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Dido4 Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
A textbook says..
Here is the quote from a textbook:
Bill : No, I'm going to watch the black-faced spoonspills there.
Brown :What' that?
Bill : They are a special kind of birds.
1. The author siad that "birds" should be replace by "bird".
That means the "s" at the end of the word bird is wrong.
2.Why?
3.Can't we put s at the end of the word, bird, here.
thank you
Bill : No, I'm going to watch the black-faced spoonspills there.
Brown :What' that?
Bill : They are a special kind of birds.
1. The author siad that "birds" should be replace by "bird".
That means the "s" at the end of the word bird is wrong.
2.Why?
3.Can't we put s at the end of the word, bird, here.
thank you
Top answer
The example given is only one type of bird, so it is singular. " the particle "a" and the word "kind" are both singular, so "bird" has to match. "
- The example given is only one type of bird, so it is singular.
- " the particle "a" and the word "kind" are both singular, so "bird" has to match.
- "
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8 Answers
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The example given is only one type of bird, so it is singular.
"They are a special kind of birds."
the particle "a" and the word "kind" are both singular, so "bird" has to match.
To use "birds" the sentence needs to read: "They are special kinds of birds."
"They are a special kind of birds."
the particle "a" and the word "kind" are both singular, so "bird" has to match.
To use "birds" the sentence needs to read: "They are special kinds of birds."
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Thank you for giving examples. Here's another one.
Q1.Can we use the sentence "They are one of the special kind of birds." to express that one of the kind?(Q2. Or have to use They are one of the kinds of birds?)
There are many kinds of birds, but the black-faced spoonbill is one of the kind of birds. (Q2. Or have to use one of the kinds of birds?) I mean how to express one of th
Q1.Can we use the sentence "They are one of the special kind of birds." to express that one of the kind?(Q2. Or have to use They are one of the kinds of birds?)
There are many kinds of birds, but the black-faced spoonbill is one of the kind of birds. (Q2. Or have to use one of the kinds of birds?) I mean how to express one of th
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Another way of looking at "kind of bird" or "kinds of birds" is to recognize the prepositional phrase "of bird" or "of birds."
A preposition (in, on, into, over, under, etc.) links its object to another word in the sentence.
The object "bird" should agree in number with the word "kind." Likewise, if you use kinds of birds, the object birds should agree in number with the word ki
A preposition (in, on, into, over, under, etc.) links its object to another word in the sentence.
The object "bird" should agree in number with the word "kind." Likewise, if you use kinds of birds, the object birds should agree in number with the word ki
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Kind(s) of is regularly used before singular and uncountable nouns: one kind of car/person/bread, many kinds of car/person/bread. Kinds of is also used before plural nouns in more informal English: these kinds of cars/people, though you can more formally say cars of this kind. Kind of with an indefinite article is possible in an informal style, though many
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