In Nouns^x, American English^x, Grammar^x

Avangi, Jackson: The rule is that articles (definite, indefinite) are omitted in the case of mass nouns (non-count), and required for count nouns. "Language" is a count noun. Thus, I can say: I speak two language s - Spanish and Greek. I am studying the language of the tribal...

Hi Taka: For the many nit-picking rules of grammar, it's best to check out a more authoritative site than just an informal discussion group. For collective nouns, indeed, there is a divergence in British English and American English. They say that Brits and Americans are two peoples divided...

I was just interested to know if it is possible to use common fixed expressions like by bus in a different way by saying something more like by local bus . But as I have understood it is not possible to break these fixed expressions and you can only say, for example, by bus , but not by local...

Actually, infinitives are used in AmE as subjects. The location geographically or historically has nothing to do with it. But infinitives (and their complement(s), if any), taken together, can make noun phrases. To be absolutely precise, it is a noun phrase (NP) that must be the subject of a...

If this sentence originated in the U.S., then failure to make the number (that is, the singularity or plurality) of the pronoun (in this case "their") match the number of the noun (in this case ''seller") is the result of what is termed "political correctness."...

Hello, another English teacher here. I have been teaching English in China for about 2 and a half years now and also speak fluent French, decent Spanish and am learning Chinese (not as hard as you may think once you get the hang of those tones, easy grammar). Now I'll start off by saying that...

Khoff wrote: Yes, you're right -- in these examples it should be "every day." It's written as one word when used as an adjective : "he was wearing his everyday suit, not his best suit." Sorry I didn't catch it before. Hi Khoff I think your signature should be amended as follows because I've read...

We take a more flexible approach in British English and both ways (plural and singular) are seen as acceptable. It depends on how we are thinking of the 'group'. We say 'the group is' when we are thinking of it as one collective thing but 'the group are' when we are thinking the members of...

New2grammar wrote: I was pleased to discover that the rest of that first week wasn't much different from/than the first day. Which is correct, from or than ? Please explain. Thanks in advance. Usage Note : Different from and different than are both common in British and...

C: countable nouns that are used with a or an or a number and have a plural: car, soldier U: uncountable nouns that cannot be used with a or an or a number and have no plural: happiness, pasta (On the inside front cover of Macmillan Essential Dictionary for Learners of American English )...