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1500 questions
43
votes
10 answers
"I hate red color" or "I hate red": why exactly is the first option ungrammatical
If a person wants to say that the most hated color for him is red (in general, no specific hues implied), could he say:
I hate red color.
I've found very little results for this sentence at Google. Is this combination (red color) very awkward…
CowperKettle
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43
votes
12 answers
Possible responses to "thank you"
Is "you are welcome" more polite than "no problem"?
What is the general proper reply to a thank-you?
Yes
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43
votes
11 answers
Do native English speakers notice when non-native speakers skip the word "the" in sentences?
I always wanted to know if native English speakers notice when someone is skipping articles during a basic talk?
sushi
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43
votes
10 answers
How do I say “±” in English?
From here
I thought:
mathematical equation: 1 ± 1 - We can say "plus or minus one". Could I omit "or" to say "plus minus one"?
a signed mathematical number: ± 1 - We say "positive or negative one". Could I say "plus minus one" here?
Because "±1"…
Mithril
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43
votes
6 answers
"Bathroom" or "Restroom"
I have a specific question: Are Americans more inclined to use "bathroom" or "restroom" about a bathroom/restroom with several sinks and stalls in a company building?
user118185
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43
votes
4 answers
"I can't login" or "I can't log in"?
Which is correct:
I can't login?
I can't log in?
I'm confused if that's with a space or no space?
Rolan
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43
votes
6 answers
Husband is dead: He and his wife {are/were} great scientists
I would like to make a statement about two people. One of them is dead:
He and his wife {are/were} great scientists.
Are probably indicates that both of them are still alive. Were indicates both are dead or at least are not great scientists…
Sara
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43
votes
2 answers
What is mom-pkin?
My bae asked me about the meaning of mom-pkin in the book she's reading. I'm stunned and google searching produced but acronyms and chemical stuff. The full sentence is as follows.
She still had ninety minutes before she turned back into a…
Konrad Viltersten
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43
votes
4 answers
Do native speakers still use "ought to"?
Do native speakers still use "ought to" in daily conversation?
I haven't seen "ought to" used on any social or news ... websites. I only read about it in English grammar books.
Ngram:
Trends:
UPDATE:
Is "ought to" still used by native…
Shannak
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43
votes
5 answers
Should nouns after "any" be singular or plural?
While I was answering a question on ELL, I got confused with a comment from a fellow user. After I indicated that:
"Do you have any idea to prove it?'
is grammatically correct, the OP commented that "ideas" should be used in place of "idea".
The…
Mistu4u
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43
votes
2 answers
Photo Vs. Picture Vs. Image : What is the difference between them?
Sometimes I hear people say 'Photos' and some time I hear them say 'Pictures'. In addition, I sometimes encounter the word 'Image'. In my understanding I feel that all of them are the same but I'm not sure about this. So what is the difference…
miami
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42
votes
3 answers
Is "Negro" an offensive word, or do some people just take offense to it, and why?
I was not born in the US, so let me clarify why I'm asking such question:
In Portuguese, the word "Negro" is the correct term when referring to the race, where calling somebody "Black", the color, would be considered offensive most of the time.
So…
user47
42
votes
8 answers
The difference between "Older" and "Elder"
What is the difference between "Older" and "Elder" ?
And are they interchangeable ?
Mohamed Hamza
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42
votes
10 answers
Plural of "that's my boy"
Is there a plural of this phrase that preserves the sprachgefühl?
The obvious "those are my boys" somehow doesn't feel right.
355durch113
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42
votes
6 answers
What's the opposite of the phrase "pay under the table"?
Could you tell me what is the opposite of the phrase pay under the table? For example:
The company pays their employees under the table.
Would it be natural to say pay over the table?
Dmytro O'Hope
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