Difference between revisions of "Number in grammar"
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| − | + | '''Number''' is an important concept in [[grammar]]. It is a key attribute (quality) of [[noun]]s and [[verb]]s. In English grammar, there are two numbers: | |
*'''singular''', which means a single example, as in "The man sings" or "a blue car" or "It is blue"; and | *'''singular''', which means a single example, as in "The man sings" or "a blue car" or "It is blue"; and | ||
*'''plural''', which means more than one, as in "They sing", "blue cars" or "They are blue". | *'''plural''', which means more than one, as in "They sing", "blue cars" or "They are blue". | ||
| − | '''Number''' is usually shown by [[inflect]]ions. In English, the '''plural''' of the noun is most usually shown by the addition of '-s', or a variant spelling of this, while the '''singular''' is 'unmarked' (not inflected). With verbs, the '''singular''' (of the [[third person]] of the [[present tense]] only) is marked by adding '-s' while the plural is normally unmarked. (As is often the case, the verb '[[to be]]' is an exception -the [[past tense]] is also inflected to show number - 'I was' but 'we were'.) This apparent contradiction may be a cause of non-native speakers making errors like using a singular verb with a plural [[subject]], and ''vice versa''. | + | '''Number''' is usually shown by [[inflect]]ions. In English, the '''plural''' of the noun is most usually shown by the addition of '-s', or a variant spelling of this, while the '''singular''' is 'unmarked' (not inflected). With verbs, the '''singular''' (of the [[third person]] of the [[present tense]] only) is marked by adding '-s' while the plural is normally unmarked. (As is often the case, the verb '[[to be]]' is an exception - the [[past tense]] is also inflected to show number - 'I was' but 'we were'.) This apparent contradiction may be a cause of non-native speakers making errors like using a singular verb with a plural [[subject]], and ''[[vice versa]]''. There is also a common problem with [[3rd person]] [[personal pronoun]]s - see [[3rd person problem]]. |
| − | Other languages have more than two | + | :Other languages have more than two grammatical '''number'''s: both Arabic and classical [[Greek]], for example, have a special form (the '''dual''') to indicate two of something. |
| − | [[category:grammar]][[category:noun attributes]][[category:verb attributes]] | + | [[category:grammar]][[category:noun attributes]][[category:verb attributes]][[category:Grammar concepts]][[category:agreement]] |
Latest revision as of 15:04, 24 August 2009
Number is an important concept in grammar. It is a key attribute (quality) of nouns and verbs. In English grammar, there are two numbers:
- singular, which means a single example, as in "The man sings" or "a blue car" or "It is blue"; and
- plural, which means more than one, as in "They sing", "blue cars" or "They are blue".
Number is usually shown by inflections. In English, the plural of the noun is most usually shown by the addition of '-s', or a variant spelling of this, while the singular is 'unmarked' (not inflected). With verbs, the singular (of the third person of the present tense only) is marked by adding '-s' while the plural is normally unmarked. (As is often the case, the verb 'to be' is an exception - the past tense is also inflected to show number - 'I was' but 'we were'.) This apparent contradiction may be a cause of non-native speakers making errors like using a singular verb with a plural subject, and vice versa. There is also a common problem with 3rd person personal pronouns - see 3rd person problem.
- Other languages have more than two grammatical numbers: both Arabic and classical Greek, for example, have a special form (the dual) to indicate two of something.
