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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
S-V agreement Rockin in the free world
Dear experts
I have a hard time understanding the beginning of N.Young's Rockin in the free world and the problem relates to s-v agreement (I think)... Why does he sing: "There's colors on the street." and not "There are colors...."?
Thank you in advance for helping a novice.
I have a hard time understanding the beginning of N.Young's Rockin in the free world and the problem relates to s-v agreement (I think)... Why does he sing: "There's colors on the street." and not "There are colors...."?
Thank you in advance for helping a novice.
Top answer
Hi I think the short answer is that, in informal and lyrical English, "There's" is allowed before a plural because... (a) it just is very common in casual, spoken English (b) it is especially allowed if a single syllable is needed in the song or poem. (otherwise, "There're" would need two syllables) This question appeared in EnglishForward nearly eight years ago!
- Hi I think the short answer is that, in informal and lyrical English, "There's" is allowed before a plural because...
- (a) it just is very common in casual, spoken English (b) it is especially allowed if a single syllable is needed in the song or poem.
- (otherwise, "There're" would need two syllables) This question appeared in EnglishForward nearly eight years ago!
- Here's the answers provided then...
- Dave
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5 Answers
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Hi
I think the short answer is that, in informal and lyrical English, "There's" is allowed before a plural because...
(a) it just is very common in casual, spoken English
(b) it is especially allowed if a single syllable is needed in the song or poem. (otherwise, "There're" would need two syllables)
This question appeared in EnglishForward nearly eight yea
I think the short answer is that, in informal and lyrical English, "There's" is allowed before a plural because...
(a) it just is very common in casual, spoken English
(b) it is especially allowed if a single syllable is needed in the song or poem. (otherwise, "There're" would need two syllables)
This question appeared in EnglishForward nearly eight yea
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Songwriters don't worry too much about formal grammar. In informal conversation, there's is sometimes followed by a plural noun. It may not be correct, but not many people worry about it.
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I call it poetic licence. This means artists can break rules.
I encourage my students to use music to learn English but always make them aware that it is not always grammatically correct.
Colours could however refer to a specific singular concept. I don't know the context. I am guessing maybe people of different ethnic origin.
There is a variety of people living toget
I encourage my students to use music to learn English but always make them aware that it is not always grammatically correct.
Colours could however refer to a specific singular concept. I don't know the context. I am guessing maybe people of different ethnic origin.
There is a variety of people living toget
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Hi
I wondered if "colours" could be taken as singular. But, the opening lines are...
- There's colours on the street / Red, white and blue
Dave
I wondered if "colours" could be taken as singular. But, the opening lines are...
- There's colours on the street / Red, white and blue
Dave
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Well you could just remove the s from colour and it would also be correct. There is colour everywhere.
Don't worry about it so much, he just put the S to make each part rhyme.
fat cat
there's colours
Or as he was thinking:
"There is "colour"
His brain started thinking he will list many colours so he changed mid thought...
Don't worry about it so much, he just put the S to make each part rhyme.
fat cat
there's colours
Or as he was thinking:
"There is "colour"
His brain started thinking he will list many colours so he changed mid thought...
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