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Gori Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Difference in nuance: plural vs singular
Dear native speakers,
Suppose that there are 100 students in front of you, and each student has a computer.
Q1. Under this circumstance, if the following are stated, what would each actually mean?
1. See there is a dot on your screen.
2. See there are dots on your screens.
3. See there is a dot on your screens.
Q2. If a dot (only one dot) is shown on each student's computer screen, which of the above three would be a correct sentence?
Suppose that there are 100 students in front of you, and each student has a computer.
Q1. Under this circumstance, if the following are stated, what would each actually mean?
1. See there is a dot on your screen.
2. See there are dots on your screens.
3. See there is a dot on your screens.
Q2. If a dot (only one dot) is shown on each student's computer screen, which of the above three would be a correct sentence?
Top answer
I'm not a native but my choice would be #1.
- I'm not a native but my choice would be #1.
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4 Answers
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RuslanaI'm not a native but my choice would be #1.I agree with Ruslana. You are talking to 100 people, but they are individuals, each with a dot on a screen.
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Gori
Dear native speakers,
Suppose that there are 100 students in front of you, and each student has a computer.
Q1. Under this circumstance, if the following are stated, what would each actually mean?
1. See there is a dot on your screen. Each student sees one dot on his screen.
2. See there are dots on yo
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CONVEYS INTENDED MEANING
1 is okay, or you might say "each of you has a dot on his or her screen" or "on each screen is a dot."
CONVEY DIFFERENT MEANINGS
2 would indicate multiple dots per screen and is therefore inaccurate.
3 would mean that either a) there is one giant dot encroaching upon all screens, or b) each student has multiple screens upon which there
1 is okay, or you might say "each of you has a dot on his or her screen" or "on each screen is a dot."
CONVEY DIFFERENT MEANINGS
2 would indicate multiple dots per screen and is therefore inaccurate.
3 would mean that either a) there is one giant dot encroaching upon all screens, or b) each student has multiple screens upon which there
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