Hi Grammar Exchange members!
I've read the following sentence in the modern fable titile "The Richer, the poorer" written by Dorothy West.
(a) Bess had a beau in the school band, who had no other ambition except to play a horn.
I think that because of "other" the noun "ambition" should be plural. I'm wondering if I can use the plural noun "ambitions" in the sentence above.
I'd like to know the grammar rule about the expression "no other~".
Thanks in advance.
KDog
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Hi, KDog,
@KDog posted:(a) Bess had a beau in the school band, who had no other ambition except to play a horn.
I think that because of "other" the noun "ambition" should be plural. I'm wondering if I can use the plural noun "ambitions" in the sentence above.
I'd like to know the grammar rule about the expression "no other~".
Both "ambition" and "ambitions" are correct in that sentence. The determiner "other" can take a singular or a plural noun when preceded by "no," "any," or "the":
- He had no other ambition/s.
- He did not have any other ambition/s.
- The other ambition/s he had was/were ...
When used alone or with a numeral, the plural will be required:
- He had two other ambitions.
- Other ambitions he had were ...
Thank you so much for you reply. Even though I have many grammar books that I can consult with, it's often hard to get the exact information that I want to know from them.
