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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Helppp     

Helppp



caren_630
Egypt

Helppp
 
Please help Choose the correct answer: Help (yourself - yourselves) everyone. There (is - are) plenty more.

13 Dec 2018      





ldthemagicman
United Kingdom

Caren,

Please help Choose the correct answer:
Help (yourself - yourselves) everyone. There (is - are) plenty more.
 
Let us imagine that we are at a party with lots of other people. We hear the announcement.
 
Help (yourself - yourselves) everyone. 
 
In my opinion, we could regard �the group of guests � at the party as an assembly, a company, one indivisible gathering.
We regard the group as having singular existence.
We DO NOT think of the group as individual persons.
Then, we would use �yourself �.
 
Alternatively, we could regard the �group of guests � at the party as a collection of several, separate, different individuals.
We regard the group as having plural existence.
We DO think of the group as individual persons.
Then, we would use �yourselves �.
 
There (is - are) plenty more.
 
If the article/articles referred to CAN NOT be counted ... "1, 2, 3," etc. ... then the reference is to something UNCOUNTABLE, such as �wine �, or �food �, etc.
 
We use:
"There is plenty more".

If the article/articles referred to CAN be counted ... "1, 2, 3," etc. ... then the reference is to something COUNTABLE, such as �sandwiches �, or �bottles of juice �, etc.
 
We use:
"There are plenty more".
 
Without any further information than what is given, I would choose:
 
"Help yourselves, everyone! There is plenty more!"
 
I am being polite and speaking to the guests personally, as individuals. I am indicating that there is plenty more food/more drink available.
 
Please Note: This is my opinion.
 
Others may disagree.
 
But, I hope that I have helped you.
 
Les Douglas 

13 Dec 2018     



yanogator
United States

I completely agree with Les (no surprise there), both that there is interpretation here, and that "yourselves" and "is" are the best choices.
 
Bruce 

13 Dec 2018     



cunliffe
United Kingdom

I agree, and I am in good company! Lynne

13 Dec 2018     



caren_630
Egypt

Would "help yourself everyone" be wrong?

13 Dec 2018     



redcamarocruiser
United States

Yes. It would be wrong.

14 Dec 2018     



aperkins4
Japan

@caren_630
 
`Help yourself` can only be used when refering to only 1 person. `Hello, Sir. Help yourself to some grapes.` If there are more than one person present, `yourselves` is the correct phrase.

16 Dec 2018     



douglas
United States

"everyone" dictates the use of the plural, that is why "help yourself" (singular) would be wrong.

17 Dec 2018     



cunliffe
United Kingdom

I think �help yourself, everyone � isn �t the best choice, but I don �t agree that it is wrong. It is absolutely fine. Google it! �Everyone� is singular, too! Everyone know that! Or...everyone knows that? 

17 Dec 2018     



redcamarocruiser
United States

I googled it and found this video which agrees with Lynne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxxQPhX6SUg . It shows friends or family enjoying a meal together.  I think grammatically it would be OK to say, "Help yourself, family" (since �family � is singular. I believe that "Help yourself, everyone" is built analgous to that. 
 
To me it sounds OK to say  
 
"Help yourself, family"
"Help yourself, gang" 
 
 
But I would say 
"Help yourselves, friends." 
"Help yourselves, everyone." 
"Serve yourselves, everyone"
 
Googling, "help yourself, everyone" returned 28,000 results.
"help yourselves, everyone" returned 615 results. 
 
This is discussed on another forum 
https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/help-yourself-help-yourselves.2246554/ 
 
So, as Lynne pointed out, it sounds fine to some people. 
 

17 Dec 2018