Thread: My questions about English

“This work has to be made at once.”

Why was "to be" used instead of "been"?
It is possible that "to be" is used in the capacity of "must" here... Am I right?




P.S.: not making new topic I shall write all my questions here.

Originally Posted by oldboy

“This work has to be made at once.”

Why was "to be" used instead of "been"?
It is possible that "to be" is used in the capacity of "must" here... Am I right?

Yes, has to means must. The sentence means: the work must be finished immediately. (Has been means: the work is already finished.)

You can use other verbs (infinitives) with "has to" also:

He has to read the book = He must read the book.
She has to go shopping = She must (needs to) go shopping.

*****
Кстати, ваша "подпись" неправельно:
"I thank you for to correct me" should be: "I thank you for correcting me."

Or more simply: "Please correct me."

Originally Posted by Lynn

Yes, has to means must. The sentence means: the work must be finished immediately. (Has been means: the work is already finished.)

You can use other verbs (infinitives) with "has to" also:

He has to read the book = He must read the book.
She has to go shopping = She must (needs to) go shopping.

Many thanks, Lynn!
To tell the truth, I thought that "to be" = "must". What I am a dunce!

Originally Posted by Lynn

Кстати, ваша "подпись" неправельно:

"ваша" is no correct.
It is correct is "Ваша".
Lynn, if you address to somebody It need to write the pronoun "вы" with capital letter, that is "Вы" or use pronoun "ты".
Look, if you address to a man who you don't know or who is older you then "Вы" is used (with capital letter). This is the respectful address.
If you address to the people (that is to more than one a man) then "вы" is used (with lowercase letter).
If you address to the friend or me, for example, then "ты" is used.

"неправельно" is no correct.
It is correct is "неправильна". It may that is "Кстати, у Вас "подпись" неправильная" yet.
Because the adjective "неправильная" concern with the noun "подпись". The noun "подпись" is the word of the feminine gender therefore it must has ending of feminine gender too.

Originally Posted by Lynn

Кстати, ваша "подпись" неправельно:

Thanks, I have corrected it. :)

Originally Posted by oldboy

"неправельно" is no correct.
It is correct is "неправильна". It may that is "Кстати, у Вас "подпись" неправильная" yet.
Because the adjective "неправильная" concern with the noun "подпись". The noun "подпись" is the word of the feminine gender therefore it must has ending of feminine gender too.

Whoops! I feel especially silly because I debated whether I should end неправильна with а or о (and obviously chose wrong). :fool" Thanks for your help!

Please tell me are phrases "They are after leaving" and "They have just left" equal each other by implication?

Originally Posted by oldboy

Please tell me, are the phrases "They are after leaving" and "They have just left" [s:22m9hprq]equal each other by implication[/s:22m9hprq] (identical in their meaning; synonymous) ?

"They are after leaving" = так на английском сказать нельзя. Что вы хотите этим предложением сказать? (this is not a correct English sentence. What are you trying to say?)

Originally Posted by quartz

"They are after leaving" = так на английском сказать нельзя. Что вы хотите этим предложением сказать? (this is not a correct English sentence. What are you trying to say?)

To tel the truth, on the Russian forum devoted to English a man said that those phrases are synonymous. And I made up my mind to know that is truth or not.
Thanks you, quartz.

Originally Posted by quartz

"They are after leaving" = так на английском сказать нельзя. Что [s:1au3u2yi]вы[/s:1au3u2yi] Вы хотите этим предложением сказать? (this is not a correct English sentence. What are you trying to say?)

Addressing to a man one need use either "Вы" or "ты". If you address to it is the men that ought to use "вы".
To write "вы" in a Russian sentence, when one address to it is a man that, is roughly the same as to write pronoun "i" in a English sentence. That is grammar mistake. )

It is correct to use ether "Что Вы хотите этим предложением сказать?" or "Что ты хочешь этим предложением сказать?".

Jill will be in Ottawa when Barbara is in Moscow.
Is it possible to say: 'When Barbara is in Moscow, Jill will be in Ottawa'?

Why not?

Originally Posted by oldboy

Jill will be in Ottawa when Barbara is in Moscow.
Is it possible to say: 'When Barbara is in Moscow, Jill will be in Ottawa'?

Originally Posted by alexB

Why not?

oldboy, when I first read the sentence I thought to myself, "not when, but WHILE." Now, I don't think there is a problem with when at all; however, as an AMERICAN, I just might be tempted to say "while" instead (possibly incorrectly so if anyone disagrees here please feel free to chime in!), "WHILE Barbara is in Moscow, Jill will be in Ottawa."

I tried to search for the correct usage of when vs. while to see "why" I would say that and if it is correct or not and found several sites explaining the differences between when and while:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/learne...-and-while.htm British usage and it seems it might be okay to use either in this situation:

it is often possible to leave out subject + be after when and while:
While/When in Germany, he got to know a family of musicians. (=While/When he was in Germany …)

Also, this might fit the reason I might tend to use it in the sentence you gave us...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/le...rnitv257.shtml

while to contrast ideas
While is not used only used to introduce adverbial clauses of time. In more formal usage, it is used to link or balance ideas that contrast each other:

While I am happy for us all to eat at home, I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen preparing the food.
While the news from the front has so far been good, there will almost certainly be days when we must expect heavy casualties.
Note in this usage the while-clause is normally placed as the first of the contrasting points.

Honestly, I think it would depend upon the situation and the person I was speaking with!

Originally Posted by oldboy

Jill will be in Ottawa when Barbara is in Moscow.
Is it possible to say: 'When Barbara is in Moscow, Jill will be in Ottawa'?

It's perfectly okay, except the stress of the sentence changes.

In the 1st case you are stressing that Jill will be in Ottawa
In the 2nd case you are stressing that something will happen/be the case When Barbara is in Moscow

O'k, thanks.

Are whether these sentences correct?
Don't forget to send me a post card, will you? (I think it is correctly is do you?)
Is it much further to the airport? 'No, about two miles.' (I would write far)

Originally Posted by oldboy

Are [s:1cze2egq]whether[/s:1cze2egq] these sentences correct?

Don't forget to send me a post card, will you? (I think it [s:1cze2egq]is correctly is[/s:1cze2egq] should be do you?)
Is it much further to the airport? 'No, about two miles.' (I would write far)

further is comparative
far - farther - farthest (physical distance)
far - further - furthest (nonphysical/metaphorical)

You would say "Is it far to the airport?"
BUT "Is it much farther to the airport?" (about physical distance; much indicating that a comparative form is required)
OR "Is it much further to the airport?" (about time)


**

"Don't forget to send me a post card, will you"

"Do you" would be a question about condition or attribute not about an action. Ex. "You don't like squirrels, do you?" or "You like squirrels, don't you?" or "You like squirrels, do you?" (the last example would be said ironically or jokingly)

Think of it as "what kind of an answer is expected". "Don't forget to send me a postcard, will you?" "Yes, I will (remember)".
It can also be "Don't forget to send me a postcard, won't you?" "No, I won't (forget)".

Compare with: "You have this book, don't you?"

I see. Tnx, quartz.

good looking out = thank you for worrying about me.
Am I right?

Originally Posted by oldboy

good looking out = thank you for worrying about me.
Am I right?

This needs more context. "Looking out for someone" means worrying about them, or making sure they are okay. "Good looking out" does not mean anything on its own.

If I wanted to thank someone for worrying about me, I would say "Thanks for looking out for me."

Originally Posted by Lynn

This needs more context.

Oops, unfortunately, I have remember where I found this phrase ((
But I come to above conclusion proceeding from this: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.p ... ooking+out

The act of watching out for someone in their best interest.

Dude 1: Hey man, I saw you weren't in class today. I took notes for you.
Dude 2: Thanks man. Good looking out!

What 'good locking out' means in this context?

Originally Posted by oldboy

Dude 1: Hey man, I saw you weren't in class today. I took notes for you.
Dude 2: Thanks man. Good looking out!

What 'good locking out' means in this context?[/quote]

Okay, yes, you're right, that's what it means here: thanks for looking out for me (worrying about me). But it's a very slangy way of saying it (that I've never heard). It's probably something teenagers say.

Originally Posted by Lynn

Okay, yes, you're right, that's what it means here: thanks for looking out for me (worrying about me). But it's a very slangy way of saying it (that I've never heard). It's probably something teenagers say.

OK. Thanks, Lynn.