Search results for 'tag:Noun phrases tag:Singular nouns' matching tags 'Noun phrases' and 'Singular nouns'

Re: More than one

Hoa Thai — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 05:37:45 GMT

Hi LiJ,

Perhaps you caught that error in my recent post. It was illogical for me to write "more than (one options)."

Since I made that error, it is better for me to borrow this text from The American Heritage Book of English Usage to share with you:

"Hereâs a riddle: How can you have more than one and still have only one? The answer: When you are skinning a cat. When a noun phrase contains more than one and a singular noun, the verb is normally singular: There is more than one way to skin a cat. More than one editor is working on that project. More than one field has been planted with oats.

When more than one is followed by of and a plural noun, the verb is plural: More than one of the paintings were stolen. More than one of the cottages are for sale.

When more than one stands alone, it usually takes a singular verb, but it may take a plural verb if the notion of multiplicity predominates: The operating rooms are all in good order. More than one is (or are) equipped with the latest imaging technology."

Re: there is/are going to

Chariot — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:05:41 GMT

Thanks everyone. Now I understand that in the "There be" construction, the BE and other verbs that take the place of BE are the main verbs, and the nouns following them agree with them.

Originally I thought "going to do" can be followed by either plural nouns or singular nouns because "do" stands for a verb infinitive. In the case of the verb "be", its infinitive is BE, which is not affected by the countabilitity of the noun that follows. On this basis, the BE in the "there be" and the noun phrase do not necessarily accord, as "going to be" stands between them and both singular and plural nouns are allowed after "be". Therefore I could not find agreement between "there be" and the nouns when "goin to be" comes in between.

Re: "and" and comma

Lovek323 — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 12:06:34 GMT

Question 1
Although the question has already been answered, I should like to comment on why arise is the correct choice. The subject of the clause should any difference arise is difference, which is singular and third person. One of the fundamental principles of English grammar is that the subject and verb must agree in number and person. Thus, as the subject is third person singular, the verb must also be third person singular. (A more thorough explanation would discuss number and person.)

For all verbs except to be, number and person only affect the present tense. The -s ending is used for the third person singular and the uninflected (unchanged) form is used for the rest:

My neighbours annoy me.
My dog annoys me.

The uninflected form annoy is used when the subject is a plural noun phrase ("my neighbours" above) or one of the pronouns I, we, you (sg. or pl.), or they. The -s ending is appended when the subject is a singular noun phrase or one of the third person singular personal pronouns (he, she, or it).

Question 2
As has already been pointed out, neither of the proposed sentences was correct. A sufficient response has been given as to the reason behind the choice of a semi colon, even if it was unnecessarily cerebral (just kidding).

Re: Please edit my answers

Hungry — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 23:14:39 GMT

MrPedantic wrote:

Hello Hungry, sorry for the delay:

Hungry wrote:

Thank a million once again, Mr. Pedantic. It's so kind of you to do all this for me. I am very very thankful to you. I don't want to gush or anything, -- but well, you are great.

11a.Thank you. I have googled on the phrase you gave me and found the following collocations

differs from * in several in several ways/respects/aspects

Could you please tell me which one is the best?

I think I would choose "respects".

Hungry wrote:

11b. Thank you. I have googled on the phrase "in the grip of", and found it mostly followed by singular nouns/noun phrases. But If I associate it with trouble (i.e. in the grip of trouble), won't it wrong, since there are lots of troubles in the poet's mind. And If I associate the phrase with the plural of "trouble", do I need to add "s" to "grip" (i.e. in the grips of troubles). I am quiet confused here. Could you please tell me the right choice?

Perhaps "in the grip of" isn't quite right. What about "preoccupied with his various troubles"?

Hungry wrote:

11c. Thank you. I am not sure which one you mean. Is it "rules"?

Yes, that one seems the odd one out!

All the best,

MrP

OK. Thanks a trillion!!!

Re: Please edit my answers

MrPedantic — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 23:33:39 GMT

Hello Hungry, sorry for the delay:

Hungry wrote:

Thank a million once again, Mr. Pedantic. It's so kind of you to do all this for me. I am very very thankful to you. I don't want to gush or anything, -- but well, you are great.

11a.Thank you. I have googled on the phrase you gave me and found the following collocations

differs from * in several in several ways/respects/aspects

Could you please tell me which one is the best?

I think I would choose "respects".

Hungry wrote:

11b. Thank you. I have googled on the phrase "in the grip of", and found it mostly followed by singular nouns/noun phrases. But If I associate it with trouble (i.e. in the grip of trouble), won't it wrong, since there are lots of troubles in the poet's mind. And If I associate the phrase with the plural of "trouble", do I need to add "s" to "grip" (i.e. in the grips of troubles). I am quiet confused here. Could you please tell me the right choice?

Perhaps "in the grip of" isn't quite right. What about "preoccupied with his various troubles"?

Hungry wrote:

11c. Thank you. I am not sure which one you mean. Is it "rules"?

Yes, that one seems the odd one out!

All the best,

MrP

Re: Please edit my answers

Hungry — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 01:36:55 GMT

Thank a million once again, Mr. Pedantic. It's so kind of you to do all this for me. I am very very thankful to you. I don't want to gush or anything, -- but well, you are great.

11a.Thank you. I have googled on the phrase you gave me and found the following collocations

differs from * in several in several ways/respects/aspects

Could you please tell me which one is the best?

11b. Thank you. I have googled on the phrase "in the grip of", and found it mostly followed by singular nouns/noun phrases. But If I associate it with trouble (i.e. in the grip of trouble), won't it wrong, since there are lots of troubles in the poet's mind. And If I associate the phrase with the plural of "trouble", do I need to add "s" to "grip" (i.e. in the grips of troubles). I am quiet confused here. Could you please tell me the right choice?

11c. Thank you. I am not sure which one you mean. Is it "rules"?

Many many thanks once again.

With best wishes.

Hungry

Re: Correct term for singular possessive as stand-in for a group

Maripinky — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 23:21:32 GMT

I think the grammatical term could be generic noun phrases. When a noun is mentioned as a symbol, example, or representative of all members of a group (almost the same as all + plural or noncount nouns or any + a singular noun) we refer to it as having "generic" reference.

A few generic countable nouns look like definite nouns (they follow the), even though they do not refer to specific, unique things! (they are NOT definite)

The and a singular count noun can refer to a whole group (not just one specific member). This occurs often in formal writing, and with inventions, musical instruments, parts of the body.

The lion is endangered
The heart is like a pump
When was the radio invented?
She plays the piano.
The inexperienced student may need help.

(which lion? not just one lion, but all lions)
(which heart? all hearts)
(which radio? not the radio in my apartment, but the idea)
(which piano? She has this general ability.)
(which student? Any inexperienced student.)

The and a plural count noun can occasionally refer to all members of a human group in general .. not just particular people konwn to the speaker/writer and listener/reader. This is the least common kind of generic nouns, usually referring to a religiously, politically, or professionally-based group of people.
The Germans are known for their beer.
The Republicans will meet in Philadelphia (which Germans? all of them)
(which Republicans? representatives of all of them)
The can also be followed by an adjective (with no noun) to refer to a whole class (usually of people):
The blind leading the blind
The rich and the poor (which blind what? all blind people)
(which rich/poor what? all rich/poor people)

Re: Subject-Verb Agreement

MrPedantic — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 23:06:34 GMT

Hello Tig, welcome to English Forums!

"Howard Gardner...has questioned the view that requiring young children to copy models prevents them from becoming a creative artist later in life."

The subject of "prevents" is the noun phrase "requiring young people to copy models". The verb is in the singular because "requiring" is a singular noun.

MrP

Re: "There/Here is" with plural subject allowed?

eagle2l84 — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 22:56:53 GMT

Hi,

it's me, Ralf, the starter of this thread. Thanks for your answers so far. A post in another thread pointed me to the "American Heritage - Book of English Usage", where I found this section:

According to the standard rule, when the pronoun there precedes a verb such as be, seem, or appear, the verb agrees in number with the following grammatical subject: There is a great Italian deli across the street. There are fabulous wildflowers in the hills. There seems to be a blueberry pie cooking in the kitchen. There seem to be a few trees between the green and me. But people often disregard this rule and use a singular verb with a plural subject, especially when speaking or when using the contraction thereâs. The Usage Panel dislikes this construction, however. Seventy-nine percent reject the sentence Thereâs only three things you need to know about this book. But when thereâs is followed by a compound subject whose first element is singular, the panel feels differently. Fifty-six percent of the Usage Panel accepts the sentence In each of us thereâs a dreamer and a realist, and 32 percent more accept it in informal usage. The panel is even more accepting of the sentence When you get to the stop light, thereâs a gas station on the left and a grocery store on the right; 58 percent accept it in formal usage, while 37 percent more accept it in informal usage. Although this usage would seem to violate the rules of subject and verb agreement, the attraction of the verb to the singular noun phrase following it is so strong that it is hard to avoid the construction entirely.

While this clarifies the usage for AmE, I still wonder how it used around the world.

Hoping for more to come,

cu

Re: Reference

Taka — Tue, 07 Dec 2004 14:40:18 GMT

No, it can't be. 'This' is a demonstrative pronoun referring to the thesis in the main clause, while 'it' serves to refer to the whole singular noun phrase 'reading fairy stories an experience in moral education'... I think.

I know. But that analysis comes from your understanding that "this" refers to the thesis while "it" does to "reading experience...", right? If, as you say, it is only semantics which allows us to equate the reference with its referent, then there should be a possibility that, instead of saying "this is a part of it", you can say "it's a part of this", using "it" for the thesis and "this" for the experience.

What do you think?