adding -s

[jack]

I need help with these. What do they mean?

1. This is a ladies restroom.
2. This is a lady restroom.

3. This is a lady’s restroom.
4. This is a ladys’ restroom.

[A.Russell]

Originally Posted by jack

I need help with these. What do they mean?

1. This is a ladies restroom.
2. This is a lady restroom.

3. This is a lady’s restroom.
4. This is a ladys’ restroom.

Ladies' restroom.
( a restroom for ladies)

When 's goes on a word that ends with s the apostrophy just gets tacked on the end.

[jack]

What do these means?

1. I read the caption when i watch TV.
2. I read the captions when I watch TV. ( I understand that 'caption' is plural but what else does it mean? Let's say there are a lot of captions but they are all the same (they all belong to the same thing), I would use 'caption' right?)

Let's say that I am saying this to someone, which one would I use?


What do these means?
3. I read the caption a lot when I watch TV.
4. I read the captions a lot when I watch TV.
I don't get it, which one would I use?

Are these correct? If not, why?
5. What do these mean?
6. What do these means? ('These' is in the sentence, so 'mean' has to be plural right? eg. "These cars.")
7. These means...
8. These mean (Incorrect?)
9. This means.
10. This mean.

[Casiopea]

1. I read the caption when i watch TV. :(
==> Each line of dialogue has the same caption (the same sentence).

2. I read the captions when I watch TV. :D
==> Each line of dialogue has its own caption (its own sentence)

3. I read the caption a lot when I watch TV. :(
==> I read the same sentence over and over again.

4. I read the captions a lot when I watch TV. :D
==> I read different sentences.

5. What do these mean? :D
6. What do these means? :(
==> 'mean' is the verb and 'these' is the subject. Both are plural e.g.,

Plural:These mean.... (OK)
Singular: This means (OK)

Note that, in the singular, and with question formation, the -s is moved from the verb to the auxiliary verb 'do':

Question, Singular: What does this mean?
Statement, Singular: This means

7. These means :( Error: Plural subject + Singular verb

8. These mean :D Plural subject + Plural verb
9. This means :D Singular subject + Singular verb
10. This mean :( Singular subject + Plural verb

All the best, :D

[jack]

Thanks.

Are both of these correct? What do they mean?
1. We only sell what the average home people need.
2. We only sell what the average home people needs.

Can I replace 'need' with 'want'? So I can test if there should be a -s at the end.
3. We only sell what the average home people want.
4. We only sell what the average home people wants. (Incorrect? So #2 is incorrect right?)

Are these correct? If so, what do they mean?
5. I need the specification for the wheels, engine, brakes, and lights.
6. I need the specifications for the wheels, engine, brakes, and lights.

What do these mean?
7. What are the specifications for the car?
8. What is the specification for the car?

9. That guy gets on my nerves.
10. That guy gets on my nerve.

Defitions for nerve:
1. nerves [Show phonetics]
plural noun [C]
worry or anxiety about something that is going to happen:
I never suffer from nerves when I'm speaking in public.
She was a bundle of nerves (= very nervous) before the audition.
I always have a cigarette to calm/steady my nerves (= make me less nervous) before I go on stage.

2. nerve (BRAVERY) [Show phonetics]
noun [u]
bravery or confidence necessary to do something difficult, unpleasant or rude:
It takes a lot of nerve to be a bomb disposal expert.
I wanted to ask her out, but I lost my nerve and couldn't go through with it.
[+ to infinitive] I didn't have the nerve to tell him what I really thought of his suggestion.

I don't get it, why is 'nerves' meaing 'worry' is countable and 'nerve' meaning 'bravery' is not countable?

[Casiopea]

Try,

We only sell what the average home owner needs. :D
=> home owner is singular. :wink:

We only sell what students need. :D
=> students is plural.

5. I need the specification for the wheels, engine, brakes, and lights. :D
=> One specification either for all or for each.

6. I need the specifications for the wheels, engine, brakes, and lights. :D
=> More than one specification.

7. What are the specifications for the car? :D
=> More than one.

8. What is the specification for the car? :D
=> One.

9. That guy gets on my nerves. :D
=> More than one nerve; all my nerves!

10. That guy gets on my nerve. :(
=> Just the one nerve?

All the best, :D

[jack]

Defitions for nerve:
1. nerves [Show phonetics]
plural noun [Countable]
worry or anxiety about something that is going to happen:
I never suffer from nerves when I'm speaking in public.
She was a bundle of nerves (= very nervous) before the audition.
I always have a cigarette to calm/steady my nerves (= make me less nervous) before I go on stage.

2. nerve (BRAVERY) [Show phonetics]
noun [Uncountable]
bravery or confidence necessary to do something difficult, unpleasant or rude:
It takes a lot of nerve to be a bomb disposal expert.
I wanted to ask her out, but I lost my nerve and couldn't go through with it.
[+ to infinitive] I didn't have the nerve to tell him what I really thought of his suggestion.

I don't get it, why is 'nerves' meaing 'worry' is countable and 'nerve' meaning 'bravery' is not countable?

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by jack

I don't get it, why is 'nerves' meaning 'worry' is countable and 'nerve' meaning 'bravery' not countable?

I don't know. But that a very good observation, jack.

What about?

Countable: nerves = nerve endings
S/he has nerves ~ nerve endings of steel.
S/he gets on my nerves ~ nerve endings.

Non-count: nerve, a bundle of fibers
S/he has all the nerve! (idiomatic, means impudence)

All the best, :D

[jack]

Thanks.

Do these make sense?

1. I ahve 10 pieces of paper
2. I ahve 10 pieces of papers (What does this mean?)
3. I have 10 papers.

Are these correct? If not, why?
4. It makes the picture looks better? (What's the subject and verb for this sentence?)
5. It makes the pictures look better? (What's the subject and verb for this sentence?)

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by jack

Do these make sense?
1. I have 10 pieces of paper. :D
2. I ahve 10 pieces of papers. :D
3. I have 10 papers. :D

To me 2. and 3. mean:

2. I have 10 pieces of essays papers
3. I have ten essay papers.

Originally Posted by jack

What's the subject and the verb for each sentence?
4. It makes the picture looks better? :(
5. It makes the pictures look better? :D

Subject: It
Verb: makes
Object: the picture(s)
'look': bare infinitive (no tense!)

make someone/something DO/BE something.

EX: Adjusting the antenna on the TV makes the picture look better?
EX: Lighting makes the pictures (on the wall) look better?