This tag applies to questions that deal with grammatical number: “singular” versus “plural”, and (rarely) also “dual”.
-3
votes
1answer
101 views
“One blue ball and one red ball is” or “are”? [duplicate]
Which is correct?
One blue ball and one red ball is preferred.
One blue ball and one red ball are preferred.
-2
votes
1answer
67 views
How do you pluralize “cuirass”? [closed]
I've had a hard time finding the plural form of the word "cuirass". I know it's a Latin word, but is there any common English (or Latin) pluralization?
3
votes
1answer
126 views
Origin of plurals and possessives
What is the origin of English plurals and possessives? English plurals look more French plurals, but I am not sure that is where they come from. As for possessives, I don't know where they come from.
-5
votes
1answer
81 views
“We makes” vs. “we make” [closed]
Which is grammatical — "we makes you smarter" or "we make you smarter"? (Where we refers to an institution.)
-1
votes
2answers
138 views
“The doors is closing” — correct?
A friend of mine tried to convince me that the expression "the doors is closing" is correct. It sounds completely wrong to me, but googling for it turns up some results.
-4
votes
1answer
77 views
How to reverse sentence so that their subjects and verbs agree? [closed]
How do you reverse the following sentence so that the subject agree with their verb............?
The president as well as his assistant have declined every comment.
The government’s reason ...
-2
votes
1answer
119 views
Height and weight written out
In formal writing I like to do this (in British style):
The infant weighed 10lb 5oz;
a 10lb 5oz infant
He was 6ft 3in tall;
a 6ft 3in man
My question is about the plural usage: do we ...
0
votes
1answer
56 views
Attribute of multiple entities
Which is the correct form of an attribute related to multiple entities?
For example, which is the correct form of position?
The position of the circle and of the square is wrong.
The ...
-3
votes
1answer
88 views
Possessive punctuation: boy’s or boys’? [closed]
It’s the boys’ room when referring to boys generally. Is it the boys’ room still when referring to exactly two boys, or is it boy’s?
This is a question about punctuation, obviously.
0
votes
3answers
79 views
Do you put an 's' at the end of acronym? [duplicate]
For example, is it FAQs or just FAQ?
I guess it's either:
Frequently Asked Questions
or
"Frequently Asked Question"s
2
votes
2answers
107 views
Is there a correct grammatical way to state computer model number in plural form?
For example if I said -
"I shipped ten Dell 360s this morning".
where Dell 360 is the model number and I don't want people to get confused by the "s", how should I write this?
Is it more ...
0
votes
1answer
196 views
Singular or plural “set”?
I'm having some issues with a sentence that is part of the purpose in a report that I'm writing. I'm not sure if the word "communicate" (in bold) should be singular or plural.
The applications in the ...
-3
votes
1answer
120 views
Do nonsense and bull**** have corresponding plural forms?
For example, I've heard nonsenses, but I've never heard bullshits.
Why one is plural and the other is singular? They mean the same thing.
-3
votes
2answers
79 views
no reservation or no reservations on invitation? [closed]
I am sending one invitation out for 3 events. The planners for two events would like for people to make a reservation for each of those events with their reply. So next to those events, there is ...
-1
votes
1answer
127 views
When saying supplier of a building material should the material be singular or plural?
Which of the following is correct:
Supplier of tile, stone, tools and equipment
or
Supplier of tiles, stones, tools and equipment
If you could provide an English rule to know that would also be ...
-1
votes
1answer
73 views
Pluralizing a plural acronym [duplicate]
We use the acronym "CERT" to represent "Critical Error Reduction Techniques" quite frequently, but when we use CERT in a sentence should it be CERT or CERTs? For example, "Using CERT to Prevent ...
-1
votes
1answer
66 views
Plural of title of form name
I am writing a letter referencing a document title. I have several of the same document that I need to include the title of the documents in the letter. Do I write "please find six Form 2322" or ...
-1
votes
1answer
453 views
Apostrophes and s's [duplicate]
I always forget the rule about if something is possessive put 's at the end, for example "the sailor's hat". I know some people say to remember because it has a different meaning if it's plural (e.g. ...
1
vote
2answers
372 views
Is “all but one” singular or plural? [closed]
Do you say “All but one person forgets something” or “All but one person forget something”?
I'm assuming that if all means five people, for example, then the example can be rewritten as Four people ...
2
votes
1answer
145 views
Possession in Compound Nouns [duplicate]
In a compound noun with a postpositive adjective, such as "Director-General" or "Court Martial," the noun is pluralized by using the plural form of the first word (i.e. "Directors-General" or "Courts ...
3
votes
2answers
298 views
I am so confused by, for example, “People love their life or lives.”
I am always confused by these tricky-in my opinion-ones as below.
For example,
People love their life or lives.
Girls always love their boyfriend or boyfriends.
People think of their college or ...
-1
votes
1answer
107 views
Need we use “sums” in sentences whenever they describe the sum of plural objects? [duplicate]
Need we use sums in the case that the sentence describes the sum of plural objects?
For example, “100 centimeters sums to one meter” versus “100 centimeters sum to one meter”.
They both seem make ...
-2
votes
1answer
160 views
“during one of my girlfriend's games”
I was trying to say "During one of my girlfriend's soccer games..."
The problem is when I spoke it, it could be interpreted as
"Out of all of my girlfriends... during one of their games this ...
3
votes
1answer
57 views
What is the plural of tablix?
Don't know why the word table wasn't good enough for Microsoft, but SQL Server Reporting Services has a control called a tablix....
But how would I tell you that I have multiple tablix controls?
(I ...
1
vote
1answer
187 views
What is the plural of the word “it's”? [closed]
What is the plural of the word "it's"?
Perhaps "it'ss" or "it'ses"?
Usage: "The paragraph contained three it'ss"
Meaning: "The paragraph contained three occurrences of the word, it's"
3
votes
1answer
86 views
How to use “extraordinaire” in English?
I’d like to include the following phrase in my children’s book:
with trumpets and fanfares extraordinaire
I don’t know whether it should instead be
with trumpets and fanfares ...
0
votes
1answer
88 views
Plural form for noun preceding another noun [duplicate]
I'm working on a web service and we need to create new menu section, which should list entities to configurate different shops' parameters. Which form of this phrase is right in this case and why?
...
1
vote
2answers
421 views
Should I use 'is' or 'are' in this sentence? [closed]
Should I use 'is' or 'are' in this sentence?
Are Joyce and I going to finish the posters?
Is Joyce and I going to finish the posters?
-2
votes
1answer
147 views
Plural or singular for cooking skills? [closed]
I want to compliment someone for her good cooking skills. How do I say it?
"Your cooking skills is great!"
OR
"Your cooking skills are great!"
OR
"Your cooking skill is great!"
Not ...
-1
votes
1answer
129 views
Singular or plural after optional parentheses [duplicate]
Which one is the correct one?
I had no idea San Diego (and its surrounding areas) is that crowded.
or
I had no idea San Diego (and its surrounding areas) are that crowded.
And would the ...
6
votes
3answers
749 views
Does a person have two “masters’ degrees” or two “master’s degrees”? [duplicate]
When someone has more than one master’s degree, should these be described as have several masters’ degrees or several master’s degrees?
In other words, which of these two applies:
(singular) a ...
2
votes
4answers
135 views
How should one make “man in the middle” plural?
Usually, when a phrase acts as a single word, the noun in the phrase gets made plural. For instance, "mother in law" becomes "mothers in law" when made plural.
When discussing "man in the middle" ...
0
votes
1answer
52 views
“Another category are/is appearance-based methods” [duplicate]
Another category of vision-based methods for fall detection are
appearance-based methods, which can be applied even with a single
camera, but can also benefit from multiple cameras so that they ...
-1
votes
1answer
75 views
Is/Are “SAP Data Services” singular or plural?
I have sentences with software products, such as SAP Business Objects and SAP Data Services. The first one is the name of the company and the name of the family of software applications. The second ...
2
votes
2answers
106 views
Which of several or’d-together subjects should the verb agree with? [duplicate]
There are instances when I have difficulties with the agreement between the subject and the predicate. Which of these should I say:
Neither you nor I am to blame
Neither you nor I are to blame.
0
votes
0answers
25 views
“The breast, along with the muscles [is/are]”? [duplicate]
The breast, along with the muscles [is/are] of normal size and shape.
Should the verb be is or should the verb be are?
0
votes
2answers
104 views
Question regarding “Two kinds of”
Which of these two is correct, and why?
two kinds of televisions
two kinds of television
-1
votes
1answer
114 views
Do you say two baskets of apples?
Plural of basket is baskets.
Plural of apple is apples.
Assuming there is more than one apple in each basket.
There are two baskets of apples.
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
-2
votes
2answers
128 views
Singular or plural
If there are many service classes, and each service class has many services, is the following sentence correct?
Selecting the locally optimal service from each service class does not create a ...
-2
votes
1answer
102 views
Singular or plural pronoun for an antecedent of the form “A, B, or C”?
The number, gender, and person of a pronoun must match its closest antecedent. Most style manuals advise using a singular possessive pronoun when the antecedent is a disjunctive set of singular nouns:
...
2
votes
2answers
111 views
The battery, etc., is (are?) included.
When “etc.” is used with a singular subject, such as in the following sentence, should the verb be singular or plural?
The battery, etc., is included.
0
votes
1answer
148 views
Is it “fewer than one person” or “less than one person”? [duplicate]
I have been under the impression that the distinction between fewer and less was with countable vs. uncountable nouns. But I've just encountered the claim that it's plural vs. singular. Which is it? ...
0
votes
4answers
279 views
Plural form of Octopus and Radius [duplicate]
I have recently found this video online from Merriam Webster saying the plural form of octopus is in fact octopuses. The video explains how octopus comes from the Greek language and thus it would be ...
-1
votes
1answer
179 views
Many diseases are titled “The Silent Killer” while they are “A Silent Killer” [closed]
Why use The instead of A? Perhaps the writers of The are pulling at our emotions.
2
votes
3answers
357 views
Should “two weeks vacation” be “two weeks' vacation” (possessive)?
I've always understood that the phrase "two weeks" usually turns to "two weeks'" when used as a modifier -- as in "I'm giving my two weeks' notice" or "I get two weeks' vacation" ("two weeks' holiday" ...
0
votes
1answer
117 views
Can I use a plural last name as my company name? [closed]
So let’s assume my last name is Norton and I’m starting a publishing company. I want it to be “Nortons, Limited”. It is quite common to use plurals in company names — for example, Waterstones, ...
0
votes
1answer
525 views
Difference between “zeros” and “zeroes” [duplicate]
Are there any differences between “zeros” and “zeroes”? Is any of them more correct, more often used, more modern? Are there differences e.g. between British English and American English in the usage ...
2
votes
2answers
182 views
Plural noun with singular modifiers [duplicate]
I am writing up a document for an art exhibit and have found myself a bit confused.
The piece in question is a lidded jar with a stand and handle. The sentence in question is as follows:
Worthy ...
0
votes
0answers
23 views
Must the noun that follows “all kinds of” be plural? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Types of things vs. types of thing
I like all kinds of apples.
I like all kinds of apple.
Which is more natural?
2
votes
1answer
56 views
How are these plurals derived? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When should a singular word ending in “y” end in “ies” plurally?
Why is the plural of story, stories? Why not storys?
And also, why is the plural of boy, boys, not ...
