Grammar

A little vs little

Little money - not enough.
A little money - some money (enough).

Used to

I used to do something ... (I did something before)
I get used to ... (I have started to do something)
To be used to ... (Doing it now)

Time

at -> on -> in

at 10:00
on Sunday
on 15-th of May
in July
in Summer
in 1984

09:30 AM
Half past 9
or
Half to 10

09:45 AM
Quarter to 10

01:15 PM
Qurter past 1

07:25 PM
25 past 7

Such vs so

such a day (such -> noun)
but
day is so good (so -> adjective)

There are such nice views!
The views are so nice!

Have or has

Both of us have.
Neither of us has.

Will and will not

It will certainly happen.
It certainly won't happen.

It might happen
I could happen
I may happen

It migh not happen
It may not happen

No "will" after

After:

Present (simple, continuous, perfect simple and perfect continuous)

Present simple (fact):

Present continuous (process):

Present perfect simple (fact):

Present perfect continuous (process):

Replace by or replace with

Replace by: is something was broken (broken -> new)

Replace with: try another, experiment (one -> another)

Try to do vs try doing

Try to do: effort
Try doing: experiment

Use to do with:

and -int with:

Look forward to ...
Be used to ...
Get used to ...

Could usages

1 - can II:
I could do it yesterday.
could - міг (was/were able to - зміг - managed to succeed)
I couldn't do it yesterday.

2 - unreal present:
I could do it now, but I don't want to.

3 - a polite request:
Could You tell me ...

4 - future possibility:
Prices could change next spring.

Whether

We always can replace whether with if.

I don't know whether they want it or not.
I don't know whether or not they want it.
I don't know whether they want it.

Whether or not there had been a big bang singularity ....

Man ws men

men and women are plural.

man - чоловік / людина.
men - чоловіки / люди.
woman - жінка.
women - жінки.

Friend's vs friends'

Friend's - one, friends' - many.

I have no time vs I don't have a time

I have not time is stronger.

Tens + ones

twenty-one, sevety-two.

Raise vs rise

To raise a hand.
To raise my eyes.
Sun is rising.
Sunrise.
Pay rise.

Indirect speach vs reported speach

Indirect speach:
He said tha he was at home.

Worth ...ing

Worth trying (not worth to try).

Few vs a few

Few - not enough.
A few - a little but enough.

If + would

If [past], would ...

If I were you, I would ...
If we did it, it would be ...

I did, I had, ...

I haven't eaten meat for 4 months.
She hasn't succeeded yet.

Much, far, a lot

Much | far | a lot + II form.
A bit | a little | slightly + II form.

Difficulty in

I have difficulty in doing something.

Passive voice

They say he is rich.

It is said he is rich.
He is said [believed, thought] to be rich.
... to know a lot.
... to have 5 wives.
... to have had 5 wives.
... to rob banks.
... to have robbed 5 banks.

Price

How much is it?
How much does it cost?

The very, that, do

You are the very person I need to talk to.
It's not that expensive.
I do know that.
Gone are the days ... (The days are gone ...)

Neither/either

I drink neither tea nor coffee.
I don't drink either tea or coffee.

Until vs till

till uses for time.

Loose vs lose

Loose is an adjective, the opposite of tight or contained.

My shoes are loose.

Lose (lost) is a verb that means to suffer the loss of, to miss.

Don't lose your keys!

Been to

I newer been to [country].

To make do

I run out of coffee, I have to make do (обходитися) with tea.

Agree and refuse

Not agree == refuse.

Casualties vs victims

Casualties - natural disaster.
Victims - violence.

Had had

A salesman who had had to change companies.

Grammar for technical writing

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