Learn English – Reply to “How are you?” : Are “I’m thirsty” “I’m hungry” “I’m angry” etc. okay

Most of the examples sound fine, but these examples sound strange to me, and would make me believe the speaker is not native:

1. 06. One night in the middle of the night, I'm hearing dripping
This example sounds strange to me because progressives are rarely one-time events. If this is an unusual event, you might say "I heard dripping." However, if the speaker is about to switch into a direct, informal narrative in the historical present, it could sound perfectly natural, if informal, like this "One night, in the middle of the night, I'm hearing this dripping, so I get out of and look at the bathroom sink, and guess what I find there..." But in standard usage, I think "I heard" is preferable, because "One night" expects a past tense sentence.


2. 09. Tim, are you wanting any fruit?
"Do you want" or "Would you like" would sound much more natural to me.

1. I've never seen the expression without attached. But it's certainly intelligible, and I sort of like it: it lets you say strings with considerably more emphasis and foreboding.

   She's taken the job and she's happy; but I'm afraid there will be (ominous whisper) strings.

2. The expression is basically metaphorical; the image evoked is that of a marionette manipulated by some agent for his own purposes. I would suggest that you not use it of control exerted by an entity such as an idea to which you cannot attribute agency.

   In any case, the strings are "attached" only to the gift or favor bestowed, and thus indirectly to the recipient; the manipulator is not attached to the gift but employs it as an instrument.

3. I'm not quite clear on what you're asking here, but certainly the observation that strings are attached can be made by anybody, not just the parties involved.