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1500 questions
33
votes
6 answers
You can contact me on/over/by Skype
Which preposition(s) is / are correct in the following example?
We contacted the college authority over / on / by Skype.
Abu Naim Muhammed Kalil
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33
votes
6 answers
"I often buy fruits when I go to the supermarket" – illogical?
I am an English assistant and I often hear my non-native students say:
I often buy fruits when I go to the supermarket.
I think it is wrong logically because "go" means "to move or travel from one place to another" (source). I am not sure whether…
Tom
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33
votes
5 answers
"There is a lot " vs. "There are lot"
There is a lot of animals.
There are lot of animals.
Which one between the above sentences is correct? Or can both be used?
din
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33
votes
1 answer
What does "M.C." in "M.C. Esker" mean?
In the article New York - style time machine, there is a drawing:
What does M.C. Esker mean? The clue for this, as said by a redditor, is in the line
These deposits, which remain as ridges called eskers, crisscross the landscape in the woods…
Ooker
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33
votes
8 answers
Does the question mark mean this is a question?
Imagine the following written conversation, as recently occurred via SMS between me and a friend (edited for brevity):
A: What are you going to do today?
B: I don't know. Go shopping?
What is the meaning of the question mark in the reply? Is…
Flimzy
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32
votes
2 answers
Follow me, and your urologist will be buying himself a new yacht
The following1 is a retort from the dean of a hospital to her highly insubordinate lead-diagnostician.
In a little place called "follow me, and your urologist will be buying himself a new yacht."
The above diagnostician wants to know where the…
Amani Kilumanga
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32
votes
7 answers
How is double negation interpreted in English?
In my native language, double negations "cancel out". I have been trying to learn English using movies and such things, but double negation confuses me. I see instances when double negation cancels out, and some when they do not.
For example, "I…
user207
32
votes
12 answers
Word for someone who says yes, then no, then yes
Facing a situation that needs a decision, a person says yes then in a minute later changes it to no, but he/she does it several times and does not have a real decision eventually.
What is the single word for it? If I translate directly from my…
student
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32
votes
6 answers
Is "Whom" a deprecated word?
I'm learning English through online courses.
I'm enrolled at the Write101x, managed by University of Queensland, Australia.
In this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a7UQe82tnY about 2:47 minutes, the lady says the following:
Many writers…
Fabio
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32
votes
3 answers
Verb tenses when asking a question
How can I establish time period when trying to ask someone about a question that was asked some time ago?
I asked you a question in my last email, but I wasn't sure (this is happening now) if it went through.
My asking took place sometime in the…
jess
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32
votes
5 answers
You prefer to "eat soup" or "drink soup"?
Background: We have a local food that's something between "broth" and "noodles". Unfortunately, English language experts in Iran don't bother to introduce a suitable word that deals with the problem. But that isn't the problem. To know how I'll be…
M.A.R.
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32
votes
2 answers
The Ö letter in "Coördinator"
I was watching some Pink Panther episodes on YouTube, and I noticed something weird.
The word COORDINATOR is written COÖRDINATOR with an Ö.
I searched for it in dictionaries and etymology references but found nothing.
Where did it come from? And are…
Hamdiken
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32
votes
1 answer
Was "twelve" pronounced as "TPELF"?
I came across this piece of text and I for the life of me can't understand why "twelve" is written tpelf. I have encircled other numbers that are strange.
My friend who lives in New York sent me this and told me that "twelve" was pronounced with a P…
user127738
32
votes
1 answer
Why is the W silent in "sword" but not in "swore"?
The word "sword" is pronounced /sɔːd/ (AmE: /sɔrd/) while "swore" is pronounced /swɔː/ (AmE: /swɔr/). The W in "sword" is silent because of the following round vowel; the lips get round for W as well as the following round vowel so we round only…
user119042
32
votes
10 answers
When should I use 'thaw' and 'melt'?
Thaw seems to be used when thawing something, like food. Melt seems to be used with ice. Some dictionary definitions seem to conflict with these statements. When should each word be used?
Genie
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