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I am working on a documentary film and have hit upon a conundrum that we hope one of the fabulous Pain in the English grammarians can solve. We are using the full capital case (”all caps”) to identify our experts, in a text box that pops up below them during their appearances on screen; for example: JOHN SMITH, HISTORIAN. One of our experts has a name that includes a superscript letter (e.g.: JANE MCDONALD) and another has the abbreviation Jr. after his name (e.g.: WILLIAM DOE, JR.).
Question: Should those superscripted and abbreviated letters stay in all caps, too? Or should they be treated differently, either lower case or small caps? (e.g.: JANE McDONALD / WILLIAM DOE, Jr.) I’ve searched the Chicago Manual of Style and the Government Printing Office’s online manual, and have found no guidance in either.
Thank you for your help!
Susan
I have an issue with the use of the past perfect tense with “until” (and sometimes “before”). Can you please tell me which of these sentences is correct and why?
She hadn’t realized that she was addicted to nicotine until she smoked ten cigarettes a day. (i.e.: Before she smoked that many cigarettes, she didn’t have that knowledge about herself - not realizing/knowing was earlier.)
or
She didn’t realize that she was addicted to nicotine until she had smoked ten cigarettes a day. (i.e.: First she smoked that many cigarettes, and then she realized.)
I cringe whenever I hear the way Brits say: ‘the company ‘are’ or ‘the school board ‘are’ voted in by the parents. What is really frightening to me is that Americans are starting to use the same construction. My research tells me that Brits treat collective nouns as plural, while in the USA we consider them singular. ‘School Board’ is singular. ‘School Boards’ is plural.
I was taught that one should never use double negatives. But I was also taught that if you do, it can have the opposite meaning.
Example: The box does not contain nothing.
means: The box contains something.
So I heard the President’s speech. Note that he was not the first person to say it because I have also heard several newsmen use a similar expression. When I heard it, it sounded wrong. But I could NOT put my finger on why it sounded wrong. Then suddenly it occurred to me, a double negative!
So here is what I heard...
“Putin badly miscalculated.” or
“He badly miscalculated.”
Since bad is the negative of good and the prefix “mis” makes calculated negative, isn’t this a double negative? I know what they mean. Shouldn’t this sentence be written like so?
“He severely miscalculated.”
Since severe is neither negative nor positive. It just indicates the degree of something.
I wrote, “I have two sons, Bill and Ben.”
An editor said that the comma should be a colon. That opinion is backed up by various style guides which say a list (and presumably “Bill and Ben” is a list) should be preceded by a colon. I still feel that a colon is unnecessary, though I probably would use a colon if I had five sons not two. Would I use a colon with three sons? I’m not sure.
Had I written, “I have two sons, Bill and Ben, both in their twenties” there would surely be no question of a colon being required. It seems odd to me that omitting the final phrase, “both in their twenties” forces the first comma to become a colon.
I would be interested in others’ views.
I was reading an old novel, British English written around 1850. I came across the phrase “I saw signs of elephant in the forest”. This intrigued me as the word "elephant" implies anything from a single to multiple animals. The word "signs" seems to have taken on the role of plurality for the noun. I was asked a similar question by my partner who is editing a book in which the phrase “I saw fairy dancing in the woods,” not meaning a single fairy but many fairies dancing. Can anyone expand my knowledge on the use of a singular noun being used as a non-collective plural noun?
I am a bit confused about whether or not I should use “the” before “most” in the following sentence. I have searched on the internet but I have before more confused about the issue so please help me in this regard. I will add this sentence to my formal writing.
The sentence:
"What fascinates me the most about the textile industry is that it drives the economy of many third world countries”
or
"What fascinates me most about the textile industry is that it drives the economy of many third world countries”
Which one is correct and why?
Hi everybody! Few days ago my mate attended to a job competition for a job in the technical office of Rome. Among the many legal questions there were also some English questions. The one I am asking your help for is:
“Let ……. come in.”
the possible answers proposed are:
- his
- him
- he
I am sure that all of you are thinking that the only right option to chose is “him”, that’s it.
Initially it was confirmed “his” with correct answer and after few days was corrected with “him”.
The english questions/phrases put in these competitions are generally extracted form bigger pieces, books.. and my partner didn’t answer because he says that in a certain contests it can be also right “Let his come in”, for example:
Michele is waiting for the vet to visit his cat. When the vet wants to visit Michele’s cat can say to his secretary:
<< Let his come in >> instead of << Let his cat come in>>.
What do you think? Is it possible consider both the options “his” and “him” correct?
Have you read some examples in books or articles in which you have found the phrase “Let his come in” ?
It can help my partner to obtain the job because he got a score of 20.8 and he had to get 21 to obtain the job! So it is very important the help of all of you.
Thanks !!!!!!!!!
Sells or Sold?
Does ‘sells’ in the sentence,”I find a pet store that sells ferrets.” stay as ‘sells’ or change to ‘sold’ if you are changing the sentence to Simple Past Tense?
Which of the follow is correct?
- CAYA stands for “come as you are.”
- “CAYA” stands for “come as you are.”
I am not referring to the Nirvana song, so I assume that capitalization is not necessary when spelling out what the initialism stands for.
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“my” vs. “mine” in multiple owner possessive
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“I have two sons, Bill and Ben”: comma or colon?
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Treatment of abbreviations and superscript items in full capital case
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Past perfect with until
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"badly miscalculated" — double negatives?
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- August 11, 2025, 6:24am
In the world of RuneScape, few bosses inspire as much awe and challenge as Nex, the Ancient Summoner. Introduced in the God Wars Dungeon, Nex stands as one of the most demanding endgame PvE encounters, requiring skill, preparation, and teamwork. Whether you are an aspiring soloist or a group raider, mastering Nex offers some of the best rewards and one of the most thrilling experiences in RuneScape.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to conquer Nex — from understanding her mechanics and phases to choosing the best gear, tactics, and strategies for success.
Understanding Nex: Lore and Encounter Overview
Nex is a powerful Zarosian general who commands the forces of the Zaros faction in the God Wars Dungeon. Players face Nex in a multi-phase fight inside her chamber, each phase requiring quick reflexes and strategic adaptation.
The fight involves four distinct phases, each with its own abilities and minions. Your ability to recognize and counter her moves will decide your success or failure.
Preparing for the Fight: Gear and Inventory Setup
To stand a chance against Nex’s deadly arsenal, you must enter the fight with optimal gear and supplies.
Recommended Gear
Weapon: A strong melee weapon such as the Abyssal Bludgeon or Noxious Scythe for high damage output.
Armor: High defense sets like Torva (melee) or Seasinger (magic) depending on your combat style.
Cape: Fire cape, Infernal cape, or Max cape with offensive perks.
Amulet: Amulet of Torture (melee) or Amulet of Fury.
Ring: Ring of Vigour or Berserker ring (imbued if possible).
Boots: Dragon boots or Primordial boots.
Inventory
Super combat potions or equivalent stat-boosting flasks.
Prayer renewal potions or Saradomin brews for healing.
Food like Sharks or Rocktails for sustain.
Antifire potions and stamina potions.
Weapon poison or bleed weapons to boost damage over time.
The Four Phases of Nex: Mechanics Breakdown
Phase 1: Smoke Phase
Nex summons smoke clouds that explode if you step inside them, dealing heavy damage.
Use ranged or magic attacks to hit Nex while avoiding the smoke.
She casts Smoke Tendrils — avoid the pools that damage over time.
Strategy: Stay mobile, kite her around the arena, and use abilities that allow safe damage.
Phase 2: Shadow Phase
Nex summons shadow minions that drain your stats.
She uses Shadow Tendrils — they latch onto players, requiring quick removal.
Prioritize killing minions quickly and stay aware of your stat drains.
Use Antipoison and stat-boosting prayers as necessary.
Phase 3: Blood Phase
Nex heals herself by draining blood from the arena.
She attacks with Blood Tendrils, which you must sever quickly or suffer damage.
Avoid pools of blood that can immobilize you.
Team coordination is crucial here to cut tendrils and avoid AoE damage.
Phase 4: Ice Phase
Nex freezes players in place with Ice Tendrils.
Players must quickly destroy tendrils or free frozen teammates.
Nex becomes more aggressive and uses freezing attacks.
Stay alert, use freedom or break free abilities, and focus on tendril destruction.
Combat Tips and Strategy
Prayer and Abilities
Use Protect from Melee during Nex’s melee attacks and switch to Protect from Magic or Protect from Ranged depending on the phase.
Utilize offensive prayers like Piety (melee) or Augury (magic) to increase damage.
Abilities like Debilitate reduce Nex’s damage, improving survivability.
Use Freedom or Anticipation to break free from tendrils.
Positioning
Positioning is vital to avoid smoke, shadow, blood, and ice pools.
Use safe spots to maximize damage while minimizing incoming attacks.
Always be ready to move quickly to sever tendrils or avoid AoEs.
Team Coordination
When fighting in groups, assign roles such as tendril destroyers, crowd control, and DPS.
Communicate about tendril status and health to optimize healing and focus.
Keep track of Nex’s health and prepare for phase transitions.
Rewards and Progression
Defeating Nex yields some of the most coveted loot in RuneScape, including:
Zaryte bow
Nex set pieces
Torva, Pernix, and Virtus armor parts
God Wars Dungeon unique drops
These rewards can significantly boost your combat power and allow you to tackle even tougher content.
Conclusion
Mastering Nex, the Ancient Summoner, is a milestone achievement in RuneScape. By understanding her phases, preparing the right gear, and executing careful strategies, you can overcome this formidable boss and claim its legendary rewards. Whether you choose to fight solo or with a team, Nex offers a challenging and rewarding test of your PvE skills.
Prepare well, stay focused, and face the wrath of Nex with confidence! Boost your RuneScape adventure with RSgoldfast— your trusted source for fast, secure, and affordable RuneScape Gold. Power up today and conquer Gielinor with ease!
Treatment of abbreviations and superscript items in full capital case
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