English Questions & Short Answers 2
Question Index:
Content:
When should I use “when” and “while”?
Are these sentences correct?- But you can't find anything while you're crying.
- But you can't find anything when you're crying.
- I'll tell you about it while Frank saddles the horse.
- I'll tell you about it when Frank saddles the horse.
Answer:
The main difference between these two words is that when usually means at or immediately after some specific point in time, whereas while always means during some [usually, extended] period of time.Thus, for example, if we take an activity often considered so quick it happens at a "point in time"...
- You should cover your mouth when sneezing. (3460 hits in Google Books)
- You should cover your mouth while sneezing. (131 hits)
- You should not smoke while pregnant. (2940 hits)
- You should not smoke when pregnant. (137 hits)
Also note that in...
- He opened the door when I knocked
- He opened the door while I knocked
- 1: while always means I'll tell you at the same time as Frank saddles the horse
- 2: when strongly implies I won't tell you until [after] Frank starts/finishes saddling the horse
Finally, note that when can often be paraphrased as on any of various occasions when, whereas while may be used to mean during the one and only timespan when something is happening.
When should I use “is”,“does” and “has”?
I called one shop to ask whether the shop was open or not.Which sentence should I have used?
- Is the shop opened?
- Does the shop opened?
- Has the shop opened?
Answer:
What you should ask is:- Is the shop open?
- When does the shop open?
- What are the shop's opening hours?
The second and third sentence are not simply asking if the shop is open, but when the shop will be open.
"Does the shop opened?" is not grammatically correct, and you don't normally use the present perfect to ask if a shop is already open.
Some rules for using “the” and “a”?
Is there any particular reason for using the or a? Is there any specific rule applied?When the is omitted, what should I notice instead of the generic noun?
For example, what is the difference in the following?
- I am seeing a train.
- I am seeing the train.
Answer:
A lot can be said about this, that is why it is a good idea to just google it. But to give you a general idea:"a" is used before singular countable nouns, not preceded by "the" or a possessive pronoun.
"the" is used when the listener knows what the speaker is referring to, when the noun is defined. That is why it is called a "definite article".
A noun is defined when:
- there is only one (the sun, the moon). I would include superlatives here because only one can be the most of something (the best singer, the richest person).
- there is only one in that place, for example you will say: "Open the window!" when there is only one window in the room.
- it has already been mentioned before (e.g. I saw a man. The man was wearing a blue shirt.).
- there is information which defines it (e.g. "The woman is here." makes you ask "Which woman?" but if you say "The woman who called you earlier is here.", it is clear.
"I am seeing the train" means that you see a train you were expecting, or one that you had been talking about before. For example: "if you are waiting to meet someone at the station and their train is arriving, you see "the train", the one that your friend is in."
Use “accede” or “agree”?
I just want to know whether the word accede in the following sentence makes it formal or would it be better if I swap the word accede with agree in spoken language?- When my friends told me about the trip they had planned, I acceded to it without much further thought.
Answer:
While I disagree with @Matt that accede would not necessarily be understood by many native speakers, I will agree that its usage is uncommon, and it is probably considered an "unnecessarily highbrow" sort of word.Also, accede has a connotation that may be undesired: it is usually used in the context of "giving in", that is, changing your position as the result of a demand or strong request. Whatever you are acceding to was not your first choice or preference. With that in mind, "acceding to (their trip)" is probably not a suitable phrase unless (a) they really wanted you to go and (b) you had other plans originally.
Although accede is a valid word, it is exceptionally rarely used, and "I accede" would not be understood by many native speakers:
If you needed a formal alternative to agree, you could perhaps choose:
- I concur (formal, perhaps a little pompous)
- I consent (esp. to agree to something in a legal context)
- I permit it (i.e. to give permission for it to happen)
To "accede" is to be persuaded by someone else, against your own instincts. It does NOT mean to agree "naturally."
How should I ask a polite question to my manager?
I found a new technology which could help me in my company. I want to send a message to my manager to have her approval to use that technology. I wrote this:- I am reading about it and It seems useful. I would like to ask you if you allow me to use it (if we see it could help us).
Answer:
This answer is more about how to convince your manager to try a new technology than it is about English language usage. When introducing a new technology, I find it works well to:- explain how the company will benefit
- disclose costs and potential risks
- make it easy to try and back out if it doesn't work
- For example:
If you use the modal verb "could", it would sound more politely.
- The new technology seems useful to our company.
- I would like to know if you could allow me to look into it further to see if it could help us.
- I am reading about it, and it seems useful.
- May I ask you for your permission to try it, and see if it could help us?
What's the abbreviation for “elder” in American English?
I know that "Jackson jr." means Jackson the junior, but what about Jackson the elder? How do they abbreviate "elder" in American English?Answer:
They don't, because the word used is "senior", not "elder". ("Senior" is abbreviated "Sr.")When referring to relatives, "elder" is most often used for siblings. In this context, its opposite is "younger". Since these are comparative terms rather than labels, there is not generally a need to abbreviate them.
When to use system as countable noun, when to use system as uncountable noun?
for Example: I wrote an article whose title is- an XXX analysis for state prediction of process complex system (systems?)"
- To predict the system state, XXX analysis is proposed to investigate the changing state of the system
Answer:
System is countable.Compare:
- London has an extensive public transport system.
- London and Paris both have extensive public transport systems.
- the state prediction of a system.
The difference between “ former”, “previous” and “last”
The word former refers to state. It means that the person or object was something, but no longer is. The word "former" only refers to sequence in special cases where it is contrasted with the word "latter" (in which it means the first of two given items).The word previous refers to sequence. It means that the person or object was/did something before something else took over or replaced it. As StoneyB rightly clarifies in his comment, "the previous" means the directly preceding member in a series, however "a previous" can refer to any earlier member in the series.
The word last, in this context, means the same as "previous", but is only used to refer to the immediately preceding item. (Jay warns that "last" can be ambiguous as it is also used to refer to the final entry in a series.)
Thus, you can say "former coworker" of someone who is no longer a coworker. However, the word "previous" means the one before the current, so saying "previous coworker" or "last coworker" does not make sense unless you had a coworker and they were replaced.
Referring to TV series, you can say that you preferred the "previous" or "last" show, and this would refer to the show immediately preceding the current show. You cannot say the "former" show in this context.
When referring to a show that aired earlier than the immediate previous, you can say "a previous show". Otherwise, you can be more specific. Depending on the circumstances, you might say "the first show", or "one of the earlier shows", or "episode ten", or simply "one of the older shows". You could even say something like "five episodes earlier".
Using Forum or Forums?
When do I use forum / forums? Some websites are using forum but some others use forums.- http://forum.joomla.org
- http://forums.linuxmint.com
Answer:
Either can be used. A forum deals with one topic whereas the word forums is used to group each forum together.Incidentally there are people (sometimes highly educated but more often just pains in the necks) who prefer the "original" plural form in Latin: fora
When to use 'does' and when to use 'would'?
I found these two sentences on an online English tutorial, and I'm confused about why one sentence uses "does" and the other uses "would":- How much does it cost to fly to Europe?
- How much would it cost to go to the movies?
Answer:
You would get the same answer to each question whether you used would or does; both questions ask for the price of the action mentioned. There is a slight difference in the implication of why you're asking, but the information you want is the same.When you ask How much does it cost to [x], you're simply asking for information. You could be asking out of pure curiosity, or because you want to purchase the item in question, but no implication is made either way.
When you ask How much would it cost to [x], there is a stronger implication that you're wanting to buy the item you're discussing. Instead of a straight pricing inquiry, you're saying "If I were to buy [x], how much would it cost me?" Using would introduces a future conditional, thus the implication that you're considering the purchase (based on the answer to the question about price).
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