Anonymous  +  219422 Mon, 24 Apr 06 08:23 PM Before the child is born, the pregnant woman’s waters breaks. Before the child is born, the pregnant woman’s water breaks. I've seen both the singular and plural used. Are they both correct? When should one use the plural vs the singular? Anonymous Plurals

	Grammar Geek  +  219497 Tue, 25 Apr 06 04:42 AM I too have seen it both ways, but I have only ever said water, in the singular.  I'm not sure if it's regional variation or generational variation. Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Veteran Member 19,506 Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!

	Inchoateknowledge  +  222039 Wed, 03 May 06 09:23 AM in several common phrases uncountable nouns, like water, are used as countable in plural. he goes out in all weathers. when do you go on your  travels? the submarine strayed into unexpored waters. i hope this helped. inchoate knowledge  Inchoateknowledge Joined on Wed, May 3 2006 Senior Member 2,549 Beep! Beep! :) Nouns, Plurals, Uncountable Nouns, Countable Nouns

	Grammar Geek  +  222295 Thu, 04 May 06 05:06 AM Thanks inchoate, but this particular use refers to embryotic fluid; both water and waters have been used. But I can't account for the variation. I don't believe weathers is used in the plural. Grammar Geek Plurals

	Inchoateknowledge  +  222325 Thu, 04 May 06 07:41 AM I do not want to muddy the waters but you can definitely say : Come rain or shine, I go out fishing in all weathers. There are uncountable nouns which are used as countable plurals: I feel I am on shifting sands, what are your strengths and weaknesses?, The powers that be decided to cut public spending. is my punctuation correct in this letter - I do not think so? do you agree with my use of question marks? If not, what is the correct usage? inchoate knowledge Inchoateknowledge Nouns, Plurals, Uncountable Nouns, Countable Nouns, Punctuation, Question Marks

	Grammar Geek  +  222528 Thu, 04 May 06 11:30 PM I'm not interested in getting into an argument, and I believe I am well acquainted with nouns that can have both countable and uncountable forms. While I have seen weathers used as a verb ("Let's hope the boat wheather this storm better than she did last time") I have never seen it used in the plural to describe multiple types of weather, outside of your posts. It's possible that it is done in other regions, but it's not in the U.S.. Does anyone else want to weigh in on this? If so, please let us know where you're from. is my punctuation correct in this letter - I do not think so? ==> Is my punctuation correct in this letter? I do not think so. Grammar Geek Nouns, Verbs, Plurals, Punctuation

	Clive  +  222582 Fri, 05 May 06 05:57 AM Hi guys, The phrase 'all weathers' gets 2,260,000 hits in Google. To me, it's a standard and not unusual phrase. eg He goes for his daily walk in all weathers. I'm a Canadian from Britain. Outside this phrase, ie without the word 'all', it's hard to dream up a likely context in which you'd use the noun 'weathers'. Best wishes, Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,298 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo Nouns