singular or plural

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi

I’m not sure if i should use a singular or plural noun for the following sentences:

All single garage homes in this community have a backyard/backyards

(assume every home has no more than 1 back yard)

If i use “backyards”, am I saying 1 home could have many backyards?

Do these homes have a for sale sign/for sale signs in the front yard

(assume every home has no more than 1 sign in the front yard)

2

HI,

The rule is plural subject = plural verb:

Alan

3

so “All single garage homes in this community have a backyard” would be grammatically incorrect

and “they all have a backyard” would also be incorrect

But i’ve been hearing native speakers say this way all the time

Are both ways acceptable in speech or I have been hearing them wrong

4

All single garage homes in this community have a backyard means that every single garage home has one backyard.

All single garage homes in this community have backyards. Technically, this could mean that the homes have several backyards which wouldn’t make much sense.

Both sentences are grammatically correct.[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEIC short conversations: Two co-workers brief each other on recent sales.[YSaerTTEW443543]

5

Torsten

Thanks for the explanation. I understand it now.

But your explaination contradicts with Alan’s?

The rule is plural subject = plural verb:

6

Where is the contradiction?

I think you’re confusing grammar with meaning.

Alan

7

I just got confused because your response to my questions were not clear

I was asking about whether plural or singular nouns should be used (a backyard, or backyards, for sale signs for a for sale signs)

I was not asking about has or have.

8

All houses have backyards. (This can mean that every house has one backyard or that some of the houses have several backyards.
Every house has a backyard. (This means every house has one backyard.)[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEIC short conversations: Customer calls to cancel cable TV subscription[YSaerTTEW443543]

9

I would hyphenate “single garage” since it is a compound adjective used to describe “homes”:

All single-garage homes in this community have a backyard.