Is it an exception?
2007-06-22 09:04:11 · 13 answers · asked by ShaunAverett 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
You're confusing the verb with the noun. Here's the way it goes:
I believe in him and he believes in me. (verb usage)
What is your belief in this matter? What are your beliefs in this matter? (noun usage)
I'm always amazed how foreigners can learn our crazy language!
2007-06-22 09:09:53 · answer #1 · answered by Elaine P...is for Poetry 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Beliefs- exception
2007-06-22 09:09:43 · answer #2 · answered by Hershey's Kiss 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How many uneducated people must answer a grammar question without having a clue of the topic?
The person who asked the questions knows very well, as do those who were talking about "an exception".
There is a grammar rule in English that says that when a noun is ending in "f", the plural will be formed using "es". I.e.: leaf - leaves. Of course "leaves" is also the singular 3rd form of the verb "to leave", but we don t care about this, we are smart people understanding the grammar rule, not making confusions between verbs and nouns.
We are not confusing the form of the verb "to believe" in sing. 3rd pers., but asking why there is a change from the grammar rule for the noun "belief". And we understood, it is an exception, here to be seen also: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/belief. If Wiki says so, it must be.
To conclude, one more: it is an exception, the plural is "beliefs".
2015-10-12 09:01:47 · answer #3 · answered by D R 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is no exception, it is beliefs. Believe is the act of believing and not the belief itself.
2007-06-22 09:08:11 · answer #4 · answered by lix 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Plural is beliefs.
"He has many strong beliefs."
Believes is a verb.
"He believes in ghosts."
2007-06-22 09:09:03 · answer #5 · answered by Bedford 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is an exception: beliefs
2007-06-22 09:06:43 · answer #6 · answered by Experto Credo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
beliefs, "believes" is 3rd person singular for the verb "to believe"
2007-06-22 12:19:39 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
beliefs
2007-06-22 09:06:52 · answer #8 · answered by mommybaby295 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Believes is the verb form.
Beliefs.
2007-06-22 09:07:32 · answer #9 · answered by SlowClap 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
believes is possesive-he believes
beliefs is plural possesive
therefore depends on your sentence surroundings
2007-06-22 09:14:43 · answer #10 · answered by Bryce R 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋