Длинные шипы изменили отскок мяча.

the ball

Breakdown of Длинные шипы изменили отскок мяча.

• изменить: to change
• длинные шипы: the long pips
• отскок: the bounce

Questions & Answers about Длинные шипы изменили отскок мяча.

Why is it длинные, not длинный?

Because шипы is plural, and the adjective has to agree with the noun.

• singular masculine: длинный шип
• plural: длинные шипы

So длинные шипы means long spikes / long pips.

What does шипы mean here?

Literally, шипы can mean spikes, points, studs, or thorns, depending on context.

In a sports context, especially table tennis, длинные шипы often means long pips — a type of rubber surface on a paddle/bat. So this sentence is probably talking about sports equipment affecting how the ball bounces.

Why is the verb изменили, not изменил or изменила?

Because the subject is plural: длинные шипы.

Russian past tense agrees with the subject in gender and number:

• изменил = he/it changed
• изменила = she changed
• изменило = it changed
• изменили = they changed

Since шипы is plural, the verb must be изменили.

What form of the verb is изменили?