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Eeelearner Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Singular or Plural

Hi,

when one has a sentence such as the following, do we need the singular or plural form? I am trying to say that science is hard and physics is especially hard.

"The subject of science, and physics in particular, is/are very hard."

Thanks a lot.
  

Top answer

Well,here I think you used " and " to mean not only science is hard but ALSO physics,so I wouldn't say "is" but "are" because there are two subjects which are difficult not one.

— Everlastinghope

  • Well,here I think you used " and " to mean not only science is hard but ALSO physics,so I wouldn't say "is" but "are" because there are two subjects which are difficult not one.
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5 Answers
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Well,here I think you used " and " to mean not only science is hard but ALSO physics,so I wouldn't say "is" but "are" because there are two subjects which are difficult not one.
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EeelearnerHi,when one has a sentence such as the following, do we need the singular or plural form? I am trying to say that science is hard and physics is especially hard.

"The subject of science, and physics in particular, is very hard.
There is only one subject, which is science. "
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So it should be "is" then, in my example above?

What if we explicitly create a second subject, e.g.:

Science, and mathematics as well, is/are hard.

?

Thanks.
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Science, and mathematics as well, are hard.
Science, including physics, chemistry, biology, geology and astronomy is hard.
Physics, chemistry, biology, geology and astronomy are hard subjects.
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EeelearnerScience, and mathematics as well, is/are hard. This is a very messy sentence.
Just say 'Science and mathematicas are hard.'
It's also messy in that it raises the question of whether it has a singular or plural subject.

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