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BW2/3 Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

cheerleader

Cheerleader after cheeleader was practing her move.

Cheerleader after cheeleader were practing their moves.

Which is correct- and why?

Thank you
  

Top answer

The first one, because -- actually, I'm not quite sure how to explain it. hl=en&lr=&q=%22thing+after+thing+were%22 has none. Hmm.

— LearningNerd

  • The first one, because -- actually, I'm not quite sure how to explain it.
  • hl=en&lr=&q=%22thing+after+thing+were%22 has none.
  • Hmm.
  • As I understand it, the only way to form a plural subject out of two singular nouns is to join them with the word "and".
  • Other joining words like "or" require a singular verb, and I guess "after" does, too.
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9 Answers
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The first one, because -- actually, I'm not quite sure how to explain it. Well, a quick search on google for http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22thing+after+thing+was%22 has about 100 results, while
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They were coming one after another to do their practice
Cheerleader after cheeleader
(not all simultaneously), thus was
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Cheerleader after cheerleader was practicing her move.

Though it does not have the same meaning it does have the same structure as

(A)cheerleader was practicing her move after (another) cheerleader.

or

After (a) cheerleader, (another) cheerleader was practicing her move.

You can understand after cheerleader as a group of wor
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While arguing in the favor of singular, I should mention that one can find both singular and plural forms in the press, say inThe New York Times:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9A05E0DA1039F932A35757C0A960958260

.
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Interesting. I wonder if there's an official word on this anywhere.

Well, no matter, I guess; this doesn't come up too often.
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Maybe woman is not the most appropriate word to examine this. I've tried some other

  • "home after home is" 620 usages

  • "home after home are" 0 usages

  • "home after home was" 1.550 usages

  • "home after home were" 0 usages

  • "car after car is" 1.400 usages

  • "car after car are" 490 usages

  • "car after car was" 8.840 us
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Since the phrase "after cheerleader" is a prepostional phrase, the simple sentence should be "Cheerleader was practicing her move." and NOT "Cheerleader were practicing their moves."

Two things- Does each cheerleader only have one move? The way you stated your first sentece made it seem that way. Also, I believe the word you're trying to use is "practicing" NOT "practing"

"Cheerl
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Hi,

'Their moves' is more inclusive, since it avoids the assumption that only females are cheerleaders. Emotion: smile

Best wish
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I know that people want to work out the logic and the grammar, but as a matter of actual practice, rather than tying yourself in knots over this, you can simply rewrite it.

One after the other, the cheerleaders praticed their moves. Or, One after the other, the cheerleaders practiced the move [that was causing them such difficulties].
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