[Grammar] On the top of the mountain ___ a rare kind of beautiful flowers

[kadioguy]

On the top of the mountain ___ a rare kind of beautiful flowers.

a. grow
b. grows
------------
Which one is correct? Could you tell me the reason?

 

[emsr2d2]

How many kinds of beautiful flower are referred to in the sentence?

 

[kadioguy]

How many kinds of beautiful flower are referred to in the sentence?

One.

But I think there are two possibility:

(a) the flower of this kind is only one, so we use the singular verb.
(b) the flowers of this kind are two or above, so we use the plural verb.

 

[jutfrank]

(a) the flower of this kind is only one, so we use the singular verb.
(b) the flowers of this kind are two or above, so we use the plural verb.

I don't understand what you mean by the above but the correct way to say what you mean is:

On the top of the mountain grows a rare kind of beautiful flower.

The head of the subject of the verb grows is kind, not flower.

 

[teechar]

Just to confirm, try this, kadioguy.

On top of the mountain [stand/stands] an impressive stack of ancient stone columns.

Which is the correct answer, "stand" or "stands"?

 

[kadioguy]

I don't understand what you mean by the above

I meant the following:

a. Maybe just one flower in this kind.
b. Maybe just many flowers in this kind.

 

[kadioguy]

Just to confirm, try this, kadioguy.

On top of the mountain [stand/stands] an impressive stack of ancient stone columns.

Which is the correct answer, "stand" or "stands"?

Now I would see "an impressive stack of ancient stone columns" as a unit, so I think the answer is "stands".

 

[jutfrank]

I meant the following:

a. Maybe just one flower in this kind.
b. Maybe just many flowers in this kind.

I see. If you mean there is just one specimen, then you don't need to say kind at all.

On top of the mountain grows a beautiful, rare flower.

But if you do, then make it clear what you mean:

On top of the mountain grows a single specimen of a rare kind of beautiful flower.

 

[kadioguy]

For example:

Should I use (A) or (B)?

(A) On the top of the mountain grows a rare kind of beautiful flower.
(B) On the top of the mountain grows a rare kind of beautiful flowers.

 

[teechar]

Now I would see "an impressive stack of ancient stone columns" as a unit, so I think the answer is "stands".

The head of that noun phrase is "stack" which is singular. Therefore, "stands" is correct.

 

[kadioguy]

For example:

Should I use (A) or (B)?

(A) On the top of the mountain grows a rare kind of beautiful flower.
(B) On the top of the mountain grows a rare kind of beautiful flowers.

1. There are indeed many flowers in the picture, so I am not sure which one is correct.
Can anyone tell me?

2. flower is a countable noun in the Longman dictionary, so why isn't there any determiner in (A)? For example ... a rare kind of a/the beautiful flower.

https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/flower

 

[jutfrank]

1. Use (A).

2. You're treating 'flower' as a kind/species.

 

[kadioguy]

2. You're treating 'flower' as a kind/species.

So we are treating 'flower' here as an uncountable noun. Am I right?

 

[jutfrank]

So we are treating 'flower' here as an uncountable noun. Am I right?

I don't know if it's correct to call it an uncountable noun, but that's approximately how I see it, yes. The word is referring to a concept—a general class rather than specific, countable individuals.