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1500 questions
16
votes
3 answers
"Did you watch this movie?" or "Have you watched this movie?"
What is the difference between
Did you watch this movie?
and
Have you watched this movie?
Geek
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16
votes
6 answers
When you don't understand a joke right away
In my native language we have lots of ways (some of them very funny) of saying that you, or someone else didn't understand a joke right away. That is, he/she needed some time to figure it out.
I wonder if there's any idiomatic way of expressing that…
Androiderson
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16
votes
3 answers
What does "put on one's hat" mean?
Putting on my detective's hat, I proceeded to ask him some questions.
What does "putting my detective's hat" mean?
Can it be paraphrased as "when I put on my detective's hat"?
Am I a real detective or do I pretend to be a detective?
ＡＢＣ
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16
votes
3 answers
“...than I am” vs. “...than me”
I read an English grammar article in which the author talked about the correct use of pronouns.
He writes:
If the extended sentence is “She’s more likely to ask him than I am,” in which the comparison is between the subject and the writer, I is…
jeysmith
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16
votes
2 answers
I'm born or I was born, which one to use
Should I say I'm born in or I was born in?
Can I say I'm born in Paris in 1900, or should I say I was born in Paris in 1990?
Jonathan de M.
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16
votes
5 answers
Is there a general rule how to create feminine words?
Is there a general rule how to create feminine words?
For example feminine from waiter is waitress, from actor – actress, etc.
So, generally the ending -ess means the feminine form. But I’ve never heard feminine forms for writer, programmer,…
Danubian Sailor
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16
votes
3 answers
The meaning of 'already' in the sentence 'Let's go already!'
Does Let's go already! mean Let's go now?
Then, does already in the sentence mean "we should be going now; we're late?"
That's what I understood so far.
Could you please tell me what Let's go already! means?
You should already know how to do…
Elaung
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16
votes
6 answers
Is "forenoon" commonly used?
I came across this word in some software code written by someone else. I knew what it meant (in Dutch we call it voormiddag), but I didn't know the word exists.
I've always heard/seen people refer to morning and afternoon, never to forenoon and…
Stijn
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16
votes
3 answers
Is "people" a countable or a non-countable noun?
I saw these sentences on the Internet:
There are three people here.
A few people didn't enjoy the play.
Now I'm not sure whether people and other collective nouns like team, family and police are countable nouns or uncountable nouns. Is there…
nkm
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16
votes
8 answers
"I am finished" vs "I have finished"
What is the difference between "I am finished" and "I have finished"?
For example, when finishing a task, should I say "I have finished" or "I am finished". Is there a difference in meaning?
Jessica Reichenbach Debons
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16
votes
1 answer
'Die hard' phrase meaning
What does "die hard" phrase mean? Is it hard to kill? I have always been curious about its meaning. This movie title has been translated as 'Deadly Trap' in Czechia.
Leos Literak
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16
votes
4 answers
Do some people call all horses “Pony” and if so, why?
I’ve recently noticed the word “pony” being overused, in books and conversation. Sometimes it seems highly unlikely that ponies are so prevalent in the setting.
So I was thinking. Maybe there is a region in which “pony” is colloquial for “horse”?…
Nomenator
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15
votes
2 answers
Meaning of ""I won't let a flat tire get me down," Tom said, without despair""
I've been reading Tom Swifties on a website, and could not understand one of them:
"I won't let a flat tire get me down," Tom said, without despair.
Where is the pun in that?
CowperKettle
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15
votes
3 answers
Plural subject + Linking Verb + Singular predicate nominative
All people are a mystery.
Since the subject is plural, should the the predicate nominative mystery be also plural? And would the meaning still be the same? As in All people are mysteries.
How about the following?
All people are a phenomenon.
All…
Sherlock
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15
votes
6 answers
How would a native say "just looking around"
You are walking around in a shopping mall or some sort of store, even though you might buy something, you don't have anything specific in mind and you are walking around the store, to have a look.
If a salesman or a saleswoman asks you if they can…
john mconore
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