Liveinjapan  +  346355 Mon, 02 Apr 07 04:20 PM Hi, everyone. We usually use plural form when saying our preference like 'I like animals.' But when we say what kind of animal is the tallest in the world, we say like this: 'The giraffe is the tallest of all animals'. My grammar book says that the giraffe = one particular type of animal, not one particular giraffe. I understand. We can never say the following sentence, can we?  'Giraffes are the tallest of all animals.'  or 'Giraffes are the tallest animals in the world.' Thanks. LiJ Liveinjapan Joined on Sun, Feb 4 2007 Osaka, Japan Senior Member 2,280 Please feel free to correct any words I wrote.LiJ Grammar, Plurals

	Conchita57  +  346360 Mon, 02 Apr 07 04:41 PM Yes, we can.  Either 'the' + singular noun or a plural noun without article can represent a class of animals or things. Conchita57 Joined on Sat, Mar 10 2007 Madrid, Iberian Peninsula Full Member 315 In the beginning was the word. Articles, Plurals, Nouns, Singular Nouns

	Conchita57  +  346365 Mon, 02 Apr 07 04:54 PM Both forms are commonly used, as far as I know.  Personally, I'd choose the plural noun, which, come to think of it, might be a bit more usual. Conchita57 Plurals, Nouns

	Bokeh  +  346378 Mon, 02 Apr 07 05:31 PM As a native speaker I would always use the singular. To me using the plural in this context sounds infantile. Bokeh Joined on Sun, Mar 18 2007 Spain Regular Member 531 Plurals

	Conchita57  +  346383 Mon, 02 Apr 07 05:38 PM  Bokeh wrote: As a native speaker I would always use the singular. To me using the plural in this context sounds infantile. Funny, isn't it, how different speakers can have different perceptions of a language! Conchita57 Plurals

	Bokeh  +  346411 Mon, 02 Apr 07 06:41 PM This is known as a representative singular: the definite article + the singular of a noun with a countable concept used to cannote the whole of a kind or class in question. For example: the pen is mightier than the sword. Bokeh Articles, Nouns, Definite Articles