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Tinanam0102 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

plural or singular here

Hi techers,

Are the items like, food, dress, habits, behaviour, table manners used correctly here? I don't know what is the correct way to list things, where plural and singular are involved.

Excerpts:

If we travelled to Egypt, for example, we would expect to see many things we're not accustomed to - food, dress, habits, behaviour, table manners,

Thanks
TN
  

Top answer

Just 'and' for the last item of a list: If we travelled to Egypt, for example, we would expect to see many things we're not accustomed to—food, dress, habits, behaviour, and table manners.

— Mister Micawber

  • Just 'and' for the last item of a list: If we travelled to Egypt, for example, we would expect to see many things we're not accustomed to—food, dress, habits, behaviour, and table manners.
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9 Answers
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Just 'and' for the last item of a list:

If we travelled to Egypt, for example, we would expect to see many things we're not accustomed to—food, dress, habits, behaviour, and table manners.
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Hi Mister Micawber,

Thanks for answering the question.

1. Why didn't the writer write: food(s), dress(es), behavour(s), considering he has used plural for habit(s) and table manner(s)?

2. How do we normally list foods, fruits and vegetables? Can you show me?

Thanks
TN
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1. Because 'foods' is a nutritional word, 'dresses' means ladieswear, and 'behaviors' are twitches and habits.
2. I don't understand your question. Please give me an example of how you think they might be listed.
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Hi Mister Micawber,

1. In the orginal sentence, if you were to place 'cusine' and 'costume' among behaviors, habits, would you use plural form 'cusines' and 'costumes'?

2. Should the following be listed in plual forms under fruits? (except watermelon and cantaloupe)
blueberry
strawberry
watermelon
banana
mango
cantaloupe

Thanks
TN
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1. cuisine and costume.
2. It could be either: you could be talking about the fruits themselves or flavours or dishes. Generally, just be consistent within the list.
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Hi Mister Micawber,

Thank you
TN
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Hi Mister Micawber,

I'm sorry can I ask if 'cuisine' and 'costume' are like one category of each own. I get confused when Elephant, Whale, Donkey can be of a generic term, representing a herd or a group. And then there's 'the', The elephant, The whale, to represent also a group.

Can you please help me understand this?

Thanks
TN
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tinanam0102when Elephant, Whale, Donkey can be of a generic term, representing a herd or a group.
No, not in any usual utterance.
tinanam0102The elephant, The whale, to represent also a group.
This is correct just as common nowadays is 'elephants', 'whales'.
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Hi Mister Micawber,

Thank you for the explanation.

TN
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