my favorite animal is dogs

[bmo]

"My favorite animal is dogs." Is this correct? It seems

the subject is "my favorite animal," singular, and
the verb is "is," also singular, so they match.

is "My favorite animal is dog" wrong too?

It looks like only the following are correct:

1. My favorite animal is a dog.
2. My favorite animal is the dog.

I like to use animal in singular form, so is there any differences in these two sentences?

Thanks.

Originally Posted by bmo

"My favorite animal is dogs." Is this correct? It seems

the subject is "my favorite animal," singular, and
the verb is "is," also singular, so they match.

is "My favorite animal is dog" wrong too?

It looks like only the following are correct:

1. My favorite animal is a dog.
2. My favorite animal is the dog.

I like to use animal in singular form, so is there any differences in these two sentences?

Thanks.

Hmm.. there are several things wrong with each of the scenarios you indicated but strangely enough, the quantity agreement of the subject/predicate isn't one of them.

English isn't like so many other languages where nouns have to agree with pronouns and adjectives in number and gender (most of the time).

"My favorite animal is dog"

You're just missing the article "the" that indicated dog is singular. "Is" doesn't have to agree with anything else in the sentence, and "dog" and "animal" certainly don't have to.

"My favorite animal is the dog"
"My favorite animals are dogs"
"Our favorite animal is the dog"
"Our favorite animals are dogs"

Are all correct and none of them *require* an agreement between the subject and the predicate in terms of quantity.

HOWEVER : if you decide to change the meaning of the sentence to reflect something else more abstract then it's totally ok to leave out the article.

For instance : "My favorite food is dog"

In that case you don't need an article. You aren't talking about one dog or many dogs, you're just talking about dog in general being your favorite thing to eat.

-Nah-

[moreau450]

Hello

We can say : My favourite animal is dog. Because you're talking about dogs in general. You have to look for the definite article the. We can say: the dog is dirty. It means you are talking about a specific dog. However if you say: Dogs are dirty. You are talking about dogs in general.

bye

[Humble]

Hi,
Here's from Michael Swan:
generalisations with singular words

Sometimes we talk about things in general by using the with a singular countable noun.

Schools should pay less attention to examination success, and more attention to the child.

This is common with the names of scientific instruments and inventions, and musical instruments.

Life would be quieter without the telephone.

The violin is more difficult than the piano.

We can also generalise by talking about one example of a class, using a/an (meaning 'any') with a singular countable noun.

A baby deer can stand as soon as it's born.

A child needs plenty of love.

Note that we cannot use a/an in this way when we are generalising about all of the members of a group together.

The tiger is in danger of becoming extinct.

(not A tiger is in danger of becoming extinct. The sentence is about the whole tiger family, not about individuals.)

Do you like horses? (not Do you like a horse?)

Regards

[bmo]

Thanks a lot.

bmo