plural form of "he is an only child"

Status
Not open for further replies.

ripley

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2004
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Italian
Home Country
Italy
Current Location
Italy
Hi,
How can I say the plural of

"He is an only child"

They are only children ??????
 

riquecohen

VIP Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
Brazil
Hi,
How can I say the plural of

"He is an only child" This means that his parents have only one child.

They are only children ?????? This means that they are merely children.[/QUOTE]
The two sentences you have presented have entirely different meanings. In the second, do you mean to say that their parents have no other children?
 

ripley

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2004
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Italian
Home Country
Italy
Current Location
Italy
I mean that "they" (for example two boys) have no brothers or sisters; they are both in the same situation; each of them could say that he is an only child.
 

riquecohen

VIP Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
Brazil
I mean that "they" (for example two boys) have no brothers or sisters; they are both in the same situation; each of them could say that he is an only child.
Aha! Now I've got it. To avoid any ambiguity you'd have to say that "each one (of them) is an only child."
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
If we know that they are from different families, they are only children could work me in the right context.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
If we know that they are from different families, they are only children could work me in the right context.
I can conceive of it just about working, but I think riquecohen's suggested version is clearer, and, I suspect, more likely.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
I would have interpreted that as you did - 'just children'
 

ripley

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2004
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Italian
Home Country
Italy
Current Location
Italy
I trust your opinion and I know that in my context it was ambiguous; I was just trying to understand if the plural form doesn't exist at all; what about "single-children" as an alternative? Does it work?
Bye
Rip
 

Raymott

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Australia
I trust your opinion and I know that in my context it was ambiguous; I was just trying to understand if the plural form doesn't exist at all; what about "single-children" as an alternative? Does it work?
Bye
Rip
Nope. "We are both single children" means that neither of you is married.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top