http://www.englishforums.com/search/pro.htm?q=user%3akomountain&o=DateDescendingSearch results for 'user:komountain'en-USXMOD (Build: 3616.28671)http://www.englishforums.com/English/InsistThatHeRest/chqdm/post.htm#206250Wed, 15 Mar 2006 02:10:50 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:206250komountainA few more verbs that share the same usage as 'insist': advise, command, demand, require, request, ask, suggest, recommend, ... ex)The doctor advised that he stop smoking. ex)She asked that her name not be revealed.http://www.englishforums.com/English/PositionTeaching/3/czvnn/Post.htm#193609Tue, 07 Feb 2006 07:52:13 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:193609komountainHi, Paco. As one learner to another, I know how you feel about this. We learners have seen lots of cases where 'in' is omitted, as in the expressions in the following: be busy (in) -ing have difficulty (in) -ing have struggle (in) -ing have a hard/good time (in) -ing have fun (in) -ing spend time (in) -ing have trouble (in) -ing However, we are less acquainted with the omission of the appositive preposition 'of' from the expressions below. position/job/occupation/work of -ing. I don't think it's as easy to find examples of omitting 'of' as it is to find cases of omitting 'in'. This relative unfamiliarity apparently causes us to wonder why the construction like 'a position teaching' is possible. I...http://www.englishforums.com/English/IHope/cvjgm/post.htm#189639Fri, 27 Jan 2006 19:42:48 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:189639komountainThe verb 'hope' is a bit tricky for learners. It can take structures such as: S + hope that S + V... and S + hope to V... but it cannot take S + hope someone to V... So, you cannot say, "I hope you to get well soon," or "I hoped him to pass the test, but he didn't."http://www.englishforums.com/English/Fomentation/cvcgk/post.htm#187704Mon, 23 Jan 2006 23:04:45 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:187704komountainIn the given context, 'foment' has a medical connotation. In a medical community, it means to warm an injured area by applying to it a strip of cloth soaked with hot water or a rubber bag containing hot water.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Fomentation/cvcgk/post.htm#187394Mon, 23 Jan 2006 04:59:35 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:187394komountainWith regard to #1, try to look up 'foment.' 'Fomentation' is its noun form. Minor correction: "What's the meaning of ...?" With #2, it is not a complete sentence so it's a guessing game. It seems like a title of a paragraph. But your understanding is most likely what it means. Minor correction: " ...have the right to vote."http://www.englishforums.com/English/CantStandCantStandVing/cvbjv/post.htmSun, 22 Jan 2006 14:36:30 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:187140komountainHi. I remember the subject question was once discussed on this forum. One moderator said to the effect that the expression 'can't stand' takes either form. However, I've gotten rather confusing information on this from two different websites. One classifies 'can't stand' as a verb that takes an -ing form as its object, while the other lists it as a verb that can take either a gerund or an infinitive. I personally have used the -ing form and thus I prefer it, but as a non-native speaker I want to doublecheck. Are these two forms used in equal proportions, or is one more commonly used than the other, or is ether of the two sites wrong? I need a clincher. Thanks.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ComparativePositiveCompared/ccpvw/post.htm#181692Wed, 11 Jan 2006 18:45:56 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:181692komountainThank you all. A patch of fog lifted. When new patches spill in, I'll be back.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ComparativePositiveCompared/ccpvw/post.htmTue, 10 Jan 2006 21:07:15 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:181279komountainHi. Which sounds better, long or longer and difficult or more difficult? 1. 2. With #2, I'd definitely go for 'more difficult' but with #1 'long' would not be a bad idea, would it? I'd like someone to confirm this. Thanks.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ISometimesUsedTo/crpcm/post.htm#172169Tue, 20 Dec 2005 08:59:40 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:172169komountainYou don't need to say sorry, nona. You didn't do anything wrong. You had simply offered your well-intentioned ideas. Different people have different opinions. It's even more so when it comes to the usages of languages of any kind. Merry Christmas!http://www.englishforums.com/English/ISometimesUsedTo/crpcm/post.htm#171563Mon, 19 Dec 2005 02:10:53 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:171563komountainInteresting, indeed. I've always thought "I sometimes used to..." is an ugly construction. But I recently gave a twist to my thinking and began to wonder if "sometimes used to ..." was acceptable. Ever since I've been rollercoasting between the suspicion of and support for the validity of the 'twisted' construction. So, as usual, I decided to resort to this forum and posted the question. Now, after reading all the comments above, for which I am grateful, I feel as if the rollercoaster were on a wilder track.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ISometimesUsedTo/crpcm/post.htmSun, 18 Dec 2005 18:24:59 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:171423komountainHi. Is it all right to put the adverbs of frequency together with 'used to'? When young, I sometimes/often/occasionally used to go fishing. Doesn't 'sometimes used to' sound grating?http://www.englishforums.com/English/ComeNearIng/crmnn/post.htm#171415Sun, 18 Dec 2005 18:15:47 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:171415komountainThank you all for your comments. I wish you and all our forum members a merry Christmas!http://www.englishforums.com/English/ComeNearIng/crmnn/post.htmSat, 17 Dec 2005 09:32:03 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:170744komountainHi everyone, Which of the following two sentences sounds the more natural? He came near punching the taxi driver in the jaw. He came near to punching the taxi driver in the jaw. I think I have so far used the first. My dictionary, however, indicates both are correct. Thanks.http://www.englishforums.com/English/QuotationRepliedI/crgwc/post.htmMon, 12 Dec 2005 02:50:54 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:168914komountainHello. 1. "That's enough," said the man . 2. "Thats' enough," the man said . Both are correct when the speaker (the man) is not a pronoun. 3. "That's enough," she said . 4. That's enough," said she . Sentences 3 and 4 seem correct. Now let's look at the following. 5. "That's enough," I replied . 6. "That's enough," replied I. Sentence #5 is definitely correct. Is Sentence #6 also correct? For some reason, it sounds awkward to me. I'd appreciate your comments.http://www.englishforums.com/English/IHate/bqkck/post.htm#165571Sat, 03 Dec 2005 06:47:24 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:165571komountainHi, Paco. I am glad that you and I were taught the same way. Our distinction seems to have blurred over time. I shook my head the other day when I found in a very old book a question asking to choose between hate to V and hate Ving in a sentence like my first example. Old as it is, the book may not reflect the present-day usages. So I was tempted to ask. Judging from the absence of other responses than yours, all others seem to agree there is no difference between the two in question. Have a great day, Paco.http://www.englishforums.com/English/IHate/bqkck/post.htmThu, 01 Dec 2005 22:42:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:165063komountainHi. I don't know where I got this---the usage of the verb 'hate'. What's in my head is: hate Ving: connotes habitual hate hate to V: connotes temporary hate ex) I hate answering the phone and very often just let it ring. (habitual) ex) I don't know why, but today somehow I hate to answer the phone. You go get it. (temporary) I am not sure whether this 'rule' is applicable. Sometimes, suspicision arises. Would you please verify this? Thank you in advance.http://www.englishforums.com/English/WatchWithOrWithoutTo/bphqc/post.htm#160919Mon, 21 Nov 2005 04:19:03 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:160919komountainIt's necessary that a distinction be made between sentence structures. and are different in essence. When you use an object and the object is the agent of the action expressed by V/Ving, you cannot choose a to-infinitive. This applies to your example sentences 1 and 2. in your third example simply expresses purpose, as others have already said. You may adopt quite a few expressions to signify purposes: in order to V, so as to V, to V, for Ving, so that S V, etc. It is noteworthy, however, that even in the pattern, if you want to express purpose, you should use . See the sentence below. I watched the movie to find out who starred in it. (to find out: purpose) cf. I watched him drawing a picture. ('him' is the agent of...http://www.englishforums.com/English/DespiteThatClause/bpmjz/post.htm#160898Mon, 21 Nov 2005 02:51:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:160898komountainHi MrP and CJ. The reason I asked this question was that I had a small argument over the usage of 'despite' with my nephew who is currently studying English with native speakers. He argued that his teachers had said the above pattern in question was not only correct but also in use, but I insisted that the pattern was not correct, as far as modern English is concerned. I am glad you both are on my side.http://www.englishforums.com/English/DespiteThatClause/bpmjz/post.htmSun, 20 Nov 2005 23:20:39 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:160842komountainHello everyone. Is "Despite that S + V..., S + V ...." acceptable? I know that without ' that ' it's obviously incorrect. In other words, would you accept the following sentence as standard? ex) Despite that you still owe me $100, I am willing to lend you another $100.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ItWasALongTimeComing/bpdxz/post.htm#158416Mon, 14 Nov 2005 08:48:17 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:158416komountainThanks, guys. I am happy to wrap up another day learning something new.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ItWasALongTimeComing/bpdxz/post.htmMon, 14 Nov 2005 01:33:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:158326komountainHi, all. a part taken from a magazine: In the streets of Kreuzberg and Neukolln, one of Berlin's toughest immigrant areas, there don't seem to be many angry young men wandering around. In these largely Turkish neighborhoods, the young are more focused on finding opportunities to improve their lives. And, after decades of neglecting the guest workers who were supposedly going home one day, Germany is beginning to help them. It was a long time coming. I construe the boldfaced sentence to mean: It was/took a long time to come or The help took a long time to come. Assuming I am right, the use of an -ing form admittedly bothers me. Is it simply an idiomatic way of saying it? Best regards,http://www.englishforums.com/English/Minor/bxzvd/post.htmTue, 01 Nov 2005 09:48:01 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:153819komountainHello. His injuries suffered in the accident turned out to be minor . Here, the word minor is in predicative usage, not in attributive usage. My instinct tells me that the word minor should be used attributively as in: He suffered minor injuries in the accident . Can I use it either way?http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToVerbIngButWhyHere/3/bxbjj/Post.htm#153086Sun, 30 Oct 2005 06:39:04 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:153086komountainThat's true, MrP. 'commitment to' takes either a gerund or an infinitive. I did want to mention this point, but I felt that '-ing' is more commonly used. The verb form 'commit' takes either too, espousing Paco's argument. I think is another example of this.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToVerbIngButWhyHere/2/bxbjj/Post.htm#152974Sat, 29 Oct 2005 22:47:01 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:152974komountainHi, rishonly. I don't think there will be a master stroke for this. 'Just pay close attention to individual nouns' is the trick. I don't know how your English-Indian dictionary is printed. My dictionary shows in parentheses the prepositions that go with the nouns. For example, if I look up 'devotion', the dictionary shows: devotion n. ...definition... (to) This means the word 'devotion' teams up with 'to'. I hope your dictionary is in the same format. In addition, when I come across the pattern, I attach more significance to it than I would to the , because the former structure appears a lot less often than the latter.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToVerbIngButWhyHere/2/bxbjj/Post.htm#152930Sat, 29 Oct 2005 20:49:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:152930komountainTo Max- With this topic narrowed down to a gerund or an infinituive, I'd say that in most cases 'to' requires the base form of a verb. In some cases, however, must be used. You need to take a case-by-case approach to this. Here, -ing is a gerund which functions as a noun, not a present participle which acts as an adjective. Actually, a gerund contains the features of both a noun and a verb. Here are some examples of . commitment to -ing devotion to -ing dedication to -ing key to -ing There will be many more. To rishonly I don't think Paco meant construction always takes an -ing form. Again, a case-by-case approach is recommended. is correct, but is not. Additionally, is also incorrect. Best regards,http://www.englishforums.com/English/AboutTo/bxbbh/post.htm#152875Sat, 29 Oct 2005 17:52:36 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:152875komountainThank you, MM. Clear. When I was learning English decades ago, my teachers used to say, "Don't forget to use 'to'. Unless you use it, you are wrong." This 'sermon' has been dinned into me and has been seemingly supported by grammar books or other writings. Occasionally, however, I have come across the sentences where 'to' is missing. Confusion took hold of me, leading me to ask. Now that you have clearly answered my question, I think that this 'to' is going through a transition, an inevitability in the life of a language.http://www.englishforums.com/English/AboutTo/bxbbh/post.htmSat, 29 Oct 2005 00:20:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:152616komountainHi. Take a look at the following sentences, please. 1. I am doing this because I was asked to . 2. Just do it as you were told to . 3. You may go home if you want to . 4. You may buy a new car now if you wish to . Which of the to s are must-be-used items and which are optional? Grammatically, all the sentences above should maintain 'to' but in reality I somehow feel that sentence 1 should keep ' to ', while the other to s are all optional. Is there anything that I should be aware of? Best regards,http://www.englishforums.com/English/SvocGtSvco/bnxqw/post.htm#151996Wed, 26 Oct 2005 19:00:24 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:151996komountainHi, Paco. My guess, maybe a wild one: There seems to be a divide. If the C is the result of the verb's action , SVCO is possible. But if the C expresses the state at the time of action , only SVOC is possible. He pushed open the gate that had been shut for quite a long time. (open: the result of 'push') She snipped open the letter from her uncle who had been very nice to her. (open: the result of 'snip') vs He left his classroom angry . (angry: the state at the time of 'leave') She came back home hungry . (hungry: the sate at the time of 'come') Unfortunately, I am not sure whether this divide can be applicable universally.http://www.englishforums.com/English/VocabularyIt/bnxpp/post.htm#151855Wed, 26 Oct 2005 09:07:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:151855komountain(A knock on the door) Mr. Ko: Who is it? (No answers. Mr. Ko opens the door and finds no one at the door, so he closes it. A little later, he hears another knock on the door.) Mr. Ko: Who is it? (Again, he opens the door and finds no one out there. A minute later he hears yet another knock.) Mr. Ko: Who is it, knocking the door again and again? ........................... Put in an indirect question, the last sentence above will be something like: I really can't tell who it is , knocking the door again and again. Rather than considering 'it' part of a cleft sentence structure, I'd see it as a demonstrative pronoun. However, if you add 'that is,' the sentence will be: I really can't tell who it is that is...http://www.englishforums.com/English/UsedTo/bnpzg/post.htm#151844Wed, 26 Oct 2005 08:07:55 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:151844komountainThere are three things to remember about 'used.' 1. be used to -ing This is an equivalent of 'be accustomed to -ing.' ex) I am used to living alone. 2. be used to V As Paco said, this is simply a passive form of the ordinary verb 'use' ex) We use irons to press clothes. ---> Irons are used to press clothes (by us.) 3. used to V This expresses the action or state of the past, implying that such action or state no longer occurs or exists. ex) I used to smoke. (action; I smoked in the past, but not any more.) ex) There used to be a tall oak tree near the station. (state; the tree was there, but now it's gone.) Hope this helps.http://www.englishforums.com/English/While/bnlmb/post.htm#150873Sun, 23 Oct 2005 19:16:34 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:150873komountain....while (it was) in British quarantine. "it was" can be omitted. Example: I met Teo while (I was) in Taipei.http://www.englishforums.com/English/WithTicketInHand/bnwcw/post.htm#150739Sun, 23 Oct 2005 04:06:06 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:150739komountainThank you, Paco. Your research results help in further consolidating my summary above. The 'uncomfartable hybrid,' as MrPedantic aptly termed the pattern in question, is quite troublesome for the learners like you and me, and perhaps many others out there. Well, if we look at the other side of the coin, I dare say it adds some zest to our shared language-learning endeavors by allowing us to sometimes divert ourselves from a world of the ordinary. Rather than frowning on this hybrid, I'd rather take a sanguine view.http://www.englishforums.com/English/WithTicketInHand/bnwcw/post.htm#150136Fri, 21 Oct 2005 07:37:06 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:150136komountainThank you all for your contributions. Let me summarize what you have said. 1. With no article: you don't need a possessive before the body part. With x ticket in x hand, .... 2. With an article: you need a possessive. With a ticket in my hand, .... 3. 'With' may be omitted. 4. The use of adjectives has nothing to do with the use or non-use of 'a'. If this is all right, another question flashes across my mind. Are these variations considered incorrect? a. With a ticket in x hand, .... b. With x ticket in my hand, .... Well, sentence b seems incorrect, but I am not quite sure about sentence a. If your students write like a, would you cross out the article?http://www.englishforums.com/English/WithTicketInHand/bnwcw/post.htmThu, 20 Oct 2005 09:44:55 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:149744komountainHi, all. In the pattern, I often find no indefinite article used. Examples: With ticket in hand , I proceeded to the boarding gate. With suitcase in hand , he briskly walked into his office. With book in hand , the teacher paced the floor back and forth. All the nouns here (ticket, suitcase, book) are countable and singular, so I think they are well qualified to take indefinite article 'a'. Could it be wrong if I add it? If I add adjectives like 'shiny', 'heavy' and 'thick' before the nouns, respectively, do I need to use 'a'? I would very much appreciate your comments on this. Best regards,http://www.englishforums.com/English/IsAnythingWrongSentence/6/bnvww/Post.htm#149237Tue, 18 Oct 2005 22:25:33 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:149237komountainI guess Paco has gotten his 'capacity' equation from rationales underlying the following sentence or the like. I think him to be clever. -----> 'him to be clever' = 'He is clever.' Hi, Paco. Hard to explain but let me try. I've always marveled at his capaicty to deal with such touchy issues with ease. (capacity = ability) It's rewritten as: I've always marveled at his ability to deal with such touchy issues with ease. Here, 'to deal ......ease' should simply be viewed as an adjectival phrase modifying 'capacity' or 'ability.' If you think the above 'marvel' sentences work fine, there is no reason, I feel, that the original 'computer's capacity' sentence doesn't work. I am afraid my two cents may have...http://www.englishforums.com/English/IBookBookDifferences/bmqqv/post.htm#148039Sat, 15 Oct 2005 08:55:54 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:148039komountainHi, Anonymous. Regarding the 'have got to V' pattern, could it be wrong if I say: "You've got to wash the dishes, don't you ?" I think I have heard native speakers say like this and I have imitated them.http://www.englishforums.com/English/AdverbialAdjectives/2/bnrxl/Post.htm#148034Sat, 15 Oct 2005 08:18:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:148034komountainHi, Hela. Did you underline correctly? Assuning you are asking about 'bright' and 'shut,' I would say the former seems to be an adverbial that can be replaced with 'brightly,' and that the latter is a past participle that functions as an adjective explaining the resultative state. In view of this, your analysis seems to hold water. (Oh, now I notice they are colored.) Davkett, what if I take all -lys from your examples 'Eating cheaply', 'living cheaply', 'traveling cheaply'? Do their original meanings change in any way?http://www.englishforums.com/English/AProblemWithProblem/2/bmjbx/Post.htm#146223Sun, 09 Oct 2005 19:30:25 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:146223komountainOK. I now declare the case settled. Already in progress are my renovation efforts to throw out the incorrect and usher in the correct. Thank you all.http://www.englishforums.com/English/AProblemWithProblem/bmjbx/post.htm#145960Sat, 08 Oct 2005 19:41:27 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:145960komountainYou are right, Paco. The word 'problem' is definitely a countable noun. That's why when I first encountered the expression 'have x problem -ing,' perhaps decades ago, I thought it's a rather unusual construction. This peculiarity compelled me to memorize the expression by rote then. Along the way, the eccentricity, if you will, seemed to have been supported by the sentences I occasionally came across. Here is another sentence retrieved from my personal data. If my memory serves me right, the sentence was taken from either a newspaper or a magazine. Small- and medium-sized businesses have problem getting people to work for them. If it's a typo, the case is settled. (p.s.: Remember I always enjoy reading your posts.) ...http://www.englishforums.com/English/AProblemWithProblem/bmjbx/post.htm#145719Fri, 07 Oct 2005 23:39:09 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:145719komountainJust to bring this thread back to front page in an attempt to increase chances of getting attention.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToVerbIng/bmjhm/post.htm#145265Thu, 06 Oct 2005 21:05:44 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:145265komountainThe 'to' in the expression 'on the road to...' is a preposition. Therefore, it requires a noun(including a gerund) as an object. The 'road' in your example was used in a figurative sense. The word can, of course, be used to refer to a real road. In whichever sense you may use it, the road is something that leads to a certain thing or place. The 'to' in your example has the connotation of 'the road that leads to a thing or place.' If a car pulls up and its driver asks you which way he should go to get to Istanbul, you may reply,"You are on the right road to Istanbul." Other examples: a gateway to becoming a teacher the stairs to the rooftop the door to the basement the hallway to the gym Here are more: be used...http://www.englishforums.com/English/AProblemWithProblem/bmjbx/post.htm#145228Thu, 06 Oct 2005 17:44:44 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:145228komountainHi, Paco. Thank you for your tips. I am a bit surprised that my favorite ranks low in the list. My habitual usage has been either 'have problem -ing' or 'have a problem/problems with N (not gerund).' Other comments are welcome.http://www.englishforums.com/English/AProblemWithProblem/bmjbx/post.htmThu, 06 Oct 2005 09:39:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:145109komountainHello. I have so far used 'have problem -ing...' But today I came across a sentence using 'have a problem -ing.' If you don't add '-ing,' you may say like "I have a problem. Could you help me out?" But if you add it as in "These days, small companies have problem finding young and bright workers," you wouldn't use 'a' before 'problem,' would you?http://www.englishforums.com/English/SupplyTheCorrectVerbForm/bmgpx/post.htm#144557Tue, 04 Oct 2005 20:45:28 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:144557komountainMy try: 1> to repeat (causative passive) -- to make (purpose) -- doing/supposed to do/going to do/expected to do (You may think of other variations) 2> goes/will go/is going/is going to go -- washttp://www.englishforums.com/English/LookingForAProverb/bmgcn/post.htm#144552Tue, 04 Oct 2005 19:58:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:144552komountainThank you, davkett. I am squeezing one more into the already limited storage in my noggin. Limited, not because it's full of other valuables, but because it's packed with the debris of dead cells.http://www.englishforums.com/English/LookingForAProverb/bmgcn/post.htmMon, 03 Oct 2005 20:16:54 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:144258komountainI knew this proverb. But it has slipped my mind over time. It means that a bad one in a group eventually spoils the whole group. All I remember are its fragments: bad, bunch, apple or bananna. Nowhere in my data could I find the whole sentence. Please help.http://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatISuggestYouToDoIs/bmgcl/post.htmMon, 03 Oct 2005 20:02:04 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:144256komountainHi. The other day, I heard a municipal government clerk say to me, "What I suggest you to do is ...." I don't think her statement is grammatically correct, even though it is perfectly understandable. I wonder whether the pattern is accepted as grammatical these days. Best regards,http://www.englishforums.com/English/AnAntonymQuestion/2/bllqr/Post.htm#141389Sat, 24 Sep 2005 19:41:38 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:141389komountainSorry, I forgot to log in, and I put on some trimming touches. I am somehow inclined toward E (enduring). inchoate: having just started, thus new = having not lasted long enduring: having been there quite long, thus old = having lasted long ex) inchoate friendship vs. enduring friendship I am not so sure, though, but if I were compelled to choose one in an exam, I would be torn between 'explicit' and 'enduring' for a while, and my ultimate choice would be E. Am I flunked?http://www.englishforums.com/English/UnderstandPhrase/blmmd/post.htm#141264Sat, 24 Sep 2005 08:08:21 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:141264komountainIt means 'nearly' or 'almost.' These adverbs imply that the thing, whatever it is, did not actually happen. "The truck all but hit him." This means he wasn't actually hit by the truck. The truck passed very close by him, almost knocking him down.http://www.englishforums.com/English/AdjClauseOrNounClause/2/bbpwz/Post.htm#140100Wed, 21 Sep 2005 08:46:14 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:140100komountainThanks, miriam. You're right. Where do the prepositional clauses in your examples belong? Are they classed as adjective clauses or adverb clauses? My instinct tells me that they belong to adjective clauses. I hope I am right. Best regards,