'Nother quick grammar question, please

[TarnishedPenny]

My narrator is sitting in a room looking at the shoes worn by the other people. All the shoes in the room are good ones, expensive ones.

So, is it, 'There were no cheap footwear in sight' or 'There was no cheap footwear in sight'? It's shoes, plural, but my research is leading me in both directions.

Thanks.

 

[yowser]

Second is correct, should be singular (a group of things.)

'There was no cheap footwear in sight.'

Your meaning is clear either way.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Footwear is a mass noun so singular.
But if you mean shoes, why not say shoes? Footwear is a bit retail-speak.

 

[stickygirl]

Footwear is a mass noun so singular.
But if you mean shoes, why not say shoes? Footwear is a bit retail-speak.

...and then it would be plural 'There were no cheap shoes in sight'

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Points taken. Thanks.

 

[Voboy]

My heart sank when I realized everyone else had shoes at least 50% more expensive than mine.

 

[SimonDoom]

Singular. It would be like saying, "There was no hosiery in sight."

 

[jehoram]

In the US "was" would be better, since footwear is singular.

In the UK, I have no idea, because they have a different standard, which is why you see things like "The football club we played were really on fire last night."

 

[Comshaw]

Footwear is a mass noun so singular.
But if you mean shoes, why not say shoes? Footwear is a bit retail-speak.

Were they all shoes? Or is that guy in the corner wearing a pair of Dan Post Ostrich skin boots? Or does that lady next to you have on a pair of sandals with rubies on the straps? Or that 20 something over there, with the titanium hobnail Doc Martins and sterling silver eyelets? Yeah, I know, I'm being an ass. Sorry.

Comshaw

 

[TheRedChamber]

Footwear is a mass noun so singular.
But if you mean shoes, why not say shoes? Footwear is a bit retail-speak.

If it's a focus, they may already have used the word 'shoes' already. Footwear is a bit unnatural in spoken conversation, but I think it's fine to add a bit of variety to inner dialogue.