Search results for 'tag:Singular nouns tag:Verbs' matching tags 'Singular nouns' and 'Verbs'

Re: Singular & Plural Verb

Mister Micawber — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:29:53 GMT

.
Hello, prem1pre-- and welcome to EF.

His rank (singular noun) of Major is superior to their ranks (plural noun) of Captain and Lieutenant.
A Major ranks (3rd person singular present verb) higher than a Captain;, while a Captain and a Lieutenant rank (3rd person plural present verb) higher than a Sergeant.

Several genes determine (3rd person plural present verb) hair colour, but only one gene determines (3rd person singular present verb) curliness.

Re: lies/exist/stay

Avangi — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:03:07 GMT

singular noun, third person singular verb: The bucket lies / exists on the floor.

plural noun, third person plural verb: The glasses lie / exist / stay on that stand.

- A.

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.

Re: One or two

Goodman — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:55:35 GMT

Abil,
Yes, you are correct in "formal" usage.
This may help clear any doubts:

http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/english/2005/02/neither_or_eith.html

Laura asks:
How about using "neither" versus "either"? I transcribe for doctors, and this is one rule I just can't get straight in my head.
I need to figure out a way to remember which to use when, because some of the docs use them indiscriminately.

Great question!

"Either" and "neither" are both singular adjectives meaning "one or the other of two." "Neither" of course means "not the first
one and not the second one."In formal writing, we usually use a singular verb because "either" and "neither" signal that one of the following
nouns is the subject, but not both:

Either Bill or Bob is going to the conference. (One or the other is going, but not both.)
Neither Joan nor Jane likes sushi. (= Joan doesn't like sushi. Jane doesn't like sushi either!)

Notice that we say "either...or" and "neither...nor." In informal English, most people would say "Neither Joan OR Jane LIKE sushi." That's
all right in conversation, but in formal documents you should prefer the formal usage.

Of course we have a confusing exception to this rule. You can use a plural verb if you have a plural noun next to the verb:
Either Joan or the Kennedys are going to the conference.

But put the singular noun closer to the verb, and it goes back to singular!
Either the Kennedys or Joan is going to the conference.

And it's the same with "neither":
Neither Jane nor her brothers like sushi.
Neither her brothers nor Jane likes sushi.

Of course the verb will be plural if both nouns are plural:
Either the Smiths or the Robinsons are meeting us at the station.
Neither the Canadians nor the Americans are interested in this problem.

Re: correction 5

Goodman — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:10:06 GMT

Hi N2G,

After I replied your question last night, I thought about it and I got up this morning to do some Googling on the word âdeclineâ. Just as I said, depending on the context, we can say âa declineâ (as singular noun), âXYZ has experienced continuous declines in sales â (as plural noun). It is also used as a verb. â Apr 3, 2007 ... GM's sales declined 4.2 percent from a year earlierâ¦â

Big 3 automakers see sharp decline in sales - Autos- msnbc.com

Aug 1, 2006 ... Big 3 automakers see sharp decline in sales ( Decline was used as collective noun)... GM, the worldâs largest automaker, said its sales fell 22.2 percent, with trucks falling ...

Re: was or were

Takoyaki-English — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:06:29 GMT

Hello.

1) Neither the employees nor the manager were happy with the new policies.
2) Neither the employees nor the manager was happy with the new policies.
I think that the second one sounds better in formal writing.

The Oxford Dictionary says:
When neither... nor... or either... or... are used with two singular nouns, the verb can be singular or plural. A plural verb is more informal.

There was neither central air conditioning nor fans in the hotel.

Viceidol — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:45:26 GMT

There was neither central air conditioning nor fans in the hotel.

There were neither fans nor central air conditioningin the hotel.

I think the two sentences are both correct in their verbs. "Was" agrees with the singular noun (central air conditioning), and "were" agrees with the plural noun (fans), am I right?

Thank you for your replies.

Re: How clever girls they are! (?)

Viceidol — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 05:05:20 GMT

Thank you, Barbara and Khoff. May I ask more about this structure?

I was thinking that we should use "such a ..." after subjcets and verbs. But after I saw Khoff's reply I know I was wrong.

Like the following examples:

It is such a hard exam!

Such a hard exam (it is)!

Am I right about this?

Thank you very much for your help!!

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 a pair of chopsticks

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:09:37 GMT

the verb goes with "a pair" and not "shoes". pair is a singular noun much like the work "group" is. it would always be singular. of chopsticks is just a complement describing the pair.