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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Singular or Plural?

I love this web-site, it is so useful for ESL!!

I have the following questions:

1 Applicants must lodge their application(s) by May.

Should we put the "s". There is only one application for one applicant, so there should be no "s". However, there is in fact more than one application, so we should put a "s"?

2 Applicants who are not contacted by us within this week should consider that their application(s) is/are unsuccessful,

Same query?

I have asked an English speaker, he said both are fine, is that true?

Thx
  

Top answer

Hi, I have asked an English speaker, he said both are fine, is that true? Yes. The singular makes it clearer that an applicant can only have one application, but thay all probably know this already.

— Clive

  • Hi, I have asked an English speaker, he said both are fine, is that true?
  • Yes.
  • The singular makes it clearer that an applicant can only have one application, but thay all probably know this already.
  • Clive
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4 Answers
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Hi,

I have asked an English speaker, he said both are fine, is that true? Yes.

The singular makes it clearer that an applicant can only have one application, but thay all probably know this already.



Clive
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Thanks very much Clive.

So, which one is better, which one is more common?

Cheers
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Hi,



Both are fine, neither is better.

Perhaps 'Applicants must lodge their applications by May' is more common.



I see 'submit' much more than 'lodge'.



Clive
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