Language Overflow

Damkerng T.

09:00

0

Q: What is the difference between there's no and there's not? When to use "not" and when to use " no"?

As we know not and no are different words which is why I don't know if there is a difference between the two constructs from the title. This diagram shows that the two forms are used and this makes me think that they are acceptable both. My question is are they both grammatically correct and if...

An interesting question.

It reminds me of raising (I'm sure there is a more specific name than just "raising", but I can't recall it), those sentences like I believe he is not telling us the whole truth --> I don't believe he is telling us the whole truth.

These all alternatives should be possible.

> a) There is not a thing here.

> b) There is not any thing here.

> c) There is no thing here.

> d) There is nothing here.

> e) There is not such a thing.

> f) There is no such thing.

Between a), b), c) and d), which one native speakers would use more often and on what occasions would be beyond me.

The same goes to e) and f).

I think we all go by familiarity.

If we're more familiar with one alternative than the others in a given context, we would use that alternative too in that context or a similar one.

2

A: What is the subject? And where to put comma(s)?

A world in which there are monsters, and ghosts, and things that want to steal your heart is a world in which there are angels, and dreams and a world in which there is hope. A good test to find the subject in a sentence is to make the sentence into a question. The part of the sentence that ...

Exactly my thought!

> A world in which there are monsters and ghosts and things that want to steal your heart is a world in which there are angels and dreams and a world in which there is hope.

Not a single comma is the best!

Damkerng T.

13:43

> I simply do not not not like being on movie sets.
--The Princess Bride, by William Goodman, Introduction to the 30th Anniversary Edition

A triple not!

Man_From_India

14:31

Good evening @DamkerngT.

Damkerng T.

Good evening!

Man_From_India

> A research has found that 60 per cent of cases the average mind is thinking about the newely-announced ipad, even if the latest model is with us.

The bold part is considered as a prepositional phrase with preposition omitted. Right? Here is it correct?

From whatever I saw I expected to have a in before that prepositional phrase.

Damkerng T.

@Man_From_India nods -- It looks a little off to me. Where did you find it?

Man_From_India

In the supplement paper that came with The Times of India

Today's paper.

Damkerng T.

@HarishS Let's try the other room: chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/22937/ells-cabin.

(Sorry about the inconvenience)

@Man_From_India IMHO, the sentence sounds a bit off for several reasons, but it could make sense in the context.

Man_From_India

14:38

Yes the context is even if people get the new phone or get the latest updates of their OS, they look for new gadgets and new OS. They always wonder what is new there.

Damkerng T.

nods -- Frankly, even though I understand thinking about, I'd say it'd sound better if it were thinking about buying.

And the latest model makes it sound a little odd to me as well; though again, I understand why they used latest.

The last part, with us, forces me to mentally repair the sentence, by relinking the us back to the average mind.

Man_From_India

Yes actually what struck me most is the use of 60 per cent of the cases without any preposition before it. :O

Damkerng T.

But the weirdest thing in the sentence is perhaps "a research".

Man_From_India

Sounds similar.

Damkerng T.

nods

Man_From_India

14:44

I thought it might be like way. But I haven't got anything similar where per cent of the cases is used without a preposition :-(

Damkerng T.

Though the sentence seems to get the idea across pretty well, I believe that the writer will likely have trouble with the IELTS exam. :P

Man_From_India

Yes it does make sense :-)

Oh there the writer's email id is mentioned :D

Damkerng T.

:D

@Man_From_India I think it's possible in another kind of sentence--something like: We do this 70 percent of the time.

Man_From_India

Hmmm but still have problems whether it will take preposition or not. Though the idea is clear.

Somewhere I read that it's the property of the noun head of the NP that is the compliment of preposition. That particular noun decides whether we can omit preposition or not.

Damkerng T.

@Man_From_India Interesting!

Man_From_India

14:52

For example the noun way allows it but the noun manner doesn't.

> He made it in this manner.

Here we can't omit in

> He made it (in) this way.

Here in is optional.

The deciding factor is the head noun.

Damkerng T.

I see. We still don't have a good conclusion for way, I think.

Man_From_India

Yes I asked that question in ell, but still no good convincing answer.

But probably in Comprehensive Grammar of English Language I read that head noun decide this kind of omission.

It might be in other books, I can't remember properly.

I think here in this case it's the per cent not the cases that is deciding whether preposition can be deleted or not. per cent can be used that way.

Damkerng T.

15:09

FWIW, I've never written "per cent".

Man_From_India

Both spelling is possible, I think.

Damkerng T.

Yes, I guess so.

But it makes me less certain to judge about the preposition.

Oh! (Just saw Google Logo today.)

Man_From_India

Anything special? It's usual one for me.

Damkerng T.

It's about women's football!

M.A.Ramezani

@DamkerngT. Yeah, it hardly reads as "Google".

Damkerng T.

15:19

@M.A.Ramezani I think it reads "GOAL!"

M.A.Ramezani

15:39

@DamkerngT. Hmm, that's an opinion. It doesn't read anything understandable at all.

Damkerng T.

20:17

Preposition of the Day: I've been working __ this job for two years. -- a) in b) on c) at d) no word needed e) more than one choice is possible (please specify)

(f) the sentence is incorrect)

M.A.Ramezani

21:15

@DamkerngT. On definitely works.

Damkerng T.

I'll admit that on is my natural choice, too.

M.A.Ramezani

At is also a good choice, I guess.

Damkerng T.

I found some examples of at, too.

M.A.Ramezani

@Dam I suspected in isn't good, as it usually represents graphical/visual/somethingal insidenss. And I was right:

google.com.sg/…

At least it's a learner's error.

Damkerng T.

But wait! Try this: "been working in this job"

M.A.Ramezani

21:24

A big emphatic O.O.

Damkerng T.

Tallying...

"been working at this job" 4 pages (on Google Books)

"been working on this job" 3 pages

"been working in this job" 2 pages

M.A.Ramezani

"been working more than one choice is possible (please specify) this job" 0 pages.

Damkerng T.

:D

M.A.Ramezani

Guess we were wrong all along. Sigh

K, will you ask a question on ELL or should I?

Damkerng T.

You can, if you want to!

M.A.Ramezani

21:30

You won't? It's your idea.

Damkerng T.

At the moment, I'm satisfied with the tallied numbers.

What's wrong with my grammatron at this late hour?!

M.A.Ramezani

It's dehydration. I know how it feels.

Damkerng T.

Hehe!

Damkerng T.

21:44

The Sum of All Fears (8/9) Movie CLIP - Back Down (2002) HD

►

Hmm... what does this "Back down." mean?

(I doubt the translation on my cable TV, which can be translated back as "yield" or something sounds almost like "surrender", which I think is not quite right.)

Anonymous

22:11

@DamkerngT. I like "I've had this job for two years" or "I've been working here for two years"

Damkerng T.

@snailboat That crossed my mind too. (Hence, choice f.)

BTW, I found a few of I've been doing this job for ... too!

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