What do you call a phrase like "A few days ago, ..." or "Last Monday, ..."?  For example, "A few days ago, I went shopping" or "Last Monday, I finished reading my book"  I was thinking that it was an appositive, but I'm not sure.
120971
Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.   sbj: fathers         det: our vrb: brought forth         obj: nation                 det: a                 adj: new                 adj: *conceived*                         adv: &lt;in&gt;                                 obj: liberty                 cnj: and                 adj: *dedicated*                         adv: &lt;to&gt;                                 obj: proposition                                         det: the                                         adj: -that-                                                 sbj: men                                                         det: all                                                 vrb: are created                                                         cmp: equal         adv: &lt;on&gt;                 obj: continent                         det: this         adv: ...?   I'm working on this but can't wrap my head around the phrase in bold. I know that it's adverbial phrase of time, but what kind of phrase is it exactly? What part of speech is 'ago'? Sources don't seem to agree.
107234
I am a bit confused about these two forms For example :  John reads books all of the time/all the time All the students/All of the students have participated in march against smoking in the campus  are they both correct? or it depends on the context?
25569
I have a question about choice of using this phrases. What different between "Some words" and "a few words"?  What I need to use?
87708
For example, when you are a little hungry and you say "I'm starving", or when you are so tired and you say "I'm dying". What do you call these type of expressions? Just exaggerations? I don't know how to explain this better.
2395
I noticed that my American friends tend to use the past perfect form when they use the verb mention in its past form, almost despite of the context of the sentence. I hear them say  "you had mentioned" a lot more often even in situations where the use of simple past would have been perfectly fine. Have you noticed it too and is it one of those unwritten rules, or is there a more formal explanation to it?  It seems like there was more verbs like that, but I am having a hard time remembering it now. If I do, I will edit the post and likely change the title to accommodate other verbs.
9815
I’m often confused when I speak about times and dates. What is the rule for using on, in, and at in the following sentences?   I will do it ___ Tuesday. We married ___ March. He returned ___ the same day. Every day ___ the same time, I walk the dog.
35218
My question might seem to be stupid enough, it's basic grammar, I believe; however, I'm at my wits' end. Should we use Past perfect or Past Simple in the following sentence:     He promised/ had promised to turn up at 4, but appeared at 9?
40854
I seem to recall from my youth, when my vocabulary was many times what it is today, learning a word (started with an 'a' I think) whose meaning was "an old, unused, or archaic word" or something roughly to that effect.  I believe it was an adjective though it might have been a noun. This would be quite fun as an  term.  Does anyone recall such a word, or am I deceiving myself?
90118
I posted a question today about ""and I used the verb "find" in the progressive.:  I'm finding more and more that "having to" is also used instead of "have to".  Someone comments it's a "recency illusion" or a stereotypical characteristic of Indian English. I'm not a native speaker of English, and I never have been in touch with Indian a bit. I've been reading about stative verbs in the progressiveand I've seen and heard them not a few times in movies, dramas, novels, games, grammars, most of which are put out in the U.S.A. or the U.K., so I thought it would be OK to use the special progressive use in proper contexts, but now I think I'm missing something important, and I'm confused a lot. If you know what it is, please tell me about it with good explanations and examples. Now I'm going to show you some of the examples of the progressive with stative verbs that I've been collecting on my own for two years or so, (quite a few of them from grammars, some from dramas, novels and stuff...) and I want to know you native speakers' opinions on that. If your views on the usage diverge a lot, I'm going to have to think about which side I'm on,and one of the two is preferred over the other, then I'll follow it.        It’s mattering more and more which university you get your degree at.   She is not finding London totally easy.   I’m finding (=discovering, realizing) that his problem is more complicated than I had expected.   No, I’m sort of thinking that I’d like to try a bit higher level heel, anyway.   I’m thinking that we should pay a short visit to Clara.   One night in the middle of the night, I'm hearing dripping.   How are you liking your new job?   I was quite liking the performance until the first interval.   Tim, are you wanting any fruit?   It sounds that you're wanting to take care of yourself physically as well.   The only thing I'm lacking is a wardrobe.   He’s forgetting his French faster and faster.    I'm already forgetting what I was taught this morning.   You're forgetting that our resources are not unlimited.   I’m forgetting that I promised to visit Smith this evening.   The river is smelling particularly bad today.   My scarf is no longer smelling of lavender.   She’s looking much stronger this week.   You’re looking more like a sleep dog than most sleep dogs.   He’s looking worse and worse by the minute.   Your soup is tasting better every day.   That example is sounding less and less acceptable with each repetition.       ※. What I'm asking you is as follows:  1. the validity of the expression "I'm finding more and more that..." in the context of the original post 2. whether or not stative verbs in the progressive is widely acceptable &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and questions about your opinions on that &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (As I already said, if most of you reject the usage like the examples, then I should avoid it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If most of you welcome it, I'll keep on with it.)
16954
Recently, while skimming through an article I came across a sentence which is as follows.  The five minute walk will connect you with life.  My rationale says it should have been &quot;five minutes&quot; and not &quot;five minute&quot;. Kindly advise where am I going wrong?
70373
I bought this bike in|on|from|at an online store.  I bought this bike in|on|from|at November 13.  I bought this bike in|on|from|at a sale.  What is the appropriate situation where the words in, on, from, and at should be used?    I think something similar has been asked before, but I can't seem to find it in this SE site.
94045
I think most folk happily use either "while" or "whilst". I've a vague recollection that at one time "while" indicated the passing of time and "whilst" was essentially the same as "whereas" or "although".  So using while for time passing...     While I was walking down the street the sun was shining.   ... and whilst for whereas/although...     Whilst I was walking down the street I often prefer to hop.   Any views?
14756
Is it grammatically  wrong  to say      It's been too hot  in the last / the past few days      It's been too hot for the last / the past few days     I saw this following sentence also, can we omit in it?     He's had two new cars in the last / in the past three years   as     He's had two new cars  the last / in the past three years     Is there a strict rule in using of preposition or non-preposition when we use the last/past ?  What is the structure when I refer to weeks, months ?
47994
I gave him the money by 6 PM.   I had given him the money by 6 PM.   I can't spot the difference between them and both seem right, but I was told the first one is wrong. Can anyone say, why?  Here is a another set of sentences with the same issue:     By 5 PM I gave him the book.   By 5 PM I had given him the book.   In both the sentences the book was given before 5 PM and no later than 5 PM. But I can't understand then what the difference between them is.   Is it right to use simple past with 'by' at all? If yes, then why and if not, then why is it incorrect to use simple past with 'by'?
75601
The shops are open only until 5.30. they will be closed by now.   The shops are open only by 5.30. they will be closed by now.  Greetings  Would you kindly tell me the differences that are in the sentences?  I mean the difference between UNTIL 5.30 and by 5.30.  In addition, I wonder the reason why it has been used the tense future, that is  they will be closed by now. !   (I am learning English. would you possibly elaborate your explanations in details readily?)  I think I'll be wait by/until thursday before making a decision.  which one and WHY?    Thank you so much, but my last question:  Are these the acceptable reasons for your previous arguments about that you did not agree with "by 5.30"?, because when we use the following sentence as if the shops are closed twice- for example: once at 3 o'clock and the other one at 7 o'clock or after 5.30  The shops are only open by 5.30. They will be closed by now. ................. As a preposition of time “by” means “on or before”.  She should be here by Sunday.  This means she ought to be here e,g. on Friday or Saturday but definitely not later than Sunday. Use “by” when you refer to a deadline.  “Until” means “up to a particular time but no sooner than that."  The shops are open only until 5.30.  They will not close sooner than 5.30.
102362
I'm studying English vocabulary books, I find this word in each unit describing time words (days, weeks, months...).      There are 2 weeks in a fortnight.   Almost I haven't seen this word before in social websites, emails or movies. the only place I heard this word is in historical movies.  So, is it a outdated word or native speakers still use it?
46335
I need to know the word type of "before" in constructions like the following:     Before going home, I had a beer.   I do know the word types before can be in general, so no need for lengthy responses ;).