http://www.englishforums.com/English/EslGeneralEnglishGrammar-Questions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here. <font color=red>DO NOT post paragraphs and compositions here. Post them in our <a href="http://www.englishforums.com/English/EssayReportCompositionWriting/Forum9.htm"><b>Essay, Report and Composition Writing Forum</b></a>.</font>enXMOD (Build: 3607.32596)http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#70008Fri, 22 May 2009 20:22:47 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:70008Mister Micawber0http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#70008http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-70008.xmlUse either one if each has his own home; use (4) only if they all live together.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#69993Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:22:47 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:69993jack1121http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#69993http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-69993.xml3. You guys need to return to your homes now! 4. You guys need to return to your home/ now! (3 & 4) Each guy has one home-- that is the shared knowledge between speaker and listener. Grammatical concord and notional concord agree on this. What's the point of using #3 vs #4 and vice versa? Thanks.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#68227Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:22:47 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:68227jack1122http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#68227http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-68227.xml3. You guys need to return to your homes now! 4. You guys need to return to your home now! Much of what we say, and how we say it, even to the violation of 'grammar rules', depends on our belief that the listener is able to understand us through common knowledge about the world and familiarity with our shared experiences and conditions. Because we know-- it is shared knowledge-- that each guy probably has his own house-- we can understand both sentences (3) and (4) as carrying that meaning, even though (3), which exhibits grammatical concord (agreement) between plural 'guys' and plural 'homes', is the 'correct' sentence. (4) is acceptable because it has notional concord: we get the idea. The careful writer,...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#65387Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:22:47 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:65387Casi3http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#65387http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-65387.xmlIf the key is among a set of keys (e.g., it's on a key chain with other keys) then use "keys" or "key". By the way, 'burrow' is the wrong word. Animals burrow (dig a hole). Try, borrow.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#65345Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:22:47 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:65345jack1124http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#65345http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-65345.xmlThanks. Scenario: I need to burrow the key to open the lock but the guy with the key has the key on his keychain. So do I say 'key's or 'key'? 1. I need to burrow your keys to open the lock. 2. I need to burrow your key to open the lock.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#65292Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:22:47 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:65292Mister Micawber5http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#65292http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-65292.xmlWhen I mention 'shared knowledge', Jack, in a context, what I mean is that when we speak, we expect our listener to know some of the same things that we do. For example, if I say, 'I've got eleven fingers', I expect the listener to know that ten fingers is the norm, and reply, 'Oh, my! Please show me!' If I ask the listener, 'Where's my pencil?', then I think s/he might know-- and the listener also thinks that I think that s/he might know. Much of what we say, and how we say it, even to the violation of 'grammar rules', depends on our belief that the listener is able to understand us through common knowledge about the world and familiarity with our shared experiences and conditions. Because we know-- it is shared knowledge-- that each...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#65256Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:22:47 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:65256jack1126http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#65256http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-65256.xml(3 & 4) Each guy has one home-- that is the shared knowledge between speaker and listener. Grammatical concord and notional concord agree on this. I don't really get the explantion above, what do you mean by 'that is the shared knowledge between speaker and listener.' ? So these two sentences mean the same thing? 3. You guys need to return to your homes now! (I still don't understand why 'homes' is plural.) 4. You guys need to return to your home now! (And I don't understand why I never here them say this.)http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#65216Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:22:47 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:65216Mister Micawber7http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htm#65216http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-65216.xml(1 & 2) Not 'holly'-- 'HOLY smoke/smokes' is a euphemism for, I suppose, the Holy Spirit in the Christian tripartite godhead. (3 & 4) Each guy has one home-- that is the shared knowledge between speaker and listener. Grammatical concord and notional concord agree on this.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htmThu, 22 Jan 2009 21:22:47 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:65194jack1128http://www.englishforums.com/English/Plural/nvjq/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-65194.xmlAre these correct? What do they mean? I hear people say these, what's the point of using 'smokes' vs 'smoke'? 1. Holly smokes . 2. Holly smoke . I heard this in a movie but I don't get why 'homes' is plural? 3. You guys need to return to your homes now! 4. You guys need to return to your home now! Thanks.