Odd sentence?
Anything odd about this sentence?
“All of a sudden, there was a bottle breaking on the table.”
15 comments • Posted in Grammar
biweekly
I was taught that biweekly and bimonthly meant twice a week and twice a month, respectively. I can even reference this in my very old dictiionaries as being correct. I now see definitions in dictionaries that define biweekly as twice a week AND every other week (Random House, Webster’s), and bimonthly as every other month. These “new” definitions are also used in every-day conversation, and can be confusing (I now have reverted to twice a week or every other week to clarify). When did this change? If biannually is always twice a year, why are not bimonthly and biweekly twice a month and twice a week?
27 comments • Posted in Grammar
“identical to” and “identical with”
A fairly authorative, university entrance exam site says this:
Identical with (not to): This bid is identical with the one submitted by you.
However, I have found that “identical to” is more commonly used. Is there a difference? The dictionaries accept both versions.
27 comments • Posted in Grammar
Got
I’ve been told before that I should always avoid the word “got”.
I was reading another question and the phrase “I got burnt” was being thrown around quite a bit, whereas I think “I was burnt” sounds much better grammatically.
Similarly, instead of “I got some mail”, “I received some mail”, and, “I earned straight A’s” instead of “I got straight A’s”.
Is there any basis for this, or are there times when “got” really is the best choice?
14 comments • Posted in Grammar
Priorities
I don’t think there are any rules about which adjectives come before others in describing something, but nobody would say “red big ball”. Unless they were emphasising the “red” part, as opposed to the *blue* big ball. In what order would you use “mediastinal”, “cystic” and “benign” to modify “teratoma”? Maybe it’s just a matter of what I want to emphasise more, eh?
7 comments • Posted in Grammar
Omitting “will”
“1. I am a carnivore and a predator though sometimes I will scavenge. I live in the Arctic where I stay by myself most of my life. I am well camouflaged in the snow, though my skin is actually black to absorb the heat of the sun. I will kill and eat seals and walruses, but I will also eat carrion, such as a dead whale. I love water and am such a strong swimmer that I can swim miles at a time. Who am I?” From rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org
How would the removal of “will” affect the meaning of the above passage? Would the writer’s intended effect still be fully appreciated?
3 comments • Posted in Grammar
Back and behind
I teach English to adults as a second language. I am having difficulty explaining to my current group the difference of “back” and “behind” and its usage. Can anyone help me out here.... FYI, I am teaching 3 26 year-olds with elementary (literally) knowledge of spoken English.
3 comments • Posted in Grammar
Present adverbs in past narrative
Hi
Would it make a major difference to the meaning of the sentence below if “now” were omitted?
“Three months after his father’s death, Dave was now running the shop.”
7 comments • Posted in Grammar
Using prepositions “by” and “with”.
Can anyone tell me why “by” and not “with” was used in the following?
“In the course of his narrative he refreshes himself by a draught from the drinking-horn into which meanwhile Hagen has pressed the juice of an herb.”
“or succeedeth in smuggling in a drink, or after much importuning, the janitor is induced to cool the coppers by a draught from the spigot that sizzes and adds to the thirst that is not quenched;”
“With these preliminary remarks, and after wetting his whistle by a draught from a small pocket flask, he made the echoes of Kenmuir ring with the following, which he sung to the old Gaelic air, ‘I am asleep, do not waken me:’-”
3 comments • Posted in Grammar
Assist in or assist with
Which is correct? (Intentional use of telegraphic style) Assists attorney in drafting documentation. Assists attorney with drafting documentation.
Thanks
3 comments • Posted in Grammar
Jane and you or you and Jane?
Which is the correct usage of a proper noun and you? It was a pleasure meeting Jane and you. It was a pleasure meeting you and Jane.
Thanks!!
8 comments • Posted in Grammar
verb tenses
Which of the followings are grammatically correct? I told him what happened and he examined me. I told him what had happened and he examined me. I had told him what had happened and he examined me? Thanks.
7 comments • Posted in Grammar
anyone & any one
Recently, I came across a problem. Should we say “anyone of us” or “any one of us”? My teacher says we can only say “any one of us”, but I remember a Gareth Gate’s song named “anyone of us”? Which one is right? Thank you very much.
4 comments • Posted in Grammar
This construction is puzzling me...
I wrote the following in a book review:
“How about a return to the days when women were in such vulnerable and inferior positions, they were easier to take advantage of by powerful men who knew they could get away with it?”
That bit “they were easier to take advantage of by powerful men ...” doesn’t sit right with me, but I can’t figure out why. Am I just imagining it, or is there a problem?
10 comments • Posted in Grammar
Past or Past Perfect
“He spoke to his teacher before the examination began.” Why wasn’t past perfect used at the begining of this sentence? Shouldn’t this sentence be like this?: “He had spoken to his teacher before the examination began.” I need your help. I am so confused.
7 comments • Posted in Grammar
American versus British question
A sentence such as, “The Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra entertained a crowd of over 500 Saturday evening,” makes perfect grammatical sense in American English, and the construction is commonplace in newspapers. An alternative would be: “...crowd of over 500 on Saturday evening.” (addition of “on”)
Since I am British-Canadian, and am doing copy for local press now, I have to be careful to use British English consistently, and I am unsure whether the former construction is standard British English. Certainly the latter is.
Any opinions?
14 comments • Posted in Grammar
Bring Brought
Could you please tell me which sentence is correct? “I am sorry for not bringing your package yet or I am sorry I have not brought your package yet”. Thank you in advance.
4 comments • Posted in Grammar
“by” vs. “of”
I was asked - What could your past employers count on you for? I replied: “I can be counted on to show up, to be on time, to get the job done, and always to be possessed of integrity, loyalty, honesty and commitment.” I think that’s correct - vs. ...possessed by integrity, etc.
5 comments • Posted in Grammar
Life Savers 5 Flavor
The package of Life Savers says, “5 Flavor”. Shouldn’t it be “flavors” (plural)? Why do you think it was left singular? The plural would make it rhyme better too. It’s a peculiar thing.
9 comments • Posted in Grammar
