Hello. Please help me with grammar.
1)Which is better, one or a: "more than one third of Italy's population" or "more than a third of Italy's population"?
2)Are the phrases correct (meaning "the Italian population"): a third of the (?)Italian people; a third of (the?)Italians?
3)Is it plural or singular: a third of Italian people (Italians) live or lives?
Thank you for help.
In sentences 1 and 2, either phrasing is correct. When you use the word "one," it seems more factual, though, and when you use "a," it seems more casual.
In sentence 3, I'd use the plural.
Hello! I'd be happy to help you with your grammar questions. Let's break down each question and explore the answers step by step.
1) The correct phrase is "more than one third of Italy's population." Here's how you can figure it out:
- Start with the understanding that when you use "more than," you're indicating a quantity greater than something (in this case, more than one third).
- "One third" is a specific fraction, and when it is followed by a noun, it usually takes the article "one." For example, "one third of the population." However, in this case, we have the word "more" before the fraction, so "one" alone would not accurately convey the meaning.
- By using "more than one third," you're emphasizing a higher quantity without specifying the exact number. So, "more than one third of Italy's population" is the correct choice.
2) The correct phrases to refer to the Italian population are:
- "A third of the Italian people" or "One third of the Italian people."
- "A third of Italians" or "One third of Italians."
Here's how you can determine the correct article to use:
- When speaking generally about a specific group of people, like the Italian population, the indefinite article "a" or "one" is used. So, both "a third of the Italian people" and "one third of the Italian people" are correct.
- When using the term "Italians" as a noun referring to the people of Italy, it is treated as a plural noun. Therefore, you can use "a third of Italians" or "one third of Italians."
3) The verb in the sentence should agree with the subject, which, in this case, is "a third." Here's how you can determine whether to use a plural or singular verb:
- The phrase "a third of Italian people (Italians) live" is correct.
- When we express a fraction or percentage as the subject, the verb should agree with the noun that follows it. In this case, "Italian people" or "Italians" is the noun following the fraction, and it is plural.
- Therefore, you should use the plural form of the verb, which is "live."
I hope this explanation helps clarify the grammar points for you. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.