Discussion Forum
This is a forum to discuss the gray areas of the English language for which you would not find answers easily in dictionaries or other reference books.
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Latest Posts : Usage
“This knife has dual purpose.” Do I need to pluralize “purpose”? After all, the statement is saying that it has more than one purpose, namely two purposes.
Someone told me that “email” does not have a plural form “emails” because it is used in the same manner as “mail”, which means that “an email” is wrong also. So, I suppose I should be saying: “I received a piece of email from John.” as opposed to: “I received an email from John.”
“The sun” gets the article “the,” because there is only one sun. Anything that we have only one of, we put the article. How about “reality”? When we use the word “reality,” don’t we imply its absoluteness? If there are many realities, then the word loses its meaning, i.e., it is no longer reality but an interpretation. If I mean by “reality” something there is only one of, couldn’t I put the article? For example:
“Joe is out of touch with the reality.”
(with that, I mean one and the only reality; not a specific one.).
How do you properly distinguish them? In what context do you use one, and not the other?
What is the difference between these two questions?
“What is his motive?”
“What is his motivation?”
There is a movie out called “Two Weeks Notice”. Shouldn’t this be “Two Week Notice”?
Some people say “emotionality” is not a word. It is in Webster. What is the difference between emotion and emotionality? What is my emotion? And, what is my emotionality?
“a lack of” vs. “lack of” What is the difference?
Am I 38 years old, or 38 year old, and why.
“I have a full control” Or “I have full control”
Which is correct? In what situations you say “controls”?
