Level Three. Singular or Plural.

Level Three. Singular or Plural.

By Michelle Lloyd.

Little Herbert was a lover of family.  It meant a lot to him.  Family was a part of his understanding about many life lessons and those were built on being able to support those who mattered most.

At school English was a subject that the class had a lot to learn about.  If it was not the literature that excited the imaginations of the pupils then it was the grammar and use of where to put what in a sentence.  The syntax was all important because of the meaning that could be established as a result of the words and emphasises of them.  Punctuation and according content of a sentence could alter because of the way that it had been read.  Little Herbert was a whiz at many subjects and he always tried really hard.  His dad had taught him that in life, if one had attempted something and aimed as far as they could go at it, then a lot could be achieved.  Little Herbert had surprised himself on many an occasion.  He had learnt the meaning and practical use of vocabulary far beyond that expected of his age and he had strived to put what he had learnt to good use.

Singular or plural was an important distinction and Little Herbert soon became adept at the Collective Nouns generally accepted for many an animal and example used in the English language.  It was the meaning of why the examples that were used in class were significant that hit Little Herbert.  As they learnt about the distinction between singular and plural examples of animals in the wild, the chosen lifestyles of each became widely discussed in class.

All too soon the topic of conversation had switched from that of animals to the class and family variations were hotly debated.  There were many features of family that Little Herbert was keen to discuss but he felt that one that set him apart was how awesome his dad was at running his single parent household.

Family was meaningful for each member of the class but what Little Herbert expressed was how significant an influence his dad had on his life.  His parent may have been singular and not the plural definition of parents but it made him proud to be able to say how loved and active he was in his family.

It became apparent that while the family units in class were discussed and altered from singular to plural, each one had an individuality that made it unique and special.  Each one was important and each had a means of making it truly inspirational.