[Grammar] Regarding the use of ''s''

Status
Not open for further replies.

Joe333

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Tamil
Home Country
Sri Lanka
Current Location
Spain
Sentence: ''Why do unbearable 'internet Goebbels' expect other people to agree with their leanings ?''

Question: Does the word 'expect' need to have 's' at its end? Should it be 'expects' instead of 'expect' ?

Thanks
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Sentence: ''Why do unbearable 'internet Goebbels' expect other people to agree with their leanings ?''

Question: Does the word 'expect' need to have 's' at its end? Should it be 'expects' instead of 'expect' ?

Thanks
No.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
No. It's "Why do these people expect ...?"

I
 

Joe333

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Tamil
Home Country
Sri Lanka
Current Location
Spain

Sir, may I know the reason why? Is it because of the verb "do"? Because the word Goebbels is not a plural. The word Geobbels has "s" at its end naturally, it is not pluralize in my sentence. Or is it appears/sounds pluralize in my sentence?

Thanks
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Sir, may I know the reason why? Is it because of the verb "do"? Because the word Goebbels is not a plural. The word Geobbels has "s" at its end naturally, it is not pluralize in my sentence. Or is it appears/sounds pluralize in my sentence?

Thanks
Did you read 5jj's post?
 

Joe333

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Tamil
Home Country
Sri Lanka
Current Location
Spain
No. It's "Why do these people expect ...?"

I

Thanks. But I don't want to alter me sentence. Goebbels dysphemism has been used intentionally by me for the word propaganda. :)
 
Last edited:

Joe333

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Tamil
Home Country
Sri Lanka
Current Location
Spain
Did you read 5jj's post?

Oh I'm a tube-light. Hehe. Just reread it. Thanks for pointing. Got what you and 5jj's are saying. It is because of the verb do, "s" will not come there. Right? :)
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Oh I'm a tube-light. Hehe. Just reread it. Thanks for pointing. Got what you and 5jj's are saying. It is because of the verb do we will not use the "s" there. Right? :)
:up:
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
Thanks. But I don't want to alter [STRIKE]me[/STRIKE] my sentence.
Then don't, but it will be incorrect English unless 'Goebels' is plural, in which case it shouuld probably be 'Goebbelses',
The [STRIKE]D[/STRIKE] dysphemism 'Goebbels' has been used intentionally by me for the word propaganda. :)
You can't use a countable proper noun in the same way as you use an uncountable noun. In either case, the auxiliary verb should be 'does' not 'do', unless you are intending 'Goebbels' to be plural.
 
Last edited:

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic

Joe333

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Tamil
Home Country
Sri Lanka
Current Location
Spain
tube-light? Could you illuminate me on this, please?

It means like the tube-light takes some time to light up, I too took some time to get it :). Easier for any Asian to get the context, in the sense I have used that word. It's not in the mainstream language I guess though. So no problem. One more question is coming your way btw. Please bear me.;-)
 

Joe333

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Tamil
Home Country
Sri Lanka
Current Location
Spain
Then don't, but it will be incorrect English unless 'Goebels' is plural, in which case it shouuld probably be 'Goebbelses',

You can't use a countable proper noun in the same way as you use an uncountable noun. In either case, the auxiliary verb should be 'does' not 'do', unless you are intending '.

On first read, it went above my head. On reading it again, I got what you were trying to say. I too had this doubt but I over look it because it was sounding very natural.Too thought of using "does" initially but changed it in favor of "do" because I did not know how that word can be pluralize.

Now coming to your last line of reply, does not the intention of using 'Goebbels' as plural become clear automatically if it has been used with the "do" verb?
 
Last edited:

TheParser

VIP Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Member Type
Other
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Sentence: ''Why do unbearable 'internet Goebbels' expect other people to agree with their leanings ?''

Question: Does the word 'expect' need to have 's' at its end? Should it be 'expects' instead of 'expect' ?

NOT A TEACHER


(1) I think that the problem lies with the last name of that Goebbels person.

(2) Let's use "Napoleon" instead.

(3) Why do unbearable "internet Napoleons" EXPECT other people to agree with

their leanings?

(4) In other words, the person who wrote that sentence was referring to Goebbels in

the plural, but it was simply too awkward to use the plural, as suggested by one of the

moderators.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top