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river1974
Joined: 20 May 2003
Posts: 525
Location: Taiwan
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 Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:49 pm Post subject: one-thirds |
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Dear teachers:
(a)One-thirds of students in this class are from Taiwan.
(b)One of/over three students in this class are from Taiwan.
Are there any ways to describe the same meaning as above?
Thanks. |
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asterix
Joined: 26 Jan 2003
Posts: 1654
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 5:39 am Post subject: |
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One third (not thirds)
One out of (every) three students is from Taiwan.
33% of students are from Taiwan. |
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saywhat?
Joined: 11 Apr 2005
Posts: 11
Location: Way out there
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:48 am Post subject: |
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| Also 1 in 3 students are from Taiwan |
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bud
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 2111
Location: New Jersey, US
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 10:05 am Post subject: |
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| But not one over three... |
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river1974
Joined: 20 May 2003
Posts: 525
Location: Taiwan
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| Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Thank you all. Bud, I saw the usage of "one over three..." in a reference book. Maybe such usage is no longer used. I will avoid using it. |
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bud
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
Posts: 2111
Location: New Jersey, US
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| Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 10:52 am Post subject: |
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| Well, it is possible that it is used in some dialects, just not in mine. |
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TALA
Joined: 14 Mar 2005
Posts: 52
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| Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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I've read asterix's answers and had a question.
One out of (every) three students is from Taiwan.
33% of students are from Taiwan.
The verbs in these two sentences are different! Which one is the correct one? is or are.
And how about "One third of the students is/are..."? |
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Bob S.
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 1767
Location: So. Cal
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| Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2005 11:20 am Post subject: |
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| TALA wrote: |
I've read asterix's answers and had a question.
One out of (every) three students is from Taiwan.
33% of students are from Taiwan.
The verbs in these two sentences are different! Which one is the correct one? is or are.
And how about "One third of the students is/are..."? |
Surprisingly, there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to the whole is/are issue when dealing with group or collective nouns. It depends on whether you regard the group as a single unit acting together or as a collection of individuals. And even that can vary by region.
The police is coming. The police are coming.
My family is going to Yosemite this summer. My family are going to Yosemite this summer.
Both can be correct. (You can hear British say it one way and Americans say it the other.)
It is perfectly acceptable and understandable if you said:
Half of the students are going on the trip. Half is staying behind.
See here for "Collective Nouns" (item 3):
http://www.geocities.com/muslowords/Grammar_Nouns.html |
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