Read the following sentence and identify the underlined part or parts…

Concept

Some English count nouns have invariant number forms: the same spelling serves as both singular and plural. Such nouns retain that spelling when the quantity changes.

In an error-identification sentence, check each marked segment independently for noun form, phrase structure, and verb form before counting the errors.

Application

1. Identify the subject phrase: in ‘the flock of sheeps’, ‘flock’ is the head noun, while the ‘of’ phrase names the members of the flock.

2. Apply the invariant-noun rule: the singular is ‘sheep’ and the plural is also ‘sheep’, so the member phrase should read ‘of sheep’.

3. Check the predicate independently: ‘blocked’ is the simple-past form of ‘block’, and the simple past has the same form for singular and plural subjects.

Contrast

• ‘The flock’ is a singular collective-noun phrase headed by ‘flock’.

• ‘Of sheeps’ adds a regular plural ending to an invariant noun.

• ‘Blocked the road’ is a well-formed simple-past predicate.

• ‘More than one of the above’ would require at least two faulty marked parts, whereas the checks isolate one noun-form issue.

• ‘None of the above’ would require all marked parts to satisfy their governing rules.

Cross-check

Substitute the invariant plural into the complete sentence: ‘The flock of sheep blocked the road.’ The subject phrase and simple-past predicate now read naturally and obey their respective rules.

Result: the error is ‘of sheeps’; the required form is ‘of sheep’.