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Anonymous Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Is or Are?

Is five confirmations all we need?

or

Are five confirmations all we need?

I believe the latter is the correct way. However, I hear the former all the time.
  

Top answer

I don't find either one objectionable. If the speaker is thinking of five confirmations as a single group that represents "all we need", then "is" is all right. After all, the corresponding assertion has "is": All we need is five confirmations.

— CalifJim

  • I don't find either one objectionable.
  • If the speaker is thinking of five confirmations as a single group that represents "all we need", then "is" is all right.
  • After all, the corresponding assertion has "is": All we need is five confirmations.
  • And you might say that this statement form is just inverted to form the question.
  • CJ
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1 Answers
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I don't find either one objectionable. If the speaker is thinking of five confirmations as a single group that represents "all we need", then "is" is all right.

After all, the corresponding assertion has "is": All we need is five confirmations. And you might say that this statement form is just inverted to form the question.

CJ
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