Search results for 'tag:Plurals tag:Plural subject' matching tags 'Plurals' and 'Plural subject'

Re: Three out of every four automobile owners in the U.S also own a bicyle

Avangi — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:02:12 GMT

Kprasadreddy
Three out of every four automobile owners in the U.S also own a bicyle

One out of every four automobile owners in the U.S also owns a bicyle

Kprasadreddy
Thanks but can you explain the grammar behind it?

In your first example, "three" is the subject of the sentence. The prepositional phrase "out of etc." modifies "three." The plural subject requires the plural verb, "own."

The subject of your second sentence is "one," which is singular and takes the singular verb "owns."

The separate issue, "bicycle(s)," is something I'm not sure about. If you say "'Three people own a bicycle," it could be interpreted to mean that they all share in the ownership of a single bicycle. In the present example, context would rule that out; but "Three people own bicycles," could mean that A owns one, B owns one, and C owns five - equals seven bicycles all together. (You might argue that that doesn't matter.)

Best regards, - A.

Re: participle as a subject

Cool Breeze — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:22:39 GMT

Mr Wordy
The golden bowl is broken / Broken is the golden bowl

The same is true of those present participles that can behave adjectivally, again with the same poetic feel:

My pounding heart / My heart was pounding / Pounding was my heart

Hi Mr Wordy

I have no objection to the sentences but the participles are not subjects in them, which can clearly be seen if we use a plural subject. In English a plural subject requires a plural verb:

Pounding were our hearts! Broken are the golden bowls.

Re: one of the Plural or Singular

Mr Wordy — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:50:36 GMT

"One of the guys runs to work every day" is grouped as "[One of the guys] runs to work every day". "One of the guys" is singular, and "runs" agrees with the singular subject.

"This is one of the cars that run on hydrogen" is grouped as "This is one of [the cars that run on hydrogen]". In other words, of all the cars that run on hydrogen, this is one example. "Run" now agrees with a plural subject, "cars".

"This is one of the cars that runs on hydrogen" would logically have to be interpreted as "This is [one of the cars] that runs on hydrogen". Although this seems not unreasonable, if you meant this you'd say it differently; something like "This is one of the cars. This one runs on hydrogen". Here, the set of cars that "the cars" refers to has to be apparent from context (and may include both hydrogen-fuelled and non-hydrogen-fuelled vehicles).

Having said that, in everyday conversation a native speaker might well say "This is one of the cars that runs on hydrogen", although logically they mean "This is one of the cars that run on hydrogen", and it would often go unnoticed. In fact, if you asked a cross-section of ordinary native speakers, my guess is that many of them wouldn't know whether it should be "run" or "runs", and wouldn't perceive any difference in meaning.

Re: was or were?

Anonymous — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:30:26 GMT

Since "pictures" are countable objects, it's better to say "a significant number." This is treated as a plural subject, and the verb should be "were":

A significant number of these pictures were taken at the museum.

Use "amount" for something that has quantity, but is not counted as individual objects. If "amount" is the subject, then "was" is the correct verb, as you say. For example:

A significant amount of money was missing from my bank account.

I hope this helps!

Re: the axis

Takoyaki-English — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:26:52 GMT

Hello.

The Oxford Dictionary says:
When each is used after a plural subject, it has a plural verb: They each have their own email address.

"They each" could be replaced with "Each of them."

Re: Has or Have

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:03:42 GMT

I don't usually struggle with this, but I'm stumped on this one:

" Finding you and meeting you has/have given me so many answers."

Are the finding and meeting treated as a single subject since they are connected, or are they treated as a plural subject because of the "and" joining them? Has sounds right, but I'm confused as to whether it actually is right.

Can anyone clarify this for me?

Shaunie

Re: Please verify...

Clive — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 19:44:09 GMT

Hi Phillip,

Negotiate deals with organisations which allow a range of products to be sold...

I see it as simply a plural subject, ie '. . . deals . . . which allow . . .'.

In addition, when I first glanced at the sentence I took 'which allow a range of products to be sold' to apply to 'organizations'.

I suggest something like

Negotiate, with organizations, deals which allow a range of products to be sold...

Best wishes, Clive

Re: There is/are a book, a pen and a pencil on the table.

Mister Micawber — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:28:01 GMT

.
You are safer to go with the plural. 'There is A, B and C' is acceptable by some because the speaker is coming upon the objects one by one; 'A. B and C is' clearly unacceptable, because it has a plural subject.

Re: He and She are/is, none are/is

Anewcomer — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 06:27:00 GMT

Â Hi check these please:Â

Neither you nor he is giving me present

(do we use singular verb with "neither" or plural verb with "neither"? Â Are we supposed to follow the second subject (HE) to determine the "to be" (is) orÂ is it as long as there's one plural subject in it, it must use plural verb ? )

You or he is confronting them

(do we use singular verb or plural verb with "OR"?Â Are we supposed to follow the second subject (HE) to determine the "to be" (is) or is it as long as there's one plural subject in it, it must use plural verb ? )

For "either" do we use singular verb or plural verb?

Â (Are we supposed to follow the second subject to determine the "to be" (verb) orÂ is it as long as there's one plural subject in it, it must use plural verb ? )

Re: Kindly help!!!

Clive — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 16:28:16 GMT

Hi,

Your principles mean more to you than any money or success

in the above sentences it should be 'mean' or 'means'

'Principles' is a plural subject, so you need a plural verb. Say 'mean'.

Clive