Search results for 'tag:Constructions' matching tag 'Constructions'

I cannot make out what this sentence means

colombo — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:10:10 GMT

Hi, I've found a difficult sentence in a text I must translate. Apparently, is is not a typo, but I cannot quite understand what it means. The text has just described how oxen could be used to measure the price of articles, and then it goes to explain why a more convenient unit should be used. And in between we've got: "But the diversity in value between different cattle, the great size of the units, and the fact that they could not be divided, as well as the speculative element which entered into them the cattle might deteriorate in keeping, they might also be productive while kept : all these qualities would make such a unit inadmissible in times when calculation is carried to a nicety." ...

Re: Surf or surfing?

califjim — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:32:08 GMT

CJ, why do you object to the restaurant one? Completely on stylistic grounds I think. It sounds stuffy to me -- like saying My friend GG is one of intelligence and good humor . What's the phrase? De gustibus non disputandum -- or some such Latin thing about there being no arguing about taste. I didn't mean to suggest that the construction itself was ungrammatical, but I admit it may have come off that way. CJ P.S. Did you know that your cat's got its head on upside down?

Re: The most (meaning 'more than anywhere else')

gleb_chebrikoff — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:36:38 GMT

Hello, MichalS, the most people that I have ever seen is vernacular and cumbersome. The same idea is correctly and clearly expressed by more people than I have ever seen , but, given that you do not wish to use this construction, here are some other lexical ways of saying virtually the same: Never before have I seen so many people in the square. The square was teeming with people . etc. Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff

Re: Mostly questions on article usage?

mister micawber — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:19:38 GMT

These are correct: 1. It is to be used as a replacement for the old equipment currently in use. 2. With your generous support, (the) construction has begun on our long-awaited project. It is expected to be completed soon. 3. Hearing the jingling of bells has lifted my spirit up. 4. Twenty-seven feet of steel track. Thirty miles per hour. Our newest project has something for ... -- The ellipsis should be used only to indicate omitted words. Numbers at the beginning and end of sentences should be written out.

Re: Allow or Allows?

dimsumexpress — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:18:26 GMT

Consider: This album features a collection of songs that covers the band's earliest years together. It is the COLLECTION that covers, not the songs that cover. The X of Ys construction is often miswritten, and probably more often mis-spoken. I have no problem with the basic grammar in this example which is not the same as the "medications" sentence I posted earlier. It's the more obscure sentences with "the list of" and "a group of" contexts that confuse me.

Re: Allow or Allows?

grammar geek — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:44:29 GMT

I found CJ's "number transparency" post a really good one for those "One-third of... " and "Fifty percent of..." questions. You do need to unlearn the rule about making the verb agree with the closest noun. Consider: This album features a collection of songs that covers the band's earliest years together. It is the COLLECTION that covers, not the songs that cover. The X of Ys construction is often miswritten, and probably more often mis-spoken.

Re: Question

dimsumexpress — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:32:44 GMT

Me and my husband had have fighting yesterday night. Is the construction of grammar correct? No, it's not a grammatically correct construction. It should be: My husband and I had a fight last night. Or, I had a fight with my husband last night

Essay for University application

zamanov — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:17:43 GMT

Hi all!!! I am going to apply to a university and they want me to write an essay. It should be between 2000 and 3000 words and caver the following aspects: My motivation for the MSc-programme that I chose. Why I wish to conduct this programme abroad and/or in the Netherlands in particular. Why you are interested in TU .. If there are optional specialisations in the Master programme of your choice: which specialisation(s) interest you most, and why? Give three examples of Master thesis topics that interest me and explain my particular interest. Write a brief summary (maximum 250 words) of the thesis work or the final assignment done for my Bachelor study /in my case it's another Master study/ Here is what I wrote: Essay ...

Re: THAN (few sentences)

philip — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:56:20 GMT

1. first option 2. she is more than pretty enough... 3. you do 4. You will get not only enough money from the deal but also praise... (parallel construction)

Re: ING or infinitive???

califjim — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:30:34 GMT

In other words, I thought that, as an object (noun), I should use the verb in the -ing form, and not in the infinitive. Actually, the infinitive can also serve the function of a noun and be an object. It depends on the verb. Note, below, how the choice is the same as when the verb is used as the main verb in a clause. For example, avoid is followed by the -ing form. It doesn't matter which structure it is found in -- whether in a pseudo-cleft construction or in a main clause. All I want is to have you near me. from: I want to have you near me. All I wish is to have you near me. from: I wish to have you near me. All I enjoy is eating . from: I enjoy eating . What she promised was to write soon. from: She promised to...

Re: Sentence inversion

philip — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:09:37 GMT

not only / but also construction requires parallel structure. I would say: She not only dropped the wine but also broke the glass.

Re: Not only about... but..

liveinjapan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:02:38 GMT

I find the repetition of about inadvisable Thanks again. I understand what you are saying. However, in an example of your sentence, placing 'not only' after 'a matter of' may lead to the construction of 'a matter of A and B', and thus I prefer to place 'not only' before 'about' (in your sentence, before 'a matter of' -- not only a matter of A but of B) and really don't feel the second 'about' repetitive IMO.

Re: They are OF equal length

akdom — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:13:52 GMT

another BE + OF construction I have found. Could anyone explain it to me? "Biological clocks are of such obvious adaptive value to living organisms, that we would expect most organisms to possess them." what does the of mean?

Request tp write a letter regarding change of PG-course from Project management to PG-course in Construction Management

nabil.dalvi — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:22:45 GMT

Dear sir, This is NABIL DALVI, i have recently taken admission in NICMAR (DISTANCE EDUCATION ) in POST GRADUATION PROGRAMME IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT BUT I WANT IT TO BE CHANGED TO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT..The reason for the same is that while applying to the course i wasnt sure which to apply for...but i now im feeling the latter one intrest me the most.. i have taken admission on 6/11/09... i have recieved the note-books at the time of admission.. please help me draft a letter addressing THE DEAN of NICMAR( School of Distance Education)... waiting for ur reply...

Re: Absolute participial construction

mister micawber — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:40:08 GMT

#1 works; #2 does not. I suppose that is because 'it' is existential.

Re: Piece

gleb_chebrikoff — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:34:03 GMT

Hello, Pleasehelp, How many pieces of T-shirts do you want? is decidedly ungrammatical: *pieces of T-shirts is a partitive construction (featuring partition in respect of quantity). The partitive a piece of is used with words denoting an undifferentiated mass, ie, noncount nouns: a piece of bacon, a piece of advice , etc. As T-shirts is a plural count noun, you shouldn't expect to combine it with pieces. It is much better to restate the idea by saying How many T-shirts would you like? , which is more compact and clear. Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff

Re: Passivisation

gleb_chebrikoff — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:30:03 GMT

Dear friend, the first set of examples is quite correct grammatically, no doubt, representing the pattern verb + object + to-infinitive complementation . In this case, passivization is possible, though some constraints still apply even to this pattern. However, we may not perform the same operation with the second pair of sentences, since they should feature an entirely different pattern, namely, verb + object + adjective phrase as object complement. Hence the sentence * They prefer John swimming is ungrammatical, as prefer cannot be used with the pattern verb + object + -ing participle comlementation , unlike, eg, hear We could hear the rain splashing on the roof. In other words, you could use the following with prefer : The prefer...

Re: Questions about the past, with and w/o did-construction

gleb_chebrikoff — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:01:55 GMT

Raja, let me make a number of essential clarifications: 1. ' Hence , that the 'do'-construction in "Who went to the park?" is not possible or at least less preferable (which of the two is it in your opinion?) in "Who went to the park?"' - under neutral circumstances, the do-support would be impossible, but, in some exceptional cases, we may resort to using it in a context like: Tom, , and Harry intended to go to the park. - Yes, but who DID go to the park? in which case 'did' should carry the logical stress of the sentence (this is referred to as 'emphatic do'). 2. 'who', in this case, serves as a subject or, to put it differently, is an interrogative...

Re: Passive & Active Voice

tanit — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:29:57 GMT

Hi, I'd change these: 5. The sun was eclipsed by the moon. ACTIVE PASSIVE 9. This bone has been buried by the dog . PASSIVE 10. It takes a long time to think of these examples . PASSIVE ACTIVE 13. There was a cup of coffee on the table but now it's gone. ACTIVE 15. Mark was given one month to write this book . ACTIVE PASSIVE As far as your #14 is concerned, I am not sure everybody would agree on this. 14. I was born under a wandering star I was taught that this is technically a passive form, but some regard it as active (Cambridge dictionary lists the verb " be born "). For instance, here's what some of our most prominent members wrote in the forums. (Opinions are split) Clive ( from this post<

Re: Location

gleb_chebrikoff — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:37:25 GMT

Hello, Pleasehelp, ' where it's at ' is a set expression that became widespread in the sixties of the 20th century. In an example like I don't know where it's at it means that the speaker does not understand the essential truth of the situation, so, as you see, there is no spacial implication. A sentence like I put my hat down and now I don't know where it's at is surely unacceptable - at is redundant here. Additionally, there are similar phrases with this construction, eg This place is where it's all at. - This is the place that is teeming with activity. If you're interested in good food this is where it's all at . - This is the restaurant (cafe, etc) where the tastiest food is served....

Re: A question about the word "do"

billj — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:05:34 GMT

Hi MrPernickety Yes you can, and both sentences are fine. Here's why: As well as the regular uses of the verb ' do ', it also has a specialist use as what is called a pro-form . As a pro-form (in this case a pro-verb) ' do ' substitutes a verb or verb phrase: 'Fred walked to town and I did too'. (where did replaces walked to town ) Basically, a pro-form is a word that is used to replace or refer to a longer construction in a sentence. It avoids saying or writing the same thing twice, which can be boring or repetitive, and it generally makes for a more acceptable economy of statement. Your first sentence ' The guy in the first row swindled me out of a load of money,...

Re: Grammar

gleb_chebrikoff — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:23:40 GMT

Dear friend, 'should go' is a single verb phrase containing a modal auxiliary verb should . This operator is more specifically known as a central modal , because it shares all the features pertaining to modal auxiliary verbs. 'need to see...' consists of two verb phrases - need + to see... Your question concerns the fact that some grammarians express uncertainty as to whether need is a lexical or auxiliary verb. In fact, it is now recognised that it is a verb of intermediate function - it may be termed a marginal modal . Indeed, need occurs in modal constructions, but they are restricted to nonassertive contexts, ie negative and interrogative clauses . In your case, we deal with a positive clause. Respectfully, Gleb...

Re: We lived in Ireland for five years

dimsumexpress — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:56:29 GMT

Thank you Clive for the critique. For the New York sentence, is there anything wrong or misleading in the construction that needs to be reworded. After the rewording, the original past perfect context has been erased. Maybe I tried too hard to concoct a past perfect sentence. The past perfect here makes it sound like they counted him out before he lost his campaign, which is not your meaning. I'd say Many people counted him out 20 years ago after he lost his campaign . . . I agree "after" is a better choice than "when" for the context. But I also have this thought. When all the ballots were completely counted late into the evening, that's when he realized he had lost...

Re: HELP!!! independent clauses connected with ,and

califjim — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:23:33 GMT

This sentence looks wrong to me...Please help and tell me why! I can't even begin to guess why the sentence looks wrong to you. Perhaps it's because it is ambiguous whether spread is a present tense or a past participle in an implied passive construction. You could change the sentence to remove the ambiguity, but then you'd have to know which of those interpretations the writer originally intended. CJ

Re: As many glasses and much water as possible?

califjim — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:56:47 GMT

" as many glasses and much water as possible," would this be ok? It seems very awkward to me. Why would you want to combine two phrases that mean the same thing? Native speakers would say one of the two sentences below. They would not combine them. Drink as many glasses of water as possible. Drink as much water as possible. Generally speaking, you can't combine as many and as much in one construction. CJ

Re: Sentance construction

grammar geek — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:57:16 GMT

In answer to your main question, though, make the verb agree with the subject closer to it. Neither the boys nor their mother has called yet. Neither Sheila nor her sons have called yet.

Re: Sentance construction

dimsumexpress — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:51:27 GMT

Neither! The rules are: Either / or Neither /nor So the correct form is: Neither Wendy nor I have received you message

One-word substitutes of the following phrases

mr gurala — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:29:10 GMT

an adventurous episode amount deducted from the declared price a man who accompanies another in a crime any construction to commemorate great events or persons

Re: Sentence construction

dimsumexpress — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:21:55 GMT

" In determining the person it has a well-founded fear of being persecuted..." Umm.. This is not quite what I see. The bold section is a prep. phrase which seemed to be incorrectly used and has no functioning value to the rest of the sentence. By the way, the sentence also has a flaw. What does mean in the context ? It can't mean , can it? "I determined the person has a new founded fear of being persecuted" - is the only correct sentence in my opinion. Although some people may omit "that" in this context, Whether - signifies uncertainty. With the original context " I determine" , It appears to me a "contradiction". Consider the following: 1) How do...

Re: Tell somebody NOT TO DO something

clive — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:02:21 GMT

Hi, I have a great doubt! In the Students course book it is explained the structure WANT/ASK/TELL someone to do something. It also explains that you say "I don´t want you to tell anyone". Then it says: Verbs ASK and TELL have a similar construction in the negative form. Note the position of not: He told us not to worry. Then, when we turn over the page, there is an exercise that says: Make the sentences negative. 1) He told me to leave. The teacher´s book provides de following answer: He didn´t tell me to leave. It should be 'He told me not to leave'. So, I wonder: 1) What is the difference between: Consider these examples . a) He told me not to worry The 'not' applies to the verb...

Re: Sentence construction

himakandi — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:49:44 GMT

"In determining whether the person has a well-founded fear of being persecuted..." "In determining that the person has a well-founded fear of being persecuted..." I am trying to explain the need to use the word 'that' instead of 'whether'. You don't have to use the both words if it is 'that' either 'whather' the sentence is "In determining the person it has a well-founded fear of being persecuted..."

Re: Conditional: unreal for this correct?

gleb_chebrikoff — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:24:31 GMT

4. Finally, is there any possibility of using neither... nor in the original sentence? The answer is 'yes' for some reasons. The first one is language change, whereby structures shift in meaning over a certain time period, allowing for more liberal or extended interpretation. The second factor in favour of neither... nor is the formality that the pair adds to the utterance, which is particularly relevant to the legal instrument where the sentence is most likely to be met. Inversion, though not limited to this construction, is also present, contributing to formality. Regrettably, I couldn't contribute to englishforums due to a number of reasons. Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff

Re: Conditional: unreal for this correct?

gleb_chebrikoff — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:44:37 GMT

Dear friend, I suppose that I have only recently embarked on the march towards reaching the level of an expert whose opinion could be taken for 'expertise'. However, being guided by the knowledge gained from a number of authoritative sources, I would like to comment as follows: 1. The original poster presumably asked about the possible ellipsis of subject in the second coordinated clause that is a part of a compound sentence The parties acknowledge that they neither intend to enter, nor have they entered. .. (the final part of the second clause is omitted, which makes the whole sentence structurally incomplete) The well-known rule states that in constructions of this type, if the subject is the same in both clauses, it...

Kindly check my small article

creativeguru — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:19:29 GMT

India progress is sluggish and slow So even you belong to the same league, who truly believes in the above caption. Even you are annoyed at the pace of development in India. Take for an instance, a dam construction deadline was four years, but even after ten years hardly fifty percent work is completed. Whom to blame? the Government, the bureaucrats, the babus. In our country, two components play major role in the development process - first the democratic system, and the other the bureaucratic process. In the democratic system it takes time for progress to percolate till the last layer of pyramid, we will discuss it in details later. But the main concern in bureaucratic system is the corruption, which is the universal phenomena; we...

Re: Have

avangi — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:11:46 GMT

The only time I'd expect to hear that construction in AmE would be for a calculated effect, never in conversation. Hi, Rick, didn't mean to sound huffy. We've had a few members who enjoy studying literature from past centuries, and their questions are often quite challenging, involving archaic usages. Some of the mods take exception to this and seem to support only the most current and common usages. (That's my impression, anyway.) But I've never found any official statement that this is our policy. Granted, many ESL members are trying hard to learn effective communication in the business and social worlds of the 21st century. What to do? Best regards, - A.

Re: Write "vacancy" even if there are more than 1 vancany ???

grammar geek — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:25:01 GMT

If you can mention the position by name, it would be better. I am applying for the entry-level data-entry position you have advertised in The Washing Post . I am applying for the construction supervisor position you have posted on your Web site. What is the full sentence you envision writing?

Re: Have

deepsouthrick — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:10:16 GMT

"Have you any idea?" The only time I'd expect to hear that construction in AmE would be for a calculated effect, never in conversation. For example, it might used for comedic effect to illustrate a very unsophisticated speaker who was trying to sound very sophisticated -- and instead sounding very silly. Rick

Re: Depending on

avangi — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:27:44 GMT

Well, now I'm embarrassed again. Also depending/ dependent upon the weather would be the farmers and the construction workers. In the matter of the subject of the sentence, I suppose all kinds of phrases can be "noun phrases" and serve as subject - infinitive, participial, etc., but at some point this idea seems to break down, and I want to turn it around.

Re: Depending on

dimsumexpress — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:23:17 GMT

Prices may vary, depending on the area, or depending on the area, prices may vary. In either construction, "Depending on" is classified as an adjective according to Online Dictionary. But to me, it functions like an adverbial phrase which can be placed at the beginning or the end of the sentence. Clearly, a verb is needed and "would be" is not the right one because X is influenced by (depending on) the action of Y. I am not the authority to rander a verdict on the grammatical legality of this sentence. But I just pick up an awkward feeling reading this sentence. Not too much help there!

Re: Have

deepsouthrick — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:42:59 GMT

Hi, I have a question of "have" and need your help: when I use it as "own" in an interrogative sentence and I want to express the meaning of "do you have any idea?", can I use it this way: "Have you any idea ?" Thank you for you help. The second version is a not a preferred construction -- I wouldn't use it. Also, there can be a subtle difference in meaning of "idea" and "ideas" in this type of sentence. Do you have any idea? The singular "idea" is used in this sentence more as "concept." For example, "Do you have any idea what this will cost?" Do you have any ideas? This usage is more at...

Re: Problem in sentence

ruslana — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:30:51 GMT

She's had to do a lot of work. = She has had to do a lot of work. "She has has to do a lot of work" doesn't make sense. It's Present Perfect tense here, which means you need the construction "to have + past participle". More examples: I have done a lot of work today. I have had a lot of work today. She has done a lot of work today.

Re: What's next? "Jack and Jill the Movie"???

remysun — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:58:18 GMT

Now that you mention plastic what about "Lego, The Movie?" I reckon with some imaginative stop-motion animation it could be intriguing. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" suggests itself as a template. No, it will be live action. It's a world where prefab construction materials transform the way we build our cities. But behind all that sunshine are the shadows. And darker than that are the hearts of evil men. Yes, Lego the Movie is film noir.

Re: Intransitive verb: no passive form?

dimsumexpress — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:24:39 GMT

*the slept man *a belonged wallet *a left guest *the gone people *the arrived women *a disappeared rabbit *a died geranium Hi CJ, I get our point. I have no argument about intransitive participles not being able to appear in passive constructions. I merely tossed in my two cents on the participle usage. A fabricated story after being repeated enough times can become the absolute truth. This particular participle is the kind that can be preceived as adjective, or a noun phrase with passive cocnstruction, depending on one's English training. As I said before, this is my approach which works for me but may not be agreed with by the traditional rules.

Re: Intransitive verb: no passive form?

califjim — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:32:45 GMT

I guess the question really boiled down to the classification of the P.P. I always treated them with a passive approach which may or may not conform to the grammarian rules. Unfortunately, as I see it at least, this thread is not about whether a word that looks like a past participle should be classified as a verb (in a passive construction) or as an adjective, though there are plenty of threads on that subject. Rather, it's about whether past participles of in transitive verbs (which can never appear in a passive construction, by the way) are generally usable as adjectives. Examples: *the slept man *a belonged wallet *a left guest *the gone people *the arrived women *a disappeared rabbit *a died geranium On the basis of just...

Re: Intransitive verb: no passive form?

califjim — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:20:14 GMT

A native might be able to pull off this archaic construction for effect but I would advise any foreigner to steer well clear of it as to most listeners it will just sound like incorrect English. Amen. CJ

Re: Use of "is" or "are" with neither

zerox — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:51:15 GMT

'Neither' and 'either' are singular and require singular verbs. However, sometimes, especially in interrogative constructions, 'neither' and 'either' can take a plural verb if followed by 'of'. Are either of you coming to the party?

Re: Intransitive verb: no passive form?

huevos — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:56:30 GMT

King James' boys came up with "He is risen, as he said," In 1611 the perfect aspect was not established in English the way it is today. In modern translations they use "he has been raised". A native might be able to pull off this archaic construction for effect but I would advise any foreigner to steer well clear of it as to most listeners it will just sound like incorrect English.

Re: Grammar Questions

dimsumexpress — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:49:18 GMT

Hello everyone, I wish it would stop raining – I know ‘wish’ and ‘would’ are the key to the construction - but I don’t know what the tense is… Subject + wish + it (what is it?)+ would (modal auxiliary verb) + verb + gerund Hi, You are almost perfect! The " I wish + I would / could " construction is one type of conditional sentence that describes conditions of non-factual or imaginary natures. I wish I could have graduated from college a few years earlier..

Grammar Questions

emma_09 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:41:37 GMT

Hello everyone, Would anyone mind having a read through my answers below to see if i'm on the right tracks? I'm looking at the meaning/function and form of the sentence/underlined words! With many thanks!! Fiona is very sociable - Present simple to describe a friends character/ Subject + be in present + adverb + adjective (adjective phrase) I wish it would stop raining – I know ‘wish’ and ‘would’ are the key to the construction - but I don’t know what the tense is… Subject + wish + it (what is it?)+ would (modal auxiliary verb) + verb + gerund Fadouma has worked here for 2 years – present perfect to describe something that began in the past and continues now. Subject + have (3rd...

Re: Intransitive verb: no passive form?

dimsumexpress — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:58:30 GMT

Many learners are confused about past participles. I for one was. If I said "he was completely consumed for the past few days with the conference preparation." Do you consider "consumed" as participle adjective? Or passive construction? I was trained to look at it as passive. but I think they are both correct as ong as one can use them properly.