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Snappy Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Equipment and software is/are?

I found this on a UK website.
"The following equipment and software is available for use throughout the College."
My question is if this should be "equipment and software are..."
If the above sentence is correct, is it because "equipment" is uncountable and "software" is uncountable?
Then can I say, "The software and technology the company provides is excellent"?
  

Top answer

I would say that the writer has a choice (which some will agree to and others will not)-- one is grammatical and the other is notional. Even though 'equipment' and software' are both uncountable, they still make up a compound subject: hence, 'are'. But the feeling of uncountability is still strong, so 'is'.

— Mister Micawber

  • I would say that the writer has a choice (which some will agree to and others will not)-- one is grammatical and the other is notional.
  • Even though 'equipment' and software' are both uncountable, they still make up a compound subject: hence, 'are'.
  • But the feeling of uncountability is still strong, so 'is'.
  • The same applies to 'software' and 'technology'.
  • Warning, by the way: 'software' is becoming countable.
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1 Answers
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I would say that the writer has a choice (which some will agree to and others will not)-- one is grammatical and the other is notional. Even though 'equipment' and software' are both uncountable, they still make up a compound subject: hence, 'are'. But the feeling of uncountability is still strong, so 'is'. The same applies to 'software' and 'technology'.

Warning, by the way: 'softwa
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