Gram or grams? Which of the following options is best used in written and spoken language? You can learn the answer to this question from this article.
General information
The formation of some nouns in the form of the genitive plural quite often causes certain difficulties for schoolchildren and adults. That is why often questions arise about how to write: grams or grams, oranges or oranges, tomatoes or tomatoes, socks or socks, kilograms or kilograms, etc.
It should be noted that there are no specific rules for such cases. However, in the Russian language there are still some notes that will help you in writing the mentioned lexical units.
Features words
Many people doubt how to write and pronounce: grams or grams. And in order to correctly use this word in the text, it is recommended to remember the following feature: for most masculine nouns that are in the initial form and end with a solid consonant (for example, sock, orange, lampas, tomato, etc.) in the genitive pl . the number is characterized by the end of s (for example, socks, oranges, stripes, tomatoes, etc.). However, this peculiar rule does not always apply and does not apply to all lexical units.
Word analysis
In connection with all of the above, we decided to analyze the word we are testing and understand how it will be correct: grams or grams. This lexical unit belongs to the category of masculine nouns that are rather problematic to put in the genitive plural. numbers. But in view of the fact that such a word ends in a strong consonant, its ending will be -ov, that is, grams. But what then, for example, should be with such a familiar expression: “Pour 100 grams!” (or 100 grams)? The answer to this question you will learn a little further.
Exceptions to the Rules
As mentioned above, nouns are plural. numbers ending in a solid consonant in the genitive have only the ending -s. However, all rules have their exceptions. Let's consider them in more detail:
- If you are dealing with the name of people by nationality, as well as by belonging to any military unit, which are used in the plural and used in a collective sense, then the above rule does not apply. This can be seen from the following example: soldiers - soldiers, Bulgarians - Bulgarians, partisans - partisans. By the way, the word in the form of a genitive plural also belongs here. numbers - "man." For example: no one? - eight people.
- If the text should put the name of paired objects in the genitive case, then their ending will be zero. Here is a good example: eyes - an eye, boots - a boot, shoulder straps - shoulder straps, cuffs - cuffs, boots - a boot, stockings - stocking. Although there are some exceptions. For example, you should say and write “socks”, not “socks”.
- If in a sentence you are dealing with the name of measures or units of measure, then you should pay special attention to such a form as genitive case. "Gram" and "grams" in this case are equal lexical units. Although experts argue that if this word is used without a “measuring” figure, that is, in an explicit genitive case, then only the second option should be used. For example: “how many grams of silver in this item”; “Let's talk in detail about the abolition of grams as a unit of measurement”; “Instead of grams, the weight of the product was measured in kilograms” and so on. If such a lexical unit is preceded by a qualifying figure, it is recommended to use a word with a zero ending. For example: "pour 100 grams"; “Leave 5 free gigabytes on the flash card”, “measure 15 arshins”, “weigh 5 kilograms of apples”, “connect 220 volts”, “set the limit to 1000 watts”, etc.
To summarize
About how to write: a lot of grams or grams, we talked about. But in order to consolidate the material, it should be repeated why in one case we are writing one option, and in another - another. The fact is that in the Russian language there is a counting case, or the so-called counting form. As a rule, it is available only for those masculine plural nouns that indicate units of measure. And if there is any numeral in front of such a word, then the counting case is characterized by a zero ending (for example, six grams, twenty amperes, three hundred volts, fifty newton, ten arshins, etc.).
Thus, the phrase “one hundred grams” is a clear example of a counting form. Although in such cases, explicit genitive cases are often used. For example: thirty grams, twenty hectares, six Newtons, five kilograms and so on. Consequently, lexical combinations such as “one hundred grams”, “one hundred grams”, “many grams” or “fifty grams” are considered to be completely equal and equivalent.