burning up

Question

Is 'burning up' the correct verbal phrase? Which is grammatically correct if any?

There is nothing you can leave in the microwave for 30 minutes without it burning up.

There is nothing that can be left in the microwave without it burning up.

KrisBlueNZ · Accepted Answer

I would say they're both acceptable. They're both a bit clumsy, but they're also quite well-expressed, in terms of choice of phrase ("there is nothing that") and accentuating the right words (leave, without).

Some things don't actually burn if left in a microwave. They might vaporise or disintegrate in some other way.
I would also say a microwave rather than the microwave, since you're not talking about a specific microwave oven.

Some other suggestions:

Anything will burn if [it is] left in a microwave for 30 minutes.
There's nothing that will not be destroyed if [it is] left in a microwave for 30 minutes.
There's nothing that will survive being microwaved for 30 minutes.

Anonymous · Answer

Hello KrisBlueNZ
I didn't know microwave is a verb. Can something also burst in a microwave?

Could I ask you for help, I've underlined what I'm not sure. I've tried my best to correct. I need dire help If you have a few minutes to help.

I like the taste of the mouth wash right when after you spit it out.

Stop moving around in bed. I keep feeling the wind my back every time you move. Do you understand?

When I press record on my tivo, it doesn't record everything from that second point on. It will record everything from 30 seconds prior to your pressing the button in case you've missed something.

Do you want me to recline the gurney or have the back upright? [Decline Incline the gurney in upright position?]

He fell off the couch [with/because] of you saying such a silly thing.

Even if it might be a bit expensive, it is a good deal considering you won't have to look around for a cab if you have airport transport.

You can't judge a photographer on 20 photos. If he shows you 20 photos, that's not enough for you to make a judgment on him of whether he is good o not.

The gangster hit me so hard and incapacitated me at 70%.
After sustaining an injury to his knee while working on a machine, the client was initially incapacitated at 70%. (how do you give percentages?)
Can you be incapacitated at a percent percentage?

Thank you for the time you put to help.

KrisBlueNZ · Answer

Yes, microwave is a verb as well as a noun. Yes, eggs will burst in a microwave unless you break the membrane around the yolk.

1. "I like the taste of the ~~mouth wash~~ mouthwash right ~~when~~ after you spit it out." Good. Right after is a common idiom that means immediately after. Mouthwash is one word. If you're making a general statement, don't use the. It imples you are talking about a specific, definite mouthwash, rather than mouthwash in general.

2. "Stop moving around in bed. I keep feeling (or just I feel) the wind on my back every time you move. Do you understand?" Good. The first two sentences are very clear; I don't think there's any need to ask "do you understand?".

3. "When I press record on my ~~tivo,~~ TiVo, it doesn't record everything from that ~~second~~ point on. or onwards. It will record everything from 30 seconds prior to ~~your~~ my pressing the button, (comma here) in case ~~you've~~ I've missed something." OK. You should either use I/my/my/I've or you/your/your/you've to be consistent. I suggest "When I press the Record button on my TiVo, it actually starts recording from 30 seconds before [the time that] I pressed the button, in case I pressed the button late."

4. "Do you want me to recline the gurney or have the back upright?" [Decline Incline the gurney in upright position?]
Have doesn't sound good there. Presumably the gurney is already upright, so you could replace have with keep or leave, which sounds right. Simpler to ask "Would you like the back [of the gurney] upright or reclined?"

5. "He fell off the couch ~~with/~~ because of you saying such a silly thing."
"... because of you saying ..." should maybe be changed to "because of your saying" but I'm not sure; that sounds a bit affected and unnatural. Compare with "He fell off the couch because you said such a silly thing."

If you want to know about because of you saying vs. because of your saying, ask a separate question, and people who know the exact rules can answer you.

6. "Even if it might be a bit expensive, it is a good deal considering [that] you won't have to look around for a cab if you have airport transport." The that is optional but I would probably say it, for accuracy. I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to say here. What exactly are you talking about, and how does it relate to looking round for a taxi? Depending on exactly what you're trying to say, that sentence could be fine.

7. "You can't judge a photographer [based] on 20 photos. If he shows you 20 photos, that's not enough for you to make a [proper or accurate] judgment ~~on him~~ of whether he is good o or not. or how good he is.

8. "The gangster hit me so hard and incapacitated me at 70%."
9. "After sustaining an injury to his knee while working on a machine, the client was initially incapacitated at 70%."
Can you be incapacitated at a percent percentage?

Not really. You can have burns over a certain percentage of your skin, and you could be said to be "operating at 75% capacity" (about 75% of your normal ability), but an injury like this is normally described in terms of what it prevents you from doing, rather than a fairly meaningless or arbitrary percentage.

"The gangster hit me so hard that I couldn't stand up for two minutes."
"After sustaining an injury to his knee while working on a machine, the client was initially unable to walk without crutches."

Anonymous · Answer

Hi
"Even if it might be a bit expensive, it is a good deal considering [that] you won't have to look around for a cab if you have airport transport."

Airport transport is a bit more expensive than taking a cab but you don't have to look for one. That's what I am trying to say.

Could I ask which word or phrase or correct you would choose? I have underlined the maybe problems. I don't see much wrong.

#1I buy an apple tree for 150 euros.The apple tree grows 30 apples. I then sell each apple for 10 euros. I make 150 euros [from/on/off] the tree.

#2The price raises $4 at a time/per item Each item is $4 more expensive than the last.

#3What time did you say your appointment was at?
When did you say your appointment is?

What time did you say your appointment was for?

#4Am I asking a lot of you when I ask you to clean your room?
Am I asking a lot of you by asking you to clean your room?
Do I ask a lot of you when I ask you to clean your room?

#5If you feel that you're too high above the world to answer a simple question, I'll take my business elsewhere.

#6You don't tell one doctor what the other doctor said when ~~you're~~ getting a second opinion.

#7Currently, he is also faced with a lot of charges from a few companies which demand a refund of the money given to him as a result of his wins.

#8If the team is to get/wants to get to where it wants to be, it's going to have to play better.

#9Could you finish with WHEN or does it end What is the world coming to? Could you come up with a sentence with WHEN

What is the world coming to WHEN....

#10You can sell it to/charge me [for] the maximum amount. I have the money.

Thank you for your corrections and time

Dimsumexpress · Answer

It is not the right context. I am burning up in here. If someone said that, he is saying " I am feeling so hot that I can melt". It is a figure of speech.
He burned the chicken in the microwave. Ok. He burned [up] the chicken in the microwave. The meaning is skewed.

AnonymousThere is nothing you can leave in the microwave for 30 minutes without it burning up.
There is nothing that can be left in the microwave without it burning up.

Both sentences are unnatural and muddled in my opinion.

KrisBlueNZ · Answer

I disagree with dimsumexpress here. In my experience, burning up has a general meaning: burning and depleting its fuel source so it will eventually stop burning, at which time it will be [all] burnt up. It is also used as an exaggerated way to describe a person feeling very hot or having a high temperature; such a person is not actually burning up, or burning at all.

In response to the OP's other questions, please do not take advantage of my helpful nature; others here need help too. Post it as a new question. It would also help if you would get an account on this site; many people, including me, prefer to help people who are identifiable. It allows us to get an idea of the user's knowledge, experience, limitations, likely misconceptions, original language, and so on, which can help us understand your posts better and give more tailored advice.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

Sorry Cris,
What is your disagreement based on? I didn't include other meaning? or my example was incorrect. Please clarify. I realized there are other meanings. I just simply tried to stick to the context of the original. Burning up can mean exhausting resources at a rate. His new restaurant is burning up cash faster the he can make it.

KrisBlueNZIt is also used as an exaggerated way to describe a person feeling very hot or having a high temperature; such a person is not actually burning up, or burning at all. In my experience, burning up has a general meaning: burning and depleting its fuel source so it will eventually stop burning,

KrisBlueNZ · Answer

Perhaps I misinterpreted your post. I thought you were objecting to something in a microwave being described as burning up.

Anonymous · Answer

Forgive me I will take your advise. May I give you my choice for the 4 I would like to know.

#1I buy an apple tree for 150 euros.The apple tree grows 30 apples. I then sell each apple for 10 euros. I make 150 euros [from/on/off] the tree. My choice : on, off

#2The price raises $4 at a time/per item Each item is $4 more expensive than the last. My choice: at a time

#3What time did you say your appointment was at? My choice : keep the at

What time did you say your appointment was for? My choice : at

#7Currently, he is faced with/faces a lot of charges from a few companies which demand a refund of the money given to him as a result of his wins. My choice : Faced with

#10You can sell it to/charge me [for] the maximum amount. I have the money. My choice : sell it for or charge me for
Can I connect to facebook for my account? Sorry for asking.

Thank you

KrisBlueNZ · Answer

1. "I buy an apple tree for 150 euros.The apple tree grows 30 apples. I then sell each apple for 10 euros. I make 150 euros from/on/off the tree."
I would use from. The American convention would be to use off or even off of. Using on would be wrong.

2. "The price ~~raises~~ rises or increases by $4 at a time/per item. Each item is $4 more expensive than the last."
The second sentence there is very clear. Nothing else is needed. The first sentence is not a good way to explain that idea. If you really want to explain it that way, I would probably say for each item or with each item for the marked section.

3. "What time did you say your appointment was at?"
4. "What time did you say your appointment was for?"
The at is optional. Some people think it's wrong or undesirable to end a sentence with a preposition like at or for. To me, ending a sentence with at sounds odd, but I think it's common in America.
Personally I would start the sentence with When instead of What time. My personal preferences would be "... was for?" (best), "... was?" (good) and "... was at?" (OK) but all of them are acceptable.

5. "Currently, he is faced with/faces a lot of charges from a few companies which demand a refund of the money given to him as a result of his wins."
I prefer "Currently he faces a lot of charges ..." but "Currently he is faced with a lot of charges ..." is fine too. The first option is more concise and easier to parse, and, I think, more appropriate.

6. "You can sell it to/charge me [for] the maximum amount. I have the money."
"You can charge me the full amount" is my preference.

I'm not sure what you mean about Facebook.

I help here voluntarily when I have the time. I don't want to be pressured by unsolicited requests and I reserve the right to simply ignore them.

Please post your questions in new threads on this site. You will also get a wider range of opinions, which may be helpful. I'm a New Zealander and New Zealand English is somewhat different from American English, which is increasingly the de facto standard.

You may also find you get more responses if you register with this site using your actual name, and set up a profile with some photos and a bit of information about you. Most people would rather help an identifiable person than an anonymous account that just asks questions.

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