singular or plural?

[Bonychat]

Sometimes, I get confused about using the plural/singular nouns. Here are some examples:

1. The challenges many organizations are facing in choosing the right solution for their business/businesses
2. Writing and reading is/are the basic criterion/criteria for this job.
3. They have no plans/plan.
4. Cloud technology is on their priority list/lists.
5. Deeply understanding and protecting the culture is/are important
6. Drinking, eating and smoking is /are not permitted.

Will be glad if tell me the use of plural nouns.

[Luschen]

Hi, I think you just need to look at the objects carefully and decide if the subject or subjects are sharing one object, or if each has their own object.

#1 could really go either way. If you are talking about business as company, then it would be plural. If you are talking about business as a way of making money, I think singular would work.

In #2, if reading and writing are separate skills, then use the plural verb. If reading and writing are taken together to mean “literacy”, then you could use the singular. In this case, I would probably use the plural.

In #3 if they each have a plan, use the plural; if they are sharing the same plan, use the singular.

#4 is similar to #3 - do they share one list or each have their own?

#5 is pretty clearly plural: these two subjects can never really be thought of as a unit.

#6 is similar to #5. I would say clearly plural.

[E2e4]

What a hard thing! I’ll dare to give you my opinion.

@Bonychat

Sometimes, I get confused about using the plural/singular nouns. Here are some examples:

1. The challenges many organizations are facing in choosing the right solution for their business/businesses
   [color=blue]Many org doubt when chose the right solution for their businesses. (Of course each of them doubts about his.)

2. Writing and reading is/are the basic criterion/criteria for this job.
   [color=blue]Writing and reading are the basic criteria for this job.
   [color=blue]Writing and reading is the basic criterion for this job. (In informal English possible as well)

3. They have no plans/plan.
   Both work to me.

4. Cloud technology is on their priority list/lists.
   [color=blue]Cloud technology is on their priority list. (They probably do not have more than one priority list)

5. Deeply understanding and protecting the culture is/are important
   [color=blue]Deeply understanding and protecting the culture are important.
   Deeply understanding, as well as protecting, the culture is important thing.
   Deeply understanding and protecting the culture is important. (Possible in informal English)

6. Drinking, eating and smoking is /are not permitted.
   [color=blue]Drinking, eating and smoking are not permitted!
   Drinking, eating and smoking is not permitted! (To me, in informal English, possible as well, as a whole.)

[Minhajquazi]

Every mentoring is up to the good mark, I still think ‘Bonychat’ needs to see the
Barron’s TOEFL suggestion book where the writer indicated more elaborately at chapter of ‘Countable and uncountable’ nouns.

[Bonychat]

Thank you.

Do you have the link of Barron’s TOEFL suggestion book?

[Minhajquazi]

Welcome.

I am afraid that I have no online link at this moment about Barron’s. I always prefer hard copy with authenticated sources though on line is now more convenient if it is authenticated.

You can search it by Google, it may work.

Thanks again.