Capitalization of idioms in titles

If I'm using an idiom in a title then should all the elements of the phrase be capitalized or just the ones that are usually in capitals?

For example, which of the following should be used?

be up and Running

be Up and Running

be Up And Running

Answer

If you're using an idiom, then in formal writing none of the words should be capitalized beyond what standard grammar and punctuation (beginning of a sentence, proper names, etc) require.

In a title, which words are capitalized will depend on the stylistic concerns of your medium, but generally it will be: first word, last word, and main words, with secondary words (conjunctions less than five letters, prepositions, articles, etc) left uncapitalized.

Conjunctions of more than five letters may be capitalized, and typically, in most professional publications, they are.

grammatical number - How should I pluralise “as is”?

Let’s say I write: “Just send me these documents as is”. Is that correct? Should it be pluralised into “as are”, which sounds so wrong to me? Or are they both incorrect, in which case I may write “as they are”?

Answer

Merriam Webster's Dictionary of English Usage (see page 131) says that the phrase as is is always singular, regardless of the number of items. As are is incorrect, but there is nothing wrong with using as they are. I think as is is most commonly used to do with the sale of something. ("I bought a used car, as is.")

grammar - Present tense in Flashback story for something that is still true now?

I'm wondering whether I should use the present tense for a descriptive statement but in a past context. For example:

(1) I went to the zoo and saw a giraffe last week.

(2) A giraffe is a mammal with long neck.

(3) It is the first time I see that animal with my own eyes.

Statement (2) is a description of a giraffe in general, not the specific one in the zoo, so is it correct to use is?

Statement (3) is an event that is still true now, so should I use is and see?

I'm not native speaker so forgive me if the question is very obvious to others.

Answer

You're giving a descriptive account of a past event, despite the facts still being true, it would be advisable to use the past tense of verbs. Your 2nd statement is fine, as you're presenting someone with the character of a Giraffe, in case they don't know about the animal but after that the account relates back to the past event i.e your experience at the zoo. You saw the animal with your own eyes and it was the first time that you had this experience

nouns - Which is correct? "I like Ford Explorers" vs. "I like Ford Explorer" vs. "I like the Ford Explorer"

Suppose you are talking about cars, and are asked what car manufacturer's vehicle you like, which sentence is correct or sounds more natural?

1. 
   

   I like Ford Explorers, because they are well-equipped.

   
   

   
   
   

   (the plural form of a proper noun)




2. 
   

   I like Ford Explorer, because they are well-equipped.

   
   

   
   
   
   

   (a proper noun w/o any articles)




3. 
   

   I like the Ford Explorer, because it is well-equipped.

   
   

   
   
   

   (a proper noun with a definite article)

Here, I'm talking about cars in general, and not about some specific cars in front of me.

I know I must use a plural noun after the verb "like" in a sentence as "I like poodles." for example. But I'm not sure whether I could say just as the same when it comes to a specific model name of industrial products like cars or smartphones.

I'd very much appreciate it if you could help me with this question.

"Did you just...." present or past tense?

Consider the following two statements, and the tenses.

• Did you win?


• You just won.

But what about *Did you just __ a camera*? Would it be followed by win or won?

Answer

Did you win? is asking about the past. It is the past tense of do. Rearranging the words yields you did win, which is, essentially, you won. There is no need for a double of the past tense (you did won).

You just won is the same as the above, with the simple addition of a slight modifier, just.

Did you just win a camera? Rearranging the words: You did just win a camera = (remember, there is no need for a double past tense) you just won a camera.

Did you just won is two simple past tenses. There is no construction with did such as this in English. The correct construction is in the bold above.

grammaticality - "Hence" and "hence why"

My question is, is the use of the word "hence", used in it's most common sense as an alternative to "therefore", strictly acceptable in English usage in the following example:

I like bananas, hence why I eat them.

I see a lot of people using the word "why" after the word "hence", and I have always considered it, at the very least, inefficient use of English. Happy to find out other views. Many thanks for all comments.

Confused by the grammar(tense usage) in New Concept English 3 Lesson 17

Recently I was confused by the tense usage of a text from New Concept English, the text says:

---

Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme. He described it as 'a very agreeable situation located within two small hills in the midst of which flowed a great river.' Though Verrazano is by no means considered to be a great explorer, his name will probably remain immortal, for on November 21st, 1964, the longest suspension bridge in the world was named after him.
The Verrazano Bridge, which was designed by Othmar Ammann, joins Brooklyn to Staten Island. It has a span of 4260 feet. The bridge is so long that the shape of the earth had to be taken into account by its designer. Two great towers support four huge cables. The towers are built on immense underwater platforms made of steel and concrete.

---

Please pay attention to the word I set BOLD.
My question are:
1. why use "flowed" not "flows"?
2. Shouldn't we use "were built" because the bridge had been built when the author wrote this text? and if we use 'are built' to emphasize it is a fact, while we use 'was designed' in the first sentence of the second phrase?