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simplify question so people stop thinking it's a dupe
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hippietrail
hippietrail
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Background:

Over here on this forum for English speakers learning Chinese, there is debate on which ones among the following are correct English:

  • the fruit is
  • the fruits are
  • the fruit are *?

I'm a native Australian English speaker and would always say "theOther questions on this site are about the regular mass noun (the fruit is"is) vs the regular count noun (the fruit are), but using the singular form "fruit" also as an uncountable noun. I believe all my family and friends here would say it the same wayplural form is only tangentially touched on once that I can see. I'm looking for a canonical answer on this specific point.

In the past year or two I have learned that some nativeDo dictionaries, English speakers from some other regions do in fact say "the fruits are"grammars, usingor style guides list "fruit" as a regular countable noun with a regularits own plural form. A Chinese friend of mine used to say this and it always stood out as an imperfection in his otherwise excellent English. Until I learned that? Is it is indeed an acceptable regional variant.considered correct or incorrect?

But on the linked thread there are people vehemently insisting that "the fruit are" is also correct, or perhaps is the only correct form. This would make "fruit"If it's a countable noun with an invariant plural form identical to its singular formnonstandard usage, much like "fish" and "sheep". This seems totallywhere is it used? American English? Just some areas? It sounds wrong to me but the more I participate in the debate I start to question whether my belief is valid. So far none of the people defending this form have identified where they are from, which variety of English they speak, of even whether they are actually native speakers.

I see that there are already several questions on the site asking about the first two forms, but this is notas a duplicate question since I can't find any questions about the third variantnative Australian English speaker.

Question:

Is the third variant also correct? In which English-speaking regions is it usedcorrect to say "two fruit"?

Background:

Over here on this forum for English speakers learning Chinese, there is debate on which ones among the following are correct English:

  • the fruit is
  • the fruits are
  • the fruit are *?

I'm a native Australian English speaker and would always say "the fruit is", using "fruit" as an uncountable noun. I believe all my family and friends here would say it the same way.

In the past year or two I have learned that some native English speakers from some other regions do in fact say "the fruits are", using "fruit" as a regular countable noun with a regular plural form. A Chinese friend of mine used to say this and it always stood out as an imperfection in his otherwise excellent English. Until I learned that it is indeed an acceptable regional variant.

But on the linked thread there are people vehemently insisting that "the fruit are" is also correct, or perhaps is the only correct form. This would make "fruit" a countable noun with an invariant plural form identical to its singular form, much like "fish" and "sheep". This seems totally wrong to me but the more I participate in the debate I start to question whether my belief is valid. So far none of the people defending this form have identified where they are from, which variety of English they speak, of even whether they are actually native speakers.

I see that there are already several questions on the site asking about the first two forms, but this is not a duplicate question since I can't find any questions about the third variant.

Question:

Is the third variant also correct? In which English-speaking regions is it used?

Background:

Over here on this forum for English speakers learning Chinese, there is debate on which ones among the following are correct English:

  • the fruit is
  • the fruits are
  • the fruit are *?

Other questions on this site are about the regular mass noun (the fruit is) vs the regular count noun (the fruit are), but using the singular form "fruit" also as the plural form is only tangentially touched on once that I can see. I'm looking for a canonical answer on this specific point.

Do dictionaries, English grammars, or style guides list "fruit" as its own plural? Is it considered correct or incorrect?

If it's a nonstandard usage, where is it used? American English? Just some areas? It sounds wrong to me as a native Australian English speaker.

Is it correct to say "two fruit"?

4
duplicates list edited from Is using "fruits" as the plural of "fruit" acceptable?, Is there a situation where an accepted uninflected plural variant is not available?, "Eat more fruit(s) and vegetables" Is there a BE and AE difference? to Is using "fruits" as the plural of "fruit" acceptable?, Is there a situation where an accepted uninflected plural variant is not available?, "I often buy fruit" vs "I often buy fruits"?, "Eat more fruit(s) and vegetables" Is there a BE and AE difference?
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tchrist ♦
tchrist ♦
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3
duplicates list edited from Is using "fruits" as the plural of "fruit" acceptable?, Is there a situation where an accepted uninflected plural variant is not available? to Is using "fruits" as the plural of "fruit" acceptable?, Is there a situation where an accepted uninflected plural variant is not available?, "Eat more fruit(s) and vegetables" Is there a BE and AE difference?
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tchrist ♦
tchrist ♦
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Mod Moved Comments To Chat
Post Closed as "Duplicate" by Edwin Ashworth, KillingTime, tchrist♦
clarify which part is the actual question, which is not answered in the alleged dupe linked
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hippietrail
hippietrail
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Plurality and agreement of Can the word "fruit": "the fruit is" vs "the fruits are" vs be used as an invariant plural as in "the fruit are" and "two fruit"?

Background:

Over here on this forum for English speakers learning Chinese, there is debate on which ones among the following are correct English:

  • the fruit is
  • the fruits are
  • the fruit arethe fruit are *?

I'm a native Australian English speaker and would always say "the fruit is", using "fruit" as an uncountable noun. I believe all my family and friends here would say it the same way.

In the past year or two I have learned that some native English speakers from some other regions do in fact say "the fruits are", using "fruit" as a regular countable noun with a regular plural form. A Chinese friend of mine used to say this and it always stood out as an imperfection in his otherwise excellent English. Until I learned that it is indeed an acceptable regional variant.

But on the linked thread there are people vehemently insisting that "the fruit are" is also correct, or perhaps is the only correct form. This would make "fruit" a countable noun with an invariant plural form identical to its singular form, much like "fish" and "sheep". This seems totally wrong to me but the more I participate in the debate I start to question whether my belief is valid. So far none of the people defending this form have identified where they are from, which variety of English they speak, of even whether they are actually native speakers.

I see that there are already several questions on the site asking about the first two forms, but this is not a duplicate question since I can't find any questions about the third variant.

Is the third variant also correct? In which English-speaking regions is it used?Question:

Is the third variant also correct? In which English-speaking regions is it used?

Plurality and agreement of the word "fruit": "the fruit is" vs "the fruits are" vs "the fruit are"

Over here on this forum for English speakers learning Chinese, there is debate on which ones among the following are correct English:

  • the fruit is
  • the fruits are
  • the fruit are

I'm a native Australian English speaker and would always say "the fruit is", using "fruit" as an uncountable noun. I believe all my family and friends here would say it the same way.

In the past year or two I have learned that some native English speakers from some other regions do in fact say "the fruits are", using "fruit" as a regular countable noun with a regular plural form. A Chinese friend of mine used to say this and it always stood out as an imperfection in his otherwise excellent English. Until I learned that it is indeed an acceptable regional variant.

But on the linked thread there are people vehemently insisting that "the fruit are" is also correct, or perhaps is the only correct form. This would make "fruit" a countable noun with an invariant plural form identical to its singular form, much like "fish" and "sheep". This seems totally wrong to me but the more I participate in the debate I start to question whether my belief is valid. So far none of the people defending this form have identified where they are from, which variety of English they speak, of even whether they are actually native speakers.

I see that there are already several questions on the site asking about the first two forms, but this is not a duplicate question since I can't find any questions about the third variant.

Is the third variant also correct? In which English-speaking regions is it used?

Can the word "fruit" be used as an invariant plural as in "the fruit are" and "two fruit"?

Background:

Over here on this forum for English speakers learning Chinese, there is debate on which ones among the following are correct English:

  • the fruit is
  • the fruits are
  • the fruit are *?

I'm a native Australian English speaker and would always say "the fruit is", using "fruit" as an uncountable noun. I believe all my family and friends here would say it the same way.

In the past year or two I have learned that some native English speakers from some other regions do in fact say "the fruits are", using "fruit" as a regular countable noun with a regular plural form. A Chinese friend of mine used to say this and it always stood out as an imperfection in his otherwise excellent English. Until I learned that it is indeed an acceptable regional variant.

But on the linked thread there are people vehemently insisting that "the fruit are" is also correct, or perhaps is the only correct form. This would make "fruit" a countable noun with an invariant plural form identical to its singular form, much like "fish" and "sheep". This seems totally wrong to me but the more I participate in the debate I start to question whether my belief is valid. So far none of the people defending this form have identified where they are from, which variety of English they speak, of even whether they are actually native speakers.

I see that there are already several questions on the site asking about the first two forms, but this is not a duplicate question since I can't find any questions about the third variant.

Question:

Is the third variant also correct? In which English-speaking regions is it used?

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hippietrail
hippietrail
  • 7.8k
  • 17
  • 54
  • 80

Plurality and agreement of the word "fruit": "the fruit is" vs "the fruits are" vs "the fruit are"

Over here on this forum for English speakers learning Chinese, there is debate on which ones among the following are correct English:

  • the fruit is
  • the fruits are
  • the fruit are

I'm a native Australian English speaker and would always say "the fruit is", using "fruit" as an uncountable noun. I believe all my family and friends here would say it the same way.

In the past year or two I have learned that some native English speakers from some other regions do in fact say "the fruits are", using "fruit" as a regular countable noun with a regular plural form. A Chinese friend of mine used to say this and it always stood out as an imperfection in his otherwise excellent English. Until I learned that it is indeed an acceptable regional variant.

But on the linked thread there are people vehemently insisting that "the fruit are" is also correct, or perhaps is the only correct form. This would make "fruit" a countable noun with an invariant plural form identical to its singular form, much like "fish" and "sheep". This seems totally wrong to me but the more I participate in the debate I start to question whether my belief is valid. So far none of the people defending this form have identified where they are from, which variety of English they speak, of even whether they are actually native speakers.

I see that there are already several questions on the site asking about the first two forms, but this is not a duplicate question since I can't find any questions about the third variant.

Is the third variant also correct? In which English-speaking regions is it used?