Kind / Kinds

[jack]

I have spent quite some time on these but I can't figure out what exactly do they mean.

Are these correct? If not, why? What do they mean?

1. What kinds of chocolate do you have?
2. What kind of chocolates do you have?
3. What kinds of chocolates do you have?

[Casiopea]

kind of _______ (Singular Noun)
kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)

Click Here.

All the best, :D

[jack]

So these are incorrect?

1. What kind of chocolates do you have? (How come this sounds right to me?
2. What kinds of chocolate do you have? (How come this sounds right to me?

[Casiopea]

1. What kind of chocolates do you have? (Used when 'kind' means, a specific brand, genre, etc., e.g., What kind of movies do you like?)

2. What kinds of chocolate do you have? (OK, Non-count, Mass noun)

Note:

A. What kind of fish do you have?
(One type of fish, and what kind do you have?)

EX: What kind of chocolate do you have?

B. What kinds of fish do you have?
(More than one type of fish, and what kinds do you have?)

EX: What kinds of chocolate do you have?

[jack]

kind of _______ (Singular Noun)
kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)

1. What kinds of chocolate do you have? (how come 'chocolate' isn't 'chocolates'? No plural noun here? I don't have to follow that rule?)

2. What kinds of chocolates do you have? (What does this mean? I can't figure out the meaning for this.)

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by jack

1. What kinds of chocolate do you have? (how come 'chocolate' isn't 'chocolates'? No plural noun here? I don't have to follow that rule?)

2. What kinds of chocolates do you have? (What does this mean? I can't figure out the meaning for this.)

Try this link: Click Here.

All the best, :D

[jack]

Thanks.

I still don't really understand this:

kind of _______ (Singular Noun)
kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)

What do you mean by that?

What do these mean?
1. What kinds of chocolates do you have?
2. What kinds of chocolate do you have? ('kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)' this is not incorrect right? What does that plural rule mean?)
3. What kind of fishes do you have? (Is this incorrect? Why? I don't get it.)

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by jack

Thanks.

I still don't really understand this:

What do you mean by that?

What do these mean?
1. What kinds of chocolates do you have?
2. What kinds of chocolate do you have? ('kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)' this is not incorrect right? What does that plural rule mean?)
3. What kind of fishes do you have? (Is this incorrect? Why? I don't get it.)

Note that, speakers tend not to observe the rule. :wink:

chocolate can be count (e.g. individual chocolates) or non-count (e.g., a slab of chocolate).

Non-count (e.g. a slab of chocolate)
What kind of chocolate do you have?
What kind of fish do you have?

Count (e.g. individual chocolates)
What kinds of chocolates do you have?
What kinds of fishes do you have? (Used by biologists to mean, species)

All the best, :D

[jack]

What do these mean?
1.What kinds of fish do you have? (Is this asking about what kinds of fish do you have from that group?)
2. What kinds of fishes do you have? (Is this asking about more then one group of fishes?

[Casiopea]

Both questions refer to type or kind. Question 2. would be used by biologist to refer specifically to species of fish.

1. What kinds of fish do you have?
2. What kinds of fishes do you have?