Dear myemma

As for whether The Olympic Games are plural or singular, it depends on the context in this case the word first made it into singular however... both "did not they"(I assume the htey was a typo) and "did not it" are incorrect, the right answer should be: "did it not?"

 Hi, Giorgi,

As I stated initialisms are frequently used without the full stops, but then how does a foreigner know when to try and pronounce it as a word or when to say each letter individually, in my opinion the full stops are there to be used as full stop otherwise how do you stop yourself from saying cia instead of C.I.A.? (Since there is already both abbreviations, why not make them each unique to standardize and simplify) I stress this is my opinion and since there is nothing stopping me from doing so and makes it much easier for learners it is what I do.

Dear Cunliffe,

Lets see if I can explain it better: The Olympic Games are events composed of several events so therefore plural; The Olympic Games started in 776 B.C., didn�t they?, The Olympic Games are held every four years, however when first is used it makes The Olympic Games undoubtedly singular, lets use lessons as an example; I had my lessons last week , ok thumbs up so far so good, lets add first to the phrase; I had my first lessons last week, does it seem odd? lets make it singular; I had my first lesson last week. Don�t forget first = 1st.

@ cunliffe

I don �t really understand your question but I will put it as simple as I can; what is really determining the singular or plural is the determiner.

Wooot!? but my source said ; �the Olympics� is a collective noun like team or United States, and usually takes a singular verb. �Games,� on the other hand, is a plural noun that should take a plural verb.

Lets look at the source of the source ("Source: Wikipedia");

1. The Olympic Games reached their zenith in the 6th and 5th centuries BC ( Olympic Games with no singular determiner= plural)

2.The Olympics entered a period of stagnation that threatened their survival. (Olympics with no singular determiner= plural)

3.The second Olympics was held in Paris (Olympics with determiner "second" used = singular)

4.In 1866, a national Olympic Games in Great Britain was organized at London �s Crystal Palace(Olympic Games with determiner "a" used= singular)

5.The first Games held under the auspices of the IOC was hosted in the Panathenaic stadium in Athens in 1896(Games with determiner "first" used= singular)

edit: these are all quotes straight from Wikipedia (and how much more common usage could you get than Wikipedia?)

Dear Douglas

You have just illustrated my point exactly so how can you disagree? the first few games the first two games have to be plural but you can never say the first games, it has to be the first game, and what are trying to say with (and "Olympics Games" is never correct) I never said it was but the Olympics games is certainly correct as the Olympic Games games(I would never use either in my day to day) would also be correct because each Olympic Games is an event with multiple games, just because team can be either plural or singular does it mean I can say the first team are here? or 1 team are ready????!!!!

Nothing can determine a determiner other than another determiner otherwise why would we call them determiners?

But I will stop here now, I was trying to help someone who had genuine doubts not to have people disagree with facts I gave so that I have to prove it again in another way.

If after reading the whole thread you still think there is another way to determine the quantity other than by the determiner that is your opinion but not the facts.

Good day.