English learning thread!

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

Senor Rubirosa, I remember before you corrected me when I said, "there are a lot to improve" and you corrected it to "there is a lot to improve". I thought the phrase "a lot" already means plural noun, so how do I know I use is or are for this phrase? Thank you again.

You know, I'm never entirely clear about this myself, lopo.
If you said, "There are a lot of things to improve," then I would have agreed with the use of "are," because "things" is plural.
If you had said, "There are a lot of luck involved in this situation," I would have insisted on substituting the singular "is" for "are," because luck, which can't be counted, is effectively singular.
Now, the sentence you wrote was, "There are a lot to improve."
I believe (and I will gladly hear counterarguments here) that when "lot" stands by itself, it is, by default, treated as singular.

 

[lopo2000]

Then, perhaps to be safe, I should put in a noun that has a clear indication whether it's singular or plural... Thank you!

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

Then, perhaps to be safe, I should put in a noun that has a clear indication whether it's singular or plural... Thank you!

No, lopo, you're perfectly safe saying, "There is a lot to improve."

 

[lopo2000]

No, lopo, you're perfectly safe saying, "There is a lot to improve."

Ohh, ok... You're the native speaker. You know more than me. Thanks again.

Another question: which one if correct, "I make him cry" or "I make him crying"?

And "I watch him pee" or "I watch him peeing"?

Thank you...

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

Which one is correct, "I make him cry" or "I make him crying"?

I make him cry.

And "I watch him pee" or "I watch him peeing"?

I watch him pee is good, if you don't make him cry.:tongue:
(I suppose you could also say I watch him peeing, but it doesn't sound as natural to me. Maybe others will have a comment.)

 

[Calboner]

I watch him pee is good, if you don't make him cry.:tongue:
(I suppose you could also say I watch him peeing, but it doesn't sound as natural to me. Maybe others will have a comment.)

Both are correct, but they would be used in different cases.

First, though, this use of the simple present tense ("I watch him") is rather unnatural, unless the speaker is talking about a habitual action ("Whenever he goes into the toilet, I watch him . . .") or is telling a story in the present tense. I will replace it with the past tense.

"I watched him peeing" can be considered as short for "I watched him while he was peeing." It implies that the speaker was concerned to watch the person whatever he might do: you were watching him, and while you were watching him he took a pee. "I watched him pee" would concern a case in which it was the peeing alone that interested you: you were only watching him because he was peeing.

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

Those are subtle and not altogether absolute distinctions, but I like them.

 

[vince]

ONLY on LPSG, would one find this discussion.

 

[lopo2000]

Calboner, you make sense here. Totally making sense. Thank you again...