Hi, my dear teachers,
Sometimes, I have a doubt about the verb that I should use with the third person. I certainly know that I should use with "he, she, it" the verbs that gets "S".
Examples:
1. He usually goes to the park every day.
2. She usually spends for learning English one hour every day.
3. Tom has a nice dog that it eats more.
My doubt is where I want to use the adjectives with the third person.
A- Please, look at my below sentences.
Which of them are correct, please?
And why?
1. Your students has a lot of books.
2. Your students have a lot of books.
B- Can the adjectives change the third person's verbs?
For example:
1. Her student have many books.
2. Her students have many books.
3. Your student have a nice car.
4. Their student have a nice car.
5. Their students have many nice cars.
6. My student have a nice car.
7. My students have many nice cars.
Thanks in advance and best wishes,
Replies
Dear Danny,
Thank you very much and best wishes,
Danny Clark said:
Dear Bijan, we mostly use TO SPEND meaning time and money.
As I said, your sentence is grammatically incorrect, but if I understand what you mean, others will understand it, too.
Bijan said:
Dear Danny,
Thank you for answering me with a lot of patience.
A- Should we use the verb spend only with time/money?
Does it mean "Something" only refers to time/money?
OR
Something can be everything?
B- Is my sentence (she usually spends for learning English one hour every day) a bad grammar sentence?
C- If I use my above sentence, will not a native speaker get my meaning?
Thanks in advance and best wishes,
Dear Bijan, first, I have to admit that I forgot to delete the preposition FOR. So, the correct sentence is:
She usually spends one hour a (per) day __ learning English.
Well, I will try to explain your mistake. We spend SOMETHING (time/money). SOMETHING is a direct object and, in this case, must follow the verb. It is not a time modifier. Also, we spend money ON something, but we spend our time DOING something. Here are some expamples:
She spent $200 on the shoes.
We don't spend much money on food as it is rather cheap.
I usually spend much time teaching.
We spend a few months a year traveling.
Well, I think you mean if there are two correct ways of saying this sentence. Sorry, my friend, your sentence is incorrect and I have just explained the reason. If it were acceptable, I would have said there is some better way to express this idea. As to subjects, both sentences have the same subject : SHE.
Of course, you may ask again.
Dear Danny,
Firstly, I got my answer very well. Thank you very much.
Secondly, about my below sentence:
"She usually spends for learning English one hour every day."
Subject + adverb + verb + preposition (for) + object of preposition (learning English) + adverb of time (one hour) + adverb of time (every day).
Sorry.
1. Why is my sentence incorrect?
2. Can we say the above subject in two ways (your sentence, and also my sentence)?
3. Is it possible that we say one subject in two ways in English grammar, please?
Thanks in advance and best wishes,
Dear Bijan, first, I will correct your three senetences:
1. He usually goes to the park every day.
2. She usually spends one hour a day for learning English .
3. Tom has a nice dog that __ eats much.
Now, I will answer your question. The person of a verb depends ONLY on the person and number of a subject (a noun/pronoun). So, if the subject is a singular noun/pronoun in the third person, the verb will always have the ending -S or will be IS (for "to be") in the present simple tense. Attributes (adjectives/possessive forms/pronouns) don't affect the person or number of a noun. So,
Your students have a lot of books
is correct as the sublect is a plural noun. Here are the corrected examples:
1. Her student has many books. (Singular)
2. Her students have many books. (Plural)
3. Your student has a nice car. (Singular)
4. Their student has a nice car. (Singular)
5. Their students have many nice cars. (Plural)
6. My student has a nice car. (Singular)
7. My students have many nice cars. (Plural)
So, only the word STUDENT(S), the subject, determines the verb's person and number. The possessive pronouns are used like adjectives. I belive you have no doubts about the following sentences:
A cat is lazy.
My cat is lazy.
His cat is lazy.
My black cat is lazy.
BUT
Cats are lazy.
So, here is the answer to your question.