: I've noticed a whole spate of questions here on this StackExchange using single quotes `' '` as a substitute for double quotes `" "` , in their function of denoting words as words. Is this usage kosher as long as one sticks to the same convention within a text? Is there an idiosyncratic use of single quotes in this manner by an authority, like the _New Yorker_? **EDIT** : I probably should have added an example to make my point more clear. Which of the following titles is better stylistically: > Is 'passion' a more descriptive word to use in this sentence versus 'love'? versus > Is "passion" a more descriptive word to use in this sentence versus "love"?


title: Single word for "crucial, but often overlooked"

text: > This side pursuit, however, is important, as it influences my approach to > teaching in a **crucial, but often overlooked** , manner. Is there a single word that would work the same way as "crucial, but often overlooked"?


title: Usage of the word "meet" in the context of a phone call/video conference

text: Is it acceptable English to use the verb _meet_ in the context of a phone call or a video conference? To provide a bit of background, I am writing an email to a business associate overseas. There is little chance of an actual face-to-face meeting taking place anytime soon, however a phone call or a video conference would obviously work fine. I don't want to be the one to suggest a method of communication, but would rather let the business associate decide in what way would they prefer to conduct the conversation. For this reason, I was thinking of using a neutral verb, e.g. _meet_. Can I use a phrase such as "I hope we can meet to discuss topic X in the near future" in the context of a phone call or a video conference? Intuitively, I would say that this sounds a little awkward. Nevertheless, given the fact that phone conference calls are often referred to as meetings, I was thinking that this sort of usage of the word might be acceptable after all. What do you think?


title: 'Do you know where I'm coming from?'

text: I have heard conversations similar to this: > 'I am an Indian and I don't like racial slurs, do you know where I'm coming > from?'   >  'Yes sir, I understand where you are coming from.' I am quite familiar with the phrase _'where one is coming from'_ since that is used a lot where I live. It simply means, > 'I understand your point of view' or   >  'I can see why you think that' or   >  'I can see that your experiences lead you to that conclusion'. I would like to know if this phrase is acceptable to native speakers of English because I should be careful not to annoy anyone or commit a _faux pas_. I hope you know where I'm coming from.


title: Meter in Clare's "I am"

text: I've determined that almost all of John Clare's "I am" is in iambic pentameter. But I'm having trouble identifying the meter of the following line: > But the vast shipwreck of my life's esteems My reading was the following: > \- - x x x - - x - x (i.e., anapest, spondee, anapest, iamb). Please let me know if you agree or disagree. I'm open to any and all suggestions.


title: Are both "see you at the lesson" and "see you in the lesson" correct?

text: I have been studying English with many teachers. Some of them say "See you in the lesson" while others say "See you at the lesson." Yesterday, one of them told me that the correct way of saying it is "See you at the lesson." Are both of them correct? If one (or both) of them is incorrect, please tell me why.


title: Difference between "delete" and "remove"

text: I am writing a mobile application that will, as a part of its functionality, display a list of recorded _thoughts_. Now I am deciding the textual content of the menus and that left me thinking whether there is a logical difference between words _remove_ and _delete_. Which one is more appropriate when speaking about taking an item off the list? I guess _remove_ is, but why?


title: "It was my op" what does it mean?

text: I heard this in this movie.   `It was my op.`   What does it mean?   Googling gave me : 'Original Poster'.   But that doesn't seem very meaningful.


title: Small change, big difference

text: Is there a way of saying that a small change will make a big difference? The current sentence doesn't sound very good. I do not want to say something along the lines of a domino effect.


title: Is there a word for this clever piece of marketing?

text: I was shopping the other day when I decided to buy some Cranberry juice - you know, juice from cranberries - so I picked up what I thought was exactly that. It was only when I got home that I realised I had bought a Cranberry Juice _Drink_. This drink contains the minimal amount of fruit, tons of sugar and, of course, water. Here is my question: **Is there a word for telling the truth, yet trying to mask it in some way?** This clever bit of marketing can be seen everywhere now, you really have to look twice at the label. The seller can't get in trouble because technically they advertised the product for what it is, yet we all feel cheated when we realise we bought the wrong thing. I guess there's the phrase **"bending the truth"** but I am looking for alternatives.


title: "Spoon feed" vs. "spoonfeed"

text: Is there a whitespace in _spoonfeed_? I have to choose between writing _Spoon Feed Code_ and _Spoonfeed Code_.


title: "Into darkness" vs "Into the darkness"

text: I was watching an interview with Zachary Quinto (the actor who plays SPock in the new Star Trek movie Star Trek: Into Darknaess) on Jonathan Ross and Jonathan introduced them in the first minute and he says: "Into **the** darkness" And Zachary correct him and say "Into Darkness" You can watch and hear it here (around 0:45 - 0:55): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfKswyqcwR8 I have made the same mistake when I was searching this movie on piratebay :) and "Into the darkness" gives me just "Elvis Presley - Blazing Into The Darkness" and not the new star trek movie, but then I remove "the" and the results appears ;) So, my question is why Elvis Presley used "the and they don't and which one is correct one? I assume that "Into the darkness" is gramatically correct and "Into darkness" is wrong. Or am I wrong?


title: Phrase for experiencing a negative conclusion to a positive experience

text: Suppose I read a book and really enjoy reading it until I reach a certain point where I am suddenly not enjoying the experience anymore. I was trying to come up with a good phrase to describe this experience and couldn't really come up with a good one. Things I've considered:   * Left a bad taste in my mouth (doesn't really conote that the experience had been pleasant up until the negative point)   * Turned to ashes in my mouth (a little better, but seems a bit harsher that what I'm looking for. It seems like this conotes an extremely bad ending, like someone dieing or something)   * Unsatisfying experience (again, doesn't include the previous good)   * Turned sour (Seems closer to what I want....)   * Didn't pan out (Implies that I had high hopes, but no actual good experiences) Are there any really good phrases/words that describe this phenomenon?


title: What part of speech is "on" in "on fire"?

text: A while ago, there was an answer on _Jeopardy!_ along the following lines: > In the sentence _he was on fire_ , the word _on_ is this part of speech. The judges ruled that it was a preposition. But I think that only works if the guy was physically located on top of a fire. After discussing it with someone, I think it's the first half of a compound adjective. There's a convenient parallel to the single word "afire" there. So, who was right? And why?


title: I need one-word expression for "Ignoring someone intentionally"

text: How can we express the "intentional ignoring" or someone in one word? Particularly if someone is ignoring others by his/her behaviour, showing that he/she isn't interested in talking or communicating, etc.


title: Is there a plural of "metropolis", not "metropolises", that would sound better in a less formal register?

text: I am aware that the plural of metropolis is metropolises, but to me it sounds stilted and to be honest I cannot recall ever hearing it used. Is there an irregular plural of metropolis that would be in a less formal register. Any common mistaken pluralizations?


title: "Bride" is to "bridal" as "groom" is to …?

text: Instead of taking a bridal portrait, my niece and her fiance had photos taken together which she insisted on calling _groomals._ While I guess this term is the accepted name for this new trend, I found it annoying. What is an adjective form of _groom_ equivalent to _bridal?_


title: "I'm to arrange the meeting"

text: The principal told me to arrange a meeting. Which of the following (if either) is correct, and why? >   * The principal says _I'm_ to arrange the meeting. >   * The principal says _to me_ to arrange the meeting. >


title: "Saving on the parrot's chocolate is futile"

text: In Catalan there is an expression " _ser la xocolata del lloro_ " that can be translated as "saving by not giving chocolate to the parrot is futile", conveying the meaning that when a household wants to save money, there are ways by which not much saving is going to be made. As an example, if you stop giving little bits of chocolate to the parrot to enjoy, although it looks like a saving measure, it's more posturing than real savings, so that doesn't make much difference: you actually won't end up saving much, because the amount of chocolate is very small. Is there any equivalent expression in the English language for the same kind of saving efforts that won't make a difference?


title: The meaning of "muted kinetics"

text: An excerpt from a book I'm reading: > The doctrine of Israeli nuclear exclusivity was carried out in muted > kinetics. What is the meaning of "muted kinetics"? ![enter image description here](http://i.stack.imgur.com/q1fBI.png) Fortress Israel By Patrick Tyler


title: What's the difference between 'foliage' and 'leafage'?

text: OED defines these words as: > **foliage** : the leaves (of a plant or tree) collectively; leafage > > **leafage** : leaves collectively; foliage Both of them seem to mean almost the same. Google NGram gives the following picture: ![Google NGram for foliage vs. leafage](http://books.google.com/ngrams/chart?content=foliage%2Cleafage&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=0&smoothing=3) So, aside from the fact that _leafage_ is much less widespread in comparison with _foliage_ , is there any difference between their semantics or the way they are used?


title: Dabbles in cooking?

text: I want to say someone dabbles in cooking - is it correct? -is there a better (fancy) way to say it? (this intends to add bit of humor too)


title: Synonym for "application"

text: I am looking for a synonym for the word _application_ as in _mobile application_. In Spanish I would use _programa_ but I am not sure if English speakers would understand me if I use _program_ to refer to an _application_.


title: Why do we use the word "thereof"?

text: Firstly I am not very good in English, so pardon me, is my question sounds too silly.   * Why we use "thereof"?


title: Is there a way to measure how "emotive" a verb is?

text: I've read that "People buy on emotion and justify with logic" and that, when writing sales copy, one should use "emotive" words. Now understand my background is intensely technical and, while I can bang out a well-written technical manual without a second thought, I am struggling with verbs that "arouse intense feeling" especially since I am selling something (software) where technical precision matters. My goal is to connect emotionally with my prospects (using strong verbs of moderate comprehension complexity) while still weaving such emotion around the technical fabric of my actual business. So my question: is there a clear method to know where a particular verb falls on the spectrum of emotional to logical? Consider this construct: "Ever feel like your business ...". Ok, "feel" is clearly an emotive verb, but it's weak. Replace that with "Ever suspect your business...". Now "suspect" is a stronger verb, _but is it emotive_? Probably, it's about trust. But another synonym is "reckon", which is getting closer to "measuring", which is logical. And going further to "calculate" we're clearly in logical territory. So when I choose a stronger verb, is there a clear technical way to know the emotional impact of the verb, or do I just need to tap into my inner emotional self and take off this logical hat?


title: "In case" or "in cases"?

text: Which is the right one: _in case_ or _in cases_? What's the difference? For example, what if I'm just trying to FYI a team? > If in ( _case/cases_ ) you are not sure, we'll be using this form moving > forward.


title: What does "We don't see things as they are – we see them as we are" mean?

text: Can someone please explain the meaning of the quotation > "We don't see things as they are – we see them as _we_ are."?


title: Proper way to say you haven't met someone

text: What options are there to politely say you haven't met someone yet? For example if you have a common acquaintance online who asks if you know each other. "I haven't had the pleasure to meet him yet" or "I haven't had the opportunity to meet him yet" Are there better expressions?


title: term for "finding correct solution by excluding wrong solutions"

text: In German we have the pretty common term _Ausschlussverfahren_ for this, especially used as a line of reasoning when solving a puzzle/problem. Linguee gives out several options, but imho no coherent and representative term/phrase, I would trust. _Process of elimination_ sounds awkward to me, but seems much more common than terms I thought of, like _exclusion method_. Which terms/phrases do you know matching the meaning in the title?


title: Capitalization of German words in English sentences

text: If I write an English text and use some German nouns in there do I have to write them capitalized or not? If I would have a whole sentence or quote in German I would probably use German grammar and capitalization rules but what about single words in an English sentence?


title: Unforgettable or Memorable?

text: I was writing a thank you letter to someone I had good time with. I was fighting between two adjectives to describe the experience. These are: 1. unforgettable, 2. memorable. The questions that I was asking myself are:   1. Is there any difference?   2. Does one make more impact than other?   3. Does "unforgettable" have slightly negative feeling associated with it?   4. Is one of them not OK to use in a formal setting? Thanks in advance.


title: Meaning of quintuple-quote punctuation: '' ' ''

text: In a book my daughter is reading, I found the following usage of the unfamiliar symbols: > But those words dont help. So I reach over, wipe away his tear with the side > of my thumb, and say the only words I know will calm him: "'"Frog, you are > looking quite green."'"   >  David sniffles. "'"But I always look green," said Frog. "I am a frog."'" I > pause, pretending I don't remember what comes next, though I can do the > entire book word for word, by heart.   >  "'"Today you look very green, even for a frog," said Toad.'" David looks at > me. What does `"'"` mean?


title: Using "sorry" to mean "pardon"

text: In British English, a common way of expressing a polite request for a person to repeat what they just said because you didn't hear (all) of it is to use the interjection, "sorry?". I was wondering how common this is outside of British English. Is this as common in the US, Australia, etc.? Would it be understood as a perfectly normal thing to say, or as a quaint British expression?


title: How should I understand "turn" in this context?

text: The following line is from a song, so I suppose it could have omissions or use non-standard English: > A man can be _turned_ by a pretty face. I'm not entirely sure the word used is actually "turned", but various lyrics websites seem to confirm it. So, what exactly does this refer to? Physically turning around? Changing in a specific way? Attracted?


title: What does “Safety net in the coffin” mean?

text: There was the phrase “ _the safety net in the coffin_ ” in reference to Mr. Paul Ryan, running mate of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Maureen Dowd’s article, titled “Cruel conservatives throw a masquerade ball” in New York Times (September 1 issue). It reads: > As the writer Dermot McIvor notes, Ryan has “the so sincere, so phony air of > a gloomy Irish undertaker standing outside the funeral parlor where you’ve > come to plant your mother, shaking his head consolingly and giving you that > firm two-handed Irish handshake.” Except with Ryan, it’s _the safety net in > the coffin_. I thought “ _the safety net in the coffin_ ” a weird, but amusing combination of a positive word – safety net, and an uncomfortable word – coffin, but I don’t understand what it implies. Why on the earth, a coffin requires the safety net inside it? To hold the corpse gently and warmly? It’s impossible. Does it describe Mr. Ryan’s disguised harshness and indifference to the poor and illegal immigrants under the cloak of a sincere visage and consoling air? What does “ _Except with Ryan_ , it’s the safety net in the coffin” exactly mean? Why is it “Except with Ryan”?


title: What's the meaning of "structure" here?

text: How do you define structure in this context? I'm unsure which definition is appropriate from the dictionary. > P1: Healthy, fit people that can't die are like poison to big pharma. The > new technology won't replace the lost profit from slinging drugs by a > longshot. > > P2: How can you possibly say this without having the slightest clue of the > potential demand and cost structure of this treatment?


title: "Least expensive" vs "most inexpensive"

text: My doctor wanted me to inquire which generic medication would be the smallest burden on my wallet before issuing a prescription. When I asked the pharmacist which of the generic options was "least expensive," his response irked me. > The generic for Flonase is the most inexpensive. It seems clumsy, and I feel that the "most" adds an incorrect perception of weight. Am I alone on this?


title: What does “bathe someone in a glow” mean?

text: I found the phrase “ _bathe someone in a glow_ ” in the following sentence of the New York Times columnist, Maureen Dowd’s article titled “Memoirs of a Geisha.” (September 13). I was attracted to the caption, and I thought it was a review of a memoire of the famous former Geisha residing in New York (I don’t know why Dowd likened Jacqueline a Geisha), but it was about the tape of an interview of Jackie Kennedy with Arthur Schlesinger, which was discovered 47 years after the interview took place. > “In the 1964 tapes, the 34-year-old widow can be unsparing and caustic, > except about her sometimes imperfect husband, whom _she bathes in an > impossibly perfect glow_.” As I’m not clear about the meaning of “bathe someone in glow,” I checked Google, and found no definition, but for an example of the usage in A Wagnerová - Czech Sociological Review, 1996. > “It also affected the poor and property-less since they were no longer > _bathed in the glow_ from men at the peak of the social hierarchy.” What does “ _bathe imperfect husband in glow_ ” mean? Does it something to do with “put someone in the limelight”?


title: Can an object be clumsy?

text: I was writing something in English when the word clumsy came to my mind to describe a French concept "inélégant". However, I use clumsy to describe an object and I am not sure it is appropriate. Here is the beginning of the sentence: > While active tags are big and clumsy


title: The Guardian: "It does indeed [...] misleading them [...]"

text: Reading an article by The Guardian, I stumbled upon a sentence which I cannot make sense of: > Yes, the worst things you may have heard about the National Defense > Authorization Act, which has formally ended 254 years of democracy in the > United States of America, and driven a stake through the heart of the bill > of rights, are all really true. The act passed with large margins in both > the House and the Senate on the last day of last year – even as tens of > thousands of Americans were frantically begging their representatives to > secure Americans' habeas corpus rights in the final version. > > **It does indeed – contrary to the many flatout-false form letters I have > seen that both senators and representatives sent to their constituents, > misleading them about the fact that the NDAA destroys their due process > rights.** Under the act, anyone can be described as a 'belligerent". As the > New American website puts it, ... I understand the meaning of the sentence. I just can't make sense of the grammar. It does indeed what? It does indeed misleading them? Or does "It does indeed" refer to a previous sentence, as in > I think it violates my rights. It does indeed - contrary to the fact that > many lawyers might tell me otherwise. I posted the previous paragraph so that you can see that this isn't the case either.


title: Is there a word that means "doing the right thing for the wrong reason"?

text: Is there a word that means _doing the right thing for the wrong reason_ or _getting the right conclusion from the wrong set of presumptions_?


title: "You could do worse than [x]"

text: I can't really tell what someone means when he says "you could do worse than [x]." Live example: > If you are just interested in a simple command line processor which uses > MSXML 6 then you could do worse than using a simple JScript application. Does anyone know what, exactly, he is trying to say? What nuance is he trying to convey?


title: What can I do instead of [sic]?

text: I have a quote that has a misplaced "to": ... they will put you to back to sleep ... It seems like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I can either:   * Just delete the mistaken "to" (then I would be deliberately misquoting them)   * Put [sic] next to it (which looks unbelievably pedantic, especially since they write better than I do) Is there a way around this?


title: Has language begun to converge in the age of mass media?

text: I understand that this question may be perceived as a bit broad for this site, but I've decided to post it anyway. I figured that with the number of linguists, linguaphiles, and all-around language geeks on this site, I might get a rather intelligent (brief) answer pointing me to more detailed discussions on the subject. It is my belief that **one of the ways** language evolves is similar to all other forms of evolution. Certain usages fall into and out of favor depending upon local necessity, and geographic separation can often lead to wide divergence in common languages (accents, sentence structure, etc.). One need only to look at the wide variations in English spoken in England, Australia, Canada, and the USA for proof of this divergence. Clearly loan words and other factors have a strong influence on the evolution of a language, but I would like to set those aside for a different discussion. I have long theorized that with the advent of mass media, and particularly the growth of the internet and social media, that language is now passed without the restrictions imposed by geographic separation. I think this should be a fairly self-evident statement, but as an example: _If Hollywood movies are viewed world-wide, then American English and idioms should be spread world- wide to no small degree._ So, after that long-winded introduction. My question: Is there any evidence that language (particularly English) is undergoing convergent evolution, where we are all beginning to speak more similarly to one another since the advent of mass media? Has this been a focus of study? While the process is _slightly_ different in the biological sense, I think that convergent evolution is an apt term here.


title: Another way of saying "to pay close attention to"

text: The complete sentence goes: "This is not a perfunctory guideline. (...) This is something you need _to pay close attention to_ while you code." Something in "to pay close attention to" is bugging me. Any suggestions on how I could improve it? Or does it sound ok as it is? **Edit:** there have been some suggestions to use _"focus on"_ , which should work in most cases; however, in this particular case, I'm not saying that it should be the center of one's attention, rather something very important that needs to be checked constantly.


title: Is it considered offensive to describe someone as a Saracen?

text: Prior to the 17th century 'Saracen' was the name given to a Muslim, whether of Arab or Turkish origin. It originates from the Crusades, from a region called Sarakene in the northern Sinai peninsula. The name survives on pub signs across the country. There are many called 'The Saracen's Head'. One, of which I am aware, changed its name to 'The Turk's Head', and then to something completely different. What I am wondering is whether or not it is considered an offensive term among Arabic or Turkish people.


title: What are the possible meanings of positive "any more"?

text: Ordinary **any more** [usually with negative or in questions]   * to any further extent; any longer:  > she refused to listen any more _**Positive any more_** is the use of the adverb _any more_ in an affirmative context. > A servant being instructed how to act, will answer 'I will do it any more' meaning: _from now on_ > Pantyhose are so expensive anymore that I just try to get a good suntan and > forget about it. meaning: _nowadays_ Can you always substitute it in place of either of these? Does it have any other uses? I can't answer this for myself because as a native British English speaker it sounds totally wrong to me.


title: How to use an independent structure to modify a sentence within a sentence?

text: After one year, I quit my job, said goodbye to my friends, went to Beijing to study philosophy, participating in a lot of classes given by professors, but never having been registered as a formal student.（self-made） Will it be ambiguous to use "participating", since it is not clear in this sentence that the phrase following participate modifies "to study philosophy". So maybe it is necessary to divide it into two sentences?


title: Is this superlative degree because of usage of most or is it positive degree?

text: > _Most of the rare plants_ are found in silent valley. Am confused as to which degree this sentence belongs, as it has the word ' _most_ ' which is superlative, but also the adjective, ' _rare_ ' is in positive degree.


title: What is the difference between an anthology and a florilegium?

text: Both words have origins meaning a gathering of flowers — one from Greek and one from Latin. Both appear to have the same definition. When should I use one rather than the other?


title: Does the adverb "quitely" exist?

text: I was surprised not to find the adverb "quitely" in my dictionary whereas I am pretty sure that I saw it several times. Does it exist or is it a (common?) mistake?


title: Why did 'verboten' come into use when we already have 'forbidden'?

text: Why did 'verboten' come into use when English already has a perfectly good word, 'forbidden', that means exactly the same thing but is much more widely understood? Is there a subtle difference that I do not get?


title: Use of articles

text: I'm not sure whether this is the right forum to post my question. In my job I frequently come across instances where the article in front of a common noun used for a person is omitted. Example: Defendant denied his involvement. as opposed to: The Defendant denied his involvement. As it is used so often, and done in text of "trustworthy" sources, it obviously seems to be correct, but I wonder whether this phenomenon is a specialty of/limited to legal language and where it originates. Is this phenomenon limited to written language or also present in spoken English? I still find it very funny and always have the feeling that it is wrong... - how do native speakers perceive this omission? And are there any rules as to when the article may be omitted in this way? Usually, authors are not consistent in omitting the article, sometimes they use it, sometimes they don't. I would be very thankful if somebody could scatter some light on this.


title: Do they call this *it* expletive?

text: Given the example: > Was it then that I thought of Alan? No, earlier. From the very first wave of > panic my mind reached out to him. Yes, even then, in the heart of the fear, > there was a still small voice saying, This will change your life. Sometimes > that’s **what** _it_ takes to bring people together, a crisis, a tragedy. > You could say that’s **what** brought David and I together. I would not have > been in that place were it not for my crisis. There are two nominal relative clauses starting with **what**. The first one has _it_ after what. Do they call this _it_ expletive?


title: What's an antonym of 'monolithic' as in 'monolithic architecture'?

text: I want to describe an architecture/system that is composed of diverse and modular parts. What's a good antonym for monolithic architecture to describe a technical system?


title: “I fail to do something” vs “I can't do something”

text: I am wondering why would someone say “I fail to understand” instead of simply saying “I can't understand”. Is there any specific difference between the two? Is it correct to say that the following two phrases are equivalent? > Excellent point, but I **fail to understand** how the example at the bottom > is related.   >  Excellent point, but I **can't understand** how the example at the bottom > is related. > > If you **fail to complete** the form before departure, this may result in...   >  If you **can't complete** the form before departure, this may result in... I am also wondering if “fail to do something” is equivalent to “can't seem to do something”.


title: What is the origin of the phrase "raise a flag"?

text: What is the story behind the phrase "raise a flag"?


title: What does "throw back" mean?

text: In this sentence:               I've throw back a lot of orange juice.      what does "throw back" mean?


title: Should we worry about what precedes a preposition?

text: Should we always worry about what **precedes** a preposition? Many times we come across people concerned with what preposition comes **after** a certain word. A preposition's _raison d'être_ is qualifying what typically **follows** it, not add to what precedes it. The Oxford Dict.: > a word governing, and **usually preceding** , a noun or pronoun and > expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause, as in ‘the > man on the platform’, ‘she arrived after dinner’, ‘what did you do it for?’ merriam-webster: > a function word that typically combines with a noun phrase to form a phrase > which usually expresses a modification or predication reference.com: > used **before** nouns, pronouns, or other substantives to form phrases > functioning as modifiers of verbs, nouns, or adjectives, and that typically > express a spatial, temporal, or other relationship, as _in_ , _on_ , _by_ , > _to_ , _since_. [emphasis added] **Does the selection of the right preposition depend also upon what is said before it?** Right here on englishSE,   what preposition should one use with _redundant_   which one is more appropriate to use _send you_ or _send to you_   proficient _in at with_ what is the correct usage   what preposition should I use here written _of_ me or written _about_ me   which preposition should I use here thinking _of_ or thinking _about_


title: Can we use **In which** or/and **By which** at the beginning of the sentence

text: I am wondering if it is accepted to use **In which** or/and **By which** or any other similar phrase at the beginning of the sentence and then use a comma. For example: _""Thus, only the hardware-based solutions have been taken into consideration. **In which** , the revolutionary hardware technologies’ advances are being exploited"_ I tried to find something and I found it used without any comma at all in the middle of a sentence like this or after a comma like this.


title: Why does gasoline have the word "gas" in it, if it's never gaseous?

text: The etymology according to Dictionary.com: > **gasoline**   >  coined 1865 as gasolene, from gas (q.v.) + chemical suffix -ine/-ene. > current spelling is 1871; shortened form gas first recorded Amer.Eng. 1905. > Gas station first recorded 1932. Why was it originally called "gasoline"?


title: How did antonyms "ungodly" and "unearthly" come to have the same meaning and usage today?

text: Inspired by the debate on this question, **unearthly** has the original meaning from 1610s, of "heavenly, sublime" which makes it an antonym of **ungodly**. Today both have the meaning of outrageous or ridiculous and are used in similar phrases as "ungodly hour" and "unearthly hour" How has this developed?


title: "technical Support of" vs "technical support for"

text: We created a software, but we run a business that provides technical support. In other words, we receive fees for providing technical support. We need to specifically imply that the support is limited to only the software that we created. How do we say it in a sentence? Do we say > We are in the business of providing technical support for Software X. OR > We are in the business of providing technical support of Software X. Is there any difference between the two forms? I suspect the first form is the correct form, but I have received draft documents from the legal team that use the second form. I am in correspondence with them on this, but they are slow to respond, sometimes taking months just for such a simple question.


title: Comma before "although", or is it a matter of style?

text: I know it technically isn't correct, but to me it just looks awkward without it. For example (just reading through a friend's gig review): > The videos were surprisingly hard hitting, although equally I don’t think > Muse will ever get to the Rage Against The Machine level of political > activism. I think this could be substituted for 'but', which is why I think it works best with a comma. However, the phrase 'even though' sounds better without one: > It was incredibly heartwarming to witness even though I wasn’t able to see > him myself. What are some opinions? I'm bad with commas (a serial abuser of them), and I'm only really starting to learn English punctuation properly!


title: Different syllabic boundaries in various dictionaries?

text: Consider, for instance, the word "university":   * **American Heritage:** u·ni·ver·si·ty   * **Collins Cobuild:** uni|ver|sity   * **Merriam Webster:** uni·ver·si·ty As you see, syllabic boundaries differ. I read somewhere that this is _codified by orthographic conventions_. So, does this mean that there's no standard, even in purely American (or British) dictionaries?


title: What is the subject of a survey called?

text: For example, the subject of an interview is an interviewee. So, I was wondering what the subject of a survey might be.


title: Success is not something that just happens (by accident or by chance)

text: Which word is more appropriate? And why? Success is not something that just happens by ___.   A. accident   B. chance


title: Where is the root in these words: miniature, minimal, minimize?

text: Is it possible to identify one and the same root MIN in all these words: Miniature, minimal, minimize, minimum minor, minority, minus, minute ? From etymological point of view they all came from one Roman root, but what about Modern English? If we consider MIN as a common root for all these words in Modern English, how shall we treat the other components -im, -ute, -us in those words? As derivational suffixes (if yes, then for sure not in Modern English).


title: Noun-adjective pattern name

text: This is a quick question mainly because I want to remember this word that I saw somewhere on Wikipedia. What is the name for the word structure noun- adjective? For example, _director-general_ , _directorS-general_ , etc.


title: "It was not to be closed" or "It should not have been closed"

text: I would like to use the phrase "this question should not be closed" to refer to a question that someone closed—but the expression seems defective because it doesn't get at the fact that the closing already occurred. Must I use > This question was not to be closed or are there better ways to express the idea, e.g., 'it should not have been closed'? Please, let explain the difference between the alternative expressions and give the context in which one should be preferred to the other(s).


title: Is there a word for a rookie computer programmer?

text: I'm looking for something like "greenhorn" or "neophyte" that applies specifically to writing code. Does this word exist?


title: "Graf" or "paragraph"

text: I've often seen the words _graf_ and _paragraph_ used seemingly interchangeably, but I've never read or heard it explained when each should be used (or if they are indeed interchangeable). Are they equivalent, or are there circumstances in which one makes more sense than the other?


title: "This box of matches is empty"

text: There are several Japanese books teaching Japanese students how to write in English. I found this example in 『英作文参考書の誤りを正す』 ( _Correcting Errors in English Composition Manuals_ ) by Michio Kawakami and J.D. Monkman. The authors of this book claim that this sentence is incorrect: > This box of matches is empty. They note that a “box of matches” is a box containing matches (and not a box made out of matches), hence the sentence should instead be: > This **matchbox** is empty. Likewise, an “empty bottle of beer” should instead be an “empty beer bottle.” Is this actually an error that I should avoid in writing English? If so, is it a grammatical error or something else?


title: A word for all animals that walk on all of their limbs

text: Is there a single word for animals that stand and walk on all of their limbs, such as cats, ants, and millipedes?


title: In "Who would have thought he could do it!", is "could" "was able" or "would be able"?

text: In the sentence "Who would have thought he _could_ do it!" does "could do" mean " _was able to_ do" or " _would be able to_ do"?


title: Subjunctive mood

text: I am just curious, how often this form of Subjunctive mood is used and what alternatives are available to express the very same thing. Examples:   * I suggest that he implement a budget cut in March.   * It’s essential that they be heard and so on.


title: At the beginning of "The hands of Mr. Ottermole" by Thomas Burke, an expression 'discolored themselves', which I can't simply understand

text: Murder (said old Quong)—oblige me by passing my pipe—murder is one of the simplest thing in the world to do. Killing a man is a much simpler matter than killing a duck. Not always so safe, perhaps, simpler. But to certain gifted people it is both simple and entirely safe. Many minds of finer complexion than my own have discolored themselves in seeking to name the identity of the author of those wholesale murders which took place last year. Question: What exactly 'discolored themselves' means in this novel of "The Hands of Mr. Ottermole" by Thomas Burke ? Many thanks in advance !


title: Alternative way to phrase the relative clause "which I don't find X to be"

text: I wrote down the following sentence. But I think it's quite awkward. Besides, Google tells me that the clause _which I don't find him to be_ occurs only twice across the internet. > He'll do this if he's smart, which I don't find him to be. I was trying to combine two thoughts into a single sentence. > I don't find him to be smart > > He'll do this if he's smart. Is there an alternate way to articulate the thoughts in a single sentence that's more elegant?


title: Is "of all manner" as grammatically correct as "all manner of"?

text: I think the sentence I'm working on feels better lyrically if I say: "strangers of all manners." As opposed to: "all manner of strangers." At the very least I think it might be a bit awkward when read as a part of the larger piece, but from a grammatical perspective, is it even proper? Is "manners" used in this way (basically as a full blown substition for "types")?


title: Noun for something important

text: Is there a noun for something important, something that plays a big role in a given situation? The term _game changer_ doesn't fit the description in my opinion (because it implies the important thing being something introduced recently), and the term _biggie_ seems kind of rare and informal.


title: Is Working a noun or a verb in this sentence?

text: "Working for the man". Does "Working" act as a noun, verb or something else in this case and why? If I said, "I am working for the man." Then clearly working is a verb. However, I'm confused by the colloquial phrase "working for the man." It seems to have a "poetic" tone if you will. Because the subject does not exist I wonder if "Working" is a state of being in this case? _As "Peter Shor" pointed out Maybe the answer is that because this is not a complete sentence then we don't know what role "working" plays in the sentence._ _FWIW, I'm imaginging how I can translate the phrase into Japanese. Which word I use for "Working" depends on whether it is a noun or a verb._


title: What is "a torn man"?

text: How can we understand "a torn man"? I found it in Love Is a Fallacy. > I sat down in a chair and pretended to read a book, but out of the corner of > my eye I kept watching Petey. He was a torn man. First he looked at the > coat, with even more longing in his face. Then he turned away, but with not > so much resolution this time. Back and forth his head swiveled, desire > waxing,resolution waning. Finally he didn't turn away at all; he just stood > and stared with mad lust at the coat. Does it mean that the man is easy to change his mind?


title: ... browsing in/from?

text: > He is browsing for potential acquisitions in magazines. This sentence looks odd. Should I replace "in" by "from", or should the sentence's structure be changed entirely?


title: What's this word?

text: I'm watching a video on youtube and just heard a new word/expression that I can't seem to spell "right enough" to have google correct me and bring me to its definition. I've included the context and put the word/expression in bold below as well as linked to the part of the video that it is taken from. So, to be clear: what is the word/expression he's using? > There are certain singers, certain players, you can tell that their overall > objective is to make sure you know they're good. And this sort of gets into > the overplaying thing and it's not like that was the most **DE MERE** > performance I've ever given of a song. Source: John Mayer speaking about honesty in songwriting


title: Feeling of losing one's love

text: Suppose I break up with my girlfriend and I still love her very much. And it is impossible for us to resume our relationship. What's the best word or expression that will describe my feeling? I feel great pain? I feel terribly miserable?


title: Term to identify siblings - one dutiful, one rebellious towards their parents

text: In a story, one person has two sons. One of them loves his parents and other hates his parents and beats them. In Hindi, the person who cares for his parents is called "Sapoot" and the person who beats his parents is called "Kapoot." Are there equivalent terms in English?


title: What does "Our climate is indisposed to favour us even this once" mean?

text: Please help me to understand the meaning of this expression: > Our climate is indisposed to favour us even this once. (The Cherry Orchard). What does "even this once" mean in this phrase?


title: Should I use the word "degree" or the symbol ° for expressing angles in a scientific text?

text: I hope this is the correct StackExchange to ask a question like this. For a scientific text (in computer science), which is the correct way of expressing angles (e.g. the yaw, pitch and roll angle of an airplane or any 3D model) - Should I use the word "degree" or the symbol "°" (^\circ in latex)? Also, would I use "degree" or "degrees" (plural)? Example sentences would be:   * The yaw angle ranges from -60 degree to +60 degree.   * We show experimental results for the images with 10 and 20 degree pitch angle.   * X works well for angles smaller than 10 degrees roll angle.


What is the origin of the expression "proudly placed on our mantelpiece"? In what context started to be used?


title: "Had you been there for quite sometime?"

text: Can we say "Had you been there for quite some time?" without saying "before" this and that? Or should we rather say "Were you there for quite some time"?


title: "Prison workout" — what is the origin of this term?

text: We are wondering about the origin of the term 'prison workout'. It is a series of exercises that you work down to finish a set or a group of sets. For example of a 15–1 prison workout for pushups. Start set of 15 pushups, next set 14, next set 13, and so on to one pushup.


title: Better way of saying "Go-to man"?

text: Does anyone have a suggestion for a gender-neutral alternative to the phrase "Who's the go-to man?" _The go-to person_ feels stylistically awkward.


title: What's the difference between "FWIW" and "IMHO"?

text: What exactly is the difference between FWIW and IMHO?


title: Is my use of "the" in this example correct?

text: I encountered many rules and even this article here on StackExchange. However, this is not about going to "college" or "the college", I think it more difficult. I wrote: > "Bad recommendations that might occur when testing could decrease [the?] > customers' trust in the quality of the system." Is the use of "the" correct here? In my opinion, it is as follows:   * I describe any bad recommendation; no "the"   * I do not talk about a certain customer but about customers in general; no "the"   * The system has only one state of quality, so it is "the" quality   * There is only one system, so it is "the" system I'd like to do this correctly as I write abstract and mathematic articles; often it is difficult to distinguish between a certain instance and the abstract concept of a word when the whole text is rather abstract.


title: What is an alternative word for "downvote"

text: I am curious about what another way to describe the negative action of "downvoting" could be. Is there another word out there that could be used as a replacement?


title: a word/couple to express eagerness to win

text: Winning is a thing that is supposed to happen during an event. Before the event, of course, there are many competitors eager to win. I need a nice word or phrase to express eagerness to win — but not winning itself.


title: Use of "ever" instead of "more and more"

text: I wonder if I can use "ever" in place of "more and more". For example, do the following two sentences have the same meaning? >   * Software is getting more and more complex. >   * Software is getting ever complex. >


title: Do you use a comma after an exclamation inside quotes?

text: Mary listens to Joe say, "Hello!", and then he leaves.


title: Single word for cast and crew of a movie

text: What do you call a person that works for a movie? _Celebrity_ comes close, but is that all? I am making a list of people (each and everyone) that worked for a movie. Wondering what the name of that list should be!


title: Stative and Dynamic Verbs

text: Please explain how a stative verb and a dynamic verb can have the same subject without breaking parallel construction. How correct and reasonable is this: I travel around the world and enjoy flying, where travel is a dynamic verb and enjoy a stative verb?


title: Formal word for 'emit anal air'?

text: Is there a formal single word for 'emit anal air'? I've heard 'eructate' being used, but this means air from the mouth only; not from the other end.


title: The use of the word “what”

text: Which of the two following sentences is or are correct?   1. Excessive logging of forests in the past century has resulted **in what becomes known** as deforestation.   2. Excessive logging of forests in the past century has resulted **in what known** as deforestation.  What is the role of _what_ in these sentences?


title: When should one use the comma versus the semicolon, and vice versa?

text: I cannot understand the difference between the comma and semicolon. Can you please clarify?


title: Etymology of 'ends' or 'the ends' and other current British/London slang

text: I'd like to know more about how 'ends' came to mean 'hometown' in current London slang. I have heard it used to mean money, which is an extension of mainstream use - means to an end, for one's own ends etc. Can anyone enlighten me? Also, is there are decent source of general etymological information on current slang words? I know a lot come from Caribbean words and American hip- hop but a central source would be great.


title: What is another way to say the need for?

text: What is another way to say "the need for" in regards to mental health system reform


title: Is there a software that can help my speech and grammar

text: Is there a software that can help me to improve my speech and grammar?...like learning the past participle,present participle and etc...also in constructing the sentences...or if there is no software can you tell me where i can start in learning my english skills.I know this is ridiculous question but i am serious to gain knowledge.I hope some one can help me on this.


title: Synonym for "a lot" where each contributes only a little

text: I'm looking for a professional-context appropriate synonym for the word "a lot", but with the additional expression of "each contributes only a little" For example, > To fill up that vat you'd need a crapload of tennis balls. Here "crapload" implies that each individual tennis ball is actually worthless on it's own. Where the vat is big, "crapload" serves to color the sentence. Unfortunately "crapload" is unprofessional. "A lot" is just colorless. Suggestions?


title: From which you have received (it)

text: Consider the following sentence: > Please return the box back to the address from which you have received > **it**. Is the last **it** absolutely necessary? If not, what is the recommended style? Google seems to return both instances.


title: Is "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should" still considered ungrammatical?

text: I was reading _The Tipping Point_ this morning, and the author spoke of how Winston's slogan in the 1950s that went "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should" was very memorable because of its ungrammaticality. Apparently, back then, this was noticeably incorrect, but when I first heard it, I didn't think anything was wrong with it. In fact, I hear "like" being using in this fashion quite often and "as" much less. In my own writing, I typically use "as" as opposed to "like," but I would personally phrase the slogan as "Winston tastes as good as a cigarette should." That has a _slightly_ different meaning, but the correct version of the slogan sounds odd to me. As I am much more an advocate for descriptive linguistics than prescriptive grammar, I have to come to the conclusion that using "like" as a conjunction in that way isn't "incorrect" because broad stretches of the population now use it, but do grammarians now consider it to be correct? Here's more information about the controversy over this slogan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_tastes_good_like_a_cigarette_should#Grammar_controversy


title: What's a title for a founder no longer with a company?

text: I've seen it quite often that people refer to someone as a "former founder" or "former co-founder," but that's not really possible since a founder is always a founder. Once you found something, even if you leave the project that you founded, you are still a founder. You can't be a person who was at one time the founder of a project, but is no longer the founder. What's the proper way to refer to this phenomenon?


title: Expression that means "as soon as something is finished"

text: I am looking for an expression that means "right after finishing something, start something". For some reason, the words "fresh off the heels" keep springing up but I googled them and it's not an expression.


title: 'Happy new year, really' vs. 'Happy new year, sincerely'

text: Suppose I want to add more emphasis and realism to the phrase 'Happy new year', especially in order to make it less conventional, should I use--or, at least, which is better (in the aforementioned sense) to the ear of a native speaker-- at the very end 'sincerely' or 'really'?   * Happy new year, _really_.   * Happy new year, _sincerely_.


title: Word for "No I in Team"

text: I heard a song this morning that had "We put the _us_ in _trust_ " in its lyrics. It reminded me of the maxim "There is no _I_ in _team_." I've heard other, gloomier examples like "harm in harmony" and "utility in futility." Is there a hypernym for "insight based on the presence (or absence) of substrings in another string"?


title: afterwards or forward on?

text: My question is very simple--- > a: I will go with your confirmation forward on.   >  b: I will go with your confirmation afterwards They seem have no mistake in grammar, so, both are correct?


title: formal way of saying "I want to"

text: I’m writing a piece of mail to the manager of some other company, and I wanted to ask him: > On a different note, I wanted to know how you are doing [ _something_ ]. I was wondering, is there a more formal way of saying _I want to know_? Would it be correct to say _I am keen to know_?


title: "No head injury is too trivial to ignore"

text: I was looking at the book _Introduction to Mathematical Thinking_ by Keith Devlin, and came across a question where the reader is asked to reformulate this sentence to avoid the unintended second reading: > No head injury is too trivial to ignore. However, I couldn't really find any alternative meaning. Any ideas about what the “unintended second meaning” might be?


title: Which one is more correct to say? "Sit" or "Sitting"?

text: >   * The sit of her dress was perfect. >   * The sitting of her dress was perfect. > I didn't know that "sit" could be a noun form of the verb "to sit". I've been using "sitting" so far, but I came across "sit" as a noun form in this sentence. I don't know which one is more suitable to use.


title: Is "despatch" the British spelling for "dispatch" or is it an archaic spelling (or both)?

text: In John Ormsby's 1885 translation of Don Quixote, the word "despatch" is used. Is that the corresponding British spelling for "dispatch" or is it simply an archaic spelling (in both the American and UK English dialects), or is it both (British _and_ archaic)?


title: What is the shortest commonly-used word or expression that describes both the delivery of services and of goods?

text: I'm trying to find one general expression that describes all sorts of businesses that _serve you where you are_ as opposed to being a destination, that is, food delivery, electricians, personal trainers, doctors who make house calls, etc. The resulting sentence would look like: > "What is the best _business category_ that _sought-after expression_ North > Beach?" Example: > "What is the best _Indian restaurant_ that _delivers to_ North Beach?" This is a category-dependent example though ("delivers to" doesn't work for services), so what I need is the shortest term that covers both delivery and on-site services (even if it ends up being a compound expression like "serves/delivers to").


title: What do you call a man who desires to have a lifelong, non sexual but intimate realtionship with a woman?

text: 1. The man lives in the same house with a woman but never have sex or desire to have sex.   2. Hey is comfortable with being nude with her and so is she, but not sexual touch or for lust.   3. He cuddles and does things socially together.   4. He sleeps in the same bed with her but again not sexual.   5. He supports her and provides but is not married or joined together.   6. He loves deeply but cannot marry the woman.


title: "Rather quite" or "quite rather"?

text: I'm a bit confused about this. They both sound correct to me.   * Quite rather weird   * Rather quite weird  Which of the two is correct?


title: Is "We have the power, so can you" (from She-Ra) grammatical?

text: The lyrics of the closing theme of the She-Ra cartoon include the line "We have the power, so can you". (Listen to it on YouTube.) I'll grant them their poetic license, but it doesn't sound right to me and I can't quite put my finger on why. Would you say it's ungrammatical? Why?


title: A prediction made in the past that affects something we will do in the future

text: Please ignore the factual accuracy of this sentence and focus on the tenses used. > If the Mayans were wrong to end the calendar on Dec. 20, 2012, we'll use > your donation to fund 2013 programming. I’d like to know:   1. if it is correct, and   2. what it would be called.


title: Words to separate value from counting

text: I'm a software developer, and as such I often come in contact with situations where I need to name variables related to the following context: > 4 apples for $3 each equals $12 My problem is the word `amount` because it feels as natural to write `amount of items` (4) as `amount each` ($3) or `total amount to pay` ($12). But obviously I can't use the word `amount` for all of them and would like some guidance on what word to use in each situation. English isn't my native language and I guess that's where my problem begins. What I basically would like to know, is:   * **What is the best word to describe when you're counting items?** My backup plan is `NoOfItems` but it's a bit complex with three words, I was hoping for a single word or something else more intuitive.   * **What is the best word to describe when you're describing a value?** I can't use `sum` because sometimes it's a single value that hasn't been summarised. Thanks a lot...


title: Are modal verbs finite or non-finite?

text: According to Oxford Dictionaries Online, > _finite_ ... **2** _Grammar_ (of a verb form) having a specific tense, > number, and person. > > _non-finite_ ... _Grammar_ (of a verb form) not limited by tense, person, or > number. Modal verbs (can, may, should etc) are always followed by bare infinitives. For example: > We **could** _practice_ our dialogue. Here, _practice_ is a bare infinitive and is a non-finite verb and **can** , by its own nature, does not express tense, person or number. Does that imply that in sentences like the one above, where a bare infinitive follows a modal verb, neither is a finite verb? If so, am I correct in understanding that we can have grammatically legitimate clauses and sentences even without a finite verb?


title: What exactly is a run-on paragraph?

text: I recently learned there is such a thing as a run-on paragraph. Whenever I write stories my paragraphs become a page or longer at times, so I began to wonder if I make run-on paragraphs. I haven't been able to find much information on it, so I came here. Can someone please explain to me what a run-on paragraph is?


title: Are there meta-plurals beyond "peoples"?

text: The plural of "person" is "people". The plural of "people" is "peoples". Person-people-peoples is the only sequence like this that I know of, but I'm looking for another. (The equivalent question is, is there another plural noun which has become a singular countable collective noun?) **EDIT** For those of you that think that `people` is nothing but a collective noun (and not an irregular plural, like `mice`), I urge you to consider:   * Do you treat other collective nouns as plurals? One person, two people, but one star, two galaxy?   * Do you treat other plurals as collective nouns? You can certainly say "a galaxy of stars" but do you say "a mice of mouses"?  For those of you that think the _customary_ plural of `person` is `persons`, try it on the next three, uh, persons you see: "Finish this sentence: 'one person, two ___ ?' "


title: What is the origin of the phrase "Top of the morning to you"?

text: Each morning, a colleague of mine greets me with the phrase: > Top of the morning to you! I've tried to figure out what the meaning of this really is and how to properly respond, however there seems to be dozens of interpretations as to what this phrase actually means. Does anyone know what the origin and original meaning of this phrase is?


title: What should I call a place that sells "street food"?

text: Today I went sightseeing in my city. After I got home I wrote the diary in English, but I didn't know what to call a place that sells "street food". Should I call it restaurant, cafe or something else? **Street food:**   ![Street food](http://i.stack.imgur.com/1icFw.jpg) **Update**   From Marcin's answer, I searched each words in his/her answer to find out how to call each type of place that sells food. **Food stall** ![Food stall](http://i.stack.imgur.com/ZNgSI.jpg) **Food cart** ![Food cart](http://i.stack.imgur.com/kHPIi.jpg) **Food van** (I'm not sure I can call it "Food van" or not, please correct me if I'm wrong) ![Food van](http://i.stack.imgur.com/A4XzH.jpg)


title: Alternate, polite word for "Fee"

text: I want to inquire about fee for Tai Chi course. But, the word "Fee" would not be polite for such martial art. Would there be any alternate word I could use, which is more polite and kind to ask about this.


title: The usage of "a little bit"

text: I was wondering how this phrase sounds in English: > She is a little bit shy. In my country the people say "a little bit" a lot, and sometimes they use it wrong. I have the impression that in US (or even in other countries where English is spoken), people prefer to be more specific saying "She is shy". Anyway, I don't want to be misunderstood, can you tell me if the above phrase sounds awkward, and in which situations I can use "a little bit" without problem.


title: A single word for the state of extreme inner melancholy and wistfulness

text: I am looking for a word that refers to the state of extreme, deep melancholy mixed with pain, anxiety, and wistfulness; the state in which one feels that their hearts are going to burst with sadness.


title: New word for Christmas?

text: Not that I'm pro/for 'christ out of christmas' but are schoolars thinking about a new word? I mean this past 2013 Christmas season in Los Angeles I didn't see much of that word. [update] chat about xmas   joe: I'm so excited happy holidays is coming!   jane: what? happy holidays?   joe: Yes! happy holidays is the best time of the year. I wish you a happy holidays!   jane: you are wierd!


title: A word for "every two days"

text: Is there an adjective that means "every two days", i.e. is to a day as _biennial_ is to a year?


title: Should I use "vue de l'esprit" in English?

text: I'm a French-native-speaker. I'm not sure in which cases the French expression _vue de l'esprit_ should be used, or if it should not be used. Is there any general case or rule? For example, I have a blog post title that I'm thinking about in French as _Vue de l'esprit : [a game name]_ , because the post is about a game's drawings that drive its development. I'm not sure if I should use _vue de l'esprit_ , _mind view_ , or something like that. Some people told me it's pretentious, so I may use another English expression instead, but whether to do so is not very clear to me.


title: Is "Please to" proper English?

text: I have been around on Twitter for awhile and I regularly find people using "Please to retweet this" or "Please to help me", etc. Is this proper English? I do not think prefixing the infinitive form with a 'to' is necessary here at all.


title: Winter — wintry; summer — summery; spring — ?; autumn — ?

text: > **wintry:** characteristic of winter, esp. in feeling or looking very cold > and bleak: "a wintry landscape". > > **summery:** belonging to or characteristic of or occurring in summer; > "summery weather"; What are the words that mean characteristic of spring and autumn, respectively? For example: > a ~~springly~~ landscape; an ~~autumnly~~ landscape What about American English, where one uses _fall_ instead of _autumn_?


title: Shouldn't the verb be in the third person?

text: I came across this book > It's Not the Big That Eat the Small...It's the Fast That Eat the Slow and my question is why **eat** is not **eats** ? Thank you very much


title: What is the correct way to quote (and cite) computer code using the Chicago style?

text: I would like to quote from line 205 to 214 of a particular source code.


title: What does off of oil mean?

text: I am reading a book and I came across the sentence below. I am not getting the meaning out of the line. Please guide me. Thanks. > I decided that the most important thing to do was to figure out how to take > a single country off of oil. Edit: Its about Israel, how Israel decided they would move forward when they had no resources.


title: Is it right to say that "they have their utopia starting when they see a plate of food and water"

text: I have to do a presentation about a third world country next week and I started writing down what I am going to say and I am stuck in the introduction! I am speaking Greek and this phrase make sense in Greek but I think it's not right in English! > I want to say that they have nothing to eat and nothing to drink and that > when they find food or water they feel so good that it's like our utopia!


title: Meaning of "threaten"

text: According to Merriam-Webster, _threaten_ has the following four meanings: > 1: to utter threats against > > 2a: to give signs or warning of > > 2b: to hang over dangerously > > 3: to announce as intended or possible > > 4: to cause to feel insecure or anxious There is one sentence: > The lecturer's monotonous delivery **threatened** to put us to sleep. What does _threaten_ mean in the above sentence?


title: Word that means "to call it even"?

text: One person has a debt to another. The other person runs a debt to the first person, so instead of exchanging money, they **(insert word here)** the debt. The phrase is to **"call it even"**. I'm looking for this, but in verb-form.


title: Can sound be "blurry?"

text: Can sound be considered "blurry?" I have heard of visual things being "blurry." Examples of this include blurry photographs or blurred vision. Is the word "blurry" restricted only to vision? I have a friend who uses the word to refer to indistinct sound. For some reason, this annoys me at an instinctual level. It seems to me that the word to use in such cases would be "muffled." Popular usage seems to restrict the usage of "blurry" to vision. I have a bet riding on this. Edit: Are there any literary or journalistic uses of this?


title: Why is a smudge stick called a smudge stick?

text: What is the origin of the name "smudge stick"? And why is it considered offensive by some (according to Wikipedia)?


title: Is there a different understanding of "rubber" in British and American English?

text: I was well aware of the different meanings of _rubber_ , not least because there are the same definitions in my mother-tongue. However, while reading a text about differences between British and American English I read the following lines: > Here's something else for Americans to be aware of: did you know that an > _eraser_ is called a _rubber_ in Britain? A good British Mum makes sure her > children go to school with a rubber in their pencil case. So, it's also not new to me that there are differences between British English and American English, but I was and still am surprised that that could somehow be misinterpreted. Checking the dictionary (OALD and OED) I learned that _rubber_ as _condom_ is indeed an Americanism, though I can hardly believe that British people do not know/use that word. The other way round, I can imagine to some extent that Americans are not aware of the fact that it isn't that popularly known/used in British English. Anyway, when talking to British people do I really have to expect that they don't know what I'm talking about when using the word _rubber_ instead of _condom_? And when talking to American people, should I avoid _rubber_ and use _eraser_ instead whenever I expect it might sound ambiguous? To be more concrete: the OALD designates rubber (as eraser) as British English, thus do I have to suspect that an American may not be aware of that meaning? Finally, when talking to both an American and a British at the same time, which words do I use for condom and eraser so that both will understand me correctly?


title: Opposite of "miracle"?

text: Are there any English words that mean "an unlikely calamity" in that same way that "miracle" can mean "an unlikely beneficial event"? My thesaurus only provides antonyms of "miracle" that mean "a mundane event" rather than "a horrible event". I'm thinking specifically of multiple unlikely failures occurring simultaneously: I suffer an unlikely injury that leaves me unable to leave the house _and_ my usually-reliable telephone service suddenly cuts out for the day, so I can't phone for help. Words like "catastrophe" and "calamity" seem too general, since I'd like to express the _exceptional unlikelihood_ of the event (or events). The best I have is a descriptive phrase like "disastrous coincidence," but I'd prefer a single word. Overtones of the divine or demonic are not required, but preferred.


title: Is "apocrypha" plural?

text: Is "apocrypha" plural? These are extra-canonical books of the Bible. Is a singular one called an apocryphum or apocryphon or something like that?


title: Word for collection of religion's essential writings

text: I'm looking for a single word to describe the collection of all letters, scriptures and books specific to a religion, something like _teachings_ but with a stronger emphasis on the written aspect.


title: "Firstname" or "First Name"?

text: In filling out forms, I'm starting to see a lot of this: > Firstname: xx > > Lastname: yy Is it generally acceptable to join the words like that? Or should we be sticking to: > First Name: xx > > Last Name: yy


title: "To this effect"

text: What does "to this effect" in the following sentence mean? (This sentence is in a reply of an application). > However, if you are not successful, we will inform you to this effect. Does this mean, if I failed I will still get informed(by a mail or phone-call) or if I failed, I will have no idea that I have failed already?


title: Is it correct to use "how's" as short for "how does"?

text: I've often seen "how's" used as short for how is - such as "How's your wife feeling?" or "How's the weather where you are?" I'm pretty sure the above is grammatically correct. However, it's also common to use "how's" as short for "how does", such as "How's it feel to be a student?" Is this second usage grammatically correct, or just a colloquialism?


title: Etymology of using 'joint' to mean a place

text: What's the etymology of using 'joint' to mean a place? Like burger joint or juke joint...


title: Word for problem listening/speaking and not reading/writing english

text: Suppose I have problems   * listening and understanding English esp. of non-Indian accent   * speaking English fluently How should I tell someone about it using very few words instead of typing a long sentence?


title: Why does "pre-" change the meaning of "dominantly" to mean "for the most part; mainly"?

text: Consider the following two sentences: > People in North America are **predominantly** English speakers. > > People in North America are **dominantly** English speakers. Merriam-Webster defines _predominantly_ as "for the most part; mainly"; and while it doesn't directly define _dominantly_ , the definition for _dominant_ is "commanding, controlling, or prevailing over all others". Therefore, I would take _dominantly_ to mean "in a commanding or controlling manner". What I don't understand is how adding the prefix _pre-_ changes the meaning of _dominantly_ to the aforementioned definition.


title: How to describe the sound of the English language as spoken by someone with Asperger's Syndrome?

text: I've heard many people say that individuals with Asperger's Syndrome seem to have a distinctive way of speaking the English language. I've heard descriptions such as "The cadence of the words is different", but I've been wondering if there is a more general way of describing this difference.


title: Is "my preference towards exact sciences" legitimate?

text: Do you consider the following phrase legitimate? > my preference towards exact sciences Is there a more accurate way to say it?


title: How to Identify a Rhetorical Question?

text: I am familiar with the idea of a rhetorical question, but are there any criteria to mark or identify one? Can a rhetorical question be recognized alone or does it need surrounding context? It doesn't seem like there is a single syntactic method to distinguish them (the wiki article mentions a 'rhetorical question mark' that really didn't catch on, but that's not really syntax, just punctuation in writing). If there are no syntactic markers, what semantic criteria are there that could say that a sentence is a rhetorical question?


title: What does "Five times over!" mean here?

text: I came across a sentence while reading Newspaper and I'm wondering what does the sentence mean in this context. This news article completed with the sentence `Five times over!`. What does it mean actually here? **Excerpt from the Newspaper:** > Here’s introducing iDiva: Five Magazines in One that packs in the best of > five of India’s top women’s magazines in a single new weekly.   >  . . .   >  . . .   >  . . .   >  A magazine that gives you all this and more should cost the earth, right? > Luckily this one doesn’t. At an introductory price of Rs 5 per copy, we are > sure you’ll find it a steal. **Five times over!**


title: Etymology of "to be like" meaning "to say"

text: It seems that "to be like" is an informal phrase for "to say". E.g. > She was so angry, she was like "I'm breaking up with you", and I was like > "I'm sorry", and she was like "Go away". Is this a recent thing? When did "to be like" start to be used to mean "to say"? It doesn't seem to be in any dictionaries (yet) (I might be wrong, though). It would be interesting to know why the words "to be like" came to mean "to say", although I realize that the answer to the majority of "why" questions is "just because".


title: Can you really "See that thing in person"?

text: Consider the following scenario: > A woman at a store is shown a dress by a clerk. After a few moments, she > tells the clerk that she would like "to see it in red". > > The clerk would then go and fetch her the same dress but colored red, rather > than whatever he had just shown her. There would be no confusion- the _in red_ is clearly describing an attribute of the dress. If the clerk were to then drape a red blanket around the woman and show her the same dress, the clerk would surely be fired. And yet, if I were to look at a picture of a coffee table online and say "I want to see that in person", the same logic could not be applied. You _can't_ see the coffee table in person, because it is a coffee table. Coffee tables don't typically come as people (I should hope!). So is one correct over the other? Shouldn't the meaning be consistent across the two phrases? Or is there some way of considering the two different contexts that both make sense from?


title: Can “lackadaisical” be used in literature?

text: Has _lackadaisical_ ever been used in literary works? My _Oxford Dictionary of Quotations_ has no quotation that includes this word. Who first used _lackadaisical_ in the 1760s as the OED claims?


title: One word synonym for "easy to follow"

text: I am working on a rubric to grade a presentation, and I am only allowed 4 very short criteria. After a lot of thinking, the 4 I have chosen are:   1. Organized & Easy to Follow   2. Interesting / Useful   3. Delivery   4. Overall My question isn't really focused on why I chose these criteria (although suggestions would be appreciated), but more so on the "easy to follow". I am trying to find a shorter, more precise, way to say that the presentation flowed well in a logical and comprehensible manner. Any suggestions?


title: What is the etymology of the word "howwa", meaning "that thing"?

text: In the North-East of England, where I live, the word **_"howwa"_** is used to mean "that thing". It is pronounced like "shower" and could be used in the following contexts: > Can't you get it to work? Pass the howwa here. or > I was trying to find the pub but it was an hour before I found the howwa! or even about a person: > He's the howwa who sold me the car. Although I hear it regularly, I have no idea where it comes from. Any ideas?


title: What is the difference between “take to court,” “take the court,” and “take someone to court”?

text: Today’s (April 27) _New York Times_ carried a caption,“Clippers **Take to Court** , but in Protest” and the lead-copy: > The players made a statement a day after racially charged remarks attributed > to Donald Sterling, the Clippers’ owner, by wearing their shirts inside out > before playing the Warriors. in its home page. But, the headline of the article was altered to “With Uproar Around Sterling, Clippers **Take the Court**.” Is there any difference between _take to court_ and _take the court_? Why did NYT bother rewording the headline (though it may be better to ask directly to NYT)? By the way, I found the following question and answer in wordhippo.com: > Q. What's another word for **take to court**?   >  A. Here's a list of words you may be looking for. > > Verb. prosecute, sue, take legal action, press charges, file a suit, bring a > claim. Does the phrase, “take to court / take the court” in the above NYT article simply mean “appear in the court / join the game”, or “sue / bring a claim” by chance?


title: "Did you do it?" vs "Have you done it?"?

text: If someone did something that made me mad, which is correct to say:   * _Did you do it?_   * _have you done it?_ If not, what is the proper situation for saying _Did you do it?_


title: Time given to fix the problem

text: In a biblical passage I am studying, I noticed that the accused was given a short span of time in order to fix the problem he had caused. This idea (granting time to correct the situation) is important for my study and I want to include it in the index. Is there a word (or short two word phrase) that has this meaning?


title: Why do we say "wearing perfumes?"

text: Why do we "wear" perfume, and not "apply" it? For example, why do we say "Alice _wore_ her mother's perfume", and not "Alice _applied_ her mother's perfume"? What's your take on this?


title: Doubts about using "to+ ing"

text: I heard this sentence in a film: > We are one step closer to ending this. I do not know why we have to use "ending" instead of "end". Is "Step to" a phrasal verb?


title: Is there an adjective for 'speechless-making'?

text: I wanted to write about intense fear, something like _abject terror_ , but implying that it strikes you dumb with fear. Am I missing something obvious, or should I just settle for changing the wording to avoid the problem?


title: A word for a form of government that governs itself

text: Let us suppose there existed a society that was governed not by people but rather by a comprehensive set of rules, and whereby each person voluntarily followed those rules, and executed punishment on themselves in accordance with those rules if they violated them. What word would describe this form of government? (We can assume that there are never reasons to change the rules, that each rule is able to be perfectly interpreted by every member, and that those who originally wrote the rules no longer exist.)


title: Probably excessive commas - a part of sentence looks like a list of items

text: Sometimes, when I am trying to put into a sentence all the commas that should be there, according to the rules, it begins to look like a list of items - a comma after every word. (Edit: and as David Schwartz pointed out, even worse, it _sounds_ badly) For example: > If we saw it as Kris, then, personally, I do not understand how ... Is it possible to omit some commas in such case? If yes, then how could I determine which commas are less important and could be omitted?


title: Usage of English definite article when referring to generic word

text: My mother language does not have articles, so I still struggle to choose when to use the indefinte and definite article. The other day, I learned:   * "The dog is an animal" is acceptable.   * "The iron is a metal" is not acceptable. (By _the iron_ , I mean the metal, not the device.) Is that true? If so, could anyone explain why?


title: Abbreviation of EU and associated punctuation

text: Why doesn't the abbreviation of _European Union_ (EU) carry periods with it as the abbreviation of _United States_ (U.S.) does, for example? A brief online search turned up little on the punctuation of EU. If you have a link to a site with a decent explanation, I'd really appreciate that!


title: Single word for the phrase "friends at high places"

text: A person's "jack" is the slang for "friends at high places" in the part of the world where I belong to. Thank you. Edit: I split the long question as I was asked to.


title: Comma before a verb

text: > Altimeter Group provides research and advisory for companies **_,_** > enabling them to pursue new opportunities and business models. Is the comma before _enabling_ necessary and right in the above sentence?


title: Is "am" in "I am right" an auxiliary verb?

text: Consider these sentences: > The ice _was_ thick enough to walk on. > > They _were_ in a hurry. > > There _is_ enough salt in it. > > It _is_ freezing. > > I _am_ right. Are the italicized verbs auxiliary verbs? * * * **Update:** Let me explain why I asked this question. The above sentences are from exercise 6 "Auxiliary verbs" from the book "A Practical English Grammar Exercises 1". From the 36 sentences in exercise 6, all except the above mentioned five sentences are indeed sentences that contain auxiliary verbs (may, must, can, will, had, etc.). So, what happened here? Why are those five sentences in this exercise? Is it an oversight? ![](http://i.stack.imgur.com/gjn8J.gif) View image in full resolution here: http://i.stack.imgur.com/gjn8J.gif


title: When is correct to capitalise these words?

text: At the beginning of sentence is a given. Here are some examples for each word. Should any be capitalised? If not, is there any situations where they should? The word "government"   1. The government raised taxes.   2. Thatcher was in government for a long time.   3. The UK is having problems with its coalition government? The word "organisation"   1. The organisation needs to make 10% savings.   2. I would like to work for an organisation like Google.


title: Ability in past for positive and negative sentences

text: I have doubt about the correctness of the following rule. If it is correct then is there any reason behind this? **Rule:** > Not all abilities are general. Some abilities happen only once (or a certain > number of times) in a particular situation. In positive sentences, we can > **only** use "was able to" for the specific event / occasion Examples: > _I was very tired but I`could` stay awake all night._ \- This is according > to the rule I am investigating syntactically incorrect   >  _I was very tired but I`was able` to stay awake all night._ ✓ If the sentence is negative, we can use `could` or `was able to` interchangeably . > _I`couldn't` hear him because of the music._ ✓   >  _I `wasn't` able to hear him because of the music. ✓ Why are we able to use both "could" and "was able to" in negative sentences, but not in positive ones?


title: What's the difference in usage between "annoyed at", "annoyed with", and "annoyed by"?

text: When is it appropriate to use _annoyed at_? Can I say I'm _annoyed at_ you or should it be _annoyed with_ you? What about _annoyed by_? I've read somewhere that _annoyed with_ is for people and _annoyed at_ is for the rest but I haven't been able to find a link to a supporting document/textbook.


title: Can I add a comma here just for "rhythm"?

text: I have the following sentence in a technical paper: > Recent research has addressed this issue in two important ways: by > developing and improving on automatic algorithms and by exploring human- > guided systems. Though I think this is grammatically correct, it seems like it would sound better with the addition of a comma: > Recent research has addressed this issue in two important ways: by > developing and improving on automatic algorithms, and by exploring human- > guided systems. I'm by no means an expert on the English language, but I think I have seen commas like this before in decently respectable pieces of writing. But is it technically okay to add one here? From what I remember, they belong after a conjunction that is followed by an independent clause--not a conjunction followed by a dependent clause as I have above. (?)


title: Can Present Perfect be used for Past Conditional

text: Does present perfect in conditional only mean future situations? Can it be used for hypothetical future? > When I went to Africa, I thought as if I _have_ already been there. > > If you have studied, you would pass the exam.


title: A sign that is still up after it no longer applies

text: What is the word to describe the following situation: There is a sign up warning people not to do something, but it has been up so long I think it no longer applies, but I'm going to follow it anyway. Thanks.


title: What does this mean - "If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip"?

text: Has it got anything to do with appearances in the passport photo?


title: Date formats for Americans

text: Do Americans find a date such as 11 Apr 2012 more readable than the ISO format 2012-04-11? The reason I ask is that there are many situations where we do not have access to the locale, and even if we do there are often no locale- sensitive formatting functions that we can use.


title: When modifiers precede, is ‘wounded’ used without ‘the’?

text: > . . .she tended **Hungarian wounded** returning from the Russian front and > casualties wounded in American bombing raids. (The Telegraph) When there are modifiers before 'wounded,' is it used without ‘the’ to denote 'wounded people'?


title: Is that grammatically correct?

text: > I'm going to blog about each feature and progress I made in my book? Is that grammatically correct?