Most active questions
32 questions from the last 7 days
7
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9
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What is the adjective for a person that doesn't have any vices or sin
I always forget this word even though I use it often and when I do try to recall it, for some reason I always think of the word "bipartisan".
I would describe it somebody's lifestyle, an ...
8
votes
4
answers
2k
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Should it be "is" or "are"? "This tool has far greater powers than is/are apparent"
I must tell you that this tool has far greater powers than is now apparent.
OR
I must tell you that this tool has far greater powers than are now apparent.
5
votes
3
answers
2k
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Should it be “was” or “were”? “The results were not as conclusive as was/were expected”
The results were not as conclusive as were expected.
or
The results were not as conclusive as was expected.
2
votes
2
answers
450
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Europe-bound vs. European-bound
First sentence of this article: https://apnews.com/article/libya-europe-migrants-shipwreck-7bb9e036d9c9997f524db134aba8b00f
Libya’s coast guard intercepted dozens of Europe-bound migrants on a boat ...
0
votes
2
answers
89
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Can "however" void what has been said beforehand? [closed]
Google’s English dictionary, powered by Oxford Languages, says that "however" introduces a statement that contrasts with or seems to contradict something that has been said previously.
Then ...
1
vote
2
answers
108
views
Difference between "human male" and "male human"
Could you please help me settle an argument? It's regarding the semantic difference between "human male" and "male human". Despite the different ordering of adjective and noun, I ...
0
votes
4
answers
106
views
How to say A is sitting to the left left of C, if the position is "A B C", without mentioning B?
Something like "A is to the second left of C" ?
0
votes
1
answer
130
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What sound would an English speaker produce when the reduced vowel in ‘want𝑒d’ or ‘𝑒xist’ is under secondary stress (e.g. long note in a song)?
Technically it’s a reduced /ɪ/ phoneme, but when it falls under secondary
stress it changes its phonetic value (exist /ᵻɡˈzɪst/ > existential
/ˌɛɡzˈstɛnʃl/; necessary /ˈnɛsᵻsəri/ > necessity /...
2
votes
1
answer
112
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Is it rude to tell someone not to call me ‘sir’? [closed]
I'm a 35-year-old Hispanic living in South Texas, and I don't like the term sir because it makes me feel old. Would it be rude of me to tell an older Mexican-American woman the following?
Please don’...
1
vote
5
answers
90
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'With': ambitransitive verbs
(Intransitive) My nose was running with snot
(Transive) My nose was running snot (into my mouth)
Is there a specific meaning of with here?
2
votes
2
answers
51
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What does "deadly" mean in "deadly whisper"?
"Have you any idea how worried I have been?" Said Mrs Weasley in a deadly whisper.
I looked up the dictionary for the word deadly but it has a dozen meanings and I can't seem to fit the ...
1
vote
1
answer
77
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Which is correct for “___ has arrived early”: “Nobody,” “None,” or both?
I have a question about subject-verb agreement with indefinite pronouns. Which of the following would be the most grammatically accurate choice?
_____ has arrived early.
a) Nobody
b) None
c) Both a &...
-1
votes
1
answer
63
views
Leading zeros and punctuation in American date format [closed]
Americans write the month first because I know. Today is a beautiful date—05/05/2025. Would that be the proper way? In my language, I’d write 5.5.2025, and that’s how some style guides recommend (e.g. ...
0
votes
2
answers
71
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'And': used to connect two verbs where the second is 'dependent' on the first (in the way catenations work)
AND (now dialectal or somewhat colloquial) Used to connect two verbs where the second is dependent on the first: ‘to’. Used especially after come, go and try.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/and
https:/...
-1
votes
1
answer
76
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Anaphoric 'it' after disjunctive noun phrases
What specifically does the word “it” refer to in this citation below, and why?
Identity with something or someone, not to it.
Garner, B. A. (2016). Garner’s Modern English Usage. OUP