1. I placed a lid on top of the waste basket.
2. The medium-sized rooster had to experience death. We ate chicken together.
3. I could write fast with shorthand.
4. He quit/quitted collecting coins.
[Are they all grammatical?]
All are fine as long as you use only "quit" in #4.
Quit is a verb that doesn't have a separate spelling for past tense. Some other verbs in English that are like this are cost, cast, forecast, and burst. You should notice any others in a good dictionary entry that includes the different parts of speech. These words will have the -s and -ing endings that are normal for 3rd person singular and for progressive tenses, but no -ed or other endings or forms for past tenses.
#2 is very haiku-like!
Very true, Steve!
=)
To determine if the given sentences are grammatical, we can analyze each one individually.
1. "I placed a lid on top of the waste basket."
This sentence is grammatical. It follows the basic subject-verb-object structure, and all the words are used correctly.
2. "The medium-sized rooster had to experience death. We ate chicken together."
This sentence is technically grammatical, but it might lead to confusion or misinterpretation. While the sentence is syntactically correct, the use of "ate chicken together" after mentioning the rooster's death could be seen as insensitive or contradictory. Consider rephrasing it for better clarity.
3. "I could write fast with shorthand."
This sentence is grammatical. It uses the verb "could" to express an ability in the past, and the words are employed correctly.
4. "He quit/quitted collecting coins."
Both "quit" and "quitted" can be used in this context, but "quit" is more commonly used. Therefore, "He quit collecting coins" is the preferred option. Either way, the sentence is grammatically correct.
In summary, sentences 1, 3, and 4 are grammatical, but sentence 2 may require rephrasing for clarity and sensitivity.