Is/Are the most expensive car/s they have

[Ashraful Haque]

I was talking about why some rich people in my country don't have expensive cars. I said the following:

"There are a lot of rich people out there who don't have anything other than Toyotas. A Toyota Prado is/Toyota Prados are the most expensive car/s they have."

Since I'm talking about more than one person should I say, 'A Toyota Prado is the most expensive car they have' or 'Toyota Prados are the most expensive cars they have.'

 

[SoothingDave]

Use the plural.

 

[emsr2d2]

You could solve the issue and make the whole thing shorter and more natural with "There are a lot of rich people out there who don't have a car more expensive than a Toyota Prado".

 

[Ashraful Haque]

You could solve the issue and make the whole thing shorter and more natural with "There are a lot of rich people out there who don't have a car more expensive than a Toyota Prado".

I face this problem quite often and I can't decide whether to use plural or singular in such contexts.
You said 'who don't have a car' but aren't we talking about more than one person? As a non native speaker I would say 'who don't have cars more expensive than....'

Just this morning I faced this very problem while writing a report:
"The Oxford Brookes BSC degree was developed by OBU and ACCA for students who have completed all nine fundamental papers as required to obtain a BSc degree."

Since I'm talking about several students shouldn't it be 'obtain BSc degrees' ?

 

[GoesStation]

Each student obtains a single degree. You'd use the plural if they were each obtaining multiple degrees.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

Each students obtains a single degree. You'd use the plural if they were each obtaining multiple degrees.

I think I understand it now. So it's the same for "who don't have a car more expensive than a Toyota Prado" since they all have the same situation it's singular.

The following sentences should be correct of I understood it properly:
1) "I heard that students are required to give a presentation to their mentor?"
Even though there are several students but we say 'a presentation' instead of 'presentation' since it's the same activity for all?

2) "Both of them have a Rolls Royce."
Since it's the same car we say 'a Rolls Royce'?

 

[Tdol]

They're correct. However, if you're looking for absolute rules on the issue, you may not find them. I would not assume that Both of them have Rolls Royces means that they each have two or more.

 

[SoothingDave]

This is where "each of them has a Rolls Royce" would be useful.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

This is where "each of them has a Rolls Royce" would be useful.

But what about when I'm surprised to see two friends who bought the same expensive watch. Can I say:
"Both of you bought an iwatch!"

 

[GoesStation]

But what about when I'm surprised to see two friends who bought the same expensive watch. Can I say:
"Both of you bought an iWatch!"

Yes, that's fine -- provided you verbally capitalize the right letter in the name.

 

[jutfrank]

Say: You both bought an iWatch!

 

[Ashraful Haque]

Thanks to everyone who answered my question. You guys are great!
Unfortunately I came across another one this afternoon.
I went to a bank and they said you are required to open an account before you can pay for the exam. So I said:
"You guys are forcing the students to one AN account/accounts in your bank."

I said 'an account'. Please correct me if I said it wrong.

 

[Tarheel]

Thanks to everyone who answered my question. You guys are great!
Unfortunately I came across another one this afternoon.
I went to a bank and they said you are required to open an account before you can pay for the exam. So I said:
"You guys are forcing the students to open AN account/accounts with your bank."

I said 'an account'. Please correct me if I said it wrong.

I would say:

You are forcing the students to open accounts at your bank.

(One, there is much about that which I do not understand. Two, at least you didn't make everything a question.)

 

[GoesStation]

"You guys are forcing the students to [STRIKE]one[/STRIKE] open AN account/accounts in your bank."

I said 'an account'. Please correct me if I said it wrong.

English is flexible here. If you're thinking of the students individually, you'll use the indefinite article. If you're thinking of them as a group, you'll use the definite article.

 

[Tdol]

Singular and plural are complex issues in English- it is not a simple question of number/numbers.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

I came across another one of these problems. I think I understand how to this type of sentence. Please correct me if the following sentence is wrong:
"We are pressurizing companies like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google to open an office in our country."

So instead of offices I used an office. Is my sentence correct?

 

[GoesStation]

I came across another one of these problems. I think I understand how to this type of sentence. Please correct me if the following sentence is wrong:
"We are pressurizing companies like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google to open an office in our country."

So instead of offices I used an office. Is my sentence correct?

I'd use offices and, although you didn't ask about this, pressuring. I think pressurizing is sometimes used in this context in British English (and I think I've seen this usage criticized), but it's not possible in American English.

 

[jutfrank]

I think pressurizing is sometimes used in this context in British English (and I think I've seen this usage criticized), but it's not possible in American English.

We use pressuring too. Using pressurizing makes it sound like you're pumping the companies full of air!

 

[GoesStation]

We use pressuring too. Using pressurizing makes it sound like you're pumping the companies full of air!

But have I remembered right that pressurizing is sometimes heard in British English, raising hackles among other Brits?

 

[jutfrank]

But have I remembered right that pressurizing is sometimes heard in British English, raising hackles among other Brits?

Possibly, but it's hard to imagine because it sounds like completely the wrong word.