Kayak

1 2    Share on Facebook

	New2grammar  #546643  Sat, 26 Jul 08 02:24 PM A: Hi, I'm calling to see if you carry kayak. B: Yes, we do. A: How many types of karaks do you have? B: We have three different models of 2 seater plastic kayaks. A: How much do they cost? B: The prices range from five hundred to two thousand dollars depending on the model. Could you please make the conversation natural? Thanks.    New2grammar Joined on Tue, Nov 21 2006 Veteran Member (7,676) Who wants to go sailing around the world with me?
Select Tags... SaveCancel Conversations

	Yankee  #546651  Sat, 26 Jul 08 02:36 PM Hi N2G Just a couple of comments: - A: Hi, I'm calling to see if you carry kayaks. - A: How many types of karaks do you have? => I would suggest that people normally don't want to know "how many" but rather either "what kind" or whether the company carries a specific type or brand.    Yankee Joined on Sat, Apr 15 2006 Connecticut, USA Senior Member (4,294) Amy "You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." - Mark Twain

	New2grammar  #546653  Sat, 26 Jul 08 02:43 PM Thanks, Yankee.I agree with you. One last question, should it be "What kind of kayaks/What kindS of kayaks do you carry?"    New2grammar

	Yankee  #546655  Sat, 26 Jul 08 02:47 PM I'd probably go with "what kinds of kayaks".    Yankee

	New2grammar  #546656  Sat, 26 Jul 08 02:49 PM Thank you, Yankee.    New2grammar

	Grammar Geek  #546706  Sat, 26 Jul 08 05:21 PM  I would suggest that if you asked "what kind" you are asking "which brand."      Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Pennsylvania, USA Veteran Member (16,067) Barbara, who answers in American English.

	New2grammar  #546709  Sat, 26 Jul 08 05:29 PM GG, are you saying the singular "what kind" suggests brand while what kinds suggests builts ie: two seater, plastic, wooden?    New2grammar

	Grammar Geek  #546719  Sat, 26 Jul 08 05:50 PM  Well, you asked to make it natural, right? As someone who used to kayak a great deal, I would assume, if you carry kayaks at all, that you carry single-person seak kayays, maybe double sea kayaks, white-water kayaks, and probably those little sit-a-top fool-around-on-the-water kayaks. But if I've done my research about what type of kayak I want to buy, at this point, if I said "what kind" I am probably thinking which brand. A more natural question would be "do you carry double (or tandem) kayaks?"    Grammar Geek

	New2grammar  #546724  Sat, 26 Jul 08 05:57 PM I see your point now, GG. I just want to confirm. Which is better, what kind of kayak/kayakS?    New2grammar