Discussion Groups / English Usage / March 2007

Hi all, I wonder if anybody can explain the difference between ride
and lift when they mean transportation.  Can I give only a ride, not
lift to my friends?  Thank you.

What would "break a sou/(also 'cent', I guess)," mean here?
Would that be "earn some serious money?"
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I think I liked Cronstadt's joint best of all, perhaps because he

Can you understand the following paragraph? If you can't comprehend it, it will
be appreciated that you revise it the way you think.
In this study, we explore the teaching model through the self-compiled topic of
soap. The teaching in Teaching Resource Center of the soap factory is ...

I had a fever of a hundred and four degrees, and each time I
swallowed, pain lit up the sides of my face like a jukebox  -- On
Writing, Stephen King
I am having difficulty understanding the later part of the sentence -

Is an Irish bull actually a Scottish bull?
On Craig Ferguson's late night talk show tonight (CBS network, USA, 1
a.m. EDT, March 29, 2007), in a conversation with Sigourney Weaver,
whose husband is, like Ferguson, Scottish, he said that an Irish bull

Help! I've noticed that over time as a family we become addicted to
'fillers' which are words or phrases we use that have no meaning in
context and are simply to allow thinking time. Once pointed out these
become very annoying.

The forensic evidence is all we have to go on.
The forensic data are all we have to go on.

Would you say that "went out" means "dared" in the first para?
Also, how about "What to ... and what to" in the 2nd, how would you read
it? Is it "Partly to ... and partly to? "
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Hamlet is placed on trial!
Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy set in as presiding
judge for the trial of Hamlet on serious charges, including
murder. Quiet a surprise jury decision!

Do you think that "within six months of cessation" in the following
sentence is grammartically right?
"All IEEE standards development committees with meeting income or
expenses of US $25,000 or greater per meeting shall complete the

x

Hello, here is a message I just sent to Merriam Webster:
"Hello, my name is Noah Hahn-Walter and I have a question about
pronunciation.
I and everyone I know pronounces "sure" like "her" and "burr", and you

the message on this page http://www.quattroforwomen.co.uk/register.php is
"Free sample promotion now closed due to popular demand."
Adrian

Hello English speaking folks,
I need your help again!
I wanted to express that something is the same or is equal in
comparison with an other thing.

What is the correct version, if any?
1. I've got food poisoning.
2. I've got food poisoned.
3. I'm being food poisoned.