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hela
Joined: 02 May 2004
Posts: 420
Location: Tunisia
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 Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:27 am Post subject: non-count nouns |
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Dear teacher,
1) Are names of fish uncountable ?
e.g. trout, salmon, cod, carp, tuna(s)?
2) Can the word �reading� be used in the plural (= readings)?
3) Is there a difference between �fume� and �fumes�?
4) Does the word �garment� always take a plural verb?
Thank you for your help.
Hela |
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Bob S.
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 1767
Location: So. Cal
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:21 am Post subject: Re: non-count nouns |
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| hela wrote: |
1) Are names of fish uncountable ?
e.g. trout, salmon, cod, carp, tuna(s)? |
They can be.
Salmon spawn in this river. Tuna are found in the waters around Catalina.
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| 2) Can the word �reading� be used in the plural (= readings)? |
Yes if used in reference to many things read.
From my readings of ancient documents, I discovered that Christopher Columbus did not actually found the city in Ohio.
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| 3) Is there a difference between �fume� and �fumes�? |
Fumes is the noun refering to smoke or gases, usually noxious.
Fume is the verb form, to release or produce fumes.
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| 4) Does the word �garment� always take a plural verb? |
No. Garment is singular.
When are you using garment in a plural sense? |
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hela
Joined: 02 May 2004
Posts: 420
Location: Tunisia
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| Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Bob.
And what's the meaning of "readings" here ?
"The poets will give readings of their work this evening."
See you,
Hela |
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Bob S.
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 1767
Location: So. Cal
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| Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:09 am Post subject: |
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| hela wrote: |
Thanks Bob.
And what's the meaning of "readings" here ?
"The poets will give readings of their work this evening." |
In this case, reading is a gerund (a verb + "ing" used as a noun). As there are many poets and many of their works to be read, the gerund noun becomes plural, hence "readings".
So if you diagram the sentence, the subject is "poets", the verb is "will give", and the direct object is "readings". |
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