Literalmente: In the last century steam trains gave way to electric trains. = En el siglo pasado los trenes de vapor dieron paso a los trenes eléctricos. Mejor inglés: In the last century steam trains were almost totally replaced by electric trains. Literalmente: The sale went ahead without any problems. La venta concluyó sin problemas. Mejor inglés: La venta concluyó sin problemas algunas.

Can you help me with this?

The driver hand in your product the next friday. The Time from 8:00 at 8:00 PM.

El operador entregará su mercancía el siguiente viernes. En un horario de 8 a 8 PM.

When you have doubts, a literal translation will frequently serve you. This is because of the late Latinate/French influence on the development of English.

"The operator/driver will deliver your merchandise the following Friday, within the hours of 8 AM to 8 PM."

You can say, "It takes less that 20 minutes" or You can say, "It does not take even 20 minutes" or "It takes not even 20 minutes". The double negative must be avoided in English, although it is colloquial in many places, it is considered uneducated use. "It doesn't take not even 20 minutes"...that is frowned upon.

In the U.S., that person would be known as a "PhD. Advisor". It is wise to choose one carefully so your research goals dovetail with their agenda. An unwise choice will almost certainly guarantee that you will not have the PhD. conferred. You must do original research for a PhD. and successfully defend your dissertation to a committee of faculty members. There are advisors in Master's degree programs, but their influence is limited mostly to structuring your program, and if you follow that plan, the university will confer the degree. If you complete the course work satisfactorily, you will almost certainly receive the degree. I have never heard of someone being denied a Master's, unless they willing abandoned and did not complete the requirements. I remember as an undergrad doing an individual investigation in chemistry, that one lab had a notice posted from an advisor to his graduate students which read, more or less: "Godd**n it guys, I expect more than five lab reports from you each week. If I have to write in a recommendation, that you do good work when you do any, but that I have to kick your a**es three times a day to get it, then you are DEAD as far as the job market is concerned." DEAD...that was his emphasis. Due to its inflammatory nature, the notice was only posted for a few days, but I managed to secure a copy of it. Ultimately, I decided to take an M.S. myself, chose a non-thesis option (more coursework) and was awarded the degree. Much less risk. But if you are looking for a tenured university faculty position, you will need that PhD. Competition for those jobs is keen. It might be wise to inform your plans with a thorough search for a job in the private sector, before embarking on a PhD.

It is colloquial and completely correct.

There are hundreds of sayings or aphorisms. Where they are common varies by region and a person's upbringing. The meanings of most are self-explanatory or can be Googled. Some use archaisms and word play and that is part of their charm. But the best way to learn the meaning is to live (experience) them. Here are some that I have used: He that strikes my dog would strike me if he durst. Time and tide wait for no man. Strike while the iron is hot. There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Marry in haste, repent at leisure. Children should be seen and not heard. A leopard cannot change its spots. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client. Any port in a storm. Judge not, that ye be not judged, for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Those that cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. The emperor has no clothes. A fish rots from the head down. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do. You are what you eat. Discretion is the better part of valor. What is said in jest is ofttimes the truth. A friend in need is a friend indeed. Fish and guests stink after three days. Red sky at night, sailors' delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.