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 Lucus Ong

	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 Mister Micawber

	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 MrPernickety Joined on Sat, Oct 25 2008 Regular Member 731 Amendment XXX to the US Constitution: No man shall be held accountable for any promise he makes while drunk unless it was a bet.

	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". Goodman Joined on Mon, Nov 7 2005 Senior Member 3,816 The name says it all! Nouns

	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 MrPernickety Plurals, Nouns, Sentences

	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.   Goodman Articles, Plurals, Context, Speaking, Chat, Friendships

	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.) Yoong Liat Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006 Veteran Member 6,757 Sentences

	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. Goodman

	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.  Yoong Liat Sentences

	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!! Goodman Articles, Context, Apologies