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Snappy Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
We have a nose/We have noses
Distributive singular and distributive plural are still difficult to me.
You say, "We have a nose," and it does not mean we share a nose.
Please look at the following sentences and tell me if my understanding is correct.
1. If Mr. A has a good wife, Mr. B has a good wife, and Mr. C has a good wife, which one of the following sentences is appropriate?
1) They have a good wife.
2) They have good wives.
I feel 2) is appropriate because they do not share a single wife, and I do not think that people will misunderstand that each of them has more than one wife. In this sentence, "they" means the three specific people.
2. Which one of the following sentences is appropriate?
1) Men usually want to have a good wife.
2) Men usually want to have good wives.
I feel 1) is appropriate in this case, and I do not think that people will misunderstand that each man wants to share a single wife, because "men" in this sentence means each man.
3. What about the following cases?
1) We have a nose.
2) We have a car.
"We have noses" may be a possible sentence, but "we" in this sentence means each person (not specified) and 1) is a natural expression.
"We have a car." means "We jointly own a single car," because "we" in this sentence means specific people (maybe a couple).
Am I correct?
You say, "We have a nose," and it does not mean we share a nose.
Please look at the following sentences and tell me if my understanding is correct.
1. If Mr. A has a good wife, Mr. B has a good wife, and Mr. C has a good wife, which one of the following sentences is appropriate?
1) They have a good wife.
2) They have good wives.
I feel 2) is appropriate because they do not share a single wife, and I do not think that people will misunderstand that each of them has more than one wife. In this sentence, "they" means the three specific people.
2. Which one of the following sentences is appropriate?
1) Men usually want to have a good wife.
2) Men usually want to have good wives.
I feel 1) is appropriate in this case, and I do not think that people will misunderstand that each man wants to share a single wife, because "men" in this sentence means each man.
3. What about the following cases?
1) We have a nose.
2) We have a car.
"We have noses" may be a possible sentence, but "we" in this sentence means each person (not specified) and 1) is a natural expression.
"We have a car." means "We jointly own a single car," because "we" in this sentence means specific people (maybe a couple).
Am I correct?
Top answer
You say, "We have a nose ," and it does not mean we share a nose. Please look at the following sentences and tell me if my understanding is correct. 1.
- You say, "We have a nose ," and it does not mean we share a nose.
- Please look at the following sentences and tell me if my understanding is correct.
- 1.
- If Mr.
- A has a good wife, Mr.
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1 Answers
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You say, "We have a nose," and it does not mean we share a nose.
Please look at the following sentences and tell me if my understanding is correct.
1. If Mr. A has a good wife, Mr. B has a good wife, and Mr. C has a good wife, which one of the following sentences is appropriate?
1) They have a good wife.
2) They have good wives.
Please look at the following sentences and tell me if my understanding is correct.
1. If Mr. A has a good wife, Mr. B has a good wife, and Mr. C has a good wife, which one of the following sentences is appropriate?
1) They have a good wife.
2) They have good wives.
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