Would you please check the following sentences? Thank you.

Question

I have already asked a question about the usage of "fish" and "fruit", but the usage of the collective nouns is so tricky for me that I still can't get a thorough understanding of it.
Here I have made some new sentences using "fish" and "fruit". Please evaluate these sentences and check whether the sentences and my understanding of them are correct.

1.My favorite fishes are cods.
(Here I use "cods" and "fishes" because I want to express that I like many kinds of cod best.")

2.Cod, tuna, and salmon are three important fishes for the locals.
(Here I use "fishes" because I am referring to three species of fish)

3.My favorite fish is the tuna fish.
(I like tuna this type of fish itself, not tuna meat)

4.Apple, orange, and grape are three important fruits for the locals.
(Here I treat "apples""orange""grape" as uncountable nouns)

5.Apple, orange, and grape are fruit.
(Here I treat "apples""orange""grape""fruit" as uncountable nouns)

6.Apples, oranges, and grapes are three important fruits for the locals.
(Here I use "fruits" because they are three different kinds of fruit)

7.Apples, oranges, and grapes are fruit.

Thank you very much.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

1.My favorite fish are cods.
2.Cod, tuna, and salmon are three important fish for the locals.
3.My favorite fish is the tuna.
4.Apples, oranges, and grapes are three important fruits for the locals.
5.Apples, oranges, and grapes are fruit.
6.Apples, oranges, and grapes are three important fruits for the locals.
7.Apples, oranges, and grapes are fruit.

1–3: Essentially only ichthyological or other scientific writings use 'fishes' nowadays.
4–7: The names of fruits are natively always plural unless we are talking about only one of them or the material of which they are composed. The use of plural 'fruit' vs 'fruits' varies regionally.

Clive · Answer

1.My favorite fishes are cods.
(Here I use "cods" and "fishes" because I want to express that I like many kinds of cod best.") A native speaker would usually say 'fish'.

2.Cod, tuna, and salmon are three important fishes for the locals.A native speaker would usually say 'fish.'
(Here I use "fishes" because I am referring to three species of fish)

3.My favorite fish is the tuna ~~fish.~~
(I like tuna this type of fish itself, not tuna meat)

4.Apples, oranges, and grapes are three important fruits for the locals.
(Here I treat "apples""orange""grape" as uncountable nouns)

5.Apples, oranges, and grapes are fruit.
(Here I treat "apples""orange""grape""fruit" as uncountable nouns)

6.Apples, oranges, and grapes are three important fruits for the locals.
(Here I use "fruits" because they are three different kinds of fruit)

7.Apples, oranges, and grapes are fruit.

Zuotengdazuo · Answer

Thank you both so much. After comparing answers from yours and those from other native English speakers, I have reached such conclusions about how to make the likes of sentences in question. (although it seems that your answers are oftern contradictory)
Would you please check my conclusions?

(1) When you are talking about "fish meat", you would use "is", whether or not there is an article before "cod". (as in My favorite fish is cod. (v) Or My favorite fish is the cod. (v) But we would try to avoid using any articles before "fish" or "the name of the fish" in the likes of these sentences.)

(2) But when you are talking about "a speccific kind/species of fish", you would use "are" and "cod" as an collective noun which refers to many cod.(as in My favorite fish are cod.(v))

(3) When you are referring to "many kinds/species of (name of a fish)", you would add an "s" to the name of the fish.(as in my favorite fish are tunas.(v))

2. (1) When you are talking about names of many kinds of fruit, you should use the plural form of them. But this only happens when they are the subject. If they are the object/complement, we should use the singular form of them.

(as in There the most common fruits are pear, apple and peach.(v))

(2) When you are referring to multiple species of fruit, you can use both "fruit" and "fruits" interchangeablely.
(as in Apples, bananas and grapes are fruit(s)(v) or Apples, bannanas and grapes are three important fruit.(v) or My favorite fruit are apples and bannans.(?))

Here is the contradictions I have found between different native speakers.
Skittyoung told me
You could say "My favorite fruit is apples" (aka 1.)
While another native speaker said
My favorite fruit is apples.= No, this wrong. Apples are countable, but you're using 'apple' as an uncountable noun here (singular/no article), so it doesn't work. If you're talking about different flavours of drink, for example, you could say 'My favourite flavour is apple', because this is an uncountable use of the word.

Among other contradictions I can't remember.

Sorry if I have posted too much content. But I hope you can check it carefully and tell me if my understanding is correct. Thank you again.

Mister Micawber · Answer

zuotengdazuo(1) When you are talking about "fish meat", you would use "is", whether or not there is an article before "cod". (as in My favorite fish is cod. (v)

Yes.

zuotengdazuoOr My favorite fish is the cod. (v) But we would try to avoid using any articles before "fish" or "the name of the fish" in the likes of these sentences.)

Yes.

zuotengdazuo(2) But when you are talking about "a speccific kind/species of fish", you would use "are" and "cod"

Yes.

zuotengdazuoas an collective noun which refers to many cod

No; it is not a collective, noun but a plural form identical to the singular form. This is common in venery.

zuotengdazuo(3) When you are referring to "many kinds/species of (name of a fish)", you would add an "s" to the name of the fish.(as in my favorite fish are tunas.(v))

Yes.

zuotengdazuo2. (1) When you are talking about names of many kinds of fruit, you should use the plural form of them. But this only happens when they are the subject. If they are the object/complement, we should use the singular form of them. (as in There the most common fruits are pear, apple and peach.(v))

No, I at least made no mention of subject vs object. Your last sentence is wrong to me.
The most common fruit(s) are pears, apples and peaches.

zuotengdazuo2) When you are referring to multiple species of fruit, you can use both "fruit" and "fruits" interchangeablely. (as in Apples, bananas and grapes are fruit(s)(v) or Apples, bannanas and grapes are three important fruit.(v) or My favorite fruit are apples and bannans.(?))

Yes.

zuotengdazuoYou could say "My favorite fruit is apples"

This is 'wrong' only in that the difference in number grates on the eye and ear.

Zuotengdazuo · Answer

I'm very grateful for your help. I think this seemingly disputable question is somewhat solved for me. I might come across similar questions in the future, but right now the question is clear to me.

By the way, when you say yes,
do you include the example sentences I give in brackets? Or you just say my conclusion is correct other than my example sentences in brackets?

Mister Micawber yes

Mister Micawber · Answer

zuotengdazuodo you include the example sentences I give in brackets? Or you just say my conclusion is correct

I was focussed on your conclusions. Your posts are too long to examine in detail.

Zuotengdazuo · Answer

OK. But you have already check the sentence There the most common fruits are pear, apple and peach.(v))
Could you check the rest of the example sentences in brackets? Sorry if it takes too much of your time. But I really want to know if they are all correct.

Would you please check the following sentences? Thank you.

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions