Several Questions about English Grammar in Report Writing
Several Questions about English Grammar in Report Writing
(OP)
1. ........For this reason, the number of piles could be reduced because the applied earth pressure was higher than (the estimated one)/(that estimated). ==>Which one is correct?
2. ....To avoid (the underestimation of)/(underestimating)the earth pressure.....==>Can "avoid" be followed by a not a gerund?
3. In this projects, I found.....=>My training advisor suggest I should use "In" not "On". Any reason???
3. .....However, (a lot of)/(many) structural members underwent significant alteration works; for instance,....
==>What is the difference between "a lot of" and "many"
Thanks!!!!!!
Steve
2. ....To avoid (the underestimation of)/(underestimating)the earth pressure.....==>Can "avoid" be followed by a not a gerund?
3. In this projects, I found.....=>My training advisor suggest I should use "In" not "On". Any reason???
3. .....However, (a lot of)/(many) structural members underwent significant alteration works; for instance,....
==>What is the difference between "a lot of" and "many"
Thanks!!!!!!
Steve





RE: Several Questions about English Grammar in Report Writing
2. You could probably get away with either version. I think the second is easier to read (though I couldn't honestly say which more closely obeys the rules).
3. Are you talking about things you learnt while doing the project? If so, neither "in" nor "on" really works - reason being that "found" is an untidy choice of verb. "This project taught me..." or "While doing this project, I learnt..." are both less vague.
Other 3. "A lot of" is less formal and can also be used more widely than "many" (which only works for things you can count). I think either is acceptable here, although neither really gives me as much information as I would like: "Roughly half", "the majority of" and "almost 1%" could all be valid interpretions of "many" or "a lot of".
A.
RE: Several Questions about English Grammar in Report Writing
I'll leave the re-write to the reader.
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Several Questions about English Grammar in Report Writing
2. ....To avoid underestimating the earth pressure
3. In this projects, I found.....
Singular "this project" or plural "these projects"?
Is "project" a verb, with a parenthetic "I found", as in "This projects, I found, a budget increase..."? This is also ugly, even if changed to "This projects, I find, ...."
"In this projects" and "On this projects" are both wrong.
Perhaps you mean "From this project I found/learned..."
Or perhaps you mean "This project revealed..."
3. .....Many structural members were altered. For instance,....
Omit useless words.
One idea per sentence.
Steven C. Potter I.S.P., IEng, MIED
http://www.spottek.ca
RE: Several Questions about English Grammar in Report Writing
RE: Several Questions about English Grammar in Report Writing
2. depends what you are trying to say.
3.During this project, I discovered / learnt or learned (both acceptable as the past tense on learn) that .....
4. However, a number of structural members underwent ..
Naresuan University
Phitsanulok
Thailand
RE: Several Questions about English Grammar in Report Writing
RE: Several Questions about English Grammar in Report Writing
" the number of piles could be reduced because the applied earth pressure was higher than the estimate "
But maybe the nuances of the English language don't matter - shouldn't the number of piles be increased? Engineer first, grammarian second .....
RE: Several Questions about English Grammar in Report Writing
A.