Search results for 'tag:Plurals tag:Indefinite articles' matching tags 'Plurals' and 'Indefinite articles'

Re: superative and article

Avangi — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:55:21 GMT

Yes, you need the definite article before a superlative, whether the noun it modifies is singular or plural. the most beautiful girl/girls

Top gun; top dog are fixed expressions when used without an article. Ultimate climber/climbers may be a fixed expression, but I haven't heard it. If so, and the plural uses no article, I believe the singular would use the indefinite article. They are ultimate climbers. He is an ultimate climber (possible fixed expression.) They are the ultimate climbers. He is the ultimate climber. (superlative)

- A.

Re: indefinite article before a gerund

Cool Breeze — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:49:43 GMT

I am not sure if the following answers your question but I'll say it anyway. Some grammarians don't distinguish between verbal nouns (= complete nouns formed from verbs with the ing ending) and gerunds (= words that are neither verbs nor nouns but resemble both to some extent). Some apply the term "gerund" to both of them. Perhaps your confusion arises from that?

A verbal noun really is a noun in that it can assume all the characteristics any countable noun has. This means that it can have an article, an adjectival attribute (or more than just one) and it can occur in the plural:

The correct speaking of English is easy.

His old writings don't interest me.

Perhaps some of the "gerunds" that bother you or arouse your interest belong to this category? Mixing in your post certainly does.

Some verbal nouns have become part and parcel of the language and are included in dictionaries, like "beginning" for example. In some cases you have a choice: a happy end/ending.

Gerunds can't be preceded by an article or an adjectival attribute because they are not full-fledged nouns. They bear some resemblance to verbs: they can take an object:

Speaking English correctly is easy.

Re: SUPERATIVE?

Avangi — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:37:24 GMT

Anonymous
Thank you Why one has an article and one doesn't?

The most erroneous concepts

These/They are most/very erroneous concepts.

Is the word 'most' here is not a superlative? When is it an adjective and when is it a superlative?

He is the most handsome man I have ever met.

First, let me call your attention to CB's correction. "Very" is an adverb, not an adjective, and it probably always was. "Most" is an adjective when it modifies a noun (Most people can swim.), but in the two quite different usages we've been talking about here, it's an adverb.

1. This is a most beautiful rose. ("most beautiful" = "very beautiful", singular rose, indefinite article)
     These are most beautiful roses. ("most beautiful" = "very beautiful,"  plural roses, no article)
     These are some most beautiful roses. ("most beautiful" = "very beautiful," plural roses, optional indefinite article)

2. This is the most beautiful rose in the garden. ("most beautiful" = superlative, singular rose,  definite article)
     These are two of the most beautiful roses in the garden. ("most beautiful" = superlative, plural roses, definite article)

Please note that your examples, This is a most erroneous concept, and These are most erroneous concepts are of the first type, and are not superlatives. You could say, These are some most erroneous concepts. The "some" is optional.

Best wishes, - A.

Re: article

Ant_222 — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:23:59 GMT

You have almost found the answer. 'Risotto' is singular and 'tortellini' plural. The indefinite article is not used before a plural noun.

"A type of noodles" sounds ok. "Type" is singular and should be preceeded with an article.

Anton

Re: Questions on sentences in article

Susankay — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:32:29 GMT

When we talk with biblical precision about the resurrection, we discover an excellent foundation for lively and creative Christian work in the present world--not, as some suppose, for an escapist or quietist piety.

Here, the word 'piety' seems to be uncountable, yet seems that the article 'an' is for that. Why? This is a general question but "Can a person use an indefinite article like 'a' when he thinks an instance of something or a type of something in his mind? I think it should be "or for quietist piety.'

No single individual can attempt more than a fraction of this mission. That's why mission is the work of the whole church, the whole time. Paul's advice to the Philippians ~~even though he and they knew they were suffering for their faith and might be tempted to retreat from the world into a dualistic, sectarian mentality~~was upbeat. Might just means "there was the possibility for them to be tempted"

Here, I think it is right to say that in 'might be tempted', the 'might' is used to convey the sense of the past, putting his indecisive intention in the past-time setting; but I think it is safe to say that the word 'might' can be used the same or similarly in the present-time setting. But here, I think it is used in the in the past-time setting. I think you can see a similar use with the modal verb 'would'.

It is the anticipation of the time when God will fill the earth with his glory, transform the old heavens and earth into the new, and raise his children from the dead to populate and rule over the redeemed world he has made.

Here, I think 'he has made' is used because eventhough the reference is to what was made a very, very long time ago, the happening carries a current relevance to what the writer is tryng to say and that is why the present perfect was used. Right? Why do I see 'heavens' in plural, not 'heaven' in singular? The redeemed world he has made - yes it denote present perfect.

This is another question: Can you use a present perfect to refer to a historical figure who happened to live very, very long ago or his legacy?

Yes, if your believe that historical figure is God who lived, is living and will live forever.

Questions on sentences in article

Believer — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:49:28 GMT

Hi,

I gotthe following sentences from the ChristianToday magazne, a magazine of evangelical conviction, by N.T. Wright on March 25, 2008, and hope you would answer some questions on them.

This is another question: Can you use a present perfect to refer to a historical figure who happened to live very, very long ago or his legacy?

Sorry for many questions

Re: Usage of article "an" before the word argument in the below sentence

Yankee — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:12:59 GMT

No, you can't use an indefinite article with a word that is plural. The word arguments is plural and refers to various individual arguments.

Re: Kindly explain!!!

Clive — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 05:10:07 GMT

Hi,

1. Kindly tell if any grammar errors in the following:

Oritel East & Oritel West are one of the finest hotels in Mumbai. (or at Mumbai)

Oritel East and Oritel West are two of the finest hotels in Mumbai.

Oritel East & Oritel West are the finest hotels in Mumbai.

Oritel East and Oritel West are the finest hotels in Mumbai.

The Taj is the finest hotel in Mumbai

The Taj is the finest hotel in Mumbai.

2. Oritel East & Oritel West have the most scenic locale & pricturesque surrounding (or surroundings). Please explain why

'Surroundings'. Because the plural form is more idiomatic, and also because each hotel is presumably in a different place.

3. Its five star ambience & economic pricing offers you all that you desire (according to me it sould be offer you Yes)

4. Banquet rooms perfect for business meetings, training, weddings, workshops or gatherings

Say 'training' or preferably, with these other plurals, say 'training sessions'.

should it be training or trainings i took it from an article and according to me its grammartical error correct me if i m wrong.

Secondly is it ok if i wrte without 's', Banquet rooms perfect for business meeting, training, wedding, workshop or gathering Plural sounds better. If you want to use singular, you need to use indefinite articles (eg a business meeting, a wedding, etc.)

In good writing, avoid using ampersands (ie no & signs).

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Subject-Verb Agreement: Have been vs. has been

Anonymous — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 17:43:26 GMT

Marius Hancu wrote:
Seven years -> have

but you'll see both.

However:

It's going to be the best Christmas ever because this year I have done everything myself and the horrible atmosphere of the last seven years has lifted.

I agree with Marius. In English the grammatical number of the subject is often of no significance. When the idea of a whole or a period of time is more important, a singular verb or even an indefinite article with a plural is often used:

Ten dollars is not enough.
He spent a happy five days in Phuket.

CB

mass noun and count noun

Jackson6612 — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:04:57 GMT

mass noun
a noun (as sand or water) that characteristically denotes in many languages a homogeneous substance or a concept without subdivisions and that in English is preceded in indefinite singular constructions by some rather than a or an
[M-W's Dictionary]

count noun
a noun (as bean or sheet) that forms a plural and is used with a numeral, with words such as many or few, or with the indefinite article a or an
[M-W's Dictionary]

1: What is an indefinite singular construction?
2: What is an indefinite plural construction?
3: What is an definite singular construction?
4: What is an definite plural construction?
5: As name suggests a count noun is countable, then how can one use indefinite article a or an with it?