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1500 questions
23
votes
3 answers
Is there any difference in pronunciation between the words "fiancé (a male)" and "fiancée (a female)"?
I see no difference between transcriptions above-mentioned words, and what words / variants would be better to use in those meanings?
fiancé /fɪˈɑːnseɪ/ /fɪˈɒnseɪ/ /fɪˈɒ̃seɪ/ - ODO
fiancée /fɪˈɒnseɪ/ /fɪˈɑːnseɪ/ /fɪˈɒ̃seɪ/ - ODO
Jane
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23
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2 answers
Most of something is plural or singular?
I am writing a literature review.
My question is which sentence is correct?
Most of the existing work focus on...
Most of the existing work focuses on ...
Most of the existing studies focus on ...
Thanks
T D Nguyen
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23
votes
4 answers
Why has "strangely" been used instead of "strange" in the sentence "Harry felt strangely"?
Isn't "feel" a linking verb here? If so, shouldn't "strange" be used in lieu of "strangely"?
A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid…
Diamond
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23
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3 answers
How to use the "that being said"
I sometimes see the phrase "that being said" and I wish to know a little more about it. Especially, when and how can we use this phrase?
Is there a difference if we shorten it to "that said"? In what cases are we allowed to do it?
Is it possible to…
SovereignSun
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23
votes
8 answers
What is the word meaning people who sell something in forceful way on the street or places?
What is the word meaning people who sell something in forceful way on the street or places?
For example, a guy put a flower into my pocket and asked to pay for it. I wonder I can say street seller. But street seller means people who has their stores…
Ting Choe
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23
votes
9 answers
What would be a word for a product that is below the expected level of quality?
I am wondering if there is a word for a product that does not meet the expected quality. Something like a 'below average product', but that does not feel correct so I was hoping for a better word.
In this specific case it is about a refurbished…
Neograph734
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23
votes
7 answers
What do we call the small towel that we use only for hands
What do we call the small towel that we use only on our hands (not the big one that we use on our body after a shower)? It usually hangs beside the basin.
Shannak
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23
votes
6 answers
How to pronounce 'GB'?
If I want to buy a phone with 64 GB, how should I say it?
Should I say
"A phone with 64 gigabyte."
or
"A phone with 64 GB (simply pronounce the letter 'G' and 'B')."
which one is more native?
柴玮杰
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23
votes
4 answers
Who is/are they?
A:I assume you know about the latest goings-on with Hessington oil.
B:I wouldn't be much of a partner if I didn't.
A:Now they've decided to take on Ava Hessington personally.
B:Who is they?
A:The U.S. government.
These are lines cited from…
Jasmine Kuo
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23
votes
2 answers
What is the spelling of `~`?
I searched ~ spelling and ~ symbol spelling on Google but found nothing. My dictionary doesn't contain ~ either.
P.S.: is there any online dictionary that can translate symbols? I find I know almost nothing about the symbols. Even in my native…
Mithril
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23
votes
6 answers
Does "Excuse him." make sense?
"Excuse me." is very often used in our daily conversation, and I learned the phrase "Excuse us." used when involving more than two persons. Then, how about "Excuse him / her / them."? For example, when you want your little kid to get out of the…
Akihiro
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23
votes
4 answers
What is the inner cover of the winter shoes called in English?
In Europe — in some countries, especially in the eastern Europe there are very common shoes which covered inside with something that makes it warm and comfortable in the time of the winter, cold and snow. What is the general name for this inner…
Virtuous Legend
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23
votes
1 answer
What is the meaning of the so-called "pregnant chad"?
They’re not passing it on, they’re not voting for anyone, they’re
wasting their PR like so much pregnant chad!!!
I encounter the above from here. I have looked up the dictionary but find it confusing:
a chad that has been punched or dimpled…
Lerner Zhang
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23
votes
5 answers
What do you call the bunch of hair you grow long on the back of your head?
You see, it was quite fashionable for men to grow long hair on the back of their head back then in 1980s, 1990s, especially among singers and actors. I was watching an old show of David Copperfield conjuring up a trick and his hairstyle drew my…
Yuri
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22
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4 answers
"You must wear a suit TO an interview" vs "You must wear a suit FOR an interview"
In the sentence-
You must wear a suit to an interview
shouldn't the to be replaced by for? Or what's the difference between these two here?
Ardis Ell
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