write in better English (2)

[hela]

Hello,

Would you please tell me if I can say the following?

1) to think to oneself ?
2) to get passed (= to overcome) a difficulty, one's timidity ?
3) to have some difficulty to do sthg / in doing sthg ?
4) to take up a review course ?
5) to get to do one's best = to be able to do one's best ?

Many thanks,
Hela

[Anglika]

Originally Posted by hela

Hello,

Would you please tell me if I can say the following?

1) to think to oneself ? Yes
2) to get past (= to overcome) a difficulty, one's timidity ?
3) to have some difficulty to do sthg / in doing sthg ?
4) to take up a review course ? Yes
5) to get to do one's best = to be able to do one's best ? Yes

Many thanks,
Hela

.

[hela]

Hello Anglika,

3) So it's wrong to use the infinitive "to have/find difficulty to do..." and we have to use the -ing form with or without the preposiotion "in" ?
e.g. "I had / found some difficulty (in ?) doing my exercise."

5) It's idiomatic to say "to do one's best", "to give the best of oneself" but can we also say "to give one's best"?

6) If you want somebody to comment about a military operation that is rather cruel, barbaric and unjustified, would you ask the question "How would you describe / qualify / (other verb?) their military intervention?"

7) If you want to speak about a certain group of people is it possible to use the comparative instead of the superlative?
e.g. "the most / more (?) sensitive viewers could not bear..."

Best regards

[Anglika]

Originally Posted by hela

Hello Anglika,

3) So it's wrong to use the infinitive "to have/find difficulty to do..." and we have to use the -ing form with or without the preposiotion "in" ?
e.g. "I had / found some difficulty (in ?) doing my exercise." Yes

5) It's idiomatic to say "to do one's best", "to give the best of oneself" but can we also say "to give one's best"? You can

6) If you want somebody to comment about a military operation that is rather cruel, barbaric and unjustified, would you ask the question "How would you describe / qualify / (other verb?) their military intervention?" That seems acceptable, so yes, the question would be a good one in the circumstance.

7) If you want to speak about a certain group of people is it possible to use the comparative instead of the superlative?
e.g. "the most / more (?) sensitive viewers could not bear..." Again, acceptable, and contextually possible.

Best regards

.