People have computers vs people have a computer
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0
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I am curious about plural and singular noun usage.
Let's assume there were no one who had two computers. (i.e. one computer each.)
Which one is more natural: "people have computers," or "people have a computer?"
nouns
edited Dec 7 at 20:09
Mark Beadles
20.1k35689
asked Dec 7 at 6:25
HASAJON
1
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add a comment |
up vote
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down vote
favorite
I am curious about plural and singular noun usage.
Let's assume there were no one who had two computers. (i.e. one computer each.)
Which one is more natural: "people have computers," or "people have a computer?"
nouns
edited Dec 7 at 20:09
Mark Beadles
20.1k35689
asked Dec 7 at 6:25
HASAJON
1
New contributor
HASAJON is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
The first and last lines are not necessary in this forum.
– RedSonja
Dec 7 at 9:36
1
Possible duplicate of "They're using a cell phone" vs. "They're using cell phones"
– Jason Bassford
Dec 7 at 15:16
2
Everybody's got a computer.
– Jim
2 days ago
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
I am curious about plural and singular noun usage.
Let's assume there were no one who had two computers. (i.e. one computer each.)
Which one is more natural: "people have computers," or "people have a computer?"
nouns
edited Dec 7 at 20:09
Mark Beadles
20.1k35689
asked Dec 7 at 6:25
HASAJON
1
New contributor
HASAJON is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I am curious about plural and singular noun usage.
Let's assume there were no one who had two computers. (i.e. one computer each.)
Which one is more natural: "people have computers," or "people have a computer?"
nouns
nouns
edited Dec 7 at 20:09
Mark Beadles
20.1k35689
asked Dec 7 at 6:25
HASAJON
1
New contributor
HASAJON is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Dec 7 at 20:09
Mark Beadles
20.1k35689
asked Dec 7 at 6:25
HASAJON
1
New contributor
HASAJON is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Dec 7 at 20:09
Mark Beadles
20.1k35689
edited Dec 7 at 20:09
Mark Beadles
20.1k35689
edited Dec 7 at 20:09
Mark Beadles
20.1k35689
20.1k35689
asked Dec 7 at 6:25
HASAJON
1
New contributor
HASAJON is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Dec 7 at 6:25
HASAJON
1
asked Dec 7 at 6:25
HASAJON
1
1
New contributor
HASAJON is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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New contributor
HASAJON is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
HASAJON is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
The first and last lines are not necessary in this forum.
– RedSonja
Dec 7 at 9:36
1
Possible duplicate of "They're using a cell phone" vs. "They're using cell phones"
– Jason Bassford
Dec 7 at 15:16
2
Everybody's got a computer.
– Jim
2 days ago
add a comment |
1
The first and last lines are not necessary in this forum.
– RedSonja
Dec 7 at 9:36
1
Possible duplicate of "They're using a cell phone" vs. "They're using cell phones"
– Jason Bassford
Dec 7 at 15:16
2
Everybody's got a computer.
– Jim
2 days ago
1
1
The first and last lines are not necessary in this forum.
– RedSonja
Dec 7 at 9:36
The first and last lines are not necessary in this forum.
– RedSonja
Dec 7 at 9:36
1
1
Possible duplicate of "They're using a cell phone" vs. "They're using cell phones"
– Jason Bassford
Dec 7 at 15:16
Possible duplicate of "They're using a cell phone" vs. "They're using cell phones"
– Jason Bassford
Dec 7 at 15:16
2
2
Everybody's got a computer.
– Jim
2 days ago
Everybody's got a computer.
– Jim
2 days ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
It depends on the context or the rest of the sentence.
If the sentence is only "People have computers" then that is the most natural way to say it.
If the sentence is "The people have computers" that means the people have many computers. If the sentence is "The people have a computer" that means the people as a group have only one computer for all of them.
If the sentence is something like "Most people have computers" or "Most people will have a computer", then both are equally natural.
Technically, you should strive to make the plural and singular forms of the subject and object match.
Plural: "The people have computers."
Singular: "Everyone has a computer."
answered 2 days ago
TheLeopard
1192
New contributor
TheLeopard is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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Thank you very much for your help! It is very useful!
– HASAJON
21 hours ago
Thanks Hasajon, I hope everything goes well!
– TheLeopard
11 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
It depends on the context or the rest of the sentence.
If the sentence is only "People have computers" then that is the most natural way to say it.
If the sentence is "The people have computers" that means the people have many computers. If the sentence is "The people have a computer" that means the people as a group have only one computer for all of them.
If the sentence is something like "Most people have computers" or "Most people will have a computer", then both are equally natural.
Technically, you should strive to make the plural and singular forms of the subject and object match.
Plural: "The people have computers."
Singular: "Everyone has a computer."
answered 2 days ago
TheLeopard
1192
New contributor
TheLeopard is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Thank you very much for your help! It is very useful!
– HASAJON
21 hours ago
Thanks Hasajon, I hope everything goes well!
– TheLeopard
11 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
It depends on the context or the rest of the sentence.
If the sentence is only "People have computers" then that is the most natural way to say it.
If the sentence is "The people have computers" that means the people have many computers. If the sentence is "The people have a computer" that means the people as a group have only one computer for all of them.
If the sentence is something like "Most people have computers" or "Most people will have a computer", then both are equally natural.
Technically, you should strive to make the plural and singular forms of the subject and object match.
Plural: "The people have computers."
Singular: "Everyone has a computer."
answered 2 days ago
TheLeopard
1192
New contributor
TheLeopard is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Thank you very much for your help! It is very useful!
– HASAJON
21 hours ago
Thanks Hasajon, I hope everything goes well!
– TheLeopard
11 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
It depends on the context or the rest of the sentence.
If the sentence is only "People have computers" then that is the most natural way to say it.
If the sentence is "The people have computers" that means the people have many computers. If the sentence is "The people have a computer" that means the people as a group have only one computer for all of them.
If the sentence is something like "Most people have computers" or "Most people will have a computer", then both are equally natural.
Technically, you should strive to make the plural and singular forms of the subject and object match.
Plural: "The people have computers."
Singular: "Everyone has a computer."
answered 2 days ago
TheLeopard
1192
New contributor
TheLeopard is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
It depends on the context or the rest of the sentence.
If the sentence is only "People have computers" then that is the most natural way to say it.
If the sentence is "The people have computers" that means the people have many computers. If the sentence is "The people have a computer" that means the people as a group have only one computer for all of them.
If the sentence is something like "Most people have computers" or "Most people will have a computer", then both are equally natural.
Technically, you should strive to make the plural and singular forms of the subject and object match.
Plural: "The people have computers."
Singular: "Everyone has a computer."
answered 2 days ago
TheLeopard
1192
New contributor
TheLeopard is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 days ago
TheLeopard
1192
New contributor
TheLeopard is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 days ago
TheLeopard
1192
answered 2 days ago
TheLeopard
1192
1192
New contributor
TheLeopard is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
TheLeopard is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
TheLeopard is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Thank you very much for your help! It is very useful!
– HASAJON
21 hours ago
Thanks Hasajon, I hope everything goes well!
– TheLeopard
11 hours ago
add a comment |
Thank you very much for your help! It is very useful!
– HASAJON
21 hours ago
Thanks Hasajon, I hope everything goes well!
– TheLeopard
11 hours ago
Thank you very much for your help! It is very useful!
– HASAJON
21 hours ago
Thank you very much for your help! It is very useful!
– HASAJON
21 hours ago
Thanks Hasajon, I hope everything goes well!
– TheLeopard
11 hours ago
Thanks Hasajon, I hope everything goes well!
– TheLeopard
11 hours ago
add a comment |
HASAJON is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
HASAJON is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
HASAJON is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
HASAJON is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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1
The first and last lines are not necessary in this forum.
– RedSonja
Dec 7 at 9:36
1
Possible duplicate of "They're using a cell phone" vs. "They're using cell phones"
– Jason Bassford
Dec 7 at 15:16
2
Everybody's got a computer.
– Jim
2 days ago