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Englishnewbie Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

singular noun with more than two outcomes

Hello,

The price index for corn and wheat was 10 and 50, respectively.

Can I use "index" to refer to 10 and 50 like this?
Or does the subject have to be a plural?

Thanks.
  

Top answer

That is proper and natural in speech. English isn't arithmetic. The plural way would also work, "The price indexes for corn and wheat were 10 and 50, respectively," and would be better in formal writing.

— Anonymous

  • That is proper and natural in speech.
  • English isn't arithmetic.
  • The plural way would also work, "The price indexes for corn and wheat were 10 and 50, respectively," and would be better in formal writing.
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3 Answers
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That is proper and natural in speech. English isn't arithmetic. The plural way would also work, "The price indexes for corn and wheat were 10 and 50, respectively," and would be better in formal writing.
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englishnewbieThe price index for corn and wheat was 10 and 50, respectively. Can I use "index" to refer to 10 and 50 like this? Or does the subject have to be a plural?
Yes, it does.

There are two distinct indexes being referred to: one for corn whose value was 10; and one for wheat whose value was 50. So the subject must be plural, and so must
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