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which sentence is correct?

1) The Acme Parks and Recreation Department offer sports programming in the following three core areas:

2) The Acme Parks and Recreation Department offers sports programming in the following three core areas:

Maj · Accepted Answer

I am not sure. I would need to check it up. I would probably say number 1 because parks is plural.  Sorry but I have no grammar books with me.

Charlie · Answer

Yes, the first one.  There are two things the acme parks AND the recreation dept.

Maj · Answer

Yes, you are right no doubt about that but there is an exception to the rule, which I can't remember right now. (My mind is on vacation and you are asking a lot of tricky questions). I think it is with the verb to be.

There is a mobile phone, three keys and two lipsticks in my handbag BUT

There are two lipsticks, a mobile phone and three keys in my handbag.

I would say both answers are correct. Correct me if I am wrong, we use "there is" with multiple subjects when the first word is singular. We use "there are", when the first word is plural. I truly hope I remember this correctly???

Ebeckley · Answer

The sentence is clearly ambiguous.  If teh Acme Parks and the Recreation Department are separate entities, the first sentence is correct.  If "The Acme Parks and Recreation Department" is a single entity, the second sentence is correct.

Orpheus · Answer

Good point, Ebeckley.

Maj · Answer

well noted!

Herdsman · Answer

This is simple:  the word "Department" is singular, therefore "offers" is correct, i.e., IT OFFERS.  Of course, if one were in Great Britain, he would use OFFER.

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