Ohhhhhh, is that what you meant! Haven’t you missed an important point, though? You employ generalizations too – whenever it happens to suit your purpose.
In keeping with your standard of what is acceptable as a generalization, it is more than fair to say: “Native speakers of English normally speak, write, read and understand English better than non-native speakers do.”
That’s not a condemnation, EU.
Hi Amy,
Indeed it is!
Englishuser
Hi,
Alan wrote:
It was supposed to be a definition. Nothing more.
The sentence continues: “trying to find a better place to inhabit.” I am sure most readers can understand what I mean owing to excellent context clues. That’s how you got my point, isn’t it?
This suggestion is all right.
Englishuser
Maybe I can help a bit with all this brouhaha. I’m a professional editor.
Your essay, Englishuser, was okay. Alan’s suggestions did make it better. There were a few other things I would’ve changed but nothing big. For example:
“As early as in 8000 BC people moved, trying to find a better place to inhabit.”
Removal of the preposition “in” is necessary as Alan pointed out, but i would’ve also changed “inhabit” to “live”. “Inhabit” isn’t wrong but “live” suffices and sounds more natural. Rule #16, Don’t use a long word when a shorter one will do.
There were a bunch of little things like this in your essay, EU, Alan just took on the more awkward ones.
Most people don’t write well and even professional authors use professional editors (thank god, or the rent wouldn’t be paid). My writing gets corrected all the time by my colleagues but I don’t lose any sleep over it.
I think you need to distance yourself away from your writing and not take it as a personal attack.
Overall you wrote a good essay with just a few funnyisms.
Hi Frankie Fiveangels,
Thank you for your message and for joining our forum. I hope you will help other people improve their texts as well.
EU