Problems with English? Questions? Vocabulary, grammar... Post here :)

k3lt01 · 04-18-2011, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catkin

Sorry, Alexvader; I do not understand it that way; for me the meanings are identical and the "have" part is verbiage. If wanting to ask about an attentive observation it would be clearer to say something like "Did you study/examine/inspect it?".

This is correct, in essence there is absolutely no difference in meaning whatsoever.

TheIndependentAquarius · 04-19-2011, 12:23 AM

Code:

How to get directly to the 57th post?, since that post onwards I still have to read.

Do a ? and a , go together? Yes, I could have broken them down in two sentences, but is it wrong the way I have written that?

MrCode · 04-19-2011, 01:11 AM

I would just break that into two sentences. Any end-punctuation mark (such as a period, exclamation point, or question mark) is used alone to end a sentence; it isn't used in combination with other non-ending punctuation.

A more correct wording of that sentence might be:

Code:

How do I get directly to the 57th post?  I still have to read from that post onward.

TheIndependentAquarius · 04-19-2011, 01:18 AM

Yeah, thanks, that was all together a convoluted sentence.
Does this look better?

Code:

I have to read the 57th post onwards, how to get directly to the post in question?

and now I see your example, looks pretty good

TheIndependentAquarius · 04-20-2011, 04:45 AM

Code:

and was then thinking why didn't the parametrized constructor got called.

Two past tenses again??

MrCode · 04-20-2011, 05:09 AM

Yes…a better version would be (assuming this is just part of the sentence):

Code:

…and then I was wondering why the parameterized constructor didn't get called.

Another version might be to quote your exact wording:

Code:

…and then I was thinking, "why didn't the parameterized constructor get called?"

EDIT: even better:

Code:

…and then I was wondering why the parameterized constructor wasn't called.

TheIndependentAquarius · 04-20-2011, 05:10 AM

Thanks again, I gave that a thought before, but then I also wondered isn't "get" present tense?

and also I would like to state that firefox thinks parameterized is a wrong spelling, acc. to firefox the correct one is: parametrized.

DavidMcCann · 04-20-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anisha Kaul

and also I would like to state that firefox thinks parameterized is a wrong spelling, acc. to firefox the correct one is: parametrized.

That's either a typing error or ignorance on their part: the Oxford English Dictionary gives parameterize or parameterise.

Incidentally, I always advise the English -ise rather than the American -ize. If you use -ize, you have to memember the verbs which must use the -s- form, even in the USA: advise, despise, revise, etc.

MrCode · 04-20-2011, 12:26 PM

Quote:

I always advise the English -ise rather than the American -ize. If you use -ize, you have to memember the verbs which must use the -s- form, even in the USA: advise, despise, revise, etc.

There's another exception to that rule here in the States: "surprise" is always spelled with the -ise ending.

Also, maybe slightly OT: FF doesn't check my spelling, and I have aspell installed, and the "Check my spelling as I type" checkbox is enabled in the preferences…

lupusarcanus · 04-20-2011, 04:36 PM

Maybe I'll use all my extra Z's now to get some rest...

zzzzZZZzzZZZzz

TheIndependentAquarius · 05-05-2011, 04:20 AM

Code:

Have a look at the type of questions that have been asked in the previous years exams.

OR

Code:

Have a look at the type of questions that were asked in the previous years exams.

?

XavierP · 05-05-2011, 05:38 AM

Both are correct. The difference is in whether you use the Active or Passive voice. In your example, the second line is Active and while both are correct, the second line is more correct.

TheIndependentAquarius · 05-05-2011, 05:39 AM

Helpful article, I'll have a look.

XavierP · 05-05-2011, 05:42 AM

The grammar girl article covers both and is pretty easy to understand - her conclusion is that while both are correct, it depends on what you are writing to decide on which voice to use.

TheIndependentAquarius · 05-05-2011, 05:45 AM

How sad it is that you are yet against of making this useful thread a sticky even when it is mentioned on the top that this forum is for non-technical general discussion ...