Search results for 'tag:Plurals tag:Nouns' matching tags 'Plurals' and 'Nouns'

Re: English article and proper noun

Cool Breeze — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:59:20 GMT

Grammar Geek
I'm really not sure there is a rule that works. The Chrsyter Building, the Pacific Ocean, the Ural Mountains, the High Museum of Art, etc.

Hi GG

Do you mean my rule? If you do,

1. I said it is common to omit the article, I didn't say it always happens, and

2. Pacific is not a noun, it's an adjective. All names of seas take an article: the Atlantic, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean. The Ural Mountains takes an article because it's a geaographic name in the plural. Others: the Alps, the United States, the Hebrides. The High Museum of Art takes an artcicle because it's a museum. Other museums: the British Museum, the Tate Gallery.

The Chrysler Building is indeed a good exception to the rule I described above (or below, depending on the order you see the posts in . Chrysler is a proper noun and building is a common noun, yet the article is used.

There are names which usually take the article no matter what kind of words they are made of, like seas, museums, plural geographic names etc. There are also names that are often treated differently in Britain and America. For instance names of bridges don't usually take an article in Britain: London Bridge, Waterloo Bridge. In America: the Golden Gate Bridge.

Moreover, there are exceptions to nearly all rules in English. Fortunately using the with the wrong proper noun seldom causes misunderstanding.

Cheers, CB

Re: English article and proper noun

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:41:42 GMT

Thank you, everyone.

Can you tell me the reason behind the first two of the following non-English names (as all three seem to be since it is (looks to be?) a Korean place name written in alphabets based on how they sound) having the indefinite article "a"? If the nature of a Korean word is that of a common noun in English, should I attach an article based on what it represents (if you know what I mean). Note it is italized. Why italicize? I think the third don't need an article since it is presumed to be a plural noun.

A hanok is a traditional yangban wooden house that has remained ...

A seowon is a traditional academy.

To me, yeoinsuk (family-run budget motels) offer low-end alternative to regular motels or hotels.

Re: Using an apostrophe

Anonymous — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:16:56 GMT

Possessive Use

If you are using a singular noun to indicate possession, use an apostrophe before the "s."
If you are using a plural noun, use an apostrophe after the "s."

Instead of: Both neighbors dogs barked all night long.
Consider: Both neighbors' dogs barked all night long.

Instead of: Ice hockey is Toms favorite sport.
Consider: Ice hockey is Tom's favorite sport.

(NOUN MEANS - PERSON, PLACE, THING, OR IDEA) - meaining that you would use an apostrophy for non-living things as well...

THIS IS BY WAY OF MICROSOFT WORD..HOPE THIS HELPS

Re: Enjoy+v-ing /noun and Like+v-ing/noun

CalifJim — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:51:57 GMT

With Do you like ...? you are normally asking about a habitual activity. A plural object is commonly used if the object is countable. You can usually add from time to time or a similar adverbial phrase without contradicting the meaning or changing the meaning significantly. With activities the infinitive and the gerund have the same meaning, but with the infinitive the focus includes making the effort to undertake the activity while with the gerund the focus is almost entirely on participating in the activity.

Do you like to read mystery stories? Do you like to watch birds? Do you like to make cakes?

Do you like [reading mystery stories / watching birds / making cakes]? (Same meanings as above.)

Do you like [to read / reading] mystery stories from time to time? (Same meaning as above.)

Do you like [to watch / watching] birds once in a while? (Same meaning as above.)

Do you like [to make / making] cakes occasionally? (Same meaning as above.)

_____

Do you like [to win / winning] the prize? doesn't seem appropriate whereas Do you like [to win / winning] prizes? does.

With intransitive verbs:

Do you like [to go / going] to the library? = Do you like [to go / going] to the library from time to time?

Do you like [to walk / walking] in the park? = Do you like [to walk / walking] in the park occasionally?

_____

The slight difference in focus is as follows:

Do you like to read mystery stories? ~ Do you like to try to find mystery stories to buy or borrow, to buy them, or to borrow them, and to read them?

Do you like reading mystery stories? ~ Do you like sitting in a chair with a mystery story in your hand, turning the pages, and reading it?

Do you like to walk in the park? ~ Do you like to check the weather to see if it's suitable for walking in the park, to get dressed in suitable clothes for walking in the park, to drive to the park, and to do the walk and return home?

Do you like walking in the park? ~ Do you like being in the park, moving your legs, getting the exercise, enjoying the trees, flowers, and birds, seeing others walking as you walk in the park?

_____

If you're not describing an activity, the infinitive might not be so appropriate.

Do you like to study in the USA? ~ You go to the USA from time to time in order to study. Do you like that?

Do you like studying in the USA? ~ You are currently studying in the USA or you have spent time studying in the USA. Do you like that?

To my ear, the second is the more natural question for this situation.

_____

In general, when the situation described cannot or is not normally done "from time to time", but only once, or only a limited number of times, Do you like ...? doesn't work, and the infinitive is especially inappropriate. For example, it is not appropriate to ask Do you like to get married? (And it would be unusual to ask Do you like getting married? as well.)

_____

When in doubt, use the -ing form. It is generally more suitable for a larger number of situations.

Re: gerund or verbal noun with an article?

Cool Breeze — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:32:42 GMT

Anonymous

Why do you think RayH seemed to have said this has to be "the fearful wailing"?

1)He heard a fearful wailing of a dog

I think he said it has to be:
2)He heard the fearful wailing of a dog

I think RayH is correct but I also think no. 1 can be correct under a right situation. I think it would have been better if the sentence had a plural noun after "of" like this:
He heard a fearful wailing of dogs

You'll have to wait for RayH's explanation for his preferences. He heard a fearful wailing of a dog is fine grammatically but it does suggest that you may hear different kinds of wailings of a dog and therefore the sentence may sound odd to some. The plural dogs simply indicates that there were at least two dogs, nothing else. No grammatical difference, really.

Grammatical terms cause confusion even among experts, so you have nothing to worry about! This is because not all grammarians and usage experts use them in the same way. There are people who don't use the term "verbal noun" at all. They regard what I consider a verbal noun as a gerund. Examples:

The speaking of English is easy. (A verbal noun and because speaking is a noun, the is posible before it. Even an adjectival attribute can be used: The correct speaking of English is easy.)

Speaking English is easy. (A gerund, which to my mind is neither a verb nor a noun but a little bit of both. The is not possible before a gerund, nor is an adjectival attribute and these two things are a clear sign (to me) that a gerund is not a noun: Correct speaking English is easy. (WRONG!!!)

Because there are hardly any inflections in English, there is bound to be occasional confusion as to the exact meaning of every word ending in ing as your example (beginning) in another post shows.

I can't remember what I have written about these things before but if you are interested, you may wish to read these posts that deal with the gerund, verbal nouns and participles and their differences:

subject of gerund gerund v present participle gerund v verbal noun

Re: gerund or verbal noun with an article?

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:19:02 GMT

Hi, thank you.

Why do you think RayH seemed to have said this has to be "the fearful wailing"?

1)He heard a fearful wailing of a dog

I think he said it has to be:
2)He heard the fearful wailing of a dog

I think RayH is correct but I also think no. 1 can be correct under a right situation. I think it would have been better if the sentence had a plural noun after "of" like this:
He heard a fearful wailing of dogs

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.

subject verb agreement ^^

dave_amateur — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:07:58 GMT

Please help to clarify. thanks alot peeps =]

1a) The good news she brings is encouraging. Yes, I am sure because news is always used with singular verbs.
      The good news they brings/bring is/are encouraging.

1b) The laptops she bring/brings is/are very stylish.
     The latptops they bring/brings is/are very stylish.

in the above, how do we determine whether the subjects are both news and laptops or 3rd persons (she and they)? or vice versa?
i believe they are both news and laptops?

2a) His spectacles are broken. Yes, i am sure because spectacles is always used with plural verbs.
      His pair of spectacles is/are broken.

2b) His shorts is/are torn?
      His pairs of shorts is/are torn?

Is both the pairs of short & spectacles considered as one noun or still plural.

3a) Music is where her talent lies. Yes i am sure this is correct.

3b) Music and writing is/are where her talent/talents lie/lies.

appreciate the help and clarification. thanks!
overall, is there any rude to abide in the abovementioned case? how to look out for subjects, so that my verbs are grammatically correct.
thanks for taking the time and effort!

Re: The

Cool Breeze — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:42:05 GMT

Jhaeden

Why do use THE in names with Republic, Kingdom, States etc.?

If a common noun occurs in a proper noun, the is needed: the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union. The is used if a geographical proper noun is in the plural: the United States, the Philippines, the Alps, the Balearic Islands. However, the verb is singular with plural countries: The United States is...

But: The Balearic Islands are in the Mediterranean. The Alps are in Europe.

Re: What is Concord?

Yoong Liat — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:49:57 GMT

Hi B-A

Below is for your information.

What is âconcordâ?There must be grammatical logic or coherence in the links between parts of a sentence. This is called 'agreement' or 'concord'. EXAMPLES The boy is swimming.
[singular subject, singular verb form]

The boys are swimming.
[plural subject, plural verb form]

The shop [singular] opens at nine o'clock. On Thursdays the shops [plural] open late. Sometimes confusion occurs because a statement begins in the singular but then drifts into the plural: wrong
It can be argued that a person has the right to know when they are dying. The easiest solution to this problem is to make the subject plural and its verb plural as well: correct
It can be argued that people have the right to know when they are dying. Sometimes a singular noun is used to denote a plural or a collective thing - such as 'government' or 'parliament'. Either the singular or the plural verb form may be used - but the important thing is to be consistent. wrong
The government prefers to let matters rest, but events may make them change their minds.correct
The government prefers to let matters rest, but events may make it change its mind. correct
The government prefer to let matters rest, but events may make them change their minds.