📚｜english-questions

[lusty spear]

How do you think how many words are needed for understand native speakers, or to write and speaking on many topics

[unborn hollow]

After all is similar to the transitional phrase in conclusion which means regarding aforementioned things.

Hot tip means it's a very credible source of a prediction or information to help someone gain an advantage or monetary benefits.

Headword is the central element of a phrase.
E.g the headword of the noun phrase "The title of your book.* is title.

[cloud canyon]

Thank you

[fathom helm]

Oh ok got it, thanks:))

[fierce linden]

Hi I'm learning English vocubalury and I'm wondering if somebody has a nice list of synonym of GOOD and BAD

[crimson vortex]

Can you give an example? Is it really "in conclusion"? I have heard it to be used in another way, for example "Despite his fault, i am still on a good terms with him. After all, he is my friend". I mean, in this example, the speaker disregards the fault because he is still his friend. So is "In conclusion" instead of "after all" really appropriate here?

[wanton moss]

Is « comeuppance » used colloquially ? If so, is it a common word ?

[opaque topaz]

Hii! I feel like it's difficult, unless they also search it up themselves, to give a long, concrete list of antonyms or synonyms for words. I would suggest using something like the Cambridge or Oxford Dictionary or Thesaurus.com! For example:

https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/good, synonyms for good.
https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/bad, synonyms for bad.

It'll really save you time if you do that, rather than waiting for someone here. If you have questions that the dictionary can't answer or explains poorly, then asking here is what I'd do because there are so many amazing ppl here who'll answer your questions. But again, for a question like that, searching it up will save you a lot of time!

[opaque topaz]

It's used colloquially, but it isn't very common.

[wanton moss]

Alright, thank you very much 💚

[fierce linden]

it's what i needed, thanks a lot

if I have other questions, I'll ask later

[noble drift]

🌷🌷🌷Hello. I haven't found an app, which would be free and without ads for reading on Android. I need free and without ads app to improve my reading skills and grammar. I also prefer apps with texts, because I can traslate texts and simple words.🌷🌷🌷

[unborn hollow]

My apologies. My analogy was, for the better part, loose. The comparison I was making is that both can imply a conclusion regarding the information relayed.
E.g. "The president cannot be dumb. After all, he scored 175 on the LSAT.
"The president scored 175 on his LSAT. In conclusion, he cannot be dumb."
After all has more utility since its use is to say something is or isn't the case when having doubt or spite of a small bit of information, like in your example.

[dusky steppe]

So I've heard that "Car of my brother" and "You are a friend of mine" are grammaticaly incorrect and correct forms would be "My brother's car" and "You are my friend" and that one can't always use "my friend" and sometimes should use "a frend of mine". So I'm confused a bit, for me using posessive pronouns that way is just uncommon and might be too formal. So where's the truth?

[round jungle]

"You are my friend" and "You are a friend of mine" are pretty much interchangeable. "My friend" possibly sounds more natural in this example, but "a friend of mine" sounds fine to me as well.

"The car of my brother" is not incorrect, but it would be unusual to say outside of certain contexts like poetry. The difference between the two possessive forms "X's" and "of X" is the closest thing English has to an animate/inanimate distinction besides pronouns: the first one is usually more natural when the possessive noun is a person or animal (eg. "my brother's car"), while the second is more natural when the possessive noun is a plant or something that isn't alive (eg. "the door of the car").

However, this is only a general preference and not a strict rule. It's sometimes taught as a rule, but in modern English, that's not really accurate. You can definitely find the other way around in use as well (eg. "the car of my brother," "the car's door"), just less commonly / in a more limited context.

[dull bough]

Hello, how to use "whereby''? Does it mean ''according to''?

[round jungle]

It's a conjunction that means "by (means of) which", "through which", "according to which". But honestly, I had to look it up just now to check if I understood it correctly because it's almost never used in normal conversation. It's only found in highly formal language like in legal documents and academic writing. Even native speakers don't necessarily know exactly what it means or how to use it properly.

To borrow an example from online:

They've set up a plan whereby you can spread the cost over a two-year period.
Here you can replace "whereby" with "by means of which"; in other words, by following the plan they've set up, you will be able to spread the cost over a two-year period.

[dull bough]

Okay, it's clear now, thank you!

[acoustic geyser]

Hello

Damnit

Does be able to sound temporary than can/could?

Like

We are able to climb this mountain
We can climb this mountain.

[round jungle]

There is no difference in how temporary or permanent the ability is. "We are able to climb this mountain" and "We can climb this mountain" are synonymous in the sense of having the ability to climb the mountain.

But! "Can" has multiple possible meanings, while "to be able to" only refers to literally having an ability. Depending on the context, "We can climb this mountain" could mean ...

1. We have the ability to climb this mountain.
2. We have permission to climb this mountain.
3. I'm suggesting we climb this mountain.

• eg. John asks Susan "What should we do today?" Susan answers "I don't know ... We can/could climb this mountain, maybe?"

[acoustic geyser]

Oh I see, thanks

[open lodge]

Can someone explain this to me

Why is "get asleep" grammatically incorrect

So is
Get awake
Get alive
Get alone
Get afloat
Get aloof

[open lodge]

Why is it "get to sleep" and not "get asleep"

[open lodge]

Why does it work with some adjectives like
"Get hungry"
"Get thrirsty"
"Get angry"
But not others

And there's another verb like "become" which can substitute "get" in some cases

Can someone explain this to me why the verb "get" can work with some adjectives but not all?

What is the difference in nuance
"Falling from that will hurt"
vs
"Falling from that would hurt"
What's the difference between "will" and " would"
When do you use which?

[knotty loom]

sleeping is more or less a status in English even though it is an adjective

you would describe someone else as "asleep" but you yourself are going to go to sleep

"Goodnight, I am going to sleep"

means you intend to go sleep, and then someone else would reffer to you as 'asleep'

Schuyler will probably answer this question and do a much better job

[round jungle]

I think this is a case where you just have to get a feel for how it's used. I can't come up with a rule to know for sure when you do and don't use "get" with adjectives, and I'm not finding any clear answers online either.

But in the case of "asleep", I would say the reason you wouldn't normally use either "get" or "become" is simply because (like REZE MY BELOVED said) "to go/get to sleep" or "to fall asleep" is how we describe the process of "becoming asleep".

About "to get" vs. "to become":

Both "get" (in this sense) and "become" mean "to change to a different condition/state/quality". Both can be used with adjectives, but only "become" can be used with nouns.

For example: You could say "I became angry" or "I got angry" and both sentences would mean the same thing (ie. I wasn't angry before and then I was), but only "I became a teacher" means I wasn't a teacher before and then I was / now I am. "I got a teacher" uses a different meaning of "get", namely "to receive", "to obtain", "to come to have".

"Get" is more common in informal speech and puts the emphasis more on the action of progressing towards the new state.

"Become" sounds more formal and also puts a somewhat stronger emphasis on the new state and the completion of the change.

[round jungle]

"Falling from that will hurt" uses simple future tense. It describes a certain or predicted scenario that hasn't happened yet. For example, maybe your friend is up in a tree right now and you can see the branch breaking under them. You expect that they're about to fall and you're thinking about how much it will hurt when it happens.

"Falling from that would hurt" uses the second conditional. It describes an imaginary or hypothetically possible but uncertain future scenario. Imagine that instead of your friend already being in the tree and about to fall, you're both still on the ground deciding if it would be safe to climb the tree or not. Your friend falling is not a real/likely possibility yet; you're just imagining how much it would hurt if it happened.

You could also use the second conditional if your friend is already in the tree, but they're on a secure branch and not in immediate danger of falling. In that case, you're worrying about the hypothetical possibility of falling, but not currently expecting it to happen.

[knotty loom]

Thanks Schuyler

[acoustic geyser]

Do u think " should have done something " sounds a bit of regret?

[finite bison]

It is used (older generations) and is probably still widely recognised, but its use is much less frequent in everyday speech.

You will hear instances of it in older British movies (1940s-1960s), perhaps some soap opera TV series (Coronation Street, East Enders), and in literature.

If you are in conversations or discussions about justice and consequences, you're more likely to hear it... 'he knew he was doing wrong, he got his comeuppance...'

[flat rune]

¿?

[coarse gyro]

what is the best way to learn german?

also,when you talk about sci-fi as genre for movies

how do you pronounce it?

[knotty loom]

sigh-fye

Like “eye”

[eternal scroll]

Hello

How to improve english ?

Please tell me

[green wolf]

Sai-fai

It's funny because "fi" is from "ficition" but we don't say "sai-fi"

[dense oasis]

very typical. why is it thigh, but also thick

or why is it these, but also think

or flew, but sew

Nothing makes sense in this language lmao

when i hear some non-native speakers, then, as one of them but this particular time capable of hearing their mistakes, i feel how they trynna use some logic when they pronounce stuff. We don't do logic in english, though lmfao

[thorn condor]

no logic is required. just pure memorization those pronunciation rules just make everything much much worse

[dense oasis]

Pure shrooms are required

[flat rune]

Is there an alternative way to say "I'll be right back"?

[flat horizon]

Hello Adri! Yes, there are a few alternative ways. Examples include: « I’ll be back shortly », « I’ll return in a moment » and another that’s quite informal would be « hold on a minute/ for a just a second ».

[quaint eagle]

hello how are you

i want to learn english can you help me?

[errant kettle]

I would suggest that you take a look at the events and the https://discord.com/channels/801609515391778826/852808711717126146 Also check out the Voice Channels. In this channel you can ask specific questions pertaining to English and a volunteer will try and help you with an answer.

[tidal torrent]

What does 'a penny for your thoughts' means?

Couldnt quite get the penny part

[errant kettle]

A penny is a 1 cent coin. So when someone wants to ask you what you are thinking about they might say, "a penny for your thoughts." This is a rather old-fashioned phrase. A similar idiomatic expression is "that's my two cents." This phrase means that that is what you think about a particular topic.

[tidal torrent]

Thanks u for the insight, I've heard it a few time but couldn't make much sense out of it

I guess its uncommon then?

[errant kettle]

yes it is uncommon....something older people might say.

[sacred mirage]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9_H1USXpjM come what it know pls subcribe pls

[green wolf]

??

[native forge]

The fur on the cat's back lie/lay flat once more

[acoustic geyser]

What is the difference between:
She should come
She will come
Both of them express strong belief, but I dont know when to use it

[rapid ingot]

What does womp womp womp mean?

[acoustic geyser]

Lol

[flat rune]

Thanks Belle

[tacit slate]

Question:
which one is correct
What's the ingredieants or What are the ingredieants?

[flat rune]

the correct answer is "what are the ingredients?"

[flat rune]

"she should come" is used to say that you want/ suggest someone to come somewhere (if i said "she should come to my party", im stating that i want that person to come to the party)

saying "she will come" can be used to state that someone is likely/for certain going to come somewhere (if i said "she will come to the party", im saying that she is already coming to the party)

sorry if i did not do a good job of explaining, im trying my best lol, if you need any further help; feel free to dm me!

[errant kettle]

Lay

[errant kettle]

I think you did a nice job of explaining the difference

[flat rune]

awe thank u!

[tacit slate]

What are the difference between
Many and Several

[hardy moon]

Xin chào

[flat rune]

Both have the same meaning, just different contexts. You can have many hobbies, but several typically means fewer of something

Many = I have many pets (I have a large amount of pets)
Several = I have several pets (I have more than 2 pets)

I may be a little wrong, but that’s how I’ve used those words

[strong gull]

한쿡인이에요

얼유미쿡인?

톡일인?

영쿡인?

[rapid ingot]

[tacit slate]

thanks

[strong gull]

I`m so sorry

[flat rune]

Mhm!

[flat rune]

Dont be sorry, people can always translate online to help mhm

[tacit slate]

what is the better answer for the following question:
Why do people need clothes?
1 - Without them, people are cold
2 - Without them, people get cold

[flat rune]

2

[ocean tapir]

Should I say "in the morning" or "at morning"

Or it depends on context

[flat horizon]

« In the morning » is correct. You only use “at” when referring to specific points in time, such as “at noon” or “at midnight”.

[flat horizon]

It doesn’t depend on the context. “At morning” is always incorrect.

[tacit slate]

from what I know we use in with different periods of time :
in the morning - in the afternoon - in the evening

[ocean tapir]

Now it's clear
thank you

[vocal saffron]

Hi there

[acoustic geyser]

What is the difference between:
You aren't supposed to be here
You must not be here
You aren't to be here

[worldly folio]

Quick opinion question regarding comas.
I may ||or may not|| have accidentally sparked a debate whether the coma before the word "should" is correct. Take the following as an example:

Nonetheless, some kinds of knowledge are just not meant to be available for the public to know, due to the potential harm they could cause, should they happen to end up in the wrong hands.

What do you think? In my opinion it doesn't have to be there, but it puts a bit more emphasis on the conditionality of the information getting leaked.

[unborn hollow]

Since commas only have four uses, it makes sense to have a comma before should due to the other comma after know indicates the phrase due to the potential harm they could cause is not important information to the idea.

[fierce linden]

Hi I made some vocabulary lists and I would like to share them to you, how can I send images here ?

I would like to ask if my list is fine or if my words are too familiar, too formal or if the words are generally used in the UK instead of the US etc.

[opaque topaz]

Hii! I'm pretty sure you need to be at least level 5 to share media. If it doesn't work you can direct message me and I can share it here on your behalf, ofc!

[fierce linden]

thx

(and please ignore my french words)

[opaque topaz]

@fierce linden's vocabulary list!

[crimson vortex]

Hello

What are guidelines and advisory. I can't understand dictionaries' explanations. And what is the difference between them

[flat horizon]

Hi Freddie, guidelines offer recommendations, typically to help people carry out tasks effectively, but an advisory provides crucial information or warnings about important issues.

An example of guidelines can be found on the WHO website. Click on recommendations under the "healthy diet" tab. That should give you a good idea of what they typically look like: https://www.who.int/health-topics/healthy-diet#tab=tab_2

An example of an advisory is found on the National Weather Service website, warning about important alerts of tornados. https://www.weather.gov/safety/tornado-ww

[dense oasis]

It is enough for me to know that my diet should be largely plant-based, while I eat almost no plants. The rules are meant to be broken... or something.

[flat horizon]

Good thing they’re only recommendations. 90% of my diet consists of meat. lol.

[dense oasis]

We're gonna end up like dinosaurs

[crimson vortex]

Okay, so guidelines are much more detailed and seem like a guide, it's more of instruction. On the other hand, advisory gives one only general, but necessary advices and warnings, right?

[flat horizon]

Yes, in the simplest of terms: guidelines are detailed instructions on how to do something well. Advisory’s provide important information to keep you safe from certain situations.

[crimson vortex]

Okay, i understand it. But what about "advisory" as an adjective?

For example advisory company

[dense oasis]

they can recommend, give an advice, but can not force you to follow it

[flat horizon]

I genuinely wonder how they plan to impose this new dietary plan of theirs upon every human being on the planet. Sure, they may only be recommandations for now, but I’m convinced things are going to be very different by 2050…

[crimson vortex]

Okay, thanks

[crimson vortex]

Thanks, i got it

[flat horizon]

Yes, so in the context of advisory being used as an adjective, an « advisory company » is a company that gives professional advice to help businesses make decisions.

[crimson vortex]

By the way

What is the difference between manuals and guidelines then? Is it that manuals is just set of rules/actions rather than recommendations?

[dense oasis]

the context could be the difference

cuz if something has a manual, then this means you definitely need a set of rules, often step by step, to do it

[flat horizon]

Yes, guidelines are recommendations, but manuals contain specific step-by-step instructions on how to operate or perform something. For example, when trying to assemble a new toy car, you may need a manual.

[crimson vortex]

Okay, i see it

[flat horizon]

Black cat’s answer is correct too.👍

[crimson vortex]

And one can often see "Parental advisory recommended" while watching a movie with a certain age rating. But in this context "advisory" doesn't seem like main recommendations or warnings. It's rather observation, surveillance, control.

Right?

[flat horizon]

Right! In this context, it serves as both a warning (advisory) and a guideline (recommended). Parents are warned that the movie may be inappropriate for children, but they are also recommended (not forced) to supervise their children while watching. A non-mandatory nature of “recommended” allows parents to choose whether to supervise their children or not.

[dense oasis]

Waitin for some Orwell type of scenario, where they are not advised, but actually forced lol. It seems ludicrous, but not too abstract anymore

[flat horizon]

That sounds super interesting, haha.

[crimson vortex]

Okay, thanks. I'd also like to know the difference between observation, surveillance and supervision. I think, observation is a general term for watching something happening. Surveillance is associated with strict observation mostly through cameras. And supervision is like watching and also guiding, correcting or may be helping. Correct me if i am wrong

[flat horizon]

You're not wrong. Your understanding of all three are quite accurate. Observation is general watching, surveillance is close and usually, technologically assisted monitoring and supervision involves active oversight and guidance.

[dense oasis]

observation has a second meaning too. Like "My observation is that cats are likely to sob, when their owner is not home". Then this meaning is not entirely the same as the one you listed

this one is like "based on what i observed, saw before, or concluded from other sources, this is what happens"

[crimson vortex]

Oh, i see it, it seems like your gained experience, impression, right?

Okay

[dense oasis]

kind of, yeah. Impression is not the same word, cuz impression relies heavily on emotions and feelings

[crimson vortex]

I know

But i got the point

[dense oasis]

@flat horizon
if you dont mind a question, then ive got something to ask, cuz it seems unclear to me.
I havent really lived in the UK or the US before, and i am kinda curious about the date formats.

If you take a look at these, then all of them seem natural, right? Which one would you use the most in the UK?

[flat horizon]

Good question. In the UK, we are most familiar with day/month/year. So if I was to write 6th of September 2024, it would be 06/09/2024. But in the US, they (for some odd reason) usually put the month before the day. So their own format looks more like this 09/06/2024.

In other words, in the UK, we usually go with the seventh one: Saturday, 13 April 2019, in it’s most formal sense, I suppose. Or the third one (6 September 2019) if you want to shorten it and get rid of the week day.

[crimson vortex]

Also i have doubts regarding certain job vocabulary. Are "to fire an employee" and "to dismiss an employee" the same? "Firing" somebody sounds very informal to me. I'd also like to ask about "to resignate" and "to retire". By "retire" here i meant not to stop working because of age, but to just quit your job.

[dense oasis]

okay this makes sense, thank you for clarifying

[flat horizon]

Yes, « to fire » is more informal, but « to dismiss » would be the formal alternative. Both carry the same meaning. Only difference is their formal/informal nature. « To resign » = voluntarily quitting a job by your own volition, but « to retire » is to stop working due to old age or a long career, yes that’s right.

I should mention in the UK, we don’t usually say « fire » nor do we use « dismiss », usually when terminating employment, we use the word « sack » -> « to sack an employee ».

[crimson vortex]

I have Never heard of sacking anybody. But that's interesting

[flat horizon]

It is!

[crimson vortex]

I was reading a light novel and there was "student's retirement from the exam because of rules violation". So "retirement" is not only used when talking about job?

[naive gyro]

Hi there! Have a question? What is the differences between “ 1) help me out and help me ; 2) put on a sweater and put a sweater on”
What options will be correct?

[flat horizon]

Correct, but it’s important to recognise that the most traditional and most well-known usage of retirement is in the context of old age. Yes, you can use it in other contexts, but it’s less common and might cause confusion.

[crimson vortex]

Okay, thanks for clarifying. I would rather replace it with "suspended" here

[dense oasis]

I have not seen "to sack an employee" before lol. Good to know. I would think theyre saying "to sacrifice an employee", because in chess, some players say they "sac a piece" so they sacrifice something for better chances of winning

[flat horizon]

No difference. They’re all correct and interchangeable. But choice can depend on formality and context.

[flat horizon]

To « sacrifice » an employee? Hmm…you could be right. I should look that up!

[naive gyro]

Sometimes I am confusing. Thank you 🙏🏼

[dense oasis]

Well, sacrificing an employee would be my intuition if somebody told me they "sacked" one. Cuz i would think its the same as in chess, when somebody "sacs a piece" = "sacrifices it"

thankfully now i know that sacking them is not sacrificing them, lmao

[flat horizon]

I’m not too sure of whether the two are interlinked but the chess analogy could help you remember what sacking an employee means in the UK!

[flat rune]

Hello everyone,does someone know how much word i need to learn to reach intermediate level of english?

[flat horizon]

Ignore 1,000. Should be between 2,000-3,000, roughly speaking.

[dense oasis]

it is difficult to come up with a practical number. Some sources claim its 1000, other ones that it is 3000. Some sources claim that you can understand as much as 80% of the language, if you know at least 1000 words, but this is not so obvious, may dependent on the topic of the text/conversation. From my experience, it is never enough lmao

[flat rune]

Thanks for answer

[dense oasis]

depends what you want to do, tbh. If you want to use english in work every single day in many contexts, helping people from different regions, so brits, americans, aussies, maybe non-native speakers who may have slightly odd accents, then it would be amazing to know as much as you can

But if I imagine I go for a trip to idk... spain, let's say. Then I would not study thousands of words of spanish. I would study like few hundreds, just to communicate on a very basic level

Cuz you cant always rely on google translate. Sometimes you need to scream to somebody, google translate will not scream for you. God forbid you have an accident and you want to scream "help", but you have no idea how to say "help" in spanish. This why its useful

[flat rune]

It seem that i will stay at the basic stage forever, thank you anyway

[dense oasis]

No, don't think like this. You can make it

and can do it

[flat horizon]

Now, now…you need to be a lot more positive than that! It may seem difficult to memorise so many, but it’s not impossible! When my classes start, I’ll be providing new keywords for students, so you can also make sure to join. It could help a lot.

[flat rune]

It's easy to say when you are a native speaker, thanks for the advice

[dense oasis]

Maybe they are, but I certainly am not, and I agree with it

You can make it work

[lusty pawn]

Helloo

My English seviye A 😁

1 not just A

@flat horizon your English very good

This which gramer

Word

[fierce linden]

please can I have some comments on my lists please ?

(ignore the French words)

i don't know if my lists are sufficient

If you have suggestions please tell me

[round jungle]

Both can be correct depending on what you want to say, but "lie" should be "lies" because "fur" is singular.

The fur on the cat's back lies flat once more. = Simple present tense
The fur on the cat's back lay* flat once more. = Simple past tense

*But remember! lie/lay/have lain and lay/laid/have laid are two very similar, but different verbs.

"To lie" is intransitive (can't be used with an object) and means "to be positioned horizontally on a surface", such as "I lie on the bed."

"To lay" is transitive (can only be used with an object) and means "to place something horizontally on a surface", such as "I lay myself on the bed."

(Even native speakers don't always follow this distinction all the time, though.)

In your sentence, the verb must be "to lie" because it has no object.

If that's not confusing enough for you, there's also the other verb "to lie" meaning "to not tell the truth". That's lie/lied/have lied 🙃

[dense oasis]

My entire life, Ive been saying "I laid down" instead of "I lay down" lmao

Not really the entire life, cuz i havent really been speaking english for such a period. But for few years for sure

And I have NEVER realized that to say "I lie down" in the past tense, i should say "I lay down", not "I laid down"

lie - lay - have/has lain
lay - laid - have/has laid
lie - lied - have/has lied

i knew about this. Except for "lay" as in past tense

this situation amazes me lmfao. Am shocked by this tiny thing

[tidal torrent]

I am curious, what are some commonly used idioms I should know about?

[acoustic geyser]

Hello

Do you know what is the difference between
You must not smoke here
You aren't not to smoke here?
I heard that both of those sentences are often used in formal context.

[bronze lagoon]

While technically they're both correct, the 2nd one will never be used in a real life scenario..
Usually people say "you cant smoke here" or something similar.
There isn't a "formal" in English like other languages.
So while using "must" sounds more formal, most people will look at you very strange if you use it in any kind of setting.

[acoustic geyser]

Also, does " you arent supposed to smoke here" sound less force?

[bronze lagoon]

Yeah that sounds fine!

[unborn hollow]

While English is riddled with many idioms, some of the more common ones are:
According to
Appetite/Hungry for(Both have the same meaning)
Arrive at
As... as
Based on/upon(both are acceptable)
Compared... to
Drew up
Famous for

[unborn hollow]

Focus on
Freed from
Improved on/upon(both are acceptable)
In accordance with
In itself
Just (North or up)/(East or right)/(South or down)/(West or left)
More... than...
Piled high with

[unborn hollow]

Refer to... as
Typical of
Well/Better/Best suited for or to(both are acceptable)

As a side note, the ones listed with the ellipsis(...) naturally have in information between the first and last word or have information following to complete the idea.

[round jungle]

Those are a mix of phrasal verbs and prepositional phrases, not really idioms. An idiom is an established metaphor like "It's raining cats and dogs" or "To put your foot in your mouth."

[round jungle]

Someone posted a list of common idioms a few days ago. I'll see if I can find it.

[acoustic geyser]

If I want to sound formal, which one should I use?
May, might and could?

[round jungle]

Here's the post I was thinking of @tidal torrent

[round jungle]

In what context?

The difference between those words is not really the level of formality. Which you should use depends on what you want to say; all three have multiple meanings and are not always interchangeable.

[acoustic geyser]

Oh I see, thanks

[tidal torrent]

That's very much useful, thanks for the help

[tidal torrent]

If I may ask, I didn't get very well the use of 'down for the count', any example you could think of?

Thanks you btw

I tend to associate 'down for' as if you are up for something

[bitter hill]

https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/down_for_the_count

Like one has been downed for the start of the count

[errant kettle]

Hi! "down for the count" is a boxing reference. So in a boxing match when one contestant gets knocked down they count to determine if it is a "knock-out" So down for the count means you are nearly knocked out. Hope that helps it make more sense

[tidal torrent]

Ohhhh

Like you are waiting for the countdown

That makes a lot of sense

[errant kettle]

but that you are the one down on the mat.

[trim jungle]

i write in english language but i am not as fluent in spoken

any suggesstion

My native Language is Urdu

[winged crow]

How I can improve grammatical accuracy in spoken English

?

[mellow grove]

"This class has two people named Tom" -> "This class has two Toms"
Tom with 's' or no 's'?

[flat rune]

Toms with an s

Flows better

[mellow grove]

thank you

[round jungle]

If you mean the second sentence, there are two Toms, so it needs to be plural.

If you mean the first sentence, there's no S because it's singular. You could slightly rephrase it as "This class has two people with the name Tom."

[winged crow]

@round jungle hi sir

How I can improve grammatical accuracy in spoken English

[dense oasis]

listen more

listening influences speaking and the frequency of grammar errors. It decreases that frequency, that is

once you know the theory of all tenses, and of the passive voice, then listening to native speech (yt, podcasts on spotify/podbean/google podcasts) is makin you remember them better and makin you recognise how they're used. Am mentionin the tenses and the passive voice, cuz they're the solid foundation of most of the things that people say

after some time you go from "should I use present perfect here?" to "I don't need to think what to use, I just feel based on the context"

[tacit slate]

which one is correct:
1 - "She drew a nose and mouth"
2 - "She drew a nose and a mouth"
are they all correct or one of them is?

[thorn condor]

both are correct. you don't need to use the indefinite article twice since you have and but you can if you want to

[tacit slate]

ty

[thorn condor]

you're welcome

[dull bough]

Hello! Is there any difference between ''beyond the door'' and ''behind the door''?

[thorn condor]

it feels like beyond implies over and some kind of action, and behind just says that the door in front of

You can look beyond the door and see a cat behind it.

[slender mist]

how do I know when to use how much or how many?

[rare oak]

use many when speaking about multiple things or occasions "how many have you got" "how many times have you been"

a lot of the times they are interchangable

i wouldn't worry about it too much because its just trial and error

the general rule is that if your speaking about something that you can count or is plural use many

[cedar arrow]

my teacher told me that in case i dont remember how to use it ill have to think that mUCh has uc so its for uncountable things

basically much uncountable and many countable

bottles of water is countable soi it ll be many bottles of water

instead air is uncountable so it ll be much air

how can i improve my english accent????

the r sound is killing me

[rare oak]

do the same thing actors do and watch some voice coaches for an english accent on youtube, just a lot of practice

[dull bough]

Got it, thanks!

[fading solar]

Hi, could any native speaker tell me how to say to the Internet provider when you apply for Internet service (install Internet service for the first time)?

[errant kettle]

Do you mean you want to know what to say when you are trying to get internet set up

You can just say “ I would like to begin internet service (or initiate internet service)”

[fading solar]

Thanks. Like you trying to buy a Internet service from them for the first time

[acoustic geyser]

What is the difference between those sentence when we uset o assumption?

• this should work
• this will work

[round jungle]

This should work. = The speaker predicts that it will work, but they aren't completely certain.
This will work. = The speaker predicts that it will definitely work.

[acoustic geyser]

Thanks! Its been confusing me for a while

[acoustic geyser]

Also can I use will to predict something in present?

[lyric fractal]

Hello, what dusk exactly means? I understand that is time realted, thank you!

[flat rune]

hii

is there any one here free for chat

[acoustic geyser]

What is difference between prediction and assumption?

[dull bough]

Hello! It's the transition between day and night, when the sun sets below the horizon (so you can't see it) but it is not complete darkness

[round jungle]

"Will" as a model verb is only used to form future tenses. You would not use it for anything in present tense.

You can't predict something that's happening in the present. A prediction is a guess or expectation about something that will happen. There's nothing to predict if it has already happened or is happening right now.

If you mean guessing what's happening in the present when you don't know for sure, you would use conditional forms like "could", "should", "may/might" + the appropriate present tense. Or you could use phrases like "I think" or other words like "probably", "possibly", etc. instead to show your uncertainty. For example ...

• John might be learning English.
• I think John is learning English.
• John is probably learning English.
  In these sentences, the speaker is making a guess that John is learning English, but they are not sure.

An assumption is something that you feel certain about, but that has not be proven true. For example, if I assume that John is learning English, that means I consider it to be a fact even though I haven't actually confirmed that it is.

[acoustic geyser]

Many thanks!

[dull bough]

Hello! Is there any term or phrase to describe a feeling when you are rising up on a plane and your ears ... ? Like they hurt due to pressure changes

[thorn condor]

and your ears clogged

or get clogged

[errant kettle]

Yes so you can say “I would like to get started as a new customer. “.

[indigo lark]

🤓

[rare oak]

clogged is for earwax, what we normally say is popped, "my ears have popped"

[slow spade]

Hey guys, I'm Ben. I'm currently doing Grade 12 English in online school, which lasts for 19 days. I'm actually in Grade 10 but went ahead in my courses. I've heard that Grade 12 is much harder than the other years, so I'm here to ask if anyone would be willing to personally help me for the next 19 days with some small tasks and things I don't understand. I would really appreciate it!

[rapid bison]

what curriculum are you talking about, @slow spade? country, program, all that.

[slow spade]

grade 12 ontario canada university

[rapid bison]

any coursebooks/textbooks going with it?

[slow spade]

no

[rapid bison]

I think you'll have to manage yourself :(

[dull bough]

That's what I meant, thanks!

SkaFiend, thank you too

[flat rune]

Hi , In the sentence "But, after a few miles, I was in too much pain to keep [complete]" what word is good : pedalling, pedaling, cycling. I've seen several answers on the Internet . Thanks

[atomic nova]

probably pedaling, since it's more specific about what you're unable to do

also, pedalling is the british spelling (pedaling is the american english version)

[rare oak]

pedalling

[round jungle]

All three are possible. "Pedaling/pedalling" refers specifically to the action of pedaling. "Cycling" refers to riding the bike in general - although in this case, I think we'd more naturally say "to keep going" instead.

[brazen hill]

• Prediction: A guess about the future based on information.
• Assumption: Something you believe is true without proof.

[flat rune]

Thanks u so much guys

[random void]

what is an estuary this is the sentence where I found the word "one of the broadest estuaries of any river in America."

[acoustic geyser]

thanks

is it rude if I use yank toward Americans? is it a slur?

[fading solar]

Thanks again🙏

[errant kettle]

It is a mild slur. I think most people from the USA won’t care.

I would not use in a professional setting

[fading solar]

Good Morning, could anyone tell me what's the difference between something move forward and move forth?

[atomic nova]

forth means you're putting something forward / submitting something

in normal conversation 'forth' is only used when saying something 'came forth' / revealed itself. since it sounds like old english

[quick peak]

When I use 'way' as adverb, does it have to be in front of a comparative?

Can I just use it with a basic adjective?

[lyric parcel]

watching Supacell on netflix

what's a sixer?

Tower Boys?

[last comet]

hello everyone, im still reading Rebecca of sunybrook farm and i don't really understand this sentences "Children comes turrible high, mother, but I s'pose we must have 'em!" It's from this: (the girl got paint in her dress cuz she didnt notice the fresh paint signs and the old man talking about it)

"I ain't got to understandin' this paintin' accident yet," said uncle Jerry jocosely, as he handed Rebecca the honey. "Bein' as how there's 'Fresh Paint' signs hung all over the breedge, so 't a blind asylum couldn't miss 'em, I can't hardly account for your gettin' int' the pesky stuff."
"I didn't notice the signs," Rebecca said dolefully. "I suppose I was looking at the falls."
"The falls has been there sence the beginnin' o' time, an' I cal'late they'll be there till the end on 't; so you needn't 'a' been in sech a brash to git a sight of 'em. Children comes turrible high, mother, but I s'pose we must have 'em!" he said, winking at Mrs. Cobb.

[errant kettle]

I remember reading this book when I was younger but I don’t remember the heavy dialect. I take that phrase to mean children don’t always behave well. They can be high strung—meaning full of energy and not paying attention to their surroundings. The other part “but I suppose we must have them.”—meaning that it is just the way children are and we need children.

I am not sure I helped clear anything up

[last comet]

thanks alot, it's hard reading this book when i'm just a beginner ;_;

[errant kettle]

I can imagine. The portrayal of the dialect makes it harder to decipher

[errant kettle]

I am sorry, I don’t know what you are asking. Can you give an example?

[errant kettle]

I have never watched it. I googled a little “the Sixers” are a rival gang. In slang “your six” is your back. I can’t find a reference to the “Tower Boys” perhaps someone who is a bigger fan of the show would give an answer. 😬

[round jungle]

It is sometimes used with just an adjective in the sense of "very" or "really", like "That's way cool," but that's less common and also a regional use. It seems to be American from what I can find. I've heard it before, but not a lot and it sounds strange to me; it may be more common in a different part of the US than where I am.

Most of the time "way" is used with a comparative, like "way too much" or "way bigger", and with some prepositions. For example: way beyond, way ahead (of), way past, way before, way behind, way back (in), ...

[acoustic geyser]

When do I use anyone, everyone and everybody? Are they plural or singular?

[fading solar]

Thanks, what r their difference?

[atomic nova]

they are synonyms, they mean almost the same thing

forth sounds more archaic / old, and is used less

if you don't know which one to use, you probably want to use forward

[atomic nova]

everyone and everybody are both plural - meaning all of the group. the only difference is that everyone is more formal
example: "Can everybody be quiet?"

anyone means all or any part of the group.
"Does anyone want ice cream?"
because everyone might want ice cream, or maybe some might not want any

[round jungle]

What thegu5 said, but I just wanted to add two things:

1. "Everyone" and "everybody" are plural in the sense that they refer to multiple people, but they are grammatically singular. We say "Everyone is here," not "Everyone are here."
2. I disagree that "everyone" is more formal than "everybody". To me at least, they are completely interchangeable with no difference in meaning or register.

[lyric parcel]

ah hmm..how does it mean "my back?"

[dense oasis]

there is no deep logic in this, it's just a phrase that happened to mean it

[topaz mauve]

we made a frined, he/she builds strong connect with you, he/she walked into your life, but people change, circumstances shift, several years later, he/she walked out of your life. Can I say "friends may come and go throughout different stages of our lives"

[dense oasis]

frined -> friend
builds strong connect -> builds a strong connection

And yes, you can say this. However, this gives me an impression as if you were saying "they come, and they participate in every different stage of our lives" which is probably not what you wanted to say. You probably meant "Throughout different stages of our lives, our friends may come and leave"

or go

[acoustic geyser]

Is coup a short form of coup de'tat right?

I heard a lot of English speakers use that word

[dense oasis]

Wikipedia seems to suggest this

however, I've never heard people saying the full phrase. Maybe I just didn't and some natives did

[errant kettle]

So if you think about the face of a clock when you are looking forward that would be considered 12:00 so to your back is 6:00 which is where the term “your six” comes to mean behind you

[errant kettle]

This is correct. Most people will just use the word coup without the full phrase it is derived from

[lyric parcel]

oh ok

[lyric parcel]

oh thought clock is always flat vertical, never once thought of it as flat horizontal

bu i think i recall an action movie where they shoot based on flat horizontal clock

[errant kettle]

Yes it is a strange way to think about it but I have heard this used as a way to describe directions to others. I don’t think it is very common but you are likely to hear it in programs where there is a police or military operation

[lyric parcel]

ah ok

[tacit slate]

What did the flower say ?

it smells like what

[flat horizon]

"It smells like manure".

[tacit slate]

thanks

[flat horizon]

Manure is animal dung/faeces.

[flat horizon]

No worries!

[topaz mauve]

Thanks, that's right, i want to express "Not all friends will be with you for ever, some of them will leave at some point for some reasons"

[round jungle]

Yeah, it's not super common to hear in everyday conversation, but I wouldn't say it's unusual either. It's useful if you want to more precisely describe a direction that's not directly forwards, backwards, left, or right. For example, if something is located "at 2 o'clock", that means it's to the right, but not a full 90 degree turn.

[rapid bison]

*90-degree
yeah, it's 60 degrees to the right, relative to your forward view.

[orchid gorge]

hello there

whats going on yo

[fading solar]

Alright, thanks again

[alpine sonnet]

Hi everyone, I have a question i saw this word of the day, henpecked. And it says "A henpecked husband is frightened of his wife and is in complete control of her." Is the usage of her correct in this sentence? Im a bit confused and would appreciate your input

[flat horizon]

Good question, James. Yes, you’re right. This makes no sense. A henpecked husband is constantly dominated and/or controlled by his wife, not the other way around.

Perhaps it was just an honest mistake or typo. (:

[alpine sonnet]

Thank you sm, that clears up my confusion 😊

[dull bough]

Hello! Why in the sentence : "Do dogs go woof in your native language?" we say go instead of do?

If it is important ,the context of article is about onomatopoeic words such as woof

[quick peak]

Thank you, I got it clearly now. You always give me such nice respond. I always appreciate it.

[runic trench]

Simple explanation: 'Do dogs go woof in your native language' sounds more natural than ' Do dog do woof in your native language'

Explanation in detail: do is usually used for other purposes such as describing feelings (I'm doing good) or Actions as in physical actions (I'm doing the laundry) while go is used to describe where a person is travelling to (I'm going to the zoo) and in some cases indicating the sounds that animals make (a dog goes Woof/ A sheep goes Bah)

[dense oasis]

not only the animals, I guess. For example "He goes like: I like her". The usage for human speech is also real

[runic trench]

Aren't Humans technically animals as well?

[flat rune]

Hello, do I have to use "SOME" in these three sentences if I didn't mention stairs, binoculars and mercenaries before in my screenplay?

1. He climbs SOME container stairs attached to an intermodal container.
2. The officer gives SOME binoculars to John.
3. The officer leaves and jumps off the intermodal container. He stands up in front of SOME mercenaries.

[dense oasis]

the usual interpretation doesn't seem to include them I suppose

[flat rune]

Hi
Why in the sentence " I feel like going home" there isn't "to" between going and home (destination) whereas in the sentence "We feel like going to India", there is "to"
Thanks

[thorn condor]

I guess, there is no particular reason except go to home would sound weird I just memorized it as a collocation

[plain pawn]

[dull bough]

Aa I see, thank you!

[round jungle]

"Go" is a very common, informal way to say something makes a sound, whether it's a dog barking, a human talking, a car honking, or anything else.

You wouldn't use "do" in this context regardless. "Do" is not used with sounds; you use it with nouns and gerunds ("I'm going to do that dance," "They want to do some shopping"), and with verbs when asking a question or using the "emphatic do" ("Do you want to do that dance?", "They do want to do some shopping").

Alternatively, you could say "Do dogs say 'woof' in your native language?" Or in the case of inanimate objects, you say they "make the sound __"

[round jungle]

You don't use "to" because "to go home" is a fixed phrase meaning "to go to where you live / where you're from / where you belong". In essence, "home" is acting as an adverb here rather than a noun.

In most other cases of going somewhere, you need "to": going to India, going to the gym, going to school, etc.

Optionally, you can also drop "to" before "where", like in "I'm going (to) where I belong." I think it sounds more natural without "to", but both ways work.

[dull bough]

I got it now, thank you so much! 🙏

[silent oasis]

Hello

[fading solar]

Good afternoon, could anyone tell me what's the difference between “where are you guys headed” and “where are you guys heading”?

[round jungle]

No difference in meaning

[native gulch]

The only differnece is that the question mark, at the end of the proposition

[flat horizon]

That’s not a difference. Both questions should have question marks. They might have just forgotten to add a question mark to the first one.

[dull bough]

Good morning! I have encountered these sentences in a book :"What happened to you? What knocked the torch out of your hands?". What does the last one mean? Is it common phrase?

[supple holly]

It means you were holding a torch but something knocked it out of your hands. Very common when you're holding a torch but something knocked it out of your hands

[dull bough]

Hmm the context is not about torch

[supple holly]

I'm kidding. Kinda

There's a very very less commonly known meaning. It also means "lose belief in something you used to strongly believe in"

[dense oasis]

Lose the sparkle in your eyes. Get demotivated and lose your hope. In other words, just growing up

[supple holly]

But I only found out about it after googling just now. And sources seem to point to Fahrenheit 451 (a book), so not sure if it's a legitimate idiom or just a reference

[dull bough]

Ohh I got it, thank you

[dull bough]

Maybe, exactly this book

[dense oasis]

Yes, just that's the moment you realize your entire existence has been insignificant and, therefore, you should turn to the dark side

https://tenor.com/view/star-wars-join-me-come-here-darth-vader-you-need-a-hand-gif-12423479908260753258

[dull bough]

😭

[dense oasis]

[acoustic geyser]

Are belief and assumption the same thing?

[rapid ingot]

Any native british mates here?

[west plover]

Hello

If I say: I will win. It means I have a strong belief that I will win
And I should win. It means I expect myself to win but less certain

Is this correct

[dense oasis]

Yes

You can go further and say "I am winning this.". Then it shows that you are absolutely sure that you're gonna win

It sounds very confident

[west plover]

Also, is assumption like guessing without proof, isnt it?

[round jungle]

Yes, but more certain than guessing. If you assume something, you accept it as the truth even though it hasn't been proven.

@acoustic geyser They are similar, but an assumption is always without evidence/proof, and often without making a genuine effort to fact-check it, either. It means you're confident you're correct, when in reality you may or may not be. It has a neutral to negative connotation.

A belief may have stronger evidence to back it up, and it generally implies an awareness that what you believe may not actually be true. The connotation is neutral to positive.

[dense oasis]

I believe is way stronger than I assume, right?

It feels so to me

Kinda idk... as if believing was this state of being very sure about something and not even needing any proof

[round jungle]

If you mean in terms of how sure the speaker is about something, "assume" is stronger. They're positive about what they're saying - although in first person, the choice to use "I assume" instead of stating it directly as a fact does admit a slight level of uncertainty. But still less uncertainty than "I believe"

"I assume he moved to England" means the speaker is like 95%+ certain that the person did in fact move to England, whereas "I believe he moved to England" implies, idk, maybe 50-90% certainty

[round jungle]

I would say that's more the definition of "assume" than "believe". "Believe" can mean being very sure without any proof, but that's not inherent to the word

[dense oasis]

Interesting. In polish it's the opposite. If I say "Wierzę, że przeprowadził się do Anglii" (I believe he moved to England) then I mean that am like 90%+ sure about that. When I say "Zakładam, że przeprowadził się do Anglii" (I assume he moved to England) then I feel like it's less than 90% sure

Hm they're not so frequently used as they would be in English. Thanks for clarifying

[round jungle]

Hmm yeah, that's interesting!

I guess the level of certainty of "I believe" also depends a lot on the context. If someone says "I believe in God," for example, I feel like that usually implies a much stronger belief than a regular "I believe [neutral event] happened."

[tidal bloom]

GUYYS, PLEASEE, COULD SOMEONE GIVE ME A SYNTHAX LESSON?

What is it?

"Where did it come?"

Or:

"Where did it came?"

Ps.: answer me when you prefer, but please, don't forget me.

[tidal bloom]

Sorry for being middlesome, but I am going to use this phrase to feel more brave and confident

[dense oasis]

where did it come

that's cuz of the sentence structure in questions in past simple

Did you like the cat? I did. I liked it. He didn't like the cat. Why did you like the cat? That's because the cat was very cute.

Where did the cat come from? It came from the local animal shelter. Where did you see it? It sat next to my house.

etc. That's all past simple

[empty vapor]

"Lenny had slept most of the way since leaving Texas".

In this sentence, without a context, could it be understood that Lenny has left Texas with someone else who would be the one who says the sentence ?

(Lenny had slept most of the way since we left Texas)

or could it only be understood that Lenny leaves Texas alone?

(Lenny had slept most of the way since he left Texas)

I ask because when you use since + infinitive the subjects are supposed to match but the translator tells me that it could be two people in the car.

Thank you very much 🙂

[dense oasis]

first thing - there is no word like "leaved". the corect way is just "left"

[empty vapor]

thanks

[dense oasis]

the only way "leaved" would work is in the context of a leaf, few leaves. If something is green-leaved, for example, then it has green leaves

[dense oasis]

the first two sentences you provided give me the impression that you described first

the last one may imply that the speaker knows about it cuz Lenny told them, but Lenny was, in fact, leaving texas by himself

[dense oasis]

also, the order of your tenses feels a bit misleading. What happened first? Did he leave Texas, and then slept? Or did he sleep, and then left Texas? If the former option is true, then you should say "Lenny slept most of the way, since we/he had left Texas"

because past perfect marks the thing that happened the longest time ago

I had found a cat. I gave the cat away to an animal shelter

So, first I had found a cat, and then I gave it to them

[empty vapor]

Thanks

[blissful salmon]

hello hello

I'm here again

I have one question

why in the sentence <this can be said in different ways> Is it written "in"?

why "in"

[green wolf]

No answer

That's just how we say it

[brazen hill]

"Pick up the phone" and "Pick the phone up"
What's the difference?

[flat horizon]

Hi Iseal, these phrases are grammatically correct, interchangeable and mean the same thing. Only difference I would suggest is that “pick up the phone” is more commonly used. The latter is less common and sounds strange in everyday conversation.

[brazen hill]

👍

Thanks!

[brazen hill]

In what situation would you use "merely"? Can I use "merely" when I want to say "only"?

[unborn hollow]

The word mere, in layman's terms, means pure and simple, nothing more and nothing less.
E.g. Merely mentioning his name is enough to make her smile.
The word only, however, has many more utilities in everyday conversations, so I wouldn't say substituting mere for only would be fitting in most, if not all, cases.
E.g. There are only a few number of tickets left for sale.
Replacing mere for only here wouldn't make any logical sense and would leave the listener confused.
However, I would say that, depending on context, the word just may be interchangeable with mere.
E.g. Changing the first example to: Just mentioning his name is enough to make her smile.

Of course!

[hollow night]

I have a sentence syntax question. Can anyone tell me if the following sentence sounds right to a native English speaker?

Sentence: The goal of my mission is to wipe out all the mages of your clan, weakening you all to such an extent that the Hudson clan loses its position among the mage clans of the capital.

Context: An assassin revealing the goal of his mission. What I want to know is if it sounds weird to bring up the name of the Hudson clan? The assassin has been saying "you" and "your" all along. I inserted "Hudson clan" into the dialogue because I want to remind readers that it's the Hudson clan the assassin is talking about.

[jolly snow]

Hello, I have been learning English for a long time and don't know what level I have now.

The question is how to know if I am a beginner or intermediate and how to keep progressing it?

Such as a paper test or conversation or need an official certificate from some institute

[dense oasis]

the most reliable way would be to get a real certificate like IELTS or CAE, but they cost a bit so idk maybe you don't wanna spend money on this. Nothing else is fully trust-worthy, buuut, if you really want this, then you could try to search for a past paper from some certificate like this with answers, solve it yourself, and find out how well you did

From my experience, I usually solve my doubts by asking myself like "How many books have you read in English so far?", that's cuz from my perspective I've noticed that people who have read many are simply better. Or "How many hours have you been speaking English for?", if the answer is countless, then that's a good sign, if you can actually count the hours then that's not so good lol

Or how often do I actually use this language. In my case that's everyday cuz everything I read or listen to is English content, and I still find new words that I haven't seen before. That's how I end up knowing I can always improve. There is never too much reading or listening or speaking

[jolly snow]

I see, so more experience reading or speaking that involves English is better.

[dense oasis]

not only English, that's something you apply to every language

you speak your native language very well

thats cuz you've been listening and reading it for... decades

So yeah. You can always improve. 1h of listening or reading is never a waste

[jolly snow]

Like being translator level i thought it might be huge level

[dense oasis]

are you a translator

[jolly snow]

Nah, just wondering

[dense oasis]

ah okay. I thought you were one and had so many doubts that you question your entire skillset even though you clearly have it lmao

[jolly snow]

Because i had to learn other languages but the material is in english 😅

Like before i learn other languages i have to fluent my English first

[dense oasis]

read and listen more. I usually note down new words that I didn't know before in software called Anki, it's good cuz it allows me to automatically space them out so that I see some new + some to revise everyday without choosing them myself

that's not enough cuz learning them this way doesn't do the whole job. But it allows me to remember new things

[jolly snow]

I see, that's a good point

[dense oasis]

eventually I learn the most when I listen or read and note down new things to me

[jolly snow]

Even though i play games or listen to music in English, im still not that confident

[dense oasis]

schools don't give you the option to do this. And people end up not knowing English after 10 years of schooling

[dense oasis]

Have you ever read a book in English. Like, an entire book, any genre, horror, romance, anything

[jolly snow]

So where or what to know my English level now?

[jolly snow]

Yeah, some visual novel genre pc game and playstation

[dense oasis]

always something

[dense oasis]

So

People here used to recommend one thing

https://www.efset.org/

that's free

they test your reading and grammar and all this. Not speaking. So it's not fully reliable, of course

But it's been recommended many times before. I took it myself and... it feels too simple, too easy. But better than nothing right

[jolly snow]

John Doe i had heard that name somewhere and forgot it

But thanks for the info~

[dull bough]

Actually I tried to take a 90 minutes test and there were speaking tasks!This feature was added about two months ago(I guess, not sure) , and if I am not mistaken you need to to answer some personal question on time or repeat after a speaker

[proper pollen]

Guys, a personal question, how did you learn English from scratch? I roughly understand the videos in English, since I am a musician and absorb such videos. Maybe you have your own story?

[wooden yacht]

What is the difference between “connection” and “connectedness”? Could you give some examples

[unborn hollow]

A helpful tool when using punctuation in English is the vertical line test. The sentence is grammatically correct and does make sense, however the usage of a comma(,) here is incorrect as both segments being separated are complete ideas: meaning they both have a subject and a verb. I'd recommend changing the comma to a period(.), a semicolon(;), or adding a FANBOYS (in this case and) word after the comma.

[unborn hollow]

Connection means having a bond or relationship between different people, groups, or activities.
Connectedness means having two or more items linked together that, in some cases, go hand-in-hand.
E.g. The connection between the dog and the owner is very strong.
E.g. The connectedness of American business life and American sports.

[jolly snow]

Well, I learned English well from my School English teacher who held private lessons since Elementary. With that English basic, i easily learned a more complex formula in highschool without any private lessons anymore. And i tried to sing some doujin music in English lyrics, read some game dialogs etc. That fun

[proper pollen]

This is interesting, at my school there was no good English, so after a year I want to learn it myself.

[jolly snow]

And now i try to learn again and improve my English to become fluent

[proper pollen]

especially making videos in English and having virtual friends with whom you can play music together, for example

[jolly snow]

That's good example

[proper pollen]

Of all the courses and training videos, I liked the option to communicate in discord, I’m happy with it

[dense oasis]

first around a thousand, idk how many exactly, but gotta be like 1000-2000 hours of listening, and later I moved to reading books and noting down stuff, Ive read 6 books in English by now and noted down almost 4k new things I used to not know before. And I keep on listening everyday for years, still. Cramming the grammar points at the beginning helped me a lot, like tenses or the passive voice

the worst mistake one can make is to never listen to the language lmao. I've no idea how many people I met, that made no progress at all in like a decade, just cuz they had almost 0 exposure

[tacit finch]

hi guys, good afternoon, i had a doubt when i was thinking about a armed robbery scenario or sth like that, in case thereof happen i have to contact the police and go to do a "complaint"? can i say like that? or has a more correct word or more used

[dense oasis]

Report the incident to the authorities. To the police. File a complaint there.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/complaint

https://www.eugene-or.gov/578/How-to-use-9-1-1

911 is the number they dial in the US, if they need to call the emergency services

well, not only in the states, actually. I wouldn't guess this lol

[static flame]

U see the movies what can do

[final grove]

Good morning everyone, I would like to know what you think of this approach that I saw on a forum, do you think it would be a good idea to try to adapt learning to a language other than French?Maybe you would make some changes, I don't know

Approach:

Here’s how I’d say you should approach French if your first language is English over the course of one week.

Start on a weekend and end on a weekend. On Saturday familiarize yourself with the basic grammar of the language and just read over how to build all the tenses, personal pronouns, etc. Don’t try and memorize but just get a general idea, so you’ll know where to look for things later on.

Have a memory palace with 200 locations and a frequency dictionary with the 1,000 most common words. First night 1-200, next morning you review by just walking through your MP. I assume that’s also what means by “active recall”… don’t just read over the 200 words in the dictionary again. Next night, 201-400 in the same palace and just replace the images you had from the previous day. Do that for five nights/mornings total for the first 1,000 words.

That puts you at Thursday if you pre-read the grammar on Saturday and start the vocab on Sunday. Use Friday to have a second look at the grammar with the vocabulary you have available now. You’ll find that the top 10 verbs allow you to do a lot of “stuff” already. The problem with the tenses will be that you’ll know the words avoir and être but not all their different conjugations to build the different tenses. That’s no different from to have and to be in English though when you think about it. If you only know the infinitives “He’s been running.” is basically just “He (to) be (to) be (to) run” at this point.

On Saturday, review 1-500 and on Sunday review 501-1,000 again. What you don’t remember yet goes into some SRS software or on flashcards as per what

Week 2 and 3 is then Netflix, DVDs, etc. Find a 20 minute Sitcom you like… doesn’t matter, could be French dubs of Friends, Will & Grace, Big Bang Theory, etc. at night watch the English audio with French sub titles and just read along with the subtitles. The next morning you watch the same episode in French. Use French subtitles If you want to, but definitely don’t use English subtitles.

At the same time spend some the next two weeks looking over the aforementioned conjugations and other common verbs like make, do, etc. At the start of week 4 you’ll now have a pretty decent idea of what the language should sound like, common interactions between people, etc. Spend the next four weeks on vocab 1,001 - 5,000 and in week 8 review 1,000 a day Mon-Fri (i.e., all 5,000 words) and put whatever is still “unknown” into your SRS software or on flashcards.

This approach will basically put you at an A1 level after the first week, A2 at the end of the month, and B1 by the end of the second month. Spend the third month reviewing you leftover vocabulary from the review in week 8 and turn off the subtitles when you watch your sitcom(s). That should put you at B2 by the end of month 3.

From there it’s just a matter of time and occasionally checking with the dictionary if you don’t get what you’re watching from the context. If you want to get to C1/C2 over the next three month then change to actually French tv shows of movies. Get an app like tandem so you can actually chat/speak with native speakers. Also start reading newspaper or magazines because they’re generally more from a third person perspective and therefore somewhat different from the personal interaction in tv shows.

Important is that great does not become the enemy of good. Don’t go for 100% accurate the first month. If you try to memorize your memory palaces for hours, you’re not doing yourself any favors… 80/20 is key here. Bottom line, learning vocabulary is not the same as learning a language.

The memory palace is basically there as a temporary storage to just do big data dumps over the first week to be able to make sense of the next couple of weeks. Watching tv in your target language will then put that pretty decent sized 1,000 word data dump into context. Plus, you’ll have to put the vocab into context from a grammar point of view. The next couple of month is basically just doing the same thing again, but getting you from 1,000 to 5,000 words. After that it’s just a matter of using the language."
Thanks in advance.

I hope this text doesn't disturb the chat

[rapid bison]

💀

Have a memory palace with 200 locations
this part is already deadly

[dense oasis]

details are unnecessary, SRS + immersion is overpowered though

this whole thing seems too far-fetched and exaggerated

[round jungle]

I'm sorry, but ... There's no way that's not satire. Those milestones are absolutely ridiculous. 200 words a day? C2 in 6 months? 😂 Even if you move to the country and live in 100% immersion using only your target language, reaching even B1-B2 in that amount of time would be quite an impressive achievement.

[dense oasis]

lmfao yeah

Even 20 new words a day is a lot sometimes

Depends on how many usecases they have and all this. And determination. 200 words is just wrecking one's mind lmfao

if somebody does like 10 words a day for literally every single day then they've got 3650 words per year + stuff they just looked up during immersion or guessed it themselves during immersion, that's quick enough

at one point one just stops remembering them if there are too many at once, like 10 a day can be memorized, but 50 a day would already be very tough, at least for me

[dense oasis]

You would reach B2 in dutch in 6 months of only dutch though. Definitely would. You're an English native lol. But probably nothing except for dutch cuz there's nothing so similar to english

would have to grind a lot but... I bet you would lol. I definitely would in Czech or slovak as a polish, Russian would already take way longer

[round jungle]

Well, as an English native who also knows German, I'd imagine that's doable. I don't know about the average monolingual English speaker since even just the concept of working with a foreign language takes some time to get used to, but yeah, the closer the language is to the ones you already know, the quicker you'll pick it up

[dense oasis]

Ah yeah true. An average American would just learn to say an eagle two eagles three eagles, a rocket launcher, the united states of America, what the fck is a kilometer, and why these burgers be so expensive

and "why this public transit so efficient where my car packed lanes at"

[raw pike]

I'm doing this exercises but I'm just wondering whether I'm on the right track or not

||and hope that my handwriting is legible for everyone to read||

[dense oasis]

this "weak/strong" part seems a bit pointless but you weren't the one who designed the exercise so yeah lol

[dense oasis]

you can also cancel a person, but that's kinda casual speech already so maybe they're not looking for this one

you can also "put in the effort into something", but I feel like "put in an effort into" is not the same already lol

Or you can deliver a line in rap. But that's casual speech again

[raw pike]

well, idk why but it recommended to do the introductory lessons first and then do whatever lesson that you wish to do

[dense oasis]

this one is interesting

when it comes to delivering a line

[dense oasis]

You are

[raw pike]

i think i will take a note of that

[dense oasis]

Suboi always delivers the best lines

For example

[raw pike]

and thanks for all your help btw

[dense oasis]

Idk who makes you do this and why, but you're doing what they asked about

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/cancel-a-reservation

this one is also possible

[eternal wraith]

Hey, I’ve been wondering, is there any specific word for this hand gesture?

[dense oasis]

And https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-do-i-cancel-an-online-order-ah8tt8e97qxi

So you can also cancel an order that you made. @raw pike

saying cuz it was in your screenshot lol

[dense oasis]

She has clasped hands

(not clapped)

https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/What-Does-Clasped-Hands-Mean

[eternal wraith]

But how can we say the difference between that clasped hands and this clasped hands?

Like if we want to write a story I may say

[raw pike]

maybe for helping me to learn more about how words collocate?

[dense oasis]

The man holds his hands behind his back

https://www.wikihow.com/Hands-Behind-Back-Pose

I guess that's the difference. That when you say somebody holds their hands clasped, then you don't imply they hold them behind their back. To say this one specifically you gotta say that they just hold their hands behind their back

[dense oasis]

So you could say "A man is standing in front of a window, he stares at the landscape on the other side of it, and holds his hands behind his back."

[dense oasis]

and here we see a woman who seems to be looking at somebody who's next to the camera, she smiles, and holds her hands clasped

[eternal wraith]

I see… yeah those make sense to write on…

Thank you @dense oasis wish you a great sleep

[dense oasis]

I just woke up, but thank you

[eternal wraith]

Ahaha then I hope your body is not sore

[dense oasis]

Nah, am dying, every single piece of me is burning, sore, and it just fills me up with a deep, stinging pain. Just kidding

[eternal wraith]

That’s poetic lol

[vital mist]

I have a question for british english speakers. When speaking British English is the word "a", like "a water bottle" , a different sound than like American English? Like is it a "ay" sound or is it lika a "uh" sound?

[dull bough]

Hello, what is the difference between fatherland and motherland?

[vital mist]

What I know is that it is about culture or history like one explanation is that a motherland is a country that has or had a lot of colonies while a fatherland is the country of one's birth. And I read that most countries that call themselves the Fatherland were at one time part of the Roman Empire or under Roman influence. The Latin word for fatherland is "patria." One more explanation: Fatherland was a nationalistic term used in Nazi Germany to unite Germany in the culture and traditions of ancient Germany. The Russians used Motherland as the symbol of a country that nourished and supported its citizens during times of crisis. I hope this helped at least some bit!

[jade karma]

Hello. Here is a question: "It has gain an evil reputation" --> "It has a bad (name/fame)". Why the correct answer is "name"? I thought they were the same.

[wooden gate]

Hello guys! I have a question, I know it's kinda dumb, but is the "studying" here a gerund?
"He listens to music while studying"

[supple holly]

It's a participle. The sentence has been shortened from:
"He listens to music while he studies / he is studying."

It's not a gerund because it doesn't function as a noun

[wooden gate]

Thanks for responding to my question!

I'm definitely searching up Participles now.

[rapid bison]

the question is a good one, dw :D

[supple holly]

"Fame" is uncountable
Check out the second definition of "name" here

[supple holly]

Me when I clasp my hands

[dull bough]

Oh history sounds a bit confusing, but thank you!!

[jade karma]

Thank you!

[dense oasis]

Thank you

👯

[final grove]

Well, it wasn't supposed to be a satire hahahahah😂

[final grove]

I understand, it's very unrealistic

[thorn condor]

disdain and deign. can they be used interchangeably or they're totally different?
A cat didn't deign to come
A cat disdained to come
would they mean the same there?

[dense oasis]

these are totally different words

you should just look up the definition of disdain cuz I feel like my explanations will be useless. I mean it's an entirely different word unrelated to the other

[dense oasis]

(your sentence with deign is good though)

[hollow night]

Question. Can the word "incense" be used for liquids that smell nice when boiled?

[thorn condor]

thank you

[rare oak]

not really incense is a noun not an adjective

[acoustic geyser]

What is difference between was supposed to and should have past participle when we use to talk about past expectation?

The match was supposed to start
The match should have start.

[wooden gate]

Not really an answer to your question so forgive me, but I think there is a problem with your second sentence. I think it should be "The match should have started."

I guess, "supposed to" is more extreme than "should have".

There is a discussion of this in English stack exchange, I think you should go and check it out.

[blissful salmon]

hellooo

hru

[supple holly]

hello again, I am alive

[blissful salmon]

thats good, im glad to hear

[dense oasis]

no youre not

back to the basement and stop talking to yourself. bad slave!

[blissful salmon]

I remember you. You were smashed into a "serious chat"

hah

[dense oasis]

What are you talking about. I smash only female felines

[blissful salmon]

Yes, you're still the same, you haven't changed a bit

[dense oasis]

Thats only your impression and impressions are very dynamic, therefore irrelevant

[blissful salmon]

Huh, thanks for confirming my words

[unborn hollow]

The phrases suppose to is a bit tricky since its use is to say something happening in the future is suppose to happen and does not happen in a present or past sense.
E.g. I was suppose to pick up my mom from the airport this evening.
It's also used in a modal sense of other people thinking an action is correct(much like in your example sentence).
The phrase should have + verb(-ed) is used to say something in the past should happen in the present.
E.g. The plane should have landed by now.(Note that the verb(-ed) here is underlined)
The phrase is also used in a modal sense when you think something is correct.
E.g. You should have helped your brother carry the heavy bags.

[noble drift]

🔶🔶Hi. When we write "getting", if we have only get-got-got?🔶🔶

[modern needle]

In continuous tenses or when you want to start a sentence with the action of “get”. For example: ‘Getting a job is hard.’ In this case, “Getting” is a noun.

[foggy mist]

"I'm doing degree in English" or "I'm taking degree in English"

wich one is right?

[modern needle]

Both of them are ok, “doing” is more common in British English and “taking” is more popular in America.

[green wolf]

a degree

[green wolf]

"Supposed to" refers to duty and expectation

"should" refers to advice and suggestions

We are supposed to do it.
It is a requirement/ expectation.
We should do it.
It is the right thing to do. Personal belief/advice/suggestion

English is quite complicated when it comes to this topic

And they aren't interchangeable, so you have no choice but to learn the differences

[coarse roost]

is "you gotta see this" in correct english "you've got to see this?" I never thought about it before, can I use "have got to" to mean the same as "have to"?

[round jungle]

1. "You gotta ..." is not incorrect English, per se, but it is very casual. The "proper" form is "You have got to ..." / "You've got to ..."

2. Yes, "have got to" and "have to" mean the same thing, but "have got to" is more informal.

[coarse roost]

I meant academically correct english, soz. Thank you though!

[round jungle]

In academic contexts, I wouldn't use "have got to", either. If it's supposed to sound formal and proper, you should use "have to", "need to", or "must" instead.

[hollow night]

I have a question about the use of the apostrophe s.

Can anyone tell me if the following sentence is correct?

Sentence: Why are all the guests Hudson clan mages?

Context: Someone asking a question because all the guests at a function are mages of the Hudson clan. But do I need to put an apostrophe s after "clan"? Or can I just say they are "Hudson clan mages"?

[flat rune]

you dont really need an apostrophe, and to make the sentence flow a bit better I would add of so that it reads as (why are all of the guests Hudson Clan mages?)

[hollow night]

thanks for the feedback!

[acoustic geyser]

What does it mean by "something is history"?

[flat rune]

it implies something is already in the past. typically means to move past something or accept it

[steady elbow]

hiiii

ofcpurse

[flat rune]

Do I understand correctly that these emoji "👟" things are called "trainers" in the UK? and in the USA they are called "sneakers", right?

[knotty loom]

pretty much, yeah

[tacit slate]

why Can't I upload any video now ):?

[fading solar]

Hi, how would you say "last night, he had the gut that spain would win, as it turns out, it does" in a natural way?

[dense oasis]

you probably meant "he felt it in his guts that Spain would win"

have the gut = be brave, have the courage

feel it in your guts/gut = strongly feel like something is true

[dense oasis]

You could just say "Last night, he felt it in his guts that Spain would win, and, as it turns out, it did"

this is because would is the 2nd form of the verb right. Past form. So I add another past form when I refer to it later

[fading solar]

by saying "add another past form..." you meant "it did", right?

[fading solar]

Btw, if you say that as native (not restricted to my structure), how would you say?

[errant kettle]

I would say, "last night he had a gut feeling that Spain would win, turns out he was right!"

[sturdy crow]

Hi, I’ve a small question...
Academically they teach us several differences between saying” I will” and” I’m going to” when talking about future .

But a teacher told us that
native speakers in their daily lives don’t consider any difference between them, and use ‘em the exact same way and they convey the same idea. The only difference between them is that “ I’m going to “ is more informal, and that's it.

Is what the teacher said true? I need a native speaker to confirm this. Plsss

[languid halo]

native speakers often use "I will" and "I'm going to" interchangeably in daily conversation, with "I'm going to" being a bit more informal. The differences are usually not important in casual speech.

[atomic nova]

can confirm

[hollow night]

Can someone tell me if I am using "three tenths" correct in the following sentence? If not, how should I correct my sentence?

Sentence: This potion can increase the rate of your mana absorption by three tenths!

[errant kettle]

yes it is correct

[hollow night]

thanks for your feedback! 🙂

[round jungle]

To add to Treeeeee's reply, you would not say "Hudson clan's" in this sentence because it's acting as an adjective modifying "mages", not a possessive noun.

[hollow night]

thanks for your explanation! 🙂

[unborn hollow]

There are two rules to the apostrophes:

1. To show a person/object has possession over something
   E.g. "Where is Steve's sweater?"
2. To contract two words into one
   E.g. "They're(They are) going to the store."

[fading solar]

thank you and thanks black cat

[green wolf]

It's plausible, but don't use this as an excuse not to know the differences. They are still important because you cannot talk about the future with only "will" - you won't express yourself properly

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/going_to

On this page, there is a table at the end and it breaks down the differences. These are all used

"Going to" is mostly interchangeable with the present continuous when speaking about the future too

I'm going to eat at her house tonight.
I'm eating at her house tonight.

[flat rune]

Is British English grammar any different from American English?

[wraith kelp]

The main thing to know about British and American grammar is that the former focuses on being formal while the latter focuses on being informal.

[supple holly]

The only thing that comes to mind is BrE uses present perfect in place of AmE's simple past

Other than that it's mostly different spellings and different expressions

[dawn umbra]

who here from middle east or arabic gulf

[round jungle]

Not really true. Sure, we have plenty of slang and informal expressions, and that's what you're more likely to experience in casual places like this, but we adjust our language accordingly for formal situations, too, you know xD

[round jungle]

There are some minor differences, but nothing I would worry about learning, especially at a beginner level. The only semi-significant one that comes to mind is that as Kimcheese said, in some situations British English tends to use present perfect where American English prefers simple past, but it wouldn't likely affect understanding if you switched them. It might just sound a little off, or "too American" / "too British" if the person you're talking to is aware that it's a dialectal difference (the average person most likely isn't).

A few irregular verbs also have different past participle forms between BE and AE. For example, American English distinguishes "have got" (phrase describing possessing something) from "have gotten" (present perfect tense of "to get"), while British English uses "have got" for both. But again, it's really not a big deal if you mix them up.

[flat rune]

i would like = i'd?

[flat rune]

thanks

[supple holly]

= I'd like

[round jungle]

I'd = "I would" or "I had" (in past perfect tense)

I would like = I'd like
I had liked = I'd liked

Don't forget that the pronoun "I" is always capitalized: I would, not i would

[split juniper]

Hi everyone, uum I would like to ask if the word “has” in the sentence “Finally, I would like to pay tribute to my fellow board members whose brilliance and dedication HAS made the company what it is today.” is used accurately or not.

[brisk nexus]

It’s used correctly

[dull bough]

Hello

Is this sentence correct: "The list starts with the majority of used ingredients". I suppose it sounds awkward , how can I change it?

[acoustic geyser]

I dont understand this usage, is it like something often happens or our habit?

[supple holly]

Should be "have" because there were 2 nouns before it (brilliance and dedication)

[brisk nexus]

Hmm

I’m confused now

I feel like both work

But have seems more correct

[supple holly]

Changing "the majority of" to "most" would sound more natural

If by "used ingredients" you mean "common ingredients" then you can change it to that too

[supple holly]

Yes

Yes to both. A habit is something that often happens anyway

[halcyon zenith]

Haha

[azure ridge]

What does it mean to conjugate a verb?

[rapid bison]

@azure ridge
to change a verb so that it reflects the tense, number, gender, tone of voice and so on

an example in my answer is that reflect morphs into reflects to signal third-person singularity

[dull bough]

Mhm, got it, thanks!

[split juniper]

The confusing point here is that this sentence comes from Cambridge dictionary and I have been so self-doubted

It is an example when we search for the phrase "pay tribute" in the dictionary.

[hollow night]

So this announcer has to introduce the champion in front of the assembled guests.

This tournament is known as the Bloodstone Tournament, and this champion is the champion of the mage division. There are two division. One for knights and the other for mages.

So is the following announcement (in bold) grammatically correct?

Audric Bloodbane is the champion of the Bloodstone Tournament Mage Division!

[opaque topaz]

it looks right to me! i have seen you ask a lot of questions like this. are you writing a play, book, or video game dialogue or something like that? if you are, it's really cool

[opaque topaz]

Only thing is that if "champion of the Bloodstone Tournament Mage Division" is a title then the c in champion must be capitalised

[dense oasis]

if I recall correctly, they had already specified that they are... translating some roleplay game or something? I don't recall this fully. But I asked them this like a month ago or something lmao

That's not their best question. There were more interesting ones

[hollow night]

thanks for the feedback! I am not writing anything original. I am a translator. 🙂

[sturdy crow]

Thanks a lot, I’ll check it …
and dw I’ll study ‘em all anyway for exams .. I js wanted to confirm what the teacher said, Although I trust him the most but it’s always better to hear it right from the horse’s mouth 🙌🏻

And It actually makes sense that natives don't scrutinize all these subtle differences, as doing so could impede their ability to speak rapidly and effortlessly .

[dense oasis]

you don't analyze everything you're saying in your native either

[sturdy crow]

Sure

[willow bluff]

can someone help me with my essay please 🙂

[fading solar]

Good afternoon everyone, could anyone tell me how to attach a photo to a text question on here?

[dreamy spear]

Good morning you gotta get a role to do that

[thorn condor]

after sending some number of messages, you get the role. media or sth like that

you can still share an image through umgur or a similar service

[acoustic geyser]

Does tomorrow count afternoon and evening or just morning

[brisk nexus]

The whole day

[fading solar]

you meant automatically getting the role after sending enough messages? Btw, what is umgur?

[brisk nexus]

I website I think

[thorn condor]

yeah. I got it maybe two weeks ago automatically. https://imgur.com/ the site to share images

[fading solar]

Thanks, I meant sharing photos on here in order to ask questions about English

[thorn condor]

you can still share links

[fading solar]

Ok, thanks bro

[round jungle]

"Tomorrow" means anytime during the day. If you want to be more specific, you can say "tomorrow morning/afternoon/evening/night".

[glacial parrot]

https://tenor.com/view/kermit-kermit-the-frog-nervous-nail-biting-anxious-gif-17874247

https://tenor.com/view/lolol-lol-funny-cute-gif-12360173

ㄴㅁ

[dull bough]

Hello! Is it formal or informal to say "I am hooked on this sport"?

Like hooked on

[long silo]

A Stark lie as a synonym for a complete lie sounds alright?

[long silo]

Informal Brother

[high flicker]

what is the formal?

[long silo]

Addicted I’d say
Or just I’m a big fun of this sport smth like this

[brisk nexus]

Big fan*

[long silo]

Ofc , a typo

[dull bough]

Got it, thank you!

[quick peak]

What do you think about doing something? / Why don't we do something?
Are they exactly same? Or is there any diff even slight?

[warm mountain]

what is fiction or non fiction?

[teal finch]

fiction is imaginary, while non-fiction deals with real events and information.

[teal finch]

Use chatgpt for these kinds of doubts

[supple holly]

First one sounds very unnatural. Not something a native would say. Normally you'd just say "What do you think about (the activity)?" instead of just saying "doing something," but then it doesn't really sound like you're inviting someone to do that activity

The second one is much better and is what I and many others would use

[acoustic geyser]

Whats the difference between couldnt have and would have?

Both of them mean we want to do something but we cant ( I think so)

[thorn condor]

• couldn't have - we're talking about capability to do sth in the past
  I couldn't have slept because I was playing video games. (I didn't sleep and I wasn't able to sleep anyway)
• wouldn't have - possibility to do sth in the past in other words it's a hypothetical situation
  If I had known about the loud construction outside, I wouldn't have slept in that hotel. (I slept in the hotel but regret it)

[round jungle]

Both are common phrases to suggest doing something. I feel like the second one is a little "stronger", like the speaker more actively intends to do what they're suggesting, while the first is more of a neutral suggestion. But it's only a subtle difference

[blissful salmon]

hello there

what difference between sentences "track was added" and "track added" ?

[thorn condor]

track was added (by someone) - the passive voice. we emphasize the action and an actor (someone) is always implied
track added - the middle voice. the subject (track) is both an actor and recipient of the action

another examples:
the food tastes good
the book sold well etc.

[last comet]

hi everyone, can i ask why this guys supprised and said BOTH in this when he heard little girl's name? i mean i can't understand what is the word BOTH meaning?

"What is your name, young lady?"
"Rebecca Rowena Randall, sir."
"What?" with an amused smile. "BOTH? Your mother was generous."
"She couldn't bear to give up either of the names she says."

does that mean Rebecca and Rowena are both used to name someone? and her mom couldn't choose then she used both rebecca and rowena to name her?

[blissful salmon]

ok thank you

and one question

Is this sentence grammatically correct? - "It needs for understanding my point of view"

[open rock]

i dont think so i think u need to put a subject on it

[dull bough]

Hello! Is this sentence correct : "After some time all molecules had bound together and the scent changed"? Is it appropriate to use Past Perfect ?

[round jungle]

The "both" is presumably referring to the girl having both the names Rebecca and Rowena, instead of just Rebecca Randall or Rowena Randall. The girl's response is saying that her mother didn't want to choose just one or the other.

We would need more context to know exactly why the man is surprised about the girl having both names.

[round jungle]

It sounds fine to me, though it's hard to answer for sure about tenses without more context

[last comet]

oh thank you so much

[round jungle]

That doesn't really make any sense. "To need for" doesn't exist as a phrasal verb as far as I know and I'm not sure what the sentence is supposed to mean. Maybe you mean "It calls for understanding my point of view"? ("It requires understanding my point of view")

[blissful salmon]

oh yes <it requires understanding my point if view>

I've seen when someone used "from" before "understanding".
when "for" needs to use before gerund?

[round jungle]

You need to use "for" if you're using a phrasal verb with "for", or in other situations that use "for" + noun/gerund as a prepositional phrase. Same with "from" and other prepositions.

For example: "This is a guide for understanding prepositions," meaning the guide serves the purpose of helping the reader understand prepositions.

Unfortunately it's not really possible to just say "You need it in the situations X, Y, and Z" because the use of prepositions is very broad and context-dependent.

The problem here was that "to need for" is not a phrasal verb; it doesn't mean anything and so the sentence didn't make sense. (A phrasal verb is a specific verb + preposition combination that has its own meaning, like "to call for", "to look for", "to write down", and so on. They can only be learned by memorization, as the meaning is often different from the default meaning of the verb or preposition alone.)

[blissful salmon]

ok thank you

[dull bough]

Oh well the context is about people, who mix scents in a liquid and let it age for some time. So molecules bind together and the fragrance changes. Hope it's clear :>

[dense oasis]

Please stop making biological weapons. Thank you

[dull bough]

😭

[dull bough]

Okay okay, you ve convinced me. Everything for you

[blissful salmon]

what difference between "it is used" and "it was used"

[bitter hill]

Seems appropriate since it's relating a past event to a later past event

[wraith star]

“People believe that he is talented”

Why is that considered informal speech??

I thought informal is the ones that contain shortening of words like if they changes “he is” to he’s

If someone answer’s my question please ping me because i might not see it :)

Nvm i think i found myself an answer

[bitter schooner]

The difference between "it is used" and "it was used" lies in the tense of the verb "used."

"It is used" is in the present tense, indicating that something is currently being used or is regularly used at the present time.

"It was used" is in the past tense, indicating that something was used at a specific point in the past but may not be in use currently.

So, the main difference is that "it is used" refers to the present or ongoing action of using something, while "it was used" refers to the past action of using something.

[dull bough]

Got it, thank you!

[brazen hill]

The sentence "People believe that he is talented" is generally considered formal rather than informal 😬

[dense oasis]

maybe the logic is supposed to be that "He is believed to be talented" is the formal

[brazen hill]

"It is used" means something is currently in use. "It was used" means something was used in the past.

[dense oasis]

and compared to this one, the one they gave sounds less formal right

[brazen hill]

"He is believed to be talented" is indeed more formal than "People believe that he is talented"

But "People believe that he is talented" is more straightforward

[dense oasis]

yeah am aware of this. I think that's what they meant. That their sentence in active voice is less formal than the passive voice you could make from it. But they didn't specify this exactly so... just guessin

[brazen hill]

👍🏻

[wraith star]

the book they use to teach the language is really dumb and has alot of made up and outright wrong stuff in it. Which our teachers know about but it’s the book issued by the government and we have to study that specific one for the state wide final exam

I’ve got robbed of like 2 or 3 aces on tests because i chose the right answer and not what the book says is the right answer. And the teacher acknowledges i am right but we gotta follow the book

[raven compass]

U deserve to be in jail

UwU

[brazen hill]

Your nickname is literally "Jailed for being racist" 😂

You're muted, how do you write this?

Then what's the purpose of muting someone?

[brazen hill]

Fair enough

[amber hollow]

This is a topic in exam

My father fell and hurt himself when he was riding yesterday

Any grammatical problem in the sentence?

[brazen hill]

"My father fell and hurt himself when he was riding yesterday" is grammatically correct. But you could make slightly clearer and more natural by giving some context. For example: "My father fell and hurt himself while he was riding his bike yesterday"

[acoustic geyser]

Ive heard be going to can be used to express obligation, so what is it difference between be going and have to?

[errant kettle]

The difference is the urgency. I am going to call my mother—means it is my plan to call my mother there is no urgency about when this might happen. I have to call my mother—means that I must call her there is some urgency or obligation there. The timeline is not specified in the statement but there is both intent and an element of necessity

[round jungle]

I would say that "be going to" expresses an intended or predicted action, not an obligation.

"Have to" expresses an obligation, requirement, or necessity.

An "obligation" is something that you're morally or legally bound to do. For example, a promise you made or something you were told to do by someone who has authority over you, like a parent, a teacher, or the government.

I can't think of any example where "going to do something" means that you're obligated to do it. It could be true that what you're going to do is an obligation, but that isn't expressed by just that phrase.

[blissful salmon]

hello there

i have a question.
what does a sentence mean - <Have you had any mistakes the last time you used this software>
I have confusion between "Have you had " and " The last time "

If I'm not mistaken, the sentence "the last time" indicates a specific time in the past, and "have you had" is about experience in general.

and my question is, what does this sentence say? Does this sentence ask if I NOW have any errors since the last time I used it, for example yesterday.

[unborn hollow]

It's a bit tricky, but with the way this question is worded, It's asking you previously if there had been any specific instances of a program not functioning correctly in the past.
The phrase the last time is understood as you stated, a specific action or instance that occurred in the past.
E.g. "When was the last time you ate lunch?" is asking when in the past specifically did you eat lunch.
Here's another way to think how this question is worded:
E.g. "Have you had lunch the last time you visited Cleveland?" is asking when speficly in the past did you eat lunch when you previously visited Cleveland.

[blissful salmon]

I don't understand 😐

[unborn hollow]

Apologies. Perhaps others may be of more use than I.

[blissful salmon]

oh no no , thank you for explaning

but I don't fully understand it

[acoustic geyser]

Um

What is the difference between
You are going to stop making that noise
Stop making that noise.
Both of it are used for commanding.

[bitter hill]

I mean they convey the same meaning, but the 1st one is more indirect while the 2nd is direct

[acoustic geyser]

I dont understand about direct and indirect, could you explain it?

[bitter hill]

I guess you can also say that 2nd focuses more on the expectation of it stopping now while sentence 1 allows for more of a slight delay

[bitter hill]

Hmm the best I can explain it is like

The 2nd is a direct command from the speaker and suggests there's no room for negotiating or delaying

The 1st is still commanding but it softens the forcefulness and allows the person receiving the command to stop of their own intention (or at least make it seem that way)

[acoustic geyser]

I see

Also

It says stating that something is obligation

Is it like have to

[unborn hollow]

Yes, going to and have to are interchangeable and have the same meaning; the difference lies in the tone they both set.
Going to sets a forceful tone that can be relayed as belittlement while have to is more soft and not as forceful while having a reciprocity effect.

[acoustic geyser]

So going to sounds rude in this context?

[unborn hollow]

Depending on context, it may come off as rude. Going to is often used in the context of annoyance, punishment, and/or disappointment due to an action or inaction.
E.g. "You're going to clean this room up. This place is a mess!" In this context, it's used as a disappointment and punishment tone due to the inaction of upkeepong the room.

[dull bough]

Hello! Is there any difference between "to shine", ''to gleam'' and "to sparkle'' ?

[round jungle]

I think this sentence is simply incorrect, for two reasons:

1. We say that you "made a mistake" to mean you did something wrong, and that you "had a problem/issue" if something went wrong in general. I'm not sure which is meant here, but it shouldn't be "had a mistake".
2. You're correct that present perfect is not used when a specific timeframe is mentioned. It should be either "Have you made any mistakes / had any problems when you've used this software?" or "Did you make any mistakes / have any problems the last time you used this software?"

Edit - It's also possible there's a typo and it was supposed to be "since the last time", which would make the tenses work. But it should still be "made any mistakes" or "had any problems", and at least to me, it would sound more natural to say "... since you last used this software."

[round jungle]

OOOH I see. Yes, in the sense of commanding that someone else to do something, "you're going to do this" and "you have to do this" are more or less interchangeable.

"Be going to" in its usual meaning has nothing to do with obligation, but that's true, it can be used to forcefully tell someone they have to do something.

[round jungle]

"To shine" and "to gleam" mean the same thing: if something shines/gleams, it reflects light brightly.

"To sparkle" also means "to reflect light brightly", but in flashes that change in brightness, rather than a steady shine. Like this:

https://tenor.com/view/glitter-sparkle-gif-14595154

[bitter bloom]

why

@bitter bloom

[amber hollow]

I said that he would have been swinging every day to promote his body health (Is any mistake in this sentence)

For instance the grammar

[brazen hill]

I don't think there's a mistake in this sentence

[amber hollow]

That's great

It indicate that my grammar have progress

[dense oasis]

that's kinda ironic, since you wrote "my grammar have progress" instead of "my grammar has progressed"

Or there's a lot of progress when it comes to my grammar etc

[amber hollow]

hahahahhahahha

[dense oasis]

[amber hollow]

Grammar too difficult

[blissful salmon]

hello, what difference between " Have you had any mistakes the last time you used this software" and "Did you have any mistakes the last time you used this software"?

[amber hollow]

I have a long long road to successful for grammar

[dense oasis]

immerse more

and the problem will solve itself

[amber hollow]

OMG is to successful or to success

[dense oasis]

I have a long road to succeed in grammar
I have a long road to be successful in grammar
I have a long road to achieve success in grammar

successful is an adjective, to succeed is a verb, and success is a noun

[amber hollow]

Omg

It difficult to understand in a short time

[dense oasis]

warum lernst du Deutsch

[amber hollow]

Deutsch

[dense oasis]

ja

[amber hollow]

I just know

Aufgabe

Means home work

[dense oasis]

do you live in germany

[amber hollow]

No

[dense oasis]

ah, thought you would. Itd explain why you're studying

[amber hollow]

I'm not Europe man

I am Asian

[dense oasis]

ah okay okay, I've no idea about this lol. My FBI agents haven't told me where you're from yet

I gotta ask them

[amber hollow]

Hahahaha

Do you know the Asian Games

[dense oasis]

What are the asian games. I know some geography. Like some borders and capitals and stuff. No games though lol

[amber hollow]

Not game

Asian games such as the Olympic Games

The 19th Asian Games were held in Hangzhou

It's a city in China

Have you ever been china?

Or Taiwan

[dense oasis]

ah. I didn't know this one tbh. I know Guangzhou, changhsa, Chongqing, Shanghai, Beijing etc. But I haven't heard about hangzhou

[amber hollow]

Chongqing !

That's my hometown

[dense oasis]

yeah, above hunan province

[amber hollow]

A magnificent city by the mountains

[dense oasis]

Nah I haven't been yet. Haven't had the opportunity. China allows for no-visa entries for my passport but I got no time to just hop on a plane and go so far

[amber hollow]

You're European ?

[dense oasis]

Yeah. Polish. Part of my family is German so that's why I asked about your german

[amber hollow]

so

Deutsch

Is your mother tougue

👀

I was learning a song from German last night

It called

Erika

[dense oasis]

Polish is my mother tongue. We speak polish in Poland. My German is pretty poor, but I know a bit, cuz I go there sometimes. I live within a walking distance to Germany

[amber hollow]

Wow

It's so cool

I lived in Shanghai but my hometown in Chongqing

I need to take high speed rail from Shanghai to Chongqing

It spent me 12h last time

Airplane's price are expensive

So I just flight twice a year

[brazen hill]

So the first sentence uses the present perfect tense, which usually isn't used with a specific past time reference, while the second sentence uses the simple past tense, which is correct for referring to mistakes made at a specific past time

[blissful salmon]

and?
but the first sentence also indicates a certain time, since there is the phrase “the last time "

please give a detailed answer

[brazen hill]

Present Perfect tense usually isn't used with a specific past time reference, which is "the last time", I think it would be better and clearer to say "Did you make any mistakes the last time you used this software?"

Wait for someone else's answer; it might be more detailed

[blissful salmon]

so the use of “the last time” was unnecessary in the first sentence?

[dense oasis]

+1, past simple is the best choice for events that occured at a specific point in the past

[dense oasis]

If you delete it, then you change the meaning to "Have you had any mistakes when you used this software?" which talks about any mistakes at any point, not the last time.

If you don't delete it, then the sentence doesn't sound completely natural, and you should switch to past simple

[blissful salmon]

hmm, it's clear

ok

thank you

[blissful salmon]

And you also

[grand sky]

İf you i have a one apple

After i ate one apple

How many have now

[dense oasis]

this question seems thoroughly incorrect and slightly unclear lol

[dull bough]

Mhm, I got it! Thank you for example

By the way, does it mean that a star can shine and sparkle at the same time?

[brazen hill]

🥴

[potent compass]

my heart gleams for you😍

[uneven spoke]

“The Republic of China in Taiwan and the People's Republic of China on the mainland are two different political entities, though both claim to be the only legitimate government of China.” In the adverbial clause of concession, I wonder 🤔 if it could be revised as follows “......, though either claims to be the only legitimate government of China.”

[acoustic geyser]

What the devil are you talking about

[uneven spoke]

I've got the answer by myself: just exchange "both" with "each".

“The Republic of China in Taiwan and the People's Republic of China on the mainland are two different political entities, though **each claims to be the only legitimate government of China.” **

[round jungle]

As I said, "Have you had any mistakes the last time ..." is grammatically incorrect. It doesn't have a different meaning; it's just wrong. Present perfect is not used with a specific time reference, as specifying a timeframe in the past disconnects the event from the present.

"To have a mistake" is also incorrect. It should be either "to make a mistake" or "to have a problem".

[dense oasis]

🇹🇼❤️

[round jungle]

Yep, if something is sparkling, you could also say that it's shining. Sparkling describes a specific way of shining

[dull bough]

Thank you!

[green wolf]

Türk müsün? Ne demeye çalışıyorsun?

Türkçe biliyorum canım benimle konuşabilirsin

[crimson vortex]

Hi

What is the difference between ability, capability and capacity?

I know that capacity often means the ability to hold or contain something

[crimson vortex]

But here is another context

By the way, is possibility the same as probability?

[acoustic geyser]

So what is the difference between
You are going to find me that book
Find me that book

[hushed carbon]

Hey there!

So, you're wondering about the differences between ability, capability, and capacity? No worries, I'll help you out!

Think of it like this:

Ability is like having a superpower! It's a natural talent or skill that you're born with. Like, some people have the ability to play the guitar really well without even trying. It's just something they're good at!

Capability, on the other hand, is like having a superpower in a more practical sense. It means you have the skills, knowledge, or resources to do something. Like, a company might have the capability to produce high-quality products because they have the right equipment and training.

Capacity, however, is like having a magic container! It can refer to how much something can hold or contain. Like, a water bottle has a capacity of 1 liter. Or, a hospital has a capacity of 500 beds.

So, to sum it up:

Ability is about natural talent or skill
Capability is about being able to do something
Capacity is about holding or containing something
Hope that makes sense!

[crimson vortex]

Wow, thanks. I didn't expect such a detailed response

[hushed carbon]

No, possibility and probability are not the same thing, although they're related.

Possibility refers to the state of being possible or capable of happening. It's the fact that something could happen, but it might not necessarily happen. For example:

"It's possible that it will rain tomorrow." (It could happen, but we're not sure.)

Probability, on the other hand, is a measure of how likely something is to happen. It's a number between 0 and 1 that represents the likelihood of an event occurring. The higher the probability, the more likely it is to happen. For example:

"There's a 70% probability that it will rain tomorrow." (It's likely to happen, but not certain.)

[hushed carbon]

My pleasure!

[crimson vortex]

Okay, so probability just expresses a possibility by being represented by numbers, right?

[hushed carbon]

Exactly!

Probability is a way to quantify or express the degree of possibility. It's a numerical value that represents the likelihood of an event occurring. By using numbers, probability gives us a more precise and objective way to talk about the chances of something happening.

[crimson vortex]

Thank you

[hushed carbon]

You're welcome!

[crimson vortex]

Also i have recently heard the construction "you want/don't want to do something" in context of giving someone advice. I'd like to ask if this construction is appropriate in formal writing?

"you want to do something" sounds very unnatural to me, as if someone imposes their will on others, making them "want" something. But, if i am not mistaken, it's giving advice

[bitter hill]

You gotta add another word to make it sound like advice

You might want to do this.

You probably don't want to do that.

[crimson vortex]

I meant, for example "you don't want to skip lessons, because you might be expelled from school"

Something like this

I have just imagined it, and i dont have an example of proper usage of the construction right now

[bitter hill]

Hmm it looks a bit off to me when it's alone

I still think you need an adverb of degree

[blissful salmon]

hmm look that

is it right to use the present perfect(Have you had) with paste simple(when you used) ?

maybe this is correct - "Have you had any mistakes when using this software?"

[round jungle]

I wouldn't say it's wrong, but yes, "when using this software" or "when you've used this software" sounds better in my opinion.

Again, though: "Have you had any mistakes" should be "have you MADE any mistakes". We say "to make a mistake", not "to have a mistake".

I'm also still not sure if "mistake" is even the correct word here, as "Have you made any mistakes when using this software" is kind of an unusual question. It seems more likely that someone would be asking if there have been any problems with the software, not if any mistakes have been made while using it.

[blissful salmon]

ok , but I can't imagine a picture when there is a perfect present(Have you made) in the sentence that asks about all the mistakes, in general about the experience and past simple(when you used) that indicates not everything, but something specific

[safe wyvern]

Guys help me with the thesis statement for strong opinion essays (im writing ielts)

[blissful salmon]

and what if to say "Have you made any mistakes when you HAVE used this software?

[round jungle]

I wouldn't say it's wrong, but yes, "when using this software" or "when you've used this software" sounds better in my opinion.
when you've used this software = when you have used this software

Yes, "when you have used" or rather "when you've used" would be more natural

[daring lantern]

Hi E teachers.

i wanna learn E from you

i will pay monthly

only good if you are based on USA or Canada.

🙂

[charred hedge]

Whats means

let me give you some game

[flat rune]

What’s wrong with England?🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[daring lantern]

that's good but i wanna male teacher....

[flat rune]

Why? Are you sexist?

[daring lantern]

no but it's my business

🙂

[flat rune]

Fair enough

🙂

[daring lantern]

thanks

[flat rune]

Anytime

[rapid bison]

learn E™?

[daring lantern]

yup

[rapid bison]

e

[bitter bloom]

why

[unborn hollow]

To me, both of these examples seem off when before and has been are in the same sentence. It's redundant to say something happened in the past twice. Conversely, if we remove before, then it's more natural to say "...we make use of A, which has been successfully applied in similar endeavors."

[acoustic geyser]

Hey

Ive just found it

What is the difference between those

[charred hedge]

Is this right

"you cannot not to love him"

[flat rune]

No

[charred hedge]

😭😭😭😭😭

How can i say this

[flat rune]

You cannot love him/you can’t love him

[charred hedge]

How to say you are not able to not love him

[flint hound]

He's unlovable

or you can't love him

[bitter hill]

A bit confused what exactly you want to convey... are you trying to use double negation like

You can't not love him.
To mean
You must love him.

Or are you trying to give a command like

You cannot love him.
You are not to love him.

[charred hedge]

I wanna say "you have no choice but to love him"

For example

You cant not to go there, (you have no choice but to go there)

[charred hedge]

Can you check your dms bro

[bitter hill]

Ok so I believe

You can't not love him
is what you're looking for, but you should remove the 'to' after modal auxiliary verbs like can

Use the bare infinitive

[charred hedge]

This english 😂

Thanks

[errant kettle]

You could say, “you can’t help but love him.”

[charred hedge]

How its called when dog stands in position that wants to attack

If there's specific word

[errant kettle]

I think we would say “the dog stood with its hackles raised” or “the dog stood ready to attack”

[acoustic geyser]

Whats u

Do you guys think "should have done something" sounds regret?

[charred hedge]

Thank you so much

[charred hedge]

I think it sounds regret

[raw pike]

yes and I think it can be used for criticizing too

[brazen hill]

Yes, "should have done something" typically expresses regret or a sense of missed opportunity

[acoustic geyser]

Shouldnt we use could have for missing opportunity?

[thin marsh]

Hello

[brazen hill]

"I should've emailed my boss (etc.)" shows regret for missing the opportunity, while "I could've emailed my boss (etc.)" means you had the option but didn't act.

Both options could be suitable for describing a missed opportunity, but the choice depends on the context