Tagged Questions
31
votes
2answers
3k views
If the plural of ‘man’ is ‘men,’ shouldn’t the plural of ‘German’ be ‘Germen’?
What makes these two words so different that 'man' is changed to 'men', but 'German' is changed to 'Germans'?
3
votes
2answers
116 views
When ordering coffee, do you say “two milks” or “two milk”?
I've already searched the site if this question had been asked before however I didn't find anything related to my question. Every time I order coffee some people sort of correct me by saying 2 milks ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
“[adjective] and [adjective] [noun]” — Should the noun be singular or plural?
In a scientific paper I submitted, a reviewer suggested that I change the sentence
The operation just substitutes "(m, l)" with "m" on both the sender and the receiver side.
to
The operation ...
-2
votes
1answer
66 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?
0
votes
1answer
79 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?
...
2
votes
4answers
134 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
127 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? ...
2
votes
4answers
94 views
Should “shape” be plural in “the shape and dimensions of the skyscrapers”?
In the following sentence:
The great cities have been built with no regard for us. The shape and dimensions of the skyscrapers depend entirely on the necessity of obtaining the maximum income per ...
1
vote
2answers
582 views
When to use conclusion and conclusions in a scientific article or report?
I am writing a scientific report in English. For the final part, should I use conclusion or conclusions? I am a bit confused because in my memory it's an uncountable noun. But I saw many journal ...
0
votes
0answers
92 views
Which of the following sentences is correct? [closed]
I don't know when to use a singular or plural noun. Would someone please tell me which of the following sentences is correct? Thanks.
Employee is required to wear uniform.
Employee is required to ...
-1
votes
1answer
78 views
What is the appropriate usage of “attentions”?
I recently wondered what the difference between attention and attentions was, as I've heard both, but couldn't think of or remember when someone would use attentions.
One definition for attentions ...
-2
votes
4answers
144 views
“Music preference” or “music preferences”?
What is the difference between preference and preferences? Does it matter if one uses singular or plural in the following sentences:
The effect of music on test-taking ability greatly depends ...
1
vote
4answers
243 views
“The efforts involved” vs. “the effort involved”
…this we are doing proactively in order to have a better understanding at coming up with an estimate in case you want to know the effort involved.
Should I go with "efforts" or "effort" in the ...
2
votes
1answer
135 views
Is “an archives” a grammatically correct phrase? If so, is it an exception or are there others like it?
A friend recently posted a photo he took of a sign at the LBJ presidential library that used the word "archives" as a singular noun. According to a Smithsonian Institution Archives blog post, this is ...
0
votes
3answers
130 views
Why police used as singular in this link?
With reference to this question Collective noun "police" — singular or plural? and as per my understanding Police is always plural. But I got shocked after seeing police used as singular ...
1
vote
1answer
220 views
plural of compound nouns [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the plural form of “iPad 2”?
When can an adjective be postposed?
I'm curious particularly with iPod Touch and iPad Mini
The plural would be iPod Touches and ...
-1
votes
4answers
220 views
The plural of “conch”? [closed]
There is a lengthy thread on the pronunciation of "conch" however I am curious about the plural form "conches." I've noticed that it can be found as "conchs" as well, but "conches" appears to be the ...
3
votes
1answer
53 views
switch genders or gender?
Recently I read an article on Wired.com "Apple Hires Hacker Who Helped Save Windows From Security Hell", http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/12/apple-hires-hacker/
Here is a sentence I'm kind ...
1
vote
0answers
28 views
plural nouns: should I add “s” ending to both nouns? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“User accounts” or “users account”
“BookList” or “booksList?”
Is it correct to say “lesson count” or “lessons count”?
should a list of tokens be called a “token list” ...
0
votes
2answers
79 views
“Censorship” as a countable noun [closed]
Is censorships a legitimate word? Obviously it could be used to mean multiple censorships for something.
1
vote
1answer
274 views
Beer vs Beers : Units vs Purchasing
I have run into a conundrum.
When I go to get some friends cans of beer I say:
You guys want a beer?
When I am referring to going to a bar and drinking some I say:
Let's go get some beers!
...
5
votes
2answers
173 views
Uses of the word “lyrics”
I have a doubt on the uses of the word lyrics. I would like to know how it is used by a native English speaker.
The Concise Oxford English Dictionary says: lyric noun (also lyrics) the words of a ...
1
vote
2answers
92 views
Relic and relics [closed]
Reliquary is a receptacle, often made of precious metal and richly decorated, in which a religious relic or relics are kept, as a small box, casket, or shrine.
In this sentence that I copied from ...
1
vote
1answer
145 views
Should the word “commission” be used in singular or plural in these cases?
I don't know what would be grammatically correct, commission or commissions, in the following sentences:
We will pay you commission(s) for each client you refer to us.
You can track your ...
0
votes
2answers
149 views
“Lives” vs. “life” in “the life of those living on the farm”
James is giving a tour of his farm to some of his friends. Which sentence is correct:
James introduces some of the animals on the farm: "This is Elmer, the pig... That's Mini, the mouse, and that ...
-2
votes
5answers
398 views
“Travel” vs. “travels” [closed]
My question is about formation of plural form of the noun travel.
I have a folder on my PC that contains a photos from my different travels (France, Germany etc.), I want to create a folder structure: ...
7
votes
4answers
234 views
Is it grammatical to say “the batmen”?
As far as I know, the five actors to have played the role of Batman in films are Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Bale. Is it grammatical to call them "the batmen"?
...
0
votes
3answers
68 views
“Replacing variables with their equivalence classes” vs. “… with their equivalence class”
In my thesis I have the following sentence:
One can construct a new query by replacing all the variables in Q with their equivalence classes.
I doubt that this sentence is grammatically correct, ...
2
votes
2answers
117 views
“… the top ten issues that the voting public care about” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Are collective nouns always plural, or are certain ones singular?
Is “staff” plural?
This feels wrong to me (sounds like it should be cares) but issues is plural and in ...
3
votes
2answers
255 views
“Change their positions” vs. “change their position” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“Those who qualify will be awarded a certificate” or “those who qualify will be awarded certificates”?
“On their back” or “on their ...
5
votes
1answer
349 views
plural noun/singular verb and vice versa [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
None as plural indefinite pronoun
In my work I am often exposed to sentences written by nonnative speakers of English.
I often come across sentences with a singular noun ...
3
votes
1answer
297 views
Why are certain single word compound nouns pluralized in the middle
Hypothesis: compound nouns that are unhyphenated single words can be pluralized by adding an “s” to the noun root only when they consist of a noun + preposition.
This is a follow-up to an earlier ...
1
vote
3answers
674 views
“Success” or “successes”
Which is correct?
The newspaper described the success of people like Bob and Joe.
The newspaper described the successes of people like Bob and Joe.
3
votes
2answers
191 views
Plural of “Average” as a noun? [closed]
I have a sentence lingering in my mind that I read somewhere, but the way I'm remembering it it doesn't sound right:
The averages have the power of invisibility.
Is this correct pluralization of ...
2
votes
4answers
1k views
“Tip” or “tips” of your fingers?
Which of the following is correct and why?
opportunity at the tips of her fingers
opportunity at the tip of her fingers
The former seems correct to me, but I don’t entirely understand why.
5
votes
2answers
246 views
“Communications In English for Engineers” — what does it exactly mean?
A lecture at my university is titled "Communications In English for Engineers".
Somebody from my year stated that 'communications' (in plural) relate to telecommunication and generally ...
8
votes
3answers
291 views
What is the proper plural of “reputation”?
Vote Down requires 125 reputation
Shouldn't it be "reputations"? Why or why not?
27
votes
6answers
1k views
Are there any words in English that have a plural with a separate derivation?
There are some irregular plurals in English (child/children, goose/geese), but all of the ones I know of share the same root word.
In some languages, there are some irregular pairs where the singular ...
-1
votes
2answers
110 views
“Mesh, Solid or Surface modeling technology” vs. “Mesh, Solid or Surface modeling technologies” [closed]
Which of the following should I use?
Select between Mesh, Solid or Surface modeling technology.
Select between Mesh, Solid or Surface modeling technologies.
0
votes
2answers
146 views
Destroy or Destroys [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is a company always plural, or are small companies singular?
I came across a mocked up newspaper article earlier and there was a discussion about whether the following ...
0
votes
2answers
115 views
“Separate procedures for every combination” vs. “a separate procedure for every combination”
Which form of this sentence is correct and why?
Therefore, in a real life system with multiple source and output data
formats, separate procedures would have to be written for every
...
3
votes
1answer
88 views
How does one parenthetically amend a noun in a sentence so that both the singular and plural form are included?
In a complex sentence with two subjects, each taking separate actions, the second subject is item (singular), which I want to amend to item(s) with a parenthetical s.
How do I direct the rest of the ...
2
votes
4answers
487 views
Nouns of plural form preceding another noun
I was reading Computers, Communications, and Information A User's Introduction (Seventh Edition) by Sarah E. Hutchinson and Stacey C. Sawyer.
The authors consistently used such terms as ...
0
votes
1answer
823 views
Is “cattle herds” grammatical? [closed]
I know that "a herd of cattle" and "many herds of cattle" are correct, but what about "cattle herds"? For example,
We drove by cattle herds.
Is that grammatical?
1
vote
1answer
973 views
“The contents of the cereal box” — singular or plural? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“The contents are” or “the contents is”
Which is correct?
The contents of the cereal box is distributed among the children.
The contents ...
4
votes
3answers
366 views
Origin and usage of “a shambles”
"Shambles" is one of the few singular nouns in English that blatantly resembles a plural noun. What is the origin of "a shambles"? Why do we really need to prefix an "a" in front of "shambles"? Which ...
10
votes
7answers
3k views
“For both our sake” or “for both our sakes”
Should sake be pluralized in this usage?
For both our sake, I'm going to leave now.
For both our sakes, I'm going to leave now.
1
vote
2answers
1k views
Possessive plural of country? [closed]
Is it countries? Country's?
I originally thought the latter but this would suggest a singular country?
10
votes
5answers
4k views
Is “audience” singular or plural?
I want to use 'audience' in the following sentence. In what form should I use it? Is it a singular or plural noun?
How the audience demotivate players in the NBA.
How the audience demotivates ...
2
votes
2answers
3k views
“Food” vs. “foods” — spelling and meaning [closed]
I've been looking around the Internet. Some websites say that foods is incorrect but others say it is correct.
