Questions tagged [plural-forms]
For questions which a dictionary cannot answer about the plural form(s) of a word.
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plot vs plots for comparison
Hamlet and Macbeth are very much alike in their plot.
Should plot be replaced with plots? I think so. Because there are two plots: the plot of Hamlet and the plot of Macbeth, so plural, right?
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Singular noun as a concept for generalisation
I have recently came across two sentences that feature the usage of singular nouns to generalise the statement as they follow.
"The presence of the gene predisposes a person to heart disease&...
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Use of the article before a plural name
When I write in English I have frequently the following doubt.
The following sentence use the singular form:
Now the code executes the following instruction: ...
In the previous sentence I have ...
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In the sentence "She says she has no friends," the number of friends is zero, why is "friends" still plural?
In the sentence
"She says she has no friends"
even though the number of friends is zero (less than two), why is "friends" still plural?
I learnt the rule that if a countable noun ...
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Someone calls or someone call
I read that someone is used with singular verb but l come across with this example :
Someone call an ambulance.
Is it correct? It shouldn't be "someone calls an ambulance"?!
Or in another ...
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"The furniture items placed in guest rooms include a sofa, writing table, cupboard, luggage rack"— Can I use "furniture" instead of "furniture items"?
books.google.ru:
(1) The furniture items placed in guest rooms include a sofa, writing table, cupboard, luggage rack etc.
I wonder if I can use just "furniture" here instead of "...
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vote
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Is the sentence "Each of my brothers wants his own car" correct?
Each of my brothers wants his own car
I already know that each is always paired with singular but is the usage of "his" correct? Should it be "their" or "it"?
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vote
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answer
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plurals with and without a definite article in a relative clause
My understanding of plurals with and without a definite article in a relative clause is given:
tribes: all tribes
the tribes: Some specific set of tribes
But the following sentences confuse me:
He ...
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1
answer
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Those students want to become a teacher/teachers. - are both of them acceptable? [closed]
Example 1
Those students want to become a teacher.
Example 2
Those students want to become teachers.
Are both correct? Do they mean the same?
Example 1 may sound a little bit unnatural but I have ...
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1
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I can't fix those cars/any one of those cars - do they mean the same?
Example 1
I can't beat those young guys.
Does this mean I can't beat even one of those young guys? Or does it mean I can't beat them as a whole but can probably take care of one or two?
Example 2
I ...
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I have never repaired my "car/cars" like that -and I only have one car at a time - the same meaning?
"I have had three cars in my life. I have never had my car/cars repaired that way."
Also assume I only had one car at a time.
Do both of them mean the same?
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vote
2
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Difference in meaning of a paragraph when using plural vs. using singular nouns
Consider the following two paragraphs where one uses "the pen" and "pens" in different ways:
"Reed pens were used extensively until the development of the quill pen in 600AD. ...
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Plurals of two concepts expressed by two word whose second word is the same (i.e. Thermal and Ductile damage)
This is my first query.
I have a doubt for the following sentence:
Thermal and ductile damage depend
Microsoft office is always highlighting it as a mistake as it consider it a singular. This is a ...
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1
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seen you more than my last two husbands
a. I have seen you more than my last two husbands.
Does that mean
I have seen you more than my last two husbands combined.
or
I have seen you more than either of my last two husbands.
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4
votes
2
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Proper genitive on a names with pre-existing genitive as a name
I have a special case that I can't tell how to cover using the generally googlable rules.
There was a person called Thyrén. He created a company and named it after himself. Now, that's been done long ...
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