grammar question

[amigo]

Hi teachers,

I want to find out if "newspapers" is always in plural form like "headquarters".

Let say,there is a page of ,say,"Wall Street Journal" on the coffee table. I want to ask somebody close to that to pass it to you. Should I say

"Excuse me,could u pass that newspapers to me?" or

"Excuse me,could u pass that newspaper to me?"

Btw,should I use "XXX, XXXXX to me" or "XXX, XXXXX for me" ?

[blacknomi]

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=newspaper

"Excuse me,could u pass that newspapers to me?"
-->If there are many types of publications sitting on the table, then you could use the plural form.

"Excuse me,could u pass that newspaper to me?"
--> If you are referring to a publication on folded sheets, use sigular form.


"Pass that newpaper to me" means the destination of the newspaper will be at my hands, whereas "pass that newpaper for me" means the papers will travel short distance to someone, and this someone will get the papers.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by amigo

I want to find out if "newspapers" is always in plural form like "headquarters".

newspaper is a count noun. Add -s only if are referring to more than one.

EX: Pass the newspaper, please. (One newspaper)
EX: Pass the newspapers, please. (Two or more newspapers)

[amigo]

According to Blacknomi,"...If you are referring to a publication on folded sheets, use sigular form. "

So if I want someone to pass a newspaper to me, that newspaper could have more than 1 sheet and more than one section (e.g.sport,finance.. section). Am I right?

If a 3-year-old point at today's "Wall Street Journal" and asks,"What's this?"
Then I can tell the kid,"It's a newspaper." (no s)
Am I right?

[blacknomi]

Your first question, not necessary! It might refer to the whole publication and it might be a sheet of classifieds.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=journal

Journal is a newspaper as well as a record of reflections or observations. It depends on the content itself.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...t+newspaper%22
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...eet+journal%22

Now what would you call it?!

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by amigo

According to Blacknomi,"...If you are referring to a publication on folded sheets, use sigular form. "

So if I want someone to pass a newspaper to me, that newspaper could have more than 1 sheet and more than one section (e.g.sport,finance.. section). Am I right?

If a 3-year-old point at today's "Wall Street Journal" and asks,"What's this?"
Then I can tell the kid,"It's a newspaper." (no s)
Am I right?

A newpaper, no matter how many pages or sections, is called a newspaper.

[amigo]

all right, u guys just made it simple for me to understand,from now on I'll just use "newspaper" without hesitation.

Thank you,teachers.

[Casiopea]

Blacknomi is good at what she does. SMILE

[blacknomi]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.....nah! You always ROCK, my Cassie.

[Casiopea]

Thanks. SMILE