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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Learning
Appositive of singular or plural noun
Here is a sentence a studentcomposed and about which the class disagreed:
Children are our future, our seed, and they are very important to us.
Is "seed" correct or should it read "seeds"? Or, alternatively, does it depend on how one treats "children," as a single entity or all the individuals in the group?
Howard Sage
Children are our future, our seed, and they are very important to us.
Is "seed" correct or should it read "seeds"? Or, alternatively, does it depend on how one treats "children," as a single entity or all the individuals in the group?
Howard Sage
Top answer
on 09 Nov 2003: [nq:1]Here is a sentence a studentcomposed and about which the class disagreed: Children are our future, our seed, and they ... [/nq] "seed" is the first plural form given in the Merriam-Webster 3rd New Unabridged.
- on 09 Nov 2003: [nq:1]Here is a sentence a studentcomposed and about which the class disagreed: Children are our future, our seed, and they ...
- [/nq] "seed" is the first plural form given in the Merriam-Webster 3rd New Unabridged.
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7 Answers
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on 09 Nov 2003:
[nq:1]Here is a sentence a studentcomposed and about which the class disagreed: Children are our future, our seed, and they ... alternatively, does it depend on how one treats "children," as a single entity or all the individuals in the group?[/nq]
"seed" is the first plural form given in the Merriam-Webster 3rd New Unabridged.
[nq:1]Here is a sentence a studentcomposed and about which the class disagreed: Children are our future, our seed, and they ... alternatively, does it depend on how one treats "children," as a single entity or all the individuals in the group?[/nq]
"seed" is the first plural form given in the Merriam-Webster 3rd New Unabridged.
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Howard,
Considering that you use the plural "they" in the second clause, I believe it would have to be "seeds."
The second clause is actually redundant. If children are the future, then you've already implied that when you say they are important.
Regards,
Michael
[nq:1]Here is a sentence a studentcomposed and about which the class disagreed: Children are ou
Considering that you use the plural "they" in the second clause, I believe it would have to be "seeds."
The second clause is actually redundant. If children are the future, then you've already implied that when you say they are important.
Regards,
Michael
[nq:1]Here is a sentence a studentcomposed and about which the class disagreed: Children are ou
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[nq:2]Here is a sentence a studentcomposed and about which the ... British English to treat collectives as if they were plurals.[/nq]
[nq:1]The second clause is actually redundant. If children are the future, > then you've already implied that when you say ... redundant, real spoken and written language is full of redundancies - and sometimes such redundancy is used for literary effect.[/n
[nq:1]The second clause is actually redundant. If children are the future, > then you've already implied that when you say ... redundant, real spoken and written language is full of redundancies - and sometimes such redundancy is used for literary effect.[/n
00
[nq:2]The second clause is actually redundant. If children are the future, then you've already implied that when you say they are important.[/nq]
[nq:1]Not really - they may alos be important for other reasons. Even if it were redundant, real spoken and written language is full of redundancies - and sometimes such redundancy is used for literary effect. Regards, Einde O'Callaghan[/nq]
Yes
[nq:1]Not really - they may alos be important for other reasons. Even if it were redundant, real spoken and written language is full of redundancies - and sometimes such redundancy is used for literary effect. Regards, Einde O'Callaghan[/nq]
Yes
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[nq:2] Howard, Considering that you use the plural "they" in the second clause, I believe it would have to be "seeds."[/nq]
[nq:1]"Seed" is a somewhat old-fashioned synonym for descendants, particularly children - as Franke has pointed out earlier it is actually used as a plural collective (wihthout an "s"). It is quite common in British English to treat collectives as if they were plurals.[/
[nq:1]"Seed" is a somewhat old-fashioned synonym for descendants, particularly children - as Franke has pointed out earlier it is actually used as a plural collective (wihthout an "s"). It is quite common in British English to treat collectives as if they were plurals.[/
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on 10 Nov 2003:
[nq:2] "Seed" is a somewhat old-fashioned synonym for descendants, particularly ... British English to treat collectives as if they were plurals.[/nq]
[nq:1]Macbeth : For Banquo's issue have I fil'd my mind... To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!' Issue and seed singular; them and kings plural. All refer to the same thing.[/nq]
Yes, and they are all quite plur
[nq:2] "Seed" is a somewhat old-fashioned synonym for descendants, particularly ... British English to treat collectives as if they were plurals.[/nq]
[nq:1]Macbeth : For Banquo's issue have I fil'd my mind... To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!' Issue and seed singular; them and kings plural. All refer to the same thing.[/nq]
Yes, and they are all quite plur
00
Hi all,
I'm Howard, the original poster.
This sentence came out of a student question in an ESL class I taught here in New York a few weeks ago. And our discussion is still going on. Great, isn't it? I've passed this along to the students in this advanced ESL course.
Best, Howard
[nq:1] on 10 Nov 2003:[/nq]
[nq:2] Macbeth : For Banquo's issue have I fil'd my ...
I'm Howard, the original poster.
This sentence came out of a student question in an ESL class I taught here in New York a few weeks ago. And our discussion is still going on. Great, isn't it? I've passed this along to the students in this advanced ESL course.
Best, Howard
[nq:1] on 10 Nov 2003:[/nq]
[nq:2] Macbeth : For Banquo's issue have I fil'd my ...
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