0
Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

Plural-meaning nouns

Hi,
I have some what I think are plural-meaning nouns and they are membership, youth, crowd and people. The trouble is I am seeing them in plural sometimes.
Can you help me on that? I think I can somewhat conceive a situation in which a plural of 'crowd' might be used as in where you are conceiving serveral groups of people but the use of other words escapes my understanding. I also think I can understand the reationale for the use of the plural version of the word 'people' too.

But these?

memberships? youths?

Also, when can you put the word 'all' before a plural-meaning word like 'host'? I think 'host' is countable, eg, a host.

all the starry host

  

Top answer

These words function differently. Youth and membership can be countable or uncountable nouns: Youth is carefree. There is a youth / There are three youths standing on the corner.

  • These words function differently.
  • Youth and membership can be countable or uncountable nouns: Youth is carefree.
  • There is a youth / There are three youths standing on the corner.
  • Membership is free.
  • I have had a membership / They have had their memberships since 1984.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

1 Answers
0
.
These words function differently.

Youth and membership can be countable or uncountable nouns:

Youth is carefree.
There is a youth / There are three youths standing on the corner.
Membership is free.
I have had a membership / They have had their memberships since 1984.


Crowd and host, like group and team,

Related Questions