0
Zajoman Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
The Plural of Smoke
I was asked an interesting question: "Is there a plural of the word 'smoke' in English?" I'm pretty confident there is, but I just can't think of a good example.
Maybe: "The morning horizon was blackened with dark smokes from the two factories," meaning that there were two distinct smoke sources. What do you think?
Maybe: "The morning horizon was blackened with dark smokes from the two factories," meaning that there were two distinct smoke sources. What do you think?
Top answer
I don't think it works in that case-- 'the dark smoke from both factories' is the expected. ' .
- I don't think it works in that case-- 'the dark smoke from both factories' is the expected.
- ' .
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
5 Answers
0
.
I don't think it works in that case-- 'the dark smoke from both factories' is the expected. As slang for a cigarette, of course, it is fine-- 'I bummed two smokes from him before he left.'
.
I don't think it works in that case-- 'the dark smoke from both factories' is the expected. As slang for a cigarette, of course, it is fine-- 'I bummed two smokes from him before he left.'
.
00
0
Hi Zajoman,
I just want to make sure you understood the answer. You originally said you were confident there was a plural, and Mr. M. said in the context you decribed, you would NOT say "smokes." Then you said it was "as you thought."
You did understand that "The smokes from the factories" is NOT correct, right? Smokes only works as a slang for cigarettes.
I just want to make sure you understood the answer. You originally said you were confident there was a plural, and Mr. M. said in the context you decribed, you would NOT say "smokes." Then you said it was "as you thought."
You did understand that "The smokes from the factories" is NOT correct, right? Smokes only works as a slang for cigarettes.
00
Yes, I do understand. I was confident there was a plural for "smoke", but I was unable to find any reasonable use for the plural, so I doubted its real use. Mr. M. confirmed my doubt and that's what I meant by saying "as I thought". The example I gave was just a despairing try which I doubted from start.
So to make it absolutely clear, you never use "smokes" in formal English, right?
So to make it absolutely clear, you never use "smokes" in formal English, right?
00
Oh good. I just wanted to make sure.
Don't use it as a noun. (As a verb, of course, "smokes" is just fine.)
Don't use it as a noun. (As a verb, of course, "smokes" is just fine.)
0
Related Questions