English Sentence Daily

2023年2月17日

I’ll give this cookie to whichever of you wants it.

The word “wants” is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb “want”, which means to have a desire or a need for something. When a verb is conjugated in the present tense, its ending changes based on the subject of the sentence.

In the sentence “I want the cookie,” the subject “I” requires the base form of the verb “want”. However, in the sentence “he/she/it wants the cookie,” the subject “he/she/it” requires the third-person singular form “wants”.

So, in the original sentence “I’ll give this cookie to whichever of you wants it,” “wants” is used because the subject “whichever of you” is a third-person singular subject, and therefore requires the third-person singular form of the verb “want”.

in which case

The phrase “in which case” is used to introduce a conditional or a situation where a particular action or event is true or applicable. It is typically used when referring back to a previously mentioned scenario or condition.

For example, “If the customer is not satisfied with the product, they can return it for a refund, in which case they will need to provide proof of purchase.” In this sentence, “in which case” refers back to the previous clause stating that the customer can return the product if they are not satisfied. It is used to indicate that the subsequent information regarding providing proof of purchase only applies if the customer chooses to return the product.

unless otherwise noted