An Easy Grammar Question For You.....

[lostinisaan]

Hello and Sawasdee khrap,

This question was being asked on another online forum and I'm really not sure about the rules, what's right and what's wrong.

And why the one's wrong and the other one's right.....

What would be right? The candidates send their resumes to her office, or the candidates send their resume to her office?

I thought the second sentence is right.

Thanks a lot in advance.

[rijb]

Are candidates allowed to send more than one resume? If yes, use plural. If no, use singular.

[waynethor]

So your question is whether it's a countable noun or not.

If I receive more than one and they're on my desk, I can easily count them, so in my thinking is should be be plural, therefore "resumes". I think the complication is that it's essentially a French word, so do English count noun rules still apply?

Edited October 27, 2014 by waynethor

[lostinisaan]

So your question is whether it's a countable noun or not.

If I receive more than one and they're on my desk, I can easily count them, so in my thinking is should be be plural, therefore "resumes". I think the complication is that it's essentially a French word, so do English count noun rules still apply?

Let's use CV then.

"The candidates send their Curriculum Vitaes to her office", doesn't work.

So it has to be "the candidates send their Curriculum Vitae to her office"

And I thought English grammar supposed to be much easier than German grammar, for god's sake.

.

Edited October 27, 2014 by lostinisaan

[Oksana Babkina]

Un résumé /des résumés.

There is a plural form of the word, both in French and in English.

When using "CV", put CVs.

I would use plural form "resumes", not singular)

Edited October 27, 2014 by Oksana Babkina

[IMA_FARANG]

The candidates would send their resumes to the office

Because the subject of the sentence is candidates (plural) they send their resumes (plural) to the office.

Now if the sentence was each candidate must send ...... that subject (each candidate) is then singular.

Therefore each candidate would send their resume to the office.

[rajyindee]

So your question is whether it's a countable noun or not.

If I receive more than one and they're on my desk, I can easily count them, so in my thinking is should be be plural, therefore "resumes". I think the complication is that it's essentially a French word, so do English count noun rules still apply?

Let's use CV then.

"The candidates send their Curriculum Vitaes to her office", doesn't work.

So it has to be "the candidates send their Curriculum Vitae to her office"

Sheesh! Of course it doesn't work!

The candidates send their curricula vitae to her office.

[lostinisaan]

The candidates would send their resumes to the office

Because the subject of the sentence is candidates (plural) they send their resumes (plural) to the office.

Now if the sentence was each candidate must send ...... that subject (each candidate) is then singular.

Therefore each candidate would send their resume to the office.

Thanks a lot.

[rijb]

The candidates would send their resumes to the office

Because the subject of the sentence is candidates (plural) they send their resumes (plural) to the office.

Now if the sentence was each candidate must send ...... that subject (each candidate) is then singular.

Therefore each candidate would send their resume to the office.

I agree. The issue is not whether 'resume' should be singular or plural. The entire sentence is not clear.

Consider the following examples:

1. Candidates send all resumes to her office.

2. Candidates send a resume to her office.

[Suradit69]

The candidates send their resumes to her office, or the candidates send their resume to her office?

If it were " Each candidate sends his/her resume to her office," then "resume" and the possessive pronoun are singular unless each candidate is submitting multiple resumes.

But in your example you are essentially saying "All of the candidates ..."and using "their" which requires the plural "resumes." They are not submitting a resume, they are submitting numerous resumes.

Otherwise it would it mean that the candidates were submitting a single resume collectively.

Edited October 27, 2014 by Suradit69

[kurnell]

Shouldn't they be emailing their resume?

[DogNo1]

The use of "their" has nothing to do with the number of resumes sent. It is dependent on the preceding agent. If the agent is plural, then "candidates send their.... If the agent is singular, then "each candidate sends his/her.... The problem is that in modern speech and writing, "their" is used for PC reasons to avoid having to write his or her, especially when the gender of the candidate sending whatever is unclear or unknown.

Let's assume, for the sake of argument that a single person wants to apply to more than one employer with a resume tailored for each mployer's job opening. The statement would then be: A candidate sends his (her) resumes. . . . The fact that plural resumes are sent has no effect on the possessive pronoun.

'S

[NamKAheng]

Well, decide which term you want to ask about. One is French and the other is Latin. Go find out the pluralization rules for those languages.

In french: Les candidats ont envoyé leur résumé à son bureau. So résumé without plural because you have many candidates that are sending a résumé (a meaning one)

[lostinisaan]

Shouldn't they be emailing their resume?

[Mario2008]

Flame and reply removed.

[jacksam]

OK first of all my field is mathematics so that in itself means whatever I suggest, the opposite in fact is correct.

The problem that the "candidates" can be viewed as singular. In that, meaning one group. My thinking (which would be incorrect) is both sentences mentioned in op could be used. Where are the English professors.

Post some calculus questions please,,.......

[lostinisaan]

So your question is whether it's a countable noun or not.

If I receive more than one and they're on my desk, I can easily count them, so in my thinking is should be be plural, therefore "resumes". I think the complication is that it's essentially a French word, so do English count noun rules still apply?

Let's use CV then.

"The candidates send their Curriculum Vitaes to her office", doesn't work.

So it has to be "the candidates send their Curriculum Vitae to her office"

Sheesh! Of course it doesn't work!

The candidates send their curricula vitae to her office.

A curriculum vitae is the same as a CV. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use résumé Sheesh, even your Monthy Phyton doesn't seem to know the answer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqI-28meTZ8

[brewsterbudgen]

The correct answer is - it really doesn't matter.

[manarak]

Well, decide which term you want to ask about. One is French and the other is Latin. Go find out the pluralization rules for those languages.

In french: Les candidats ont envoyé leur résumé à son bureau. So résumé without plural because you have many candidates that are sending a résumé (a meaning one)

Scoop: "résumé" doesn't mean CV in French (maybe in Canadian French?)

[rajyindee]

A curriculum vitae is the same as a CV. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use résumé Sheesh, even your Monthy Phyton doesn't seem to know the answer.

Not the sharpest, are you!

[DogNo1]

Well, English is a Germanic language. It is not Latin-based but contains lots of French loan words because of the Norman Conquest. French grammar doesn't apply. Have you ever seen a native French speaker trying to understand English grammar? It seems illogical to them. One of the most obvious differences of French with English is the noun-adjective order. In French "maison blanc," in English "white house." There are many other differences.

Plural nouns are not singular, they are plural. Each English verb must agree with its subject. In British English, some seemingly singular nouns are considered to be plural as in "the government have..." The opposite, so far as I know, is never true, that is plural nouns are not considered to be singular. One factor that confuses many these days is the mistaken pluralization of adjectives. In English, adjectives are not pluralized. In French, they are. Another important reason not to confuse French grammar with English.

Of course, I could always be wrong. If anyone can cite a reference concerning plural nouns being considered to be singular, I will be instructed.

[lostinisaan]

A curriculum vitae is the same as a CV. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use résumé Sheesh, even your Monthy Phyton doesn't seem to know the answer.

Not the sharpest, are you!

That's from "Collins Dictionary." They might not be as sharp as you, Doodledoo.

[brianp0803]

Many people get the wrong answer to

9 ÷ 3 × 3.

Many think the answer is 1.

I would love to post a calculus question.

Need a forum for math teachers ( but hard to type math symbols)

[DogNo1]

Right. You need to know that mathematical calculations are solved sequentially from left to right.

[brianp0803]

Probably over 85% of average people would answer it wrong.

I teach math and love to ask that question on the first day of class. It appears simplem

When most students guess 1, and I tell them incorrect, they look puzzled.

Then they slowly engage their mind and apply math principles and get 9 for the answer.

12 - 6 ÷ 2 = 9 (not 3)

Edited October 29, 2014 by brianp0803

[DogNo1]

I'm puzzled. Here's how I solve the problem:

12 - 6 = 6

6 ÷ 2 = 3

Could you kindly point out my mistake? Thanks.

[brianp0803]

Try it on your calculator.

You will get 9

Multiplication and division is done before addition and subtraction

6 ÷ 2 is done first and get 3.

12 - 3 = 9.

Not always left to right

Parentheses, then Exponents, then multiplication and division, then additions and subtraction

[NamKAheng]

Well, decide which term you want to ask about. One is French and the other is Latin. Go find out the pluralization rules for those languages.

In french: Les candidats ont envoyé leur résumé à son bureau. So résumé without plural because you have many candidates that are sending a résumé (a meaning one)

Scoop: "résumé" doesn't mean CV in French (maybe in Canadian French?)

No, we don't use résumé for a CV, we use a CV or curriculum vitae, even in French Canadian. We use résumé to summarize something or the rundown of something.

[DogNo1]

Thanks, brian. I've learned something!

[wayned]

1. I would rewrite the sentence to say: "Each candidate should send a resume to her." Then go have a cool one rather than discuss it further!

2. One of my students asked me why they had to learn verb tenses that are seldom used such as Future Perfect Continuous. The answer, of course, is that it's used on every English grammar test that they will have to take but not in normal daily conversation.

3. "9" is the correct answer if you follow the rules of operation:

Rule 1: First perform any calculations inside parentheses. Rule 2: Next perform all multiplications and divisions, working from left to right. Rule 3: Lastly, perform all additions and subtractions, working from left to right.