Search results for 'tag:Grammar' matching tag 'Grammar'

Re: troops vs soldiers

Yoong Liat — Sat, 17 May 2008 11:43:40 GMT

New2grammar

Oh no! Definition 2 makes things confusing. If a news article says two troops died in Baghdagh yesterday, how would you interpretate it?

Thanks, YL.

It would be reported as two soldiers died ...

Troops are soldiers, especially when they are in a particular large organized group doing a particular task.

When it is reported that 35,000 troops were deployed ..., it would refer to the whole group of individual soldiers, totalling 35,000.

Re: troops vs soldiers

Yoong Liat — Sat, 17 May 2008 11:26:09 GMT

New2grammar

Xinhua reported 135,000 Chinese troops and medics are involved in the rescue effort across 58 counties and cities.

Can I replace troops with soldiers in general?

Yes. The following extract from the Collins Cobuild Dictionary for Advanced Learners gives a very clear definition of 'troops'.

1. Troops are soldiers, especially when they are in a particular large organized group doing a particular task.

The next phase of the operation will involve the deployment of more than 35,000 troops from thirty-five countries.

2. A troop is a group of soldiers within a cavalry or armoured regiment.

... a troop of enemy cavalry trotting towards the Dutch right flank.

grammar doubts!

Anonymous — Sat, 17 May 2008 09:59:30 GMT

(1) I want to begin by saluting Professor Ravi Sharma for having brought this important conference into being. Of all the people I think of Ravi as the man who gets things done.

Should it be "is the man"? Please insert commas where necessary.

(2) But as the story has it ~~I'm not sure this is quite right~~(if it pertains to) Galileo, (but)---it used to be thought the larger objects fell faster than smaller objects.

Should "that" be inserted before "the larger objects"

(3) Now, this new way of knowing ~~proof~~which retired false hypotheses and put in place their alternative ~~ones that were confirmed~~and went on into laboratory experiment.

Are there too many emdashes? Please clarify.

(4) Let's just think about this subject that has brought us together. Religio is Latin for rebinding. And religion involves belonging and, when that belonging has been sundered, then work toward rebinding it.

Does the last sentence "And religion...rebinding it" has clarity in mening? Please rephrase.

(5) But let me remind you, the only submission by true people, a scientist and religionists, were the only one they wouldn't touch.

"were the only one " s-v agreement please check

(6) September 11 proved that the most advanced parts of the current civilization is prone to harm from its most marginalized parts and the source of this vulnerability should be found in different layers of politics, culture, and economy.

Should it be "are prone"

(7) Could you speak a little more as a blogger yourself about the role of weblogs and the new generation.

can question mark inserted instead of period

(8) I repeat what I said in my talk that so many religious conflicts in the world are just called religious. In fact, they are more political issues and they have their roots in politics.

"they are more political..." Does it make sense?

correct my sentence

poci_wasiats — Sat, 17 May 2008 06:51:32 GMT

are there any grammar mistakes in this sentence??thanx..

A company should prepare everything in a particular time before new systems to be implemented into the current systems in order to prevent something that unexpected by the company.

Re: competition vs contest

CalifJim — Sat, 17 May 2008 06:32:59 GMT

New2grammar
Can I replace competition with contest in general? Are they interchangable?

No. competition can be used as a noncount noun; contest cannot.

Our firm expects a lot of competition from several others in introducing this new product on the market. (contest absolutely cannot substitute for competition here.)

To my mind, contest connotes a more trivial kind of competition with a prize to the winner at the end. Sometimes just sending in a coupon for a random drawing is called 'entering a contest'.

Re: "I would be surprised..."

Peaceblinkfriend — Sat, 17 May 2008 05:24:10 GMT

Thanks for all your replies.

I know this is a very basic grammar question but for some reason I never inquired about it. Why do we say 'whatever is' instead of 'whatever are' ?

Thanks again for your help ; )

PBF

Re: fault alarm

Steven6317 — Sat, 17 May 2008 02:47:45 GMT

Thanks Grammar Geek!

steven

Re: is lucky is he presses 200 pounds

CalifJim — Sat, 17 May 2008 02:16:27 GMT

New2grammar
is lucky if he presses 200 pounds

would consider himself quite a success if he actually lifted 200 pounds above his chest while lying on his back on an exercise bench (because he so rarely manages to do it, if ever)

would consider himself to be having a good (lucky) day if he bench pressed 200 pounds (as described above)

The idiom be lucky if expresses having to be satisfied with a lesser amount of success when a greater amount is desired. Roughly "should consider oneself successful if only" / "it would be well worth noting if something so extraordinary took place"

Note:

-- I think I'll ask her for her phone number. -- Ha! You'll be lucky if she doesn't slap your face.

-- Someday I'm going to be the president of this company. -- Ha! You'll be lucky if they let you sweep the floors.

-- Can you press 250 pounds? -- Not yet! At this point I'm lucky if I press 180!

-- Henry says he going to try to climb Mt. Everest. -- Henry??? He's lucky if he climbs two flights of stairs without passing out!

-- Tess is confident she'll win the singing contest. -- Tess??? She's lucky if she gets through "Mary Had a Little Lamb" without messing up.

Re: correction 1

khoff — Sat, 17 May 2008 01:31:49 GMT

New2grammar
While walking aimlessly on the street in Chayenne, an image of her long-lost boyfriend flashed by in front of Amy.

This sounds as if the image was walking aimlessly on the street. How about something like, "As Amy walked aimlessly on the street in Cheyenne, an image of her long-lost boyfriend flashed by in front of her."

Also, if this is Cheyenne, Wyoming, note the correct spelling.

Re: correction...

CalifJim — Sat, 17 May 2008 01:18:50 GMT

It's very repetitive (appropriate, appropriate, appropriate, might, might, knowledge, knowledge, company's company's), and you need to apply some basic techniques like capitalization and punctuation.

Other than that, there's nothing wrong with it. The grammar is fine.