Fwd: IS or ARE

Subject: Fwd: IS or ARE
From: Chris Morton <salt -dot- morton -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:05:43 -0700

I checked with Mr. Grammar (my stepbrother) who was an advisor on McGraw
Hill grammar books.

Phil is right on, so the answer in this context is "is".

(Reminds my of a certain POTUS during impeachment hearings...) ;^)


On Tue, Jul 24, 2012 at 7:12 PM, Phil03 <philstokes03 -at- googlemail -dot- com> wrote:

> On 25 Jul 2012, at 05:51, "Peter Neilson" <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net> wrote:
>
> > The words "of free service" is a prepositional phrase modifying the
> subject of the sentence, "months" which is plural.
> >
> > It is are. Is is wrong.
>
>
> Not so fast there, Peter!
>
> Some expressions which refer to measurement or to amounts of time and
> money may be either singular or plural. When you want such expressions to
> mean items grouped together to form a single unit, use a singular verb.
> When you want such expressions to mean several separate items, use a plural
> verb. Compare these:
>
> One thousand dollars is too much to pay for a hair cut. (‘one thousand’ is
> a single number)
>
> Two weeks is a long time in politics.
> (the time is meant to be understood as one period)
>
> Which is correct, 'is' or 'are' depends on whether the free service is one
> period or not. Can the months be separated? (I would think not, in this
> context) as in
>
> Use 'ARE' the situation is parallel to A:
>
> A, 4 hours are plenty for examinations (a 2-hour test at the beginning of
> the course, and a 2-hour test at the end)
>
> USE 'IS' if the situation is parallel to B:
>
> B. 4 hours is given to complete the test.
>
>
>
>
>
> On 25 Jul 2012, at 05:51, "Peter Neilson" <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net> wrote:
>
> > The words "of free service" is a prepositional phrase modifying the
> subject of the sentence, "months" which is plural.
> >
> > It is are. Is is wrong.
> >
> > I'll refrain from eliminating the passive voice.
> >
> > On Tue, 24 Jul 2012 18:40:40 -0400, Keith Mahoney <
> kamahoney1965 -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
> >
> >> My choice, M8.....go with "is"
> >>
> >> ~Mahoney
> >>
> >> On Tue, Jul 24, 2012 at 3:38 PM, John Posada <jposada99 -at- gmail -dot- com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hi, guys...quick question...
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Two months of free service is given to a current customer
> >>>
> >>> or
> >>>
> >>> Two months of free service are given to a current customer
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> My thought is that "is" should be used as free service is given.
> >>>
> >>> Please no suggestions to rewriting or context, or needing more
> >>> information...I have no choice than to use one of them the way it is
> and it
> >>> goes out tomorrow, so I have a limited option for battles.
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> John Posada
> >>> Rock portfolio: http://jposada.zenfolio.com/musicportfolio
> >>> Twitter: @rockbandphotos
> >>> Blog: http://jposada.zenfolio.com/blog
> >>>
> >>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> >>> Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with
> >>> Doc-To-Help. Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may
> need.
> >>>
> >>> Try Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
> >>>
> >>> http://bit.ly/doc-to-help
> >>>
> >>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> >>>
> >>> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as kamahoney1965 -at- gmail -dot- com -dot-
> >>>
> >>> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> >>> techwr-l-leave -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
> >>> http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources
> and
> >>> info.
> >>>
> >>> Looking for articles on Technical Communications? Head over to our
> online
> >>> magazine at http://techwhirl.com
> >>>
> >>> Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions? Search our public
> >>> email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives
> >>>
> >>
> >> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> >> Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with
> Doc-To-Help. Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need.
> >>
> >> Try Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
> >>
> >> http://bit.ly/doc-to-help
> >>
> >> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> >>
> >> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as neilson -at- windstream -dot- net -dot-
> >>
> >> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> >> techwr-l-leave -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> >>
> >>
> >> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
> >> http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources
> and info.
> >>
> >> Looking for articles on Technical Communications? Head over to our
> online magazine at http://techwhirl.com
> >>
> >> Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions? Search our public
> email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives
> >
> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with
> Doc-To-Help. Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need.
> >
> > Try Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
> >
> > http://bit.ly/doc-to-help
> >
> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> >
> > You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as philstokes03 -at- googlemail -dot- com -dot-
> >
> > To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> > techwr-l-leave -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> >
> >
> > Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
> > http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources
> and info.
> >
> > Looking for articles on Technical Communications? Head over to our
> online magazine at http://techwhirl.com
> >
> > Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions? Search our public
> email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives
>
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with
> Doc-To-Help. Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need.
>
> Try Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
>
> http://bit.ly/doc-to-help
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as salt -dot- morton -at- gmail -dot- com -dot-
>
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> techwr-l-leave -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>
>
> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
> http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources and
> info.
>
> Looking for articles on Technical Communications? Head over to our online
> magazine at http://techwhirl.com
>
> Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions? Search our public
> email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives
>

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help. Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need.

Try Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.

http://bit.ly/doc-to-help

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-leave -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com


Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources and info.

Looking for articles on Technical Communications? Head over to our online magazine at http://techwhirl.com

Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions? Search our public email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives


Follow-Ups:

References:
IS or ARE: From: John Posada
Re: IS or ARE: From: Keith Mahoney
Re: IS or ARE: From: Peter Neilson
Re: IS or ARE: From: Phil03

Previous by Author: Re: IS or ARE
Next by Author: Re: IS or ARE
Previous by Thread: Re: IS or ARE
Next by Thread: Re: IS or ARE


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads