How to use “what kind of…”? BTW, how to use best / the best?

Question

Hello, could someone help me?How to use “what kind of…”?It’s “what kind of + singular noun…” or “what kind of + plural noun…”How about “what kinds of…”?It’s “what kinds of + plural noun…” or “what kinds of + singular noun…”Do they have different meaning?How about answers? We should use singular or plural form? My grammar book does not state it clearly, it gives a sentence like “What kind of car would you like to have?” then another sentence like “What kind of books do you like to read?”, which really makes me confused.Why don't we use "book" instead of "books"? Most examples in my book use singular form.There are also other sentences (with other questions).“What kind of shoes are you wearing?”Is “shoes” singular (just like the case of “clothes”) or plural? “What kind of fruit do you like best?”I think “fruit” is uncountable, so should we always use singular form when the noun is uncountable?Also, why don’t we use “the best” instead of “best”?I saw there is another sentence on my book; “Which did you like best?” without “the” either.PS. Am I right by using “there is another sentence” instead of “there was another sentence”?Thank you for your patience.I will be very appreciated if you could discuss sentence by sentence.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

azargrammaHow to use “what kind of…”?It’s “what kind of + singular noun…” or “what kind of + plural noun…”

What kind of car do you have? (I presume you have one car.)
What kind(s) of books do you have? (I presume you have several kinds of books. The number of 'kind' is optional, but often make it plural to agree with the plural noun following.)

azargrammaHow about “what kinds of…”?It’s “what kinds of + plural noun…” or “what kinds of + singular noun…

Those are also in use, the second one when the speaker is considering the noun generically, which is often formal:What kinds of carbohydrate are most effective?

azargramma“What kind of shoes are you wearing?”Is “shoes” singular (just like the case of “clothes”) or plural?

Two shoes of the same kind...we hope.

azargramma“What kind of fruit do you like best?”I think “fruit” is uncountable, so should we always use singular form when the noun is uncountable?

'Fruit' and 'fruits' are plurals as well.

What kind of fruit do you like best? (I am asking for a single kind.)
What kinds of fruit do you like best?(I am asking for more than one kind.)

azargrammaAlso, why don’t we use “the best” instead of “best”?I saw there is another sentence on my book; “Which did you like best?” without “the” either.

The word can be used as a pronoun or as an adjective or adverb.

azargrammaPS. Am I right by using “there is another sentence” instead of “there was another sentence”?

I see no importance in which verb you use there.

CalifJim · Answer

azargrammaHow to use “what kind of…”? ... How about “what kinds of…”?

You can mix and match these, but the most usual pattern is "what kind" with a singular and "what kinds" with a plural. When "kind" is used, the reference is only to one kind. What kind of book is that? A book on astronomy. A book on Argentina. With "kinds", the reference is to more than one kind. What kinds of books are those? Books on history, philosophy, and geography. Novels and collections of short stories.

azargrammaWhat kind of books do you like to read?

People are not always very careful about these patterns. This is equivalent to What kinds of books ...?

azargrammaWhat kind of shoes are you wearing?

This example is more problematic. Shoes come in pairs, so shoes, though plural, is a reference to a single pair of shoes. Therefore, in this case, kind instead of kinds is not really inappropriate. It's fine.

azargrammaIs “shoes” singular (just like the case of “clothes”) or plural?

Both are plural. The shoes are dirty. The clothes are clean.
The difference is that you can say a shoe, but you can't say a clothe.

azargrammaWhat kind of fruit do you like best?

This is correct.

azargrammaWhich did you like best?

This is correct. You can say the best, but you don't have to.

azargrammaAm I right by using “there is another sentence” instead of “there was another sentence”?

You can use either is or was. Both are possible. On the other hand, I saw there is another sentence on my book should be written I saw another sentence in my book. You don't need there is.

azargramma ~~I will be very appreciated~~ I would appreciate it very much

As shown above.

CJ

Azargramma · Answer

Thank you, Mister Micawber and CalifJim.

I saw another discussion on the Internet:

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/130518-What-kind-of-What-kinds-of

Shouldn’t the first sentence (What kind of movies do you like?) ask for multiple answers instead of a single genre?

I can understand that "What kind of + singular noun..." requires a single answer and "What kinds of + plural noun..." requires multiple answers.

But I am still confused about:

Mister MicawberWhat kinds of carbohydrate are most effective?

Mister MicawberWhat kinds of fruit do you like best?(I am asking for more than one kind.

I think the above two sentences both require multiple answers.
They use "kinds" instead of "kind". "Carbohydrate" is a genre and "fruit" is actually a plural.

However, in the sentence

Mister MicawberWhat kind(s) of books do you have?

It uses optional "kind" instead of "kinds".
But with a plural noun "books" we know it requires multiple answers.

How do we tell that a question is asking for a single answer or multiple answers?

Either "kinds" or "a plural noun" is enough?

If the noun is uncountable or if you consider the noun generically,

"What kind of music do you like?" -> single answer
"What kinds of music do you like?" -> multiple answers
"What kinds of carbohydrate do you have?" -> multiple answers
"What kind of carbohydrate do you have?" -> single answer

you can't neglect "s" after "kind" or the meaning will be changed, right?

Mister Micawber · Answer

You can mix and match these, but the most usual pattern is "what kind" with a singular and "what kinds" with a plural. — CJ's answer is the best. The point is not worth all the worry you are giving it. Native speakers give it little or no thought and are liable to utter any combination.

azargrammaHow do we tell that a question is asking for a single answer or multiple answers?

That is where you must exercise common sense.

Azargramma · Answer

Thank you, Mister Micawber.

When asking one single answer, don't you native speakers say "What kind of movie..." or "What kind of book..."?

I am asking that because I found that the nouns "book" and "movie" seem to be special.
People say "What kind of movies..." and "What kind of books..." even when they expect only one single answer, like "Comedy." or "Science fiction.".

Mister Micawber · Answer

azargrammaWhen asking one single answer, don't you native speakers say "What kind of movie..." or "What kind of book..."?I am asking that because I found that the nouns "book" and "movie" seem to be special.People say "What kind of movies..." and "What kind of books..." even when they expect only one single answer

You seem to contradict yourself: you say that 'people' say one form, yet you surmise that 'native speakers' say the other.

CalifJim · Answer

azargrammaI can understand that "What kind of + singular noun..." requires a single answer and "What kinds of + plural noun..." requires multiple answers.

This is only the more usual expectation. It's not a requirement. People are not always so very careful about these patterns. They may ask "What kind?" and be very happy to receive multiple answers. Or they may ask "What kinds?" and be quite satisfied to receive only one answer. The use of "kind" or "kinds" does not place any sort of demand on the listener to answer one way or another. It just gives a slight clue about the speaker's estimate of the number involved.

azargrammaHow do we tell that a question is asking for a single answer or multiple answers?

In short, you can't, because people do not usually pay that much attention to the difference when they ask the question, as I have explained above. No matter which of the questions below is asked, the answer can be either Roses or Roses and violets.

What kind of flower does she like? / What kind of flowers does she like? /
What kinds of flower does she like? / What kinds of flowers does she like?

CJ

Citibox · Answer

Azargramma, there is a great difference between "is", the present and "was", the past so here I disagree with Mister Micawber.

"There was another sentence which you could have used, making your letter less offensive."
"There is another sentence which you can use, which will make your letter less offensive."

"Fruits" is a valid word as in "Fruits of the forest." So I think that "What kind of fruits do you like best?" is equally valid as a plural. There is no difference in meaning between "the best" and "best", the former is slightly more old fashioned.

Citibox · Answer

Hi CJ, what about "I would be very appreciative ....."?

CalifJim · Answer

Citiboxwhat about "I would be very appreciative ....."?

Also good, though stylistically the adjective construction with appreciative is weaker than the verb construction with appreciate.

CJ

How to use “what kind of…”? BTW, how to use best / the best?

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