Generate the answer for a given question. The question requires common knowledge of English. Make sure that the answer is in detail, long, consistent with the context, and requires general knowledge of English. To be less repetitive, please vary your language for each question. Give a proper explanation to answer, and if necessary, provide the definition of various terms. And conclude your answer if it's long. If you have used other resources (e.g., Merriam Webster's.) to answer the question, include citations in your answer. You don't need to paraphrase the context of your resources, but make sure that your answer is consistent and complete.

Input: Consider Input: Can one use kindness as a synonym for politeness? What's the difference? Where do you draw the line between them?.

Output: I think this is a situation in which etymology is revealing. The background of polite, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary, is: mid-13c., from L. politus 'refined, elegant,' lit. 'polished,' pp. of polire 'to polish, to make smooth.' Used literally at first in English; sense of 'elegant, cultured' is first recorded c.1500, that of 'behaving courteously' is 1762. Polite, both in its original literal usage and in its current usage, is more about superficial appearance. To be polite, one need only use polite words and manners. Nothing internal is necessary. The history of kind, on the other hand, is related to internal goodness: 'friendly,' from O.E. gecynde 'natural, native, innate,' originally 'with the feeling of relatives for each other,' from P.Gmc. gakundiz, from kunjan (see kin), with collective prefix ga- and abstract suffix -iz. Sense development from 'with natural feelings,' to 'well-disposed' (c.1300), 'benign, compassionate' (c.1300). Ultimately, politeness tells you little about a person's character; it may be sincere, or it may be highly calculated. Kindness, though, is directly related to a person's character, and is quite difficult to fake.


Input: Consider Input: Consider the following sentences: The last few years has seen the building of the new church. and The last few years have seen the building of the new church. As a native speaker, both of these sentences 'sound' correct to me. Is only one of them correct, are they both correct or is each one only correct in specific circumstances. This was a question one of my students asked me, so if there is a relevant grammar rule, that would be great.

Output: Years, being plural, takes the plural form have. But the last few years, being a single span of time, takes the singular form, has. That's why they both sound okay to you. The first option is generally preferred in formal writing.


Input: Consider Input: If a possessive noun, which is plural, is preceded by 'each', then should it use the singular or plural possessive form? For example, which of the following is correct? spend time in each other's presence spend time in each others' presence.


Output: Each other is singular, so the correct possessive is each other's. Edit: I found some controversy on this on the web because each other implies that there are multiple people involved, hence people think it is plural and should be written each others'. This, however, is wrong as each is always singular.