Hello, I'm an expert in the field of linguistics with a focus on English grammar and usage. I'm here to help clarify any questions you have about the English language.
Now, let's tackle your question: "Is 'friends' a plural noun?"
In English, nouns can be categorized into singular and plural forms. A singular noun refers to one person, place, thing, or idea, while a plural noun refers to more than one. The word "friend" is indeed a singular noun, meaning it refers to one individual. However, when we add an "s" to make it "friends," it becomes a plural noun, indicating more than one individual.
Now, let's delve into the nuances of possessive nouns and how they interact with singular and plural forms. Possessive nouns are used to indicate ownership or a relationship to something. In English, we often use an apostrophe followed by an "s" ('s) to show possession, such as "John's book" (the book that belongs to John).
When we talk about possessive nouns in the plural form, we generally follow the same rule. For example, "the friends' book" would imply a book that belongs to a group of friends. However, there are some subtleties to consider. If the possessive noun is plural and the main noun is singular, we still use the apostrophe and "s" at the end of the possessive noun, even though the noun itself is already plural. This is because the "s" at the end of the possessive noun is not indicating plurality but possession.
Here's where it gets a bit tricky. As you mentioned, there are instances where a singular indefinite article ("a" or "an") can be used with a plural possessive noun followed by a singular main noun. This is less common and can sometimes be confusing. For example, "a friend's book" would mean a book belonging to one friend, while "a friends' book" could imply a book belonging to a group of friends. The use of "a" before "friends" might seem odd because "friends" is plural, but it's grammatically correct in this context because "friends" is acting as a possessive noun modifying the singular noun "book."
To summarize:
1. "Friend" is a singular noun, and "friends" is the plural form.
2. When a plural noun is possessive, we still add an apostrophe and "s" to indicate possession, even though the noun is already plural.
3. A singular indefinite article can sometimes be used with a plural possessive noun when it's followed by a singular main noun, but this can be confusing and should be used with care.

Now, let's move on to the translation of the above explanation into Chinese.

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Yes, if the possessive noun or pronoun remains singular. ... The latter would be confusing since the singular indefinite article jars with the plural possessive noun, friends'. However, there are cases where a singular indefinite article can be used with a plural possessive noun followed by a singular main noun.read more >>