Questions tagged [writing]

This tag is for questions specifically related to written English. PROOFREADING essays, emails, abstracts, etc. is strictly OFF-TOPIC.

Examples of questions using this tag

555 questions
43
votes
7 answers

Is it alright to use lowercase "i" or should you always use "I" (uppercase)?

I frequently edit questions on StackOverflow, and I always fix the "i" into "I". See this edit revision for instance. When i I start my tomcat, i I am getting this problem. How could i I resolve this problem. Am I right to do so? Benjol points…
VonC
  • 14,744
4
votes
2 answers

Can I write "the model due to X et al"?

Until ten minutes ago I thought sentences like "The model due to X et al. (2016) explains Y and Z" were common in academic writing. Our post-doc raised doubt about the phrase's correctness, and Googling it I find very few uses. None of them I can…
3
votes
0 answers

Is it correct to write: "I versus my family"

Is it correct to write: "I versus my family"
Henry
  • 31
3
votes
2 answers

Is it correct to say "Master student in Statistics "?

Currently I'm a student for Master (M.A) degree in Statistics and I need a title for my resume, does it correct to say "Master student in Statistics "? thnx!
Refael
  • 31
2
votes
2 answers

Easy interrogative garden path prevention

How do writers of American English inform the reader that the current sentence is a question (with all the assumptions and prosody that go with it) without sacrificing the content, format, impact, etc. of the sentence? (In Spanish the problem is…
WAF
  • 2,631
2
votes
4 answers

Face up or head up?

My 7 years old daughter is doing her English homework. She wrote the following sentence: "My parents are face up looking at the cool sky" I reckon it does not sound right. I would have said "My parents are turning their heads up and looking at the…
J. Lam
  • 23
2
votes
3 answers

Must "first" be followed by "second"?

Is the use of the introductory word first awkward or confusing in the following paragraph if I don't include another sentence starting with secondly? In the process of learning them, I deeply felt that there were many more obstacles to overcome for…
benlogos
  • 1,537
2
votes
2 answers

Does English have a way to express a simple moral statement?

Ancient Chinese have a philosophy which holds that some names have substantial content, i.e., moral requirement for humans. For example, the word human carries with it the meaning of compassion; if you want to be reckoned as a human being, you must…
benlogos
  • 1,537
1
vote
1 answer

"Original design by"

I have a question. I downloaded a template from Internet. "James" created it (author: James). I edited this template and do fundamental change. Now I want add my name to the info box. What should I write there? (for example I should write "Original…
kikio
  • 271
1
vote
4 answers

How do you improve this stringy sentence?

This is an exercise from Longman Writing Series: 4. We have to correct this "stringy" sentence: Last-born children, on the other hand, often have little responsibility, and they may be pampered as the “baby” of the family, but they are the…
1
vote
0 answers

Does this exemplify bad writing?

As a non-native English speaker, I have trouble determining whether some ways of phrasing or using English expressions in writing are 'natural' or not. The other day I came across an article written by my old teacher, and after finishing it I felt…
Jeannie
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1
vote
1 answer

What is the correct way of writing a reference to file types / extensions?

I am a data scientist and regularly refer to various file types when writing to others. My question is this: what is the correct and/or proper way to refer to a file type and which of the following sentences is correct? "Here is the .csv you asked…
1
vote
0 answers

Can I use it is time to go back to in a formal academic essay?

First, The Islamic revolution occurred in 1979, bringing a whole set of radical conservative changes to a once liberal westernized Iran. Second, One of these changes was the enforcement of veils and cosmetic modesty on woman, who were forbidden to…
1
vote
1 answer

What is a regular font?

Here is the context: "Write your essay in a regular font". What does it mean by "regular font"? What classifies as a regular font? Thanks!
1
vote
2 answers

Is there a word for writing and not looking at it (while writing)?

"Writing while looking at something else" -- your hand is still moving, your writing is still legible, but your eyes are elsewhere, such as reading from the source material being copied.
Bill
  • 11
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