Japanese - Ask questions thread

Basically if you have a question about the language, ask it and fellow 4channers might see it and answer it for you.

To start it off. When an animate object (iru) dies, is it considered inanimate(aru)?

What's the difference between "verb + koto" and "verb + no"? For example, why is is that "eiga miru no ga suki" seems to be OK but you "nihon ni itta koto ga aru" is the only way to go? Does it depend on tense? Context? Polite vs plain? Please help!