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Probably a duplicate, but the title question is very different: Is the term 'quasi-count-noun/usage' used in a grammar or articles? . Same answer in any case.DW256– DW2562025-02-05 09:15:41 +00:00Commented Feb 5, 2025 at 9:15
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Why do you say "police" can't be used with numbers? Did someone tell you this or did you see it in a book? DW256 has found an example and I found "I can see 20 vans out in the open (without looking down side streets) and 5 police on the roof of the building." (Guardian). "There were at least 5 police with us in the small room, and 2 by the door." (Guardian) Are there any other nouns you think are like this?Stuart F– Stuart F2025-02-05 10:01:59 +00:00Commented Feb 5, 2025 at 10:01
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I wonder whether there’s a sense in which staff refers to the whole group, so counting individuals requires more words: e.g. 5 staff members.Lawrence– Lawrence2025-02-05 11:38:12 +00:00Commented Feb 5, 2025 at 11:38
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1This question is similar to: Is the term 'quasi-count-noun/usage' used in a grammar or articles?. If you believe it’s different, please edit the question, make it clear how it’s different and/or how the answers on that question are not helpful for your problem.Edwin Ashworth– Edwin Ashworth2025-02-05 15:03:30 +00:00Commented Feb 5, 2025 at 15:03
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Terminology needs making more precise. 'Police' [1] is morphologically singular (and in fact 'polices' [for 'police forces'] probably does occur); [2] is 'nearly' non-count (3 police for 3 police officers is inadmissible, but 2000 police is acceptable); [3] always takes a plural verb form ('police are looking ...') and [4] often refers to an etically countable set (6 police officers were present at the scene). // The fact that collective nouns like 'staff' can take either plural or singular verb forms (allowing notional agreement) has been well covered on ELU. 'Police', ...Edwin Ashworth– Edwin Ashworth2025-02-05 16:26:07 +00:00Commented Feb 5, 2025 at 16:26
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