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1500 questions
21
votes
10 answers

Wealthy and Rich, what's the difference

Is there any difference between someone being wealthy and someone being rich? For instance, is Bill Gates rich or wealthy? Or maybe he is both. I don't get the subtle difference if any.
Jonathan de M.
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21
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2 answers

When to use "is" vs. "does" when asking a question?

When do I use is or does when I ask a question? For example, Is your item still for sale? Does your item still for sale? I am not sure which one to use.
michael
20
votes
3 answers

"Man proposes and God disposes."

I am curious about the meaning of this sentence: "Man proposes and God disposes." (Mathematical Thought from Ancient to Modern Times, M. Kline, vol. 1, page 181) Whole paragraph is as follows: "It has often been said that man proposes and God…
user38677
20
votes
2 answers

soft as : why not underneath only?

My earliest childhood memory is of the swaying limbs of Golden Delicious apple trees. Rows of them stood next to a dirt road that separated our orchard from the front yard. The Kentucky summer sky hung hot behind those high twigs, their leaves…
learner
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20
votes
2 answers

"The victory, within four days, was just reward" - why not "was just a reward"?

Source The victory, within four days, was just reward for skipper Kohli's insistence on playing five bowlers. Kohli led the way with a superb 200. We did not use was just a reward because was just reward has an idiomatic usage.What do you say?
Anubhav
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20
votes
4 answers

Can vehicles sell themselves? Shouldn't it be passive voice?

I read one sentence About 170,000 of those vehicles sell each year in the U.S. It is extracted from: The large vehicle is part truck and part car. Strength and size combined with comfort. Some well-known sports utility vehicles are the Jeep…
Vince
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20
votes
5 answers

'I wish to speak WITH a British accent' or 'I wish to speak IN a British accent' - is there a difference?

I wish to speak with a British accent? What is the impact of using in instead of with in the above sentence?
Gt_R
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20
votes
4 answers

Michael is a New Zealander or Michael is New Zealander? Article before nationalities?

Do I have to say "Michael is a New Zealander" or can I leave out the indefinite article "a"?
Corrina_Corrina
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20
votes
5 answers

Is it standard to add "please" after a question?

I was in a conversation with a client who asked me, "How are you?" I responded with "I am fine, thank you." I then followed up with, "How are you? Please." My manager asks why I append "please" and says it is not standard. Is she correct or is it…
Khairul
20
votes
3 answers

"severe" as a verb: is it acceptable usage?

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word "severe" is not a verb, but an adjective. However, the word "severe" seems to have been used as a verb in the sentence below: She has severed contact with her family, worried that the militants will…
user24993
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20
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2 answers

is "them" only used for people?

Chop the tomatoes and onions and saute them/it? Should it be "them" or "it"? because I have heard that them is used only for people.
user25493
20
votes
3 answers

How to say "person who invites another person" with one word?

For example, we can simplify "a person who is invited by somebody" as "invitee". And does a short form exist for "a person who invites another person"?
Alex Silkovsky
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20
votes
7 answers

"There IS/ARE rice, meat and tomatoes on my plate"

I saw this sentence on Internet recently written by a native speaker, so I wondered why native speakers tend to use this grammar. Explain to me why I should I use "is" instead of "are"? Is it grammatically correct? "There is rice, meat and…
user24318
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20
votes
5 answers

Is ending a sentence with a preposition acceptable?

When I learned English at school, I was taught that I should not end a sentence with a preposition. Is it correct to end a sentence with a preposition? To avoid starting a sentence with a conjunction, I don't write sentences similar to "I miss…
apaderno
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20
votes
5 answers

Does word "someone" refer to both an animal and a human being or only human being?

The word someone is used for human beings but I am having a hard time understanding if it is also used for animals!
Imran Bughio
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