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

Re: Football / Ice hockey results and scores: How to write and talk

EagerSeeker — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:32:55 GMT

optilang
This is how I would say them

England is leading/is losing/lost/won (by three to one / 3 - 1) - England are leading/losing/lost/won three one.

England is leading/is losing/lost/won (by three goals to one / 3 - 1) - OK

England is leading/is losing/lost/won (by one goal to zero/nil / 3 - 0) - by three goals to nil/ England are losing/lost won three nil.

England is leading/is losing/lost/won (two nil/zero / two to nil/zero / 2 - 0) two nil or by two goals to nil.
The match/game/score is now even 3-3 (three three / ~~three to three~~) in the second half (football). The result is a draw . Three three draw, nil nil draw
The match/game/score is now even 3-3 in the third period (ice hockey).

Thanks for suggestions.

My English-Finnish dictionary has an example of using the verb "win" and according to it I can say "win by three to one".
Any thoughts? I think it would be ok since it is just a shortened version without the word "goals"
The Oxford Advanced Learner's dictionary mentions that the word "zero" is synonym of "nil" so maybe I can also say "two zero"?

And what about if I'll add the preposition "at" as follows?
The match/game/score is now even at 3-3

Re: What makes English so difficult to learn?

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:30:34 GMT

As a native English speaker (well perhaps not entirely native, I was born in Russia and immigrated to the U.S. at the tender age of 7) I would have to say that apart from the obviously difficult aspects of the English language such as tenses, an unorthodox phonetic system employed in the language and infuriating exceptions for just about every single rule, the two most puzzling features are the Verb+Participle+Preposition combinations and the sheer vastness of the vocabulary. Observe the former...

come+up+with

come+down+with

come+foward+with

come+out+for

come+down+to

Five different constructions which would be clear as day to any native speaker, are nevertheless mind-boggling to someone who is learning the language. Notice how they all start with "come", and then imagine that sort of illogical word-scrambling applied to every verb. Daunting, isn't it? Don't know how to break it to you folks, but I haven't even scratched the surface.

Now as to the latter, I am more than happy to have dictionary.com present proof of this phenomenon in my stead. Let's take a look at the word "jump". I mean, how many possible synonyms could there be for this word? Well, one simple search can help us find out. Here's the link:

http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/jump

40 entries for the first definition alone. FORTY. Forty different ways to say jump. But when you break it down, do all 40 words have the same meaning? Of course not! Nosedive means to jump into something headfirst, as in a pool of water or (if you're very unfortunate) onto a hardwood floor. To spring is to jump up energetically, with an almost almighty "lurch" (another word for jump right there :P) whereas to "bob" means to make jumping motions without every actually taking your feet off the ground. The list goes on and on. No other language I'm familiar with has such variety when it comes to synonyms, be it for seemingly uncomplicated actions or deep philosophical concepts.

Although English is my native language, I am also a nearly native speaker of Russian (I give credit to my parents for preserving the language of the "motherland" and passing it on to me) and fluent in German. I find Russian to be an incredibly expressive language with just as many (if not more) nuances as English, and its ability to convey feelings of dislike, anger or downright hateful fervor (i.e. swearing) is, in my experience, unmatched. German is an incredibly logical language, and once grammar constructs are mastered, relatively straightforward in its application. Mastering German grammar is a challenge however, and word order is an utter nuisance in some situations.

Just my two cents.

Re: Preposition Amid X Among

Marius Hancu — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:34:22 GMT

They are synonyms only in the meaning 1b:

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amid

1 a : in or into the middle of <burst like a bombshell amidst the contemporary complacency -- Isaac Goldberg> <amid such a world, if anywhere, our ideals henceforth must find a home -- Bertrand Russell> b : surrounded or encompassed by : AMONG <amidst a patch of snow-covered firs, a sixth cart waited -- F.V.W.Mason> <amid bulging wicker and pasteboard suitcases and bundles done up in cloth sat elderly men -- Andy Logan>

2 a : in the course of : DURING <amidst all the fighting there still remained a steady hope for peace> b : with the accompaniment of -- used to indicate that two or more specified conditions or occurrences are linked in time, cause, or circumstance <he completed the feat amidst cheers -- Time> <the buffaloes, who reproduced so rapidly amidst the favorable environment -- R.A.Billington>

http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com
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Preposition Amid X Among

Pao3 — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:27:01 GMT

I know this is rather futile problem yet I felt like I wouldn't sleep until I know the answer. Ere posting here I, of course, searched web and took a good look at all kinds of dictionaries (which are available for me). Needless to say that there wasn't any consensus among(?) them.

I give you three most common opinions that I know of:
1. Among and Amid are synonyms, there is no difference in using
2. Amid is only used when it is a "static" action and can't be used with dynamic words (such as go, swim run...)
3. The difference between Amid and Among lies in whether objects are distinguishable or not. If not then there is Amid otherwise there is Among...

I thank you in advance and I am looking forward to hearing from you.

PS: If none of these opinions is correct feel free to post your own, but, please, explain it to me.

Re: save for, apart from

Anonymous — Thu, 03 May 2007 15:20:39 GMT

Besides can be a synonym for " in addition to" or " as well as". Essentially it signifies " + "
"Except" and "except for" (not before a preposition or infinitive) work like "save for", i.e. that the following will be an exception, essentially a " - "
Confusingly, both can be substituted by "apart from".

Re: Analysis of a sentence

Philip — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:29:59 GMT

SeekerOfPeace wrote:
Hello everyone,

I'm trying to practice my understanding of grammar. I'm trying to be as detailed as possible in my explanations.

Is the following analysis right? Is there anything I should/could add to it?

Thanks.

The moment she entered¹, the woman presented a sharp contrast to our shiny store² with its bright lighting and neatly arranged shelves³.

1: dependant clause (subordinate clause)

2: Independent clause (main clause)

3: Prepositional phrase

The: Definite article, defines moment

Moment: noun, countable

She: personal pronoun, 3^rd person

Entered: Simple past, Simple past

The: Definite article, defines woman

Presented: Verb, simple past, synonym in this context: provide

A: non-definite article I've always used the term 'indefinite'.

Sharp: adjective

To: preposition

Our: Possessive pronoun (personal pronoun, possessive case) Can I say possessive pronoun?

With: preposition (descriptive)

Its: pronoun, replaces store

Bright: adjective

Lighting: noun

And: conjunction

Neatly: adverb

Arranged: adjective

Shelves: noun

Excellent work! 100%

Analysis of a sentence

SeekerOfPeace — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 13:53:51 GMT

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to practice my understanding of grammar. I'm trying to be as detailed as possible in my explanations.

Is the following analysis right? Is there anything I should/could add to it?

Thanks.

The moment she entered¹, the woman presented a sharp contrast to our shiny store² with its bright lighting and neatly arranged shelves³.

1: dependant clause (subordinate clause)

2: Independent clause (main clause)

3: Prepositional phrase

The: Definite article, defines moment

Moment: noun, countable

She: personal pronoun, 3^rd person

Entered: Simple past, Simple past

The: Definite article, defines woman

Presented: Verb, simple past, synonym in this context: provide

A: non-definite article

Sharp: adjective

To: preposition

Our: Possessive pronoun (personal pronoun, possessive case) Can I say possessive pronoun?

With: preposition (descriptive)

Its: pronoun, replaces store

Bright: adjective

Lighting: noun

And: conjunction

Neatly: adverb

Arranged: adjective

Shelves: noun

Re: problem in definition of ''up''

Old Man Gordon — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 18:57:44 GMT

In idioms, often the preposition is indefinable, so you shouldn't focus on it.

But, I know you want to, so I'll help (just for fun). In ³up, the up shows a direction, but this has no connection to actual direction. Basketball players run up and down the court. Generally, I like to think that 'up' is away, and down is back toward me. But that's really not true. I can just as easily say 'Go up the street/Come up the street/Go down the street/Come down the street, and mean exactly the same thing. MAYBE we can say that the up in your examples is 'away from a defined point.'

I think ¹up is completely indefinable, especially since 'lay up' and 'lay in' are synonyms.

Re: Difference between till & until

Marius Hancu — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 15:02:53 GMT

There's some differentiation between the two here, they seem to be considered synonyms only for the meaning 2:

---------
till

Function:preposition

1 chiefly Scotland a : to a place of arrival : through to : as far as <till an end> b : to or toward a limit or goal <changed till a dragon> c : TO -- used to introduce an indirect object or complement of various adjectives and nouns <gie it till him> <aye kind till his ain> d : AT, BY, FOR, OF, CONCERNING

2 : throughout the interval extending to : during the whole time from the starting point up to : up or down to a specified time : UNTIL -- used with an implication of termination or change at the time mentioned <till his return> <till after four o'clock> <till next week> <to live till ninety>

3 : at any time before or before the arrival, appearance, or beginning of -- used after a negative expression with an implication that the action or condition began or is to begin at the specified time <a refund which I did not get till ten years later>

4 -- used as a function word indicating position before the clock hour <five minutes till three>

http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com
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Re: admonish against

Mr Patrick — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 19:18:48 GMT

The meaning of "to admonish" you have in mind is a synonym of "to reprimand", and would certainly require the preposition "for".

But in the context of the linked exam, "to admonish" functions as a synonym of "to warn". See this entry in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/admonish

Regards, Patrick