
Originally Posted by
Snappy
I am still confused with distributive singular/plural forms.
1. You must put a (or one) power supply to each carton box.
Can I understand that each carton box will contain one power supply in the above case?
2. You must connect a power supply to each machine.
Can I understand that each machine uses one power supply jointly? No.
Then can I say, "You must connect a different power supply to each machine," if each machine needs an independent power supply? Yes.
Sentence 1 and sentence 2 are similar in sentence structure. Sentence 1 suggests that there are a number of power supplies and each of them must move from one place to another. In sentence 2, however, the power supply (as a product) stays in the same place.
3. You must connect a different sensor to each circuit.
Is this sentence okay if, for example sensor 1 must connect to circuit A, sensor 2 must connect to circuit B, etc.?