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Layla1234 Posted 15 years ago
What is the difference between kind of and kinds of?
Can we say something like that:
What kinds of animals do you know? or only What kind of animals do you know?
In some sources(dictionaries) I found that the first option is not acceptable whereas in others it is acceptable and now I am confused.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/sort_1
When we should use kind of with plural nouns and when kinds of with plural forms?
thanks in advance
layla
Grammar
Kind/kinds of
What is the difference between kind of and kinds of?
Can we say something like that:
What kinds of animals do you know? or only What kind of animals do you know?
In some sources(dictionaries) I found that the first option is not acceptable whereas in others it is acceptable and now I am confused.
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/sort_1
When we should use kind of with plural nouns and when kinds of with plural forms?
thanks in advance
layla
Top answer
layla1234 What kinds of animals do you know? or only What kind of animals do you know? No need to be confused, they are both fine.
- layla1234 What kinds of animals do you know?
- or only What kind of animals do you know?
- No need to be confused, they are both fine.
- Which one you see is largely the choice of the author.
- There is seldom any difference in meaning.
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4 Answers
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layla1234What kinds of animals do you know? or only What kind of animals do you know?No need to be confused, they are both fine. Which one you see is largely the choice of the author. There is seldom any difference in meaning.
I don't think I can give you any better general advice than you will find in the learner's dictionary you cite, it seems to b
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Kind of is used to refer to a single type.
eg. The rose is a kind of flower.
Kinds of is used to refer to many types within the same family.
eg. Rose, hibiscus and jasmine are different kinds of flowers.
eg. The rose is a kind of flower.
Kinds of is used to refer to many types within the same family.
eg. Rose, hibiscus and jasmine are different kinds of flowers.
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So what is the choice of the author?
If he says: What kinds of animals do you know ? What does he mean?
What kind of animals do you know? What does he mean?
If he says: What kinds of animals do you know ? What does he mean?
What kind of animals do you know? What does he mean?
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If he says: "What kinds of animals do you know ?" he asks what are the types of animals you are familiar with.
What kind of animals do you know? What does he mean? As far as I know, this is gramatically incorrect. It should be " What kind of animal do you know?" This means "What is the single type of animal you are familiar with ?"
What kind of animals do you know? What does he mean? As far as I know, this is gramatically incorrect. It should be " What kind of animal do you know?" This means "What is the single type of animal you are familiar with ?"
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