Stock Phrase

[jack]

Are these correct? If not, why?
1. There are a lot of breaks and enters. (If this is incorrect, is it because the stock phrase is 'break and enter'?
2. There is a lot of break and enter.

[Mister Micawber]

Nope-- 'there is a lot of breaking and entering'. Both are activities, uncountable gerunds. 'Break and enter' is the verb only, and not nearly so common as the noun form.

[Piak]

Originally Posted by Mister Micawber

Nope-- 'there is a lot of breaking and entering'. Both are activities, uncountable gerunds. 'Break and enter' is the verb only, and not nearly so common as the noun form.

So what does the phase mean "breaking and entering'", please?

Thank you.
Piak

[Mister Micawber]

It is a law enforcement phrase meaning forcibly entering another's premises. It is about the same as 'burglary', but no further crime is intended.

breaking and entering

n. 1) the criminal act of entering a residence or other enclosed property through the slightest amount of force (even pushing open a door), without authorization. If there is intent to commit a crime, this is burglary. If there is no such intent, the breaking and entering alone is probably at least illegal trespass, which is a misdemeanor crime. 2) the criminal charge for the above.

burglary

n. the crime of breaking and entering into a structure for the purpose of committing a crime. No great force is needed (pushing open a door or slipping through an open window is sufficient) if the entry is unauthorized. Contrary to common belief, a burglary is not necessarily for theft. It can apply to any crime, such as assault or sexual harassment, whether the intended criminal act is committed or not. Originally under English common law burglary was limited to entry in residences at night, but it has been expanded to all criminal entries into any building, or even into a vehicle.

Originally Posted by Mister Micawber

Nope-- 'there is a lot of breaking and entering'. Both are activities, uncountable gerunds. 'Break and enter' is the verb only, and not nearly so common as the noun form.

Mr. Micawber,

Many times we hear people say: " This fellow has a long list of B & E's...meaning a long list of break and enters on his criminal record. Does that mean it's ungrammatical? Just wondering since I've heard that term many times but I am thinking that maybe the law enforcement/corrections is using their own slangy(very informal) way of talking to each other.
Thank you.

[Mister Micawber]

If I heard someone say 'B & E's', I would think that it meant 'breaking-and-enterings', but as you say, a cop might say 'break-and-enters'. I'd call it awful English, they'd call it 'what they say', and in the end they would be right. English is as English does; it is not regulated, only monitored.

Thank you Mr. M.

[Piak]

Thank you Mr. Micawber, for your explanation in details, it is very kind of you.

Piak.

[jack]

http://hardware.teamxbox.com/article...em-Preview/p1/

Are these correct? What does it mean?
1. This car in contrast with this car, it is better.
2. This car in contrasted with this car, it is better. (If 'contrasted' is incorrect, why?)

3. This car in contrast to this car, it is better. (Is 'to' correct here? If not, why?)

you're getting dangerously close to ambiguous pronouns

also the contrast is usually on something specific, not that it's just 'better'

"The BMW, in contract to the Yugo, has good accelleration"
or
"In contrast to the Yugo, the BMW has good accelleration"

a) in 2 contrasted is wrong
b) in all three, the 'it' should be removed
c) in writing, both cars cannot be 'this' car, one is 'this' car and the other is 'that' car. You can only use 'this' for both cars if you can point to each one as you are speaking

a better formulation would be:
"This car, in contrast with THAT car, is better."

if you remove the phrase in the commas, the sentence should still make sense.
"This car is better" works
"This car it is better" doesn't work
thus you remove the 'it'