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Guest Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
The + plural noun
Teachers, I have a question about the use of the definite article in the following sentences.
"The Now World" was already an old world to the Indians who were in residence when Europeans took possession of it in the sixteenth century. But the life story of the human species goes back a million years."
I am confused by the definite article "the" proceeding plural nouns. I was taught that before a plural noun "the" does not appear, but in the above passage "the" appears in "the Indians" and "the human species".
I understand the "the" in "the Indians", as the Indians are those who lived in the New World. The "the" proceeding "the human species" is very confusing. Would the interpretation of "every human species included, no exception" work?
Could you tell me about the definite article before plural nouns?
Thank you for your help.
"The Now World" was already an old world to the Indians who were in residence when Europeans took possession of it in the sixteenth century. But the life story of the human species goes back a million years."
I am confused by the definite article "the" proceeding plural nouns. I was taught that before a plural noun "the" does not appear, but in the above passage "the" appears in "the Indians" and "the human species".
I understand the "the" in "the Indians", as the Indians are those who lived in the New World. The "the" proceeding "the human species" is very confusing. Would the interpretation of "every human species included, no exception" work?
Could you tell me about the definite article before plural nouns?
Thank you for your help.
Top answer
"Species" is both the singular and the plural form of the word. In your sentence it is in the singular - people/humans as a species.
- "Species" is both the singular and the plural form of the word.
- In your sentence it is in the singular - people/humans as a species.
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2 Answers
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"Species" is both the singular and the plural form of the word. In your sentence it is in the singular - people/humans as a species.
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I was taught that before a plural noun "the" does not appear.
I am afraid you mistake "the" for "a" or "an." "The" can definitely appear before plural nouns.
the books on the table
the people I met yesterday
the children under my care
But "a(n)" cannot appear before plural nouns except for some fixed expressions like "a few + plural
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