Questions tagged [repetition]
Questions about repeating a given word in a phrase, sentence, or short passage of text.
161 questions
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tomorrow morning/in the morning
Look at sentences (1)-(2) below:
If she is not at home tomorrow at noon, she will have gone to the dentist tomorrow morning as planned.
If she is not at home tomorrow at noon, she will have gone to ...
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'A(n)': ellipsis of the indefinite article repeated in different forms
...followed by an infinitive or relative clause.
Swan's Practical (BrE)
Is it grammatical to omit the indefinite article repeated in different forms, a(n)?
Britons seem to agree:
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2
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206
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Necessity of pronoun "that" or "those" when comparing two things
We usually use "that" or "those" when we repeat the noun(s) used before especially in comparative sentences.
But what about in this sentence?
The intellectually inferior mice ...
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Is it bad to repeat the same word in a sentence? [closed]
I keep finding myself using the same words repeatedly whenever I write or talk to people, so I'm wondering if this is a bad habit to have.
For example,
Volunteering makes me feel good because I love ...
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510
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Using the word "he" twice in the same sentence - is this grammatically correct? If not, why are there published books that break this rule? [closed]
So, I was reading some books by Stephen King, S.D. Perry, and a couple authors I really love. I notice they'll use pronouns or certains words twice in the same sentence. When I read it, it's pleasant ...
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Figure of speech for repetition of words in the middle of successive phrases, sentences or verses
I know Anaphora is repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses and Epistrophe is repetition of a word or expression at the end of ...
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2
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The toy was the best and built last year. Is a second "was" necessary to create "was built"?
Which of the below sentences is grammatically correct?
(A) The toy was the best and built last year.
(B) The toy was the best and was built last year.
I believe that sentence (B) is correct, but is ...
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What is the term for repeating non-restrictive clauses?
I came across the following quote:
Scientists would soon find themselves adrift in a bewildering realm of
particles and antiparticles, where things pop in and out of existence
in spans of time that ...
2
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3
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177
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How to avoid the repetition of a noun in a comparison [closed]
Here's a wordy sentence:
The magnetic field at this stage is parallel to the magnetic field at the first stage, but the intensity of the magnetic field at this stage can be lower than the intensity ...
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Repetition of "one" as number and pronoun
I am wondering about repetitions related to the use of the word one as a pronoun and as a number inside an adjectival compound.
Here are two examples:
My friend ordered a two-scoop cone, while a got ...
user410947
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Do I need to use the word 'possible' twice in the sentence 'Automating as many lucrative tasks possible as quickly as possible.'
Or can I omit the first occurrence of the word 'possible' and just write 'Automating as many lucrative tasks as quickly as possible'?
I want the sentence to mean both the numerically highest possible ...
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1
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"She was beautiful, she was." [duplicate]
What is the term used to describe sentences such as:
They did all they could, they did.
It was a gorgeous day, it was.
EDIT: Thank you so much to all who helped; you guys are great!
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In formal writing, is it acceptable to repeat nouns as in the sentence below?
I am writing some journal papers. I need to be technical but at the same time I don't really want to repeat the same terminology over and over.
The sentence I am having trouble with is like this:
...
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Use of "X can be Y only if Z are"
Example:
Your conclusion can be withdrawn only if your prior papers are.
Is repeating the verb at the end required? Like:
Your conclusion can be withdrawn only if your prior papers are withdrawn.
...
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68
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how to avoid repetition in comparing two things in a line graph
I have a problem with repetition for describing this graph. This graph represents the strong ground motion acceleration (vertical axes) over the period (the horizontal axes) for different return ...
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Repetition of the same word in a sentence
Pouring the water on the flower, Jenny admired the flowers just beginning to open.
In the above sentence, the word "flower" is repeated once. Is repetition of the same word in a single ...
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Coordinating conjunctions between different pairs that are close to each other
I'd like to write a sentence with the following "logical structure":
I
'
can
,-----------'-------------,
...
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When is usage still subsequent in a very long document?
We are supposed to spell out a military rank when used before a soldier's name, e.g.,
Master Sergeant John Doe.
In subsequent usage, we are supposed to abbreviate the title to
Master Sgt. John Doe
...
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need to repeat the subject in a coordinate clause?
I'm editing a text and so far the sentence I'm working on looks like this:
They are the ones we wanted to pay tribute to, and remind people what they protested against.
The subject of "remind&...
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Distribution of auxiliary verb over infinitives
I have a doubt regarding the use of auxiliary verb. When we use an auxiliary verb in a sentence , and suppose it does two tasks and we join them using ,say, 'and' , Is there a need for us to repeat ...
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How to avoid repeating same words in a conversation [closed]
Sorry if there's an answer for my question.
Is it possible to avoid of repeating the verb meaning the same thing in a conversation?
Example:
1. What do you like?
2. I like pizza. What do you ...
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2
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Word repetition: Two times 'changing'
I have the following sentence:
" Case studies with changing number of buildings and changing peak powers of the PV systems"
My question is, wether I should get rid of one of the 'changing'. So ...
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Is this proper grammar? “Can a can can a can can a can?” [closed]
Is the following structure correct?
Can a can can a can can a can?
As in:
Can a tin can put another tin can (which can put a tin can in a tin can), in a tin can
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Increasing clarity by breaking verbal stumbling blocks
I am marking students' essays and frequently coming across stumbling blocks of words. Although grammatically speaking these blocks are mostly correct, I find that clarity is being impaired (e.g too ...
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Is the repetition of a pronoun instead of stressing it possible?
In English it is usual to stress a personal pronoun or a noun so as to introduce a departure from the preceding spell of conversation in which is mentioned another agent in relation to the same ...
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2
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What ways do you describe changing from existence to non-existence?
In a paper, I need to talk about things "coming into and leaving" existence multiple times. I feel this phrase is clumsy and there are definitely better ways of saying it that I just can't think of ...
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Is there a name for using a word twice in a row to express different levels of a similar thing? [duplicate]
There are a few phrases myself and others around me will use to change the meaning. The first example is “out”:
Shall we go out? — meaning “Shall we go to the pub?”
vs
Shall we go out out? — ...
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The use of conjunction "and" to avoid repetition
I apologize if my question seems trivial for people who study literature and English language in depth.
My question is basically related to the following statements:
The existence of X
The ...
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1
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What's the term for a phrase made of two words that have the same meaning?
Sometimes we place two words together that have the same meaning, thus making one of the words unnecessary. Examples:
Body corporate ('corporate' comes from Latin 'corpus', which means 'body'), so it'...
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Do you need to repeat the word "sector" for clarity in this sentence?
Is the following sentence okay as is, or is it necessary to repeat the word "sector" to make clear you mean "private sector and public sector organizations."?
Trust in private and public sector ...
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Is it correct to simplify common verbs in an ordered sentence?
Today, I came across a sentence pattern in a well-accepted technical document, as follows:
Their X1 are too A1, their X2 too A2, and their X3 too A3.
Is it correct to use only one are in this kind ...
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Should repeated words after an ellipsis be capitalized?
I've searched everywhere, including questions about whether to capitalize after a stutter (no), capitalize after an ellipsis (no if it's a continuation of a sentence, yes if it's a new sentence), but ...
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Differentiate between different types of...: is it acceptable in written English?
Would be acceptable in written (academic paper) English to write "Differentiate between different types of ...". I once was harshly criticized when I wrote in the paper: "Participants experienced the ...
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Comparative studies of examples of epizeuxis
Epizeuxis is a rhetorical device which is defined as involving immediate or close repetition of a word or phrase - 'Break, break, break, On thy cold grey stones, O sea!' (Tennyson) or 'There's a fox, ...
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On repeating adjectives
Consider the following sentence:
Oh you think this speech is insulting? Don't worry, it gets much more (insulting).
How should I phrase this sentence? Can I omit the second occurrence of the ...
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Láska skala - English word play exists? [closed]
In Slovak language there are these two words:
láska (love) and skala (rock)
If you keep repeating any of above words, it kind of merges into another one, e.g.:
la[skala][skala]ska...
ska[laska][...
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Are there too many their in my sentence?
Travelling around the world for tourism and business gave me the chance to meet many people in developing countries. When I hear about their lives in their home countries, I can relate to their desire ...
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A question about the phrase "What it actually is"
I was writing something on Reddit, and I was casually checking my writing when I realized I had forced myself into a particularly strange situation.
I was making an argument where I first established ...
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Is the successive use of "to" in any sentence grammatically correct?
I am wondering whether there is any correct use of "to" successively, one after another, in any English sentence.
Here is an example:
Our team is too accustomed to following the process everyone is ...
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Repetition of "their"
I'm currently translating from French to English and can't decide how to translate a sentence without the repetition of their being weird.
All around the world States are thinking about and are ...
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1
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Same preposition twice in a row
Does it sound OK to a native ear when a preposition is repeated like this?
I want to move in in the first week of August. – where the first in is part of move in and the second in is part of in the ...
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3
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How to avoid repeating "her" three times in one short sentence?
Habib’s talent reminds her family of her late grandmother on her
father’s side.
It seems like I shouldn't remove any yet it doesn't look good this way.
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What is it called when we follow an acronym with a word already in the acronym? [duplicate]
Example:
PIN Number (PIN=Personal Identification Number), no need to repeat number
RSVP please (RSVP=Answer please in French), no need to say please again
etc.
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What is the literary device used in “She’s not just showing you what she made. She’s showing you what she’s made of”
What is the literary device used in “She’s not just showing you what she made. She’s showing you what she’s made of”
At first, I thought it was chiasmus, but it does not really fit.
Certain that it ...
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The double "for"
The last thing I wanted to have happen was for some to become upset and for cold feelings to come within us and ruin our will to cooperate.
Is the second "for", before "cold", required?
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What is the term for repeating the same word twice or more to create a new meaning altogether?
For example, "rabbit rabbit" is a phrase to be uttered first thing in the morning on the first day of the month for good luck all month long. The origin of the phrase has to do with rabbits bringing ...
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What is the term for when one word or phrase appears directly above the same word or phrase in a paragraph?
I have read and written countless sentences within in a paragraph where a word or phrase is repeated in use and its second use appears directly beneath the first use in the visual paragraph whether or ...
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Other examples of or name of an indefinitely repeating phrase in a sentence
I'm looking for other examples of or the name of this kind of structure from The Stanley Parable:
"The end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is ...
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Can you end one sentence with a word like 'biodiversity' and start the next sentence with the very same word, 'biodiversity'? [closed]
Is it possible to end a sentence with some word and then begin the next sentence with the same word?
For example,
The health of the environment is measured by its biodiversity. Biodiversity is ..
...
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When to use a comma and a semi-colon when a word is repeated (repetition). [duplicate]
I'm confused with when to use a comma or semi-colon when a word is repeated for emphasis because it's a general rule if you are to write two independent sentences together, they must have a ...
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