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.
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Question: I want to tell my uncle that I am 'f***ing around' but I certainly can't use the F word. I googled it but I didn't find the phrase/word I am looking for. I am wasting my time doing silly things and I want a phrase or word for that. Can anyone give any formal or polite phrase for that?.

Answer: I want to tell my uncle that I am 'f***ing around' but I certainly can't use the F (f*ck) word. If you don't want to say 'f*ck' then say fiddle instead. Both 'fck' and 'fiddle' start with F, so 'fck' can easily be replaced by 'fiddle'. Fiddle around: To spend time doing small things that are not important or necessary Cambridge English dictionary You could substitute 'fiddle' for 'f*ck'. Example: Uncle, I'm fiddling around. (It does not sound vulgar). Single word for that would be loafing. Loaf (verb): Spend one's time in an aimless, idle way. Lexico Example: Uncle, I'm loafing. Or footle. But as others have said, it's unlikely to be understood. Footle (verb): Engage in fruitless activity; mess about. Lexico


Question: Possible Duplicate: How should I punctuate around quotes? When should end punctuation go inside quotes? Or is it region specific? I was always taught that when ending a quotation, that punctuation remains inside of the quote. I think he said, 'we should go to the store.' Are you sure he said, 'we should go to the store?' As opposed to: I think he said, 'we should go to the store'. Are you sure he said, 'we should go to the store'? This is just an arbitrary example off of the top of my head, and it's hard for me to come up with an example for the second usage because it looks completely wrong to me. I actually got into a small argument with my girlfriend earlier this year because she uses something similar to the second example, and said that's how she was taught (which is why I ask if it's region-specific.) Anyway, is there a correct usage for ending a quotation with punctuation?.

Answer: In American English, commas and periods go inside the quotation marks. Semi-colons, question marks and exclamation marks go inside the quotation marks only if they're part of the quotation. E.g., 'What time is it?' he asked. Did he really say, 'I don't care'? So your example should be the following: I think he said, 'we should go to the store.' Are you sure he said, 'we should go to the store'?


Question: I am studying English and I want to know the main difference between 'Have you got?' and 'Do you have?' questions. Are they the same? Is one more formal than the other?.

Answer:
Contrary to the above, 'Have you got' is more common in British English than 'Do you have' (about 2:1); but 'Do you have' is much more common in American English than 'Have you got' (more than 10:1). Note that the response includes only the relevant auxiliary: - 'Do you have a pen'; 'Yes, I do'. - 'Have you got a pen'; 'Yes, I have'. In fact, the most common form where I live (in Northern Ireland) is simply 'Have you', but that sounds old-fashioned to many English speakers elsewhere. Have a look at the 'Separated by a Common Language' blog.