GO FORWARD
WITH ENGLISH
DO
Do has three main uses:
1. A verb in its own right
2. An auxiliary verb (for questions and negatives)
3. A substitute verb (to avoid repetition)
Verb
Form
Simple Present: do , do, does, do, do, do (pr. /duː/ and /dʌz/)
Simple Past: did (pr. /dɪd/)
Past Participle: done (pr. /dʌn/)
Present Participle: doing (pr. /ˈduːɪŋ/)
I like to do pilates on Tuesday nights
I'll clear the table if you do the washing up
Jack did his homework and then played computer games
"What are you doing?" "I'm shopping online."
You can see that it's a very useful little verb that also enables us to be quite vague or informal about the action.
Accomplish, execute, undertake and complete are examples of more specific verbs that could have been used but 'do' is extremely handy and much easier to pronounce! (See the differences between 'do' and 'make' below.)
We also use 'do' to emphasise (or give more feeling to) another verb:
I do love Saturday mornings!
I really do think we should be going now, it's getting dark!
I do hope you can come on Saturday night. I’ll be really bored without you
Please do help yourself to more food, otherwise it will go to waste!
Auxiliary verb
(Think of these as 'helping verbs' - verbs that help other verbs to determine tense, aspect or mood. The primary ones in English are 'be', 'do' and 'have'.)
As an auxiliary verb we use 'do' to form questions and negatives. 'Do' is followed by the infinitive of the verb without 'to'. It is never followed by another auxiliary verb! So, you can't have Did you could play the piano as a child?
Questions
Form
do + subject + verb....?
Do you like cricket?
Did you play the piano as a child?
"Does Arthur want a cup of tea?" "No, he'll have coffee."
Didn't the Post Office always shut on Wednesdays in the 70s?
Do you ever finish work on time?
Don't be confused if you see 'do' twice in a sentence - this is perfectly possible in questions and negatives!
What do you do when it rains?
What does he do on Saturdays?
Negatives
Form
do + not (shortened to don't, doesn't, didn't)
I don't like Mondays
Don't you like football?
His clinic doesn't start until 8.30
Didn't you get any milk? We've run out!
Don't do that! (two 'do's' in a row and perfectly correct!)
Don't you ever finish work on time? (More frustrated than the simple question seen above.)
With negative sentences we usually use 'do' before the verb if there is no other auxiliary verb. Remember, we never use them together, so I don't can play the guitar is incorrect. Other auxiliary verbs just take 'not' after them - "I mustn't forget to go to the bank" "I wouldn't go on Saturday, it'll be really busy."
Substitute verb
We can use 'do' on its own after an auxiliary verb:
"Are you coming to the party?" "I might do, it depends if I finish my essay."
"I can't be bothered to exercise." "Well you should do - it reduces your risk of diabetes and heart disease."
"Can you do an extra shift on Saturday?" "Well, I could do - it depends how much they'll pay me."
Kevin doesn't want to visit his grandmother, although he ought to do as she gets very lonely.
We also use 'do' to replace verbs we don't want to repeat again in a sentence (this is very common indeed!)
"Did you see Robert on Tuesday?" "No I didn't."
"I'm going to learn to skydive." "Please don't! It's really dangerous."
"Do you know what time the meeting is?" "I do - it's at 5 o'clock."
"Do you think it might rain?" "It might do."
"Do you mind if I open the window?" "Please do!"
DO OR MAKE?
Oh dear! Unfortunately there are no easy rules for the use of Do or Make in English! Sometimes you just have to learn the various collocations off by heart. However, there are some activities that favour one over the other and the following information should be helpful if you ever need to guess!
We use DO for indefinite activities, often with what, thing, anything, nothing. Also for duties, jobs, leisure activities, actions, obligations and repetitive tasks.
We do the cleaning, cooking, washing up, shopping, some serious work, some research, a lot of damage, our hair/teeth, a lot of harm rather than good, business with someone and someone a favour!
"What shall we do now?" "You can do what you like - I'm going home."
He didn't do anything - he just sat there.
You expect me to do everything around the house - well, I'm fed up!
I did a lot of research and I think I did a good job on that essay. I did my best anyway.
I intend to do lots of walking on holiday this year.
We use MAKE for constructing, producing, creating, performing, actions we choose to do.
We make a lasting impression, a mistake, an offer, a decision, a (phone) call, an announcement/speech, an application, progress, a sound/noise, a mess, a profit, a fortune, a forecast, love not war, fun of someone/a fool out of someone, and amends (for our behaviour!) It's almost as if DO is reserved for the humdrum things in life and MAKE is for the more dramatic statements and creations!
I made three suggestions and left it to him to make the final decision
You've made a mistake in the third paragraph - 'definitely' is spelt with an 'i' not an 'a'
I've made all the arrangements for the trip and I've made a great effort to get it all right
I'm afraid I'm going to have to make my excuses and leave
He didn't make anything in his pottery class - he ran out of time
Stop making a song and dance about it and get on with the job!
('To make a song and dance about something' = make a fuss about something that's probably not very important)
DURING AND FOR
We use during before nouns and noun phrases to describe when something happens and for to describe how long something lasts:
During the winter of 1684 the River Thames froze for two months
I lived in Liverpool for five years during the 1980's
During can be replaced by in:
I lived there in the 1980's
In the winter of 1684 the river froze hard
... but during implies 'for the whole/longer period of time mentioned.' During is also used with activities, events, and experiences:
She read a book during the meal
Naturally, I visited the Alhambra during my visit to Granada
I was quite scared of some of the nurses during my medical training!
FEW, FEWER AND LESS
FEW on its own means ‘not many’ or ‘almost none’ and is used with countable nouns
I have few happy memories of my childhood
Few people know that the film star Hedy Lamarr was also the inventor of a torpedo radio guidance system
When my grandad was young, very few families had the money for holidays
A FEW means ‘some’ or ‘a small number’
I have a few happy childhood memories I’d like to share with you
I’ve got a few days spare in the autumn if you’d like to visit Prague then
FEWER means ‘a smaller number’ and is used with countable nouns. We use LESS with uncountable nouns
There are fewer people at the concert tonight, we might be able to sit near the front
Jane has three bags and Peter has two - Peter has fewer bags than Jane (countable bags)
Peter has less luggage than Jane (uncountable luggage)
I had less time for my patients today due to that pointless meeting about new targets! (Uncountable time)
If you want to lose weight you need to eat less bread and fewer potatoes and drink less beer and fewer glasses of Baileys!
FUTURE TENSES
Present Continuous Future
Form
Subject + to be + present participle (-ing)
I'm driving to work tomorrow
I'm going to the pictures tonight
We're having a party on Saturday
Are you going swimming on Friday? (Contracted from Are you going to go swimming?)
"What are you doing on Tuesday morning?" "I'm seeing my boss for a breakfast meeting."
Meaning and Function
The Present Continuous Future tense describes present intentions that were held before the time of speaking and are expected to continue after it; in other words things that are already planned and decided. It's very common in speech and informal English.
For pre-arranged plans and general plans:
I'm leaving on Friday
I'm eating with my parents tonight
They're leaving early in the morning
This is particularly important and errors do occur: "What are you doing tomorrow?" "I will go to the dentist." This appointment is a pre-arranged plan, so although grammatically correct, the will form is unsuitable and it should be, "I'm going to the dentist."
For refusing invitations:
I'm sorry I can't come, I'm going to an anniversary dinner
It can be used to predict future events based on current evidence:
The sky is heavy and white - it looks like it's going to snow
He's going to fall off that wall if he's not careful!
This "Going to" Future tense is common and is also used when we've made a plan to do something later:
I'm going to the gym after work (we use this form to avoid the repetition of I'm going to go to the gym)
We're going to Bali in September (again, we are avoiding saying We're going to go to Bali)
The surgeon isn't going to operate until you have lost weight
NB: We use the present tense for scheduled events!
The train leaves at 6
The film starts at 7
The plane lands at 2
School finishes at 3.45
She has a sculpture class tonight
.....even though these things are future events!
Will/Shall Future
Form
Subject + will/shall + infinitive without to
Mr Ahmed will be your surgeon and he will come and see you this afternoon
I'll be really nervous when I give my presentation
I'm sure the audience will be really interested
Meaning
Will and Shall are generally used to express actions or events in the future:
In Spain, in August, I guarantee it will be sunny every day!
We'll play tennis this afternoon and I'll beat you!
Which form? Will or Shall? Don't worry! In modern English they're pretty much interchangeable, but if you're a stickler for the rules, here goes:
I and we take shall
you, he, she, it, they take will
I shall perform the operation first thing in the morning
He will be in recovery by 10am!
BUT
If you're expressing a STRONG opinion, they swap round to:
I and we take will
you, he, she, it, they take shall
In "Lord of the Rings' Gandalf told the Balrog, "You shall not pass!"
I will go to the party on Saturday and you can't stop me!
The reality is that we contract these words most of the time to 'll so it doesn't matter which one you use as you can't hear it!
We do use will for orders/requests:
Will you sit down!
Will you pick up some milk while you're out?
Actually, would/could are more polite for requests:
Would you pick up some milk while you're out?
Could you all please sit down?
We do use shall for suggestions, offers, advice:
Shall I shut the window?
Shall we go to the pictures tonight?
AND shall is still used a lot in legal writing in English.
Future Continuous (Progressive)
Form
Subject + will/shall + be + ...ing
I'll be going to the hospital for my appointment
Will you be going?
"What will you be doing at 5 o'clock tomorrow?" "I'll be relaxing by the pool - I'm going to Tenerife tonight!"
The traffic is always horrendous on Friday nights - you'll be sitting in the car for hours
Knock loudly when you arrive because I'll probably be working in the shed
Meaning
The Future Continuous tense (also known as the Future Progressive tense) is used to describe an event that will be happening at a particular moment in the future (or what we assume will be happening).
Don't interrupt your dad right now - he'll be listening to the football results
Future Perfect
Form
Subject + will have + past participle
He will have finished operating by 8 o'clock
"I'll come and see you at 9 tonight." "Oh no, visiting hours will have finished by then."
Meaning
The Future Perfect is used to say that something will be (won't be) finished by a certain time in the future:
I will have prepared the starters and main course by then but won't have made the dessert
"What will you be doing in 2018?" "Hopefully I'll have finished university and begun a really good job."
Verbs of accomplishment are very common with the Future Perfect tense, e.g., finish, leave, solve, decide, complete, stop, start, fix...
I'm just doing the crossword - I'll have it solved by teatime!
The plumber will have fixed the central heating by now
I will definitely have stopped smoking by Christmas
Future Perfect Continuous
Form
Subject + will have + been + ...ing
He will have been operating for 6 hours by then, so no doubt he'll be really tired
In December we'll have been living in this house for 20 years
I should be fluent by January because by then I'll have been studying English for 6 months
"What do you think she's been doing?" "Oh, I imagine she'll have been talking to her friend on the phone."
Meaning
The Future Perfect Continuous tense expresses the predicted length of time something will take in the future. We often use for to specify how long it will take:
Why don't we stop at Tibshelf services, because by then you'll have been driving for 3 hours?
It can also be used when we guess the cause of something:
"Why do you think she's so grumpy?" "I imagine she'll have been working nights and she's absolutely exhausted."
GOOD OR WELL
First of all, a quick reminder:
Adjectives modify nouns
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs.
Why is this important? Because you have to remember that:
Good is an adjective and
Well is an adverb.
So, if you're describing a noun, use good:
Mark Knopfler is a really good guitar player
The kids had a good day at the park but I think they're ready for bed now!
I don't think that's a good idea
She's such a good dog, she never runs away
Dmitri speaks good English
If you're modifying a verb, adjective or adverb, use well:
Dmitri speaks English well
I don't skate, but I ski well
She's a well-known theatre actress
"Don't you think he's a good artist?" "I do, I think he paints and draws really well"
He's been such a good boy, he's played really well all day
So, to clarify:
You speak good English (describes the noun 'English')
You speak English well (describes the verb 'speaking')
I don't speak English well
Don't forget that we don't usually put an adverb between a verb and an object - You speak well English is a common mistake.
Extra points:
If you hear someone say "You look good in that jacket, it really suits you" good is being used as an adjective describing a noun - "you".
You can also feel good about things:
I don't feel very good about lying to you
...and that's why we have a 'feel good factor' and James Brown singing, "I feel good, I knew that I would!"
You only use well as an adjective when speaking about health:
You must be feeling better, you look really well!
I am now, thanks, but I was unwell for weeks.
Don't forget that better is the comparative form of both good and well (don't make the common mistake of saying
"more good"):
I speak Russian well but I speak Spanish better
Miss Smith is a much better surgeon than Mr Jones
TO HAVE
Most simply, 'to have' indicates possession:
I have two cats and three dogs
Do you often have migraines?
(In informal English you're more likely to hear I've got two cats and Do you often get migraines?)
It also describes actions and experiences:
Marcia's having a baby!
I'm just going to have a shower and then I'll be right with you.
Here's a list of some of the things you can 'have' in English:
a look, a chat, a conversation, a row, a disagreement, a quarrel, a fight, a word, a cup of tea, a/some coffee, a laugh (good time), a good/bad journey/flight/trip, a holiday, a bad day, a good time, a rest, a sleep, a dream, a lie-down/siesta, a bath, a wash, a shower, dinner, a meal, breakfast, lunch, a game of...., a swim, trouble/difficulty, an accident, an operation. It's a very versatile word!
We also use 'have' to describe an obligation:
I had to go back home because I'd forgotten my phone
You'll have to take the bus if your car's broken down
We also say 'have got to' when something is necessary:
I've got to go to Manchester on Saturday
He's got to have his appendix out
The expression 'had better', regarding the immediate future, describes something more urgent than should/ought - sometimes it's almost like a veiled threat!
You'd better clean your room or there'll be big trouble!
'Had better' is used with the infinitive without 'to' and only ever in this form (it's never 'have better'.) The negative is formed by adding not + infinitive:
You'd better not come in at 3 o'clock again - mum will be furious!
As part of the construction of perfect verbs we use 'to have' as an auxiliary verb (i.e. a 'helping verb'):
I've not been to Spain yet this year, I've been working too hard
He hadn't even been abroad when we first met, he'd been spending all his money on motorbikes
Give him a ring after six, he will have arrived back home by then
By 8 o'clock I will have been working for 16 solid hours
She wouldn't have been there on Tuesday because that's the day she takes her mother out
Remember with questions and negatives it's an auxiliary verb so we don't use 'do' as we only need ONE auxiliary verb in these constructions:
"Have you seen my letter? " "No, I haven't received it yet." ("Did you have seen my letter?" would be incorrect.)
Please see the Grammar Rays entries on 'to be' and 'to do' for brief notes on other auxiliary verbs and the section on 'Questions' for a short introduction to the question form in English.
LINKING VERBS
Remember, a verb describes an action, condition or an experience. When I was a child we were taught that “a verb is a doing word” and I think that describes it perfectly! Linking verbs connect the subject with more information about the subject. They’re not action verbs. The most common linking verbs are to be and the senses verbs. Here’s a list:
to be
to become
to seem
to get
to go
to look
to touch
to smell
to appear
to feel
to sound
to taste
to turn
to grow
to remain
to prove
to stay
(These verbs in bold can also be action verbs! When they’re used as action verbs not link verbs they are used with adverbs.)
Linking verbs are often followed by adjectives not adverbs - She is angry, he is sad, they are tall. This is because they’re actually describing the subject and not the verb! (Remember, adjectives modify nouns and adverbs modify verbs.)
Have a look at these examples:
He became angry (linking verb)
She seemed quite angry (linking verb)
He reacted angrily (action verb)
He slammed the door angrily (action verb)
It became cold once the sun went down (linking verb)
He grew cold and decided to go indoors (linking verb)
She answered him coldly and he knew she hadn’t forgiven him (action verb)
He glared coldly at me and left the room without another word (action verb)
She seems intelligent (linking verb)
She spoke intelligently on the subject (action verb)
The food smells delicious (linking verb)
The main character was deliciously wicked and I enjoyed reading about her adventures! (an adverb modifying the adjective ‘wicked’)
I felt unhappy that he’d cancelled our appointment (linking verb)
She reacted unhappily when I told her I’d have to cancel our appointment (action verb)
She looks happy today! (linking verb)
She gazed happily down at the audience (action verb)
The weather turned miserable and we decided to go back home (turn = linking)
He turned miserably away and left on his own (turn = action)
many and much
We use much with uncountable nouns
We use many with plural nouns
I haven’t got much information for you yet - I need to do some more research
I don’t like to drink too much coffee in a day
How was Paris? Did you do much shopping?
Too much! Now I’m broke!
I’ve brought too much luggage - I can’t carry it all!
He doesn’t have many friends
You’ve used too many words - you can edit this down quite a bit
I bought too many treats for myself in Paris and now I’m broke!
Have you visited many cities in the UK?
I brought too many suitcases - I can’t carry them all!
If we have an article, possessive noun or another type of determiner before the noun, we use the word of after ‘much’ and ‘many’:
I didn’t actually see much of him when I lived in London because he was always working
The kids didn’t make much of a mess and I soon tidied it all up
My parents didn’t make much of my new boyfriend the first time they met him!
I didn’t know many of the people at the party
Many of her students need extra help with exam preparation
Not all homeless people have mental health problems but many of them do
If the meaning is obvious you can drop the noun:
Did you get much done? - Not much
There was a free bar at the wedding but I didn’t drink much because I was driving
Were there many people at the conference? - No, not many
The kids went out picking blueberries but they didn’t come back with many
With so, as, too and very:
These adverbs are used a lot with ‘much’ and ‘many’ to modify them in some way:
I love him so much
They don’t see each other as much as they used to
She’s eaten too much cake and now she feels sick
I went to Rome a couple of years ago and I liked it very much
Thank you very much!
I’ve got so many people to buy presents for at Christmas I usually start shopping in October!
There aren’t as many cars on the road in Spain as there are in the UK
There are too many cars on the road and traffic is a nightmare
There weren’t very many people in the audience, which was quite disappointing
Remember that adverbs never come between a verb and an object. Common errors:
I like very much all his novels (I like all his novels very much)
She likes very much him (She likes him very much)
Finally, much can also be used as an adverb with questions, negatives and comparatives:
Do you see much of each other?
I don’t read as much as I’d like
She doesn’t travel much any more
He’s much older than me
MODAL AUXILIARIES
can could may might will would shall should must ought
Modal auxiliaries usually indicate our attitude to the probability/necessity/advisability/desirability of the action in the main verb. We don't usually use modal verbs to say that situations definitely exist or events have definitely happened. We use them to talk about things which we expect, which are or aren't possible, which we think are necessary, which we want to happen or which have not happened!
I must water the flowers
He may arrive at any time
She could be in London or Tokyo - nobody knows
What would you do if you won £1000?
She may know his address
Edinburgh can be very cold in the winter
He shouldn't be doing that, should he?
I ought to make an appointment to see a dentist - I haven't been for ages
It's about degrees of certainty:
Complete certainty - shall, will, must, can't
I shan't be late on Tuesday
Probability - should
She should be here soon
Possibility - may
We may be going on holiday in August
Weak possibility - might, could
I might see you again, who knows?
We could all be millionaires one day
Modal auxiliaries are also used to express obligation - they are very important in the polite expression of requests, suggestions, invitations and instructions.
Strong obligation - must, will, need
All visitors must register at Reception
Prohibition - must not, may not, cannot
Visitors must not use the staff car park
You can't come in here
Weak obligation - should, might, shall
What shall we do?
You should try to work harder
Permission - can, could, may, might
You can use the car if you like
May I use the phone?
Ability - can, could
She can speak six languages
These roses can grow anywhere
When I was a baby I could put my foot in my mouth
Form
1 present form (present and future)
1 past form (past, present and future)
FOR ALL PERSONS (i.e, NO 'to infinitive' form, NO '-ing' form, NO past '-ed' form, NO 's' for third person singular.)
I could drive when I was 17
I could drive if you're tired
I could pick you up tomorrow
Modal auxiliaries are placed first in the verb phrase (after the subject) and are followed by the verb in the base form (that is, without 'to') - apart from ought, which is followed by the infinitive with 'to'. The next verb may be a main verb or an auxiliary verb ('be', 'have', 'do').
They can be followed by the substitute verb 'do' to avoid repetition - "We thought he might sell the house." "Yes he might/could do."
They can only be used alone when the main verb is clearly understood - "She could take the bus." "Yes, that's true, she could."
They can't be used with another modal verb - Windsurfing can might be difficult is incorrect (Windsurfing can be difficult)
Modal auxiliary verbs are not time specific and they have no existence as full verbs.
Negatives are formed by adding 'not' after the modal verbs - I will not/won't go to work tomorrow. We do not use don't, doesn't, didn't with modal verbs - We don't can hear very well is incorrect (We can't hear very well).
Questions are formed by the subject and the modal verb changing position - Could you help me please? Will you be able to operate?
We don't use do, does, did - Do you could help me? Does it will be a problem? are both incorrect (Will it be a problem?) Why don't you can come too? is also incorrect (Why don't you come too?)
We can avoid repetition by using an auxiliary verb instead of a complete verb phrase if the meaning is clear. The auxiliary usually has a strong pronunciation -
Get up. I am!
He said he'd write but he hasn't
I'll come and see you when I can
You can also leave out other words after the auxiliary -
I can't see you today but I can tomorrow
I've forgotten the address. I have too.
You're not trying very hard. I am.
Who's the driver? I am.
Who has a dictionary? I have.
Pronunciation
Modal auxiliaries are very much influenced by stress and intonation.
can and can't are pronounced differently (/kæn/ and /kɑːnt/)
mustn't is pronounced without the first 't' (it's silent)
Further points
It's common to use likely/unlikely with modal auxiliaries -
There's no family history so it's unlikely that you have diabetes
It's very likely that we could perform the operation tomorrow
NOUN PLURALS
1. Let's start nice and easy! Most English nouns simply add the letter -s at the end to form the plural:
dogs, elephants, houses, trees, cars, trains.
2. If a noun ends in a consonant + -y the plural ending is -ies:
skies, activities, berries, daisies.
3. If the noun ends in -ch, -s, -sh, -x, -z we add -es:
churches, buses, foxes, boxes, bushes, indices, matrices.
EXCEPT: if the -ch is pronounced as a 'k' sound we add -s:
stomachs, epochs.
4. If the noun ends in -f, -fe we change the ending to -ves:
loaves, leaves, elves, dwarves, knives, halves, scarves, calves, hooves, lives, selves, thieves, wives.
EXCEPT: if the noun ends in two vowels + -f, we just add -s:
chiefs, spoofs, roofs, safes, beliefs, proofs, but not 'hoofs'
5. If the noun ends in -o we can add -s, -es or either!
ALWAYS -s:
solos, zeros, avocados, studios, zoos, embryos.
ALWAYS -es:
buffaloes, dominoes, echoes, embargoes, heroes, mosquitoes, potatoes, tomatoes, torpedoes, vetoes.
EITHER: (these are just my preferences):
banjos, cargos, flamingos, frescoes, ghettos, halos, mangoes, mementos, mottos, tornados, tuxedos, volcanoes.
6. If the noun ends in -is the plural ending becomes -es:
axes, analyses, crises, diagnoses, hypotheses, neuroses, oases, paralyses, parentheses, theses, prognoses.
7. Some awkward nouns don't change at all in the plural!
deer, fish, offspring, series, sheep, species, aircraft, moose, bison, shrimp.
8. And some only have plural forms:
scissors, binoculars, trousers, jeans, pliers, shorts, tights, glasses, headphones, knickers, pyjamas - these items are usually found in 'pairs' -
a pair of scissors, a pair of trousers etc.
These nouns are also only seen in plural forms:
belongings, clothes, congratulations, earnings, goods, likes and dislikes, outskirts, premises, savings, stairs, surroundings, thanks.
9. And finally, some very awkward nouns are simply irregular!
children, feet, geese, men, mice, oxen, people, teeth, these, those, women.
If you are part of the medical community and need more information on more specialised vocabulary, e.g words with Latin or Greek roots, here's a great guide to working out the plural of English medical words:
ONE OF...
Which sentence is correct?
1. One of my colleague is a pituitary expert
2. One of my colleagues are pituitary expert
3. One of my colleagues is a pituitary expert
Surely, the correct answer is number 1 as we are talking about a singular noun, 'one'?
Actually, no. The correct answer is number 3.
Why?
This construction is often confusing for learners of English! A very common error would be to say, "One of my COLLEAGUE (singular)" (or one of my interest, one of the example, one of the best way). Learners are often 'tricked' by the word 'one' into using a singular noun (easy mistake to make!) but don't forget we're talking here about one of a NUMBER OF CHOICES - one of many other colleagues, interests, examples, ways etc. BUT REMEMBER!! ONE is the SUBJECT of the sentence and therefore governs the VERB, which is SINGULAR!! One of my colleagues IS an expert; one of my interests IS anaemia in multi-parous women; one of the ways we can achieve this IS by ensuring a large sample size for the trial.
This isn't one of the easiest constructions as our brains have to process a singular and a plural concept in a very short sentence very quickly, which is probably why this is one of the most common errors I hear in spoken English!