Kind / Kinds

[jack]

I have spent quite some time on these but I can't figure out what exactly do they mean.

Are these correct? If not, why? What do they mean?

1. What kinds of chocolate do you have?
2. What kind of chocolates do you have?
3. What kinds of chocolates do you have?

 

[Casiopea]

Re: What do these questions mean?

kind of _______ (Singular Noun)
kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)

Click Here.

All the best,

 

[jack]

So these are incorrect?

1. What kind of chocolates do you have? (How come this sounds right to me?
2. What kinds of chocolate do you have? (How come this sounds right to me?

 

[Casiopea]

1. What kind of chocolates do you have? (Used when 'kind' means, a specific brand, genre, etc., e.g., What kind of movies do you like?)

2. What kinds of chocolate do you have? (OK, Non-count, Mass noun)

Note:

A. What kind of fish do you have?
(One type of fish, and what kind do you have?)

EX: What kind of chocolate do you have?

B. What kinds of fish do you have?
(More than one type of fish, and what kinds do you have?)

EX: What kinds of chocolate do you have?

 

[jack]

kind of _______ (Singular Noun)
kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)

1. What kinds of chocolate do you have? (how come 'chocolate' isn't 'chocolates'? No plural noun here? I don't have to follow that rule?)

2. What kinds of chocolates do you have? (What does this mean? I can't figure out the meaning for this.)

 

[Casiopea]

kind of _______ (Singular Noun)
kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)

1. What kinds of chocolate do you have? (how come 'chocolate' isn't 'chocolates'? No plural noun here? I don't have to follow that rule?)

2. What kinds of chocolates do you have? (What does this mean? I can't figure out the meaning for this.)

Try this link: Click Here.

All the best,

 

[jack]

Thanks.

I still don't really understand this:

kind of _______ (Singular Noun)
kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)

What do you mean by that?

What do these mean?
1. What kinds of chocolates do you have?
2. What kinds of chocolate do you have? ('kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)' this is not incorrect right? What does that plural rule mean?)
3. What kind of fishes do you have? (Is this incorrect? Why? I don't get it.)

 

[Casiopea]

Thanks.

I still don't really understand this:

kind of _______ (Singular Noun)
kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)

What do you mean by that?

What do these mean?
1. What kinds of chocolates do you have?
2. What kinds of chocolate do you have? ('kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)' this is not incorrect right? What does that plural rule mean?)
3. What kind of fishes do you have? (Is this incorrect? Why? I don't get it.)

Note that, speakers tend not to observe the rule. :wink:

chocolate can be count (e.g. individual chocolates) or non-count (e.g., a slab of chocolate).

Non-count (e.g. a slab of chocolate)
What kind of chocolate do you have?
What kind of fish do you have?

Count (e.g. individual chocolates)
What kinds of chocolates do you have?
What kinds of fishes do you have? (Used by biologists to mean, species)

All the best,

 

[jack]

What do these mean?
1.What kinds of fish do you have? (Is this asking about what kinds of fish do you have from that group?)
2. What kinds of fishes do you have? (Is this asking about more then one group of fishes?

 

[Casiopea]

Both questions refer to type or kind. Question 2. would be used by biologist to refer specifically to species of fish.

1. What kinds of fish do you have?
2. What kinds of fishes do you have?

 

[jack]

Thanks.

 

[wunaide]

What kind of fish do you have? (question implies that you either have only one fish, or more than one fish of the same kind)

What kinds of fish do you have? (implies that you have more than one kind of fish)

"Fish" and "fishes" can both serve as the plural of fish(s) and there is no difference in meaning between them whatsoever, although fish would probably be the more usual choice for the plural in contemporary English.


Chocolates are small individual portions of chocolate, around about one mouthful in size, sometimes with fillings, and often sold together in a pack within which there are often various kinds.

Chocolate is a bigger lump of the same material often sold in individually wrapped portions.

 

[jack]

Thanks.

 

[jack]

Are these correct? If not, why? What do they mean?

1. "Fish" and "fishes" can both serve as the plural of fish(s) and there is no difference in meaning between them whatsoever,
2. "Fish" and "fishes" can both serve as the plural of fish(s) and there is no difference in meaning between them or whatsoever,
3. "Fish" and "fishes" can both serve as the plural of fish(s) and there is no difference in meaning between them and whatsoever,

 

[Casiopea]

Are these correct? If not, why? What do they mean?

1. "Fish" and "fishes" can both serve as the plural of fish(s) and there is no difference in meaning between them whatsoever,
2. "Fish" and "fishes" can both serve as the plural of fish(s) and there is no difference in meaning between them or whatsoever,
3. "Fish" and "fishes" can both serve as the plural of fish(s) and there is no difference in meaning between them and whatsoever,

1. is OK; 2. is not OK. 'or' is a conjunction: It joins two like units. 3. is not OK. 'and' is a conjunction: It joins two like units.

There is no difference whatsoever/at all/of any kind between them.

Note that, There is actually a difference between fish and fishes. Both are plural, but only the latter is used in reference to species of fish. :wink: That is, you wouldn't say to the fishmonger, "Those are nice fishes you got there." You'd say, "Fish." If it's the tropical fish dude, you could use, "What kinds of species of fish or fishes do you carries?" In short, the aquatic sciences use the term 'fishes', so unless you're dealing in species, "fish" is your best bet--if you use "fishes", some non-biologist is going to correct you. :wink:

 

[jack]

"Those are nice fishes you got there." You'd say, "Fish." If it's the tropical fish dude, you could use, "What kinds of species of fish or fishes do you carries?"

I would say this?
1. Those are nice fish you got there. (Isn't that incorrect? The subject doesn't agree with the verb?)

2. What kinds of species of fish or fishes do you carries? (Was this a typo? Is 'carries' supposed to be 'carry'?

 

[Casiopea]

1. Those are nice fish you got there. (Isn't that incorrect? The subject doesn't agree with the verb?)

Huh? :roll: 'are' is plural and 'fish' is plural. The word 'fish' is like the word sheep: They have the exact same form in the singular and the plural:

Singular: I like your fish. What is its name?
Plural: I like your fish. What are their names?

'fish' doesn't take -s, ever, not even in the plural, unless that is, you're using it to refer to species of fish, and then -es is added, giving fishes.

Was this a typo? Is 'carries' supposed to be 'carry'?

:up: Yes. Thank you for catching that. It's a typo.

 

[jack]

Thanks.

 

[Casiopea]

Thanks.

You're welcome, and thanks, too.

 

[jack]

kind of _______ (Singular Noun)
kinds of ______ (Plural Noun)

How come it doesn't work here?
1. What kind of friends do you have?
2. What kinds of friend do you have? (This doesn't make sense with that rule?)