Help with grammar in sentences.

Question

My task is this:Cross out any incorrect words in the following sentences. Explain any differences in meaning where there is more than one correct alternative.He went to the hardware store to buy some iron/irons.I'm looking for some pieces of information that has/have not been given.There is no one at school. The staff has/have all gone home.The browns have bought new furniture for every room in the house. It was/They were all very expensive. The restaurant always has a lot of cheese/cheeses on the table.They had lots of different bread/breads at the baker's.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Hello Louise;
Welcome to English Forums.

We help students with their homework. We will not do their homework for them. So if you answer the exercise, and post your answers, we can help. Also tell us if you are learning American English or British English.

Louise em · Answer

I see, I am sorry. I am not trying to cheat. well I have done it:)

I need british english.

I have no idea if it's correct. Please help.

He went to the hardware store to buy some iron/irons.
(Here I believe you can use both iron and irons. Using the word, Iron would indicate the metal and the word, irons would indicate the many irons that you use to iron your clothes.)

I'm looking for some pieces of information that has/have not been given.
(I believe the correct verb is has)

There is no one at school. The staff has/have all gone home.
(I believe it is has as the staff is a collective noun)

The browns have bought new furniture for every room in the house. It was/They were all very expensive.
(Both can be used, but I do not know why)

The restaurant always has a lot of cheese/cheeses on the table.
(You can use both words. Cheese means a lot of one type of cheese. Cheeses means alot of different type of cheese.)

They had lots of different bread/breads at the baker's.
(You can use both. Bread means they have a lot of different bread, but the same type of bread. Breads mean all sorts of different type of breads)

Hope for help!

AlpheccaStars · Answer

louise emHe went to the hardware store to buy some iron/irons.(Here I believe you can use both iron and irons. Using the word, Iron would indicate the metal and the word, irons would indicate the many irons that you use to iron your clothes.)

Which one is the most commonly purchased at a hardware store? And does a person commonly purchase several irons for clothing at the same time?

louise emI'm looking for some pieces of information that has/have not been given.(I believe the correct verb is has)

The verb "has" agrees with "information," but "information" is not the subject of the verb.

louise emThere is no one at school. The staff has/have all gone home.(I believe it is has as the staff is a collective noun)

British English commonly treats collective associations of people to be plural.

louise emThe browns have bought new furniture for every room in the house. It was/They were all very expensive. (Both can be used, but I do not know why)

No, only one is correct. Furniture, luggage, baggage and stuff are collective and singular.

louise emThe restaurant always has a lot of cheese/cheeses on the table.

But what would you find in a nice restaurant, a big block of cheddar, or a selection of Colby, Muenster, Edam, cheddar, Brie and Gruyère?

Louise em · Answer

When I searched on collective nouns I got this up:

A collective noun is a word for a group of people, animals, or objects. These nouns are most frequently considered to represent one singular group. In some contexts, the same noun can be used as a collection of individuals and is considered to be plural.

So because "The staff" are a collection of individuals, it will be "have"?

There is no one at school. The staff have all gone home.

When it comes to this sentence: I'm looking for some pieces of information that has/have not been given
I looked for the subject of the sentence, pieces and since that is plural it should be have?

You also note in your comment that: Furniture, luggage, baggage and stuff are collective and singular.
I thought collective nouns that indicate a collection of individual things become plural? Maybe the verb needs to be singular because furniture is uncountable?

When it comes to bread/breads and cheese/cheeses. I know you want me to use common sense. But My teacher wants to know if it iis possible to use both words.

Thank you for your time. I really am learning by discussing this

Blue Jay · Answer

In British English, a hardware store is usually called an ironmonger's.

louise emSo because "The staff" are a collection of individuals, it will be "have"?

A British speaker would be likely to use have, yes.

louise emWhen it comes to this sentence: I'm looking for some pieces of information that has/have not been given I looked for the subject of the sentence, pieces and since that is plural it should be have?

Yes.

louise emYou also note in your comment that: Furniture, luggage, baggage and stuff are collective and singular.I thought collective nouns that indicate a collection of individual things become plural? Maybe the verb needs to be singular because furniture is uncountable?

AlpheccaStar's point was that British speakers often view a group of people as a collection of individuals, rather than as a single entity. British speakers will say "the team were...", while an American would usually say "the team was...". This doesn't normally apply to a noun that indicates a set or collection of objects.

louise emWhen it comes to bread/breads and cheese/cheeses. I know you want me to use common sense. But my teacher wants to know if it is possible to use both words.

You could say bread and cheese, but it would be more natural to say breads and cheeses.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

louise emWhen it comes to this sentence: I'm looking for some pieces of information that has/have not been givenI looked for the subject of the sentence, pieces and since that is plural it should be have?

Yes, exactly so.

Louise em · Answer

Thank you both for all the help.

I am still thinking about this sentence:

He went to the hardware store to buy some iron/irons.

I know it is a hardware store but a good explanation would be that it has the word "some" and that word is used infront of uncountable nouns. Therefor it would be "some iron".

?:)

GPY · Answer

"some iron" refers to a quantity of the metal in some unspecified form, such as bars, ingots, scrap pieces.

"some irons" most probably refers to the household implements that are used to get creases out of clothes. It could refer to various other implements too.

Louise em · Answer

so it could be iron and irons in that sentence?:/

GPY · Answer

louise emso it could be iron and irons in that sentence?:/

Grammatically, yes. However ordinary hardware stores do not normally (in my experience) sell iron as a raw material, so "He went to the hardware store to buy some iron" seems a bit unusual.

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