[Grammar] Regarding "ies" plural and a verb

[Joe333]

Sentence: "Thanks to the media he is gaining public sympathy/sympathies. Media honchos must take the blame for boring public to the point that they (have?) began to question motives of the media behind their hyper activism.

My question/doubt: I have two questions. First is, word sympathy should be in singular form or in plural form in the above sentence ? Second is, should the above sentence possess "have" in it or not ? Or It would do without "have" also ?


Thanks

 

[MASM]

Sentence: "Thanks to the media he is gaining public sympathy/sympathies. Media honchos must take the blame for boring public to the point that they begin/are beginning to question motives of the media behind their hyper activism.

My question/doubt: I have two questions. First is, word sympathy should be in singular form or in plural form in the above sentence ? Second is, should the above sentence possess "have" in it or not ? Or It would do without "have" also ?


Thanks

I think it should be like that.

 

[billmcd]

"Sympathy" is one of many "non-count nouns" and therefore, in general, does not have a plural form. So, it should be "sympathy".

The second sentence:
Media honchos must take the blame for boring the public to the point that many have begun to question motives of the media behind what has been described as their hyper activism.

 

[BobK]

:up: ...But 'sympathy' seems to me a bit strange in this context. 'Thanks to the media he is gaining public sympathisers'?

b

 

[MASM]

Probably, the best idea would be rephrasing the whole paragraph.