Search results for 'tag:Numbers tag:Prepositions' matching tags 'Numbers' and 'Prepositions'

Re: Dear Friends,

richard_s — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:26:57 GMT

The aquatics centre will have a total capacity of 22,500, out of which 17,500 seats will be for the diving and pool competition(,) and the other 5,000 will be in the water polo section of the centre.

Notes:

Capitals - only capitalise the first letter of a sentence of names of things (proper nouns).

to seat - it is unusual to use total and to seat together. Â They don't collocate. We either say a total capacity of...Â orÂ a capacity to seat...

Punctuation - the semicolon use is incorrect there. Â You need a comma. Â Out of which actually begins a (dependent) relative clause which is the object of a preposition. Â Use semicolons when you are separating independent clauses.

the rest - the restÂ means all of the other seats. Â We don't use it with a number because it means all that is left. Â We use the otherÂ with a number to achieve the same meaning.

will be put up for - this seems wrong here though I am not exactly sure of your meaning. Â In this case, forÂ seems more logical.

Re: in at last vs. at least in

Cool Breeze — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 07:27:38 GMT

Huevos
OK, but is there an argument that demonstrates "in" is somehow connected to "ways".

Your comments help me understand why some native speakers consider English grammar difficult. What else could in be connected to in the original sentence? In is used with way[s ]. In informal style the preposition is sometimes left out:

It can be done in a number of ways.

It can't be done in any other way. (But: It can't be done on any other day.)

"I did it [in] my way."

It is wrong to say: It can be done on a number of ways. It can be done after a number of ways. It can be done to a number of ways, etc.

If a preposition is required by a verb, changing the verb changes the preposition as well - unless, of course, the new verb requires the same preposition. Other changes have no effect on the preposition. Examples:

It can be laughed at. The problem can't be laughed at. His success was laughed at.

It can be thought of/about. The problem can be thought of/about.

It can be looked into. The problem can be looked into.

Approach doesn't require in:

It can be approached in. (Wrong, at least in Helsinki English!)

sentence questions

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:02:15 GMT

Hi, Please take a look at these sentences (one is partially given) and tell me why that is.

1. The policy, which has given rise a number of opinions, confusion, and concerns, is now ...

I feel uncomfortable seeing the word 'confusion' after the phrase 'a number of' because it seems to modify the word 'confusion' and having 'a number of confusion' doesn't sound right. Right? I also feel there should be the preposition 'to' after the word 'rise'. What do you say?

2. ... will be reflected in the direction and particulars of this governement policy. -- I wonder why a singular word, direction. Could we make it the plural 'directions'?

Re: Another way is for when...

Doll — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:56:28 GMT

My try:

What ... for = Why This is a common structure. Try to remember this.

As for the other "for", it seems to me that it is just an innocent "for" which you will find in the dictionary as a preposition. The second for is the same with the first for in the second sentence.

...the numbers are used for counting and for when they are used as labels. (You can change this for being used as labels to see the parallelilsm)

Another way is for when...

EagerSeeker — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:43:38 GMT

Hi,

how are you today? I have a problem with the preposition for.

What does the preposition "for" mean in the following sentence? Is it just used to show purpose or function (e.g. What did you do that for?),
is this some kind of be + for structure meaning something else or is it relating to the previous sentence (used for counting...[and] for when they are...)?

"Another way is for when they are used as labels."

The sentence is taken from the following context:

"Intermediate numbers are read differently depending on their use. Their typical naming occurs when the numbers are used for counting. Another way is for when they are used as labels."

Thanks

A Little Help with Capitals

angel_tristan0409 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:07:10 GMT

A Little Help with Capitals

This handout lists some guidelines for capitalization. If you have a question about whether a specific word should be capitalized that doesn't fit under one of these rules, try checking a dictionary to see if the word is capitalized there.

Use capital letters in the following ways:

The first words of a sentence

When he tells a joke, he sometimes forgets the punch line.

The pronoun "I"

The last time I visited Atlanta was several years ago.

Proper nouns (the names of specific people, places, organizations, and sometimes things)

Worrill Fabrication Company

Golden Gate Bridge

Supreme Court

Livingston, Missouri

Atlantic Ocean

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Family relationships (when used as proper names)

I sent a thank-you note to Aunt Abigail, but not to my other aunts.

Here is a present I bought for Mother.

Did you buy a present for your mother?

The names of God, specific deities, religious figures, and holy books

God the Father

the Virgin Mary

the Bible

the Greek gods

Moses

Shiva

Buddha

Zeus

Exception: Do not capitalize the non-specific use of the word "god."

The word "polytheistic" means the worship of more than one god.

Titles preceding names, but not titles that follow names

She worked as the assistant to Mayor Hanolovi.

I was able to interview Miriam Moss, mayor of Littonville.

Directions that are names (North, South, East, and West when used as sections of the country, but not as compass directions)

The Patels have moved to the Southwest.

Jim's house is two miles north of Otterbein.

The days of the week, the months of the year, and holidays (but not the seasons used generally)

Halloween

October

Friday

winter

spring

fall

Exception: Seasons are capitalized when used in a title.

The Fall 1999 semester

The names of countries, nationalities, and specific languages

Costa Rica

Spanish

French

English

The first word in a sentence that is a direct quote

Emerson once said, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

The major words in the titles of books, articles, and songs (but not short prepositions or the articles "the," "a," or "an," if they are not the first word of the title)

One of Jerry's favorite books is The Catcher in the Rye.

Members of national, political, racial, social, civic, and athletic groups

Green Bay Packers

African-Americans

Anti-Semitic

Democrats

Friends of the Wilderness

Chinese

Periods and events (but not century numbers)

Victorian Era

Great Depression

Constitutional Convention

sixteenth century

Trademarks

Pepsi

Honda

IBM

Microsoft Word

Words and abbreviations of specific names (but not names of things that came from specific things but are now general types)

Freudian

NBC

pasteurize

french fries

italics

Re: corrections 7

YoungCalifornian — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:22:21 GMT

(a) A librarian works in / at the library. / A librarian is in charge of a library.

All three are correct, but have slightly different meanings. Also, the switch between indefinite and definite articles in your first two examples sounds odd.

(b) A grasshopper looks / looks like a praying mantis.

I don't understand the distinction you're trying to draw here. A grasshopper looks like a praying mantis is correct.

(c) A boy is climbing / climbing up the ladder.

Again, I don't understand the distinction you're trying to draw here. A boy is climbing up the ladder is correct.

(d) The water lily plants / water lily float on the pond.
The water lily plants are floating in the pond.

The first example is correct as it is, although people usually call them "water lilies" instead of "water lily plants." The second example is incorrect because the conjugation of the verb "float" does not match the noun. It has to be either the water lilies float... or the water lily floats... depending on the number of water lilies you're referring to. The third example is correct. In this context, either the preposition "on" or "in" can be used depending on your meaning. Using "on" emphasizes that the lilies are on top of the water (think of a vertical plane). Using "in" emphasizes that the lilies are in the middle of the pond (think of a horizontal plane).

e) He is picking up the book on the floor.
He is picking the book up on / from the floor.

I would avoid using the preposition "on" in this context. It is technically correct if you want to emphasize "the book on the floor" as the entire subject. However most people would assume that "on" complements the verb "to pick up". In that case, only "from" would be the correct preposition. Either He is picking up the book from the floor or He is picking the book up from the floor sounds best.

(f) This is a photograph of my family.

This sentence is fine.

(g) The boy pointed to /at the toy he wanted.

Either preposition is correct, but using "to" emphasizes the act of pointing itself a bit more.

(h) She is putting the dirty clothes in / into the washing machine.

Technically "into" is more correct since the laundry will be wholly inside the washing machine, but native speakers will often substitute "in" for "into" in this context.

Re: prepositions after verbs

CalifJim — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 05:49:59 GMT

Anonymous
Do I have to learn every combinations of verbs and adverbial particles?

Yes. I'm afraid so. After you learn quite a number of them, they will begin to form patterns in your mind, and it will become easier. It is most difficult at first, but it gets easier as you learn more.

Re: Numbers

26TMNTJG2PG — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 08:09:00 GMT

New2grammar
I have no problem with your version but my question was whether cut troops is OK.

Actually, for 'cut' to mean 'reduce', it needs to be followed by the preposition 'down'. To cut numbers (without the 'down') is still understandable but not to cut troops.

Re: near/nearby

Avangi — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:44:25 GMT

I think of "nearby" as an adverb and "near" as a preposition. (Both can be adjectives: She lives in a nearby neighborhood. The Dow will continue to lose money in the near term.)

I would say, "I live close by / to the city center, and my friend lives nearby."

I'd be inclined to view your number 2 as incorrect, but I could be wrong. Number one is fine.

Edit. My dictionary allows "near" as an adverb, in "Please come near the fire."

There seem to be several ways to look at it.

- A.