I want to put an end to my doubt

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to help me to understand some peculiarity of English language?

Would you take the trouble to interpret in plain English the following sentence?

“Ten dollars award is offered for information of any person injuring this property by order of the owner.”

Would you tell me your opinion concerning the correctness of the following sentences?

“The class were distinguished for ability.”

“The regiment was in camp.”

“He, and not you, is wrong.”

“Whether he or I am to be blamed?”

“Snow and rain are disagreeable.”

“The man or the woman is to blame?”

“This monument was errected to the memory of John Jones, who was shot by his affectionate brother.”

Would you tell me whether “to blame someone for something” = “to blame something on someone”?

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards

V.

[Barb_D]

Hi Vil,
Of course, you know I"m not a a teacher, but I'm happy to respond.

“Ten dollars award is offered for information of any person injuring this property by order of the owner.”
When we have a "mass" of something (money, time, distance) we think of it as a unit and it takes the singular verb. (I'd write that one as "A ten-dollar award is..."). The owner of this property will give a $10 award to anyone who lets him (or her) know about any other person who causes damage to it.


“The class were distinguished for ability.” I'd be more likely to use the singular, but if you think of the class as many individuals, the plural is okay.

“The regiment was in camp.” The entire unit, the whole regiment, is one thing.

“He, and not you, is wrong.” Take out the part set off by commas: He is wrong.

“Whether he or I am to be blamed?” With an "or" subject, make the verb agree with what's closest.

“Snow and rain are disagreeable.” With an "and" subject, the verb is plural.

“The man or the woman is to blame?” See above with "or."

“This monument was errected to the memory of John Jones, who was shot by his affectionate brother.” -- What's your question here? Apparently John's brother shot him. WITH a comma after "shot" it simply says that John was shot (we don't know by whom) and that his brother is the one who put up the monument. A more likely reading, since affectionate brothers rarely shoot each other.

Would you tell me whether “to blame someone for something” = “to blame something on someone”? -- Pretty much, yes.

[vil]

Hi Barb_D,

Thank you for your prompt reply as well as for your thorough explanation.

Thank you also for your corroboration.

Regards

V.

[Anglika]

Small niggle - I would have thought it was "ten dollars reward".

[IvanV]

Ten dollars award -
Ten dollar reward -

And just to add something:

1.

Ten dollar reward is offered for information of any person injuring this property by order of the owner.

It'd be the same if it read:

Reward is offered... - naturally.

So, ten dollar is an adjective here and it has nothing to do with the verb.

2.

“The class were distinguished for ability.”

British likes 'police were', 'government were'. We regard them as individuals in a group. American prefers 'police was'.


I.

[Barb_D]

American prefers 'police was'.

No, that's not correct. Police is ALWAYS plural in the US.

We are more likely to use the singular for company, team, jury, class, etc., than we are the plural.

And yes, as the others have pointed out, "reward" is more appropriate than "award." Obviously, I simply used what you had written.

[IvanV]

Hum... Sorry then, I don't know why it rings back in my ear as American.

I.