Few grammar question

Question

I would be very greatful if anyone could describe a few things to me. Thank you in advance!!

Sandra and Jack can't stand to listening to rock music. Why not use gerund as the to is a preposition

In some countries, it is dark all the time. Why use it is instead of there is or there are?

In the artic and antartic, there is a lot of snow. Why not use it is, instead of there is? Like in the sentence before?

In the use of: to be, when do I know if to use was or were with YOU? For example: How was your tea? (why not, how were your tea). You were in the office?

Why is it wrong to say: I not think so, instead of I don't think so?

How do I know when to use THE in front of the object or not?

and the last one,

How do I know when to use the contracted form or not while speaking. Is there any rule or just to play it by ear?

GPY · Accepted Answer

spirkleSandra and Jack can't stand to listening to rock music.

This sentence is incorrect. The word "to" should be deleted or "listening" should be changed to "listen".

spirkleIn some countries, it is dark all the time. Why use it is instead of there is or there are? In the artic and antartic, there is a lot of snow. Why not use it is, instead of there is? Like in the sentence before?

"There is ~" is followed by a noun; "It is ~", in the sense you are asking about here, is followed by an adjective. While "dark" can be a noun, and "There is dark" is therefore grammatically possible, we don't usually say it. I don't think this is completely predictable. You just have to know.

spirkleHow was your tea? (why not, how were your tea).

Because "tea" is singular or uncountable. Cf. "How were your kippers?"

spirkleYou were in the office?

With subject "you" we always use "are" and "were", whether "you" means one person or more than one. This is how the verb "be" conjugates.

spirkleWhy is it wrong to say: I not think so, instead of I don't think so?

It is a rule of English.

spirkleHow do I know when to use THE in front of the object or not?

I don't know that there are any special rules about the use of "the" in front of an object as opposed to anywhere else. Generally speaking, "the" is for things that the reader or listener already knows about, but there are special cases and idiomatic issues.

spirkleHow do I know when to use the contracted form or not while speaking.

Usually we use contractions in speech. We don't use them when emphasis is required on the contracted word ("I did not say that!") or at the end of sentences ("He's older than I am").

AlpheccaStars · Answer

You would get more thorough answers if you asked your questions one at a time or grouped them into related topics. There are so many areas of English grammar covered in your questions, that a complete answer would run for many pages.

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