grammar - Number that should be used here


Ok, this question came from another question, in which my answer has a "problem".


In this question, three conditions were given. In my answer to this question, I stated:



You have listed a very specific criteria...



However, at the bottom, in the comments, a user stated that "Just FYI, the singular of criteria is criterion", seeming to indicate that I should use "criterion" instead.


Which would actually be correct to use in this case, "criterion", or "criteria" (I'm pretty sure that since there's multiple conditions, criteria should be used, unless there's an exception here I am not acquainted with). And can someone please explain how the grammar behind all this works.



Answer



There is nothing saying that the object of the verb list cannot be a singular noun.



I knew I could satisfy all the conditions until he listed one very specific requirement I simply couldn't meet.



If you wish to use the plural form in your sentence, you should make the number agreement work:



You have listed very specific criteria.



Not "a very specific criteria."


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

verbs - "Baby is creeping" vs. "baby is crawling" in AmE

commas - Does this sentence have too many subjunctives?

grammatical number - Use of lone apostrophe for plural?

etymology - Where does the phrase "doctored" originate?

phrases - Somebody is gonna kiss the donkey

typography - When a dagger is used to indicate a note, must it come after an asterisk?

etymology - Origin of "s--t eating grin"