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We use different forms of a verb depending on whether a sentence contains a singular or plural noun. When our subject is only a singular noun we use one form of the verb. When there are two or more things being talked about in our subject, we just a different form of the verb.
Jill paints the fence every three years. John and Harry paint the fence every three years. The tree gives us lots of shade. The trees give us lots of shade. He studies for three hours every day. They study for three hours every day.
I eat a lot on holidays. I study for three hours every day. I work in the yard to earn my allowance.
Foreign Words and Phrases
You're undoubtedly heard many foreign words and phrases. Here are some foreign words for please, thank-you, hello, and good-bye:
| ENGLISH | please | thank-you | hello | good-bye |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRENCH | s'il vous plait | merci | bonjour | au revoir |
| GERMAN | bitte | danke | hallo | auf Wiedersehen |
| SPANISH | por favor | gracias | hola | adios |
Many foreign phrases get used in everyday English. Here are some of the most common ones:
ad infinitum [Latin] - to infinity. aficionado [Spanish] - an enthusiastic fan. a priori - [Latin] - based on theory rather than observation. au courant [Latin] - up-to-date. bona fide [Latin] - in good faith; genuine. carpe diem [Latin] - seize the day. carte blanche [French] - unrestricted power. caveat emptor [Latin] - let the buyer beware. dolce vita [Italian] - sweet life. e pluribus unum [Latin] - one out of many. faux pas [French] - a social blunder. in loco parentis [Latin] - in the place of a parent. ipso facto [Latin] - by the fact itself. mano a mano [Spanish] - directly or face-to-face. modus operandi [Latin] - a method of operating. non sequitur [Latin] - it does not follow. pro bono [Latin] - done or donated without charge orfree. quid pro quo [Latin] - something for something; an equal exchange. semper fidelis [Latin] - always faithful. verboten [German] - forbidden.