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Latest post Fri, Jul 17 2009 11:31 AM by Mister Micawber. 12 replies.
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Lucus Ong  +  823510 Fri, 17 Jul 09 07:51 AM
Would you please correct them for me?


Girls are afraid of cockroaches/ a cockroach/ cockroach.

Girl is afraid of cockroaches/ a cockroach/ cockroach.


Many Thanks in Advance

Best answer by Mister Micawber  +  823657 Fri, 17 Jul 09 09:59 AM
These are good:


Girls are afraid of cockroaches.

The girl is afraid of cockroaches. (if you have a specific girl in mind)

the cockroach is such a survivor

The cockroaches in the southern states are huge

I am afraid of the cockroach." (the cockroach I am seeing now.)



These are bad:


Girls are afraid of a cockroach/ cockroach.

Girl is afraid of cockroaches/ a cockroach/ cockroach.

Girls are usually afraid of cockroach.

Cockroach is the most amazingly adaptable insect in the world

I am afraid of cockroach



All the other replies..
MrPernickety  +  823513 Fri, 17 Jul 09 07:57 AM
Well, in my book only this is correct:

Girls are afraid of cockroaches

 

PS:

If you have a specific girl in mind, you may say this:

The girl is afraid of cockroaches

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Goodman  +  823527 Fri, 17 Jul 09 08:06 AM

Girls are usually afraid of cockroach. Plurla is not typically needed because you are referring cockroach as a collective noun.

 

The same can be said "Cockroach is the most amazingly adaptable insect in the world".

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MrPernickety  +  823532 Fri, 17 Jul 09 08:16 AM
Goodman

 

Girls are usually afraid of cockroach. Plurla is not typically needed because you are referring cockroach as a collective noun.

 

I doubt such a sentence sounds good. You're much better off with the plural

COCA seems to back me on this: five examples versus zero (granted about mice, but there's no difference in terms of the point we're discussing)

Say you're afraid of mice

 

Goodman

The same can be said "Cockroach is the most amazingly adaptable insect in the world".

 

 

Then you have to say "The cockroach is the most bla bla bla..."

 

Here is an example I again took from COCA (always comes in handy )

It is this combination of versatility, speed and the ability to be everywhere -- that's why the cockroach is such a survivor

Goodman  +  823552 Fri, 17 Jul 09 08:29 AM

<<<Then you have to say "The cockroach is the most bla bla bla...">>>

 

I may be wrong but I disagree. "The" in this context is a finite article and we are talking about "cockroach" as a species in general.

 

If you are talking about a specific species of cockroach, yes, "the" is needed. I said, Plurla is not typically needed. However, when the context changes, then plural may be required;

such as "The cockroaches in the southern states are huge". Now we are not just talking about "one" roach.

 

Yoong Liat  +  823597 Fri, 17 Jul 09 09:08 AM
MrPernickety
“Well, in my book only this is correct:

Girls are afraid of cockroaches

PS:

If you have a specific girl in mind, you may say this:

The girl is afraid of cockroaches.

I agree with you. 

I am afraid of dogs. (dogs in general)

I am afraid of cockroaches. (cockroaches in general)

"I am afraid of cockroach" implies one cockroach. In that case, the sentence should read: "I am afraid of a cockroach" (which doesn't make sense)  

OR "I am afraid of the cockroach." (the cockroach I am seeing now.)

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Goodman  +  823614 Fri, 17 Jul 09 09:19 AM
We definitely didn't have the same perspectives.

 "I am afraid of the cockroach." - This does have an odd ring to it.

Yoong Liat  +  823628 Fri, 17 Jul 09 09:28 AM
Goodman
“We definitely didn't have the same perspectives.

 "I am afraid of the cockroach." - This does have an odd ring to it.

Neither odd about the sentence.

I am afraid of the dog. I dare not go near it. It looks fierce. 

Goodman  +  823642 Fri, 17 Jul 09 09:43 AM
Liat,

We can alter the context to fit the word, and vise versa.

I am afraid of the dog (next door) . I dare not go near it. It looks fierce. THen, I'll buy that!

But- without "next door" to modify the finite article, I can't agree with you. Sorry!!

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