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

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: 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: S or not S this is the problem

Grammar Geek — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:59:50 GMT

Does anybody want -- once you conjugate the verb "to do" as you have in "Does" the other verb takes the bare infinitive form. That means it's the "to X" version without the "to."

However, the word "Flicers" is a singular noun, so it takes the singular verb form, means.

Does anybody want to to tell me what the word "Flickers" means?

Re: Confused with verbs

Grammar Geek — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:26:07 GMT

The sentences are correct, but your supervisor is out to lunch. Obviously, third-person singular nouns like "the agency" take third-person singular verbs, which DO end in S, for normal, declarative sentences. The agency reviews...

However, in these sentences, you're using a different voice: It's recommended that will be followed by the subjunctive, which uses the bare infinitive form (review, revise) as it does in the stuff you're reading.

It's right, but not for the reason your supervisor is suggesting.

Re: many a failure

Mister Micawber — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:42:43 GMT

Yes it means the same thing. Many a is a slightly dated or literary way of saying it.

There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip.
After many a summer dies the swan.

and from the Columbia Guide:

many a

is a locution that is followed by a singular noun, which in turn takes a singular verb: Full many a flower is born to blush unseen â¦ (Thomas Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard)

Re: There is/are a infinity

MrPedantic — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 16:24:10 GMT

Hello HT,

Hoa Thai wrote:

My old note stated: 'a number of ' is plural and 'the number of' is singular.
We can apply this logic of yours to 'a number of ' too, right?

1. ?There is a number of reasons why my post may be misleading.

2. There are a number of reasons why my post may be misleading.

Though I do often encounter "a number of" + singular verb, it tends to ring a little oddly to me.

I think the difference between "there is a number of" and "there is an infinity of" may be that in that latter case, it sometimes makes sense to shift the focus to "infinity"; whereas in the former case, it seldom makes sense to shift the focus to "number". (In other words, it may be significant that there is an "infinity" of X; but that there is a "number" of Y goes without saying.)

That said, many people do use a singular verb with "a number of", on the grounds that a singular noun requires a singular verb!

All the best,

MrP

Re: one or two was

Hoa Thai — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:57:57 GMT

Avangi wrote:
Good morning, Hoa Thai,

I appreciate the research. I think your second example is a little bit different, but I'm not sure I can explain it. The gist of it is, ten years ago you might have gotten one or two [things] while now you get twelve. Since the verb is "to be" you can exchange the subject with the predicate nominative and the meaning is the same: "Betty is my sister. My sister is Betty." So your sentence could read, "A decade ago, the norm [the normal amount] was one or two." Or you could say, "The amount was two or three." "Norm" and "amount" are singular nouns and would take the singular verb "was." I think it would be like saying, "The score was two or three," and then turning it around and saying, "Two or three was the score." Nobody would say, "Two or three were the score." But I don't know how to justify it formally.

Regards, - A.

(Thanks, Philip)

P.S. Looking back at Jack London's piece, we missed one of his baddies: "Most of those oyster pirates was shot or died in jail." "Most" is a plural noun, like "many", and takes the plural verb, "were."

Hi Avangi,

Your "exchanging the subject with the predicate nominative" comment reinforces what I learned but did not often pay attention.

Thank you for spending your time helping me to think a bit deeper.

Best Regards,
Hoa Thai

Re: one or two was

Avangi — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:05:40 GMT

Good morning, Hoa Thai,

I appreciate the research. I think your second example is a little bit different, but I'm not sure I can explain it. The gist of it is, ten years ago you might have gotten one or two [things] while now you get twelve. Since the verb is "to be" you can exchange the subject with the predicate nominative and the meaning is the same: "Betty is my sister. My sister is Betty." So your sentence could read, "A decade ago, the norm [the normal amount] was one or two." Or you could say, "The amount was two or three." "Norm" and "amount" are singular nouns and would take the singular verb "was." I think it would be like saying, "The score was two or three," and then turning it around and saying, "Two or three was the score." Nobody would say, "Two or three were the score." But I don't know how to justify it formally.

Regards, - A.

(Thanks, Philip)

P.S. Looking back at Jack London's piece, we missed one of his baddies: "Most of those oyster pirates was shot or died in jail." "Most" is a plural noun, like "many", and takes the plural verb, "were."