Monday 30 November 2015

grammar - in minds or in mind

You say, to a group




What do you [guys, fellas, all, people,...] have in mind? (singular)




It is possible to use use the plural; for example, you could also say




What's on your minds?" (plural)




The distinction is the former, using in, speaks of containment, and the latter, using on, of placement.



But be warned: the two idioms have very different connotations. The second means, essentially, "What's bothering you [guys]?".



Anyway, that's why you cannot say "What do you have in minds?" (in + plural); it breaks the metaphor of containment.

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