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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
singular/plural question
Seeking your advice,
Turn the light on[off].
Turn the lights on[off].
How do they differ in general?
And when and how do you use them?
Thank you teachers.
Turn the light on[off].
Turn the lights on[off].
How do they differ in general?
And when and how do you use them?
Thank you teachers.
Top answer
Hi Anon, - light [uncountable]: the energy that allows us to see things. - light [countable]: the individual lighting fixture.
- Hi Anon, - light [uncountable]: the energy that allows us to see things.
- - light [countable]: the individual lighting fixture.
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4 Answers
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Hi Anon,
- light [uncountable]: the energy that allows us to see things.
- light [countable]: the individual lighting fixture.
- light [uncountable]: the energy that allows us to see things.
- light [countable]: the individual lighting fixture.
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The 1st sentence means you’re turning (only) one light on or off. Let’s say you’ve a bed light and a ceiling one in your bedroom, you Mom would ask you to turn off your lights when you go to sleep.
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They don't really differ.
I usually use light (singular) when referring to a specific lamp with its own switch, and lights (plural) when referring to most other light sources, as when the switch is on the wall, whether the switch controls one or more lights -- because often this is unknown anyway.
CJ
I usually use light (singular) when referring to a specific lamp with its own switch, and lights (plural) when referring to most other light sources, as when the switch is on the wall, whether the switch controls one or more lights -- because often this is unknown anyway.
CJ
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Speaking idiomatically, you could use both of those interchangeably.
Having said that, I would encourage you to use light for more than one and light for only one, just to reinforce a very good habit.
Having said that, I would encourage you to use light for more than one and light for only one, just to reinforce a very good habit.
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