Search results for 'tag:Whom tag:Determiners' matching tags 'Whom' and 'Determiners'

Re: Are these Correct sentences?

nona the brit — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 07:00:20 GMT

I know you are really just concerned with the useage of the bold words but I've picked up your other errors as well. You need to work on articles and determiners.

1. Tipsy : - Erwin was tipsy when he came to our house. ok.

2. Tryst : - We didn't know that they had planned a tryst in the evening. Use of tryst is ok.

3. Mugger : - The bag-snatching rate has gone so high in this area, I think all the muggers must live here. Use of mugger is ok.

4. Storefront : - Their whole family lives in storefront at lake street - no. Each individual shop has its own storefront, so this sounds a bit odd....and people don't really live in storefronts.

5. Surrogate : - Nicole has a surrogate mother, Sharon, with whom she has lived for the last five years.

6. Barb: - When Ramesh blamed Naina for breaking his expensive antique piece, she barbed at him. No, barb is a noun not a verb.

7. Bicker : - She has habit of bickering. ok

8. Invincible : - Roger has won all his last 19 matches. He is invincible. USe of invincible ok.

9. Frantic: - They were frantic with anger after losing the match. Frantic doesn't really go with the emotion of anger.

10. Fragile : - He has bought fragile plates for his home. ok.

usage or the usage

Believer — Wed, 31 May 2006 01:01:29 GMT

I got this sentence from this forums and have been wondering if an article or a determiner is needed before the phrase "actual and ubiquit usage." Leaving the word "the" makes it too general of a reference? What usage? the usage of the word "the"

Some people still believe that the antiquated and outdated whom is still "technically" superior to (the???)actual and ubiquitous usage (of it???) seen today.

Re: Grammatical questions

MrPedantic — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 00:12:45 GMT

Hello Guest

Since this is for an exam, I don't feel I should give detailed replies. But you may wish to consider:

1. Why the following sentences are ungrammatical:

a) Never watch I television.
b) Which programmes watched you?

Look up Inversion in your grammar book.

a) Would you like an information?
b) He hasn't read much book.

Look up Count Nouns and Uncountable Nouns.

2. What is the grammatical difference between forms such as "my" and "mine", or "their" and "theirs"?

Look up Possessive Determiners and Possessive Pronouns.

3. How might the following contrast be accounted for?
a) They have referred to the book. c) He went to the station.
b) The book has been referred to. d) The station was gone to.

Look up Present Perfect Tense, Past Perfect Tense.

4. How can the contrast between c) and f) be explained?
a) She spoke to the manager. d) She put on a coat.
b) Who did she speak to? e) What did she put on?
c) To whom did she speak? f) On what did she put?

Look up Interrogative Pronouns.

Why not work on these ones first, and post your suggestions, after looking up the relevant sections? If you're still having trouble, we'll then give you more help, and go on to your other questions.

MrP

Singular / Plural Nouns

Ryan — Sat, 30 Aug 2003 11:18:27 GMT

Dear sir,

I have some inquiries about the choice of noun form (singular or plural) to be used with a plural possessive determiners (their, our, etc.) I have sought the advice of some native speakers on the following 4 sentences only to become more confused as they have different opinions. It is really really frustrating.

1a. There are many cells in *our body*.
1b. There are many cells in *our bodies*.

2a. We do this in *our everyday life*.
2b. We do this in *our everyday lives*.

A Canadian native speaker and a reply from ASKOXFORD advised that only (1b) and (2b) are correct.
An American professor of English advised that I should use (1a) and (2a) to 'avoid the problem of thinking that we have more than one body apiece' and likewise with 'life'.
A reply from Englishclub.com advised that all four are acceptable.

Whose opinion is correct or more reliable? The professor's?
Is there such a thing as 'the ultimate authority' in English from which/whom I can seek advice? Please help.

I have seen the use of plural possessive determiners with singular noun in some books and on the Net. So does that make such use acceptable?

In Longman Dictionary of Common Errors (Turton & Heaton, 1996), there is this sentence:
1. This example shows how computers affect *our everyday life*. (pg 122)

In Collins Cobuild English Dictionary for Advanced Learners (3rd ed, 2001):
1. All of us in *our daily life* react favourably to people who take us and our
views seriously. (pg 377)

2. ...*our body's* sensory system (pg 1411)

3. People also use 'heart' to refer to the area of *their chest* that is closest
to *their heart*. (pg 725)

In Biology; The Unity and Diversity of Life (10th ed., Starr & Taggart, 2003, Thomson Brooks/Cole):
1. Tuataras are like modern amphibians in some respects of *their brain* and in their way of walking. (pg 457).
2. Chameleons rely on *their tongue*, which is longer than *their body*. (pg 456)

On the Net, at the website of SocietyGuardian.co.uk:
1. People wait for years,decades, in pain, in the faint hope that one day they will receive the call from the hospital that will return *their life* to normal.

2. It assumes that change is difficult without reference to the subject's family, school, and - for priests - transition to the seminary, their experiences there and *their life* as *a priest*.

Michael Swan's Practical English Usage says that for generalisations and rules, it is OK to use singular or plural nouns or both together with 'their/our'. So, is it applicable here?

Thank you.
Ryan