Forum newsfeeds 
|  | | Notices | You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly at the top of your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice house the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion. | 
12-Oct-2007, 14:52
| | |  Question on "many" and "much"
why this sentence is wrong if use "many" here : "There wasn't many person there."? |
12-Oct-2007, 15:02
| | Junior Member | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Country: CH/SA
Posts: 78
Current Location: CH First Language: Gibberish Member Type: Student or Learner Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts
| | Re: Question on "many" and "much"
Even if you had used "much", it would be wrong....
Better but still odd:
There weren't many persons at... |
12-Oct-2007, 15:20
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Country: Canada
Posts: 1,155
Current Location: Alberta First Language: English Member Type: Other Thanks: 0
Thanked 13 Times in 13 Posts
| | Re: Question on "many" and "much"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered  why this sentence is wrong if use "many" here : "There wasn't many person there."? | Many refers to number. There are many pencils on the table.
Much refers to quantity. There is too much food for us to eat.
Your example sentence has several errors. The use of many is correct ironically.
There weren't many people there.
|
12-Oct-2007, 15:29
|  | Senior Member | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Country: Poland
Posts: 1,246
Current Location: Swindon, England First Language: Polish Member Type: Student or Learner Thanks: 12
Thanked 222 Times in 211 Posts
| |  Re: Question on "many" and "much"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Naamplao Many refers to number. There are many pencils on the table.
Much refers to quantity. There is too much food for us to eat.
Your example sentence has several errors. The use of many is correct ironically.
There weren't many people there.
| And what if I wanted to use the singular noun person, should it be: There wasn't many a person there.
or maybe: There weren't many a person there.
What does the subject-verb-agreement rule state in such cases?  |
12-Oct-2007, 15:38
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Country: Canada
Posts: 1,155
Current Location: Alberta First Language: English Member Type: Other Thanks: 0
Thanked 13 Times in 13 Posts
| | Re: Question on "many" and "much"
Quote:
Originally Posted by engee30 And what if I wanted to use the singular noun person, should it be: There wasn't many a person there.
or maybe: There weren't many a person there.
What does the subject-verb-agreement rule state in such cases? | If person was singular you would say: There wasn't a person there. |
12-Oct-2007, 15:41
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Country: Poland
Posts: 1,246
Current Location: Swindon, England First Language: Polish Member Type: Student or Learner Thanks: 12
Thanked 222 Times in 211 Posts
| |  Re: Question on "many" and "much"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Naamplao If person was singular you would say: There wasn't a person there. | I know that, Naamplao.  The thing is, is it possible to say: There wasn't/weren't many a person (= not many people/persons) there?
If so, what's the proper form of the verb that should be used then, wasn't or weren't? |
12-Oct-2007, 15:50
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Country: Canada
Posts: 1,155
Current Location: Alberta First Language: English Member Type: Other Thanks: 0
Thanked 13 Times in 13 Posts
| | Re: Question on "many" and "much"
Quote:
Originally Posted by engee30 I know that, Naamplao. The thing is, is it possible to say: There wasn't/weren't many a person (= not many people/persons) there?
If so, what's the proper form of the verb that should be used then, wasn't or weren't? | Ok let us use another example to get my point across.
"There was many a day that I thought about her."
Could I say this? sure!!
Would I say this? Not if I didn't want to sound like some hick from the country who just came in for his monthly trip to the big city.
Does that answer your question?
|
12-Oct-2007, 16:02
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Country: Poland
Posts: 1,246
Current Location: Swindon, England First Language: Polish Member Type: Student or Learner Thanks: 12
Thanked 222 Times in 211 Posts
| | Re: Question on "many" and "much"
That's exactly what I wanted to get - the verb is in the singular form then. 
But I didn't know it would sound like some hick, you know.
Thanks.  | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
Posting Rules
| You may post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT. The time now is 01:54. | |
