[Grammar] path/paths

[Silverobama]

Hi,

The path can be wet and slippery in places.

My tutor told me this sentence was correct. Do I need to add a "s" after "path"? Because the sentence mentions "in places". Means more than one place.

Thanks a lot

 

[SoothingDave]

If there is one path, then use the singular.

More than one place does not mean more than one path.

 

[Raymott]

The path is one item. There is more than one location where the path is slippery. You are not traveling on more than one path. A somewhat similar sentence is, "The car is wet and orange in places." The car can be wet and the car can have more than one color.

I think the implication of the original is that "The path is slippery in those places in which it is wet", not that it is uniformly wet, but slippery in only some places.

 

[Silverobama]

So, is the sentence correct?

I still don't understand because I think "in places" is a plural noun. Isn't it?

 

[bhaisahab]

So, is the sentence correct?

I still don't understand because I think "in places" is a plural noun. Isn't it?

Yes the sentence is correct. There is one path, there are several places on the path that are slippery when they are wet.