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Tinanam0102 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
How to decide: plural or singular
Hi teachers,
1. The app that lets parents control their child's phone: New software blocks texts, websites and internet access
2. For many parents, trying to drag their children’s attention away from their phone is a constant battle of wills.
3. But help is at hand thanks to a new app which allows adults to control their offspring’s mobile from afar
Notice the pairs:
Q1 uses parents - their child's phone.
Q2, parents - try to drag their children's attention. And
Q3 adults - their offspring's (offspring can be plural, but I don't know if the writer intended plural or singular in Q3.
Is there a rule that can help me?
Thank you
TN
1. The app that lets parents control their child's phone: New software blocks texts, websites and internet access
2. For many parents, trying to drag their children’s attention away from their phone is a constant battle of wills.
3. But help is at hand thanks to a new app which allows adults to control their offspring’s mobile from afar
Notice the pairs:
Q1 uses parents - their child's phone.
Q2, parents - try to drag their children's attention. And
Q3 adults - their offspring's (offspring can be plural, but I don't know if the writer intended plural or singular in Q3.
Is there a rule that can help me?
Thank you
TN
Top answer
It all depends on the context, which the writer has not made perfectly clear in this case. 1 - a child often has two parents (the writer coud have used children's as in #2 2 - (see #1) 3 - offspring is a singular word that can refer to more than one child; hence offspring's is correct.
- It all depends on the context, which the writer has not made perfectly clear in this case.
- 1 - a child often has two parents (the writer coud have used children's as in #2 2 - (see #1) 3 - offspring is a singular word that can refer to more than one child; hence offspring's is correct.
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6 Answers
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It all depends on the context, which the writer has not made perfectly clear in this case.
1 - a child often has two parents (the writer coud have used children's as in #2
2 - (see #1)
3 - offspring is a singular word that can refer to more than one child; hence offspring's is correct.
1 - a child often has two parents (the writer coud have used children's as in #2
2 - (see #1)
3 - offspring is a singular word that can refer to more than one child; hence offspring's is correct.
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Hi Philip,
Thanks for the reply. Would you please check the bolded words? I'm writing a pamphlet and I can't work out the pronouns singulars and plurals.
1. Try to encourage a child to eat their veggies.
2. The administrator will ask parents to sign their name on the pamphlets when your child has completed the work. They should hand in th
Thanks for the reply. Would you please check the bolded words? I'm writing a pamphlet and I can't work out the pronouns singulars and plurals.
1. Try to encourage a child to eat their veggies.
2. The administrator will ask parents to sign their name on the pamphlets when your child has completed the work. They should hand in th
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Try to encourage children to eat their veggies. (both are plural)
...ask parents to sign the pamphlets [ any mention of 'name' is redundant ] ...when the student has completed
The students should hand in the pamphlets to their teachers.
...ask parents to sign the pamphlets [ any mention of 'name' is redundant ] ...when the student has completed
The students should hand in the pamphlets to their teachers.
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Hi Philip,
For the last sentence, do you mean:
The administrator asks parents to sign the pamphlets when the student has completed the assigned work.
Thanks
TN
For the last sentence, do you mean:
The administrator asks parents to sign the pamphlets when the student has completed the assigned work.
Thanks
TN
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tinanam0102Hi Philip,For the last sentence, do you mean:The administrator asks parents to sign the pamphlets when the student has completed the assigned work. ThanksTNYes, or even simplify it to: 'sign the pamphlets once the work has been completed.'
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