She is abusing staff

Question

Hi teachers,I have two questions about this.  Please help me with them.1.  Mary is abusing staff.Does that meanshe always abuses other colleagues.She is abusing a colleague right now.2.  Can I say "I'm good a good staff"?  How to do with staff when it's singular?Thank you very much in advance.Tinanam

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I have two questions about this. Please help me with them.

1. Mary is abusing staff.

Does that mean

she always abuses other colleagues. No. For that, use Simple Present.

She is abusing a colleague right now. That's what it sounds like.

2. Can I say "I'm good a good staff"? How to do with staff when it's singular?

'Staff' is a collective noun.

eg The staff at IBM would consist of thousands of people.

Each individual person is eg 'a staff member'.

The word 'staff' is not used as much as some English learners seem to think.

Much more common is the word 'employee / employees'.

'Staff' is used in some specific contexts, eg for the teachers at a school.

Clive

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi Clive,

Thank you for answering my questions.

In question 1. Do you mean "Mary is abusing staff meaning she is abusing one staff member right now"?

Thanks again

Tinanam

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Thank you for answering my questions.

In question 1. Do you mean "Mary is abusing staff meaning she is abusing one staff member right now"?

I meant that that was what I thought you meant.

But really, it's an awkward and unnatural sentence. If you mean just one person and you want to use the word 'staff', say

eg Mary is abusing a staff member / one of the staff.

Clive

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi Clive,

I understand now. Thank you for your help.

Have a good day sir.

Tinanam

She is abusing staff

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