how to differenciate between these generic sentences

[EvilsEye]

helloo everyone...

Which of the sentences above are permissible generic sentences?

1 Whales are an endangered species/The whale is an endangered species/A whale is an endangered species.

2 Zebras have striped coats/ the Zebra has a striped coat/ A Zebra has a striped coat.

3.Liquids have no shape/a liquid has no shape/the liquid has no shape.

also i love to know the reason of permisible and not permisible in each of the situations....
thanks

 

[bhaisahab]

helloo everyone...

Which of the sentences above are permissible generic sentences?

1 Whales are an endangered species/The whale is an endangered species/A whale is an endangered species. The third one is wrong, a whale is not a species.

2 Zebras have striped coats/ the Zebra has a striped coat/ A Zebra has a striped coat. These are all possible.

3.Liquids have no shape/a liquid has no shape/the liquid has no shape. These are all possible.

also i love to know the reason of permisible and not permisible in each of the situations....
thanks

Bhai.

 

[5jj]

Please use a larger font. I could hardly read your post.

1 Whales are an endangered species/The whale is an endangered species/[STRIKE]A whale is an endangered species.[/STRIKE]
'A' whale cannot be a species.

2 Zebras have striped coats/ The Zebra has a striped coat/ A Zebra has a striped coat.
The third is less likely, but possible.

3.Liquids have no shape/a liquid has no shape/[STRIKE]the liquid has no shape.[/STRIKE]
With generalisations such as your examples, we do not use the' with uncountable nouns.

 

[EvilsEye]

Thanks for ur reply and really sorry about the font...

but im curios...why in 1 first two are acceptable..what are the rules for that?...is in (1) first two have exact same meaning??what made u decide that first two are correct??

also in (2) what are the rules for all three being correct and do all three have same meaning??

as for (3) i would like to knw the differences in each three...and liquid is uncountable so why pluralizing is acceptable (liquids)..as for for an uncountable how can definite article the be acceptable thnks for help..
i also got a bit confused about the "liquid has not shape" as i got two different answer...
thnaks for help..

 

[5jj]

The liquid has no shape is a possible sentence in English, but not in a generalisation.

Thank you for using a larger font, but the one I am using is large enough.

 

[EvilsEye]

The liquid has no shape is a possible sentence in English, but not in a generalisation.

Thank you for using a larger font, but the one I am using is large enough.

lolzz...thanks.... would u know the rules for each being acceptable??and how different each sentence is in term of meaning??

 

[5jj]

We can use the with a singular countable noun:
The zebra has a striped coat.

We can also use a with a singular countable noun, but only as an example of all of the type, not as all of the type:
A zebra has a striped coat.
[STRIKE]A zebra is a member of the genus equus[/STRIKE].

We can use the plurals of countable nouns:
Zebras have striped coats.

We use no article with uncountable nouns:
Water is necessary for life.

 

[EvilsEye]

We can use the with a singular countable noun:
The zebra has a striped coat.

We can also use a with a singular countable noun, but only as an example of all of the type, not as all of the type:
A zebra has a striped coat.
[STRIKE]A zebra is a member of the genus equus[/STRIKE].

We can use the plurals of countable nouns:
Zebras have striped coats.

We use no article with uncountable nouns:
Water is necessary for life.

great...one more think i would like to ask as i got a bit confused...
are all the sentences i mentioned are generic sentences? and how would i know that any of these sentences are generic sentencess??
thank u very very much.....

 

[EvilsEye]

great...one more think i would like to ask as i got a bit confused...
are all the sentences i mentioned are generic sentences? and how would i know that any of these sentences are generic sentencess??
thank u very very much.....

i meant how would i differenciate between a generic and a non generic sentence???are there any rule for lit??