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1500 questions
14
votes
4 answers
What does "tick" mean in this sentence?
Let me show you what makes life at this resort tick.
It's an introductory video that shows the behind the scenes of a resort. All the definitions I found from dictionary.cambridge.org don't fit in this context. What does "tick" mean in this…
jay
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14
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Started in 1987 vs. Starting in 1987
I think both started and starting make sense. Which is preferred? Is there any subtle difference in meaning?
Started in 1987, the festival exhibits more than 550 varieties of mangoes and provides a rare opportunity to taste them all for…
Lifeispicnic
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14
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5 answers
For me/to me, which is correct or better in these examples?
Prepositions are tricky to figure out. I'd like to know whether or not I can use these two prepositions interchangeably in the following examples.
It's very important for me/to me to study abroad.
For me/to me all that matters is how much it will…
Kinzle B
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14
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4 answers
Street obstacles in New Zealand
Some streets in New Zealand get very narrow because of the things shown in this picture. What are they called?
J.J.
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14
votes
2 answers
What does "a drop in replacement" mean
Please see the second response here.
You should try xelatex which is almost a drop in replacement for
latex.
Leaving aside the technical part, which of no interest to the general audience here, I am interested in knowing what does this "almost a…
Masroor
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14
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4 answers
"on its way" vs. "in its way"
Is “the fire consumed everything on its way” correct?
I thought "on its way" and "in its way" were pretty much equivalent in English and meant pretty much the same thing except in very rare cases. Am I wrong? How do you know which one you should…
Sayaman
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14
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1 answer
“The,” or no article: “All _____ time.”
What is the difference? Or is it grammatically wrong?
all time
or
all the time
And if you make such a proposal, it will be wrong?
The best artists of the time (When you add the article the list is reduced)
Boyep
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14
votes
3 answers
I wish I ate meat
I heard this in a Hollywood movie called "How to lose a guy in 10 days". A boy cooked his girlfriend meat and served her but she said I wish I ate meat.
Can we also say this like?
Would both sentences convey the same meaning?
I wish I could eat…
Joel Vermish
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14
votes
2 answers
what do you call the edge that goes along ironed trousers?
When you move a heated iron up and down a pair of trousers it causes the trousers to fold and a resulting line is noticeable on the front of the trousers. what do you call that "line"?
Sara
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14
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14 answers
How to idiomatically suggest someone should live the day and forget about tomorrow?
In Arabic, we literally say:
Give me life today, and kill me tomorrow.
We use it to say we should only care about the present time and forget about the future. For example, when my mother advises me against spending a lot of money on a single day,…
Sara
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14
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4 answers
“experience in” VS "experience with"
A has many years of experience in material design and production technology.
A has many years of experience with material design and production technology
I have seen both 'with' and 'in' followed by 'experience". If I want to convery the…
Mike Philip
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14
votes
3 answers
"only one in seven make it" instead of "makes" -- why?
For example, thousands have tried to conquer Mount Everest.
Of those who make the attempt, only one in seven make it to the top.
In the second sentence, why the verb 'make' isn't 'makes'?
It seems that subject is 'only one',which is singular.…
SinyongKim
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14
votes
3 answers
Is there a general rule for Verb + Preposition/Particle idioms, such as "come across"?
Composite verbs are giving me a lot of trouble. In German the syntax is simple; if the composite verb has the moving part, it goes to the end. But in English I've found many forms and I'm not sure which to use.
For example, which of those would be…
FolksLord
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14
votes
6 answers
What is the correct interpretation of *transparent*?
I often hear and read people using the word transparent in sentences like the following:
The change of senior management in our company should be transparent to our customers.
We should be transparent to our customers about the source of cost…
Masked Man
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14
votes
6 answers
Is "spaced by 1 meter" correct English?
Suppose that the distance between A and B is 1m, is it correct and natural to say
A and B are spaced by 1 meter
Naetmul
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