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Singular vs. Plural

Singular vs. Plural

Singular vs. Plural

(OP)
Assuming that there are 10 children in a class and I want to send a letter to each child’s father; can I say “Letter(s) will be sent to childen’s father(s)?”

Can anybody tell me whether I have use “s” in this context?

RE: Singular vs. Plural

"A letter will be sent to each child's father."

"Children's father" means all the children have the same father.

BTW I just had my first Mandarin Chinese class last night.  One of the first thing our teacher explained is that there is no singular/plural in Mandarin.  I can see how this might be confusing to one learning English.

RE: Singular vs. Plural

Tick's rewrite is best.  But from a purely academic standpoint, in your example sentence you'd want plural.

Hg

Eng-Tips guidelines:  FAQ731-376

RE: Singular vs. Plural

TheTick,

Perhaps you can verify this for me.  From my experience, I've witnessed Chinese colleagues who often confuses between gender words, like referring to a female as "he".  How do they distinguish males from females in Mandarin?

"A letter will be sent to the father of each child"

RE: Singular vs. Plural

(OP)
Hi All,

You think the sentence should be "Letter(s) will be sent to the children's fathers"

I'm a Hongkonger and my mother tongue is Cantonese. I am surprised why your Chinese colleague makes mistakes in gender words. In Chinese writing, there are two pronouns for man and woman; however, the pronunciations of these two pronouns in Cantonese are the same. I am not 200% sure whether they are the same in Mandarin. For me, I seldom make mistakes in gender words in writing but sometimes in speaking.....

Nevertheless, I get confused in plural nouns.....

RE: Singular vs. Plural

In Mandarin, as Steve says, there are distinct words for man and woman.

However, there is no distinction between the pronouns he or she.

RE: Singular vs. Plural

If one letter will be sent to each father, the sentence should be "A letter will be sent to each child's father."

If more than one letter will be sent, try "Letters will be sent to each child's father."

RE: Singular vs. Plural

(OP)
One more question ............

If there is a bridge which comprises 3 spans. All three spans are lifted by a crane from the ground level.

Can I say "These three spans are lifted by the crane into their final positions"

RE: Singular vs. Plural

Sounds right to me.

Some might argue that there is a more correct way of saying this, but your meaning is clear.

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