Grammar check please!

Question

Can I say "the class consists of 80 students"? I said the class consists of 80 students and one of them said the "class comprises of 80 students".

Are the following sentences techically correct? (Please let me know if the first one is grammatical. I think people usually say I asked him this and he explained it)

- I asked this (work related explanation) to him and he explained it.
- I have installed the software on/in the computer and I am typing text in/on it now.

Thanks a lot in advance!

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

AnonymousCan I say "the class consists of 80 students"?

Yes.

Anonymous- I asked this (work related explanation) to him and he explained it.

I asked him this question and he answered it.
I asked him about this subject and he explained it.
In the verb "ask," the indirect object follows the verb directly.

Anonymous- I have installed the software on/in the computer and I am typing text in/on it now.

I have installed the software on the computer and I am typing text in it now.

Anonymous · Answer

Hey AlpheccaStars,

Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer! I have one more doubt and would be very grateful if you could answer the following doubts as well :- ).

1) Can I say "some languages need a lot of tongue-twisting" or should I say "some languages are tongue-twisters"?

2) If the value is greater than 90 then award an A grade. If it is less than 90 and greater than 80 award a B+ grade.
In the second sentence:
i) can we use "lesser than" instead of less than?
ii) should I precede the 'A' and 'B+' with articles?

3) The explanation for the "ask" question was very clear, but is "asked this to him" variation incorrect? (I will only use the forms you had suggested and I'm just asking the question because of curiousity).

Once again, thanks a lot!

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Anonymous1) Can I say "some languages need a lot of tongue-twisting" or should I say "some languages are tongue-twisters"?

Hi.
Both sentences are grammatically correct, but do not use the right definition of tongue-twister.

A tongue-twister is a set of words that makes a real sentence and is difficult to pronounce quickly. I would guess that every language has its tongue-twisters for the native speakers.
In English - "The big black bug bled blood." is a tongue-twister.

Some other languages are difficult (or impossible) for us to pronounce because their sounds are different from ours. But babies who grow up in a culture can learn its parents' language with no problems at all! I think that tonal and click languages would be impossible for me to pronounce!

Anonymous2) If the value is greater than 90, then award an A grade. If it is less than 90 and greater than 80. award a B+ grade.
In the second sentence:
i) can we use "lesser than" instead of less than?
ii) should I precede the 'A' and 'B+' with articles?

i) No. The comparative is "less than," "more than" or "equal to". (These phrases can be combined.)
"Lesser" and "greater" are comparative adjectives that modify a noun. Examples:
David was a greater king than Solomon.
He plead guilty to a lesser offence.
I had to choose the lesser

of the two evils.

That issue is of lesser concern that the other.

ii) Your use of "an" and "a" are correct.

Anonymous3) The explanation for the "ask" question was very clear, but is "asked this to him" variation incorrect? (I will only use the forms you had suggested and I'm just asking the question because of curiousity).

Ask to him is not correct.

These are correct:
Listen to him.
Talk to him.

Sometimes either can be used, but the order is important:
Send / give him a present.
Send /give a present to him.
(*Send /give to him a present - not used in modern English, but you might see it used in very old texts)

Anonymous · Answer

Dear AlpheccaStars,

The explanations were very helpful!! Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer them in detail!

Best Regards,

Grammar check please!

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