Chapter 10 American Culture II

The Advanced Grammar Book - Jocelyn Steer, Karen Carlisi 1998

Chapter 10 American Culture II

• Article Use

• Subject-Verb Agreement

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. When you meet someone for the first time, what do you say? How do you greet your friends? Your teacher or boss? What do you say or do when you leave? Are these customs different from conventional means of greeting people in the United States?

2. If a close friend were coming to the United States for the first time, what single piece of advice would you give him or her?

Objectives

In this chapter, you will learn:

1. To use the definite and indefinite articles correctly

2. To understand when not to use an article

3. To use articles with proper nouns

4. To use articles in making generalizations

5. To use correct subject-verb agreement

6. To understand collective nouns

Preview

DIRECTIONS: The following selection includes the first three paragraphs from an essay on adjusting to life in the United States. The essay was written by Rupa Joshi, a Fulbright scholar from Nepal who studied in the United States. Read the excerpt and then answer the questions that follow. The essay will be continued later in the chapter.

A Crash Course in Americana

by Rupa Joshi

When I came to the United States last year, I was given a crash course on how to get by. I, was flooded with tips to tide me over any cultural shock. Before I had time to recover from jet lag, I had learned about the Boston Tea Party, seen a Native American; museum, eaten barbecue, listened to Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and watched a rodeo.

I was told not to be offended if most Americans didn’t look me in the eye while replying to my questions. I was advised to feel comfortable calling elders, including professors, by their first names or nicknames. “It’s OK to eat chicken with your fingers,” they said, “provided it’s not a formal dinner.” They told me not to be alarmed if just-introduced males kissed or embraced me....

My orientation advisers taught me the important things, all right. But after living here for nearly a year and a half as a graduate student, I still find myself trying to fine-tune myself to the new lifestyle. These are small things, nuances that probably seem insignificant to those who have lived here longer. But to me they are constant irritants, sand in my shoes.

(To be continued)

VOCABULARY

a crash course: a rapid introduction to

to tide me over: to get me through

to fine-tune: to adjust more precisely

CULTURAL NOTE/DISCUSSION

The rest of the essay by Rupa Joshi describes the irritants, or the “sand in my shoes” the author describes. If you were going to finish this essay, what “irritants” would you talk about? Discuss your ideas with the class or with a partner.

Focus ON GRAMMAR

The following questions are based on the preview text and are designed to help you find out what you already know about the structures in this chapter. Some of the questions may be hard and

some of them may be easy. Answer as many of the questions as you can. Work with a partner if your teacher tells you to do so.

1. Consider the following sentence from the preview text:

“I had learned about the Boston Tea Party, seen a Native American museum, eaten barbecue, listened to Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and watched a rodeo.”

Can you explain why the appears before the noun phrase “Boston Tea Party” and a appears before the other two nouns?

2. Consider the following phrase:

“I still find myself trying to fine-tune myself to the new lifestyle.”

Using the before new lifestyle indicates that the lifestyle the author is describing has been previously mentioned in the text. What is this new lifestyle?

3. Consider the following sentence:

“But to me they are constant irritants, sand in my shoes.” Why is no article used before the noun, sand?

Why is no article used before the noun, irritants?

Grammatical Patterns part One

I. Article Use: An Overview

Nouns in English can be preceded by the articles a/an or the, or by no article, depending on their use. Note the examples below. This section will examine all three possibilities in detail.

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A. Using A/An (indefinite articles)

A and an are indefinite articles. They are used only with count nouns that have not been specified. Note their uses on the next page.

Rule

EXAMPLE

Count Nouns

• Use a or an before an unspecified noun, i.e., one that has not previously been identified. In (1), the sentence does not specify a particular car.

1. Most families own a car.

Noncount Nouns

• Do not use a and an before a noncount noun.

In (2), ice cream is a noncount, mass noun. (See Chapter One for an explanation of count and noncount nouns.)

2. Most children love ice cream.

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10.1 Written Drill: Greetings

DIRECTIONS: Read the following paragraph on advice for foreign visitors about greetings in the United States. All indefinite articles (a/an) have been omitted. Insert a or an wherever it is necessary.

What should you do when you meet American for the first time? Some people suggest that you smile and say “Hi!” in informal situation or “How do you do?” in formal situation.

Others recommend firm handshake. Everyone will agree that kiss is not appropriate, even on the cheek. It is common to make small talk when you first meet person. You can talk about the weather, recent sporting event, or better yet, ask the person question about his or her life. In any case, don’t remain silent when you meet people for the first time because if you do, the person might think you are snob!

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B. Using The (definite article)

The definite article, the, can be used with both count and noncount nouns. Its use indicates that the speaker (or writer) and the listener (or reader) share a definite knowledge about the noun referred to. Note the ways in which this definite reference can be made.

USES OF THE

EXAMPLE

Noncount Nouns

A. Before a noun that has been qualified or limited by a prepositional phrase2. In (1) in the/bottle limits the milk.

1. The milk in the bottle has soured.

B. Before a noun that has been qualified by an adjective clause2. In (2) wine has been limited by the clause that I bought.

2. The wine that I bought is on the table.

Count Nouns

C. Before a noun that has been qualified by a prepositional phrase, such as in the lot in (3) or an adjective clause, such as that I picked out in (3).2

3. The car in the lot is not the car that / picked out.

D. Before a noun that has been previously specified. In (4), the first sentence indicates that the car belongs to Mr. Jones.

4. Mr. Jones bought a car yesterday. The car is a 1989 Toyota.

E. Before a noun that refers to the class or the thing in general. In (5), the sentence is describing the class of cars, Cadillacs.

5. The Cadillac symbolized prestige in the 1950s.

F. In a superlative adjective + noun construction as the most expensive in (6).

6. The most expensive car 1 ever bought was a I960 Corvette.

G. Before a noun that is one of a kind. In (7), there is only one Earth.

7. The Earth is round.

“There are a few exceptions to this rule. See section E, Some Exceptions to the Article Rules.

10.2 Recognition Activity: Education in the United States

DIRECTIONS: Read the following sentences about the state of education in the United States. Then indicate why a definite article (the) precedes the italicized nouns. Refer to the chart on page 240 for a list of cases requiring definite article use.

Example

The personal computer now plays an important role in secondary education in the United States. The precedes personal computer because it’s a count noun and it refers to the computer in general.

1. The high school diploma used to be a valuable degree for getting a job in the United States at the beginning of the century. The job one got depended on a number of factors.

2. In today's world, the job seeker has a better chance of finding a good job after earning a college degree.

3. The attitude that our grandparents had towards school was quite different from the attitude our children now have.

4. It is very sad to many Americans that a country such as the United States—one of the richest countries in the world—does not place a high priority on the education of its young people.

5. Many parents are fighting against the problems of public schools—overcrowding, gang violence, apathy—and they are demanding that their children be given the best possible education.

10.3 Written Drill: Definite and Indefinite Articles

DIRECTIONS: The following paragraphs are a continuation of the essay from the Preview selection of this chapter. Fill in the blanks with the, a or an as appropriate. Be ready to explain your choices.

1 Coming from Nepal, ... country where people drive on ... left side of the road, I received ample warnings to be careful while crossing the street But people failed to tell me that in this country even pedestrian traffic flows ... wrong way. Walking in malls or down school corridors, I constantly seem to get in ... way of people going the opposite direction ... situation gets more tricky when the footpath—sorry, pavement—is used by people on roller blades and skateboards.

2 I still have not been able to fathom some of ... mysteries of bathrooms, or restrooms. (I haven’t even figured out when ... bathroom becomes ... restroom.) It’s taken me long time to get used to these plush-carpeted, heavily scented and color-coordinated rooms that put to shame many living rooms back home.

C. No Article

There are some cases in which no article is used before a count or noncount noun. Study the following chart for a list of these cases.

Use No Article

EXAMPLE

Noncount Nouns

A. Before unspecified noncount nouns. In (1) success is a noncount noun which has not been limited in any way.

1. Success is often determined by wealth.

B. Before gerunds (verb-ing).

In (2), making is a gerund.

2. Making money is important to many parents in their 30s.

C. Before nouns which identify social institutions. In (3) marriage refers to the social institution of marriage. Other nouns like this include divorce and retirement.

3. Marriage is increasing in the United States and so is divorce.

D. Before references to academic subjects of study, e.g., history in (4).

4. My sister is studying history.

Count Nouns

E. Before plural count nouns that refer to the class or thing in general, as Cadillacs and symbols in (5).

5. Cadillacs are symbols of status. (See section D, Generalizations.)

F. Before locations that imply a specific activity. In (6), work is both a place and an activity. Other nouns like this include school and church.

6. She drove to work. (See the special note below.)

G. Before titles, e.g., president in (7), or appointments, e.g., chairperson in (8).

7. Clinton was elected president.

8. She was appointed chairperson.




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10.4 Written Drill: Article Use

DIRECTIONS: Fill in the blanks with a/an, the, or 0 (for no article), as appropriate. Be ready to explain your choices. Work with a partner if your instructor tells you do to so.

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10.5 Written Activity: A Letter Home

DIRECTIONS: Write a letter to a friend or family member and tell him or her about your first week in a foreign country. If you have never lived in a foreign country, then write about a week that you spent in a different city. Pay careful attention to the use of articles.

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You will want to pay special attention to article use when you use nouns in a generic way. Generic means “in general.” Note how the article use is different in the following sentences:

a. The computer has changed life in many ways.

b. I bought a computer in order to do payroll taxes.

Sentence (a) refers to the computer as a generic noun. It makes a generalization about the effects of the computer on our lives. Sentence (b) speaks about a specific computer that the speaker bought, one item in the general class of computers. Note that it would be incorrect to use the in (b), just as you cannot use a in place of the in sentence (a).

Below are four ways to make general statements about people or things in English. Note the difference in article and number use in each generalization and also the degree of formality.

Count Nouns

Form

Use

Example

A. the + singular noun

• Use the when speaking generally about nouns in the following categories:

• plants

• animals

• technical inventions

• with certain adjectives used as nouns (e.g., the rich)

1. The computer has changed everyday life in the United States. (technical inventions)

2. The sloth is a three-clawed animal found in Costa Rica. (animals)

3. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. (adjectives used as nouns)

4. The crocus is the first flower to bloom in spring. (plants)

B. the + plural noun

• Use the when speaking generally about nouns in the following categories:

• classes of people (ethnic groups, professional groups)

• plural proper nouns

5. In business, the Americans are often direct in their refusals. The Japanese often find their bluntness disconcerting, (ethnic groups)

6. The medical doctors have a strong lobby. (professional group)

7. The native American Indians lost their land. (proper plural noun)

C. a/an + singular noun

• For nouns that do not belong in any of the categories described in (A) or (B) above, use a/an when making generalizations about those nouns.

8. A car is a necessity in the city.

9. A house on oceanfront property can be expensive.

D. plural noun with no article (0)

• The nouns in (C) above can also be made plural and used without an article to make a generalization. This is less formal than the other constructions.

Note: It is not possible to use the with these plural nouns for generalizations. Sentences (12) and (13) are incorrect.

10. Cars are necessary in this city.

11. Houses can be expensive in Washington, D.C.

12. Incorrect: The cars are necessary in this city.

13. Incorrect: The houses can be expensive in Washington, D.C.

Noncount Nouns

Form

Use

Example

E. noncount noun only (no article)

• Never use an artide with noncount nouns when using these nouns generically.

14. Love is a many-splendored thing.

15. Gold is a precious metal.

16. Death and taxes are inevitable.






10.6 Recognition Activity: Specific or Generic?

DIRECTIONS: Read the following sentences and identify the noun in bold as specific or generic. ! Generic means that it refers to the entire class of things or people in that category. Specific means i it refers to a specific instance or portion of that category.

Example

a. A modem sends information across telephone lines. Generic

b. I will need a modem to be able to work at home. Specific

In sentence (a), the writer is describing how all modems work, so this is a generic noun. Sentence j (b) refers to one modem that the writer is going to buy, so it is a specific noun.

1. There are many surprises for a foreign student visiting the United States.

2. They might be surprised at the informality between a student and a professor.

3. A student from Japan was surprised when the professor told her to call him by his first name.

4. Another student was shocked when an American student began arguing in a loud voice with his professor.

5. The foreign student believed that such behavior was a sign of disrespect.

6. Foreigners are also likely to be surprised at the distances between places in the country.

7. It is not uncommon for people to drive one hour to work.

8. Public transportation is often poor in U.S. cities.

9. Foreign students don’t always realize they will need a car.

10. Finally, many foreign students are surprised at how well Americans treat dogs. Some people say they treat dogs better than their own children.

10.7 Paired Activity: Generalizations

DIRECTIONS: Work in pairs. Discuss whether any of the sentences in Exercise 10.6 can be restated using a different noun phrase construction. Put a check next to those sentences. Then compare your answers with those of the entire class.

Example

A modem sends information across telephone lines. Generic

Modems send information across telephone lines.

The modem sends information across telephone lines.

10.8 Oral Activity: Proverbs in English

DIRECTIONS: Each of the following sentences is a well-known proverb in English. With a partner, read each one and supply an appropriate article in the space provided (the, a/an, 0). Be ready to explain why you made the choice that you did. Then choose two proverbs from the list and discuss the meaning of each one. Be ready to tell the class what you and your partner discussed.

1. ... variety is ... spice of ... life.

2. You can’t teach ... old dog ... new tricks.

3. ... beauty is only skin deep.

4. ... bird in ... hand is worth two in ... bush.

5. Every cloud has ... silver lining.

6. ... grass is always greener on ... other side.

7. ... practice makes perfect.

8. ... Rome wasn’t built in ... day.

9. ... money is ... root of all ... evil.

10. ... money makes ... world go round.

11. Write two proverbs that you know from your culture, or ones your family used, and be ready to talk about their meaning.

E. Some Exceptions to the Article Rules

Although you learned that count and noncount nouns qualified by an adjective clause or prepositional phrase are preceded by the, there are some exceptions to this rule. These are explained below.

COUNT NOUNS

Compare:

a.I want to buy a suitcase from Italy.

b. Where is the suitcase that you bought in Italy?

• The meaning in (a) is “any suitcase from Italy,” not a specific one, so a is used.

• In (b), both the speaker and listener know which suitcase is being referred to, so the is necessary.

Compare:

c. A car, which can be quite expensive, is indispensable to a foreign student in the United States.

d. The car that my brother bought doesn’t have any air-conditioning.

• In (c), car is generic; it refers to all cars. It is followed by an adjective clause that does not specify which car. Use a.

• In (d), car has been limited by an adjective clause, so you must use the.

Noncount NOUNS

Compare:

e.I love cheese from Wisconsin.

f. Where is the cheese that you bought yesterday?

g. Hail, which is a combination of ice and snow, can be quite dangerous.

h. The hail that we get in my town can be as big as golf balls.

• In (e), cheese is a generic noun meaning “any cheese from Wisconsin.”

• In (f), the cheese has been specified.

• In (g), the noncount noun is generic followed by a nonrestrictive adjective clause.

• In (h), the hail has been limited to a specific type, that is, the hail in a specific town. Use the to reflect this specification.

10.9 Written Drill: Exceptions to Article Rules

DIRECTIONS: Fill in the blanks with a/an, the, or 0, as appropriate.

1. I know ... place where we can go for lunch.

2. This is ... place which I told you about.

3. ... pet, which can be quite a nuisance at times, can also be a joy to elderly people.

4. Most people don’t like ... steak which has been overcooked.

5. I gave ... steak which I overcooked to the dog.

10.10 Written Exercise: Articles

DIRECTIONS: Fill in the blank with any noun that makes sense. You will have to decide whether to use the, a/an or —.

Example

CUE: ... you gave me was beautiful.

ANSWER: The sweater you gave me was beautiful.

1. ... which bothers me most about a foreign language is the pronunciation.

2. ... never makes me scared, but sure does!

3. I really need ...; do you know where I can find it?

4. The area which intrigues me the most in the United States is ...

5. ... in my first language is quite different from English, but is quite similar.

Grammatical Patterns Part Two

Subject-Verb Agreement

Preview

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DIRECTIONS: What do you know about tipping in the United States? Should you tip a waiter? How much? Read the following text on tipping customs in the United States to find out. Then answer the questions that follow.

U.S. Visitors Tripping on Our Way off Tipping

By Sehyon Joh

1 A number of tourists visiting the U.S. face more than the language barrier when they visit New York or other large American cities. The intricacies off tipping have some of them baffled.

2 France, as well as many other European countries, has a “tip-included” policy which means the service is included in the bill. But if a customer is especially satisfied with the service, he or she might leave an extra franc or two on the table.

3 A tourism official tells the story of a French visitor who felt insulted, when an American waiter followed him to the door, handed him the dollar he had left on the table as a tip and told him: “I think you need this dollar more than I do. Take it.” The French visitor had assumed, of course, that the tip had already been included in the bill.

4 In many countries in Asia, there is basically no tipping, so none of the waiters expects to find a tip on the table after serving customers. In spite of these differences, foreign visitors learn quickly about U.S. tipping customs.

5 Just how much should a person tip? “Fifteen percent is acceptable, and twenty percent is preferable,” says John Turchiano, spokesman for the Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union Local.

6 Lawrence Goldberg, an official at the Taxi Drivers and Allied Workers’ Union, said that for taxi drivers, $25.00 a day in tips is the average for a large city. This represents about 25-30 percent of his income. When Goldberg was asked who the worst tippers were, he replied, “Those rich old ladies out shopping on Fifth Ave.”

Focus ON GRAMMAR

The following questions are based on the preview text and are designed to help you find out what you already know about the structures in this chapter. Some of the questions may be hard and some of them may be easy. Answer as many of the questions as you can. Work with a partner if your teacher tells you do so.

1. Locate the following subjects in the preview text, underline them and write the verb which follows them in the space provided.

a. “A number of tourists” ... (paragraph 1)

b. “The intricacies of tipping” ... (paragraph 1)

c. “France, as well as other European countries” ... (paragraph 2)

d. “None of the waiters” ... (paragraph 4)

e. “Fifteen percent” ... (paragraph 5)

f. “$25.00 a day” ... (paragraph 5)

2. Using the examples in (1) above as a guide, fill in the blanks with is (singular nouns) or are (plural nouns) in the following sentences. Then try to formulate a rule for subject-verb agreement for these cases.

a. A number of Chinese visitors to the United States ... surprised by the tipping customs here since tipping is prohibited in their country.

RULE: ...

b. $4.35 an hour ... the average wage of a waiter in the U.S.

RULE: ...

c. Ten percent ... not a sufficient tip for good service at an upscale restaurant.

RULE: ...

d. None of the workers in a fast food restaurant ... given tips for service.

RULE: ...

e. A waiter, as well as a taxi driver and a hairstylist, ... paid wages plus tips.

RULE: ...

I. Subject-Verb Agreement

A. General Principles

You know that the subject of a sentence or clause must agree in number with the main or auxiliary verb of that sentence or clause. Most of the time, deciding if the noun is singular or plural is quite obvious, as in the following examples:

1. The book is missing. (singular noun; singular verb)

2. The books were on the table yesterday. (plural noun; plural verb)

However, sometimes the subject is longer than one word. Other times, it involves a more complex expression which makes it more difficult to decide whether it is singular or plural.

3. Whatever you want to do is fine with me. (In this case the subject is a clause and thus requires a singular verb.)

4. A box of books was delivered to my office. (The subject here is a box and not books, so the subject is singular.)

5. Every book is checked out. (Every + noun requires a singular verb.)

6. One of the books was missing. (Only one, so the subject is singular.)

7. The news is on at 6:00. (Some nouns which end in -s such as economics and species are singular.)

10.11 Rapid Drill: Subject-Verb Agreement

DIRECTIONS: Complete the following phrases using is or are.

Example

CUE: Most of the houses in the city

ANSWER: Most of the houses in the city are built of wood.

1. Most of the cars in this city ...

2. Many of the women at this school ...

3. One of the students in this class ...

4. English classes ...

5. The homework I have ...

6. Learning a second language with other students ...

7. Roses ...

8. Every grammar class I take ...

9. A pair of glasses ...

10. Mathematics ...

Image B. Some Special Cases

The chart below summarizes some potentially troublesome cases in subject-verb agreement.

Quantities/Additions

EXAMPLE SENTENCE

RULE/EXPLANATION

a number of

vs.

the number of

В. A number of foreign visitors are surprised by tipping customs.

2. The number of customers

is 75.

• A number of means “many,” so a plural verb is used as in (1).

• The number of means “the amount,” so a singular verb is used with this expression as in (2).

percents/fractions amounts/distances

3. 20% is preferable.

4. Half is given to the busboy.

5. $3.35 is the minimum wage.

6. Five miles is an average distance for me to run.

• A singular verb follows percentages, fractions, amounts, and distances when they are not followed by an “of phrase.”

amounts + of phrases

7. Half of the tables are occupied.

8. The majority of the customers are happy.

9. A quarter of the cake is gone!

10. 21% of the population is poor.

11. 21% of the books are paperback.

• When an -of phrase follows a percentage, distance, fraction, or amount, the verb agrees with the noun closest to the verb. Therefore, in (7) the verb agrees with tables, a plural noun, and in (9), the verb agrees with cake, a singular noun.

none

12. None of the workers receives a tip.

13. None of the workers receive a tip. (less formal)

• Usually, a singular verb follows none, even if the noun following it is plural (12).

• In conversational English, a plural noun has become acceptable, as in (13).

as well as/ in addition to/ together with

14. France, as well as other European countries, has a tip-included policy.

15. Waiters, in addition to others who work for tips, are usually generous tippers.

• With these expressions, the first noun determines if the verb is singular or plural. In (14), France is the subject of the sentence and not other European countries, so the plural is singular.

• Note how these expressions are set off by commas.

10.12 Rapid Drill: Subject-Verb Agreement

DIRECTIONS: Complete the following sentences paying careful attention to subject-verb agreement.

1. Half of the English words I learn ...

2. The majority of students in the class ...

3. None of the teachers I know ...

4. A million dollars ...

5. A number of leaders in the world ...

6. Doctors, in addition to lawyers, ...

7. 100% ...

8. One quarter of my day ...

9. A number of students in this class ...

10. Tom Cruise, as well as other movie actors, ...

11. The number of tests in this class ...

12. Six miles ...

13. 55% of the population ...

14. One-third of my friends ...

15. Over half ...

COMPOUND SUBJECTS

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

Rule/Explanation

neither/nor

1. Neither the host nor his guests were happy.

2. Neither the guests nor their host was happy.

• The noun closest to the verb determines if that verb is singular or plural.

either/or

3. Either John or his brothers are going to make dinner.

• In (1), the second noun guests determines that the verb is plural.

not only/but also

4. Not only the waiter but also the cook and busboy work for tips.

• In (2), host is closest to the verb, so a singular verb is required.

both/and

5. Both John and his sister are going to be at the party.

• Use a plural noun with subjects using both/and.

and

6. Carol and Bob were at the party.

7. The administration and interpretation of educational tests is an important part of her job.

• Compound subjects connected by and are always plural as in (6).

• Occasionally, the compound subject describes two parts of a single process as in (7). Use a singular verb in this case.

10.13 Written Drill: Compound Subjects

DIRECTIONS: Complete the following sentences.

1. Neither my mother nor my father ...

2. Not only cigarette smoking, but also drinking and overeating ...

3. Neither Italy nor other European countries ...

4. Not only New York, but also other cities, ...

5. The city of San Francisco ...

6. I’m not sure who is going; either my friend or my parents ...

7. Walking and running ...

8. The collection of water ...

10.14 Written Activity: Customs in Your Culture

DIRECTIONS: Write about four customs from your cultural background that you think your teacher or classmates might not know about. These customs could be related to tipping, sharing food, birthdays, holidays, etc. Use the following expressions and pay careful attention to subject-verb agreement. Be ready to give an oral account of your written work.

1. A number of ...

2. None of the ...

3. The majority of ...

4. ..., in addition to ...

10.15 Editing Activity: Subject-Verb Agreement

DIRECTIONS: Read the following paragraph, which provides statistics on women around the world. Correct any errors in subject-verb agreement clearly.

Facts about Women Around the World

Women’s lifespan varies around the world. For example, 64 years are the average age around the globe, but 40 years is the average age in Sierra Leone. A Japanese woman, as well as an American or French woman, has an expected lifespan of around 80.

The majority of women lives in Asia. 13% lives in Africa, while only 5% of the world’s women lives in North America. The fewest number of women in the world lives in Oceania.

The average wage of women are substantially less than that earned by men. Forty cents for every dollar are what the average worker in Bangladesh earns. In Sweden it is much better; almost 90% of male wages is paid to women there. The average percentage of all countries is 75.

C. Collective Nouns

A collective noun refers to a group of something. Examples of collective nouns include audience, class, government, committee, family, flock, herd, etc. Collective nouns may be followed by either singular or plural verbs. Note the difference in use in the following examples.

EXAMPLE SENTENCE

EXPLANATION

1. The family arrives together at 7:00.

2. John just arrived and now the family are all here.

• When a singular verb is used with a collective noun, it emphasizes the group as a unit. In (1), the family will arrive together as one group.

• When a plural verb is used with a collective noun, it emphasizes that the group members are acting individually? In (2), group members have arrived separately, so a plural noun is used.

Exceptions:

3. The police carry guns in the U.S.

4. The military often retire at 45.

5. The people don’t trust the news.

• These collective nouns are always plural.

“Collective nouns are more often plural in British English than American English (for example, “The family are all in London.”).

10.16 Written Drill: Collective Nouns

DIRECTIONS: Circle the appropriate singular or plural verb, depending on the meaning of the sentence. Refer to the chart on page 255 to help you decide.

1. The committee is/are having a heated debate about the question of summer vacations.

2. The Bush family is/are spending the summer in Kennebunkport, Maine.

3. Meanwhile, the Smith family is/are taking separate vacations this year.

4. The government always keep/keeps in close contact with the president while he is on vacation.

5. People in the United States do/does not usually take vacations that are longer than four weeks.

6. The military is/are granted leaves or vacations, upon request.

10.17 Paired Activity: Collective Nouns

DIRECTIONS: Complete the following sentences and choose the appropriate verb. Then discuss your answers with a partner. See if your impressions are similar or different.

1. The police in the United States is/are ...

2. I think the military in the United States has/have ...

3. An audience at a rock concert is/are ...

4. An American family value/values ...

5. The government in the United States is/are ...

6. This class is/are ...

II. Special Problems with Article Usage and Subject-Verb Agreement

Pay special attention to these very common errors.

PROBLEM/INCORRECT FORM

EXPLANATION

1. Most

[incorrect: Most of students here eat fast food.] correct: Most students here eat fast food.

correct: Most of the students here eat fast food.

Plural count nouns after most are followed by of the or no article + the plural noun.

2. Generic Abstract Nouns

[incorrect: The money is very important to my host family.] correct: Money is very important to my host family.

Don’t use the before a noncount noun when you are referring to that noun in general.

3. Indefinite Article [incorrect: She is teacher of English.] correct: She is a teacher of English.

Students often forget to put a/an before a singular count noun, especially if it refers to a profession.

4. Count/Noncount Nouns

[incorrect: She did a lot of researches.] correct: She did a lot of research.

[incorrect: Do you have much ski equipments?] correct: Do you have much ski equipment?

Be very careful about the use of articles and quantifiers with noncount nouns.




Image 10.18 Written Activity: Error Analysis

DIRECTIONS: Examine the following sentences, which were written by ESL students, for errors in article usage and count and noncount nouns. If you find an error, circle it and make your correction clearly above the error. Some sentences may not have any errors. If a sentence is already correct, do not change anything.

1. Confucianism influence Korea greatly because it was a dominant ideology of Yi Dynsty.

2. So Korean has the characteristics of courtesy, desire for higher education, and quietness.

3. The swimming in the ocean requires more strength than the swimming in a pool.

4. Rick won a prize of a trip around the world, but he didn’t accept the prize because it was sponsored by the weapons company.

5. The happiness that she is looking for can never be found during the life.

6. The traveling can be great experience for people because it provides exposure to other cultures.

7. In 1950s, the average American family consumed much more loaves of bread than they do today.

8. Many Americans think the divorce is increasing because most of families do not share time together.

9. The Earthquake Commission offers the following advices to people in high-risk areas: when an earthquake hits, stand under the door or the table.

10. If you ever visit the Great Lakes, be sure to go to Niagara Falls.

11. Louisa is planning the trip to southern part of France where she hopes to visit Roman ruins.

12. It is difficult for new parents to make decisions regarding the discipline.

13. Japanese has skillfulness.

14. Success in work in Japan is closely related with superior’s evaluation.

15. In other words, vertical relationship is more important than horizontal one.

16. Most of Koreans learn some English in high school.

17. When you ask the direction, the Japanese will be very kind and have patience to tell you what to do.

18. None of us likes to pay taxes.

19. The crowd are going wild over the new song by the Rolling Stones.

20. The majority of houses in this state is made of stucco.

Focus oh Writing

Definitions

When you define a term, you will probably use generic nouns in your definition. Note how this occurs in the following definition.

Image

In the example above, the is used before sloth as a generic marker and not as a reference to a specific sloth. You may use the when defining nouns (both count and noncount) that belong to clearly identified classes of things. For example, these classes include animals, plants, professionals, inventions, and so on.

You would not use the in your definition of an object such as a chair, a house, etc. In such a case you would use either a + noun or a plural noun, as follows:

a. A soup tureen is a serving bowl which has a top to keep the soup warm.

b. Soup tureens are serving bowls which have tops to keep the soup warm.

Note the adjustments that have been made in subject-verb agreement in sentence (b) above.

10.19 Written Activity: Defining

DIRECTIONS: Imagine that you have encountered beings from another planet and these beings do not understand the use or function of many things on this planet. Choose five objects from the following list and write brief (2-3 sentences) definitions of the objects which include what they are used for or what they do. Lise the when it is possible to define your terms.

1. computers

2. rollerblades

3. surfboards

4. lipstick

5. watches

6. nail polish

7. neckties

8. tattoos

9. toothbrush

10. snakes

11. psychologists

12. English teachers

13. bread

14. vitamins

Composition Topics

1. Foreign visitors and immigrants often experience culture shock when they first go to a foreign country. Using the Preview essay on page 236 as a model, describe what you were prepared for and what you were not prepared for when you first arrived in this country. If you do not remember because you were too young when you came here, interview a family member. If you have spent any time in a foreign country, describe that experience.

2. Write about the tipping customs of another country. Draw from your own experiences or interview a person from another culture.

3. Write about different forms of greetings around the globe. Draw from your own experience and the experiences of others.